2010 Chevy Equinox
The 2010 Chevy Equinox looks to be a far more sophisticated vehicle than the crossover it replaces. It will be powered by a choice of two direct injection engines, with the four-cylinder model able to crest 30 mpg on the highway and the new 3.0L V6 packing 255 horsepower. Chevy’s new crossover also adds upgraded aesthetics with expressive, modern headlamps and tail lights, the new corporate Chevy grille and a more muscular stance. On the inside, the Equinox also looks very Malibu with a sweeping, double cockpit and a center stack that looks as good as any in the segment.
Need car? Buy one for 1$
There’s always lots of junk on Craigslist, especially cars. There are also often screaming deals, but seven VW Vanagons for a buck still strikes us as an upside-down transaction. While they’re quirky, delightful, and generally well made, Vanagons can also be appallingly unreliable, especially mit der Wasserboxer engine. Still, when you’ve spent a good part of your formative years rousting around in a beloved Vanagon named Big Blue, it’s hard to not quickly consider rescuing the lot before they turn into a pile of fine German oxide.
The cruel reality of this gaggle of vehicles is that their value is mostly scrap. Seven Vanagons - some Westys, some standard, possibly an air-cooled engine or three in among the water-pumpers (that undoubtedly have their quirky head gaskets blowing bubbles into their water jackets) will require more funding than the Detroit Bailout to put right.
New BMW ZF Automatic Transmission
In September, we talked intensively about BMW’s new Start/Stop System as being part of the “EfficientDynamics” program. The stop-start system is one of the fuel economy and emissions reduction components of its “Efficient Dynamics” technology package. The way it works is that the system automatically switches off the engine when the car comes to a standstill. As soon as the driver puts in the clutch or depresses the gas pedal, the engine fires up automatically.
At that time, we confirmed the Start/Stop system only works for manual transmissions, but we had hopes that a solution for the automatic gearboxes will be developed as well. Three months later and the latest news say BMW’s new ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox will feature the Start/Stop technology also.
It is unknown at the moment which models will be getting this system, but my best goes on the high-end 760Li which will be released by the end of 2009.
-
Auto spot
