Automobile Rumors Blog

With the 2013 Nissan Altima reaching dealers as you read this, we've been spending some time looking at its dimensions in relation to its competition. What we've found is this: the 2013 Nissan Altima is not the most powerful, largest, or most spacious in its class. Considering that the mid-size ...    Read more

It’s been a poorly-kept secret these past five days, but Renault has finally – and officially – unleashed the full array of photos and details surrounding the Alpine A110-50 concept. That clunky alphanumeric name essentially says it all: this concept was, more than anything, birthed to pay homage to the legendary ...    Read more

The Audi R18 racecar now features technology that might one day make it into passenger cars like the Audi A8: a digital rear-view mirror. The new mirror was recently installed in the R18 and has proven to be a valuable tool due to car’s enclosed ...    Read more

It looks like Toyota may be playing a little bit of catch up compared to some of its competition – according to Reuters, the Japanese automaker announced a plan to develop eight new models for emerging markets. Toyota is aiming to design and build the new compact cars locally in markets ...    Read more

Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne says his company would consider building Mazda vehicles at its factories around the world. Reutersreports that, following plans to co-develop a roadster with Mazda, Fiat-Chrysler might be open to further cost-sharing moves. Mazda and Fiat announced Wednesday that the two would ...    Read more

For all outward appearances, BMW’s Project i is going full-speed ahead. The first two products from this endeavor, the i3 city car and the i8 sport coupe, are due in 2013 and 2014, respectively, and the concepts are already stars on the auto show circuit. But the whole enterprise is ...    Read more

Though the BMW 7 Series has been refreshed for model-year 2013, most of the changes can’t be seen from the outside. BMW’s flagship sedan will arrive with upgraded drivetrains, new standard technology, and a range of new available options in 2013. On the outside, the 2013 BMW 7 Series ...    Read more

2011-2012 Chevrolet Cruze The 2012 Chevrolet Cruze has been added to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration probe into engine bay fires that began after complaints regarding 2011 model year vehicles. The probe originally covered 177,000 vehicles, but has expanded to 370,000 units since the 2012 model ...    Read more

The two featured videos show a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG coupe and a Ferrari 458 on the insane Corkscrew turn at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. It’s one of the most intimidating racetrack turns thanks to its quick multi-story drop. One of these cars showcases how sweet it can ...    Read more

Carroll Shelby was an automotive legend. The man was responsible for the Cobra, the GT40, the GT500 Mustangs, and so much more. Jessi Lang remembers his legacy in this week's Wide Open Throttle. Lang starts at Shelby International headquarters ...    Read more

The 2013 Mazda 6 is going on something of an extended Japanese vacation: production of the midsize sedan is finally winding down at the Flat Rock, Michigan plant, in favor of production in Hiroshima, Japan. We previously reported that ...    Read more

To celebrate the launch of McLaren in the Middle East, the British marque whipped up a video that tantalizes and delights with the MP4-12C touring in and around Abu Dhabi and the Yas Marina circuit. McLaren will be opening retail stores in six Middle East cities; and with McLaren of Abu ...    Read more

Update: A Nissan spokesman told us today that the company has yet to officialky decide whether the e-NV200 cargo van will be sold in America. Nissan has committed to providing a zero-emissions NV200-based taxi to New York City later this decade. Nissan has no plans to sell a passenger version ...    Read more

Now that Volkswagen has a full Golf stable, it appears as if the automaker is working to flesh out its new Golf Cabriolet lineup. According to leaked patent rendering obtained by China Car Times, the next drop-top variant will be a hot Golf R Cabriolet. Hold onto your hats! The idea ...    Read more

The 2013 Ford Fusion is aiming squarely for the top of the pack: the automaker put tentative price figures on its Ford Fusion configurator website this week, and if these figures hold true to the final price points, it appears that the Fusion's $22,495 base price (not including destination) could ...    Read more

The Mini Rocketman was denied any hopes of leaving the launch pad months ago, however, a new photo online has us thinking the mini-er Mini may be back in the game. A picture on Twitter via @conallmahon shows the Rocketman wearing a blue and red color scheme in what appears ...    Read more

A pedestrian airbag is the latest safety technology from Volvo, which hopes to eliminate all injuries and fatalities from those in a Volvo by 2020. The automaker has confirmed the new pedestrian airbag will be standard on the European V40 hatchback. Twelve percent of traffic accident victims are pedestrians; in ...    Read more

The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) revealed this week that drivers like the idea of vehicle-to-vehicle communication technologies, especially after having tested such systems in real-world use. Overall, 82 percent of 688 drivers who took part in "driver acceptance clinics" from August 2011 to January 2012 said they ...    Read more

By most accounts, the Audi R8 has been a homerun for the automaker with supercar performance wrapped in captivating sheetmetal. A refreshed model is on the way and, thankfully, the visual changes appear to be minor, though there could be some significant upgrades under its skin. Our spy photographer recently caught ...    Read more

Moody's Investors Service announced that it has upgraded Ford Motor Company's debt to investment grade, after Moody's ranked the debts as junk in August 2005. That means Ford can now regain several trademarks mortgaged in 2006 -- including the iconic Blue Oval. In December 2006, Ford raised $23.5 billion in liquidity ...    Read more

Hot on the heels of Nevada's sweeping autonomous car regulation laws, the California senate passed a bill designed to regulate cars that drive themselves, making it the second U.S. state to do so. It's only been two weeks since Nevada passed its wide-ranging autonomous car laws. Among other things, ...    Read more

Mazda and Fiat announced today plans to work together on the development of a small, rear-wheel-drive roadster. The agreement will see both Mazda and Alfa Romeo co-design a sports car based on the platform of the next-generation Mazda MX-5. Although the two cars will share most of their platform components, Alfa ...    Read more

Porsche is sending 30 of its cars to the track, and it wants you to come along for the ride: the German automaker is teaming up with Forza Motorsport 4 and unveiling a 30-car downloadable expansion pack for the driving sim. In the battle of the driving simulator games, two names ...    Read more

Porsche today officially announced that its motorsports operation will be packing up its operations and moving right into the heart of Los Angeles with the previously announced Experience Center. The new Carson, Calif. facility will serve as the base of Porsche's motorsports operations in the United States. Porsche's new facility, to ...    Read more

Ever wonder how Ford's all new 2013 Shelby GT500 would fair in a good old fashioned police chase? Motor Trend's road test editor Scott Mortara sought to find that out in the newest episode of Downshift. Shot on-location in Detroit, the latest ...    Read more