Economy auto news

Report: Tata Nano to rub shoulders with priceless iron in Jay Leno's Garage

It looks as if Jay Leno has welcomed a Tata Nano to his Big Dog Garage recently. The comedian even went so far as to don traditional Indian garb and hire a troop of Bollywood dancers to mark the occasion.

Details are scarce at the moment, but judging from the photos that have shown up on Leno's Facebook page, it looks as if we'll see the machine on an episode of "Jay Leno's Garage" sometime soon. The car boasts a white paint scheme with the Indian tri-color laid over the rear doors and hood. Whether or not Leno actually bought the machine remains unclear.

The comedian took the time to bow for the cameras and place his hands together in the "Namaskar" greeting. We look forward to seeing the full episode. In the meantime, check out the behind-the-scenes photos in the gallery.

Report: Feds investigating 2012 Hyundai Elantra after airbag separates driver from his ear

Safety features like airbags are supposed to keep us safe in the event of a collision. But one driver allegedly met with a nasty surprise when an airbag in his car reportedly sliced his ear in half.

According to the Detroit Free Press, the incident occurred on April 7 when an unnamed owner of a 2012 Hyundai Elantra was in a crash. Apparently the side curtain airbag on the driver's side rapidly inflated (like it's supposed to) but took with it a metal bracket (which it's not). The result was a severe laceration to the driver's ear in an automotive reenactment of Holyfield-Tyson II.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is apparently looking into the event, but has yet to issue a recall. Hyundai for its part insists the incident was isolated, and that it has not received reports of anything similar happening to any other drivers.

Official: Toyota launches new Pixis Epoch kei car in Japan

Kei cars may be small in size, but they're big business in Japan. The latest arrival to the category is the little hatch you see above, the Toyota Pixis Epoch.

It's the fourth vehicle produced by the Daihatsu division but sold under the Toyota brand. As with other keis, power comes from a 660cc engine. It's mated to a continuously variable transmission driving either just the front wheels or all four. In both configurations, the Pixis Epoch features a stop-start system that helps its emissions and fuel efficiency figures come in well below even the Japanese government's stringent standards.

The whole package measures just 3,395 mm (133 inches) long, 1,475 mm (58 inches) wide and 1,500 mm (59 inches) tall, but offers a relatively spacious and utile interior, plus a tight turning radius of just 4.4 meters. Pricing ranges from 795,000 to 1.2 million yen - that's less than $10,000 (and no more than $15k). Further details in the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Toyota launches new Pixis Epoch kei car in Japan

Official: Toyota launches new Pixis Epoch mini-vehicle in Japan

Kei cars may be small in size, but they're big business in Japan. The latest arrival to the category is the little hatch you see above, the Toyota Pixis Epoch.

It's the fourth vehicle produced by the Daihatsu division but sold under the Toyota brand. As with other keis, power comes from a 660cc engine. It's mated to a continuously variable transmission driving either just the front wheels or all four. In both configurations, the Pixis Epoch features a stop-start system that helps its emissions and fuel efficiency figures come in well below even the Japanese government's stringent standards.

The whole package measures just 3,395 mm (133 inches) long, 1,475 mm (58 inches) wide and 1,500 mm (59 inches) tall, but offers a relatively spacious and utile interior, plus a tight turning radius of just 4.4 meters. Pricing ranges from 795,000 to 1.2 million yen - that's less than $10,000 (and no more than $15k). Further details in the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Toyota launches new Pixis Epoch mini-vehicle in Japan

Official: Opel dubs upcoming city-car "Adam"

Tiny city cars are becoming a big business in overseas markets. Mercedes-Benz was a pioneer in the segment with the entire Smart brand, Toyota tackles it with the iQ, Volkswagen recently launched the Up! (along with the Skoda and Seat versions that came along with it), and soon Opel and Vauxhall will, as well.

The new city car, snapped last month undergoing testing at the Nürburgring and released in this latest pair of "official" spy shots, promises to give General Motors a slice of the city-car pie. But its nameplate has left us scratching our heads. The project has at times been referred to as the Junior or the Allegra, but has now been officially confirmed to be called the Adam.

The name is an apparent nod to the company's founder, Adam Opel, and in its invasion follows the same formula as the Ferrari Enzo - albeit and the complete opposite end of the spectrum. If this emerges as a new naming trend, we should be looking forward to seeing models like the Ford Henry, Chevrolet Louis, Lamborghini Ferruccio and Porsche Ferdinand flooding showrooms in the near future. Before that, though, expect the Opel Adam to debut at the Paris Motor Show in the fall... hopefully without the camouflage.

Official: 2013 Dodge Dart production kicks off in Belvidere [w/video]

The 2013 Dodge Dart's trajectory towards dealer lots has officially begun. The first Dart rolled of the line at Chrysler's Belvidere Assembly yesterday, en route to a late June appearance at your local Dodge showroom.

Belvidere's future was uncertain after the poor reception given its previous product line, the Dodge Caliber and its Jeep platform mates, the Compass and Patriot. The Dart launches with more promise than any product since the original Neon, which began production at the Illinois plant in 1995.

While Belvidere has been open since 1965, it has had a long history of building inexpensive Mopar models since the Dodge Monaco and Plymouth Fury went out of production in the late 1970s. Belvidere built Dodge Omnis and Plymouth Horizons through the 1980s, and the K-car-based Chrysler New Yorker and Dodge Dynasty before retooling for the Neon.

Belvidere was also home to several of Chrysler's awesome budget performance models, the Shelby GLHS, Neon ACR and Dodge SRT4. Here's to hoping that it can soon add a hot-rodded Dart to that resume.

Scroll down to see video of the event and read the full press release.

Continue reading 2013 Dodge Dart production kicks off in Belvidere [w/video]

Official: Buy a Scion iQ, get a free PlayStation Vita

If you've been sniffing around the PlayStation Vita debating whether to pull the trigger, Scion has an offer for you: buy an iQ and you'll get the Vita free. This isn't the first tie-up with the little car and the little console: the iQ was one of the available vehicles in the MotorStorm RC game.

The offer is good only until June 31, 2012, so you've got some time to think about it. Sure, this will add (just) $15,700 to the price of your portable gaming station... but at least you'll have some way to carry it. And when you're finished making that deal, can we interest you in a Mercedes for the low low price of $1 million? But first, scroll down for a read of the Scion press release with details.

Continue reading Buy a Scion iQ, get a free PlayStation Vita

Report: NYC comptroller threatens Nissan taxi deal over wheelchair accessibility

John Liu, New York City comptroller, has said he won't register the contract for a fleet of new Nissan taxis until every last one is made wheelchair accessible. There are currently just 231 cabs with wheelchair ramps in the city, though that number will jump by another 2,000 units next year. Even so, Liu said the current cab system is "separate and unequal." The city comptroller signs off on every contract the city makes, but Liu doesn't technically have the authority to block the contract unless there's evidence of corruption. While speaking at his press conference, Liu admitted as much during questioning from reporters.

According to The New York Post, Liu may be attempting to draw attention away from a federal probe into his campaign finances as he vies to be a mayoral candidate in the next election. While he says he takes the federal investigation seriously, he also plans to continue with the work of his office and his blossoming campaign for mayor.

Teased: Renault to unveil new Clio at Paris show in September

The supermini market is a vital one for European automakers, and though its current Clio remains a popular choice, Renault is not about to rest on its proverbial laurels as its most popular model gets older and less relevant. So with that in mind, the French carmaker is apparently preparing to unveil an all-new Clio hatchback at the next major auto salon.

That show won't be taking place until September when Renault's home-market Paris Auto Salon opens its doors at the Port de Versailles, but a pair of teaser shots have already surfaced giving us a tiny glimpse at what to expect. The images - reportedly leaked from internal documents - show the grille and a sliver of the rear 3/4. The front looks to take cues from the smaller Twingo, while the rear betrays an upward kink in the shoulder, more aggressive taillights and an altogether more sculpted shape.

Styling penned by Laurens van der Acker is expected overall to take its lead from the DeZir Concept. We'll have to wait until after the summer to see it in full, though.

Sonny Lim sketches the next-generation Mini

Mini has made it clear that it is hard at work on a successor to the automaker's bread-and-butter Cooper. Word has it we'll get our first glimpse at the next-generation Mini toward the end of next year, and when it debuts, Sonny Lim believes the machine will be smaller, more mainstream and far less gimmicky than the current creation.

Having served as the senior designer with BMW DesignWorksUSA, Lim knows a thing or two about BMW styling. His sketches show a modern three-door hatch that's still easily-identifiable as a Mini thanks to bulging fender arches pushed far to the vehicle's corners, pie-plate headlights and a traditional Mini grille.

Lim says the next-generation Cooper will be more true to the concept of the original Cooper. Measuring in at just 140.6 inches from stem to stern, the Mini Zero Concept is shorter than the current hatchback and just slightly longer than the the now deceased Mini Rocketman Concept. The clipped size means the Zero weighs in at 1,851 pounds, which should help it yield better fuel economy and performance with minimal changes to the drivetrain. Head over to Behance.net for a deeper dive.