Category Archives: Autofile

Toyota Avalon: 2006-’12

AutoFile_AVALONOverview

Don’t wait for stories to appear in the store when you can become a member of Wheelbase Media’s weekly news service and save more than 50 percent while gaining instant access to the new features as they’re produced. Click here to get started.

If you are not a member of the media, but still wish to read this and other feature stories from Wheelbase Media, visit www.shiftweekly.com to subscribe to Auto Shift Weekly newsmag, available for your Apple iPad or for your home PC or laptop in pdf format.

Description

First introduced for the 1995 model year, the Georgetown, Ky.-built Avalon became the successor to Toyota’s earlier large sedan, the Cressida. Originally created using a stretched Camry platform, the full-size Avalon looked as if it just rolled off a General Motors or Ford assembly line. New editions for 2000 and 2006 provided improved looks…

Please contact us to order this feature.

Ford Fusion: 2006-’12

AutoFile_SEDONAOverview

Don’t wait for stories to appear in the store when you can become a member of Wheelbase Media’s weekly news service and save more than 50 percent while gaining instant access to the new features as they’re produced. Click here to get started.

If you are not a member of the media, but still wish to read this and other feature stories from Wheelbase Media, visit www.shiftweekly.com to subscribe to Auto Shift Weekly newsmag, available for your Apple iPad or for your home PC or laptop in pdf format.

Description

The Fusion was slotted between the compact Focus and larger Five Hundred/Taurus in Ford’s passenger-car stable. The Fusion actually shared the Mazda6 platform (Ford once owned a piece of Mazda), with the distance between the front and rear wheels extended by about two inches. The Fusion initially featured a 160-horsepower 2.3-liter four-cylinder and an optional 221-horsepower V6, the latter available with all-wheel-drive from 2007 onward.

Please contact us to order this feature.

Chevrolet Colorado: 2004-’12

AutoFile_COLORADOOverview

Don’t wait for stories to appear in the store when you can become a member of Wheelbase Media’s weekly news service and save more than 50 percent while gaining instant access to the new features as they’re produced. Click here to get started.

If you are not a member of the media, but still wish to read this and other feature stories from Wheelbase Media, visit www.shiftweekly.com to subscribe to Auto Shift Weekly newsmag, available for your Apple iPad or for your home PC or laptop in pdf format.

Description

The Chevrolet Colorado and its sister-ship GMC Canyon replaced the junior-sized Chevy S10 and GMC Sonoma pickups. Both came in regular-and extended-cab versions (the latter with swing-out rear doors) as well as in four-door Crew Cab livery. A 175-horsepower 2.8-liter four-cylinder engine was standard with a 220-horsepower 3.5-liter five-cylinder as an optional. For 2006, a nearly identical…

Please contact us to order this feature.

Hyundai Santa Fe: 2007-’12

AutoFile_SANTA_FEOverview

Don’t wait for stories to appear in the store when you can become a member of Wheelbase Media’s weekly news service and save more than 50 percent while gaining instant access to the new features as they’re produced. Click here to get started.

If you are not a member of the media, but still wish to read this and other feature stories from Wheelbase Media, visit www.shiftweekly.com to subscribe to Auto Shift Weekly newsmag, available for your Apple iPad or for your home PC or laptop in pdf format.

Description

Hyundai branched out into the sport utility vehicle category with its new-for-2001 Santa Fe that was based on a much-modified Sonata sedan platform. The vehicle originally featured a choice of front-, or all-wheel drive as well as a base four-cylinder engine or optional V6. For 2007, Hyundai launched a bigger and bolder Santa Fe with two available V6s and optional…

Please contact us to order this feature.

Mitsubishi Eclipse: 2006-’12

AutoFile_ECLIPSEOverview

Don’t wait for stories to appear in the store when you can become a member of Wheelbase Media’s weekly news service and save more than 50 percent while gaining instant access to the new features as they’re produced. Click here to get started.

If you are not a member of the media, but still wish to read this and other feature stories from Wheelbase Media, visit www.shiftweekly.com to subscribe to Auto Shift Weekly newsmag, available for your Apple iPad or for your home PC or laptop in pdf format.

Description

The Eclipse had been a sporty mainstay for Mitsubishi ever since it was launched for the 1990 model year, along with the similar Eagle Talon and Plymouth Laser. At the time, all three were built at the same Illinois production facility that was jointly operated by Mitsubishi and Chrysler and all were available in front- or all-wheel drive. An all-new coupe arrived for 1995, with…

Please contact us to order this feature.

Nissan Altima: 2007-’12

AutoFile_ALTIMAOverview

Don’t wait for stories to appear in the store when you can become a member of Wheelbase Media’s weekly news service and save more than 50 percent while gaining instant access to the new features as they’re produced. Click here to get started.

If you are not a member of the media, but still wish to read this and other feature stories from Wheelbase Media, visit www.shiftweekly.com to subscribe to Auto Shift Weekly newsmag, available for your Apple iPad or for your home PC or laptop in pdf format.

Description

The Altima brand succeeded the Stanza as Nissan’s mid-size four-door for 1993, with a crisper-looking second-generation model arriving five model years later. Brand new Altimas arrived for 2002 and again for 2007, followed by a first-time coupe body style a year later. Both used the 175-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and the optional 270-horsepower 3.5-liter V6…

Please contact us to order this feature.

Chevrolet Malibu: 2008-’12

AutoFile_MALIBUOverview
Don’t wait for stories to appear in the store when you can become a member of Wheelbase Media’s weekly news service and save more than 50 percent while gaining instant access to the new features as they’re produced. Click here to get started.

If you are not a member of the media, but still wish to read this and other feature stories from Wheelbase Media, visit www.shiftweekly.com to subscribe to Auto Shift Weekly newsmag, available for your Apple iPad or for your home PC or laptop in pdf format.

Description
Chevrolet reintroduced its successful Malibu nameplate (which dates back to 1964) into the highly competitive mid-size sedan market in the fall of 1996 to replace the Corsica. From 2004 until the 2007 model year, the Malibu sedan and Malibu Maxx wagon were Chevy’s mid-size mainstays, that is until succeeded by a completely revamped 2008 sedan. For the new model…

Please contact us to order this feature.

Chevrolet Cobalt: 2005-’10

AutoFile_COBALTOverview

Don’t wait for stories to appear in the store when you can become a member of Wheelbase Media’s weekly news service and save more than 50 percent while gaining instant access to the new features as they’re produced. Click here to get started.

If you are not a member of the media, but still wish to read this and other feature stories from Wheelbase Media, visit www.shiftweekly.com to subscribe to Auto Shift Weekly newsmag, available for your Apple iPad or for your home PC or laptop in pdf format.

Description

The Cobalt replaced the Cavalier compact car that was definitely overdue for retirement. As with the “Cav,” the Cobalt was available in both coupe and sedan formats. Base models were originally equipped with a145-148 horsepower 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine, while a 205-horsepower 2.0-liter supercharged four-cylinder came with the more robust SS coupe. For 2006 a 171-173-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder became optional while a 260-horsepower turbocharged powerplant found its way into the SS model for the 2009 model year. The  Cruze replaced the Cobalt for the 2010 model year.

Please contact us to order this feature.