Auto Industry News
And Car Reviews

Well, here’s another good looking race car put out by Mercedes-Benz. Here at Autoshopper.com, we get excited when another Mercedes-Benz product becomes available, even if this isn’t a production car—it is a racer. Actually, the DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé will succeed the AMG Mercedes C-Class, which is the most successful vehicle in the 27-year history of the DTM (touring car racing), having scored 84 victories in 156 races and five driver’s titles.

A funny thing about auto shows is that some of what a manufacturer displays as "concept" is obviously going to be built. Such was the case with the Cadillac CTS coupe originally unveiled at the 2008 North American International Auto Show. The CTS coupe on display appeared as if it could have been driven off the floor and into your driveway, a no-brainer to receive a green light from GM management.

The Sonic’s list of strengths doesn’t end with safety and efficiency, though. It just so happens that the Ecotec 1.4L turbo is paired with a six-speed manual transmission and is capable of reaching 60 mph in 8.2 seconds.  

Yes, it’s true: The car you loved to hate when the cops were using it—and probably never thought of UNLESS the cops were using it—has ended its long production run. The last of Ford’s Old Grey Ladies had its newborn rump spanked into life at the company’s St. Thomas (Ontairo, CAN) Assembly Plant on Sept. 15^th, signaling an end to both car and factory.

[Incidentally, that white-over-tan car—VIN 2FABP7CW8CX104292—is Saudi Arabia-bound and lined with the signatures of the people who built her. You’d think that Ford or someone HERE would want a keepsake like that. Apparently not.]

I ask now for a moment of silence for the dearly-departed. Believe it or not, this model holds a special place in my heart (and just maybe—if you’re honest—in yours, too). So let’s not mourn the passing of a great model. Instead, let’s celebrate a life well-lived with a (semi)brief history of the Ford Crown Victoria….

The saga of the Toyota-Subaru sports coupe team-up (aka Toyobaru) has been so comical it could almost be classified as a farce. Toyota has basically bombarded us with concepts to the point that we're sick of seeing the FT-86. Meanwhile, Subaru has given us not one, but two, clear car-skeletons that show little more than the powertrain and a basic shell of a car. Polar opposite takes on what's essentially the same project.

Well, while Subaru is fiddling around with a glorified model car, Toyota has yet another FT-86 to show in Frankfurt.

With winter just around the corner and the possibility of heavy snowfall, the question arises—do you need a dedicated set of winter tires? The answer is, it depends. It depends on how bad this coming winter will be and how often you must drive in the snow. Purchasing a set of winter tires is an expensive proposition; on the other hand, it’s the best way to go if you don’t want to end up in a ditch.

It's the most wonderful time of the year

With the car shows gathering

And everyone saying "Is that a 4:11 rear?"

It's the most wonderful time of the year

It's the hap-happiest season of all

There are several ways to get a quick wash. You can go to the traditional car wash, pay the ever increasing price or do it yourself at one of the do-it-yourself washes. Of course, there’s always your driveway, too, but for a quick and effective wash, the do-it-yourself places are pretty good because of the power nozzle feature and you can certainly do a better job yourself than one of the automated car washes. You can do a decent job in fifteen minutes and, if you’re efficient, spend less than five dollars in the process. You can spend more too, depending on how thorough you want to be.

You’ll do a better job if you bring along a few things when visiting your local coin-operated wash facility. First, make sure you bring a few one-dollar bills, a few quarters, some wheel cleaner spray, a squeegee, and a towel or two. If you can, also bring along an assistant.

Ok, before we even begin, I’d like to go out on a limb and suggest that 1985’s bowtie graphic is the obvious winner. Aside from being the most dramatic, the 1985 brand logo embodies the 1980s as a decade of good times, futuristic thinking, and dramatically new perspectives. Not to mention it’s just plain bizarre.

And yet, arguing over which logo reigns supreme is a difficult task when the brand logo’s origins are still unclear. Even Chevrolet remains unsure of the bowtie logo’s birthplace.

The 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show has been the breaking out party for Eterniti, a London-based, independent luxury car manufacturer. The company debuted at the Frankfurt show with the launch of its first model—the Hemera SUV. Since that car is basically just a tuned Porsche Cayenne, and I don't even like the Cayenne, I'm much more interested in Eterniti's second model—an unnamed supercar that it teased in sketch form.

Before fuel injection came into vogue, mechanical fuel pumps mounted on the engine were used. Changing such pumps was just a matter of removing a couple of bolts and the fuel line. Now, practically all cars and trucks come with an electric fuel pump, which is typically located inside the gas tank.

They aren’t located in the gas tank just to make them difficult to replace, but because in-tank pumps are quieter, are protected from the elements, and fully pressurize the fuel along the entire system. Because fuel injection requires much higher fuel pressures (35-50 psi), vapor lock—a problem with old style mechanical fuel pumps—is a thing of the past.