#California

Fisker Automotive has announced a new partnership with BMW that will supply engines and other automotive components for next-gen Fisker vehicles.

MINI’s new Goodwood model was unveiled at the world-famous Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California this week. The MINI Goodwood is an exclusive special edition which has been produced in close collaboration with the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars design team.

Ford is delaying the full launch of the 2012 electric Focus. Initially, the Focus EV was to be launched in 19 markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and Seattle. However, plans have changed and the primary launch will be concentrated in California and New York.

Nissan and City Ventures announced today that they plan to proceed with their cooperative project to prewire 190 Southern California townhomes with electric vehicle chargers. This will be the largest residential, electric vehicle pre-wiring project in the United States. The installation will include a Level II (240v- 40 amp) electric vehicle dock which is recommended for charging the Nissan Leaf. The electric charging equipment will be installed in 54 homes in Signal Hill, 48 homes in Santa Barbara and 88 homes in Alhambra.

Mitsubishi North America and the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School have launched a new high performance driving program that allows drivers to participate in the advanced Lancer Evolution Experience II at the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California.

Mitsubishi is becoming much more aggressive regarding future EV sales in its home market of Japan. Currently Mitsubishi’s i-MiEV sells for 3.98 million yen which equals $49,200. Government subsidies bring the price down a million yen equalling $36,900. The i-MiEV’s chief rival, the  Nissan Leaf costs 3.76 million yen which equals $46,500 before subsidies and is the more popular choice compared to the Mitsubishi.

Get back into traffic with the rest of us, electric vehicles… your time is up. If you’re in California and drive a hybrid, today is the day your six-year privilege to the HOV lane expires.

Back in 2008, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) passed a law that made it illegal to idle your new diesel powered truck, if it had a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 14,000 lbs, for more than five minutes.

To celebrate its 50-year milestone, the Gull Wing Group teamed up with Mercedes-Benz to recreate their infamous group photo at Fort Point Park with the Golden Gate Bridge as its backdrop. The Gull Wing Group was originally founded in 1961 by Ernie Spitzer with just eighteen 300 SL Coupe owners. 50 years later, the Gull Wing Group now has over 600 owners, all sharing the same passion for the 300 SL.

On August 19th at Laguna Seca Golf Ranch, Monterey California, Concorso Italiano will open the traditional Monterey/Pebble Beach Weekend. The event will feature more than 800-1000 beautifully designed Italian cars on display. Enthusiasts can engage in conversations with fellow car lovers and enjoy Italian fashion, food and art. There will no doubt be an astonishing variety of Ferrari’s, Lamborghini’s, Maserati’s, Alfa Romeo’s, Pagani’s, and Lancia’s on display  The event will run from 9:00am- 5:00 pm and admission will cost $130 per person.

The state of California is considering lowering speed limits and shortening yellow light times. The Senate Transportation Committee will hold a hearing tomorrow on Assembly Bill 529. This bill proposes to rewrite the state’s speed trap law so that cities would be able to round down all speed limits. The measure passed the full Assembly by a 77 to 0 vote on May 19.

The California Court of Appeal has ruled that drivers do not need to use their turn signals if no other car is nearby. A three-judge panel found that La Habra Police Officer Nick Wilson was in the wrong when he pulled over Paul David Carmona, Jr. after the accused made a right-hand turn without signaling in his Chevy.

With much of the electric car attention being drawn by the first mass-produced Nissan LEAF and Chevy Volt, many have ignored the 2011 Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid luxury sports sedan.

Quick, name the European car company that’s made the most progress in reducing their emissions. Peugeot? Smart? Even Dacia? If you had bet on Ferrari, the poster child for irresponsible motoring, you’d have won big.

The Toyota Prius, beloved of eco-conscious of buyers in California, is in short supply in the Sunshine State, as high gas prices and production disruptions due to Japan’s natural disasters have caused dealers to either run low on supply or be completely out of stock.