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Massive Airbag Recall Affects Seven Automakers

The recall of faulty airbag inflators supplied by Takata has exploded today to grow to seven automakers. In most cases, only models in certain high-humidity regions were affected because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found in its investigation that moisture played a role in determining whether there would be a problem. However, some companies opted for national campaigns. The exact number of affected models for these campaigns isn't yet known at this time. BMW is recalling an undisclosed number of 325i, 325Xi, 330i and 330Xi models from the 2001 through 2005 model years and the 2001-2006 model year versions of the 325Ci and 330Ci for the driver side and passenger side inflators. Only vehicles currently registered in Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and the US Virgin Islands are covered under this recall. Neither Chrysler's filing with NHTSA nor its press release list the specific models affected, but a company spokesperson told Autoblog that at this time it only covers the driver and passenger side inflators for the 2006 Dodge Charger in Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and the US Virgin Islands In most cases, only models in certain high-humidity regions were affected because the NHTSA found that moisture played a roll in determining if there would be a problem. Ford is recalling an estimated 58,669 cars that include the 2005-2006 model years of the Ford GT for the driver and passenger inflators, the 2007-2007 model years of the Mustang for the driver side and 2004 Ranger for the passenger side. It covers vehicles originally sold or currently registered in, wait for it... Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and the US Virgin Islands. Honda is issuing three separate recalls regarding the problem. First, the company is recalling the 2002-2003 model years Civic, CR-V and Odyssey and the 2003 model year of the Accord, Element, Pilot and Acura MDX to replace the passenger's side inflator. This covers all models nationwide. Second, Honda is repairing the passenger's side airbag inflator in the 2003-2005 Accord, Civic, CR-V, Element, Pilot, the 2003-2004 model year versions of the Odyssey, the 2003-2005 model year Acura MDX and 2005 Acura RL. However, only for vehicles located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Owners will be notified in July. Finally, Honda is separately replacing some models' driver's side inflators.

Race Recap: Abu Dhabi GP is reversals, luck, leanness and last dances

We weren't sure if Alter Ego Nico Rosberg, the one who flew into Brazil and showed Mercedes AMG Petronas teammate Lewis Hamilton that he knew also knew how to grab an entire race weekend by the scruff of the neck, arrived in Abu Dhabi. In both Friday practice sessions Hamilton showed Rosberg the way. Then on Saturday, Alter Ego Rosberg took over, taking the last Free Practice session and then pole position by a whopping four-tenths of a second over Hamilton. Thanks to the gimmicky and soon-to-be-obliterated spectre of double points, if Rosberg won the race and Hamilton finished lower than second, the World Championship would remain in German hands. Behind Hamilton came the Williams duo, again, with Valtteri Bottas ahead of Felipe Massa. Daniil Kvyat did swell to put his Toro Rosso in fifth, Jenson Button was just as swell getting his McLaren into sixth. Kimi Raikkonen outqualified his Ferrari teammate Fernando Alonso for the third time this year, the pair taking seventh and eighth on the grid. Kevin Magnussen lined the second McLaren up in ninth, Jean-Eric Vergne making the top ten for Toro Rosso in his last race for the team. To be clear, that was the final grid for race: Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel had both qualified in the top ten but were sent to the back of the grid when their Infiniti Red Bull Racing front wings were deemed illegal. They'd start from the pit lane, which was still ahead of Romain Grosjean in the Lotus, who took so many penalties for new engine components that he started the race in Turkey. At lights-out on Sunday, well, it was pretty much lights out. That's when Hamilton got the start of the year, bolting off the line so quickly it didn't take him 100 meters to get in front of Rosberg. The Brit took Turn 1 in the lead, then laid more than a second into the German on the first lap. Rosberg kept close, about 2.5 seconds back, but it was Hamilton's race to lose and everyone knew it; barring a reliability issue or the kind of driving mistake Hamilton hasn't made all year, Britain would have its fourth double world champion. Rosberg was left asking his engineer what kind of strategy they might use to claim first place. That reliability issue did come, but it struck Rosberg on Lap 26 when his entire Energy Recovery System failed, robbing him of 160 horsepower and taxing his brakes.

Infiniti prices Q50 2.0t from $34,855, hybrid from $47,955

Infiniti has a whole range of new engines coming out for the Q50. And that means a new pricing scheme to go along with it. The bottom line is that you can now get into the sports sedan for as little as $34,855 (inclusive of the $905 destination charge). That price is for the 2.0-liter turbo model that's the new point of entry into the range with 208 horsepower on tap. It also represents a much lower starting price for the 2016 model than the one it replaces, which started at over $38k for the base Q50 3.7. It also undercuts the price of the comparable Audi A4, which also comes with a 2.0-liter turbo four priced from $38,250. The BMW 3 Series straddles the divide with two models equipped with 2.0-liter turbo fours: the less potent 320i with 180 hp priced slightly below the Infiniti at $34,145, and the more powerful 328i with 240 hp for $39,345. If you want all-wheel drive or the Premium trim, you'll need to cough up an extra couple grand for each, which is a larger premium than the Japanese automaker charged before. Pricing for the V6-powered 3.0t and Red Sport 400 models are still to come. But along with the 2.0t sticker, Infiniti also released pricing for the hybrid model, which only comes in Premium spec and starts at $47,955. That's a couple grand more than the outgoing version cost at $45,305. For the time being, the top of the line is the Q50 Hybrid Premium AWD, which goes for $49,955. Related Video: INFINITI ANNOUNCES U.S. PRICING FOR 2016 Q50 2.0T AND Q50 HYBRID PREMIUM MODELS First two of four available Q50 engines available now, new 3.0-liter V6 twin turbo-equipped models to follow later this year NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Infiniti today announced pricing for the 2016 Infiniti Q50 2.0t and Q50 Hybrid Premium models, which are on sale now at Infiniti retailers nationwide. Pricing starts at $33,950 for the Q50 2.0t and $47,050 for the Q50 Hybrid Premium. The Infiniti Q50 sports sedan, Infiniti's best-selling model, enters the 2016 model year with an array of significant enhancements, starting with the addition of three new turbocharged engines and continuing with new technologies designed to enhance the already strong driving dynamics of Infiniti's best-selling model. The 2016 Infiniti Q50 is now offered in an expanded range of trim levels, each in a choice of rear-wheel or all-wheel drive – Q50 2.0t and Q50 2.0t Premium, Q50 3.0t Premium, Q50 Hybrid Premium, Q50 3.0t Sport and Q50 Red Sport 400.