Canadian auto journalist Peter Cheney now likely regrets tossing the keys to a 500-hp Porsche 911 Turbo to his son, who then accidentally drove it through the garage door. The exact details of the crash aren’t clear with Cheney’s son Will claiming the car had rolled into the door while Cheney himself writes that, “it had launched itself through the entire structure.” (Last time we checked, only Toyotas accelerated by themselves).

We have to give credit to Cheney and the Globe & Mail (which he writes for) for going public on the mistake, although we’re perplexed by Cheney’s decision to punish his son. After all, its unlikely Porsche would let anyone but the journalist who signed the papers drive the car and so the decision to give the keys to a $180,000 (CDN) 911 Turbo with a six-speed stick shift to his son (who Cheney admits doesn’t know how to operate a manual transmission) probably only warrants punishment for Cheney himself.

That, however, isn’t happening with Porsche kindly sucking up the $11,000 in repair cost. (What else would they do? After all, the Globe is the largest national news paper in Canada and probably one of Porsche Canada’s largest advertising clients). Cheney is, however, left with $2,700 in repair bills for his garage.

[Source: Globe & Mail]

Buick hasn’t had a truly hot car since the GNX of 1987, but things are set to change if The Detroit Free Press’ sources are correct. The  newspaper reports that the Regal GS, a high performance version of Buick’s new Regal sports sedan, has been approved for production.

The concept Regal GS (we use the term “concept” loosely) follows in the footsteps of the GNX by using a turbo powerplant, but the similarities end there. The GNX had a twin turbo V6, automatic transmission and rear wheel drive with a crude rear suspension setup. The GS on the other hand, uses an ultra-high-tech turbo four-banger, putting out 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, through a six speed manual gearbox and an all-wheel drive system.

The Free Press reports that the tight Recaro bucket seats seen on the concept may not make it to production, and for once, the less sporty option might be the smart one. Buick’s average buyer is 65 years old, and it’s hard to imagine someone that qualifies for senior citizen discounts wanting to hoist themselves in an out of those seats multiple times per day.

Gallery: Buick Regal GS

[Source: Autoblog]

The 2011 Grand Cherokee is the first new model Chrysler has introduced since emerging from bankruptcy protection and there’s a lot riding on it. As the flagship Jeep, it’s received a lot of attention from Chrysler’s engineers and the folks in the marketing department was to make sure it also receives a lot of attention from you. So they’ve gone out and done a whole series of photoshoots of the new SUV driving through rivers and up mountains. (What did you expect?)

When it does arrive in just a few months time the Grand Cherokee will come standard with Chrysler’s new Pentastar 3.6-liter V6 engine with 280-hp and 260 ft-lbs of torque, as well as a fuel economy improvement of roughly 25 percent over last year’s model. That will give a highway mileage number of 23 mpg. Plus, the new Grand Cherokee will have a standard 7,200 lb tow rating.

Check out the mega-gallery below for more Grand Cherokee than you can handle.

GALLERY: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Nissan is preparing to recall 48,700 trucks and SUVs for issues relating to the suspension on the U.S.-built vehicles. Some of, but not all 2010 Nissan Armada, Frontier, Titan, Pathfinder, Xterra and Infiniti QX56 models are expected to be involved in the recall. No official recall has been issued yet, however, as Nissan awaits information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The issue with the trucks and SUVs involves a lower suspension control link that may not have been welded properly and as a result cause the bushing collar to crack, creating a rough and noisy ride. The potential recall isn’t so much a safety issue as a driveability issue and no accidents have been reported.

In the wake of the Toyota recall crisis, NHTSA has also been under increased scrutiny, issuing an alarmingly high number of recalls.

[Source: Associated Press]

BMW has now officially announced a new matte-black paint option that will be offered on M3 models equipped with the Competition Package. Titled Frozen Black Matte, the new paint color was first showcased at the Beijing Auto Show, but BMW has taken until now to release a selection of photos for us to drool over.

Initially launched in Europe back at the Geneva Auto Show, the Competition Package (ZCP) includes a 10mm lower suspension, lighter 19-inch wheels, a remapped Electronic Damping Control system and more aggressive Dynamic Stability Control. It is now available in the U.S. for $2,500 – although BMW hasn’t mention pricing for the Frozen Black Matte paint.

The M3 Competition Package can also be had with an optional Monte Carlo Blue paint color.

GALLERY: Frozen Black Matte BMW M3 Competition Package

GALLERY: Monte Carlo Blue BMW M3 Competition Package

[Source: BMWBlog]

After (supposedly) falling behind Ford in the sales race in Europe last month, Volkswagen has reclaimed the lead for April while Ford has slipped to just fourth. In total, VW moved 138,304 units in EU countries, while Ford managed just 87,721 units. Renault and Peugeot placed second and third respectively with 99,642 and 88,721 units.

The reason for the drastic swing in VW’s favor is due to two main reasons, the first being the success of VW’s current Golf model. The second major contributing factor is that many vehicle scrappage incentives, which favored sub-compacts like the Ford Fiesta and Ka, have now run their course.

Also a factor in this sales war are national economic situations. In March, Ford’s sales were helped by the company’s popularity in the UK, which ranged as the largest auto market in Europe that month. In April, the UK auto market slipped to fourth, behind Germany, France and Italy.

According to Automotive News, the new numbers also put the Golf ahead of the Fiesta in total European sales, with 186,202 units moved so far this year, as compared to 173,096 for the Fiesta.

It appears, however, that VW is taking a page from Ford’s creative semantics playbook, opting to include just EU countries, while Ford chooses to inlude the EU and the UK.

[Source: AutoNews via WorldCarFans]

On the heels of rumors that Infiniti is looking to introduce both an M Coupe and Convertible, Nissan’s luxury division has announced it will bring two M-based models to Pebble Beach. And as exciting as it would be to have an M Coupe and Convertible join the Infiniti M lineup, there may be more to the new models than just a two-door and drop-top layout. While Infiniti did claims that the models will, “extend Infiniti into an area we haven’t been before,” we’re more excited by the announcement that one of the vehicles will be more “performance oriented.”

With an M Coupe all but assured at this point, its possible that along with a competitor to the Mercedes E350 Coupe and E550 Coupe (M37 Coupe and M56 Coupe), Infiniti could also launch a flagship performance vehicle using the GT-R’s engine or possibly a performance hybrid setup similar to the one found in the Essence Concept. There’s certainly plenty of competition in this segment with the upcoming BMW M6, the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe and possibly even a Mercedes E63 Coupe.

Other than these tasty bits of info, Infiniti has only released the above sketches of the vehicles. We’ll be sure to bring you more info when we get it, leading up to the official unveiling at Pebble Beach on August 15th.

[Source: Autoblog]

We tend to think of America, Germany, Italy or Japan as the pre-eminent nations where the automobile is the national obsession. But a new study in Canada shows that Canadians would rather give up junk food, cigarettes or sex than give up driving.

In a study conducted by the World Wildlife Foundation, 36 percent said they would give up junk food before they gave up driving, 14 percent said coffee,  6 percent said television and 2 percent said sex. Those polled were generally frequent drivers and the most prolific motorists had children under 18, stable jobs and a “good or very good income.”

Despite the enthusiasm for driving, 79 percent of Canadians said they were concerned about the environmental impact of driving. The World Wildlife Foundation, which commissioned the study, was pragmatic about the results in an interview with the Toronto Star.

“We’re not saying people should give up the car entirely. That may not be feasible,” said Josh Laughren, director of communications for WWF. “But while it might seem easier to take my car to work, it may be better for me and my pocketbook and my stress levels and my quality of life to take transit.”

[Source: Toronto Star]

In an effort to boost sales of it’s Nissan derived mid-size pickup, the Equator, as well as other U.S. models; American Suzuki Motor Corporation is offering a new incentive: free gasoline for the summer. Customers who purchase a new 2010 Equator, will be eligible to receive a stored-value debit card for fuel. The cards will range in value from $280 to $442 in total. The amount will depend on the national average price of a gallon of gas at the time of issue, the calculated EPA fuel mileage for the vehicle in question (Equators are available with 2.5-liter four-cylinder or 4.0-liter V6 engines, both of which have managed more than 20 highway mpg in testing); plus the Federal Highway Administration’s calculation of approximately 1000 miles driven per month. The cards will be issued through August 31 2010.

Free gas incentives have been done before and are highly popular in Europe, where petrol regularly sells for $6-8 a gallon. Introducing such a program, just as North America starts gearing up for the summer driving season is a shrewd move, but whether Suzuki is able to shift significantly more Equators during the warmer months remains to be seen. I guess we’ll soon find out.

[Source: Suzuki]

You may not be able to afford Ferrari’s Scuderia Spider 16M roadster, but you can own a little piece of the luxury with the company’s new limited edition Ferrari 16 M Scuderia Spider surfboard.

Just like the car, the 16 M Scuderia Spider surfboard is limited to a run of 499. Made from poliurethan with glass fiber and resin and adorned with the 16 M Scuderia Spider graphic design, this board measures in at 7.2 feet and comes complete with a customized bag with shoulder strap and carbon fiber covered fins. It also features wooden stringer (the backbone of the surfboard), which makes up the vertical line along the board – everything about this handshaped surfboard oozes quality and precision.

It’s also a lot cheaper than its automotive counterpart too – it’ll cost you about $1,870. But if you’re one of those people who likes to everything Ferrari, this longboard is an essential to your collection.

Ferrari says it is an all-round board and good for beginners, so watch for it on the waves this summer. You can order in at Ferrari’s online store, but hurry before they’re all gone!

[Source: Born Rich]