JSwain

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Study Ranks Best and Worst States for Drivers

The nation's top potato-producing state is also the most preferable place for peeling out. Yes, according to a just-released study by finance rate aggregator Bankrate.com, the Gem State is the crown jewel among the best states for drivers. Researchers ranked all 50 states for their driver friendliness, measured by factors including the number of fatal crashes and car thefts, average commute times, gas prices, repair costs and auto-insurance premiums.

Idaho rose to the top of the heap thanks to its low gas and insurance costs, below-average theft rates and brisk commute times, Bankrate reported. Compared with the national average commute of 24.4 minutes each way, insurance premiums of $910.17 per year, gas spending of $949 per year, repair costs of $390.38 per job, 220.7 car thefts per 100,000 people and 1.1 fatal crashes per 100 million miles driven, Idaho boasted a 19.5-minute commute, $656.08 insurance premium, $733.06 gas expenditure, $378.66 repair bill, 95.3 car thefts and 1.3 fatal crashes.

Generally speaking, a common factor among the best states for drivers was a lesser population size and density. In the top five, Idaho was joined by Vermont, Wyoming, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

"The best states for drivers have lots of wide-open spaces, whereas the worst states tend to be filled with people and cars — a bad combination for drivers' wallets," said Bankrate researcher and statistics analyst Chris Kahn, in a statement.

Indeed, the top 10 most-driver-friendly states have an average population of only 2.3 million residents according to U.S. Census Bureau figures, and eight are among the 25 least-densely populated states. That's compared with the top 10 least-driver-friendly states, which have an average population of 12.5 million, with nine of the 10 falling in the 25 most-densely populated.

The dubious distinction of least-driver-friendly state goes to Louisiana, which researchers dinged for having the highest car insurance costs in the U.S. as well as above-average crash fatalities. Louisiana drivers face a 24.7-minute commute, $1,279.42 insurance premium, $1,017.10 gas expenditure, $426.25 repair bill, 198 car thefts and 1.5 fatal crashes. It joins California, Texas, Maryland and New Jersey as the five least-driver-friendly states.

We feel compelled to note that despite being held in the highest regard among the best states for motorists, Idahoans aren't always seen in such a flattering light. A year ago, Insure.com ranked Idaho as the state with the rudest drivers. "The roadways of Idaho present a dichotomy of drivers: those who are moving so slowly that they're judged to be rude, and the aggressive drivers who speed around them and flip them off," Insure.com reported at the time.

See where your state ranks among best and worst for drivers below:

Best States for Drivers

1. Idaho

2. Vermont

3. Wyoming

4. Wisconsin

5. Minnesota

6. Maine

7. Iowa

8. Nebraska

9. South Dakota

10. New Hampshire

11. Alaska

12. Indiana

13. North Carolina

14. Utah

15. Kansas

16. Illinois

17. Montana

18. Ohio

19. Virginia

20. Massachusetts

21. Michigan

22. Rhode Island

23. North Dakota

24. Pennsylvania

25. Oklahoma

Worst States for Drivers

1. Louisiana

2. California

3. Texas

4. Maryland

5. New Jersey

6. Delaware

7. Georgia

8. New York

9. Hawaii

10. Washington

11. Nevada

12. Arizona

13. Alabama

14. West Virginia

15. Arkansas

16. Connecticut

17. South Carolina

18. Missouri

19. Florida

20. New Mexico

21. Oregon

22. Kentucky

23. Colorado

24. Tennessee

25. Mississippi

Saturday, August 29, 2015

2017 Smart Fortwo Cabriolet Debuts: New-Gen Car, Four Percent More Roof – Official Photos and Info

Mercedes Makes Navigation Easy With Send2Benz

If you're a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 owner and haven't downloaded the Mercedes-Benz mbrace phone application, stop reading and do it now, but come back and continue reading after it's downloaded. The app allows you to send a destination, street address or current location from your phone directly to the car's navigation system with a feature called Send2Benz.

Related: More Long-Term Fleet News

The Comand multimedia system in Cars.com's long-term 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 test car has a huge depth of capabilities and numerous access points to the navigation, multimedia and vehicle information systems. At the center of Comand's navigation system is the dial controller, which hasn't exactly been embraced by all of our editors. Those who find the dial controller bulky or awkward to use when entering navigation — scroll, click, scroll, click, scroll, click and repeat a dozen or more times — can use the app to send destinations straight from phone to car.

The app provides more than just one way to find and deliver an address to the car's navigation system. You can search for nearby destinations like a coffee shop, gas station or restaurant, enter an already known street address in a blank field or send a current destination as well as find an address in your contact list. After the address is entered, it's as simple as firing off the destination to the car and clicking to start the guidance once the in-car message pops up that a destination has been received.

2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class; Cars.com photo by Evan Sears

Boom. That's all. It works quickly and easily, too. You can send a destination from the phone and just a second later it's in your car waiting to start navigation. Send2Benz is part of the mbrace mobile application available on iPhone and Android devices, plus there's a website with the same capabilities at http://mbrace.mbusa.com/send2benz/, a toolbar add-on for your web browser; it's also compatible with Google Maps Search & Send.

Entering an address into a navigation system doesn't get much easier than that, folks.

2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class; Cars.com photo by Evan Sears

2016 Smart Fortwo Fuel Economy Released, ED Model to Arrive for 2017

The new 2016 Smart Fortwo is better in pretty much every way—except one: fuel economy, which is roughly the same as last year, at 33/39 for the automatic. (The newly available manual version checks in at 32/39 mpg city/highway.) Considering it has upgraded power and performance, this is somewhat of a win, although we’re sure that some folks—greenies in particular—might be disappointed that the Fortwo didn’t break the 40-mpg mark.

For its part, Smart seems content with these numbers, and it isn’t even offering a diesel model in Europe anymore. It also says that a new Electric Drive model—which was the best version to drive in the car’s previous generation—is on the way for 2017, but won’t actually arrive until late next 2016 at the earliest. In the meantime, Smart will introduce the sunny new cabriolet model at the Frankfurt auto show next month; that one goes on sale early next summer.

Gas Prices Plunge After Refinery Restart

With U.S. oil prices down to a six-year low and a major refinery outage fixed, gasoline prices have begun to dive in most parts of the country, and gas for less than $2 a gallon is easy to find again in the Southeastern states. The AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report listed the national average for regular gas at $2.53 a gallon as of Thursday morning — down 12 cents from a week ago and the lowest it's been in late-August since 2004.

Related: More Fuel-Efficiency News

A distilling unit at a BP refinery in Whiting, Ind., that had been idled since Aug. 8 because of an unspecified breakdown was restarted Tuesday. The outage at the refinery reduced the supply of gasoline in neighboring states at least temporarily, and caused the wholesale price of gas to shoot up. Pump prices soared by as much as 80 cents a gallon in just a couple of days as a result. BP said in a statement that production at the refinery would be "ramping up over time" and that the company "continues to meet its contractual fuel supply obligations."

That news quickly helped lower pump prices in the Great Lakes states, which bore the brunt of the price spikes caused by the refinery issues. Average prices for regular gas the past week fell by 22 cents in Wisconsin, 24 cents in Illinois, 26 cents in Indiana and 29 cents in Michigan. A week ago the statewide average was $3.13 in Illinois, but it was down to $2.89 on Thursday; prices still remained above $3 in the Chicago area, where local taxes are higher.

Pump prices fell elsewhere amid ample supply of gas and low oil prices. The average price for regular gas was $2.07 in South Carolina, the lowest of any state. GasBuddy.com listed several stations in the Columbia and Myrtle Beach areas of South Carolina that were selling regular gas for as little as $1.87 a gallon. Stations in Chattanooga, Tenn., and Birmingham, Ala., offered regular for $1.89. (Prices fluctuate throughout the day and could change.)

In California, the statewide average for regular gas fell 14 cents the past week to $3.40 a gallon. Gas had spiked in California in May and June because of refinery outages there, but prices have fallen 46 cents in the past five weeks, as supply issues were resolved. With prices rapidly retreating in California, Alaska has become the state with the most-expensive gas, at an average of $3.42 a gallon for regular.

The national average for diesel fuel fell 5 cents the past week to $2.59. Diesel prices have been unaffected by refinery issues this summer and have stayed on a steady slide. Diesel is $1.21 cheaper than it was a year ago, while regular gas is 90 cents cheaper.

AAA, GasBuddy and others have predicted that regular gas could fall below $2 in many parts of the country later this year if oil prices remain low and there are no major supply issues. U.S. oil was trading at about $40 a barrel Thursday morning, the lowest since 2009. Gas prices typically decline in the fall because there is less demand after Labor Day and refineries switch to winter blends that are less expensive to produce than summer blends.

Future Past: This Modern 1930s Grand Prix–Style Sports Car Needs to Happen

Kahn Designs Speed 7 profile

British designer Afzal Kahn must hate sleep. Reigning over a mini-empire that includes namesake concerns Kahn Automobiles, Kahn Styling, and Kahn Clocks and Watches, he recently added the Chelsea Truck Co., to his portfolio, a London-based retail outlet where the well-heeled can browse off-road offerings such as the wonderfully bizarre Land Rover Defender–based Flying Huntsman 6×6. Now, in an attempt to squeeze every spare second out of 2015, Kahn has announced plans to begin producing a retro-style racing car called the Speed 7 before the calendar year is over.

The third major vehicle project from Kahn, the Speed 7 takes its inspiration from the Grand Prix racers of the 1930s while offering improved performance. All the retro cues are in place: the side exhaust, copious louvers, and a vestigial windscreen. Slated to be designed and hand-built in Britain, Kahn says the Speed 7 will use “modern materials” and hints that they may include aluminum and composites. The car also is described as a retro thoroughbred that can be enjoyed on the track without reservation. Potential engines or transmission options have yet been announced.

Kahn clearly knows his demographic well, and suggests the Speed 7 will be ideal for those “looking to set up their own race team; don their driving goggles, gloves, and helmet; and get out on the circuit to recreate the feel of 1930s racing.” To help facilitate the gentleman-racer vibe he envisions, Kahn is planning to produce a complementary range of period styled clothing and accessories under the Speed 7 brand.

ahn Designs Speed 7 profile overhead

As is to be expected, each car will come equipped with a plaque listing the names of the individuals involved in the build, as well as a unique owner’s book detailing each stage of the design and manufacturing process.

While we’re intrigued by the design drawings and admire the unbridled passion the project embodies, the fact that no powertrain details have been revealed and that Kahn is, according to the website, looking for collaborators “in the areas of infrastructure, manufacturing, and associated services,” leads us to question if the Speed 7 will ever see the light of day, never mind by the end of 2015. Still, given Kahn’s track record of turning designs into in-the-metal realities, it could happen after all. And better late than never, right?

2016 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 / GT350R Driven: Ford Moves the Muscle Car to a Higher Order

-We’ve been here before. We’ve stared down the barrel of a twin-striped Mustang with more than 500 horsepower and the name of a Texas chicken farmer across its fanny. The last one, the 2013 Shelby GT500, had 662 horsepower, in fact, and was said to go over 200 mph. It didn’t, not for us, anyway. Even so, it was what a Shelby Mustang should be, what it has been for decades: a hot quarter-mile with a side of smoky burnout. It was a muscle car with more. Mustang lovers got sweaty, but as usual, the rest of the auto world just shrugged and moved on with evolution. READ MORE ››