Kia has reportedly given the production nod to a road-going version of its stylish GT concept car. The Korean automaker is also said to be readying a Mazda MX-5 rival to help support its positioning as a sporty brand.

According to Auto Express, Kia brass has given the green light to build a production version of the GT concept car that debuted at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. However, unlike the concept, which took the form of a four-door coupe, the production GT will be a pure two-door.

The GT concept was based on rear-wheel drive platform, but it’s possible that the production car could ride on a front-wheel drive architecture. The Hyundai Genesis Coupe’s rear-wheel drive platform hasn’t been ruled out as a basis for the GT, however.

Soon-Nam Lee, Kia’s vice-president of overseas marketing, says the GT should make production no later than 2017. “We have plans to build a GT – we spoke about it at our global marketing conference in Singapore. We’ll be mainly targeting the end of 2016 or early 2017.”

In addition to the GT, Kia also has plans to build an MX-5-rivaling sports car. That car hasn’t yet been approved for production, but Kia will test the waters with a concept car at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show.

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Nissan is recalling 153,000 SUVs in the United States to deal with a braking problem. The recall covers Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti JX35 and QX60 SUVs from the 2012-2013 model years.

According to Nissan, the SUVs covered by the recall may have a flaw that causes their anti-lock braking systems to malfunction during light braking on rough roads. Nissan says the defect could “cause customers to experience stopping distances that are longer than customer’s expectation for the given pedal force. This may increase a risk of a crash.”

According to The Detroit News, Nissan implemented an ABS software reprogramming at the factory to fix the glitch in late September. The automaker was first made aware of the problem in May by one of its Canadian dealers.

Nissan has received four complaints about the braking issue, although there have been no reports of crashes or injuries.

Nissan will inform owners of the recall over the next two month. Dealers will remedy the problem by reprograming the vehicles’ ABS systems.

Photo by Drew Johnson.

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General Motors announced on Wednesday that it will complete a new 1.8-megawatt rooftop solar array at its Toledo Transmission plant next month. The solar array is part of GM’s latest push to reduce its carbon footprint around the globe.

Once finished, the solar array will be able to fulfill 3 percent of the plant’s total energy needs. It will also be largest rooftop solar array in Ohio.

GM says the power generated by the system will be enough to power 200 homes in the United States.

“Having 21,000 solar panels on Toledo’s roof is a great visual representation of our commitment to renewable energy,” said Rob Threlkeld, GM manager of renewable energy. “It proves to our employees and the people who live in and around Toledo that clean energy plays a significant role in the building of our vehicles.”

By the end of the year, GM will have 40 megawatts of solar energy installed at its facilities across the world, including its largest installments in Germany and Spain. Placed side-by-side, all of GM’s solar arrays would cover the area equivalent to 100 football fields.

In addition to its solar-powered plants, GM also has 395 solar charging stations for electric vehicles scattered throughout the United States.

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Mercedes-Benz has released a handful of details concerning its upcoming 2015 C-Class sedan, which will be significantly lighter and more fuel efficient than its predecessor.

 
A new body structure composed primarily of aluminum, high-strength steel and composites will help the next-generation C-Class drop up to 221 lbs. depending on engine and equipment. As is often the case, fewer lbs. will equate to more mpgs, and Mercedes is predicting best-in-class mileage for the sedan.

 

Increased rigidity and improved safety will also be by-products of the new structure, with a high-strength passenger safety compartment, specifically developed deformation zones and an exterior skin made from aluminum claimed to provide superb NHTSA crash test results. Furthermore, Mercedes says the 2015 C-Class will incorporate many of the safety technologies that debuted in the latest S-Class, although it isn’t yet ready to talk specifics.

 

The redesigned C-Class will benefit from a new chassis composed of a four-link front and five-link rear setup, and Mercedes’ AIRMATIC air suspension with adaptive damping will be offered as an option.

 

Uniquely, a “GPS-sensitive” climate control system will be able to detect tunnels and switch to air recirculation mode to prevent fumes from entering the cabin. For those with sensitive olfactories, an AIR-BALANCE system will discreetly dispence perfume to dispel unwanted odors.

 
Powertrain Lineup

Mercedes has yet to divulge what exactly will be under the 2015 C-Class’ hood, but the sedan is expected to be offered with a 2.1-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder with 195 horsepower and 369-lb-ft of torque, according to a Car and Driver report. Rated at 45 mpg highway in the larger, heavier E-Class, the mill will return even loftier figures in the C-Class.

Other available engine will likely include a turbocharged gasoline four-cylinder with 210 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, as well as a V6 that will serve as the top non-AMG motor. While specifics of the latter motor are currently, it should either be a variant of the existing 3.5-liter V6 or the new twin-turbo 3.0-liter from next year’s E400.

A seven-speed automatic will serve as the dancing partner for all three engines at launch, but it will eventually be replaced by Mercedes’ nine-speed auto. Each powertrain will be offered with all-wheel-drive in place of the standard rear-wheel-drive setup.

More after video

Styling

Mercedes recently published a teaser video previewing the 2015 C-Class. The film provided only a fleeting look at the sedan, but previous spy shots indicate that it will adopt a long hood and short decklid along with the sculpted body lines that debuted on the 2014 S-Class.

Upmarket interior

With the arrival of the entry-level CLA-Class, Mercedes will move the next C-Class will slightly upmarket in order to widen the gap between the two models.

Clearly inspired by the automaker’s new S-Class, the next C-Class’ dashboard gets a high-tech style that’s swoopier and more evocative than before. Moreover, the tech quotient has been turned way up. Images posted by Auto Express appear to show a range-topping model, but the big standouts include a new smartphone-esque touchpad in the center console (that pairs with switches taken directly from the S-Class). A control knob to operate the automaker’s infotainment system is also included.

The 2015 C-Class sedan, which will be assembled in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, will greet the public for the first time at the 2014 Detroit show.  A convertible, a coupe, and a BMW 3-Series GT-fighting hatchback will expected to debut later in 2014.

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General Motors’ Buick brand is celebrating the 40^th anniversary of its Regal nameplate.

The Regal nameplate first appeared on a Buick in 1973. The first iteration of the Regal was actually a trim level for the Century, which GM describes as one of its first “personal luxury” cars. During its first year of production, the Regal coupe sold 91,557 units.

The Century Regal was initially launched with a standard 350 cubic-inch V8, but the oil embargo forced Buick to install a more efficient V6 for 1975.

“The Buick team was on the leading edge and reacted to the need of more fuel-efficient engines,” said General Motors Heritage Center manager Greg Wallace. “Engineers worked around the clock to get the V6 program up and running in a fraction of the time it typically took, while making sure to retain Buick’s reputation for reliability.”

Pushing toward better fuel economy yet again in 1978, Buick introduced turbocharging technology to its Regal line. In the 1980s, Buick’s turbocharged V6 turned the Regal into a performance legend.

Now in its fifth-generation, the Regal still relies on a turbocharged engine for a good blend of performance and economy. Of course buyers can also opt for the Buick eAssist mild hybrid.

It should be noted that the Regal name hans’t been used continuously since 1973. The nameplate took a short break between the 2004 and 2009 model years.

Photos by Drew Johnson.<![CDATA[
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced on Tuesday that it is “gathering data” on a Tesla Model S crash that resulted in a vehicle fire earlier this month.

NHTSA Administrator David Strickland confirmed to The Detroit News that the agency is looking into the matter, but added there are no formal plans to launch a full-blown investigation at this time.

Because of the recent government shutdown, the NHTSA wasn’t able to send investigators to the crash scene. However, the agency is now reviewing the crash information and has been in contact with Tesla Motors.

As recounted by Tesla CEO Elon Musk on the company’s official blog, the October 4^th vehicle fire happened after the Model S “traveling at highway speed struck a large metal object, causing significant damage to the vehicle. A curved section that fell off a semi-trailer was recovered from the roadway near where the accident occurred and, according to the road crew that was on the scene, appears to be the culprit. The geometry of the object caused a powerful lever action as it went under the car, punching upward and impaling the Model S with a peak force on the order of 25 tons. Only a force of this magnitude would be strong enough to punch a three-inch diameter hole through the quarter-inch armor plate protecting the base of the vehicle.”

Musk also noted that the fire was limited to the front of the vehicle and didn’t burn the passenger compartment.

No other Tesla Model S fires have been reported since the vehicle went on sale in 2012.

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Several automakers are working toward having a viable, mass-produce hydrogen fuel cell vehicle ready for market launch by 2020 – rest assured that Tesla is not one of them.

Earlier this week Tesla founder and CEO flew to Germany to address a crowd of enthusiasts at one of the company’s service center. Musk covered the usual topics such as the need for sustainable transportation and the positive outlook for electric vehicles, but things really got interesting when the topic switched to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.  Luckily for us, a video of the rant was posted to YouTube by user Horst Lüning.

Not one to mince words, just after the 29-minute mark Musk calls the hydrogen technology being touted by companies like General Motors, Honda and Toyota “so bullsh*t”. Musk explains that even a “best case” hydrogen system falls short of today’s lithium-ion batteries in terms of cost, range and mass. He added that he believes most automakers are pursuing the technology simply as a marketing gimmick.

The world’s first production hydrogen vehicle is slated to arrive in showrooms by 2015, so we won’t have to wait too long to see if Musk’s assessment of the technology is accurate.

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An investigation by the Indian government has concluded that General Motors was the sole perpetrator of an emissions testing scandal involving the company’s Chevrolet Tavera utility vehicle.

“The report has pointed out that it is in the nature of corporate fraud,” a government official, who declined to be named as the information is not public, told Reuters.

“It says only the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) was responsible for whatever happened,” and that there was no wrongdoing found on the part of the testing labs, the official added.

GM’s Tavera scandal unfolded in July after the Detroit-based automaker told government officials that employees had rigged emissions tests for the high-riding MPV. According to inside sources, GM employees fitted Taveras earmarked for emissions testing with cleaner-burning engines. Employees also lied about the Tavera’s weight to avoid a more stringent classification.

The case forced GM to halt Tavera production and recall 114,000 units of the utility vehicle.

Shortly after the recall GM fired Sam Winegarden, GM vice president for global engine engineering, and 10 other powertrain employees, citing “violations of company policy”.

Despite the severity of the issue, GM is facing a maximum fine of 100 million rupees, which is about $1.6 million.

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