Monday, May 31, 2010

CRUISE CONTROL PODCAST:HONDA CR-Z, VOLVO SMASH and EVO TOURING REVIEWED

On this hour of Cruise Control with Fred Staab and Les Jackson.

Will Honda's sporty CR-Z hybrid restart twenty year olds interest in cars?

Buick throws out trim levels.

Well it worked in rehearsal. Why one Volvo press event went wrong.

And Toyota says it will build a hydrogen powered car that will actually make them money!

We told you about GM's new V8's now its Mercedes turn to showcase its eight cylinder tech.

Plus a Wooden Lambo and a Granite BMW.. So much for making lighter cars

Talking tech: The future of the manual transmission is bright. Just not here in the US. Stay tuned for the latest in transmission tech.

And an "At the wheel" review of the 2010 Mitsubishi Evolution Lancer Evolution MR Touring Edition plus a whole lot more when we get rolling on this weeks Cruise Control..









DOWNLOAD THE CRUISE CONTROL RADIO HERE All that and a whole lot more when we get Rolling on this weeks Cruise Control Radio. Tune in on Saturday June 5th Live from 10AM to 12 Noon Eastern time .Feed Shark

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

CRUISE CONTROL PODCAST: DUB MUSTANG, MORE HYUNDAI'S and FUTURE STICKS

On this hour of Cruise Control with Fred Staab and Les Jackson.

Hyundai looks for more production capacity right here in the U S.

There have been plenty of Mustang special editions throughout the years and now Ford has teamed up with DUB magazine for the latest model. What is it like to Market the legendary Mustang.

We'll hear from Steve Ling Ford's North American Car Marketing Manager.

And speaking of the Ford brand there was more good new this week in the form of a new Kelly Blue book study.

Talking tech: The future of the manual transmission is bright. Just not here in the US. Stay tuned for the latest in transmission tech.

And "At the wheel" reviews plus a whole lot more when we get rolling on this weeks Cruise Control..









DOWNLOAD THE CRUISE CONTROL RADIO PODCAST HERE All that and a whole lot more when we get Rolling on this weeks Cruise Control Radio. Tune in on Saturday May 29th Live from 10AM to 12 Noon Eastern time .Feed Shark

Monday, May 24, 2010

CRUISE CONTROL PODCAST: FIESTA CHANGES, ROYAL PURPLE STARK RACING and CARBON FIBERED

On this hour of Cruise Control with Fred Staab and Les Jackson.

Ford didn't want take away the European feel of its new Fiesta but it had to make some changesto get it ready for the US. We will tell you what's different.

You'll be seeing more Carbon Fiber on upcoming Mercedes we'll tell why.

Royal Purple oil has assembled an impressive racing team to put its products to the torture
test Patrick Burris will tell us what has been happening on the track.

Plus Boston gives the Transit Connect the thumbs up for Taxi duty, the Camaro gets an upgrade and we'll have some Macabre motoring moments.

And "At the wheel" reviews plus a whole lot more when we get rolling on this weeks Cruise Control..









DOWNLOAD THE CRUISE CONTROL RADIO PODCAST HERE All that and a whole lot more when we get Rolling on this weeks Cruise Control Radio. Tune in on Saturday May 29th Live from 10AM to 12 Noon Eastern time .Feed Shark

CRUISE CONTROL PODCAST: V8 REVIVED, ELECTRICS CONTROLLED and PORSCHE HAND RAISERS

On this hour of Cruise Control with Fred Staab and Les Jackson.

We have been telling you that the days of the V8 may be numbered. Well don't tell that to the
folks at GM they are investing big bucks and plenty of technology to keep Eight Vee's around well into the future.

Toyota resumes sales of its Lexus suv after a few tweaks.

Talking Tech: Could one country control the future of electric vehicles because of its natural
resources?

Plus new model news.. Chevy scraps plan for another crossover, we get details on a new Chrysler mid-size sedan and we'll tell you about Porsche Hybrid hand raisers.

"At the wheel" reviews plus a whole lot more when we get rolling on this weeks Cruise Control..









DOWNLOAD THE CRUISE CONTROL RADIO PODCAST HERE All that and a whole lot more when we get Rolling on this weeks Cruise Control Radio. Tune in on Saturday May 29th Live from 10AM to 12 Noon Eastern time .Feed Shark

Monday, May 03, 2010

CRUISE CONTROL PODCAST: GM PAYBACK?, INDY 500 SMILES and FIESTA APPS

On this hour of Cruise Control with Fred Staab and Les Jackson.

Payback time: GM announces repayment of 5.8 billion dollars of loans from the US Government and a major reinvestment in plants for the future Malibu. Sounds good right? well not everyone is happy.

Talking tech: How the new Ford Fiesta will tie in your new smart phones apps.

And its hard to believe but the Indianapolis 500 is coming up in a few weeks time. This there are plenty of smiles going at the brickyard we'll tell you why.

And a very familiar part of your cars engine is going to disappear.. And some say its because your lazy!

And a "At the wheel" review of the 2010 Camaro SS v8 manual plus a whole lot more when we get rolling on this weeks Cruise Control..









DOWNLOAD THE CRUISE CONTROL RADIO PODCAST HERE All that and a whole lot more when we get Rolling on this weeks Cruise Control Radio. Tune in on Saturday May 8th Live from 10AM to 12 Noon Eastern time .Feed Shark

Sunday, May 02, 2010

CRUISE CONTROL FIRST DRIVE: 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA

Cruise Control First Drive : 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA

A recent trip to Philadelphia proved to be well worth the time when I was introduced to the new Sonata. It's a very stylish car with hints of BMW, VW and Infiniti, while still holding the overall character of the Hyundai family of products.

The new Sonata is a little wider and longer than its predecessor and looks for all the world like a more expensive car.


Inside the Hyundai engineers and stylists have pulled off
a “value coup.” The quality of materials and fit/finish level instantly reminded me of Acura and Infiniti, as did the gauges and controls. It just smacks of quality.


The proof of the pudding, to twist a phrase, is in the driving and the Sonata feels every bit like a much higher-end car. It's amazingly quiet and equally smooth. The car even managed to soften the ride over Philadelphia's old-town cobblestone streets, and that's saying something. Visibility outside was first rate and entry/exit are made very easy by wide-opening doors and
low sill levels.

All Sonata models are powered by a very responsive 4-cylinder direct injection engine that produces 198 horsepower (200 in the SE) and 184 lb/ft of torque through a wide rev range. Coupled to this engine is a 6-speed automatic transmission (yes, a manual is available) that shifts as smoothly as one can possibly imagine. Fuel economy on the highway is 35 mpg, an impressive figure. Both the engine and transmission are produced here in the US.

This car is a gem and a bargain to boot. Three trim levels are available. The base GLS price starts at $19,195 and one with popular equipment will only set you back $20,945. Next in the lineup is the SE, which offers more sporty handling, stylish wheels and other accents, all for $22,595. The top end Limited offers leather and many other fine appointments and a fully equipped version tops out at $27,395. All Sonata models come with power windows/keyless entry/ABS/electronic stability control, Bluetooth and a whole lot more.

It's definitely one to check out if you're in the market for a car in this price class. Les Jackson










Tune in to Cruise Control Radio Saturday May 8th Live from 10AM to 12 Noon Eastern time .Feed Shark