Starting in late December, Chrysler Group LLC will take claim as the first U.S. automaker to offer live mobile television in its Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles. Programming for up to 20 channels will come through FLO TV™ Auto Entertainment and will offer shows for nearly everyone. As of now, the lineup includes CBS Mobile, CNBC, Comedy Central, FOX News, MSNBC, MTV, Nickelodeon, and more.

While companies have offered "live" TV in the past through large and expensive roof-mounted satellite dishes, the Mopar system captures signals through a mouse-size roof antenna. The feed arrives via a dedicated multicast network from FLO TV (a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Inc.). The associated receiver and wiring are all hidden, so that they remain out of view to the vehicle's occupants. Utilizing the existing DVD system's 7-inch display, passengers will be able to use a wireless remote control to surf channels, much like they do with current home-based systems.

The $629 (plus installation) package will be offered as a deal-installed option on most new Chrysler SUV/minivan products, and may be retrofitted to some older vehicles equipped with DVD entertainment systems. The cost of system, however, includes a one-year pre-paid FLO TV service subscription. As long as Sponge Bob is on, we're sure many of Chrysler's smallest customers will be quite happy.

[Source: Chrysler]

Read more →

The original Volkswagen Golf Mk1 arrived as a replacement to the Volkswagen Beetle way back in 1974. Sold in the States as the Volkswagen Rabbit, the early front-wheel-drive hatchback had a transverse-mounted (water-cooled) 1.5-liter four-cylinder rated at just 70 horsepower. It was good for a 93 mph top speed and nearly 38 miles per gallon. While the standard Rabbit was rather ho-hum, the late-to-arrive Mk1 "GTI" ushered in the hot-hatch movement with its 90-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder, slick manual transmission, and upgraded suspension. It was a seriously cool car.

In 1984, Volkswagen introduced the Golf Mk2. As the successor was bigger, wider, and more expensive than the original – and customers may have been turned-off by the "improvements" – VW chose to continue the Mk1 production and sell it as the low-cost Econo Golf, or CitiGolf.

Over the past 25 years, more than 500,000 units of the venerable Mk1 have rolled out of a South African assembly plant for sale in markets abroad. Variants have been fitted with a wide range of engine choices (both gasoline and diesel), from 1.1-liters up to 1.8-liters of displacement. Transmissions have included 4- and 5-speed manuals, plus the (obviously outdated) 3-speed automatic. Lacking nearly all of today's necessary safety equipment (a driver's airbag was eventually fitted), time finally caught up with the CitiGolf this summer and the South African plant was closed in late August.

Interesting side note: the tooling used to build the CitiGolf all these years in South Africa was reportedly originally used to make the Rabbit at Volkswagen's Westmoreland plant in Pennsylvania. Thanks for the tip, Doug!



[Source: in4ride]

Last month, Ford widened its cruise control switch recall to 4.5 million vehicles. Included in the growing list of cars and trucks was the Ford Ranger pickup – the mechanical twin to the now-discontinued Mazda B-Series pickup. Not surprisingly, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has now widened its recall to encompass 39,600 of Mazda's 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 trucks for the exact same fault.

According to the recall, trucks equipped with a Texas Instruments speed control deactivation switch (SCDS) and/or anti-lock brake system (ABS) manufactured on or before December 5, 2002, may encounter a vehicle fire if the switch deteriorates and leaks. As in the Ford recall, Mazda dealers will install a universal fused jumper harness on the cruise control deactivation switch at no charge.

Owners of the recalled vehicles may contact Mazda at 800-222-5500 (option #6), contact the NHTSA's Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236, or go to www.safercar.gov. Recall information after the jump.

[Source: NHTSA]

Read more →

It's faster to 60 mph than a Lamborghini Murcielago LP640, McLaren F1 or Ferrari Enzo. Porsche's fastest offerings, including the Carrera GT, GT2 and road-going 911 GT1 "Strassenversion" will only see its LED tail lamps during a typical sprint. Only the unlikely – make that incomprehensible – meeting of an SSC Ultimate Aero or Bugatti Veyron at a stop light will concern this car's owner that he or she has met a worthy adversary. The vehicle is the new seventh-generation 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo. Sporting a new 500-horsepower engine mated to the automaker's lightning-fast dual-clutch PDK transmission, the all-wheel drive coupe devours the magic 0-60 mph benchmark in less than 3.2 seconds.

Porsche invited us to a track outside Lisbon, Portugal to savor their latest Turbo iteration. While the physical appearance remains virtually unchanged to the uninformed eye, hidden under the familiar sheet metal is a new powertrain that makes one of the world's best sports car even more exceptional. What are the new mechanical specifications of the powerplant, and where does it come from? What's it like to drive on a track? Is the PDK transmission really better than the six-speed manual? Follow the jump for all of the answers...



Photos copyright ©2009 Michael Harley / Weblogs, Inc.

Read more →

If you've ever had the urge to cruise your neighborhood in a self-propelled La-Z-Boy, your opportunity has arrived. Minnesota resident Dennis Anderson (no relation to the Gravedigger monster truck franchise – we think) has forfeited his notorious motorized, and over-the-top modified, recliner chair involved in his DWI incident and crash recently is going on the eBay auction block later this week.

To recap, this masterpiece of motorized furniture isn't your average run-of-the-mill family room napper. This particular innovative and highly customized chair is fitted with a nitrous-boosted lawnmower engine good for a top speed in the neighborhood of 20 mph (it is fitted with a parachute... apparently in case you happen to drive off a cliff). Dual headlights help guide you home from the late nights at the bar, while an integrated stereo sound system will make you everyone's envy at the stop lights (maybe from the curb, as we don't think it is technically street legal).

While Mr. Anderson got off with two years of probation for his antics, his prized possession is sadly being liquidated – sans reserve price – thanks to a Minnesota law allowing police to auction vehicles seized in drunk-driving cases. So, what do you think it will go for?

[Source: Engadget]

It's hard to believe, but cab drivers in New York City are prohibited by law from talking on cell phones, with or without headsets. That doesn't seem to stop them, says the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission. Citing phone-related accident statistics, the commission is now proposing more stringent rules that would raise fines and even keep cabbies from using hands-free devices to chat. "We've tried everything else; there's no other way we can make this work," says Matthew W. Daus, the taxi commissioner.

In the first six months of 2009, only one ticket was issued for every 500,000 cab rides. Cabbies escape prosecution because they claim they were only wearing the hands-free devices, not using them. "Judges have been dismissing summonses because there's no proof of conversation," says Daus. Under the proposed rules, the wearing of a headset merits an infraction. Under the current rules, cab drivers are allowed to talk on cell phones while stopped at a red light. The new rules would require drivers to pull over to answer the phone.

Without a doubt, the cabbies are riled. Calling the proposed rules inhumane, they claim mobile phones are crucial in emergencies and the only way they are able to keep in touch with relatives during their 12-hour shifts. While the drafted rules are subject to public hearings next month, the drivers point out the absurdity of some of the proposals. When one organizer at the New York Taxi Workers Alliance was told that he'd have to pull over to answer a ringing phone, his amusing answer was rather succinct: "Where do you get space to put your car?"

[Source: NY Times | Photo by EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty]

In the wake of Toyota's huge floor mat recall, theorists have come up with several survival strategies designed to overcome a throttle that's stuck wide-open. Putting some of these theories to the test – and debunking several myths in the process – is the team over at Consumer Reports.

With a large test track and a fleet of vehicles at their disposal, the magazine's engineers initially focused on the "just step hard on the brakes" method of bringing the car to a halt. Interestingly enough, CR tested a Mercedes-Benz E350 and a Volkswagen Jetta Wagon – both fitted with drive-by-wire "smart throttles" that are designed to ignore conflicting inputs (throttle and brake at the same time). CR reports that these cars simply shut down to idle and came safety to a stop. The story was a bit different with a Toyota Venza and Chevrolet HHR, however. When the brakes on those vehicles were firmly applied at 20 mph, their transmissions downshifted to fight the deceleration. The vehicles were both eventually brought to a stop after the first test. However, when the test was repeated at 60 mph on brakes that had been cooled since the earlier run, both vehicles quickly suffered fade from their overheated brakes and were unable to come to a complete stop.

As is the general rule, a vehicle's braking system is stronger than the engine when the car is standing still. However, the tests conducted by Consumer Reports demonstrate that the power of the engine combined with the momentum of a car at highway speed is often enough to overtax the braking system's ability to bring the car to a stop (the brakes overheat and fade). Their suggestion is to simply slide the transmission lever to neutral – removing the engine's power from the equation – and apply the brakes firmly to bring the car to a stop. Once stopped, shut the engine off and then shift safely into Park. This "shift-to-neutral" action was equally effective on all four vehicles. The CR team also explored shutting off the engine (turn the key or hold the Start/Stop button down for more than a few seconds). This method also worked well, but it does present some danger. Switching off the engine disables power steering on most vehicles, eliminates brake boost, and may lock the steering wheel if the key is turned back too far – making a safe stop nearly impossible.

[Source: Consumer Reports | Image: George Heyer/Getty]]

As the company's number-one global volume vehicle, the Altima is instrumental in keeping the lights on at Nissan HQ. Now in its fourth-generation (last redesigned for the 2007 model year), the made-in-the-USA model is sold in both sedan and coupe variants with a choice of two gasoline engines or one hybrid powerplant. Nissan offers four sedans for the 2010 model year, with the Altima slotting in directly under the flagship Maxima in the lineup (with both sharing Nissan's D-platform architecture).

After spending time with the 2010 Nissan Altima, we understand why it's the brand's best selling model and while it's not a tire shredding sport sedan, this competent family hauler deserves all the kudos and sales volume it's earned.



Photos copyright ©2009 Michael Harley / Weblogs, Inc.

Read more →

General Motors is recalling 10,119 units of the Pontiac Vibe due to cold weather-related brake problems. The vehicles subject to the recall are all fitted with the 1.8-liter four-cylinder powerplant, and were sold or are currently registered in one of about two dozen snow belt states.

According to the recall campaign, very low ambient temperatures may cause brake vacuum components to freeze. The vehicles will still brake, but stopping distances will be increased, possibly leading to a crash. Dealers have been instructed to modify the brake vacuum line free of charge to correct the problem. While the recall specifically names vehicles originally sold or registered in certain states, the repair campaign will also be applied to vehicles sold in all other states.

For more information, Vibe owners may contact Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, visit GM's Owner Center, or call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at 1-888-327-4236. Full press release after the jump.



[Source: NHTSA]

Read more →

New "Cool Cars" regulations adopted by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) could put an end to the Jeep Wrangler soft-top sales in the Golden State thanks to standards so stringent that the popular 4x4 won't be able to meet them. According to The Detroit News, CARB's latest controversial initiative requires automakers to build cars and trucks with windows which prevent 45% of the sun's energy from entering a vehicle by 2014, and 60% by 2016. To meet these provisions, vehicle manufacturers will have to utilize advanced window glazing containing microscopic specs of reflective metal oxide.

Coating vehicle glass with a metallic layer wreaks havoc on any vehicle electronic device relying on a clear "view" of the world outside. Garmin, a leading manufacturer of GPS devices, says satellite reception through coated glass will be degraded. In addition, cell phones, wireless laptop devices, garage door openers, and even ankle bracelets for parolees "may be adversely affected by the metallic reflective standard" as they all rely on signals passing cleanly through automotive glass.

For what it's worth, Honda tried utilizing the same technology in Japan two decades ago, yet dropped it due to problems with radio wave devices. We are assured that the Jeep soft-top won't have those problems simply because the technology cannot be applied to flexible plastic windows. Without an exemption for that model, Chrysler will only be allowed to sell hardtop Wrangler vehicles in California.



[Source: The Detroit News]