NHTSA upgrades probe into Jeep fuel tanks

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has upgraded its investigation into the fuel tank on three Jeep models to an engineering analysis, another step toward what could become a recall. Safety advocates say the location of the fuel tank, mounted behind the rear axle, makes it prone to catching fire in the event of a rear crash. The investigation covers Jeep Grand Cherokees built between 1993 and 2004, Jeep Cherokees built between 1993 and 2001, and Jeep Liberty SUVs built between 2002 and 2007.

Carlos Ghosn's automaker mantra: Go big or you'll go away

Size matters in auto company survival, Renault and Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn told an audience in Detroit on Tuesday. To cope with the escalating costs and scope of a global industry, successful automakers must complete a trifecta--be able to compete in every technology, every market and every segment, Ghosn said during a luncheon speech at the Detroit Economic Club “No 3 million-unit carmaker can make it,” Ghosn said, explaining why his Renault-Nissan alliance forged an alliance with Germany's Daimler AG. Competency in one or two of the three skills is not enough, and only very large companies can afford all three, he said.

Radical SR8LM Nurburgring Record – The Video

Video of the Radical SR8LM Nurburgring Record Below Back in August we reported that the Radical SR8LM had taken the Nurburgring record for a production car, just a week after Gumpert had claimed the record for themselves. Not that it was the first time Radical had held the record. They achieved a time of 6:55 in 2005 with the Radical SR8, but this time was 7 seconds faster that that at 6:48.