Author: Tabitha

Not every action game involves plugging in your video console. For example, the Legends Quarter Mile Drag Race Track Set (product code: SRS308) requires a 31.5-foot-long straightway (your driveway or similar flat surface) and of course a handy plug in to operate the two electric slot cars. As the name implies, the legends in this case include a pair of 1:64 scale vintage “funny cars” patterned after the real ones driven by racing stars Don Garlits and Shirley “Cha Cha” Muldowney back in the early 1970s. Also included are controllers for each lane, mechanical start/finish gates, guardrails and even a…

Fiat Chrysler America’s fleet will be mostly hybrid-powered within a decade, says company CEO Sergio Marchionne. A hybrid version of the Chrysler Town & Country minivan will kick off the proliferation of hybrid vehicles, Marchionne told The Detroit News daily newspaper, and will be unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January. “Most of the fleet” will be hybrids by 2020-’25, he said, without specifying which other models will get the treatment, or when. The newspaper speculates the decision is part of FCA’s new strategy to meet Federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations by 2025…

Mercedes-Benz says it will be the first automaker to equip its vehicles with carbon-dioxide air conditioning systems that it says will exceed the European Union’s climate protection requirements. From 2017 and starting in Europe, the German luxury and performance automaker will offer the S- and E-Class models as the first production passenger cars equipped with CO2 air conditioning systems. “Thanks to their especially quickly available and high cooling performance, CO2 air conditioning swiftly provides for a pleasant feel-good climate inside vehicles, even in very hot weather.” The systems are pressurized 10 times higher than conventional refrigerant systems now used in…

Fiat Chrysler Automobile’s (FCA’s) answer to the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Chevrolet Cruze and other compact sedans could always use a shot in the arm as it competes against the class leaders. The Sleuth has learned that to generate a bit more brand excitement, FCA’s Dodge division will likely bring back the old GLH name as a special Dart model. The GLH (short for Goes Like Hell) moniker was applied to a version of Dodge’s Omni hatchback in the 1980s. That lightweight turbocharged terror featured unique front, rear and side body add-ons designed by race driver and Cobra car builder…

You likely have never heard much about a little start-up company called Local Motors, but The Sleuth says that could soon change. In 2014 the fledgling automaker produced a rough-hewn thermoplastic-bodied electric car with a body made using 3D printing techniques. Recently at the Specialty Equipment MarketAssociation (SEMA) trade show in Las Vegas, Nev., a more up-to-date version called the LM3D Swim went on display. The advantage to a 3D-printed car is that the only materials used are what’s on the car. There is little waste and no factories, in the traditional sense. Word is that Local Motors is nearing…

When the BumpStep from WeatherTech is installed, your standard two-inch hitch can also provide you with protection for your car or truck’s bumper, either from other vehicles hitting your vehicle or from backing up. BumpStep also provides a boost for easier loading and unloading of your roof rack or pickup bed. Once it’s attached to your receiver, the injection-molded (plastic) step can absorb plenty of punishment and, as a cargo step, is sturdy enough to support up to 300 pounds. In addition, its theft-deterrent design, which includes a stainless steel lock screw and clip, means you don’t have to worry…

‘A pair of driving shoes is one of those little luxuries that can make you feel good while running the back roads in your vintage sports car, or while just walking down the street. Sports shoemaker Pikolinos of Spain has been around since 1984 and produces a sharp-looking line of laced “Fuencarral” loafers. They feature naturally dyed leathers, removable leather insole, a rubberized heel and unique hand-sewn, baseball-style stitching. You can choose from brown, blue, black and red. Prices start at $170. Visit www.pikolinos.com to view the company’s entire line and place your order.

The stunning Lexus LF-LC that was shown three years ago at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Mich. left those in attendance transfixed, including The Sleuth. The head honchos at Toyota’s up-market division took note of this reaction and have tagged the 2+2 sports model for production for the 2017 model year as the Lexus LC. It’s expected that a gas-electric powerplant with a combined 500 horsepower will be the primary thrust source, but a more potent twin-turbocharged 600-horse V8 is a possible option. Both could also be linked to 10-speed automatic transmissions. Lexus LC production is…

Of the about nine million gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles on roads around the world today, eight million are from Toyota and half of those are Prius models. In 18 years of production, the once novel Prius has become mainstream. Now in its fourth generation, the new Prius brings bolder styling, better handling, higher performance and improved fuel efficiency, says Toyota. Its hybrid system components have been made smaller and lighter, including the electric motor, transaxle, power control unit and battery. Toyota says its new low-friction engine achieves up to 40 percent thermal efficiency (the ratio of the work done by an…

Nissan is working to develop a wireless charging system that would top up the battery pack in its Leaf sedan and other electric vehicles (from it and other automakers), without having to physically plug them in. Called inductive charging, Nissan wants to get other manufacturers on board to set industry standards for through-the-air recharging. The system is fitted to a garage floor or designated parking space over which an electric vehicle is parked. At about seven kilowatts, Nissan’s latest inductive system has more than twice the recharging power of an earlier model, and could easily recharge an EV battery pack…