New hi-def Garmin Dash Cam: record accidents and Russian meteors all from your car

By Stephen Edelstein January 6, 2014

garmin dash cam updated gps devices debut at ces

Dashboard cameras recently got a lot of attention when videos of the Chelyabinsk meteor showed up online. If one of those events happens again, it would be good to have the Garmin Dash Cam handy.

Unveiled at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show, the Dash Cam is a high-definition camera that mounts to a vehicle’s windshield and takes wide-angle shots of the road ahead. It’s activated by the start of a car’s engine, and can shoot in 1080p, 720p, or WVGA, displaying footage on a 2.3-inch LCD screen.

There’s also 4GB of internal storage (a microSD card will significantly increase that) and a built-in microphone.

Thanks to a built-in g-sensor, the camera can also detect sudden braking or a collision, at which point it automatically saves recordings, time stamps, GPS location, and current speed and heading. That could help solve insurance claims, assuming the driver isn’t at fault.

So much for the days of being suspicious of data-recording “black boxes” in cars. Now, they’re a source of entertainment.

Of course, a dashboard camera has less-Orwellian uses, such as recording a particularly epic track drive. Chevrolet has even gone one step further, offering an optional video and data-recording system on the 2015 Corvette.

The Dash Cam goes on sale in February in two versions: basic Dash Cam 10 for $219.99, or GPS-equipped Dash Cam 20 for $249.99.

In addition to the Dash Cam, Garmin unveiled a lineup of updated GPS devices at CES.

The most notable of these is the nevi 2798LMT, which features a wireless backup camera. Buyers can wire the camera to their’s car’s backup lights (Garmin recommends letting a professional do this) so the camera comes on as soon as the vehicle shifts into reverse, or manually toggle between navigation and camera screens.

The 2798LMT also features a seven-inch display and voice-activated navigation. It sells for $399.99.

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Stephen Edelstein

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Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

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Audi increases the range of its all-new A3 with a five-door, diesel-powered TDI Sportback

audi concept a3 tdi 1

The smallest Audi in the US market continues to get more interesting. Audi has just announced that a TDI sportback will be joining the A3 Sedan, Cabrio, e-tron and eventually S3. The A3 family now includes more combinations of bodystyle and powertrain than some entire car companies.
The new five-door TDI will feature Audi's 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel engine, that boasts 150 horsepower and Audi's excellent six-speed S tronic transmission. Unfortunately Audi can't tell us yet what kind of mileage the A3 TDI will have, but it will no doubt be less than the 73 highway mpg that the 1.6-liter TDI the European market gets.

That may be too bad, but the A3 TDI has the potential to fill a void in the American market: a drivers' car that won't break the bank or be hard to explain to your spouse. We already know that the new A3 platform is dynamite to drive, and while the diesel motor is going to add some weight and reduce some fun, it still promises to be good to drive.
While Audi can't release mileage until it has completed testing for the EPA cycle we might be able to get some idea of the end results by looking at the A3's stablemate the Jetta TDI. The Jetta uses the same modular platform and the same 2.0-liter engine and it is good for 30 city and 42 highway, and a real-world average of around 38 mpg. If the A3 gets similar mileage it should be comparable to a hybrid, but way more fun.
Audi hasn't announced a release date yet, but the TDI may be along sooner rather than later in the A3 family's 18 month rollout. When it does get in, the A3 should offer a configuration for just about every conceivable buyer (I am holding out for the S3), which I am pretty sure is what Audi had in mind.

Cars

Chevy to unveil new Corvette variant alongside two new small cars in New York

chevrolet 2014 new york auto show rumors 2015 corvettez06 026

The 2014 New York Auto Show begins next week, and Chevrolet will reportedly unveil three new cars in the Big Apple.
According to Autoblog, the Bowtie Brigade will show a new Corvette variant, the facelifted 2015 Cruze compact, and what it calls "an important new addition to our small-vehicle lineup."
So what exactly is that new Corvette? The new Corvette Z06 won't go on sale for several months, so it's unlikely Chevy will want to top it with a higher-performance, ZR1-like model right now. Given the Z06's expected performance, there may not even be room in the lineup for a ZR1 successor.
Remember that the C7 Z06 lapped GM's test track faster than the C6 ZR1, without any of the fine tuning normally required for a production car to set fast times.
Instead, the new model could be a Z06 variant, perhaps something to replace the Z07 package offered on the C6 Z06. It could also be a special-edition like the Black Widow unveiled at the 2014 Chicago Auto Show, which would be considerably less exciting.
The Cruze should be more straightforward. Expect visual and content upgrades that will keep the compact Chevy fresh until an all-new model arrives for the 2016 model year.
That other small car is a bit of a mystery, though. Chevy already has the Spark and Sonic in its lineup, so it's hard to see why it would need a third model. Maybe it's bringing back the Chevette.
All will be revealed at the 2014 New York Auto Show, which begins April 16. We'll be on the show floor so be sure to check back often.

Cars

Make your 2014 Mini Cooper even more distinctive with these all-new accessories

2014 mini cooper extremely extensive list accessories p90144550 highres

MINI would be the pièce de résistance of all hot hatch backs, if it were French.
It might not seem like a whole lot has changed from the MINI platform, but now there are more than a million ways to customize your 2014 Cooper hardtop.
The ability to completely personalize your MINI is a huge appeal for buyers who feel the need for their hatchback to suit their own style. BMW is aware of this and has provided the opportunity for an even larger list of options.
If you head to the showroom, prepare to sit down for a whole day in order to create your perfect MINI. The expansive range of options includes (deep breath): mirror caps, side scuttles, roof graphics, floor mats, door sills, center hub caps ... the list goes on and on. Every option has different color variations or choices in patterns.
A MINI customer can also buy luggage and lanyards to match their car. Is it possible to offer too many options? MINI seems to think the sky is the limit. Besides all of these minor options, there are also a few noteworthy upgrades for the new 2014 Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S.
The base Mini Cooper will come with a set of 18-inch alloy wheels, but the 17-inch multi-spoke standards are still available on the S model. A brand new 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbo engine will be powering the standard 2014 Mini Cooper, while a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo making 189 hp powers the Mini Cooper S.
These new Mini’s are the standard for a host of BMW front-wheel-drive cars to come, such as the BMW 2 series Active Tourer for example. The base 2014 MINI Cooper starting price is $20,745, and the MINI Cooper S starts at $24,395. Both models are available now, but don't expect to get any of those sweet add-ons for anything less than a significant premium.