Monthly Archives: March 2015


2015 Ford F-150 XLT, 2.7 EcoBoost

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The constant push to one-up the competition while at the same time meet ever tightening fuel economy standards is driving a transformation in America’s most traditional vehicle segment, the full-size pickup truck. This year, perennial market leader Ford has tried to leap-frog the competition with a dramatic shift from the traditional steel body and bed construction to aluminum intensive construction along with an all-new mainstream twin-turbocharged V6 engine. Is it enough to keep the F-150 out in front of the pack? I spent a week driving one in search of some clues.

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2016 Chevrolet Malibu Finally Gets a Proper Hybrid Drivetrain

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It goes without saying that the current-generation Chevrolet Malibu has been something of a disappointment. Almost as soon as the Malibu hit the streets in late 2011, Chevrolet engineers began work on an all-new next-generation model that goes on sale this fall.  While full details of the Chevy’s new midsize sedan will have to wait until next week’s New York Auto Show, I can now tell you about the all-new hybrid powertrain that will be available.

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2015 Ford Mustang GT – The Best Pony Yet

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Let me make this perfectly clear right up front. I am now and have been for as long as I can remember a Mustang fan. When I was a kid, a family friend had a blue 1970 Mach 1 and I’ve been hooked ever since. Of course, after 50 years in continuous production, there have certainly been plenty of Mustangs which were far short of lust-worthy, but at least they kept the brand alive. In 2014, as pony car fans from around the world celebrated those first 50 years, Ford debuted an all-new sixth-generation (or ninth depending on how you count) Mustang and I finally got to spend some quality time with one as winter melted into spring.

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+Volvo Cars is launching one of the first public tests of autonomous vehicles in Sweden in 2017

Unlike Silicon Valley, Gothenburg, Sweden actually experiences a wide variety of weather such as rain and snow. It will be very interesting to see how well these cars perform in a more realistic environment and how consumers accept those limitations.

Volvo Pioneers Autonomous Vehicles
Volvo has long sold cars that are considered among the safest in the world. Since the 1940s, Volvo has been at the forefront of introducing innovations that include laminated safety glass, crush zo…