USA Today’s James Healey really liked the new VW Eos. “… boy, was the car nice when it wasn’t broken.” Uh oh. Broken? In technical terms, giving a non-working car to the nation’s highest-circulation newspaper is offically called a “whoopsie.” Healey loved how the Eos looked, drove and operated until he stopped for gas. After filling up, the gorgeous hardtop convertible showed signs of electrical problems by refusing to start. Not Good. Continue reading VW Eos flubbs USA Today review by not starting
Categories:Volkswagen
This is what we’re truly all waiting for – someone to get their hands on the best-of-the-best pickups for 2007 and stage a knock down, drag out comparison test with the new 2007 Toyota Tundra. Well, Edmunds has come closest by being the first to compare the new Tundra with a 2007 Chevy Silverado and an ’07 Nissan Titan. While we really want to see a Tundra vs. Silverado vs. F-150 vs. Ram match, we’ll take what we can get.
Remember back in November we brought you a story of a naughty teenager, his teacher and his teacher’s husband’s 911? We expressed great skepticism about their ability to have sex in such a small car. Even when some readers claimed to have accomplished the feat themselves, we didn’t believe. But now for those of us with too little imagination, bodies that no longer move in those ways, and fear of having photos turn up on the Internets, there is an instruction manual for car lovers who want to love in their cars. 
During an interview with AutoVisie magazine, Ulrick Hackenberg, a high ranking product exec at Audi, said that the TT-based Shooting Brake concept that debuted at the Tokyo Auto Show in 2005 will not make it to production. 
Pontiac’s foray into the tuner world has been partially stunted by the limited amount of available Solsti on the road. Fortunately for Pontiac, a Canadian customizing contingent that represents the best of what’s up north, took it upon itself to create the stereotypical tuner machine (with 500 horsepower, though) out of its coveted drop top. 
Ferrari wins world championships and it applies the knowledge to building a beast like the 599 GTB Fiorano. Renault wins the championship and they make… a supermini. But that’s cool, we remind ourselves, because everyone does what they do best, and nobody makes hot hatches like Renaultsport, the performance division that builds the F1 cars and the hottest of pocket rockets. 
The all-new 2008 Chevrolet Malibu delivers great performance, fuel economy and refinement, wrapped in a clean, tailored design that carries the new face of Chevrolet. The new Malibu will be unveiled at the North American International Auto Show. It arrives at Chevrolet dealerships later this year. “The 2008 Malibu rewrites Chevrolet’s midsize car strategy, offering a stylish, uncompromising package that stacks up against the most popular competitors,†said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. 
Perhaps taking a note from DaimlerChrysler’s playbook, Ford will reportedly be importing a version of the Ford Transit Connect commercial vehicle to be sold in the United States. DaimlerChrysler began selling the Sprinter commercial van in the U.S. around 2004, and has enjoyed success selling it to large corporations that need workhorse fleet vehicles with large, enclosed cargo spaces. The Turkish news website Sabah is reporting that the Transit Connect destined for our shores will be built in Turkey at Ford’s Kocaeli facilities until production of the commercial van begins in the U.S. around 2009. 
We’re almost dead certain that Lexus will unveil the IS-F, a very high-performance version of its IS-Series sedan, in Detroit next week. Regardless of whether it does or not, we’ve been treated to a sneak preview of the car thanks to an online advertisement that’s been released revealing the entire car, albeit in low resolution. The ad tells us the car will have 400+ horsepower from a 5.0-liter V8 and reach 60 mph in under five seconds. This is certainly the most performance-oriented Lexus vehicle to touch rubber to road, and we’re eager to find out if Lexus could suppress it’s natural inclination to dampen this car to death. 
After a rough few years full of significant recalls, Mercedes-Benz appeared (or appears, depending on your perspective) to be getting its act together by successfully addressing its quality issues. The automaker just announced a major recall in Germany involving 130,000 vehicles windshield wiper motors that could be defective. While one recall a return to quality does not ruin, neither does it help. 
While we have nothing but love for the C30, apparently there has been a love it or hate it reaction to the car at recent auto shows. Volvo has come up with an interesting new ad campaign to harness the polarized reactions to promote its new premium hatchback. Using the tag line, “That’s one opinion. What’s yours?,” Volvo is breaking the 4th wall in its new commercials and asking people what they think of the C30’s styling. And the company isn’t cherry-picking the results, either. Apparently, it’s OK for some people to dislike the car. 
Embargo breaking notwithstanding, there is still lots of information to share on the C-XF Concept that Jaguar will officially debut at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit next week. The design finally breaks Jaguar away from the ball and chain of its own traditions with a decidedly un-retro shape that still manages to exude a feline quality. This cat is more like a lion, however, thanks to a 4.2-liter supercharged V8 producing 420 hp and 368 ft-lbs. of torque driving the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission.