Good news, owners of Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche models powered by a 3.0-liter TDI engine — your heavily polluting diesel probably won't have to be bought back and scrapped. A lawyer for the automaker said in court today that Volkswagen believes the 85,000 vehicles can be cleaned up with a not-too-complicated fix, Reuters reports. If true, […]
A group of automakers wants Big MPG to know they're out of touch when it comes to fuel efficiency targets, and would really like it if they stopped paying so much attention to California. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers — a Washington lobbying group made up of General Motors, Ford, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Volkswagen and Toyota — […]
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration broke from its orderly recall of potentially dangerous Takata airbags today to warn drivers of certain 2001–2003 Honda and Acura models. New tests show a certain subset of the faulty airbags, linked to 14 deaths worldwide, have a much higher risk of exploding in the event of an […]
After riding the sales roller coaster to dizzying, record-breaking heights, it's only natural that consumers will bring automakers back down to reality. This year will be a high water mark for new vehicle sales in the U.S., according to a new study by consulting firm AlixPartners (via Automotive News). Sales are forecasted to hit 17.8 […]
Drivers blaming their cars for accidents or sudden acceleration is nothing new, but modern technology allows us to view data in cases where sudden breaking or a collision occurs. This information is recorded by a device known as an Event Data Recorder (EDR). These types of devices, commonly referred to as "black boxes," are able […]
If you need a ride in your neighborhood, who ya gonna call? Lyft. The ride-sharing app is teaming with Sony Pictures to give customers the opportunity to hitch a ride in the tricked-out Ecto-1 Cadillac hearse from Ghostbusters.
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On July 1 and 2, Lyft customers in New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, and Washington D.C. will have access to a "Ghost Mode" button within their app, and enabling the feature sends a signal to one of 25 (five per city) Ecto-1 Caddys looking for passengers to pick up. Each vehicle will play the Ghostbusters soundtrack and be driven by an someone dressed like a Ghostbuster character. Adweek notes that each Ecto-1 will be equipped with key lime-flavored Hostess Twinkies and Hi-C Ecto Cooler as an homage to the original film.
While the original Ghostbusters—played by Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson—went from location to location fighting ghosts in a 1959 Cadillac ambulance, the rebooted film, which stars Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones, has the all-female cast battling the paranormal in a 1980s Cadillac hearse. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lyft users can look forward to being picked up by actual cars from the film, as well as replicas, though there's no word on if the Ecto-1s picking up customers will be based on the vehicle in the original movie, the new film, or some combination of both. THR adds that custom-wrapped Toyota Highlanders made to look like the Ecto-1 will sub-in if the movie Cadillacs are all in use. Presumably the Highlanders won't have any ghost-busting equipment on board, so should those unlucky passengers encounter any paranormals, they could do little more than hurl Twinkies at them.
-During a supermarket run in our Hyundai Azera Limited test car, we were approached by a salt-and-pepper-haired man wearing cargo shorts and flip-flops; he was excited to share his recent experience with an Azera he rented. "Surprisingly nice, isn't it? You know, for a Hyundai." He's summed up the Azera in a way that is succinct and accurate. READ MORE ››
