Christopher Diken - Autoblog

1. Denso is working on an adaptive cruise control system that controls speed between 0 and 20 mph for fender bender-inviting heavy traffic situations. They're also cooking up a heads-up display projection system that is always up, reducing driver distraction. But if you don't even have to worry about slamming into the car in front of you, how distracted could you be? Oh yeah, I forgot about cell phones, makeup, electric razors, taco salads to go, Excel spreadsheets, and those liv

Well, that didn't take long. Mere nanoseconds after we announced that Karl-Heinz Kalbfell had decamped from RR, he pops up at Alfa Romeo, in disguise with slightly more hair on his dome. As if you can fool us, Mr. Calfskin. All those who bet us he'd turn up at Daewoo or Geely, it's time to pay up. Also: you might want to make sure your German is in good working order before clicking the link below. English language news sources are a bit slow on the uptake, but I'm sure it will all be ma

The XLR has a lot going for it: performance that trumps competition from Lexus and Mercedes; a magnetic ride control system that manages to keep the car flat in turns but supple over bumps; one of them trick metallic origami roofs; superfluous but really cool gadgetry like the keyless start option; and forward-thinking styling that retains the edginess of the original Evoq concept. So what's the problem, then? If I may be completely unscientific for a moment: I see ten times more SC430s a

Oh, those crazy Estonians. A woman who failed a breathalyzer test in the capital city of Tallinn last night promptly divulged the contents of her blouse and proposed a private performance for the attending officers. The entire escapade was caught on a police camera, and will be available on the World Wide Internet Superhighway in approximately three seconds. Driving while hammered is a big problem is Estonia, where a half-liter of vodka can be purchased for about four bucks. In other news

According to AB reader David Gluckman: "On Sunday afternoon, I noticed a new maroon Mercury Montego and silver Mercury Mariner parked in a parking structure in downtown Birmingham, MI in a prominent location. Neither had license plates and they still had their window stickers on. I thought it was odd and felt it might be some kind of undercover advertising. I was then driving by the Gandy Dancer in Ann Arbor, MI later that evening and saw another identical set of Mariner/Montego

Rolls-Royce and Maybach are being beat over the head by reality as they learn that not that many people want to spend more than $300,000 on a car. Rolls has sold 485 Phantoms so far in a year in which 1000 was the goal, and Maybach has likewise continually lowered its sales target numbers. Both companies sell about half of their cars in the US, where there has been a gradual trend away from the sickening ostentation connoted by these vehicles, not to mention low brand visibility, especial

The Challenge Bibendum is like, so last week. We're now amidst another auto industry gathering held in Detroit, called Convergence, in which people gather round to talk about how computers are ruining cars. I mean, um, how cars and technology can work together in total harmony. The central issue is the decline in automotive reliability due to electronic problems. Also on the chopping block: the gradual progression of telematics tech when compared to its wildfire-esque hype, GM's

Karl-Heinz Kalbfell, the longtime BMW suit who took over for former Rolls' chief Tony Gott in May, has officially made his own exit in order to take up "new responsibilities" outside the BMW fold. His perpetually-squinty visage will likely surface at some other car company in a week or two, forcing us to give him more face time while neglecting other automotive nuggets. Although the double R has underperformed in terms of sales this year, the lackluster numbers are not perceived as a fact

But unfortunately they don't drive one, which is kind of a bummer. The car's stealthy hybridness is highlighted, with miniscule exterior and interior distinguishing features. Also touched upon is why, according (nudge, wink, etc.) to a Honda exec, anyone would want to buy an Accord Hybrid: 1. The superb mileage. 2. It's faster than a V6 Accord. 3. Fewer trips to the pump. To me, the third reason seems more like a sub-reason of reason one, but the exec claims that "People don't feel safe a

Brabus usually takes fast cars and makes them faster, but the Viano V8 proves that cramming a gigantic V8 into a pokey MPV works pretty well too. Who knows what a minivan packing 426-hp will do to the egos of stoplight dragsters, but we can pretty much assume that the 115,250 euro transporter will get your whole family to the other end of the Autobahn on time.

Fortunately the test car was equipped with drool-proof paint sealer, an option no one ever thinks they need until it's too late. Automobile's founder David E. Davis, Jr. heaps praise on the RL's Super-Handling AWD system, which he compares to the equally transparent all-wheels-churning equipment on the Bentley Continental GT. The 300-hp VTEC six yields plenty of thrust, the delivery of which can be tailored with the RL's semi-manual paddle shifters. But being engaging to drive is apparent

Pssst. Hey you. Wanna see some pictures of the new Range Rover Sport? The big-wheeled, big-engined SUV based on the LR3's T5 chassis? I'm talking 4.4 liters and 400-hp here— it's no joke. I got these from this guy— he knows this other English guy who works as a busboy at Land Rover HQ. Takes away the teacups and all that. But secretly he's a spy. He's got a miniature camera built into his washrag, and he snapped these beauties for me. Two different angles for one low price. If

Want to preserve the undivided attention from the valet and the 560-hp W12 engine, but no longer feel like dealing with the annoyance of folding your seat forward every time your tiny offspring or Labradoodle or arthritic aunt needs to get into the back of your Conti coupe? Bentley feels your pain. Which is why they're going to sedan-ize the Continental GT for the Geneva Auto Show in March 2005, and possibly add an assembly line in Dresden so you won't have to wait too long to ge

Ok, so you read about it on Autoblog when we trotted out our feelings on GM's hybrid bus, VW's diesel-electric Golf, and Volvo's 3CC, and you probably just nodded and pretended to understand. Well, now you can really comprehend the awesomeness of the Challenge Bibendum in a specific way by rea

Car and Driver tidily sums up the Hummer H2 as selling "more on its affectations than it abilities." As such, GM will have to do something to validate the upcoming H-Thrizzle Hummerette. They've decided on highlighting the ruggedness angle (pretty risky, huh?) and to emphasize just how tough and brutish the H3 can be, they set up an off-road excursion on the world-famous Rubicon Trail, on which five H3 prototypes were charged with simply surviving. And surprisingly, the H3s didn'

Since it's been available for a couple of years now, we're all pretty familiar with the Audi S4: 340-hp put through all the wheels and controlled with a six-speed box. The C55 is MB's replacement for the C32 AMG— in accordance with their movement away from supercharged engines, MB has bounced the C32's 3.2 liter V6 in favor of a 5.4 liter V8. Review-wise, there are two sides to weigh, since R&T gets all judgemental in terms of both raw data and subjective driving experi

A German pensioner (a.k.a. senior citizen, a.k.a. retiree, a.k.a. ancient decrepit codger) stranded at a train station in the town of Gronau flipped his wig after police told him that even though the train he needed wasn't running for a day and a half, they would not take him home or get him a hotel room. The man spoke to the officers in the station, but after receiving the bad news, he hobbled to the car park to partake in some crazed crutch-swinging, during which he broke the police car

The thing is, I have all these, um, plants, that I've been growing in my basement. And I need a way to sell them. What I'm saying is that I need something inconspicuous. Something that flies under the radar, if you will. And I think you will. What's that? You've got the perfect vehicle? The Suzuki Alto Heart Stand? I think I can make it work. No dude, I can't cut you a deal just because you're my best bro for life. Sorry.

Not to be confused with the more provocatively-named pickup from Kill Bill, the Power Wagon is a Ram 2500 kitted out with an extensive off-roading package, comprised of front and rear locking differentials, a disconnecting front antiroll bar that allows mo' better wheel articulation, a heavy-duty winch, beefed-up axles, a modified Hemi engine and revised suspension and tires— pretty much everything you need to go rock-crawling or jeepin' or mud-boggin' or whatever it is you like to

First it was being left off the map entirely, and now the Welsh people are left to fend for themselves against gigantic crashing airplanes. Or rather, against airplanes appearing to crash. It could be worse, Wales, you could have been attacked by the Isle of Man. Fortunately, it was just Top Gear's self-caricature Jeremy Clarkson who peeled out of the RAF transporter's cargo hold, and not a clone army. It seems that Clarkson somehow gained permission to hop aboard the Hercules pl

Or virtual paper, if you're on the Internet. J.D.'s latest APEAL (Get it? They're punning on the word "appeal," which means the ability to attract or stimulate the mind or emotions!) study judges entire manufacturers by their attention to Automotive Performance, Execution, And Layout. Since when does "And" get a letter in an acronym? Lexus is still the nameplate everyone wants, followed by (in order) Porsche, Cadillac, BMW, Jaguar, and Infiniti, and it just goes on from there. Jaguar's hi