According to Chevy, the months are counting dow to the official unveiling of the production ready Chevy Volt. The 2011 Vol news for wuite a while now. Chevrolet’s all electric vehicle holds claims to amazing mileage, has shown its stylish design, and most of all, is one of the first all electric vehicles in development to hold out hope of being seen on the road and in dealerships. The Volt, now just months away from launch, is at the “99 percent level” of engineering calibration. The driving characteristics likely won’t change much; engineers are now just aiming for consistency to ensure that the Volt always drives as expected.

The electric vehicle is now going through its final phases of road tests, and so far is hitting the mark.  There will be a special option on the Volt called mountain mode, which allows the driver to better deal with changing elevations. To optimize performance, drivers should turn it on before heading up the mountain, so the Volt can adjust its reserve capability. There is also a sport mode. It’s an adjustment to the pedal mapping, so those who have a heavier foot will have a more aggressive feel. It’s sure to be subtle though — the Volt draws its power from lithium-ion batteries and a 1.4-liter engine. The default mode is normal. Additionally, motorists can further adjust the car’s character by selecting eco and comfort settings for the climate control.

Through all of these variables — and the very basic electric or extended-range periods — the Volt will have one singular trait: It will feel like an electric car at all times, even when the gasoline engine kicks on. Engineers also paid special attention to the NVH, acoustics and making the engine’s turn-on as subtle as possible. The 40-mile range on electricity is still expected.

When Chrysler LLC merged with Fiat some big changes took place. Models were slashed, while new models were planned. One of the biggest steps the automaker made was to separate Ram trucks into a separate division than its former name, Dodge. It only made since for the Ram brand to keep the trademark ram’s horns logo that adorned Dodge vehicles. So Dodge vehicles needed a new logo of their own. And it was a perfect opertunity for Dodge to reinvent itseld as a  sporty, youth-oriented brand — without pickups. So Dodge CEO Ralph Gilles adopted the twin red slashes of Chrysler Group’s SRT performance brand. The new twin red slashes are supposed to signify Dodge’s sporty character.  The red slashes will appear on new dealer signs, advertising materials, owner’s manuals and merchandise such as hats and T-shirts. On vehicles, the Dodge name will stand by itself in a new script that will appear prominently but without the red slashes. The first vehicles to get the new treatment will be the 2011 Dodge Charger and a seven-seat Dodge crossover that will replace the departed Dodge Durango. Both vehicles will debut in the fourth quarter.
The famous ram’s horns will disappear from other Dodge vehicles gradually in the replacement cycle.

While vehicles have become much safer than they were even ten years ago, one fact remains the same. As far as safety is concerned, not all vehicles are created equal. Consumers almost automatically turn to crash test ratings to ;earn more about a vehicle they may be interested in. But, do we really understand how these word? There are two agencies that test new vehicles and publish scores rating the cars on various types of crash situations. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) both began looking at automobile safety in the 1960s when the public became more aware of the issue. The first crash tests were conducted by NHTSA, which is a division of the Department of Transportation, in 1978. The IIHS, which is supported by automobile insurance companies, didn’t begin its crash testing for consumers until 1995.

Understanding Side-Impact Tests

As with the frontal tests, the side-impact tests that the two groups conduct are also quite different. Both tests simulate the type of side collision that would typically occur in an intersection, by crashing a deformable barrier into the vehicle being tested. In the NHTSA test, two dummies that represent average-sized men are placed in the driver seat and in the rear, directly behind the driver. A 3,015-pound barrier is then slammed into the vehicle at 38.5 mph. The force of the impact to the dummies’ head, neck, chest and pelvis is measured, but star ratings indicate only the chance of serious injury to the chest. Head injuries, which are not included in the star rating, are reported separately as what NHTSA calls a “safety concern” if the likelihood of head injuries is considered excessive.

The IIHS test differs from the government test in the type of barrier that is used, the size of the dummies placed in the vehicle and what the test measures. Using a “Good” to “Poor” rating system, the group measures the potential of injury to the head, neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis and femur, and gives a rating based on the performance in all of these areas. The IIHS uses two dummies that represent small women or 12-year-old children (5 feet tall and 110 pounds) and places them in the driver seat and in the rear seat behind the driver.
In addition, the IIHS’s barrier has a different shape and weighs more. The group uses a 3,300-pound deformable barrier that is taller and is shaped like the front of a pickup or SUV that is propelled into the side of the test vehicle at 31 mph. The Institute’s test is so severe, in fact, that it is unlikely people who experienced such a crash in the real world would come away free of injuries. The group looks for side-impact protection that allows the occupants to survive these types of crashes without serious injury.

The Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln MKZ are what they call in the auto world ‘twinned models’. They differ with styling details on the exterior, and varying features in the cabin, but the three vehicles share aplatform. Furthermore, twinned vehicles often use the same powertrain lineup. Ford first released the trio of entries in 2006.  At the most recent LA Auto Show Ford rolled out three redesigns for the 2010 Ford Fusion, 2010 Mercury Milan and the 2010 Lincoln MKZ. All three cars retain the old Mazda 6-derived CD3 platform, so how have they changed?

The most noticeable changes to the 2010 Fusion happen in the front fascia.  The headlights have lost both the squircles and the vertical design from the previous model, replaced by an aggressive horizontal set encompassing a pair of projector lamps.The hood has now been completely reshaped. The lower fascia is now comprised of a large central opening flanked by chrome detailing wrapping around the outer edge, giving visual continuity with the upcoming Fiesta small car. The outer surround features an aggressive trapezoidal form diving into the lower fascia opening while housing two small projector fog lamps. The chrome detailing here represents Ford’s attempt at heightening the perceived quality of its new mid-size contender.

The 2010 Milan takes a subtle approach to its front end sheet metal changes. The waterfall grille is now wider and takes on a trapezoidal form with a large chrome strip on its top edge. An upward facing bevel runs around the lower edge and rises to meet the hood, running rearward to the outer edge of the windshield. The headlights lose their horizontal form from the previous model and now feature an attractive vertical layout flowing downward from the hood. The peak of the front fender runs down to the edge of the lower fascia and wraps rearward to create a small light catcher just before the front wheel arch. The front reflector has moved from the fascia cutline of the previous car to the flat edge of the wheel arch, following in line with the revised vertical headlight design. The lower opening of the fascia is now lower and wider and has two projector fog lamps neatly tucked within.

The 2010 MKZ carries on with horizontal LED tail lights that are now much wider, prominent and better detailed, almost touching in the center of the trunk surface. The top edge of the bumper surface wraps upward toward the front of the car and ties in with the rear forward swept surface of the MKR concept while the lower edge features two blackout sections for the dual exhaust and reflectors. Overall the rear design appears taller, wider and more elegant than the 06-09 MKZ. Looking for more details? Read our complete 2010 Linoln MKZ review for a closer look at this model. For consumers interested in the Ford twin, read more about the 2010 Ford Fusion at a Ford Dealership.

The 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI sedan and wagon land in showrooms in late summer, the turbocharged model has been updated with a new body style: sedan. Subaru is reviving a large rear spoiler of its own on the new 2011 Impreza WRX STI four-door, which debuted at the New York auto show. The sedan joins the five-door wagon in Subaru’s flagship performance lineup and marks the first time the STI has been offered in two body styles. The STI sedan adopts the wide-body design found on the wagon, with heavily flared front fenders and rear quarter panels. In addition, the bumpers feature a more aggressive look with blacked-out fog lights, a new grille with black inset and the aforementioned oversized rear wing.

Helping to raise the handling prowess in both wagon and sedan versions, Subaru reworked the suspension tuning, which was previewed on the 2010 Impreza WRX STI Special Edition. Ride height is lowered, spring rates increase, antiroll bars are thicker, and front pillow-ball bushings and rear subframe bushings are stiffened. The standard 18-inch wheels are also new and weigh 17.6 pounds less than the previous wheels. All of this results in reduced body roll, more neutral handling response and better lateral grip capability.

A new 2011 Ram Chassis Cab is coming in the Fall.  The 2011 Ram Heavy Duty Chasis Cab is arriving soon, and it is specifically aimed at commercial and fleet users, buyers of serious, diesel-powered chassis cabs; upfitter friendliness and low maintenance costs are best in class. These trucks will continue to use the previous generation’s proven chassis and frame, but with more comfort, higher capabilities, and more body options, including a crew cab. Thanks partly to a new six-speed transmission, chassis cab gas mileage has been best in Class 4 and Class 5 — 14% better than Ford F-550 and 23% better than GMC C5500. Still, the 2011 Dodge Ram will have the largest standard fuel tank. For lower maintenance and better stopping power, the Ram 4500/5500 has the largest front brake rotors (390 mm) and calipers (66 mm), and a standard diesel exhaust brake. The standard diesel 24,000 lb. Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) and optional 26,000 lb. GCWR package are both best-in-class on 3500. The ride was greatly improved through re-tuned suspension components; handling under a full load was also beefed up. Fluid-filled hydro-mounts under the cab reduce beaming and bounce over rough surfaces. The 6.7 Cummins turbodiesel will be essentially unchanged, but with a new particulate feature that slashes nitrides of oxygen by 90%; in the pickups, the engine produces 350 hp at 3,000 rpm, and 650 lb-ft of torque at a stunning 1,500 rpm, just off idle (automatic transmission). With the G56 manual transmission, the Cummins puts out 350 hp and 610 lb-ft of torque; with the chassis cabs, 305 hp and 610 lb-ft of torque.

The interior was naturally upgraded, with optional heated/ventilated front seats; heated rear-seats and steering wheel; automatic temperature control; two-tone upholstery; memory seats, radio and mirrors; navigation; adjustable pedals and numerous infotainment options including Backseat TV(tm) with three channels of programming, uconnect tunes with a 30-gigabyte hard drive, and a first-in-segment 10-speaker surround-sound system. Numerous storage options include in-floor storage.

Mazda Motor Corp. has agreed to lease a hybrid drivetrain technology from Toyota Motor Corp. The deal gives Mazda access to the electric powertrain system used in the third-generation Toyota Prius. Mazda Executive Vice President Masaharu Yamaki said the electric-gasoline powertrain will debut in 2013 in a Mazda-brand hybrid for the Japanese market. Mazda didn’t announce plans for overseas versions, but a spokesman said selling the car in North America is a possibility.

The agreement helps Mazda meet its goal of improving fleet fuel economy 30 percent by 2015 compared with 2008 levels. Mazda already has rolled out plans for a more efficient gasoline engine, called the Sky-G, and measures such as weight reduction and idle stop technology. For Toyota, the deal also pushes its hybrid technology closer to becoming a global standard. Leasing it to other companies is not only a cash stream for the world’s biggest auto company, it’s also a potent way to guarantee volume for its suppliers, which drives down cost.

Teaming with Toyota signals another Mazda break from Ford, which reduced its stake in the Japanese automaker to 13 percent, from 33 percent in 2008. Since then, Ford and Mazda have embarked on largely separate powertrain strategies. While Ford is chasing greater fuel economy with its turbocharged EcoBoost engines, Mazda is developing its own line of Sky engines, which rely mostly on direct fuel injection.

The four-cylinder, direct-injection Sky-G gasoline engine will range between 1.3 and 2.0 liters and deliver 15 percent better fuel economy than current engines in the same class. Its diesel partner, the Sky-D, will get a 20 percent increase over today’s offerings.

In the coming weeks, more than one million young adults will graduate from college and step into the job world. While many students make it through college with a minimal cost clunker, it may be time for a change. Often times, when recent college grads get their first ‘real’ job, they may get their first new car. But young adults of today will not be going for what their parent’s first car probably was.

Right now, new car supplies are plentiful, carmakers are cranking up zero-percent financing and subsidized leases to boost lagging sales, and struggling dealers are making deeper concessions than ever before. There is a wide range of vehicles that the twenty-something crowd may consider.  Styles run the gamut from ultraconservative to trendy, and so do their auto preferences. While tastes are varied in this youthful demographic, two things are certain. First is that today’s best and brightest probably won’t buy the car, or even the brand, that mom and dad were loyal to. Thankfully, younger buyers have more choices than their parents did. Even budget cars offer reliability and come with warranties that the older generation couldn’t have dreamed of — so first-timers don’t have to settle. The second consistency among first-time buyers: When it comes to cars, they are less frivolous than their parents were back in the day. Younger buyers have a better understanding today of how to spend their money. Since the recession started, it’s more about rational choices, with less emphasis on frills and more on value.

Despite increased awareness and safety technology, a pedestrian being hit by a car is not really that unusual. In the U.S., 4,654 pedestrians were killed in motor vehicle collisions in 2007, while pedestrian accidents comprise about 11 percent of motor vehicle deaths annually, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). While pedestrian deaths have declined steadily, they still occur.

In order to design vehicles to cause less injury to a pedestrian in a collision, engineers and researchers spend time reviewing real-world crash data, using computer simulations of crashes and performing actual crash testing with full dummies and test devices, called impactors, that represent portions of dummies’ bodies. Statistics show that most pedestrians are struck by the front of a vehicle, but what happens in the crash varies widely depending on several factors, including the type of vehicle, its speed and the height of the pedestrian. The result is a multitude of scenarios that makes studying these accidents challenging.

To respond to this wide range of scenarios, automakers began addressing pedestrian accidents decades ago by focusing on the obvious vehicle features that could cause harm. Protruding hood ornaments, for example, were embedded in the grille or designed to collapse on impact, while exterior mirrors are now mounted on springs. Even a styling feature such as recessed door handles has helped reduce pedestrian injury. In recent years, vehicle design has focused on making subtle changes to the front end of the vehicle that aren’t obvious to consumers. One example is changing the way that the fenders, hood and windshield wipers are attached, so their performance strength is maintained but they can easily collapse when impacted by a pedestrian.

Hood design and engine compartments have received many subtle design changes. Today the vast majority of vehicles sold in the U.S. have braces supporting the hood that crush when they are impacted from above, such as by a person’s head. In addition, a plastic engine cover serves to soften the impact, as does increased space between the hood and the cover.  Automotive engineers and researchers, as well as experts from the safety and medical fields, continue to study vehicle-pedestrian collisions, developing other ways to reduce pedestrian injury while still maintaining a high level of safety for the vehicle’s occupants.

One vehicle design we may see on future U.S. models is a pop-up hood system, which would lift the hood a few inches in the area closest to the windshield, effectively giving a larger cushion of space underneath it in the event of a pedestrian impact. It’s likely that the future design changes we see on vehicles in the U.S. will be driven by safety standards overseas. Both Japan and Europe recently instituted more pedestrian safety standards and the European Union has even more stringent standards set to go into effect in 2010.

Chrysler has announced they will build two new Alfa crossover models for sale in North America and Europe. The Chrysler-built vehicles for Alfa will include:

A compact SUV: This will be based on the Compact architecture that underpins the Giulietta hatchback in Europe. Production will begin in 2012

A large SUV: It will be similar in size to the next Jeep Liberty, which is sold as the Cherokee in Europe. Production will start in 2014.

Crossover Models: The crossover models will be built in two of the three U.S. plants that Chrysler Group plans to retool for new Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep models based on Fiat-Chrysler’s Compact Wide architecture.

Sedan / Station wagon: Alfa will also sell a mid-sized sedan and station wagon when in the United States starting in late 2012. These two vehicles will have the name Giulia and in Europe will replace the 159 range. They will be built in Italy.

Two other models, States a five-door version of its MiTo minicar, and the the five-door MiTo will be sold in Europe and North America starting in 2013.