The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has closed their preliminary evaluation of the Getrag MT-82 6-speed manual transmission used in 2011 and future Ford Mustangs.

“There is no indication of loss of motive power or unreasonable safety risk associated with the alleged defect in the subject vehicles,” the NHTSA said in a press release.

The evaluation came after 364 unique reports of problems with difficult cold shifts, binding gears, difficulty engaging in gears and excessive noise and vibration. The complaints, fielded by both Ford and the Office of Defects Investigations, prompted Ford to address the problems individually.

The difficulty shifting in cold weather, the report said, is the result of overly viscous transmission fluid. Ford has since advised technicians that a lower-viscosity fluid is available to fix the problem for cold-climate customers.

Perhaps more concerning are the grinding noises and trouble with engaging gears. The latter, Ford said, is because of the “rotating inertia of clutch components” and that it depends on how long the driver keeps the engine above 4000 rpms. New clutch pedal parts have also been distributed to fix the issue.

Finally, grinding and poor shift feel is from the gradual loosening of clutch plate fastenerers after aggressive shifting. To address this, Ford has implemented a new fastener in production and made the part available through a special service message.

Click here to go to a story we published in early October featuring a video made by a Mustang owner experiencing these problems.

[Source: press release]

Chinese-built cars are arriving in North America, but before you reach for the keypad, we’re not talking about hordes of BYD, Chery, Geely or Brilliance models washing up on our shores, rather the fact that Honda is now importing Chinese assembled examples of its Fit subcompact for consumers in Canada.

This forms part of a decision by Honda and other Japanese automakers to reduce dependence on vehicle production in the Home Islands due to the current high value of the yen against other major world currencies, which is severely eating into profit margins.

In Honda’s case it also helps squeeze more money out of its small cars, which are relatively popular with buyers in Canada, yet traditionally far less profitable than larger models.

In terms of quality (often a subject that’s brought up regarding Chinese consumer goods), Honda says it shouldn’t be an issue, it’s Canadian executive vice president Jerry Cherkin stating, “we are fully confident that these vehicles meet all Honda standards.”

Honda has been exporting Chinese built Fits for some time, particularly to European countries (where it’s sold as the Jazz) with few issues, thus in many regards adding Canada to the roster of export markets seems a logical step.

However, despite these Fits showing up on dealer lots north of the border, so far, there are no plans to sell such cars in the United States.

Michelle Krebs, a senior analyst with Edmunds.com believes American consumers are more resistant to the idea of buying Chinese products, especially cars, thus the concept of doing so at this point, given that the US is still a major source of both profit and prestige for Japanese automakers, would probably not work in Honda’s favor.

[Source: NY Times]

AMP Electric vehicles has just announced that it will unveil an electrified version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The company  has already put together a Mercedes-Benz M-Class EV and the addition of the Jeep Grand Cherokee is seen as a logical step, since both vehicles share components and structure, meaning that for the Jeep, minimal changes are required for EV conversion.

Although not a great deal of information has so far been released regarding the Grand Cherokee EV, AMP says that the vehicle is being aimed at larger fleet customers rather than low volume clients. According to Jim Taylor, AMP’s chief executive, the idea is that fleets could “buy a new gas-powered step van for $30,000, or spend the same amount of money to convert an existing vehicle to electric power.”

Fitted with a 37 kWh battery pack, the electric Grand Cherokee is said to have a range of 100 miles, based on information released from AMP. Final pricing and distributors are expected to be announced during the vehicle’s unveiling in Detroit.

AMP believes that the Grand Cherokee’s reputation and capability will appeal to the generally conservative nature of fleet customers and the company is currently in talks with organizations such as Fedex and UPS, in an effort to secure them as customers.

AMP’s previous trial with the Chevy Equinox ended because GM didn’t offer any manufacturer support, however at this juncture it would appear that the Jeep deal shows signs of being far more successful. “We got no love out of GM,” said Taylor recently. “Chrysler answered the phone when we called for the first date.”

See AutoGuide’s full Detroit Auto show coverage here.

After much speculation by the automotive community, Tesla has finally released U.S. pricing on its all new Model S. The Model S will go into production in 2012 and will be undeniably one of the best production all electric cars on the market.

The Tesla will have a base price of $49,900 after federal tax credits. The base model will get you a 40 kWh battery pack that will accelerate 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds and have a range of 160 miles when traveling at an average speed of 55 mph.

There are four packages in total that consumers can choose from: a 40 kWh battery pack, a 60 kWh pack, an 85 kWh pack and also an 85 kWh pack that is coupled with the performance package which includes active air suspension with sport tuned traction control, performance wheels and tires, and standard leather seats and carbon fiber accents.

The 60 kWh has an MSRP of $59,900 and packs a range of 230 miles and a 0-60 mph time of 5.9 seconds. The truly impressive stats come from the 85 kWh battery pack which will get you 300 miles down the road on one charge and will accelerate 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds. The 85 kWh without the sport package will retail for $69,900 after federal tax credit. With all the bells and whistles of the sport package included, the top of the line Tesla Model S will sell for $79,900.

GALLERY: Tesla Model S

Hours after photos of the upcoming Lexus super coupe concept leaked onto the net, the Toyota luxury brand has released a full photo of the car, confirming it will be called the LF-LC.

“Crafted from a clean sheet of paper at the request of Lexus headquarters in Japan, the LF-LC blends both high technology and organic shapes to connect the driver to the machine,” said Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager. “The clean lines of the vehicle emphasize motion, creating a distinctive look for this futuristic sport coupe.”

As for the design of the car, it was handled at Lexus’ Calty design studio in Newport Beach, Calif., taking obvious style highlights from the new Lexus GS and the LFA supercar.

Of note, this high-resolution photo reveals that the LF-LC is in fact a hybrid.

The LF-LC will be officially unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January 9th.

Discuss this story at LF-LCForum.com

Just yesterday we reported that Saab has announced that it will not honor any warranties effective immediately and they also advised their dealers to sell off the remaining cars ‘as is.’

This news will surely anger anyone who currently owns a Saab that had some warranty left on it. However, General Motors is coming to the rescue, sort-of. GM is reaching out to those who bought a new Saab before February 2010. These cars were marketed and sold under GM’s ownership of Saab.

In a statement by GM’s spokesman Jim Cain, he said; “In the event Saab cannot or will not fulfill its obligations to administer the warranty programs with its U.S. and Canadian dealers through Saab Cars North America or otherwise, GM will take necessary steps to ensure that remaining warranty obligations on Saab vehicles marketed by GM in the United States and Canada will be honored.”

This act of kindness is very surprising, because GM doesn’t even like covering warranties on local-made products it considers was built by “old GM.”

So if you own a pre-2010 Saab, you’re in luck. However, for anyone who bought a newer Saab, it’s probably time to invest in a good used car warranty program.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Between coverage the Tokyo Motor Show and filming the Scion FR-S, AutoGuide video producer Chris Blanchette had some time to kill in the Japanese capital. Being the artistic type he captured the hustle and bustle of the metropolis, and of course, spent plenty of time capturing many of the unique vehicles that populate Japan’s busy roads.

Watch the video below and be sure to check out AutoGuide’s Scion FR-S video here:

Continue Reading…

This probably doesn’t come to as a surprise to many – since we’re all guilty of it – but Consumer Reports has taken a poll that reveals 40-percent of American car owners will delay the maintenance of their vehicle due to finances.

More eye-opening is the fact that younger drivers, 18-34 years of age, tend to ignore tires and brake pads. In fact, 21-percent of them admitted to not even paying attention to those items. Of those polled, 22-percent admitted to delaying the manufacturer-recommended minor services, 17-percent postponed replacing wear items while 15-percent could live with dents and other body damage.

The vast majority involved in the poll agreed that a repair bill of $2,000 is considered a serious financial burden and that 25-percent of Americans couldn’t even afford the repair bill. Considering a car is probably the second largest investment an individual makes, it’s surprising to see how low-ranked it is in terms of priority when it comes to maintenance. 44-percent even admitted that delaying the service of their vehicle has degraded the value, safety and reliability of their car.

And the most absurd part of the entire poll? 83-percent said they were confident that their repair shop would do the work properly and for the right price. Oh boy.

Volkswagen Canada is pulling a television commercial after receiving complaints that it is insensitive and offensive. The ad features the Volkwagen Passat, but the complaints center around what happens after the man pulls into the emergency lane.

He jumps out of the car in a panic, saying his wife is having a baby, but stops to chat about how great his Passat is after the EMT seems impressed. They ignore the woman’s cries to check out the interior, and the spot ends with the husband shutting the driver’s door, apparently having forgotten his wife altogether.

Volkswagen Canada spokesperson Thomas Tetzlaff told the Winnipeg Free Press that the company apologized after a small number of customers said they thought the ad portrayed pregnant women in a bad light.

The website Art Threat tried to take credit for the removal, but Volkswagen insists that they removed it a week before the site published its article, and that their decision was a response to their customers.

GALLERY: 2011 Volkswagen Passat

[Source: Winnipeg Free Press]

You can watch the ad below