With the outdated Crown Victoria taxi being put to rest, the competition to select the future NYC cab has turned into a fierce fight.

Three different models were chosen to be tested including the Nissan NV200, Ford Transit Connect and the Turkish entry, the Karsan V1. Ultimately the NV200 was chosen to serve for the next ten years, but the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) could approve other vehicles for the fleet. The Transit Connect was among the vehicles selected for approval, and taxi companies can choose to add the Ford van as well. New York will join Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia where officials have approved Transit Connect Taxis for use.

“For decades, Ford has been synonymous with New York City taxis, and we are pleased residents and tourists now will benefit from our next-generation vehicle,” said Mark Fields, Ford president of The Americas.

In response to complaints from a number of Lotus Elise owners, who say that their tires have become coated in oil, causing handling problems, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has begun an investigation into the root cause of the problem.

In a recently filed document, NHTSA said, on its website that it had received 17 individual complaints from Elise owners that an oil cooler line ruptured, spraying  the fluid onto the rear wheel assemblies and elsewhere in the engine bay.

The problem is believed to affect some 4,400 cars from the 2005 and 2006 model years; some individual statements from complaining owners include; “the oil line released from its fitting on the front right oil cooler, wetting the tire with oil. The car spun and left the road,” though that same owner reported no damage occurred.

Yet another alleges that his Elise actually caught fire as a result of an oil leak issue, though at present, NHTSA is not aware of any such incidents nor injuries resulting from the problem. It’ll be interesting to see if this safety probe turns into a full-blown recall.

[Source: New York Times]

Well this is a change. The typical NBA all star usually drives around in a Cadillac Escalade or Mercedes-Benz S-Class, but not Steve Nash. No no, this Pheonix Suns point guard, seven-time NBA All-Star, two-time MVP award winner represents the Toyota Prius. In this new commercial, based on the competitive nature of both Nash and Toytota, the all new Prius comes out on top, or maybe dancing does. Nash’s competitve edge show him push the Prius to beat an old lady into a parking sport. The victory dance is hilarious.

Check out Nash celebrate his victory dance after the jump!

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As the American LeMans Series rolled into Mosport International Raceway, situated an hour east of Toronto, the only thing that could match the aural assault of a flat-six Porsche engine roaring down the main straight was the searing heat – weather forecasters noted that with the humidity taken into account, temperatures felt like 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Despite the excruciating conditions, we were unwilling to turn down the opportunity of a lifetime, and the chance to ride shotgun in a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup racecar, which will take part in the IMSA GT3 Challenge support race this weekend. AutoGuide was the sole media representative at Mosport, and the other passenger was a race driver interested in joining the series in 2012.

Our  pilot for the afternoon was Randy Oswald, who counts the Mosport race as his home event. Oswald had the benefit of a liquid-cooled racing suit to combat the searing heat, while passengers were allowed to wear short sleeved shirts and long pants. As Oswald expounded on the importance of proper safety gear, reports of a crash came through the radio, delaying the practice session for some time.  ”I was told that if you drive one of these long enough,” he said, pointing to his brand new 911 GT3 Cup car, “you’ll set one on fire – so always wear your firesuit.” Sure enough, the wrecked car we’d heard about earlier came in on a flatbed, with the rear end of the car crumpled and charred by flames.

Luckily, the hot laps were much more fun and free of any life-threatening conditions, as Oswald expertly piloted the car through Mosport’s 10 turn, 2.4 mile course. With very little run-off room, daunting elevation changes and the potential for very high speeds, Mosport is one of the world’s great tracks, and experiencing it in a full-blown race car was a treat. A Porsche representative warned us not to take our SLR camera in the car, since the g-forces turn our small Nikon into the equivalent of a 60 lb freeweight while in motion, presenting a safety hazard should it get loose.

Outfitted with a whining sequential gearbox that muffles out the raucous exhaust note, the GT3 Cup accelerated rapidly down the straights, but completely blew us away with the sheer amount of grip available thanks to the Yokohama Advan slicks and the specially designed aerodynamics package that enable the car to pull as much as 1.6 Gs. One driver noted that even a 911 GT3 RS can be coaxed into a gentle four-wheel drift throughout the track, but the aforementioned tires and aero package help keep the GT3 Cup planted in a way that no street car can ever dream of.

The ALMS series at Mosport kicks off Friday and lasts until Sunday, with the first GT3 Challenge race on Saturday, July 23rd at 4:50 P.M. The main ALMS race will be held on Sunday, July 24th at 3:05 P.M, and according to ALMS, is the fastest race on the entire schedule, with speeds average speeds of over 130 mph for the prototype cars.

Gallery: Porsche GT3 Cup Car/ IMSA GT3 Challenge Practice

Fiat has returned to the U.S after a nearly three-decade absence, and the Italian automaker is eager to make a positive impression on the American consumer. So far, dealers are happy with the initial sales of the 500 but see the need for more ad support to sustain long-term growth of the brand.

As part of the campaign, Fiat is offering a $199 a month lease and cut-rate financing on the Fiat 500 coupe. The lease term is 39 months with $1,999 due at signing. Customers interested in buying the coupe can choose three different financing packages including 1.9 percent financing for 36 months. The $199 lease is being offered on the entry-level Pop model which comes with a five-speed manual transmission, which starts at $15,995, including shipping. Fiat has planned to open 130 dealerships by the end of 2011 and so far has 93 up and running.

[Source: Automotive News]

Ken Block, the man who knows a thing or two about getting a car to go sideways, has revealed the release date for the long awaited Gymkhana 4.

Ken Block posted the following on his Facebook page this week, “I am exhausted, but almost done with filming Gymkhana FOUR, which is coming out August 16th. I traveled the globe for it, and am positive of this: GYM4 > GYM3.” Block also release a few sneak peak pictures of the video and there have been sightings of his Fiesta complete with “Gymkhana FOUR” decals in Brawdy South Wales last month.  There is a strong possibility that the filming took place at RAF Brawdy in South Wales, and in one of the pictures the Fiesta is accompanied by a military vehicle. Regardless of where it was filmed, we are all pumped to see some serious hoonage!

[Source: Fast Car]

If you’ve got an EV, you’ll want to mark your calendars. In six months, you’ll be able to recharge your electric vehicle along Washington state’s new “Electric Highways.”

With some help from Monrovia, Calif.-based AeroVironment, Washington is now adding charging stations along the I-5 and the U.S. 2. With a bill of about $1 million, the project will be setting up stations every 40 to 60 miles along the I-5 between Everett and the Canadian border and between Olympia and the Oregon border. For their part, AeroVironment will manufacture, supply, install and operate the new network of electric vehicle chargers.

If you’re planning a scenic road trip around these routes, you can charge up your batteries to about 80 percent in 20 to 30 minutes – just enough time to take a much-needed break from driving and enjoy your surroundings.

“A network of charging stations linking Washington to Oregon and Canada will make electric vehicles more attractive to consumers and businesses, and transportation better for the environment,” said Paula Hammond, Washington secretary of transportation.

Complementing the EV Project, these new stations will be a vital piece of the future West Coast Green Highway, a project that plans to provide a seamless network of recharging stations along all 1,350 miles of I-5 from Canada to Mexico.

[Source: Autoblog Green]

General Motors has officially confirmed that there will be a diesel version of the Chevrolet Cruze compact car in the U.S, planned for introduction in 2013. The current Chevrolet Cruze Eco is rated at around 40 mpg on the highway, so the diesel would have to deliver significantly better fuel efficiency than that to justify a higher-price. GM CEO Dan Akerson commented on the diesel variant, ”I drove it the other day. It is great, these new diesels are quiet. Should make it in the low- to mid-40s, and that’s with an automatic,”.

Diesel engines on average get 20 percent to 40 percent better mileage than similar-sized gasoline engines but lately, diesel fuel in the U.S has averaged 5 percent to 10 percent more than regular gas. Diesel engines are also costlier than gas engies, and require complex emissions gear, upping the price of diesel vehicles. GM wouldnt release anything pertaining to the price or give other details about the diesel Cruze because production is more than a year away however, a Jetta diesel with an automatic costs $24,865 so  the Cruze is likely to be competitively priced.

Check out Cruze Talk forums for more info

[Source: USA Today]

What does the Shah of Iran, Ava Gardner, Stirling Moss and Tony Curtis have in common? They all had a FACEL Vega FV4 Typhoon coupe.

Now you can bid to have your very own at the RM Auctions event on July 30th. The event will take place at The Inn at St. John’s, in Plymouth, MI.

A car like the Facel Vega would struggle to exist in today’s market, but in the post-WWII era, regulations were fast and loose and the auto industry was seen as a way to kickstart Europe’s struggling economy.

One such example was FACEL (Forges et Ateliers de Construction d’Eure et de Loire S.A.). FACEL was a manufacturer for pretty much everything in postwar France, and among the things they made were car bodies for different manufacturers like Bentley, Delahaye, Panhard and Simca.

When Panhard canceled its order, FACEL’s CEO Jean Danino decided to make up for the slack by building his own car. The car was to have its own unique body and chassis, but power came from the Chrysler 354 cubic-inch, “Firepower Hemi” V8 motor. This four-barrel carbureted engine was capable of producing 325-hp. Power was sent to the back wheels via a Chrysler three-speed torque-flite transmission.

The end result was a luxurious coupe called the FACEL Vega FV4 Typhoon, a car that won much praise for its styling and performance in its day. The car being auctions next week is a 1958 example, finished in silver over red. The seller describes the car as “not show quality but certainly very attractive.”

Only 3000 Vega FV4 coupes were made, so it will always be a rare and interesting piece of automotive history. RM predicts this car will go for about $80 – 100,000.

[Source: RM Auctions]

As it turns out, Kia‘s inappropriately sexy ads that spread like wildfire through the blogosphere just a few weeks ago, weren’t Kia ads at all.

Designed to help loosely deliver the message that the Korean automaker now has a dual-zone climate control system (showing two sides to the same story), the print ads drew plenty of attention and a firestorm of criticism for some rather creepy implications.

Moma Propaganda, the agency behind the two ads, which took home two Lions awards from the prestigious Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is now being stripped of its honors and banned from participating in next year’s competition. The agency failed to submit proof that it had been hired by Kia Motors Brazil for the ads; a rather obvious hint that it never had been. As a result, two Lions awards have been retracted

This isn’t the first time awards have been revoked for fake ads, a tactic used to launch a relatively unknown agency into the spotlight. Taking more decisive action, however, this is the first time individuals have been banned from competing in the future. The ban extends only to next year and only to the five individuals listed as being involved in the sexy Kia ad scandal.

[Source: AdAge]