Nik J Miles

Archive for the ‘News’ Category

About 35 southern California residents are driving Mercedes-Benz hydrogen electric fuel cell vehicles as the company does real world tests of the promising technology.

The B-Class F-CELL, which converts compress hydrogen into electricity, is the first zero-emissions vehicle available from Mercedes in the U.S.  Actress Diane Kruger, who stars in “Farewell, My Queen,” is one of more than 35 environmental enthusiasts and early adopters. Read the rest of this entry »

Cadillac engineers are testing a feature to could ease the driver’s workload in freeway traffic.  The new system called “Super Cruise” works like an autopilot on an airplane allowing the driver to relax, while the system steers, brakes and centers the car in the lane while driving under certain optimal conditions.

Super Cruise is designed to ease the driver’s workload on the freeway, in both bumper-to-bumper traffic and on long road trips by relying on a fusion of radar, ultrasonic sensors, cameras and GPS map data.  Read the rest of this entry »

 BMW is filling the X1 space in its naming schematic with a sports sedan-like SUV joining the X3 and X5 models.  The premium sub-compact debuts in the Fall of 2012 with a state-of-the-art powertrain, innovative features, selective design modifications and extensive interior refinements.

 The new 2013 BMW X1 will arrive in authorized BMW Centers in the fall of 2012.  There have already been more than 275,000 X1s sold worldwide.  Demand has been especially brisk in Asia and plans now call for a second plant to go on line in China. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the magic numbers in drag racing is having a car that will run the quarter-mile in under 12 seconds and that’s exactly what a showroom-stock Camaro ZL1 will do.

In tests run by Chevy engineers recently, both the manual and automatic transmission versions of the Camaro ZL1 ran the quarter mile in under 12 seconds.  The automatic did an 11.93-second/116-mph quarter-mile elapsed time and the manual ran an 11.96-second ET at 117 mph. Read the rest of this entry »

Toyota pulled the wraps of the secretive 2013 Avalon premium mid-size sedan in early April at the 2012 New York International Auto Show.  Re-conceived for a new assault on the premium mid-size sedan segment, the all new Avalon will offer improved dynamic performance, refinement and a spacious, comfortable interior with a new level of convenience technologies.

The striking Avalon design was created by a young team of designers from Toyota’s Calty Design Research Inc. facilities in Southern California and Michigan.

Structural and chassis improvements with improve ride quality, straight-line stability and handling should make it more of a driver’s car. Read the rest of this entry »

ZF, the famous German transmission maker, announced they will be supplying the 2013 Ram 1500 trucks with eight-speed automatic transmissions.

The eight-speed automatic will be standard equipment on Ram trucks with the award-winning Pentastar 3.6-liter V-6 engine.  The efficient new engine and transmission is expected to deliver best-in-class fuel economy.

The eight-speed (8HP) will also be offered on the famous 5.7-liter Hemi V-8. Read the rest of this entry »

Four years ago, Ford Motor Company was the first to introduce a new system to add gasoline to a vehicle without removing a cap, and now that system has spread to most of the Ford lineup.

Now General Motors is announcing the introduction of a better capless fueling system on the new Cadillac XTS luxury sedan. 

“This new system has advantages for both the car and the driver,” said John Hamilton, Cadillac fuel fill systems design engineer. “It helps keep hands free of dirt and fuel, paint free of scratches caused by a swinging cap, and the engine running smoothly.” Read the rest of this entry »

“All Roads Lead to Pikes Peak”

 A Ducati Challenge

Big news for Ducati fans and riders, Ducati is returning to Pikes Peak in 2012 for the 90th running of the “Race to the Clouds.” Defending champion and Pikes Peak motorcycle record holder, Carlin Dunne, will join six-time Pikes Peak winner,Greg Tracy, in an effort to defend the title for Ducati.

Read the rest of this entry »

 Ford is adding its first-ever high performance version of the Ford Explorer SUV.

Taking advantage of the powerful and economical twin-turbocharged EcoBoost^® V-6 engine, the new Ford Explorer Sport boasts 350 horsepower and four-wheel drive with a Terrain Management System^™.

“Adding an EcoBoost drivetrain to Explorer Sport delivers even more fuel efficiency and performance to the lineup,” said Bill Gubing, Explorer chief engineer. “This is our highest- performance, most capable Ford Explorer ever.” Read the rest of this entry »

At the Houston Auto Show in January, Jeep® displayed a “blacked-out” production-intent Grand Cherokee concept and asked consumers to name the model.  One hundred thousand entries later from the 2 million fans on Facebook, the company chose a winning vehicle name –“Altitude”.

“The fact that well over 100,000 consumers entered our ‘Name My Ride’ contest reinforces the passion behind the Jeep brand, and its position as one of the most recognizable and popular brands in the world,” said Mike Manley, President and CEO – Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. “The extraordinary response to both the concept and the contest resulted in an easy decision to produce ‘blacked-out’ editions of the Grand Cherokee – and the Compass and Patriot. These new Jeep Altitude editions will clearly have a broad appeal among consumers, especially those looking for something distinctive, edgy, and just plain cool.” Read the rest of this entry »