You look at the survey headline: “86 Percent Of Teen Drivers Are Distracted.” Of course, you go right to the evils of the cell phone – talking, texting, sending and reading email – or using advanced in-car features. Results from a survey conducted by AAA and Seventeen magazine found that 86 percent of those polled drove distracted – but they consider adjusting the radio and eating in the car as distractions.

In its survey of 2,000 drivers ages 16-19, the two distractions that teens engaged in most were adjusting the radio (73 percent) and eating (61 percent).  Coming in third was talking on a cell phone ( 60 percent).

Cell phone use is also more common with the current generation of teens, and many studies have found that  using a cell is distracting whether you’re using a handset or hands-free device.

And texting isn’t lost in this survey – thought to be one of the riskiest behaviours to partake in behind the wheel. About 28 percent of respondents admitted to texting while driving. This number may not seem as high as the others, but it should be noted that this 28 percent averaged sending 23 texts a month.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

Back in the 1960s, Woodward Avenue in the Detroit suburbs became notoriously known as ground central for street racing. In 1995 local charities, brought together by Nelson House, organized the first ever Dream Cruise on the famous thoroughfare, celebrating car culture in the Motor City. Since then WDC has grown to become the world’s largest car party, with annual attendance of more than 1 million people and around 50,000 cars on the third Saturday in August.

Not surprisingly the auto manufacturers, especially those based in Detroit have got involved. This year, General Motors, will be putting on a number of displays, including GM Performance Division; at the Northwest corner of Memorial Park, on Woodward just north of 13 Mile Road and also Chevrolet; at the 555 Triangle in Birmingham where  the ‘old’ and ‘new’ Woodward Avenue meet.

GM Powetrain will showcase new engines and performance vehicles, along with a mobile rig display; while at the Chevrolet exhibit, will be a GM employee classic car display; Chevy Racing stand – including feature vehicles and an interactive Winner’s Circle (where people can have their picture taken with their favorite Chevy star race drivers via green screen technology), plus a Cell Phones for Soldiers display and drop box. If you’re a car enthusiast, you owe to yourself to make the trip to the Dream Cruise at least once in your lifetime. It is quite simply, like nothing else on earth.

[Source: General Motors]

At the recent launch of the second-generation 2011 tC, Scion reps let slip that the youth-brand’s next model, the iQ, will hit dealerships in March.

Touted as the smallest four-seater in the world. At just 120-inches long it is roughly one-foot longer than the Smart fortwo. Saying it’s a 4-seater is a bit of a stretch, however, and Scion does qualify that it’s more of a 3+1, with the “1″ being a child.

Referred to by Scion as a “premium micro sub compact” the iQ is powered by a 1.3-liter 4-cylinder and gets a CVT transmission. No performance or fuel economy numbers are available, but Scion says to expect fuel economy in the high-30 mpg range.

Safety features will also be big on this small car with standard abs, vehicle stability control traction control and 10 airbags – including a world’s first rear window curtain airbag.

Qnd keeping with Scion’s youth-oriented approach with a six-speaker audio system, USB and auxiliary ports, as well as steering wheel mounted controls.

GALLERY: Scion iQ

Get more Scion iQ news and info at iQ-Forums.com

As a part of Suzuki‘s ongoing push to drum up interest in the surprisingly good Kizashi sedan, the Japanese automaker teamed up with Road & Track to build a Bonneville Salt Flats racer. Thanks to engine builder Richard Holdener and the fearless driving skills of R&T editor Sam Mitani, Suzuki got the record it was looking for with a 203.720 mph run, clinching the new Land Speed Record for the Blown Gas Coupe Category

For video of the run and more info about the turbocharged Kizashi land speed record car, hit the jump:

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Car Crazy TV host and the face behind of the Meguiar’s detailing products company Barry Meguiar is reportedly in serious condition after being admitted to hospital in Monterey, CA. According to a report by AutoWeek, Meguiar is in the intensive care unit of the Monterey Community Hospital.

Few folks are better known and few faces more recognizable in the auto industry than Meguiar’s. Aged 67, Meguiar took his family run business of care care products and transformed it into a multi-million dollar company, eventually selling it to 3M in 2008. Meguiar continued to work with the new owners, promoting his family’s line of detailing products while spreading the gospel of automotive fanaticism through his Car Crazy TV show.

Meguiar was in Monterey over the weekend taking part in the annual Pebble Beach festivities.

[Source: AutoWeek]

General Motors has just announced the filing of papers with the Securities and Exchange Commission for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) that will see the company handed back over to investors and removed from government control.

Including in the filing are plans for preferred stock that carries with it both debt and equity and also has priority in a bankruptcy situation.

According to a Bloomberg report, GM hopes to generate $16 billion by the IPO, selling off roughly a fifth of the stock currently owned by the U.S. Treasury. This would then make the government a minority shareholder in General Motors and is likely to be followed by continued sell-offs until GM is entirely out of government hands. Currently the U.S. government owns a 61 percent stake in GM.

GM has already paid back the $6.7 billion in loans it received from the U.S. and Canadian governments, however, that amount is only a small portion of the almost $50 billion bailout GM received.

Official release after the jump:

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In his first press conference as the newly appointed CEO of Volvo, Stefan Jacoby gave a vague outline of where he intends to take the company. Top on Jacoby’s list are improving Volvo’s emotional appeal and looking for ways to work with suppliers and other automakers in the industry.

Jacoby joins Volvo after heading-up VW’s North American division, looking to steer the Swedish automaker to profit under the new ownership of China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., after several years of consecutive losses under Ford.

“Volvo stands for safety, solidity and reliability but the emotional positioning of the brand is not sharp enough,” said Jacoby in a press conference Wednesday. No details of how Volvo would create more emotion were given, but over the past few years Volvo has made a push to be more innovative in its designs. Rumors point towards a new flagship luxury sedan to compete with the BMW 7 Series. Other possibilities include going the sports car route.

Making partnerships in the industry will also be a part of Volvo’s mandate, as the ability for smaller automakers like Volvo to compete on a larger scale is becoming increasingly difficult. Jacoby highlighted the company’s small size as a benefit, saying that because it’s nimble it can act quickly. He also said Volvo would look to partner with other automakers on projects and find economies of scale in the process.

The larger plan for Volvo, as laid out by Geely, will see the Swedish automaker double production thanks to a plan in China, while its operations in Europe will continue serving the rest of the global marketplace.

Last year Volvo moved 334,808, down from an all-time high of 458,323 units in 2007. Jacoby did say that while Volvo hasn’t turned a profit since 2005, it was profitable in the last two quarters under Ford.

[Source: Automotive News]

For months we’ve heard rumors of a new MINI model that will slot in underneath the Cooper in the British automakers lineup, but that doesn’t mean the newest and miniest MINI will put fuel economy ahead of fun. Inside sources are reporting that this new city car will get a high-powered John Cooper Works (JCW) edition.

At roughly 10 feet long the new MINI (Minor?) will compete with vehicles like the Smart fortwo and upcoming Toyota/Scion iQ. Powering the car will be a turbocharged 3-cylinder (likely a 1.5-liter), which is part of a new range of 3-cylinder engines BMW is producing to deliver both fuel economy and power. These engines are also expected to power the next-generation of Cooper models and in 1.5-liter turbo form should produce around 150-hp.

Along with a naturally low curb weight, this new model will get typical JCW upgrades like a stiffer and lower suspension, unique wheels and aerodynamics.

A concept version of the new smaller MINI could be unveiled as early as the Geneva Auto Show in March.

[Source: AutoExpress]

The next-generation Volkswagen Phaeton will be offered in North America says VW product planning boss Juergen Borrmann. The first generation version of the flagship luxury sedan originally went on sale in the U.S. in 2002, but was dropped in 2006 after dismal sales results. Originally targeted at 20,000 units globally, last year VW moved just 4,500 units.

By the time the Phaeton does make its return to the U.S. market it will be entirely redesigned, with a timeline for the second generation model due out around 2013. Earlier this year VW announced an update to the current Phaeton model, which received a similar update in 2007.

The plan to reintroduce the Phaeton is part of a larger plan to grow the VW brand in the U.S., where Volkswagen aims to double its share of the marketplace by 2018 and increase profitability – although at this point any profit would be an increase as VW’s U.S. unit has posted eight consecutive losses.

CEO Martin Winterkorn firmly believes in the Phaeton, however, and it’s ability to help position VW in the marketplace. “Without our flagship Phaeton, VW wouldn’t be where we are today in terms of technology and image,” he said when the revised 2011 model was unveiled in April.

And the updated model does seem to be sparking interest in the luxury sedan with sales up 15 percent over last year and the Dreseden plant where the vehicle is produced now working at full capacity. Much of the demand, however, is coming from China with that country accounting for 70 percent of deliveries.

In the interview with Bloomberg, Borrmann did not discuss how VW aims to make a success of the Phaeton this time around. The vehicle’s failure in the U.S. market is generally blamed on the fact that it was sold in VW dealerships alongside volume and economy models, while the biggest issue was the price, with some models costing as much as $85,000.

***UPDATE*** According to VW of America Product Communications Boss Kerry Christopher, “while Volkswagen believes there are opportunities for the Phaeton in the U.S., no final decisions have been made.” He did go on to tell AutoGuide that, ” we are working closely with our Dresden colleagues to evaluate any opportunities in this market.”

GALLERY: 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton

[Source: Bloomberg]

Back in 2006, Provo, UT resident Richard Lossee crashed his Ferrari Enzo at over 100 mph during a sanctioned road rally. Rather than let the car go to waste, he opted to re-build it. But with its prospective resale value shot, what could really be done with it? Richard, a.k.a. “Our Idol” decided to build a twin-turbo monster with the express purpose of assaulting the Bonneville Salt Flats. Skinny tires? Check. Parachute? Check. Lexan windows? Check. Aerodynamic nose-cone? Check.

At 11-12 lbs of boost, the Enzo is putting down 850 wheel horsepower, but the expected boost pressure will be raised to 18-19 lbs for the Bonneville Run, which should put it well into triple digits. Odds are, the original, 226 mph top speed will be absolutely decimated.

The kicker? The replacement body for Lossee’s Enzo was supplied by none other than Tifosi Extraordinaire Jim Glickenhaus. That’s right, this body was the original, unused Enzo body for the P 4/5. How cool is that?

[Source: Daily Derbi]