For one, there's a Mountain mode. Those familiar with hybrids know all about Sport and Eco mode, but the Volt's Mountain mode is unique. It allows Volt to climb any grade in the country by pre-charging the battery with the range-extending engine gasoline engine. This allows the Volt's drive system to draw more power than normal from the battery packs. If the battery packs are drained and the generator's already on, Mountain Mode will then increase the engine's RPM to make up the difference.

Bradley also performed an impromptu 0-60 mph test, running from a stop to 60 in about 8.53 seconds. Not blisteringly fast, but quicker than the Toyota Prius by a wide margin. During the test, Bradley drove the Volt nearly 60 miles, 16.1 of which occurred with the gas-powered range-extending on. During his run, 0.59 gallons of gas were consumed, meaning the Volt averaged about 100 mpg for the day and 27.3 mpg while the engine was operating.

Click for the video . . .

Honestly, the weather looks perfect and there's no better place for an automotive enthusiast to be than sitting above turn five with a brat in one hand and a beer in the other watching the powerful AMLS cars battle on one of the premier road courses in North America.

The ALMS feature takes place on Sunday at 2 PM, but there's racing ALL weekend long and general admission tickets are just $50 on Saturday and $75 on Sunday. Road America even offers discounts if you buy a weekend pass.

For more information and directions, visit www.RoadAmerica.com.

Mazda is confident that the market for subcompact or amp;quot;Bamp;quot; cars will double in the next three years. Though most would expect most of this growth to come from Generation Y, the current 22-30 set, Mazda is also fairly certain a lot of small-car sales will come from baby boomers who are flying the coop from large cars into something more practical.

The new 2 is available only as a five-passenger four-door hatchback. Two trim levels are offered, Sport and Touring. Both are powered by a 100 horsepower 1.5-liter four cylinder engine. Prices start at $13,900 and range up to $17,000 for a fully equipped Touring model.

Click for the rest of the story . . .

Here's some video of the new 2012 Boss Mustang... and we like it even before we've turned the key to the amp;quot;onamp;quot; position. What wouldn't be to like?! Nostalgia keeps cresting over the hood for guys my age, as we used to salivate over the unique liveries of the Boss.

Gobs of horsepower. Gobs of torque. Gobs of curb appeal. It's a gobber! Here's some video to hold you over until we get some seat time of our own. In the meantime, we'll have Ford peeps on Saturday morning to talk Boss from where it was introduced, at Laguna Seca raceway in California.

Nice... stay tuned!

Pioneered by General Motors and Raytheon and first seen in the 2000 Cadillac deVille and Concours, NightVision utilizes an infrared camera and a dashboard display to paint a fairly well-detailed black amp;amp; white picture the road ahead. Because it utilizes differences in temperature to define objects, people and animals appear as bright shapes and trees and houses are somewhat subdued.

From behind the wheel, night vision can initially be a little overwhelming. However, drivers quickly learn to process the additional information and night vision then provides a driver with valuable information about the path ahead well in front of the headlamps' illumination range. Cadillac owners raved about the system, but we're put off by the high cost.

Click for the rest of the story . . .

First off, mainstream electrics aren't coming to Chicagoland anytime soon. Though the Chevrolet Volt launches this fall, it's not coming to this market for at least another year. Ditto the Nissan Leaf, which will initially be sold only in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona and Tennessee.

The reason for this is quite simple; batteries and Chicago's climate don't play nice. Most batteries like to be cool, but not cold. Extreme cold and extreme heat greatly reduce the capacity of a battery, and we have lots of cold and heat here in the Windy City. So an electric vehicle that has an ideal range of 100 miles in 60 degree weather might see practical range drop by 50% when the temperature dips below freezing.

Eventually, the electrics will come. The reason is simple--efficiency. Even the most fuel frugal gasoline or diesel engine is only about 30% efficient. In other words, a piston engine transforms 30% of the energy in the fuel into forward motion. The other 70% is lost to heat and friction.

Click for the rest of the story . . .

Ford added the meat to the potatoes today at an exclusive media luncheon with the Explorer Chief Nameplate Engineer, Jim Holland.

Despite its slippery new styling and all-wheel-drive system, the first thing Jim pointed out was that Explorer is still an SUV at heart. It has standard seating for seven and can tow up to 5000 pounds. Not only is the 2011 Explorer sleeker, it's also three inches longer and five inches wider than the model it replaces.

Another change is the switch from rear- or four-wheel drive with a transfer case to front- or all-wheel drive. Holland explained that traditional Explorer drivers value traction over extreme off-road capability. The switch to a front-drive-based system not only made Explorer lighter but opened up additional room for passenger and cargo space.

Click for the rest of the story . . .

Mitsubishi just announced that the first i-MiEVs were delivered to its North American press fleet. In other words, you'll begin to start reading reviews of i-MiEV in automotive rags like Car and Driver and AutoWeek (and at DriveChicago.com). The i-MiEV went on sale in Japan in the summer of 2009 and is due in North America in the fall of 2011.

Like the Nissan Leaf, i-MiEV is a full electric vehicle, meaning there's no gas engine to extend range. A small fleet of i-MiEVs made a run from Sacramento to San Francisco to make use of the nation's first hi-speed electric charging station. Watch the video to find out more about i-MiEV and west-coast gauntlet.

Click to watch the i-MiEV in action . . .

FoMoCo is hosting an unprecedented simultaneous nine-city reveal of its new midsize SUV. Seeing as the new Explorer is likely to be built in Ford's Torrence Avenue assembly plant, Chicago is a key market for one of the most-popular SUVs of all time.

The launch will take place on Monday, July 26, at 10:30 a.m. in Millennium Park, Chase Promenade South. In attendance will be Bill Ford, Ford executive chairman, Jim Farley, Ford group vice president and Pat Quinn, Governor of the State of Illinois.

If you can't be there, you can catch the launch on Facebook. Ford has created a Fan Page on Facebook for the 2011 Ford Explorer that includes images, contests, video and more. [Visit the official 2011 Ford Explorer Facebook Page]

Click for the rest of the story . . .

The aptly-named 60-Day Regret Free Purchase Plan is available in lieu of additional customer discounts. In other words, the consumer must choose between cash back or the risk-free plan.

amp;quot;We build great vehicles for just about any lifestyle and with this pledge, consumers will have the confidence to know they made the right purchase or they can return the vehicle no questions asked ,amp;quot; said Fred Diaz, President and Chief Executive Officer - Ram Truck Brand and Lead Executive for U.S. Sales. amp;quot;Plus Chrysler Group will make the first two payments for the consumer.amp;quot;

Click for the rest of the story . . .

The American Solar Challenge is a competition to design, build, and drive solar-powered cars in a cross-country time/distance rally event. Hosted by the Innovators Educational Foundation, the 1100-mile route started in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and combined stops in Topeka, Kansas, Jefferson City, Missouri, and Normal, Illinois. At times the route traced old Route 66.

Sixteen teams set out from Broken Arrow on June 20. Only 13 made it to the end, led by the UofM entry, Infinium, which crossed the line in Naperville, Illinois, at about 2 p.m. Saturday June 26 with a winning time of 28 hours, 14 minutes and 55 seconds.

Click for the rest of the story . . .

Click for the rest of the story and to watch the new Saab ad . . .

General Motor's bowtie brand hopes to change that late this summer with the launch of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. Claimed to be the first amp;quot;globalamp;quot; product in Chevrolet's lineup, Cruze is already a hit in Europe and China. Built in Lordstown, Ohio, Chevrolet says the U.S. spec Cruze will deliver a class-leading EPA highway fuel economy rating of 40 MPG.

Interestingly, that fuel economy rating comes with the more-powerful turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine that's offered on the upscale LT and LTZ trim levels. The base LS gets a normally aspirated 1.8-liter four that has the same 138 horsepower as the turbo motor but significantly less torque.

Click for the rest of the story . . .

So, I decided to come up with my own list of infamous TV vehicles. Oh, the list could be a mile long, so I decided to focus on production-based models that made regular appearances each week. Here's what I've got so far:

- 1969 Dodge Charger, the General Lee from amp;quot;Dukes of Hazzardamp;quot;
- 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, KITT from amp;quot;Knight Rideramp;quot;
- 1983 GMC Vandura from amp;quot;The A-Teamamp;quot;

Click for the rest of the story . . .

The news is not all bad at Blue Oval HQ in Dearborn, Michigan. FoMoCo plans to add seven all-new or significantly refreshed vehicles to the Lincoln lineup over the next four years, including the luxury brand's first-ever C-segment vehicle (read luxury compact). In addition, Ford is promising to develop Lincoln-exclusive powertrains including an all-new V6.

Click for the rest of the story . . .

For those of you who might not remember, the Regal is Buick's latest offering. It's slightly smaller than the LaCrosse and aimed at a decidedly younger audience. Developed in Germany, the Regal will be available with either a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder with 182 horsepower or a turbocharged 2.0-liter four with 220 horsepower. Both engines have a 6-speed automatic transmission standard with driver-shifting control. Standard features include 18-inch wheels, leather and heated front seats, XM Satellite Radio, Bluetooth and OnStar.

The Regal GS show car sported additional vertical front air intakes, forged aluminum 20-inch wheels and performance tires, a racing-inspired sport steering wheel, metal pedals, and Recaro high-performance front seats.

Click for the rest of the story . . .

Wash the car: If you are able to, begin with a amp;quot;do it yourselfamp;quot; hand wash of your vehicle. This will provide you with an opportunity to look the vehicle over carefully. Over the winter chips to paint and glass may have been overlooked. If chips in the paint or glass do exist, consider getting them repaired or touched up in short order. Small chips turn into rust spots quickly, and glass chips can spread into a replacement-sized cracks. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. A good undercarriage bath is also recommended to remove salt that could be eating away at the underside of your vehicle. You can use a lawn sprinkler to accomplish this task, however; a professional undercarriage bath at the local car wash is the best method.

Click for the rest of the story . . .

I suppose they're right, although it did sound strange to hear it from the mouth of one of the storied marque's top executives. What they do freely and happily acknowledge is that while no one needs a Jag, it's hard to find anyone who wouldn't want one. And just so you know early on, I'm one of those who has wanted one for a long time, but for one reason or another, one hasn't appeared in my driveway-yet--but in the spirit of any old-time revival, amp;quot;There is still time, brother!amp;quot;

The toughest part is that they keep making it more difficult to choose which one I'd select--and I'll be darned if they didn't go ahead and compromise my thought processes about what I'd select as a full size luxo-sedan if I were in that market. Up until last week's trip to LA to preview the new XJ8, I had thought that my choice would be an Audi A8L. Why? Well, it just seemed to do everything correctly and without a lot of fuss, great seats, instrumentation and power. amp;quot;Oh, come on, Paul! You can find that in a lot of brand offerings, can't you?amp;quot; you'd write and ask. Well, yes, but there's a certain element that almost defies description or definition that has just made the XJ8 the new leader in the clubhouse.

Click for the rest of the story and pics . . .

The Delta Wing racer is by far the most innovative and radical of the future Indy Car design concepts. By greatly reducing the vehicle weight and decreasing aerodynamic drag, designers say they can make Delta Wing more affordable and use an engine that makes half of the horsepower compared to the current Dallara chassis. That means the engine can be smaller and more fuel efficient.

Recently the Delta Wing concept that debuted at the Chicago Auto Show was featured going through its paces in the wind tunnel on Discovery Channel Canada. Click on the image below to watch the show.

Only time will tell if Delta Wing is selected by the IZOD Indy Car Series to be the next-generation of Indy Car, but just imagine 33 of these barreling down the front straight of the 2013 Indianapolis 500 to take the green flag . . .

This past week I was among the first American journalists to get behind the wheel of the Fiesta five-door hatch or four-door sedan. Both models come equipped with either a manual transmission or Ford's North American industry-exclusive PowerShift six-speed automatic transmission that will help Fiesta achieve an expected 40 mpg. We also had the chance to experience Fiesta's 15 class-exclusive technologies as well as the safety, connectivity, and performance typically reserved for more expensive vehicles.

I really try to not break embargoed information. It's not fair to the company that's requested it, yet at the same time when you've got good news it's just SO hard to keep a lid on what you're thinking. So, I tend to find alternative ways to convey the message.

This uncomfortable position presented itself again Saturday morning during my WLS Drive Chicago show. I had spent some time during the week with the Ford Folks in San Francisco driving their snappy new Fiestas--sedan and five-door--that are getting close to appearing in dealership showrooms. The embargo was at midnight last night and I was reminded by my compadre-in-arms, Dave Sloan, that people would be up at that hour, salivating to read what I thought about the newest offering in the Blue Oval stable. So in full disclosure, I wasn't ready to pop this online until 1 pm Sunday, but then went back to double-check the time for release. Glad I did. The folks who invite us to do such things would like the lid on it until midnight TONIGHT, not last night. More teasing of the Fiesta, but an honest mistake, not a come-on!

2011 Ford Fiesta

No idea who this guy is, but somewhere he's got a TV show.

So I suggested on the radio that while I couldn't break the embargo on my impressions, I was highly recommending that Ford dealers consider adding a few new desks in their dealership showrooms for what might be a strong surge in business. Did I say I loved the Fiesta? You be the judge.

The fact is--now that it's free game time for impressions--Ford is going to have yet another reason why they're doing great with their entire lineup these days. Fiesta is addressing a small car (B-car as it's known in the industry) need let them fully compete in a highly competitive segment.

First off, it's a really sharp design. Angular, great colors (12 from which to choose) that'll tickle anyone's color palette, a base 1.6L 4-cyl engine that's going to deliver up to 40 mpg (with the manual tranny) and still give the owner room for 4 adults. The interiors are well-designed and I particularly liked that they've taken the Synch System for music, multi-media, satellite and iPod inputs into the next step. It's worth stopping by your local Ford store to see everything Synch does, as fully describing it here would take up more room than I have and more time than you have. The highlight for me, though, were the apps that now will allow real-time streaming of Pandora (for music) and Stitcher (for talk radio content). In connectivity terms, Ford's Synch system leads the pack. Others are nice, but this is the stuff.

Driving Fiesta is pleasant, too. Is it a Group B Rally Car with neck-snapping power, 1.4 lateral g-force cornering and brakes big enough to stop Tiger Woods fingers from punching up his next text message? No, but it's darn nice and fully competent. Power is adequate enough to pop you on the expressway (as if any of them are moving over the summer) and not feel like you're waiting for a following wind to accomplish the mission. The suspension and handling team have Fiesta set up to do a little amp;quot;road analysisamp;quot; for you, too, which I loved. With roads amp;quot;crownedamp;quot; for draining properly, they've figured out a way to electronically take away the nibbles that often make a long trip on the Interstate more work than they should be. This system stabilizes the car and is akin to a TV SteadyCam. Nice!

We had the opportunity to drive Northern California's wine country mountain twisties and a fair amount of 65 mph freeway, as well. Fiesta stood up to both well. As I said, it's not a full-on performance car, but with a base price of (roughly) $17,000 and (as we drove them equipped (again, roughly) around $19,000, you're going to find comfortable, fuel efficient, quality transportation in the new Fiesta.

So yes, Ford stores will need a few more desks. This is a great segment in which to see a new, smart, comfortable, stylish product from Dearborn. If you drew that conclusion from my comments yesterday on the radio, then that's what you drew from them. From my perspective, I shaved this morning with a clean conscience that I complied with their wish to hold off comments until a particular time. I'm betting, though, that their hearts wouldn't have been broken if I had spilled the beans 12 hours in advance, but that wasn't the deal we signed on for.

Nicely played, Ford. Customers are going to like this car as much as dealers will like selling them.

Next week... the new Jaguar XJ, dahhhhhling.

Took me a while to figure this out, but it's a logical extension of current technology in an automotive application. It means automakers have figured out how to make the automobile an extension of your Smart Phone, opening the door for an unlimited number of enhancements to in-vehicle entertainment and utility.

The two automakers, MINI and Ford, will be offering similar voice-controlled systems in the very near future that utilize the capabilities of a Smart Phone to exponentially expand what you can do behind the wheel. The first integrations are with fairly simple apps (small programs that run on Smart Phones) that allow vehicle occupants to post comments to social applications like Facebook and Twitter or stream Web content to your vehicle's entertainment system.

What's interesting about this approach is that automakers have realized that the opportunities are endless and shouldn't be limited to what we traditionally think a vehicle entertainment system should do--play music or video or even provide directions. Using a Smart Phone as a conduit, the number of applications is limitless and the connection to the Internet is simple.

Imagine you're going out for the night. You get into your car and call up an app that helps you pick a Thai restaurant that is highly rated on Google. Then you download directions directly to the vehicle's navigation system. These directions not only provide the quickest route, but also help you avoid traffic delays. On the way, you make reservations for dinner and buy tickets to a movie over the Internet. As you get close to the restaurant, you are able to search for the least expensive parking in the area. Not once in this process have you had to take your hands off the wheel to push a button or click a mouse.

That's technology that's working for you . . . I think.

SOURCE: Ford's SYNC Applink, MINI's Connected

For parents of teenage drivers, that last statistic is sobering, no doubt. The biggest take-away from is the fact that in fatal teen accidents it was found that 25% had a high blood alcohol level and 58% of them weren't wearing seatbelts. Also noteworthy were the causes of the teen accidents, which were most likely caused by fatigue, driving under the influence, sudden lane departure, reckless driving, speed, overcorrection or cell phone use.

So parents, sit down and show this study to your teenage drivers. The statistics don't lie.

Check out the entire posting at TheAutoInsurance.com.

The warm temperatures also signaled the start of the motorcycle and classic-car season. While this is generally a good thing, there are some drawbacks. At risk of drawing the ire of cyclists and hot-rodders alike, I suggest that Governor Quinn and Illinois' finest look to make up our gaping budget deficit by ticketing un-muffled and illegal vehicle exhaust systems.

• Exhibit A. Cruising Lake Shore Drive on a warm spring day, windows down, listening to DMB or some other suitably jam-friendly band, I was interrupted by the constant blap-blap-blap of a Harley with straight pipes running off my starboard bow. I hate to be an eco-curmudgeon, but it totally ruined the moment--not to mention the fact that it was completely illegal.
• Exhibit B. Teaching a group of Call-of-Duty-generation 10-year-olds the fundamentals of hitting a sphere with a cylindrical tube can be one of the most difficult tasks on Earth. Now, compound that with the staccato rumble of a glasspack '69 Camaro running hot laps through the outfield parking lot and you've entered the outer ring of Dante's seventh circle of hell.

Don't get me wrong. There is a time and a place for everything. Nothing's sweeter than a properly tuned Harley running along the Drive. Same goes for the '69 Camaro. While there's little doubt that the straight pipes emphasize the Harley's V-Twin rumble or that a glasspack silencer enhances the Camaro's V8 vibrato, you have to ask yourself, are they really necessary?

No I say! Not only that, but they are illegal as defined in Section 12-602 of the Illinois Vehicle Code:

amp;quot;Every motor vehicle driven or operated upon the highways of this State shall at all times be equipped with an adequate muffler or exhaust system in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any excessive or unusual noise. No such muffler or exhaust system shall be equipped with a cutout, bypass or similar device. No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise of such vehicle above that emitted by the muffler originally installed on the vehicle, and such original muffler shall comply with all the requirements of this Section.amp;quot;

And, if there isn't enough revenue to be had by enforcing vehicle-noise regulations, then perhaps the fuzz can look at a few other commonly-ignored vehicle regulations. Namely front window tinting, annoying bright blue-hued headlights, drivers texting while driving . . .

The Fiat 500EV powertrain will consist of three main systems; high power electric powertrain module, advance lithium ion battery, and an EV control unit to manage power flows. Beginning in 2012, Chrysler will manufacture the Fiat 500EV for the United States market.

All powertrain engineering and vehicle development will take place at Chrysler headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich. Pricing will be announced closer to launch, but will be competitive with similar electric vehicles in the market--meaning the Nissan Leaf, which would be the only other pure electric mainstream vehicle for sale at that time.

Last year Chrysler announced the company's intention to build the Fiat 500 with a combustion engine for North America. That vehicle will debut in late 2010; however, the official name has not yet been announced.

amp;quot;I liked the balloon slide.amp;quot;
Not really a suggestion, but we're glad the cars made such an impression.

amp;quot;My husband wants more beautiful women modelling next to the cars like at the Fiat 500 :-)amp;quot;
Your husband has great taste, the Fiat 500 was a hit in Europe.

amp;quot;Remove all the carpeting! I was getting shocked by static electricity every time I touched a car!amp;quot;
I had the same problem, but I ran with it. Shuffle your feet, then shake hands with a salesperson.

amp;quot;ARRANGE FOR LESS SNOW AND COLDamp;quot;
We've got a plan for that. Next year, we're going to hold the show indoors.

amp;quot;Maybe have two Starbucks stands instead of just one?amp;quot;
Got it. We'll put them right next to each other so they're easy to find.

amp;quot;TOO MANY WHITE CARSamp;quot;
That sounds like a personal problem.

amp;quot;Free admission to people who submit this survey. That's the ticket.amp;quot;
What a shame, the survey's anoynymous and we're all out of time.

In all seriousness, thanks for the great responses. We're already abuzz with ideas and upgrades for the 2011 show.

Shoe goers can vote at the show on touch-screen kiosks and via text message. You can vote as home by going to www.ChciagoAutoShow.com and clicking on the Best of Show link.

Last year, Chicagoans selected the Ford Taurus as the Best All-New Production Vehicle, the Ford Fusion Hybrid the best Green Vehicle, and the Ford display the Best Exhibit. The Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray garnered the remaining awards for Best Concept Vehicle and Vehicle I'd most like to have in my driveway.

Who'll be the winners this year? Only time will tell -- but you have the chance to vote right now at ChicagoAutoShow.com.

Just about every exhibit has at least one interactive display, many have three or four. In addition, exhibitors have contests and giveaways going all the time. There are musical acts, performers, and celebrity appearances. In short, the auto show offers entertainment for the whole family.

We've created a list of both the Interactive Displays and Events amp;amp; Appearances. So if you looking for more than cars at the Chicago Auto Show, you won't be disappointed!

In the weeks leading up to this internship, I was somewhat nervous about covering a press conference. I'd never been to a one and had only written press releases and coverage for a few musicians outside of classes and school projects. We were in pairs this week for each event we covered, and my partner and I made sure to arrive over 20 minutes early for our first conference with Ford. Much of the media had arrived that morning due to plane delays and cancellations from severe winter storms around the nation and were shooting photos and video footage everywhere. Though we sat with the rest of the media for each conference, I'm sure everyone wondered what media outlet had young women our age covering for them!

During our many trips around the show floor in the days before and while it was open to the media, I met people in marketing and public relations for several car companies and had the chance to interview the Product and Technology Public Relations specialist for Mercedes-Benz. Getting the chance to attend the First Look for Charity may be a once in a lifetime thing for me, but by the time we made it to Thursday night we felt as though we owned the place, having seen all the cars, presentations and people several times since we arrived Monday.

It has been the chance of a lifetime, and I have to say none of us are really looking forward to returning to school next week and are ready to head out into the real world instead.

Instead of just jumping in Suzuki is approaching social media by first listening and finding where their active consumers gather on social media. Currently they are reaching out to the surfing community and sponsored a movie called Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D. The trailer is currently on the Suzuki's Facebook page and the movie will open on February 26, 2010 at the Museum of Science and Industry Omnimax Theater.

It is great to see a company think carefully before joining social media channels. I don't mind when companies decide to plug products or their brand on social media as long as it is valuable and not only about them. Hopefully other companies will follow this model of listening and evaluating and reach out to customers more effectively.