Infiniti Q80 Inspiration Concept Debuts, Promises to Deprive You of Oxygen

We hope you had smelling salts ready when you opened this story; Infiniti claims that "seeing this vast and imposing car for the first time can suck the air from your lungs. Like a blow to the stomach." (We'll let you catch your breath.) Although that statement paints a somewhat comical image—imagine hundreds of auto executives and journalists simultaneously doubling over in pain while gasping for air on the floor of the 2014 Paris auto show—there's no denying that the Q80 Inspiration concept is a slightly unexpected yet comprehensive and modern design from a company that just spent a couple of years simply trying to get people to understand the rearrangement of its nomenclature. READ MORE ››

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Piston Slap: To Battle The Moonroof Rattle?

TTAC Commentator Sobro writes:

Hi Sajeev and your goateed evil twin Sanjeev!

Beige. We all know it, we all love it, especially when it comes in Lexus Pearl White as my wife's 2003 ES 300 does. This vehicle has had exactly one non-maintenance item replaced since bought new: the A/C compressor relay. My wife installed it since her office is near the Toyota dealer. And it was July. In Nashville. It was my research in the Lexus forums which led to this fix for the flashing LED in the A/C button.

Which brings me to my question.

The sunroof has started to clunk occasionally when hitting bumps, and the clunk is directly overhead of the driver. This sort of thing drives me nuts, so I'm glad I don't commute in the wife's ride. The Lexus forums have very little to offer, and what they do tend to start with "remove the sunroof". Any ideas? Thanks!

Long time lurker, first time caller!

Sajeev answers:

Take it from someone working on moonroofs for 10+ years, you almost always remove the glass to do anything. The forums seem scant on info on a cursory glance but–ZOMG R U SAYIN' ME AND SANJEEV COULD BE DAVID HASSELHOFF?

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Wait, that's no goatee on Garth!  (sigh of relief)

So anyway, moonroof rattle: since you mention the glass itself opens/closes/seals like new (no wind leaks), I betcha the rattle comes from the shade or the wind deflector.  Rule out the shade by pressing your palm against the shade and drive over a road known to cause the rattle. Start with light pressure and use more if the rattle doesn't go away, to ensure the shade can't possibly mask another problem with the track.

I have my doubts about the shade, as most Lexus' products have a rather heavy and rattle-resistant shade, adding weight to silence a rattle isn't likely. The (often spring-loaded) wind deflector is my bet. But other problems could be at fault: judging by the Sunroof Doctor's comprehensive repair kit.

What's the fix?  Get a factory shop manual (no exceptions) to ensure you don't break anything.  I'd venture a guess, but I'd prefer to remain lawsuit free after you install it wrong and the moonroof launches itself on the highway.

Sanjeev answers:

Wait, wait: you think anyone cares enough to actually want to sue you?

I'm too busy growing a goatee now, otherwise I'd tell everyone about that time you didn't install a moonroof correctly and it flew off the car. If only people knew The Truth About Sajeev…

 

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you're in a hurry…but be realistic, and use your make/model specific forums instead of TTAC for more timely advice. 

The post Piston Slap: To Battle The Moonroof Rattle? appeared first on The Truth About Cars.

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Cadillac Escalade Keeps Its Name, Other SUVs, CUVs Christened XT

Cadillac's new alpha-numeric scheme has entered the crossover and SUV space, with the brand's future offerings to be dubbed XT. However, like the Lincoln Navigator to the MKs, the Escalade will keep its name among the CTs and XTs.

According to Forbes, Cadillac CMO Uwe Ellinghaus says both CT and XT models will have a number appended at the end of the designation to signify the size of the vehicle in relation to the rest of the lineup. The designations — created a year ago by Ellinghaus soon after becoming the brand's CMO — form a framework for Cadillac to expand and overhaul its lineup while also eliminating consumer confusion on the showroom floor:

It's a logical thing to give some mental space like this in your naming scheme. So many other brands have done that sort of thing, across industries. It's not rocket science. It doesn't fit our immediate business needs, but this simple logic will help us build this brand and enhance recognition over the long term.

One exception to the new scheme is the Escalade. According to Road & Track, product manager Dave Schiavione explained that there had been a plan to move the SUV onto the Lambda crossover platform, but was punted because Escalade owners wanted their SUV — with all of the power, towing capacity and other associated aspects — to remain an SUV. Representative David Caldwell summed it up as such:

Escalade remains. No reason to mess with it. Everything you say about it is valid.

The premium SUV will likely remain the brand's default halo vehicle until the flagship CT6 arrives in the near future.

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2014 Jeep Cherokee Ownership Costs: First Six Months

The only out-of-pocket ownership costs for Cars.com's long-term 2014 Jeep Cherokee test car after six months and 11,413 miles have been fuel and the first scheduled oil change and tire rotation. The oil life indicator currently sits at 48 percent life left after 3,637 miles since the previous oil change, so we've still got a fair amount of time until the next scheduled maintenance.

Related: Our 2014 Jeep Cherokee's Wonky Transmission Gets Updated

Cost free doesn't mean trouble free, however. We're still battling erratic transmission behavior after the most recent transmission software update. Quality representatives from Jeep's parent company Chrysler read our latest transmission woes and put us in touch with a regional service advisor for a more in-depth diagnosis. We'll have more updates on the Cherokee's transmission after that appointment.

Otherwise, the Jeep dealership fixed a rattling overhead console and repaired a yanked-out rear AC household power outlet under warranty. We also purchased a Jeep accessory dog kennel ($142.41) that attaches to metal cargo hooks in the cargo area and a cooler ($60) that uses the Cherokee's built-in cargo rail system, though neither have received much use after our initial testing.

 

Cars.com photo by Evan Sears

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Next-Gen Ford Super Duty To Receive Aluminum Bodies

The King of Truck Mountain's royal guard will soon be outfitted in aluminum, thanks to Ford's vision for the next-gen Super Duty.

The Detroit News reports product development boss Raj Nair made the announcement during Ford's investor day Monday. Though details were scarce, it's likely the first aluminum-bodied Super Dutys will leave Louisville, Ky. in 2015 as 2016 models, in keeping with the bigger trucks following the F-150 down the upgrade trail.

As for the aluminum F-150, president of the Americas Joe Hinrichs said the Dearborn Truck Plant has completed the month-long changeover needed to make the new truck, with aluminum sheets running through the plant starting this week. The new F-150 is expected in showrooms by the end of the year, so long as nothing fancy is needed.

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Sen. Reid Calls Upon Congress To Raise EV Tax Incentives

For the past three years, President Barack Obama has called upon Congress to raise tax incentives for electric vehicles from $7,500 to $10,000, with those calls going unanswered.

This year, the top Democrat in the U.S. Senate is taking the charge.

The Detroit News reports Senate Majority Leader Henry Reid of Nevada pushed Congress to boost the incentives — and, therefore, EV sales — proclaiming the government needed to do more to encourage sales:

In order to truly promote innovation, we must as a Congress create opportunities for consumers to invest in advanced technologies, and we haven't done that yet. We need more tax incentives for that. In 2008, we encouraged America to invest in the growth of the electric car industry with tax credits for qualified electric vehicles.

The extra $2,500 would provide dealers an opportunity to claim credits so long as they disclosed that info to their customers, which would then give said customers a chance to claim the credits at the point of sale, instead of filing a claim with their taxes the following year.

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Decadence, Aston Martin–Style: Official Photos of Production Lagonda Supersedan Released, Including Interior

Aston Martin has produced its first suite of images of its gorgeous Lagonda hyperluxury sedan in production form. This follows the release of photos of a prototype test vehicle in Oman a couple of weeks ago, which followed an embarrassing photo drop of the same car by Oman Air shortly after it arrived in the Middle Eastern country. Turns out the Lagonda is just as beautiful sitting in front of a glass wall (and next to its most recent predecessor) as it is bombing through the Omani desert.

Significantly, these photos finally show most of the Lagonda's decadent interior, which appears to borrow heavily from the Rapide, for better or worse. Like the Rapide S, a large transmission tunnel separates the left- and right-side seats, which all have fixed headrests. The dashboard looks the same, dull steering wheel, flip-up navigation screen, and all. An elaborate diamond quilting pattern covers all four seats and we wouldn't doubt it if the leather was coated with pure gold. It sure looks that way.

While Aston is still officially mum on the details of the car's underpinnings and powertrain (both of which we expect to be closely related to the Rapide S), we were able to glean a few key details of the Lagonda from a spokesman, specifically that its crisply tailored body is made completely from carbon fiber, and that weight stays "neutral over the Rapide S."

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• Lagonda Be Kidding: El Camino Version of Lagonda Rendered
• Astons Gone Wild: Pebble Beach Plays Host to Four Q-Customized Aston Martins
• Aston Martin Rapide S Research: Photos, Reviews, Info, and More

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Oh yeah, and that it has seen speeds of more than 175 mph during testing. First deliveries to its lucky customers will start in the first quarter of 2015; unfortunately for us and most of the rest of the world, all of the planned 150-to-200-unit production run are bound for the Middle East. Lucky sheikhs.

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