Ever been out to the mall or on a trip out of town and wondered if you had closed your garage door?

Well if you have the new Craftsman garage door with AssureLink, you can close your door using your smart phone, laptop or tablet.

The system works similarly to that used by some car companies to remotely unlock doors or start the car. This system will allow you to close your garage door as long as you have a working smart device.

What if someone is in the way as the door closes? The system has you covered, as it makes plenty of audible sounds, plus will re-open if its obstructed by an object, so no worries about crushing anyone.

This system will appeal to many, but it does come with a price. Craftsman will require you to register for this app and it has an annual user fee of $19.99. Not bad if you are in California, wondering if your garage door is open in Kansas.

[Source: USA Today]

It was only a few months ago, when talks of an engagement between Aston Martin and Maybach was making headlines. This partnership would have seen the two uber-luxury brands sharing technology and platforms.

Now according to sources, the union has broken before it even started, citing money issues. If the deal had stayed intact, Aston Martin would have built the next generation models of the Maybach 57 and 62. In return, Aston Martin would have benefited from Mercedes-Benz‘s hybrid technology, the 4.6-liter twin-turbo V8 and platforms for the 2012 M-class and 2013 S-class.

Sources say Aston Martin wanted too much money to build cars for Maybach. Nothing is confirmed yet, but if this deal really does go sour, it might lead to an end for Maybach, which is currently owned by Mercedes-Benz. With no Maybach, one has to wonder, what car will any future, self-respecting hip-hop artist choose to hacksaw for the amusement of their fans?

[Source: World Car Fans]

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said that the Japanese government’s effort to keep the yen’s value under control had failed and that Nissan was strongly considering moving production out of Japan and into foreign countries.

A weakened United States dollar has meant that the value of the greenback has shifted from 91 yen per dollar to 76 yen per dollar over the past two years. This unfavorable exchange range has led Nissan to examine other countries for vehicle production. ”We have to make investment decisions all the time,” Ghosn told Reuters. “This is one of the factors that we have to consider when we look at a project and say are we going to do it in Japan or are we going to do it in another country?”

Despite this, Ghosn said that he felt vehicle sales would rise in 2012 even in the face of another possible economic downturn. Ghosn also announced a new electric vehicle to be built in China for the Chinese market.

[Source: CNBC]

Want to win $500 towards a set of tires? You could be the lucky winner of a Discount Tire voucher for 500 big ones just be filling out a survey being put on by AutoGuide.com and J.D. Power.

The AutoGuide Audience Survey will ask questions regarding how social media and other online tools help influence your decision with respect to buying a car. The short survey can be filled out here and the data will be analyzed by J.D. Power as a means of helping discover what social media tools are used most by vehicle buyers. One participant will be randomly selected to win $500 towards a set of tires from Discount Tire.

Fill out the AutoGuide Audience Survey here

Before the Mulsanne, Bentley had the Arnage luxury sedan, which over the years was also offered as a convertible called the Azure and a coupe called the Brooklands.

Since the Mulsanne was launched in 2010, it has so far been only offered as a one-size fits all luxury sedan. Now according to Bentley’s CEO Wolfgang Durheimer, all that will change very soon.

In a recent interview, he talked about expanding their current line-up. Durheimer said; “With the Mulsanne we get requests all the time for a longer wheelbase model, for instance. The question is whether we do it as a special order or put it on the model line. We are evaluating it, but I have no doubt we could also sell that type of car in the US and China.”

He also added that a coupe and convertible model could possibly be added on this platform.

He went on to say that he also wants to expand the Continental-series line-up. They already offer a coupe, sedan and convertible on this platform, but perhaps could go into lighter-weight models and special models.

With Bentley looking to expand their product line, they must be confident that the world’s economy will do better in coming years. We hope so.

[Source: Autocar]

Experiential ride and drive training programs offered by the Yokohama Tire Corporation have been an annual event for dealers, but now the company is thinking about opening up these events to the general public.

Recently, the California-based tire manufacturer invited a group of local car club enthusiasts to one of its special ride and drive events in San Diego, California, and it was such a hit, Yokohama wants to share the experience with even more drivers.

“Yokohama has always believed in the importance of interacting with enthusiasts face-to-face,” said Theresa Palang, Yokohama manager of public relations and digital marketing, “and that’s why we wanted to give consumers a chance to try our tires and learn what they can do. We reached out to enthusiast forums online and received a very positive response.  Having the consumers experience our ride and drive firsthand is a great way to get feedback from the public.”

Letting consumers actually test drive the tires in a controlled environment rather than just read about them, the participants at the San Diego ride and drive event got to take Yokohama’s ADVAN Neova AD08 tires out for a spin. These sweet tires were attached to 2010 Ford Mustangs that offered 305-horsepower to get drivers through various slalom courses. Drivers were timed on laps, and winners walked away with Yokohama gear and exclusive pre-opening night tickets for the 2011 LA Auto Show in November.

Since its first consumer ride and drive event was such a success, watch for more coming in the near future. You can keep up to date on upcoming events by visiting Yokohama’s website or Facebook page.

They’ve only been racing two seasons, but Kia Motors America’s motorsports program has now achieved championship greatness, thanks to Nic Jönsson wining the driver’s title and solidifying Kia in the Team Championship in the Street Tuner class of the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.

Jönsson finished seventh overall, having started the race with a three point lead in the class standings, which was enough to secure the title.

Jönsson and co-driver Michael Galati were able to use the Kinetic Motorsports Forte Koup’s braking, handling and fuel efficiency to their advantage during the 2.5 hour race, battling a field of some 30 competitors to finish first overall in their category.

“Second-year motorsports programs are not supposed to win championships but Kia Motors and Kinetic Motorsports have been committed to being the best since we formed our partnership in late-2009,” declared championship-winning driver Jönsson. “The Kia Forte Koups have been fantastic since getting off the truck at Daytona in January thanks to the tireless dedication of the team. We couldn’t be happier with the end result, and I have to thank Michael Galati whose skill and experience was invaluable in this championship run.”

***UPDATE*** AutoGuide.com has been contacted by former “0-60 Magazine” Editor and Brand Director for Ken Block’s new brand “Hoonigan“, Brian Scotto, who has informed us that the car does not in fact belong to Ken Block. There is, however, a connection, with the actual owner being none-other than Scotto himself, who does plan to show the vehicle at SEMA to promote the new Hoonigan brand. Stay tuned for info on the car and more details on “Hoonigan.”

Japanese Porsche tuner RWB (RAUH-Welt Begriff) has earned quite a reputation for building some wild retro German machines. Massive spoilers, bright paint and extreme widebodies are all a part of the plan for a shop that promises exclusivity with only one car per customer.

While still on the fringes of auto culture, RWB is about to get some mainstream attention with news that its latest client is none-other than Gymkhana expert Ken Block.

No details have yet been released, but it’s all but certain that this could be the wildest RWB creation yet. Rumors indicate that Block’s creation could be on display at this year’s 2011 SEMA Show.

GALLERY: RWB Porsches

[Source: 7Tune]

LEGO has to be the best toy ever! You can build anything with those colorful little bricks – including a full-sized Ford Explorer. It’s on display at the Chicago Assembly Plant, but will be making it’s way to the new Ford Driving School at the LEGOLAND Florida Theme Park.

Made from more than 380,000 LEGO bricks, the bright red LEGOLAND Florida edition Explorer was created by 22 designers (you have a great job if you get to build a LEGO car and get paid for it). It tips the scales at 2,654 pounds and sits on a 768-pound interior aluminum base.

It’s sitting pretty at Ford’s Chicago plant, which produces the Explorer, but will soon be making the trip across country to Florida. It’ll make the journey in a trailer with transparent sides, offering motorists a unique change of scenery. The LEGO Explorer’s final destination is the new 150-acre LEGOLAND Florida theme park just outside Orlando. If you’re planning a trip there, you’ll find this attraction in front the Ford Driving School for children.

“Ford is excited to support the alliance between LEGOLAND Florida and the Southeast Ford dealers. The LEGOLAND Florida Explorer and the Ford Driving School attraction are great opportunities to showcase our products and safety messages to families and visitors in a unique way,” said Tracy Magee, Ford Experiential Marketing manager.

The new LEGOLAND opens its gates on October 15, and will feature than 50 family-focused rides, shows and attractions and a historical botanical garden. Using more than 50 million LEGO bricks, the park is divided into 10 themed entertainment zones. One of those zones is the Ford Driving School, where kids can get behind the wheel and feel what it’s like to drive.

Watch a time-lapsed video of the making of the LEGO Ford Explorer after the jump:

Continue Reading…

It’s got a small displacement, high-revving engine and it even boasts a dual-clutch transmission, but Honda‘s new Integra isn’t what you’d expect. In fact, it’s not even a car.

If you thought that perhaps the Japanese automaker’s engineering department was lagging behind, they’ve got nothing on the slackers in the motorcycle marketing division. Borrowing a name from the iconic front-drive sport compact, the new Honda Integra motorcycle will be unveiled at the EICMA 2011 show in Milan, Italy.

As for engineering, Honda aims to set new standards with this new 670cc engine, a 4-stroke, 2-cylinder unit that will be fitted to the Integra and two other models.

Honda officials would not confirm or deny plans for a Type-R.