Sports Cars Fans

Chevrolet in movies over the years

2012-01-04T10:35:00.001+05:00

First Ride: 2012 Tesla Model S Beta

2011-10-08T16:36:00.002+05:00

Tesla had a big weekend. Some 1,500 Model S hand-raisers and their +1s descended on the company's recently acquired NUMMI plant in Fremont, CA to see where their $5,000 deposits have gone. The event, which served as both a product extravaganza and a subtle reassurance, sought to prove that the Model S is well on its way to production. And part of the program included rides in three Model S betas.

As Tesla was keen to point out, showing off a prototype – even one that's 80-percent complete – is relatively unheard of in the industry. Regardless, the EV upstart invited a handful of journalists to go for a brief spin in the passenger seat of the betas. How brief? Less than five minutes.

So... don't expect to find any mind-blowing revelations, 10/10ths impressions or thorough interior dissections. Here's all you need to know: It drives, it steers, it stops, it's practically – and predictably – silent and the interior tech is enough to make gadget nerds forget about the lack of an iPhone 5.

Of the three betas on hand, two were developed for fine tuning the interior and one was set up for rides. There are currently five betas undergoing testing, all of which were built at a contract plant in Detroit and not at the newly refurbished, ex-Toyota plant in Northern California. That said, an extensive tour of the facility revealed that Tesla is almost completely set up to begin Model S production this January before deliveries begin in the middle of next year. The plant currently employs around 180 people, with that number set to hit 250 by the end of the year and then swell to 500 when at full capacity. All in, 300 to 400 people will handle drivetrain production and by 2013, roughly 1,000 people will work between the powertrain and chassis facilities.

So yes, Tesla can build them. And after spending a few hours around the Fremont plant, much of our skepticism about Tesla's abilities to bring the sedan market were laid to rest. They've pulled in equipment and talent from around the world (Germany in particular) to make a modern, world-class facility. And now we get to sample what they'll be building.

Considering this is a prototype, we're suitably impressed with the fit and finish both inside and out. We're sure that Tesla was sweating the details in the run-up to this past weekend's festivities, and the tight gaps in the body panels and general exterior polish of the betas was proof the Tesla can at least get a handful of sedans ready for the spotlight.

Inside was just as refined, save for a few crudely fashioned, but barely noticeable, bits of trim and a transmission stalk and window switchgear pulled from Mercedes-Benz. The backseat proved to be both comfortable and spacious enough to enjoy a 15-minute presentation on the infotainment system, and while our request to sit in the rear-facing jump seats was denied, we were just pleased to see them included on one of the testers.

On the infotainment front, Tesla is using a 17-inch multitouch display, with a persistent climate control interface at the bottom (good for muscle memory). It's just as massive in person as it is in photos – it's essentially two iPads worth of screen real estate – and provides drivers with Google Maps navigation, streaming Internet radio, local music playback, web browsing (HTML5/Webkit-based) and sunroof controls through an infrared touch system. Just like everything else with the Model S, it's still in prototype form, with a capacitive screen set to replace the IR version and the Linux-based OS and its proprietary user interface skin to receive more tweaks between now and the on sale date next year.

That said, it's largely glitch-free, and you can check out the video below for a full walk around of the system, including the configurable instrument panel behind the steering wheel and iPhone app that keeps track of charging and location, along with the ability to control the EV's climate remotely.
When we initially walked up to the passenger-side door, we tried to push in the flush, chrome door handle as we would open an Aston Martin. Nothing. A second later, the motorized handle slowly protruded from the door. A neat – if superfluous – party piece.

We quietly pulled away from the staging tent as our engineer-turned-chauffeur attempted to shove a fistful of wires behind the panel in the center compartment. "Obviously customers won't see this." Fair enough. Let's get underway.

The first run was through a coned-off section of the receiving bay (not fair to call it an autocross course) where the Model S resisted body roll thanks to a combination of its air suspension and low center of gravity provided by the flat battery pack spanning the passenger compartment. Our driver, who races Lotuses on the weekends, didn't push too hard, but wasn't afraid to mash the pedal as we eerily and rapidly accelerated towards a small, banked high-speed stability course, putting out all 306 pound-feet of torque to the wheels.

When the driver comes off the throttle, the brake regen is far more subtle than in the Roadster, failing to shove us into the seatbelt and doing little to upset the balance of the Model S when slowing in a straight line.

Out on the track inherited from Toyota, we kept a quick pace through the first section of the oval, and then accelerated fully down the back straight, hitting an indicated 103 mph before braking lightly into the next 180-degree bend. After three similar runs, we came away impressed with both the planted sensation afforded by the low CG and elongated wheelbase, the suitably smooth ride and the now-expected, yet still disconcerting, lack of racket inside the cabin. But naturally, until we can get some time off the test track and feel that wheel between our hands, we'll remain skeptically impressed from afar.

Who isn't skeptical? Hundreds of people from the Bay Area, along with hundreds more from across the country and around the world, all of which have put cash down to be one of the few with a Signature Series Model S. Potential buyers flew in from as far away as Tokyo, Denmark and Switzerland to be part of this weekend's event, including one gentleman from Iceland who inked a deal to purchase 100 examples for his car sharing service. Fittingly, he signed the papers on the hood of a Model S beta Saturday night – the same sedan we ran around the track less than 48 hours later.

2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

2011-10-08T16:28:00.002+05:00

The auto show transition seemed to happen in a flash. One year, automakers were jockeying for dealer traffic with high horsepower, rear-wheel-drive retro rides, and the next year, each one of them ushered in a hybrid or electric vehicle. The paradigm shift was a welcome sight for car buyers wanting to shrink their carbon footprint and save money on fuel, but the majority of those products were years from production. Fast-forward to 2011, and the variety of fuel efficient transportation on offer in the industry has improved quite a bit, including this sleekly styled mid-size offering from Hyundai.

The Sonata Hybrid may have taken longer than expected to hit the market, but its lithium-polymer battery pack and host of fuel-saving features have given Hyundai 35 miles per gallon city and 40 mpg highway fuel economy numbers to flash before consumers. And the Sonata Hybrid isn't battling the competition on fuel economy alone. It also features attractive styling that sharply differentiates it from non-hybrid Sonata models, while also carrying an MSRP thousands of dollars less than the Toyota Camry Hybrid and Ford Fusion Hybrid.

We spent a week with a modestly equipped Sonata Hybrid, but rather than going light on the pedal to gather up as many Eco points as possible, we drove it like we would any mid-sized sedan to see if it could hang with the daily drudgery of suburban life.

Our Hyper Silver Metallic tester carried a very reasonable price tag of $25,930 (plus $720 shipping), and Hyundai kept that MSRP low by adding only floor mats ($100) and an iPod cable ($35) to the options list. Fortunately, the Sonata Hybrid already comes equipped with a boatload of standard features, including a six-speaker sound system with USB and auxiliary inputs, Bluetooth hands-free connectivity, automatic climate control, headlights with LED accents and a 4.2-inch LCD trip computer/hybrid technology display.

"Hybrid" and "low MSRP" generally don't go hand-in-hand, but the $25,795 base price of the Sonata only strengthens its case. This Hyundai also proves that hybrids don't have to be stodgy pods to achieve mpg bliss. The same Fluidic Design that's been a hit with the Sonata Hybrid's gas-only sibling looks just as good with a 30-kilowatt electric motor under the hood. And Hyundai hasn't simply slap on some Blue Motion badging to differentiate its hybrid offering from the hot-selling standard Sonata.

The biggest adjustment comes in the form of a gaping grille that looks like a whale shark on a plankton feeding frenzy. Further aero improvements come in the form of tweaked bodyside moldings and a more sharply truncated rear end with unique 'atom' element taillamps. In total, exterior engineering adjustments result in a drag coefficient that drops from .28 to an outstanding .25, the same number achieved by the benchmark Toyota Prius.

We dig the fact that the Sonata Hybrid looks quite a bit different than its sibling, and the Bill Nye taillights are something to behold. Heck, even the Blue Motion badging looks cool. For our money, there is one hybrid-only touch that just has to go: the standard 16-inch alloys. We're not sure what Hyundai's designers were going for here (at least beyond aero supremacy), but they ended up with a set of wheels that draws Blade-Runner-meets-Salad-Shooter comparisons. Luckily, Hyundai offers optional 17-inch wheels that look remarkably classier than the ones seen here. Unfortunately, the upsized wheels can only be had as part of the Premium Package, which will set buyers back another $5,000.

Nasty wheels aside, the Sonata Hybrid is a looker, and the interior isn't hard on the eyes, either. Hyundai has decided to carry over the same interior from the standard Sonata, save for some Blue Motion badging and the aforementioned 4.2-inch display. That means hybrid buyers get the same spacious cabin flush with attractive curves and soft-touch materials on the dash, doors and center console. Seats are comfortable and appropriately bolstered as well, and the driver's seat is power-adjustable. Another big plus comes in the form of a standard USB port and Bluetooth connectivity that quickly and easily syncs to a Bluetooth-enabled phone. And the 4.2-inch LED screen? It's bright, with easy-to-read graphics and various ways to dissect your driving habits. The Eco bars aren't nearly as interesting as the fanciful tree leaves adorning the display of the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, but a driver's eyes should be focused on the road anyway.

The Sonata Hybrid's interior scores big with overall refinement and standard tech, but we observed a few chinks in its armor. The biggest issues are the rubbery steering wheel and shift knob, which makes an otherwise impressive cabin feel like a trip to the Walmart clearance rack. Adding leather to these items the driver touches most again requires the $5,000 Premium Package. Sure, the Ford Fusion Hybrid starts at $28,600 ($2,670 more than the Sonata), but it at least comes standard with a leather steering wheel and shift knob, plus a bunch of standard features that can only be had with Hyundai's Premium package.

The Sonata Hybrid is powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 166 horsepower at 6,000 RPM and 154 pound-feet of torque at 4,250 revs. Like other hybrids on the market, the Sonata Hybrid's 2.4-liter engine runs on the more efficient Atkinson cycle, which closes the intake valve late to provide a shorter compression stroke than traditional Otto cycle engines. But unlike many other hybrids that use an electric continuously variable transmission, Hyundai has opted to mate its powertrain to a more conventional six-speed automatic transmission. You'll hear no arguments here, as the transmission did its job well with a smooth operation and reassuring gear selections during our test.

Additionally, Hyundai didn't go with the cheaper, yet tried-and-tested nickel-metal hydride battery pack. Its engineers decided to start with a clean slate, diving feet-first into newer lithium polymer cells for power storage. The end game is a 1.4 kilowatt-hour battery pack that weighs only 96 pounds. The Blue Motion's electric motor isn't as powerful as those found under the hood of the 2012 Camry Hybrid (141 hp) and Fusion Hybrid (106 hp), but the 30 kilowatt motor still manages to generate 40 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque. Combined horsepower figures are 206 hp for the Sonata Hybrid, 200 hp for the Camry Hybrid and 191 for the Fusion Hybrid.

Numbers and specs can be fun, but real-world driving is where the Hankook Optimo rubber meets the road. And while the Sonata Hybrid's driving dynamics aren't particularly aggressive, this Sonata's hybrid system is. If you take your foot off the gas at most any speed, the engine turns off in a pinch and the regenerative braking system begins to charge the lithium battery. When the go pedal is handled with care and the speed kept under 70 mph, the electric motor and battery can move the car by themselves, thanks in part to an engine clutch that manages the gas engine and electric motor separately. Even better, the throttle doesn't have to be babied like many other hybrids do, giving the driver more time to enjoy gas-free motoring.

In the past, we'd practice a great deal of restraint when driving a hybrid, because trying to achieve the best possible fuel economy can actually be fun. But for us, the novelty of driving a hybrid in this way goes away after a week – just when the fuel economy game starts to become a bore. For that reason, we took pains to experience the Sonata Hybrid as we would any other mid-size sedan.

As a regular four-door, the Sonata Hybrid is plenty easy to live with. Power is strong off the line when needed, and the integrated starter generator goes about the job of switching the engine on and off without any major drama. The system isn't as smooth as the one under the hood of the Fusion Hybrid, but the tradeoff is that the Blue Drive system appears to be more aggressive when cutting off the power whenever it isn't needed.

The EPA tells us that Sonata Hybrid owners can expect fuel economy numbers of 40 mpg highway and 35 mpg in the city. Our experience with the hybrid Hyundai wasn't quite in the range of those numbers, as we managed 33.5 mpg in mixed driving, which falls below the EPA combined rating of 37 mpg. We weren't all that impressed with those results, and we're thinking that most diesel-powered mid-size entries would eclipse a combined score of 33.5 mpg. In fact, our Jetta TDI long-term fleet vehicle routinely averages more than 40 mpg. And although the Fusion Hybrid costs a bit more and relies on older nickel-metal tech, it still delivers better fuel economy numbers of 41 mpg city and 36 mpg highway. The new 2012 Camry Hybrid promises even better fuel economy, with an estimated 39 mpg highway and 43 mpg city. Just as troubling, in our experience, the standard 2.4-liter gas-only Sonata actually tends to return fuel economy figures above its 24/35 EPA numbers, particularly on the highway, so we have to wonder if the standard Sonata isn't the better overall bet when it comes to return-on-investment.

While we were less than impressed with the Sonata Hybrid's fuel thrift, we were pleased with its overall driving dynamics. At 3,578 pounds, the Sonata Hybrid is still light on its feet, with a structurally rigid chassis that doesn't flex at the slightest change of direction. Power delivery is smooth and predictable, with an estimated 0-60 mph time of about nine seconds. The steering is predictably free of hydraulics, yet Hyundai has chosen to dial in a bit more artificial heft than we expected or really want.

The Sonata Hybrid Blue Motion is a solid first foray into the world of mixed propulsion motoring for Hyundai. Would we have liked to see better fuel economy numbers? Absolutely. But there is still something to be said about a hybrid that can deliver good looks, solid fuel economy and a driving experience that isn't fun-free. Not every vehicle in this segment can make such a claim, and none can come within $1,000 of this Hyundai's $25,750 price of entry... at least until the 2012 Camry Hybrid goes on sale starting at $25,900.

2011 VPG Autos MV-1

2011-10-08T16:13:00.003+05:00

A round of applause broke out as Marc Buoniconti, former linebacker for The Citadel, ascended the ramp of the very first VPG Autos MV-1 to roll off the assembly line inside AM General's plant near South Bend, Indiana. Buoniconti was rendered a quadriplegic after a gruesome tackle while playing football for his South Carolina alma mater. That was back in 1985 and Buoniconti has been wheelchair-bound for the past 26 years. Since then, he has gone on to start The Buoniconti Fund, the fundraising arm of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, and been heavily involved in the development of what you see here – the very first purpose-built, OEM-backed vehicle designed specifically to accommodate the needs of the disabled.

The MV-1 is a strange hodgepodge of engineering, but its mission is clear: To offer a mobility solution for the disabled that costs substantially less than aftermarket minivan conversions available today. Right now, VPG says there are some 1.5 million vehicles on the road that have been converted for wheelchair access, all from third-party companies who augment a factory vehicle's chassis and interior at substantial cost. "Aftermarket means afterthought," says Buoniconti, and the team at VPG Autos aims to offer a factory-crafted solution for an otherwise overlooked segment of the automotive landscape.
January of 2009 marked the end of Hummer H2 production at AM General's facility in South Bend, and although the company continues to build and engineer Humvees for military use, the plant was largely unused until VPG Autos stepped in. Now, the facility has the capacity to build approximately 12 MV-1s each day, and soon, production will increase to a 20-unit clip as demand increases.

The key feature of the MV-1 is its easy wheelchair access, and thus, the entire vehicle has been designed around its side door ramp system. That ramp, supplied by ASC, has a 1,200-pound weight capacity (600 pounds more than the Americans with Disabilities Act requires), and is available with a power rollout function on Deluxe (DE) models. The ramp is housed under the floor of the rear passenger compartment and is easily accessible for all types of wheelchairs. The rear doors offer an opening that's 36 inches wide and 56 inches tall, and inside, one wheelchair can be anchored in the front passenger position, while seating for either three or four passengers can be had in the rear. All in, the MV-1 is capable of carrying up to 6,600 pounds.

To support this sort of weight, the MV-1 uses body-on-frame architecture, with a chassis specifically designed for the application. While it's not exactly pretty, the MV-1 radiates purpose, looking like the strange lovechild of a London taxi and GMC Terrain.

As for interior amenities, the MV-1 is essentially a utility van, so you won't find soft-touch dash materials, nicely grained plastics or any optional high-tech gadgetry. Instead, you have a commanding driving position with a comfortable, air-suspended seat situated behind a steering wheel that appears to have been ripped out of a Lincoln MKS. The instrument panel, gauge cluster, audio and HVAC controls are pure Ford E-Series and the simple driver's compartment is elementary yet well-organized.

We had the opportunity to briefly drive the MV-1 on the roads near AM General's facility, and as you can imagine, it behaves like almost any other body-on-frame van we've ever spent time in. Power comes from a Ford-sourced 4.6-liter V8 producing 248 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque that's mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. It seems like ancient technology, yes, but it's cheap to source, cheaper to service and gets the job done. A compressed natural gas version is also available, utilizing two tanks situated under the rear seat and offering a 300-mile cruising range. VPG says that the CNG version will return approximately 13.5 miles per gallon (combined), with the gasoline-powered version netting around 15 mpg.

The MV-1 isn't all that unpleasant to steer, though we imagine the experience is vastly different when it's loaded up full of people. Acceleration is perfectly adequate for a vehicle its size and function, and we found key driving components like the steering and brakes to be tuned for ease of use uber alles. Other key drivability factors like general visibility and suspension tuning are also more than acceptable, and although its body-on-frame architecture does give it a truck-like feeling from behind the wheel, it's smooth enough to offer a comfortable ride for passengers in wheelchairs and seats alike.

Let's be clear, though – the MV-1 does not allow its wheelchair-bound occupants to drive on their own. Some aftermarket companies have created steering column-mounted hand controls to operate the throttle and brakes, but this is not the case with VPG's creation. Instead, its sole purpose is to allow easy access and maneuverability for folks in wheelchairs that will only ride as passengers.

VPG Autos plans to sell the MV-1 through a wide range of existing new car dealerships across the country, and as of this writing, 41 dealers have currently signed on, with another 15 slated to be added in the coming months. The key to spreading the word about the MV-1 will be what the company executives call "discover marketing" – the vehicle will be taken to places like hospitals and rehabilitation centers for people to check out and the company is largely relying on word of mouth within the disabled community to communicate the advantages of the MV-1.

The greatest advantage, however, is the MV-1's price: $39,950 for the base SE and $41,950 for the up-market DE. For comparison's sake, a typical aftermarket conversion costs around $25,000, and when you add that to the cost of a well-equipped minivan like a Dodge Grand Caravan, the price can easily reach $55K or $60K. Even then, going the aftermarket route means you get a vehicle that's been chopped up to accommodate a purpose it was never intended to serve, and VPG Autos includes its own five-year/75,000-mile powertrain warranty. Currently, the MV-1 is already sold out for its first year of production, with initial deliveries taking place as you read this.

"Everything in our lives revolves around transportation," Buoniconti said upon exiting the black MV-1 with VIN #000001 – the vehicle that would soon be delivered to his Florida home. And by offering a mobile solution for tens of thousands of dollars less than an aftermarket upfit job, the folks at VPG, in collaboration with AM General, offer a purpose-built answer to an important question that no other OEM has even been asking.

2011 Hyundai Equus Ultimate

2011-09-13T20:26:00.004+05:00

Our 2011 Hyundai Equus long-termer continues to pile on the miles in the effortless fashion that one expects of a premium sedan. August's main outing was a weeklong stint in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, about 800 miles from Detroit. All-in, the trip accounted for over 2,000 miles, during which the Equus stretched its legs as a capable freeway cruiser and even was pressed into undignified service as a surfboard transport (see above). In case you're wondering, no, an eight-foot rental longboard won't fit in a luxury sedan (not in this or any other we can think of), so you'll be forced to do the shish-ka-windows-and-empty-side-road-creep with the hazard lights on if you don't have any alternatives.

With the exception of a modest bit of track time at Hyundai's Seoul proving grounds in a few prototypes, this was your author's first experience with the Equus. As one might expect, it acquits itself better over-the-road than on the track, delivering a comfortable ride and plush confines in which to while away the miles.

What was surprising for this driver was how much attention our Equus garnered – it's rather innocuously styled, after all. But we hadn't been driving further than our first rest stop when a couple of attractive twenty-something ladies stopped to ask about our car as we got out in the parking lot. "What is it?!" they gushed. "Believe it or not, it's a Hyundai," we answered. Puzzled looks. "Wait... really? Well... it's still really nice, though!" We laughed a little inside and moved on, but their reaction was telling – "It's still really nice, though!" is both a credit to what a pleasant surprise the Equus is for Hyundai, as well as a subtly backhanded ding at the company's "off the radar" standing among many consumers. The same rest area yielded a discussion with a very enthusiastic Genesis sedan owner, and subsequent conversations were held at stoplights with frantic arm-waving Toyota Avalon drivers and more random people in parking lots, including a BMW E60 5 Series owner fed up with his ownership experience. We have to admit, we viewed the Equus as something of a generic knockoff design-wise, but our conversations suggest that the general buying public doesn't feel the same way (or doesn't care).

We do have some nits to pick with our big white whale, however. Others have mentioned this, but it's worth pointing out again – the adjustable lumbar support seems to be in perpetual state of overinflation. No matter how much we tinker with the air bladder controls, it just feels too prominent on our lower backs. It's so uncomfortable that it's led to both your author and Editor-In-Chief Neff to ponder drastic, pin-shaped countermeasures. We wouldn't, of course, but it's still bothersome. The best solution for long-distance comfort seems to be extending the bottom cushion a bit longer than we normally might, as this somehow alleviates the stress.

Otherwise, the interior offers plenty of amenities and creature comforts, though the controls, finishes and design aesthetic lack the same sort of aura of refinement as rivals. Overall, our Equus Ultimate succeeds at feeling like a great value, but stops short of feeling like a great full-size luxury sedan. That's partially due to the interior and partially due to the 4.6-liter Tau V8. Its 385 horsepower and 333 pound-feet of torque certainly aren't anything to sneeze at, but this is 4,600-pound mass of Korean real estate, and it simply feels adequate. Other media outlets have tested the Equus and found 0-60 times in the mid-to-high six-second range, so it's certainly not slow, but the ECU and transmission tuning makes both off-the-line acceleration and highway passing feel more leisurely than we'd expect. More chutzpah isn't far off, thankfully – the 2012 model is widely expected to adopt the 5.0-liter V8 and eight-speed automatic gearbox recently introduced in the updated Genesis sedan.

Despite sustained higher speeds, traversing Pennsylvania's Alleghany mountains, negotiating a dead-stop traffic jam and a lot of pottering along in beach traffic, we averaged a solid 21 miles per gallon, smack in the middle of the 18/22 city/highway mix the EPA predicts. During that stint, we saw sustained freeway running with indicated mpgs in the mid-to-upper 20s without even trying, suggesting that it's likely quite easy to beat the Equus' official fuel economy estimates if you take it easier than we did.

2011 BMW X3 xDrive28i

2011-09-13T20:16:00.004+05:00

Despite enchanting few critics along the way, the all-new 2011 BMW X3 has been helping its German parent clean up on the sales charts.

Like the rest of the premium crossover segment, the X3 has been viewed by some brand diehards as a blatant cash-grab. The starting price might be easy enough to swallow, but start ticking the option boxes and the sticker swells to a size more startling than the first time you heard your mother drop an F-bomb. Despite this, we wanted to see if the 2011 BMW X3 xDrive28i could break through the enthusiast's wall of prejudice. As you'd expect, it's a mixed bag.

The 2011 BMW X3 is roughly the same size as the original X5. The 110.6-inch wheelbase is essentially unchanged, but there's now three more inches of overall length for an even 183 inches from tip-to-tail. The styling uses that new room to stretch, and the dynamically straked profile makes the increase look like at least double that.

Clamping the stubby, original X3 in a taffy pull and giving it a yank leaves the 2011 X3 looking both familiar and like a part of the modern BMW family. The carefully detailed bodywork plays up its conservative image to good effect. The Bangelized original lines have been matured without radical changes.

BMW has also brought the interior of the 2011 BMW X3 up to par with the rest of the range. Like the exterior changes, BMW hasn't gone and reinvented the steering wheel, so the design of the dashboard and door panels does little more than look and feel like a current BMW interior. Materials and fit-and-finish are improvements, though the shifter and spring-loaded blinker stalk are still annoying to use for some. The clean design isn't avant-garde, but it means clear ergonomics, and the eight-way power front seats are fantastically comfortable. Rear seat passengers get a newly liveable area, benefiting the most from the size increase. The latest implementation of iDrive is finely tuned and the standard LCD has crisp graphics, but pales in comparison to the optional 8.8-inch display that's the automotive equivalent of an ostentatious plasma screen.

A benefit of the continued refinement of iDrive is an uncluttered center stack. Our tester was bereft of navigation and the larger screen, so its limited iDrive feature set was particularly easy to navigate. Analog gauges are clear, there are real cupholders and the Sand Beige leather and warm-toned Fineline Sienna wood trim created an inviting atmosphere, especially when paired with the big, airy panoramic moonroof – worth every bit of its $1,350 price tag. Visibility in all directions is not hindered by gigantic pillars and the elevated crossover seating position makes for confidence-bolstering sightlines, too.

The naturally aspirated inline six-cylinder engine in the X3 xDrive28i is one of the most celebrated engines in the BMW family, even if it is facing internal competition from BMW's new twin-turbocharged 2.0-liter four. Engineering skill is shown off with a composite block of magnesium alloy for light weight, a valvetrain twiddled by Valvetronic and Double VANOS systems that do away with a throttle plate, and other slick, efficiency-boosting technology like Brake-Energy Regeneration. All the whiz-bang results in 240 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque from 3.0 liters, but the issue at hand is how this engine and its attendant eight-speed automatic transmission behave out on the road.

Peak torque plateaus between 2,750 and 4,000 RPM, and the eight-speed transmission does its best to keep the engine in the lip-smackingest meat of the powerband, but not even BMW can overcome the fact that the X3 weighs 4,100 pounds. That's about the same as the original X3, so kudos for keeping weight in check, but it's a heavy load for the available torque to cope with, wide powerband and cornucopia of gear ratios aside.

Ride and handling aims for the storied BMW smooth-and-responsive target but winds up shy of the bullseye. Occasional traces of harshness shake and stir occupants – a trait not likely improved by the Sport Activity Package (X-Line exterior trim, front fascia insert, aluminum satin roof rails, Sports steering wheel, sport seats) and its 18-inch V-Spoke wheels with all-season run-flat tires. At least the package looks spiffy and puts a nice steering wheel in your hands.

Most annoyingly, throttle tip-in is noticeably sluggish. More than once after nosing the X3 out to snag a gap in quick traffic, we found ourselves with an indecisive vehicle and angry oncomings. The throttle doesn't just choke during clutch plays, either – the initial deadness was constantly infuriating. The situation is compounded by the whims of the eight-speed gearbox, which tries to cycle through its cogs too often. We've experienced this same ZF transmission in many other cars – indeed, in many other BMWs – and we don't recall it being so indecisive.

The X3 has gained access to the BMW bag of technowizard tricks through its redesign, and there may be some alchemy in there to improve responsiveness. Dynamic Damping Control adds buttons to the center console that give you the choice of Normal, Sport or Sport + modes. Selecting one of the sport options makes the throttle response more immediate, stiffens the suspension and adjusts the transmission shift points. Variable-ratio steering is another enhancement our X3 didn't have. The standard electromechanical power steering system strives for both efficiency and feel and just achieves the former. By doing its best to avoid using any boost to reduce engine drag, the system unfortunately erases most of the feedback for the driver, too.

But out-and-out driving enthusiasts aren't who the X3 has been created for, even though the XDrive all-wheel-drive system defaults to a rear-drive bias and the available Dynamic Handling Package includes Performance Control, which keeps the torque split rear-drive oriented. This is a vehicle made to appeal to buyers looking for technology, cachet and premium detailing. With that in mind, the details have been sweated, going so far as to include little treats like lighting in the door handles. The interior has an array of storage cubbies and there's a cargo-rail system in back, too. Think of the 2011 BMW X3 as a 3-Series wagon for the non-wagon buyer and you'll have it right. The X3 cedes territory dynamically to be a Sport Activity Vehicle – BMW-ese for "crossover" – but that doesn't seem to bother buyers.

That's good, because the price can scorch. Our test X3 hit the checkout line with a $45,725 price tag with plenty of room to go if you want to drop bigger cash on a smallish vehicle. The model's $36,750 base price is lower than the outgoing 2010 X3 xDrive30i, last year's only model, but it swelled by adding the $3,450 Premium Package, Cold Weather Package for $1,150, and Sport Activity Package for another $1,550. We were enamored with the head-up display that added another $1,300 to the bottom line, but start throwing in the other available goodies like the M Sport, Dynamic Handling and Technology Packages, and you're well into X5 xDrive30i territory. As it is, our little X3 wasn't far from the $47,000-and-change base price of an X5.

Despite its driveline foibles, the 2011 BMW X3 feels like it belongs in the current family of BMW products, and it has the styling and available equipment to attract buyers' attention. The Audi Q5 puts up a particularly good fight to the newfound charms in the X3, and, to a lesser degree, so does a Mercedes-Benz GLK. There are lots of options for your thousands of dollars, but at least now there's a proper modern BMW available in this class.

Fisker Surf shooting brake wows Frankfurt Show

2011-09-13T20:02:00.002+05:00

Ahead of its official unveiling at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Fisker Automotive bosses had us up to a studio in Munich for a thorough advance viewing and info download on their second model, a shooting brake called Surf.

The first words out of our mouth was, "The shape is a bit like a Ferrari FF." First thing out of their mouth – as though they were utterly perched to form the words, too – "But with four doors!" Henrik Fisker and COO Bernhard Koehler much prefer hearkening back to the 1970s iconic Lamborghini Espada when talking about the Surf's inspiration.

The Surf is the second model from the Fisker design pool, and it is so-named partly because a Fisker owner can now load a surfboard either in or on it. This joins the Karma sedan on the production line at Valmet Automotive in Finland, and should be ready for deliveries worldwide by July 2012.

The Surf shooting brake could well be called the Fisker Karma station wagon since its main objective is to respond to the ridiculously skimpy trunk on the sedan, which measures an adorable 7.1 cubic feet – less than the total storage room in a Ferrari 458 Italia. The expandable room in back now measures anywhere from 12.7 to 29.0 cubes. Hardly cause for a group "Wow!," but certainly a handy improvement.

Aside from the added carriage work and its space afforded, overall weight on the Surf versus the Karma increases by just 77 pounds, putting it in the 4,400-pound neighborhood. Work is reportedly underway for creating a custom set of luggage that best makes use of those awkwardly meted out cubic feet.

The entire powertrain, chassis, and interior execution of the Surf are identical to the Karma sedan, with the only major cabin change being the additional room in back for a couple of adults. We had a six-foot colleague get situated comfortably in the driver's seat while we sat our 5'11" body in the rear seat. Memories of the Aston Martin Rapide's "rear-passenger capsule" sensation came up, but the only insufficiency really is foot room beneath the front squabs. Fisker could have done a better job there. The 1.2 inches of added rear headroom work well for those of us up to six feet in height.

Whereas the exterior rear roof-mounted solar panel on the Karma is a 120-watt gathering unit, the available panel for the Surf is a 133-watt unit. The sturdy black plastic grille insert is a new look, as are the very sharp new 22-inch standard wheels. Fisker is currently working with an outside supplier to create an easy roof rack system to slide into the standard aluminum roof rails.

When we last drove a Fisker Karma, we were critical of the sound that entered the cabin via the footwells whenever the 255-horsepower GM Ecotec turbocharged and direct-injected 2.0-liter four-cylinder chimed in to extend the range of the 315-cell lithium ion battery pack in Sport mode. Fisker tells us that the silencers have since been swapped out to create a more appropriate $100,000-plus premium noise. We're hoping that this is true. In the meantime, the awesome "signature Fisker external sound" gently fills the eardrums in Stealth mode as on the Karma.

Fisker Automotive tells us that pre-orders remain at just above 3,000, which is where they reportedly stood back when we drove the Karma dynamic prototype in February of this year. "Those initial enthusiasts," says Koehler, "are still with us and first deliveries have happened in the U.S. We have then a list of thousands more who are simply in the 'wait and see' mode and have the firm intent of buying once they hear first-hand feedback from the first customers."

Designer and CEO Fisker also tells that the Surf should do particularly well in Europe, a continent renowned for its addiction to larger premium wagons. Fisker hopes to sell 3,500 Surf models per year, rather ambitious for a shooting brake.

Pricing is set to reflect a slight premium over the $95,900 to $108,900 range of the Karma, but no exact Surf numbers have been announced yet. They did blurt out, however, "It'll be like the FF but with four doors and at one-third the price."

2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI

2011-08-31T16:56:00.002+05:00

We've given Volkswagen a fair amount of flack for the 2011 Jetta – and justifiably so. All the things we held dear in previous generations – high-end materials, solid driving dynamics and that general sense of premium the Germans do so well – were all nixed in the name of market share.

But as we suspected, it's working. Jetta sales in the U.S. are up 74 percent over last year as consumers view the redesigned, cut-priced sedan as an upmarket contender to the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and Chevrolet Cruze. And honestly, more power to them.

What we've really been waiting for is this, the 2012 Jetta GLI. Packing VW's ubiquitous turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, a six-speed manual or optional DSG and an independent rear suspension, the GLI is here to assuage enthusiasts' fears that VW has lost the plot in its relentless pursuit of global market dominance. Just as Porsche hasn't given up on sports cars as it expands into un-Porsche-like segments, neither has VW in its efforts to appeal to more people. But unlike Ferdinand's second child, we still have the nagging sense that Volkswagen is leaving something on the table – despite the GLI's potential on paper.

From 40 yards out, it's hard to tell the GLI apart from a standard Jetta. Get closer and even the deeper front spoiler, honeycomb grille and vertical fog lamps pulled from the GTI do little to convey the same racy presence of its hot hatch stablemate. The standard 10-spoke, 17-inch wheels even look a little dinky in their wheel wells, despite the red brake calipers. Thankfully, an optional set of 18-inch, split five-spoke rollers (pictured below) up the aesthetic game and come coated in 225/40 R18 Dunlop SP Sport 01 AS rubber that makes for a worthy upgrade over the standard 225/45 R17 all-season Continental ContiProContacts.

The Jetta's tune changes on the inside. And to excellent effect.

Behold, a soft-touch dash; convincing aluminum trim on the dash and flat-bottom, leather-wrapped wheel; bolstered seats coated in optional V-Tex leatherette; and contrast red stitching abound. It's all a massive improvement over the bargain-basement interior we've endured in our Jetta TDI long-termer, although the GLI's plastics go from high-class to low-brow as soon as your hand ventures south (perhaps to be expected considering its plebeian roots).

But why this endless discussion of interior materials? Here's a prime example: Volkswagen is introducing its Fender Premium Audio System into the Jetta lineup for 2012. It's solid, with crisp highs and a punchy low-end when equipped in the GLI Autobahn ($25,545) and Autobahn with Navigation ($26,445) models. Forget for a moment the ironic reason why rockers started using Fender amps to begin with – artful distortion – and let's focus on the lows. When the kick drum popped at a volume level over 15 in our tester, there was a subtle rattling from the passenger-side door. A few minutes of feeling around and we finally found the culprit. The map pocket is made of low-grade plastic and the vibration from the bass rattled the cubby against the cover. Not cool, but a perfect case-in-point about why we harp on discount materials.

But this isn't a story about a reworked interior on a $23,495 Jetta (although it could be). This is about how the GLI holds up as a GTI sans-hatch. And to that end, it's exactly what you'd expect.

Power from the 2.0T is unchanged for sedan duty, with 200 horsepower coming on at 5,100 rpm and peak torque – 207 pound-feet – flowing from 1,700 rpm and up. We spent about 20 minutes in the DSG model (+ $1,100) and found it... fine. But as per usual (particularly in this segment), the manual is the driver's choice – even in start-and-stop traffic.

Clutch take-up is on the high and light side, so puttering around town doesn't require a Tour de France-honed left leg. The shifter standard VW fare, with an enlarged knob and slightly long throws providing a choice of six forward ratios. Braking is handled by 12.3-inch vented front discs and 10.7-inch solid rear rotors, all of which add up to a predictable, linear pedal feel that only began to fade after two particularly torturous runs through the Virginia hills outside VW's North American headquarters.

While the 2.0T continues to gain accolades for its linearity and tunability, VW's tried-and-true turbocharged four-pot is starting to show its age, despite a recent reworking. Two hundred horsepower was plenty for a front-driver in 2005, but consider that the Kia Optima Turbo, BMW's new turbocharged four and – hell – even the old Cobalt SS all make more ponies with the same displacement, and the GLI can't help but feel somewhat ill-equipped for the modern age, even if it gets the job done nicely. We still managed some wheelspin in second gear when planting our right foot and you can hit 80 mph in third gear if you're so inclined, but there's not much happening on the far side of the tach, despite peak horsepower arriving further along in the rev range.

The other added benefit of swapping the GTI's drivetrain directly into the Jetta is the inclusion of the XDS cross differential that's engineered to reduce torque – and thus, wheelspin – to the inside wheel through a corner. As with the GTI, the ABS-based system works, but constant flogging means brake fade comes on stronger than in something with a mechanical torque-vectoring diff. We also experienced momentary traction control engagement with the left front loaded and the right coming over a crest. That's more a product of an uneven (and likely untested) surface than an engineering fault, but considering there's no off switch for the traction control, it's worth noting.

The other core driver bits, specifically the electrically assisted steering, 15mm lower ride height and bolstered seats, are more tuned to around-town runs and freeway cruising than all-out tarmac assaults. Feel from the wheel is above-average, if not overly communicative, and the seats do their best to hold you in place, unless your personal curb weight is on the malnourished side. On the topic of tonnage, the GLI with the six-speed manual comes in at 3,124 pounds, with the DSG-equipped model slipping in just over 3,150 pounds. Compared to the GTI organ donor (three-door manual at 3,034 pounds and up to 3,160 pounds for the five-door automatic), the weight increase is negligible.

Driving the GTI and GLI back-to-back, the suspension work performed on the Jetta combined with the extra 2.9 inches of wheelbase (101.5 vs. 104.4, respectively), made the GLI the more comfortable cruiser – but at the expense of engagement. The extra weight over the rear provided by the GTI's hatch and the shorter space between the wheels made it noticeably more chuckable, with the rear rotating ever-so-slightly and allowing the front to tuck in quicker when adjusting the throttle mid-corner. The seating position – admirable in the GLI – was exceptional in the GTI, and considering the added utility of the hatch and the nominal penalty rear seat passengers pay in the legroom department (35.5 inches for the GTI and 38.1 inches for the Jetta), only regular people-schleppers and hatch-haters would be better served with the sedan.

What we're left with is an overall impression that Volkswagen has made the 2012 Jetta GLI for people who just want more. More power, more flash, more amenities and an interior that doesn't make you retch. In that, they've succeeded. But what VW hasn't made is a real sports sedan. For those people, the Golf R – despite its hatchback – is the what they're after.

Yet for the masses, the Jetta GLI fits the bill. Like the standard Jetta before it, the GLI seems to leave some of what we appreciate on the table, but in exchange nets a total package that's more endearing to the average buyer. While the GLI is closer to what we want than the standard Jetta, it's still at least 20 horses and a stiffer suspension short of ideal. And what bothers us more than anything is that we know VW can deliver it.

Audi A7 3.0T takes on the Mercedes-Benz CLS550

2011-08-30T12:05:00.002+05:00

"This car has an identity crisis. The aggressive exterior, brash exhaust note and firm ride say 'sport,' but the interior screams 'grandma!'"

The decision was made to review these "four-door coupes" not only from the driver's perspective, but from all four seating positions.

Strong words, especially when they originate from a stranger named Stephen sitting in the back seat of the $80,995 Mercedes-Benz some 80 miles from where we picked him up. The 31-year-old real estate broker and five other industry outsiders were invited to spend the day with Autoblog to help us compare the 2012 Audi A7 3.0T to the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS550.

These two vehicles have met head-to-head before, but not on these pages. To make things a bit more interesting, the decision was made to review these "four-door coupes" not only from the driver's perspective, but from all four seating positions. The unique comparison would require each of the vehicles to carry 700-plus pounds of passengers comfortably from the flatlands of the hot LA Basin up to the cool mile-high elevations of Big Bear Lake and back. The winner would be determined by a simple vote.

As this task called for six warm bodies willing to be chauffeured 160 miles over a long afternoon, Autoblog's Facebook page was enlisted to recruit. Within 24 hours, we had our six smiling volunteers fingered.
Our randomly chosen readers ranged in age from 22 to 35, and in occupation from a college student to a working professional environmental scientist. There were five men and one woman, each with a strong automotive passion and a willingness to hang with us for nearly six hours in exchange for some ice-cold bottled water and a free hot lunch. Our players:

· Alex, a 22-year-old student
· Erick, a 26-year-old graphic designer
· Ian, a 27-year-old information technology expert
· Lisa, a 35-year-old product specialist for an automotive manufacturer
· Manjul, a 32-year-old environmental scientist
· Stephen, a 31-year-old real estate broker

Fellow Autoblog scribe Jeff Glucker and I would be tasked with driving. The plan was to break into two groups of four that would each stick together for the duration of the review. We'd pull over every 30 minutes or so and everyone would swap vehicles - think of it as a modified Chinese fire drill, but with two cars.

To vary the driving environment as much as possible, everyone met at an In-N-Out Burger in Glendora (elevation 774 feet) at the foothills of the Angeles National Forest. Our route would take us across the LA Basin on freeways to the foothills of the San Bernardino National Forest. At that point, we would climb up the mountain to Big Bear Lake (elevation 6,750 feet), take in the scenery and eat lunch. Our return trip would trace our steps in reverse. Mother Nature had her own agenda, but more on that in a moment.

The Mercedes-Benz CLS550 is the veteran in this comparison. Credited with starting this whole "four-door coupe" segment back in 2004 when it was a knocked-off the W211 E-Class platform, the second-generation four-door (it has a conventional trunk) shares underpinnings and engine choices with the latest W212 E-Class. Sleekly styled with an aggressive facade, the four-passenger CLS550 is fitted with bright LED lamps at all four corners. It looks as modern as a Boeing 787 Dreamliner when it flies by. Under its hood is a new direct-injected twin-turbocharged 4.7-liter V8 rated at 402 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a wet seven-speed automatic with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters for manual control. The suspension is independent at all four corners, with cockpit-adjustable air springs. Completing its performance package are four-piston brakes in the nose and single-piston units out back, all clamping down on cross-drilled rotors to slow down a set of staggered 19-inch wheels and Pirelli P Zero tires (255/35-19 up front and 285/30-19 in the rear).

The Audi A7 3.0T is the fresh new face in this pair up. Internally designated Type 4G, the first-generation five-door (it has a large rear hatchback) was introduced less than a year ago to worldwide acclaim. Sharing underpinnings with the MLB-based (Modularer Längsbaukasten) A6, the four-passenger A7 is even more beautiful in person than it looks in any picture. Under the aluminum hood is a direct-injected supercharged 3.0-liter V6 rated at 310 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque (ignore the odd "3.0T" nomenclature because this engine is not turbocharged). Power is sent to the automaker's Quattro all-wheel-drive system through a wet eight-speed automatic with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. An independent multi-link suspension, with fixed sport dampers, controls body movement and unnecessary roll. The brakes are four single-piston calipers actuating on ventilated rotors inside optional 20-inch wheels. The square tire setup puts the same size Yokohama Advan Sport (265/35-20) at each corner.

The price advantage goes to the Audi. Its base MSRP of $59,250 was bumped up with a Premium Plus and Sport package adding the navigation and 20-inch wheels, among other things. The A7's bottom line was $66,220 including destination. The Mercedes started with a base MSRP of $71,300. It was fitted with options including the P01 package, 19-inch alloys, active driver seat, rear side airbags, split-folding rear seats, parking assist, lane keeping assist, blind spot assist and a wood/leather steering wheel. The must-have equipment bumped the sticker price to $80,995 including destination.

We decided early in the game that the price difference, while large, wasn't significant enough to detract a buyer from either model – if you've got the means to spend $66,000 on a car, bumping up to $80,000 probably isn't too much of a stretch. (On a more grounded note, consider the percentage equates to the same dollar gap between a mid-grade Kia Soul Plus and a well-equipped Soul Exclaim.)

These German automakers have each taken slightly different approaches to the rear accommodations in their four-passenger coupes.

The Audi's two front seats are identical to each other. Easy to slide onto, they are slightly bolstered with shallow bottom cushions that are surprisingly soft. The Mercedes-Benz, on the other hand, has an upgraded driver's seat with active bolstering and massage features (the front passengers make due with a standard 14-way power seat). While nobody complained about comfort in the front seats of the A7, switching quickly to the front seats of the CLS550 was a wake-up call. "I thought the Audi was comfortable. The seat isn't overly bolstered, the leather is soft and I can adjust it to my exact liking. Moving into the CLS550, however, is like trading a water bed for a Tempur-Pedic. Sure, the active bolsters get tiring after time, but turn them off and hit the massage switch and all is forgotten. After I got out of the CLS, I felt guilty for not tipping," said Autoblog Editor Jeff Glucker. "CLS seats were amazing," added Ian.

Our volunteers had a lot to say about the rear seats, mainly because they spent a lot of time back there. They particularly pointed out how the sharply sloped roofs and jutting seat bolsters made ingress/egress difficult. The CLS550, the most dramatically styled of the two, was singled-out first. "I had trouble getting in and out of the Mercedes... I hit my head twice. I had no such problems with the Audi," noted Manjul. Alex took the words out of most everyone's mouth when he stated, "It took something of a conscious effort not to bump my head every time I got in or out of the car." His comments seemed not only directed at both of the test vehicles but all four-door coupes on the market today.

The Mercedes-Benz CLS550 is noted for its wood/leather steering wheel and a full rear storage console

The Audi A7 features exposed grain wood trim and an open compartment between the rear seats

The center rear seat in the Audi has been replaced by a hard and rather useless storage compartment - but someone theoretically could sit on it (without a seatbelt) in an ill-advised pinch. On the other hand, the rear seat of the Mercedes is fitted with a more extravagant full center console. Not everyone was impressed. "I didn't like that the center console in the Mercedes took away any possibility of a fifth passenger, even if it would only be a child. It went all the way to the floor dividing the entire back seat in half," noted Lisa.

Motor Trend recently tested these identical vehicles and clocked the Mercedes-Benz CLS550 to 60 mph in a blistering 4.3 seconds. The Audi A7 3.0T also performed unexpectedly strongly, busting through the same acceleration benchmark in just 4.7 seconds (while noting most other A7's do it in 5.3 seconds). However, that was with one test driver on board. Our test cars were not only topped-off with fuel but we were flying with a full cabin, as they say in the airlines.

Seated in the CLS, I set the transmission to Sport mode for a first-gear start and floored the accelerator. The twin-turbo V8 under the hood of the Mercedes seemed only slightly annoyed with the added mass as it pulled strongly off the line and forced all four of our heads against the leather restraints. The Audi was a bit more taxed and burdened with the heavy passenger load, but its smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic kept it in the race several car lengths back as Jeff floored it up the onramp in pursuit.

Both vehicles were very competent highway cruisers, but far from flawless. The CLS has both Sport and Comfort suspension settings. I preferred Comfort for nearly all conditions, finding Sport simply too harsh. My passengers, watching the radar detector bounce violently on its mount while in Sport, agreed. The A7 has Dynamic and Comfort modes for its suspension, but the differences are very subtle – since nobody had brought along a seismograph we were left stumped by the difference.

The CLS550's twin-turbo V8 produces 402 horsepower and 443 lb-ft torque

The A7's supercharged V6 produces 310 horsepower and 325 lb-ft torque

Road noise is an issue in both vehicles. Huge tires be damned, as the summer compound slaps down on the grooved pavement reverberating through the passenger compartments of both vehicles. "I was really surprised by how much road noise was transmitted into the cabin of a car costing this much. I drive a 2003 Subaru with a loud exhaust, so my standard for peace and quiet is pitifully low. Our car was equipped with 20-inch wheels and summer rubber, so I'm sure that explains some of it... but still," Stephen sighed, while riding in the Mercedes.

Yet there are plenty of distractions to keep tire noise at the back of your mind. All occupants, including your Autoblog editors, agreed that the Audi took all the honors when the subject was on-board navigation and infotainment. It was impossible for the CLS550's seven-inch fixed display to compete with the A7's slightly smaller, but Internet-enabled, pop-up display in terms of graphics and content delivery. With its own T-Mobile data plan, Audi has not only integrated real-time Google Maps and search features into its system, but it has the capability to deliver WiFi to eight devices within the vehicle simultaneously. Everyone found the Audi's MMI interface more self-explanatory and appealing when compare to the COMAND system on the Mercedes. "Audi is much more stylish, and the infotainment interface is more user-friendly," said Lisa rather succinctly.

"I was blown away by the A7's navigation unit. The trick pop-out screen was cool, if a little gimmicky. Its integration with Google Maps was very well done, especially the topography. It also displays the posted speed limit, if you are into that sort of thing," commented Alex. "The first thing I did when getting in the back seat was hook up my iPhone to the A7's WiFi signal. In my opinion, the navigation system in Mercedes has always lagged behind. As someone who is into the latest-and-greatest in the tech world, this is a deal-breaker," mustered Lisa. "The A7 is akin to driving around with a portable Genius Bar plucked from an Apple store," said Editor Glucker, who didn't hold his punches. "Staring at the radio of the Benz reminds me of a dusty HAM radio. The map displayed by the Benz would have been great if navigation came standard on a 1989 560 SE. Meanwhile, we're not looking at a map in the Audi... we are looking at the actual earth, courtesy of Google."

The Mercedes COMAND multimedia system falls short on innovative technology, but it is easier to use

Audi's MMI is Google-enabled and broadcasts WiFi thanks to the vehicle's own 3G connection

After 30 minutes of near-straight freeway driving at speeds of about 75 mph, it was time to head into the mountains. The weather went from sunny and hot, to wet and cool.

Steady rain, and a long chain of weekend traffic heading up the hill, kept our speeds low as we followed the mountain's contour climbing towards the lake. Realizing hydrated passengers are happy passengers, I had brought along a cooler full of ice and 16.9-ounce water bottles. While the insulated chest was strapped tightly into the trunk of the Mercedes with tie-downs, the passengers were forced to find places to store their bottles. The cup holders worked well up front, but passengers in the rear did a lot of grumbling. The average-sized cup holders held firmly in the Audi, but gave most everyone headaches in the Mercedes. "As for the cup holders on the CLS550, the test bottles did not fit. Even on the highway at speed, a slight change in direction basically made them fall out. I ended up putting the test bottles in at an angle to hold them. Audi's bottles held up going up the canyon roads and never did move. It's a better designed cup holder. The Audi had a spring loaded clip that would close to the minimum position and would spring out to fit larger cups, kinda like fingers holding a cup," noted Manjul.

Jeff and I noticed that the Audi's standard Quattro all-wheel drive made a difference in the rain. Not as much on the high speed sweepers as it did around town - most obvious when launching from a standstill. The muscular Mercedes would just start to spin a rear wheel off the line before its traction control would immediately kill the fun, making for some "oh-crap" moments when pulling into traffic. The Audi, on the other hand, was able to manage its grip and put the power down even on wet pine needles. (The just-launched CLS550 4Matic, with permanent all-wheel drive, would have been an equalizer under these conditions, though more expensive still.)

After lunch, the clouds cracked open and rays of sun dried the road. It was the opportunity for Jeff and me to push the cars a bit harder. The CLS550 was the muscle car, delivering effortless thrust accompanied by an exhaust note that put smiles on everyone's face. The A7, on the other hand, was challenged to keep up and its exhaust note muted. "The A7 sounds pretty good when you rev it, but nothing like the Benz. The relative lack of exhaust tone in the Audi isn't a strike against the car itself - it wouldn't dissuade me from buying one - but it doesn't stack up to the music that was coming from the CLS engine," said Alex. "The CLS exhaust from the back seat is perfect," Ian agreed.

At altitude, and with all seats occupied by adults, the A7 was working hard. Stuck behind a slow car, but with a clear passing zone, the supercharged 3.0-liter didn't give me enough confidence to try the pass - the CLS550 would have taken it with ease. The engine in the Mercedes was strong, but I did find frustration with its seven-speed automatic transmission as it seemed more likely to unnecessarily hunt for gears. This was most apparent when compared back-to-back against the smooth eight-speed automatic in the Audi.

Editor Glucker was just as impressed with the performance of the Benz. "It's hard to argue with the 4.7-liter mill mounted under the hood of the CLS550. In fact, you don't want to try and talk over it, because it's more enjoyable just to listen to it. Mean and low, the Mercedes rumbles like a tough guy in a tux. It pulls hard through the majority of the rev range. Audi's powerplant is a totally different animal, yet it is one that fights above its weight class. There is no supercharger whine, or grumbling exhaust note to speak of, but there is a wonderful application of power. Down 92 horses to the mighty Mercedes, the Audi somehow manages to feel nearly as quick. The quattro all-wheel-drive system certainly plays a major role, but I'm still a bit flabbergasted that a car this heavy manages to get along so well with just 310 horsepower."

The passengers relegated to the back seats, and getting tossed around like rag dolls in the process, preferred to ride out the twisty sections in the Audi. "On top of the mountain, the [CLS's] air suspension in the rear was constantly correcting for the car into the turns. I could hear it and while it wasn't bad the fact is that it felt like the sinking Titanic. Go into a fast left-handed turn, the car would sink on the right and then bounce up a bit to stabilize the rear. That's what made me seasick. The Audi did not have that feeling," said a woozy Manjul. He wasn't alone in his queasiness, as Erick agreed with him, "I noticed that sitting in the back of the Mercedes made me feel a little nauseous compared to sitting in the front... sitting in the back was very bouncy for me."

Reaching the base of the hill meant another 30-minute trek on flat 70 mph freeways. Not only did it give Manjul's stomach a chance to settle, but it allowed everyone time to think and compose their thoughts about each vehicle before we arrived back at our familiar In-N-Out parking lot.

A quick check of the trip computers revealed 152 fresh miles on the odometer. The Mercedes-Benz CLS550 returned 20.5 mpg calculated by its trip computer (against an EPA fuel economy rating of 17/25). The Audi A7 3.0T delivered 21.6 mpg over the identical route (against an EPA rating of 18/28). Everyone considered both figures very impressive when the payload, driving route and power output of each engine was factored in. The fuel economy numbers were also further proof that the Mercedes wasn't working nearly as hard as the Audi.

Our chauffeured volunteers, who spent five long hours without ever touching an accelerator pedal, were split four-to-two on their favorite. Lisa, Manjul, Stephen and Erick preferring the A7, while Ian and Alex - two of our younger guests - chose the CLS550.

Bold analog gauges and a prominent start button are features of the Mercedes-Benz CLS550 interior

Impeccible detail, rich materials and a traditional shifter highlight the Audi A7's interior

Stephen, who was in the Audi camp, couldn't look past the CLS550's styling, both inside and out. "The interior of a car sets the tone in which it's driven. In this case, we've got a whole lot of contradiction. The exterior styling advertises this as a car for the moneyed life of the party and the exhaust note will put your stoplight neighbors on notice. Sadly, the cabin makes it nearly impossible to fulfill either of those prophecies. I cannot imagine sitting in the driver's seat and pushing that car hard. Such a lack of cohesion and display of disorder isn't just surprising in a German car, it's practically shocking."

Ian, who was on team Mercedes, had a contradictory view. "I enjoyed the Benz in almost every way over the Audi. I thought the seats were more comfortable and had more options, the ride when needed felt sportier, and when not needed felt more plush and subdued. The engine, while recognizing the Audi was down on horsepower, just felt stronger and more linear in the Benz. The Audi's only redeeming factor in my mind was its GPS."

The two Autoblog drivers, tasked with preserving life and limb of the valuable cargo, were also split. Jeff liked the A7, while I was mesmerized by the CLS550.

"On paper, the Mercedes-Benz CLS550 is a clear winner," said Jeff. "More power, rear-wheel-drive dynamics and the world-class luxury that comes with a big Benz. But this fight is Rocky verses Apollo Creed. Despite the power difference, the Audi managed to keep up on our canyon jaunts. The A7 is an absolute stunner in the exterior styling department and the interior gadgetry should make a Benz owner throw up for spending so much more. I also feel Mercedes should give up the copycat LED daytime running lights because Audi has clearly perfected them. If I were in the market for a four-passenger luxury sports sedan in this price range (let's quit calling them coupes), I would certainly consider both of these cars. Then I would take my first sip of coffee, buy the Audi, a new set of golf clubs, some aftermarket wheels, and put the rest of my cash into a high-yield mutual fund."

The Audi is undeniably sexy and its technology cutting-edge, but your author finds it impossible to overlook the twin-turbocharged 4.7-liter under the hood of the Mercedes. Mountains of torque rocket the four-door off the line with a squeal and it doesn't seem to ever run out of steam. While I am a tech-geek, the callous rumble of a refined V8 combined with hip-hugging seats and a thick steering wheel made me forget all about the Audi's Google-infused navigation system and eye-candy display. Sure, the Audi was quick in the corners, but the Mercedes is so much more fun to drive. If offered the choice, I'd grab the key fob to the CLS550 faster than you can say "managed collective investment," point the three-pointed star towards Vegas and go hang with the high rollers.

In the end, five votes went to the Audi A7 3.0T while the remaining three votes fell on the Mercedes CLS550 – the A7 owned the win.

The Audi's victory is surprising, but not completely unexpected. Many of us in the driver's seat automatically assume horsepower and a well-sorted chassis will dominate a comparison. This time, with all seating positions contributing a ballot, it was innovative technology and ride comfort that hoisted the leader to the podium.

Battle of the Four-Dour Coupes

The Audi A7 is simply gorgeous, both inside and out. Toss in a very competent supercharged V6 and the all-weather capability of Quattro all-wheel drive and the stunning four-door just may be one of the world's finest all-around vehicles. While down on horsepower, the A7 captured the win thanks to its passenger-friendly cabin and innovative technology - qualities that matter to all occupants, not just the driver.

The Mercedes-Benz CLS550 established the four-door coupe segment, so it finds itself in a defensive position against the newcomers who take carefully aimed shots at the veteran. The CLS550 is a driver's car, from the throaty V8 and rear-wheel drive powertrain to the cross-drilled multi-piston brakes. Those excellent attributes, however, don't change the outlook to those left staring out the window from the rear seats.

2012 Ford Explorer EcoBoost

2011-08-30T12:00:00.002+05:00

Ford is no stranger to convincing buyers to embrace smaller displacement, forced-induction engines over their larger, naturally-aspirated counterparts. A little less than a year ago, skeptics wondered whether typically change-averse full-size truck consumers would be willing to swap their tried-and-true V8 for the turbocharged V6 EcoBoost engine now available in the F-150. According to Ford, that question has been answered – fully 41 percent of its half-ton pickups are rolling out the door with a forced-induction six-cylinder under the hood.

There's no great mystery behind the trend. As fuel prices have inched their way upward, vehicle shoppers have begun to count efficiency among the biggest factors that influence their final decision. According to Ford, a whopping 35 percent of Explorer buyers count the vehicle's fuel efficiency as the biggest reason behind their purchase.

Now the Dearborn-based automaker is hoping to repeat the success of the F-150 with the Explorer, and its smaller stablemate, the Edge, by welcoming a new, smaller engine to the EcoBoost family: a 2.0-liter turbocharged direct-injected inline four-cylinder. This engine boasts more torque and greater fuel efficiency than the standard 3.5-liter V6, but gives up a few horses and will cost shoppers an additional $995 when it hits dealers.

Externally, it takes a sharp eye to pick out the Explorer EcoBoost from its V6 brethren. Newly designed side mirrors and subtle badge work on the rear hatch are the only real indicators that set the model apart from the rest of the flock, though extensive aerodynamic work has been hidden behind the front fascia to increase the vehicle's efficiency. That includes active aero shutters behind the front grille that automatically close at a certain speeds to reduce drag. Ford doesn't recommend using the EcoBoost-equipped Explorer for any serious towing. Max capacity is rated at 2,000 pounds, which means spotters aren't likely to see a hitch dangling from the rear of the vehicle, either.

The story is much the same indoors. There is no differentiation between the cabins of EcoBoost and naturally-aspirated models. Ford even averted the easy trap of splaying the dash, floor mats and steering wheel with the EcoBoost logo. It's all clean and very familiar, right down to the MyFord Touch system. If you weren't a fan of the tech integration before, odds are you won't find anything to smile about in its presence here, though Ford is quick to remind its detractors that the system enjoys a staggering 90 percent take rate on the Explorer. We have a sneaking suspicion that fact may have as much to do with how the vehicle's option packages are arranged than any real affinity for the color-coded touch screen interface, however.

Whereas the vehicle's exterior and interior have remained untouched, the engine bay has received a substantial overhaul. Ford has managed to pull an impressive 240 horsepower from the turbocharged inline four-cylinder at 5,500 rpm and an even headier 270 pound-feet of torque at a substantially lower 3,000 rpm. Those figures fall 50 ponies shy of the standard 3.5-liter V6, but eclipse the larger displacement six-cylinder's torque figures by 15 lb-ft. Both engines are coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission, but Ford says that the 2.0-liter EcoBoost can return an EPA-rated 20 mpg city and 28 mpg highway, an improvement of three miles per gallon in both city and highway driving over the base vehicle.

Part of that increase in fuel efficiency is due to a slight reduction in weight. With two fewer cylinders aboard, the 2.0-liter EcoBoost weighs around 80 pounds lighter than the standard 3.5-liter V6. Additionally, Ford isn't offering the EcoBoost SUV with all-wheel drive. All that power from the 2.0-liter gets dumped to the pavement via the front wheels only, which makes the machine more comfortable fielding fair-weather mall duty than snowy winter mountain passes, and it also lightens the load by a whole drive axle.

And that's just fine. Ford has brought all of its engineering muscle to bear on this all-aluminum EcoBoost four-cylinder, and as a result, the engine packs twin independently variable cams for greater efficiency over the entire rev range as well as polished bucket tappets, sodium-filled exhaust valves for greater durability and an exhaust manifold integrated into the aluminum cylinder head to save weight. That last bit also decreases the time it takes for the engine to reach optimum operating temperature, which reduces wear on the turbo and increases longevity at the same time.

Despite an abundance of power available from fairly low in the rev band, Ford has managed to keep torque steer under control. While we were able to induce a good bit of wheelspin off the line, the Explorer didn't seem interested in wrestling the wheel from our hands. Due to the use of a lightweight, low-inertia turbo design, power delivery is linear and smooth without much in the way of lag. Pound the throttle from a stop and the four-cylinder lights up with glee, pulling to 60 mph in a little over eight seconds according to one engineer. Though power seems to fall off slightly higher in the rev range, the six-speed automatic transmission keeps the engine from winding itself out. Instead, the gearbox happily holds its cogs to fully make use of the 270 lb-ft of torque available. With shift logic that isn't quick to drop down, the engine feels more like a traditional V6 than a shrieking four cylinder. The end result is acceleration that feels more than adequate for a vehicle that tips the scales at 4,503 lbs.

Despite its many positives, at the end of the day, we would have a hard time justifying the additional $995 for the EcoBoost option. A jump of 3 mpg in both city and highway driving is nothing to dismiss, but a lack of available all-wheel drive and significant cut in towing capacity are sacrifices that are tough to justify in our book – especially considering Ford is asking its buyers to pay for the reduced functionality. Unfortunately, we suspect the success of the Explorer EcoBoost will probably depend largely on fuel prices in the future.

Interestingly enough, the exact opposite is true for the Edge EcoBoost. At nearly 400 pounds lighter than the Explorer, the Edge feels like it hasn't given up any driving performance in the switch to four-cylinder power. With its readily-accessible torque and even higher 30 mpg, paying an extra $995 for the Edge EcoBoost is a comparative no-brainer. While Ford is reluctant to stick actual figures to either vehicle's performance, one engineer told us that the Edge is a full second quicker to 60 mph than the Explorer, and as a result, the smaller crossover is significantly more engaging. It simply feels fast and capable, whereas the Explorer merely provides adequate power.

Our Explorer tester came laden with Limited trim and Ford's Rapid Spec 301A equipment package, which included niceties like a power liftgate, power folding third-row seating and voice-activated navigation. As a result, our sticker price hovered just under $42,000 including an $825 destination fee. Buyers will be able to get into a base Explorer EcoBoost for significantly less coin, however. Buyers can spec out a model with the turbocharged four-cylinder engine for $29,165 plus the same destination charges, or just just under the $30,000 mark.

While we can absolutely see a good reason for buyers to pony up a little extra coin for the EcoBoost 2.0-liter in the Edge, the engine makes more sense to us as a no-cost option in the Explorer. Ford has already employed a similar tactic with the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, allowing buyers to choose between greater fuel efficiency or greater power in the V6 model without asking them to dig any deeper into their bank accounts. Though the Explorer EcoBoost is a solid driver, we simply don't think the optional engine's benefits offset its taller price tag and reduced capability.

2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i

2011-08-21T18:12:00.001+05:00

For over a decade, only one premium automaker has offered a four-cylinder in the U.S. And while the recent rise of Audi in the States isn't solely because of its 2.0T engine, it's obvious that luxury buyers are finally coming around to the idea of a fuel-sipping four-pot. As a matter of fact, they're starting to demand it. And BMW is heeding the call.

Next year, BMW will begin offering its turbocharged and direct-injected 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine on the 3 Series and 5 Series, matching Audi car-for-car in the entry-level and mid-size segments. But before the sedans arrive on U.S. shores – nixing the naturally aspirated 3.0-liter inline-six in the process – BMW is slipping its TwinPower four-cylinder into an unlikely host: the 2012 Z4 sDrive28i.

Why unlikely? Just look at the length of that hood. It was designed from the onset to house one of BMW's venerable inline six-cylinder engines, but by lopping off two cylinders, BMW almost made a front-midship roadster.

The mounting points used to fit the outgoing six-cylinder and the current turbocharged 3.0-liter are the same that hold this TwinPower turbo four in place. The byproduct is an impressive weight balance of 47.3/52.7 front-to-rear, an improvement – depending on your perspective – from the 47.9/52.1 of the six-cylinder model.

The new N20 four-cylinder is the first engine to benefit from BMW's recently revealed modular engine program, and it's the same mill we sampled earlier this year in the not-for-U.S.-consumption X1 xDrive28i. Power remains almost unchanged in the Z4, with 240 horsepower coming on between 5,000 and 6,500 RPM and 260 pound-feet of torque available from 1,250 and 4,800 revs. While the new N20 is down by 15 hp compared to the six, torque output is up some 40 lb-ft. And the extra juice is evident the moment you mash the throttle.

Fitted with the six-speed manual, BMW claims the Valvetronic-equipped four will hit 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, while the new eight-speed automatic gearbox does the deed in 5.6 seconds – a decrease of 0.1 and 0.4 seconds, respectively, over the six-cylinder. And as you'd expect, overall weight is down as well, with the new four-cylinder Z4 tipping the scales at 3,252 pounds, or about 33 pounds less than the outgoing sDrive28i.

Predictably, that minimal weight loss can't be felt from behind the wheel, but the extra grunt is front and center. There's a hint of turbo lag below 2,000 rpm when you're lining up for a pass, but as soon as the single, twin-scroll turbo starts huffing and puffing, the Z4 accelerates more authoritatively than the six. Driving the old and new models back-to-back, we also noticed slightly less dive and squat from the mildly reworked suspension (BMW isn't saying what's been done, aside from tweaking the springs and shocks for the new weight balance), but that's probably more a product of the box-fresh four-cylinder compared to the slightly abused previous generation tester.

We also sampled both the manual 'box and new eight-speed automatic transmission, and while we're partial to choosing our own ratios through the slick stick, the auto's quick changes and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters trade a modicum of engagement for a healthy dose of convenience. It's one of the few times we wouldn't fault buyers for choosing the slush box, and considering the average Z4 owner, we're sure it'll be the most popular transmission.

Naturally, you want numbers, but BMW is only giving one for now: $48,650 (plus $875 for destination). That's an increase of $1,200 over the outgoing model, but for 2012, Bluetooth and USB integration, along with trunk-through loading and an alarm system, all come standard, so the price bump is nearly a wash with the new equipment. As for the other figures you're after, well, BMW isn't giving up fuel economy estimates just yet. With the (surprisingly abrupt) start-stop system fitted to the Z4 sDrive28i, BMW claims that fuel efficiency is up by 20 percent over the six-cylinder in the EU test cycle, but that could go either up or down when the EPA estimates arrive later this year. Figuring the outgoing model managed 18/28 mpg city/highway, it's safe to assume the four-cylinder should ring in around 22 mpg in the city and 33 on the highway.

More importantly, the character of the Z4 is completely unaffected by the new engine. The six's sonorous tones have been replaced with a hint of turbo whistle and a thrum from the exhaust, but the overall experience remains surprisingly unchanged. Grunt is up, fuel consumption is down and top-down cruising is just as good as it ever was. The replacement for displacement is here, and if it's executed this well, we'll gladly give up a liter or two for the privilege.

The world's only matte brown Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SV

2011-08-21T17:24:00.004+05:00

There are literally hundreds of Lamborghini models of all ages and description at Concorso Italiano, so how does one stand out? Surely not with a bright color, as that would just blend in with the crowd. No, you go for a color that no one else has. Like brown.

Now, some will say that such a "boring" color doesn't belong on an exotic car like the the Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SV. Others will say it's more than acceptable. We think it's awesome.

This car started out with a pearl white paint job, but the owner of the car, Cats Exotics, a dealer specializing in high-end sports cars, wanted it to match one of their other Lamborghinis, a Diablo 6.0 SE finished in brown. A matte brown wrap was created especially for the car, the wheels were changed to a gold finish, with a matching SV logo on the doors.

Check out our photos of the car in the gallery above and let us know what you think of it by leaving your comments.

2013 Lexus GS 350 fully revealed at Pebble Beach

2011-08-21T17:14:00.004+05:00

We've endured the teasers, seen the leaks and even driven a prototype, and now the wraps officially come off. This is the 2013 Lexus GS 350, the automaker's latest bid to create a driver-focused mid-sizer aimed at the hearts, minds and wallets of would-be 5 Series and E-Class buyers. It might be a tough sell, but it's a compelling case on paper, even if the styling leaves us wanting.
The chassis is all-new, the interior is more spacious and it's all powered by a 3.5-liter V6 putting out 306 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque through a six-speed sequential shift automatic gearbox. In rear-wheel-drive guise, Lexus claims a 0-60 mph time of 5.7 seconds and a run from 30 to 50 mph in three seconds flat. An optional electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system can vary the power split between 50/50 and 30/70, but a torque-vectoring rear differential is notable in its absence.

Three driving modes span the spectrum from fuel-conscious to maximum consumption, with the now-familiar ECO mode reworking the throttle mapping, seat heaters and climate controls for improved fuel economy, while Sport S changes the instrument lighting from blue to red, delivers more aggressive shifts and throttle settings and Sport S+ tightens steering, loosens the stability control and shores up the adaptive suspension.

A 112.2-inch wheelbase works in partnership with aluminum control arms front and rear, along with a completely reworked multi-link rear suspension, beefed up bushings and four-piston aluminum calipers in front and upgraded discs at all four corners. Rolling stock include standard 17x7.5-inch wheels with optional 18x8 or 19x8-inch, the latter of which are fitted with 235/45 or 235/40 rubber, respectively.

Lexus managed to keep the dimensions almost exactly the same as the outgoing model and overall curb weight is down from 3,795 pounds to 3,715. The interior is more driver-centric, with all the major controls kept closely at hand, including a new Remote Touch system for the adaptive climate control system – dubbed S-Flow – which can detect how many occupants are in the GS and tailor the HVAC accordingly. Wood and leather abound, the seats appear nicely bolstered and the cabin is several steps above the outgoing model.

Bluetooth phone and audio streaming come standard, along with a 5.1 surround sound stereo and eight-inch central control display mounted high in the center of the dash. SMS text-to-speech allows drivers to have their messages read to them and respond with pre-canned texts, while the next-generation of Lexus Enform infotainment allows Bing searches, Pandora, iHeartRadio and Facebook integration, along with Sirius XM data services for traffic, weather, sports and fuel prices, voice-enabled restaurant reservations through OpenTable and movie ticket purchasing.

If the standard display and audio system is up to snuff, Lexus is offering a 835-watt, 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system and a split-view, 12.3-inch display for movies, navigation, audio and climate information.

As for the styling, Lexus calls its new fascia a "spindle grille" and it's set to infect the rest of the line-up in the coming years. It's a more subtle interpretation of the GS concept's nose, and although it's certainly toned-down, it's sure to be divisive. The rear opens up to provide 25 percent more luggage room and we're seeing a whole lotta Sonata in the taillight treatment and sloping trunk.

We'll have live images of the GS 350 a bit later, and we plan to grille Lexus execs on the hybrid and F Sport versions when we corner them this evening. In the meantime, check out all the details in the press release and gallery below.

2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible

2011-08-13T17:52:00.003+05:00

Muscle cars have never coped well with having their tops clipped. Losing the roof rarely does a vehicle any favors in the rigidity department, but the high-horsepower, high-torque coupes of the last four decades took fiendish delight in twisting themselves into pretzels after a few enthusiastic throttle plunges. To make matters worse, frumpy, awkward-looking soft tops were never as attractive as the original tin. When it came time to design the fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro, the engineers at General Motors specifically aimed to avoid those pitfalls by drafting the chassis to field both coupe and convertible duties.

Long before the first test mule ever turned a tire, this coupe was designed to go topless, and the result is one of the more stable convertible platforms out there. With a little help from the minds behind the Chevrolet Corvette soft top, the retractable lid even offers the same sleek profile as the Camaro Coupe. That's not to say all is right in this cruising kingdom, though. Tough top-up visibility, a bulging waistline and an overly extroverted interior all work against the drop head. Even so, this is still a vehicle soaked in summertime. And whatdayaknow? The sun's out.
Part of the appeal of the fifth generation Camaro is the vehicle's concept-car aesthetics. With a low-slung roof line, high hip and plenty of sharp creases, it should be lounging under auto show lights instead of sulking in the Costco parking lot. The designers at Chevrolet managed to retain most of the coupe's presence thanks to the fact that both vehicles wear identical sheetmetal from the window sills down. Up above, a long, arching soft top still holds true to the profile of the coupe when in in place. The piece can be had in black or tan cloth as the buyer sees fit, and for the most part, the design is free of any odd bulges from protruding bows.

Put the top down, and the Camaro Convertible takes on a much more swept look than its fixed-roof kin. The steeply angled windshield becomes more prominent without the burden of anchoring the top and the muscular hips over the rear fender arches define the vehicle's profile. It looks good, even if it is the size of a small river barge. At 190.4 inches long and 75.5 inches wide, the 'vert matches its coupe twin for length and girth, resulting in a vehicle that feels larger than life, even at a glance.

That theme continues on indoors. Thanks to a surprisingly wide cabin and a tall dash, it's hard not to feel like you're 12 years old sitting behind the wheel of your uncle's new car. That high hip line translates into a window sill that isn't made for resting your elbow, at least not without losing blood flow to your arm. Our 2011 tester also came with the highly-stylized but not overly comfortable steering wheel of the 2011 Coupe. General Motors has fixed that issue with a parts-bin piece on 2012 models, however.

The rest of the cabin feels much like the Camaro we know, with the notable exception that the rear seats are now significantly easier to access. With the top down, two adults had no problem sinking into the rear buckets, though the tight seating made for bruised hips on the side of the seatbelt buckle. Though legroom is cramped for rear passengers, there's enough space for young people and flexible adults. Our cabin came awash in some impressively obnoxious orange plastic trim and leather seating surfaces, though we do appreciate the attractive orange contrast stitching on the door panels.

Unlike the Corvette Convertible, which relies on a button tucked well below and to the left of the steering wheel to operate the retractable soft top, the Camaro Convertible leaves its button out in the open and right beside the large center latch. Undo the mechanism, press the button and listen to the whir of electronic and pneumatic wizardry as it pulls the top into the trunk cavity. The whole process takes around 20 seconds, which sounds brief enough until the skies open up on all that orange leather. Once the top is stowed, an optional toneau cover can be folded in place for a clean, finished look, though the piece is an aggravation to install. Check out the Short Cut below for a look at the top in action.
Those who thought rearward visibility of the coupe couldn't get any worse need only to throw the convertible into Reverse with the top up to see just how wrong they were. The infamously lengthy C pillars of the hard top have somehow swollen in the convertible, and while the back glass looks large enough, its angle and height make for a narrow field of view.

GM equipped this particular SS-branded beast with a 6.2-liter LS3 V8 engine with 426 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque mated to a six-speed manual transmission. The duo is the most desirable engine and gearbox combination available and is borrowed straight from the coupe. There are some mechanical differences between the two, however. Engineers added additional bracing in four key areas to give the Convertible as much of the rigid feel of the coupe as possible. A sturdy aluminum strut tower brace, a transmission support reinforcement brace, an underbody tunnel brace and front and rear underbody V braces are all tacked in place to combat torsional flex. The company says that all of the work helps give the Camaro Convertible the same stiffness as the BMW 3 Series convertible.

While we didn't have the pleasure of putting a 335i Convertible through its paces against the big Bow Tie (probably a good thing), we will say that the engineering work paid off. Typically, wrenching the roof off a coupe leads to dreaded cowl and column shake as the chassis contorts over rough road surfaces. The typical engineering response is to soften the springs and dampers to the point that the effects are less pronounced. GM is proud to remind us that the Camaro Convertible uses the exact same spring and damper rates as the hard top, which results in an incredibly similar driving experience. Under most normal circumstances, there's little telling the two apart. Only under some serious thrashing did we notice even a hint of column shake during a deeply-cambered downhill right – a situation that the vast majority of Camaro Convertible buyers will never find themselves in.

While the standard Camaro is no great pantheon of handling, the fact that its large, topless sibling can come close to matching pace is pretty impressive. Unfortunately, the convertible is lugging around a substantially larger curb weight, which colors the driving experience accordingly. According to GM, the Camaro SS Convertible tips the scales at 4,116 pounds in our tester's spec. That's a full 267 pounds heavier than the SS Coupe, with most of that weight lodged over the rear axle. As a result, acceleration feels somewhat dulled even though GM claims that the vehicle can get to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds – two-tenths of a seconds slower than the hard top. The convertible simply feels heavy to drive, with braking, cornering and straight-line grunt all taking a hit.

But the Camaro Convertible does well as a comfortable cruiser and there's no denying how good it looks cruising through town or rolling down a deserted highway at dusk. The optional high-intensity discharge headlights of the RS package on our tester are appropriately threatening with their halo ring and the long, lunging hood is unmistakably Muscle. With an as-tested MSRP of $42,995 including the $850 destination fee, the exterior was covered in a black vinyl stripe package, while the loud orange interior accent package rang up an additional $500, with another $1,200 for the RS package.

GM doesn't seem to be trying to convince anyone that the figure is a small price. In fact, the company calls the BMW 3 Series convertible its chief competitor instead of the Ford Mustang GT Convertible. The latter will cost you $38,310 plus destination for a GT Premium Convertible while the German commands a lofty $46,450 plus destination for the significantly less powerful 328i Convertible.

So where does that put the Camaro SS Convertible? Buyers seeking the near irresistible nostalgia of the coupe combined with the joy of being able to put the top down will find exactly what they're looking for. It easily trades its performance credentials for cruising machismo, and in a machine like this, that's no slight.

2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS550

2011-08-13T17:42:00.004+05:00

Mercedes-Benz has a long history of setting trends, which includes being the first company to develop technologies we take for granted today, like traction control systems, airbags and anti-lock brakes. It also kicked off the trend of propelling vehicles with motors, having built and sold the first automobile back in 1885. But it's not usually known for setting styling trends, which is exactly what the company did when it launched the CLS-Class back in 2004.

Despite four doors staring you right in the face, the CLS was officially dubbed a coupe by Mercedes because of the car's sleek coupe-like roofline. Semantics aside, it kicked off an entirely new segment of four-door coupes with its new, artful approach to transporting four people. Just like a fledgling industry followed the Benz Patent-Motorwagen's arrival in 1885, the arrival of the CLS created an entirely new class of vehicle.

Having started the trend, Mercedes gets to show us how it will evolve, and the 2012 CLS550 does just that. It's job isn't just to steer this trend away from becoming a fad, but also fend off a growing number of automakers who wish they had thought of it first.
The first-generation CLS was widely considered a beautiful design, almost shockingly so compared to how the brand was shaping its four-doors back in 2004. If you're a fan of that original design, you probably wouldn't have minded if Mercedes left the exterior alone. Alas, seven years is a long life cycle for any product, and Mercedes can't be faulted for putting pen to paper. The question is whether or not its designers succeeded in making the new CLS more attractive than the old one.

The Autoblog team is not unanimous on the answer. There's no one among us who believes either generation is punishment on the eyes, and so either opinion can be held without considering the other side a bunch of tasteless boobs. Your author, however, finds himself on the side of Team First-Gen, so I'll do my best to explain why I think the original is still the better looker of thee two sedans, err... coupes.
Let's start with some analogies. The first-generation CLS is like a man wearing a fitted tuxedo: formal, sharp and clean. The second-gen CLS is like Lou Ferrigno after he beat up the first man and put on his tuxedo: bigger, bulging and intimidating. Now let's get more technical. From the side, the first-gen CLS is expressed by two basic strokes of the designer's pen: an elegant arch for the roofline and a subtly bowed crease that runs from front fender to taillight above the door handles. The second-gen CLS retains the arching roofline, but is growing a crease farm on its doors. The first-gen's simple single line has been replaced by upper and lower ones that start at the front wheel and get closer together as you move rearward, and a third crease bends over the rear wheel to create a flared fender into which the first two end. Together they create a concavity across the doors that makes the rear fenders look even more pronounced. Coupled with a near vertical grille and taller hood, the second-gen's look is more convoluted and just a bit too butch.

The aesthetic, however, happens to fit, because if you didn't know, Mercedes-Benz makes muscle cars. Its V8s make us swoon, even the ones not stamped with the letters A-M-G. Known for their large displacements, high horsepower and bellowing exhaust tones, these engines – the 5.5-liter and 6.2-liter AMG specifically – are on their way out across the brand's lineup. Sad as we are to see them go, new emissions and fuel economy standards, not to mention gas prices, make it a must. Their replacements are two new smaller V8s – a 4.6-liter for 550 models and a 5.5-liter for AMG versions, both featuring twin turbochargers and direct injection to replace the lost displacement (it can be done!).

The new CLS550 retains its nomenclature despite housing the new 4.6-liter V8, which while smaller in size produces 402 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 443 pound-feet of torque at a low 1,800 rpm – big improvements over the larger 5.5-liter V8 it replaces, which continues to make 382 hp at 6,000 rpm and 391 lb-ft at 2,800 rpm in other models. The new engine is also significantly more efficient, with improvements of three miles per gallon in the city and four mpg on the highway for new scores of 17 city / 25 highway. We actually experienced a fuel consumption rate in the high 20-mpg range during a long highway trip, which is exemplary for an engine making 400+ horsepower. This new V8 is one area where we're all playing for Team Second-Gen.

The interior, likewise, is a big improvement, though mostly in the area of materials, which are of a higher quality than the first generation, especially the convincing metal air vents. Ergonomically the cabin looks like most other Mercs, and even much like last year's car with just the elements rearranged. The seven-inch navigation screen has been moved to the very top of the center stack, replacing a pair of vents that now appear below the screen and flank a tasteful analogue clock. The climate controls, which used to be near the top, are now at the very bottom, though laid out in the same way as before with dual rotary knobs and easy-to-press buttons. There's also a new, larger 4.5-inch circular display in the center of the speedometer that gives you access to most of the vehicles high-tech features and functions. Navigating the menus is simple via steering wheel-mounted controls, and there are a lot of them that let you to do everything from change the color of the interior's ambient lightning to turn off the traction control system.

Conspicuously absent is a gear shift of any kind to move the car's seven-speed automatic transmission from P into D. In its place is the COMAND system control knob that operates the navigation, audio, phone and various other vehicle systems. Whether or not you like it depends largely on whether you prefer touch-screens to controller-based interfaces, but we were able to figure it out without cracking a manual and the knob falls to hand without taking your eyes off the road.

This begs the question, how do you put the seven-speed transmission into Drive? By using one of three stalks sticking out of the CLS' steering column. The gear selector stalk is on the right side by itself, and using it brings back memories of the column-mounted shifter in my dad's old truck. It's all digitally controlled now and lacks the mechanical feel of the old days, but the muscle memory of reaching up and pulling down to get in gear is still there. The two left-side stalks, meanwhile, are a bane of modern Mercedes interiors. The smaller one on top controls the adaptive cruise control system, while the bottom one does turn signals and headlights. Most people, however, will instinctively grab the top stalk by accident when signaling a turn. Mercedes has finally begun fixing this problem by switching the stalks' positions beginning with the 2012 ML-Class. Unfortunately, the also-new 2012 CLS missed the cut.

The new CLS gets higher marks for its Active Multicontour Driver's Seat. In addition to the standard 14-way seat controls near the door handles, this $660 option adds another set of controls between the driver's seat and center console that adjusts lumbar supports, side bolsters and shoulders supports, as well as activates a massage function for working out the kinks on longer trips. It also adds active side bolsters that, when activated, dynamically move in to keep you from sliding during turns. They come in handy on sweeping turns, especially highway exit and entrance ramps, where lateral g-forces can last longer. However, we wish the system didn't respond below a certain speed; who wants their sides pinched when they're prowling for a parking spot?
A fancy driver's seat is just one of many stand-alone and packaged options offered for the CLS550, which starts at $71,300 with an $875 destination charge. This particular model tops out at $84,545 as tested, which is a big difference, but not so shocking when you see what you get. For starters, the CLS comes with the $4,390 Premium 1 Package that includes popular options like a rear-view camera, iPod interface, heated and cooled front seats, keyless entry and a power-closing trunk. Its best component, however, is the world's first pair of all-LED active headlamps on a production car, an honor shared with the 2012 Audi A6 that also offers a set.

Next up is the Driver Assistance Package for $2,950 that includes Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist and Mercedes' adaptive cruise control system called DISTRONIC PLUS with PRE-SAFE Brake. Many cars today have warning systems to alert drivers when they drift out of a lane, but the Mercedes system gets into the game by actively braking the opposite side of the vehicle to bring the car back between the lines. The adaptive cruise control is also at the head of the class for being able to apply full braking force and bring the CLS550 to a complete stop if needed. Our tester is also loaded with the Wheel Package for $760 that adds 18-inch AMG five-spoke wheels, an AMG steering wheel and a manual mode for the transmission, as well as stand alone options like the PARKTRONIC auto-parking system ($970), split-folding rear seats ($440) and rear side airbags ($420).

The last bit of bleeding-edge tech in our tester is the Night View Assist PLUS system, which is the most expensive stand alone option at $1,780. More of a showpiece to impress the Joneses, it uses infrared beams to display a black-and-white high-resolution video feed of what's ahead of you in the dark. It can even identify people and highlight them. The feed appears in the nav screen, so you have to avert your eyes from the road to watch it, but it does work as advertised and might come in handy if a jealous Mr. Jones takes a baseball bat to your all-LED headlights. Watch the Short Cut video above to see it in action.

All of those options are nice, but what about what's beneath them? First and foremost, the CLS550 is a luxury car of the highest order with an AIRMATIC semi-active suspension that supports a three-link independent front suspension and multi-link rear. There's no slop in the ride, body motions are controlled and you can dial in the system even more by choosing either Sport or Comfort mode. We wish the Sport mode were a little more aggressive, as body lean remains distinctly noticeable even with it on. We have no qualms with the electromechanical power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering, and the 14.2-inch front brakes clamped by four-piston calipers and 12.6-inch rear discs with single-piston calipers make stopping this 4,158-pound four-door a drama-free affair.

What's curious about the new CLS550 is that it's still a muscle car putting on airs. Every electrical nanny is there to keep you and the 402-hp V8 in check, and with all of them turned on, there's a thick buffer keeping the two of you from collaborating. We found the transmission and traction control system to be the most oppressive. The transmission does give you three shift modes: Economy, Sport and Manual. Shifts happen early and often in Economy mode, while Sport mode gets the transmission moving quicker and holding gears longer, and Manual mode takes advantage of the paddles on the back of the steering wheel. We suggest the latter for what feels like the quickest shifts, but chances are you'll spend the most time in Economy mode where the car is most efficient, and in this mode, the CLS550 feels like a race horse that isn't allowed to leave the gate.

The key to flexing the CLS550's muscle is activating the Sport suspension and Manual transmission modes and turning off the traction control system (along with all of the other nannies that beep and flash). With those steps taken, the CLS550 feels more like something from Mopar than Mercedes, willing at a moment's notice to paint the pavement with rubber. After experiencing the CLS550 this way, the manufacturer's claimed 0-60 mph time of 5.1 seconds becomes much more believable. And though the new 4.6-liter doesn't sound quite as deep and rich as the last generation's 5.5-liter, it still burbles and vibrates more than the eight-cylinders in most other luxury cars.

And maybe that's because the CLS550 just isn't a luxury car, or at least doesn't want to be with such a strong, athletic engine. So much effort goes into subduing the V8 that Mercedes could have just as easily offered a V6-powered model, a CLS350, that wears the luxury moniker more willingly while also being more efficient. Maybe we'll soon see one here in the U.S., not to mention a diesel-powered BlueTec variant. Europeans can already have their CLS any they want it, so hopefully it's just a matter of a suit somewhere saying 'yes.'

Even with a split personality, the second-gen CLS is superior in almost every way to the original, maybe every way if you prefer its design. And like every trend setter, it's now surrounded by variations on the theme – some quicker, some sexier and some more serene. Mercedes, however, has successfully kept the CLS their target, and thanks to this wonderful engine, it's a moving one.

2011 Hyundai Elantra Limited

2011-08-07T16:37:00.001+05:00

The journey has been arduous and fraught with disappointment, but it appears we've finally reached our destination. Welcome to The Golden Age of Compact Motoring. Gone are the days of mostly cheap and poorly executed C-segment entries. Ye Olde "It's the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and everybody else" mindset is finally history, too. All of a sudden, new car buyers can choose from a bumper crop of smart new motors, including the all-new Civic, the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, the 2012 Ford Focus, the larger and more affordable 2011 Volkswagen Jetta and the always entertaining Mazda3. And that's not all – there's also a new wildcard in the compact segment, the 2011 Hyundai Elantra.

While entries like the Cruze and Focus have garnered lots of attention, the Elantra has quietly established itself as a worthy alternative in this suddenly competitive segment. The redesigned Hyundai caught our attention with its expressive styling, an improved cabin and 40 miles per gallon highway rating. It sounds like a winning game plan to us, but does this revitalized Hyundai live up to its impressive stat sheet? We spent a week with an Elantra Limited to find out for ourselves.

The 2011 Elantra utilizes the same "Fluidic Sculpture" design language of its larger Sonata sibling, with a sleek profile that includes a coupe-like roofline and pronounced crease that spans the side body panels. Up front, the vehicle features a pair of large, stylized headlights and a rounded lower fascia opening framed up by a pair of well-placed fog lamps. The rear looks equally attractive, with an almost hatch-like profile and a pair of taillights that are every bit as imposing as the peepers up front. A range-topping Limited example like our tester is rounded out with 17-inch aluminum wheels mated to Continental P215/45R17 tires.

From the outside, the Elantra couldn't look more different than its milquetoast predecessor, but we're just as impressed with what Hyundai designers have done to transform a formerly bland and nondescript cabin. Climbing into the Elantra is no longer like a trip to Accountant World, where the rides are forgettable and the imagination nonexistent. In place of drab scenery and ho-hum materials, Hyundai designers have added plenty of aesthetic flair, with interesting instrument panel lines that draw the eye towards a well laid-out center stack. Dash materials are cushy and nice to touch, while the leather-wrapped steering wheel falls easily to hand. Admittedly, the leather covering the seats isn't of the highest quality, but these chairs are very comfortable and surprisingly well bolstered. We can live with less than luxury-level leather, especially when considering our loaded tester's reasonable MSRP of $22,110. Besides, the Elantra Limited comes standard with heated seats for front and rear passengers, so our leather-backed bums will be grateful when the weather turns cold.

$22,110 is a very competitive price for a top trim compact these days – a bit less expensive than a comparably equipped Focus ($23,680 for SEL model with moonroof and navigation) or Civic ($25,754 for EX-L model equipped with 17-inch wheels).

Ergonomics in the cabin have been well thought-out, with everything available to the driver without the need to reach very far. We especially liked the HVAC controls – it's nice to heat or cool the cabin without having to take your eyes off the road to hunt for the right button or setting. The Elantra also deserves kudos for a quiet interior that makes holding conversations with rear seat occupants easy. These are the sorts of touches that make a compact sedan feel less like an econobox and more like a luxury rig.

The Elantra Limited we tested also featured Hyundai's optional Technology Package, which stickers for $2,100. The Elantra Limited already comes equipped with Bluetooth connectivity and USB and auxiliary ports for a smartphone or MP3 player, but the Tech Package adds a seven-inch LCD touch screen with navigation, rear-view camera, 360-watt sound system and push button start. That's a lot of kit for a reasonable package price, and we found the technology intuitive to use and easy to understand.

While we generally have few complaints concerning the Elantra's interior, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention the discount switchgear all around. If you park, say, a Focus next to the Elantra Limited and scrutinize the switchgear and power window controls, the Focus clearly features superior equipment. We'd also like a few more inches of legroom for rear seat passengers, as 33.1 inches is less than nearly every major competitor. Finally, we were also a bit turned off by the oddly placed black accents on the doors. They didn't match the gray tone of the dashboard and were hard on the elbows.

Rear legroom was probably the biggest issue we had with the Elantra's cabin, but we remain more interested in what happens from directly behind the steering wheel. The story begins with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder rated at 148 horsepower and 131 pound-feet of torque. Buyers have a choice of a six-speed manual (GLS model only) or the six-speed automatic transmission that comes standard when specifying the Limited trim. The 1.8-liter and automatic combo performs well together, with smooth shifts and plenty of power to spin the front wheels of this 2,877-pound sedan.

If you're thinking that nearly 2,900 pounds is a bit heavy for a compact car, we don't disagree, but the Elantra is actually one of the leaner entries in its class. The good news is that the base $14,995 GLS model is over 200 pounds lighter. And besides, even with the extra tonnage, the Elantra Limited still feels peppy off the line, with an estimated 0-60 time under nine seconds. The figure certainly isn't land-speed record material, but it's more than fine for an inexpensive runabout, and the quiet cabin makes it all seem less harried.

Some compacts have developed a reputation for offering a sporty ride and handling, but while the Elantra certainly looks the part, this Hyundai is in practice more of a comfy cruiser than an expert corner carver. The front suspension consists of MacPherson struts with coil springs, while the rear hardware is comprised of a torsion axle with gas-filled, hydraulic monotube shocks. Sportier rides tend to feature a multi-link setup out back, but going the torsion beam route lets Hyundai keep prices down and still supply a compliant ride.

The Elantra does feel tight enough, though, with little body roll and plenty of grip. While we can live with its less-than-sporty chassis, we can't as easily dismiss its brake or steering feel (or lack thereof). In the case of the latter, we've sampled plenty of electronically controlled setups, but the Elantra's helm seems to lack an actual connection to the road. The wheel does have a bit of heft to it, but the weighting feels artificial.

While there are plenty of new and renewed competitors in this segment, none can boast an EPA rating of 40 miles per gallon across their entire model range. Hyundai is hanging its hat on the fact that competitors must resort to special high-fuel economy models or diesel power to net the big 4-0 on the highway, and they've been positively champing at the bit to remind you that whether you purchase a manual or automatic, every Elantra boasts 29 mpg in city driving and 40 mpg on the highway. That's impressive, but when the rubber met the road, we were only able to average about 31 mpg during our week of mixed driving with the car. That's still rock-solid, but a bit below the EPA's combined estimate of 33 mpg.

To be clear, if you're the type of driver that prioritizes a sporty feel and sharp handling, there are more appropriate places to spend your money in this segment. Hyundai has taken a calculated bet aimed squarely at the fat part of the compact car buying bell curve, prioritizing fuel economy, styling, technology and an attractive price tag over backroad thrills. The Korean automaker may have neglected the enthusiast niche here, but it only takes a passing glance to know that Hyundai is serious about the compact sedan segment. While we're still hoping for an inexpensive drive with a bit more flavor, the new Elantra's off-to-the-races sales figures suggest that Hyundai is definitely on to something.

Nissan's MX-5 Miata rival back in the plans?

2011-08-07T14:03:00.003+05:00

Nissan's on-again, off-again MX-5 Miata rival is... on again, at least according to the blokes at Auto Express. What form a potential two-door sporty coupe from Nissan may take – if it happens at all – is still widely debatable; it could be as simple as a cut-down Sentra or as crazy as a sporty take on the all-electric Leaf.

Did that last little tidbit catch you off guard? Remember that Nissan showed off just such a machine in the form of the Esflow Concept at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, though we wouldn't expect any potential production model to share much with that highly conceptual design.

In any case, Auto Express seems to think this sporty 2+2 may ride on a midsize platform sourced from Mercedes-Benz (the two automakers signed a partnership in 2010) that would be shared with whatever replaces the 370Z (along with its Infiniti G Coupe) and even the next-generation GT-R.

Another bit of wackiness? AE says Nissan is considering turning to the experts at Lotus for help in tuning the chassis for added sportiness. We suppose all of this is possible, but for now, we're taking it with the largest grain of salt we can get our hands on.

2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe

2011-08-07T13:55:00.003+05:00

If you have read the breathless reviews and overwritten comparos, you would assume that the 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe is infused with the second coming of Senna. And for BMW to unabashedly draw a line between the M Coupe and the most holy of holies, the 1986-92 E30 M3, smacks of PRified nostalgia stoking. Call me a contrarian, but I refuse to believe the hype.

So as soon as the orange Bimmer landed on my fleet schedule, any and all reading, writing and discussion about the littlest M ceased. I would drive it for a week, live with it as if it were my own and deliver a critical, blatantly unbiased review of Life in the Key of M.

Five minutes into my first drive, I immediately pulled into a turnout, sat there for a second, took a deep breathe and realized – dammit – everyone was right. Brilliance is back in a small package.

Yes, brilliance. Surprising considering the M Coupe is the prototypical parts-bin special. But then again, when your parts bin is made up of some of the best driver-oriented bits in the biz, brilliance isn't expected, it's demanded.

So let's start with the core of any M-badged vehicle, the engine. It's the same twin-turbocharged N54 inline-six fitted to the Z4 sDrive35is and my current favorite non-M 3 Series, the 335is. Three liters of displacement and those duo of turbos put out 335 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 332 pound-feet of torque from 1,500 4,500 rpm through the car's only transmission option: a proper six-speed manual. Peg the throttle to the floor and, if the ECU favors the conditions, an overboost function allows the turbo six to deliver an additional 37 torques, bringing the total up to 369 lb-ft. BMW claims a 0-60 mph run of around 4.7 seconds, but I don't buy it. My ass might not be as highly calibrated as other hot-shoe scribes, but there's no doubt the M Coupe is a solid 4.5-second runner – and instrumented testing both here and abroad bears this out.

Forward momentum in any part of the rev range is immediate and addicting, devoid of lag unless the needle is on the far left side of the tach. And even then, that minute pause is instantaneously consumed by traction-testing torque, a subtle turbo whine and an exhaust note that's more guttural drone than screaming sex six. Then again, this isn't an "M" engine. It's a chip and a massage. But it simply doesn't matter.

What has been pulled from the BMW's motorsports arm are the bits that matter most: everything shoved into the wheel arches and connected to the driver.

The front track has been extended by 2.8 inches and fitted with double pivot struts, while the rear has grown 1.7 inches and equipped with the standard multilink suspension, both of which are comprised entirely of aluminum. The rolling stock is pulled directly from the M3 Competition Package, including 19x9-inch front wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 rubber sized 245/35R19 and 19x10-inch rear rollers with 265/35R19s.

That combination may say "stick" on paper, and it does... until you disengage the traction control. And trust me, you will.

With the system set to Normal, the Axis light on the dash flickers with the insistence of a Christmas tree with an electrical short, pulling power at the faintest hint of wheel spin. The accelerator, well-mannered in most environments, goes from tepid to tenacious with the flex of your foot. But if it's slightly numb in its standard setting, it's a different beast when engaging M Dynamic Mode. All the lil' steering wheel-mounted M button does is recalibrate throttle response, delivering a surge of rubber-ripping acceleration further down the pedal travel. Neither setting is particularly bad, but on-edge confidence suffers as a result.

So when the time comes to dispatch all the electro-nannies, your right foot and two hands had better be ready to respond. Quickly. The amount of traction afforded by those massive meats is almost in direct opposition to the 104.7-inch wheelbase. So the M Coupe goes from grip to gone in an instant. No, this isn't the predictable breakaway we've experienced in the larger, more portly M3 (or any other M, for that matter). That's due to a number of variables, but chief among them is the 1's nearly square dimensions.

But when you hit it right, with the exact amount of power, the right amount of bank and the precise amount of steering, the 1 does what every proper M car should do: hangs out its tail until instructed otherwise.

Much of that sure-footed ease comes at the expense of overall ride quality when ambling about town, but it's nowhere near unbearable, and at speed, and for the 1M's intended audience (Hi Mom!) it's no-nonsense perfect. That same perfection winds its way up through the leather-wrapped wheel thanks to the M3-sourced speed-sensitive steering rack. That ever-so-slight sense of vagueness in the standard 1 Series is gone for good – and it was damned good to begin with. The clutch, while overly springy, has a perfectly defined friction point and the six-speed manual gearbox never ceased to impress and reassure each and every time we grabbed a gear.

The brakes are another matter, but only because of their track-focused brutality. Cross-drilled and sized 14.2-inches in front and 13.8-inches out back, they never faded, never shuddered and never faltered. They also make smooth heel-and-toeing a near impossibility. Just breathing on the middle pedal sheds off velocity in an instant, but when attempting that life-affirming throttle blip, my right calf was stretched to its breaking point. This could just be a product of journo-inflicted wear or a brand new set of pads, but it was enough to stymie an otherwise faultless backroad run.

Other faults? Without getting into fuel economy numbers (estimate: 19/26 mpg, observed: 17.8), the transition from HD to ST on the radio would double-up the audio, and while the Alcantara on the dash trim and shift boot is a nice touch, if you're going to go full-M, why not coat the steering wheel and shift lever – the two most important touch points – with the same delectable material? Yes, it's a dealer option on the base 1 Series, but for $47k and change, you'd assume it would be standard on the 1M.

But these are infantile nits to pick when looking at the M Coupe as a whole. This is a pure driver's machine through-and-through – a true M, or at least the closest we'll get in the 21st century.

Which brings up a larger point. As enthusiasts, we have to come to grips with the fact that no modern automaker can match the involvement and tactility of a vehicle designed before massive feature creep and ever-expanding safety regulations. That time has passed. And while this isn't the E30 M3 successor we might've hoped for, in many ways, it's better. The 1M is more livable, more powerful and surely more reliable. It sticks harder and goes faster, and BMW did its best to remove the buzz-killing insularity that plagues most modern vehicles. The 1M delivers what M-heads value most: driving delight über alles. And it's one of the only times in years that anything with four wheels has lived up to the hype.

Lexus teases 2012 GS 350 ahead of Pebble Beach debut

2011-08-07T13:38:00.003+05:00

We've already been behind the wheel of the 2012 Lexus GS sedan, and we've spied it lapping the Nürburgring under layers of camouflage. All that time, though, we've been forced to imagine what the finished product will look like under all those loose-fitting layers of clothing.

The wait is almost over. Lexus will officially unwrap the 2012 GS 350 at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance on Thursday, August 18th at 4:15 PM (PDT). We'll be there, bringing you the goods live, but in the meantime, the Japanese automaker has decided it's high time to start teasing.

We know that the car's styling was foreshadowed by the LF-Gh Concept that was shown off at the 2011 New York Auto Show, and nowhere will that be more evident than in the shape of the car's grille. Lexus tells us that the new design philosophy that will debut with the 2012 GS will eventually spread through the rest of its lineup, so we're keenly interested in seeing how this car looks in the flesh.

Check out a high-resolution version of the teaser by clicking on the image above. We've also taken the liberty of adding a lightened version of the image for you, which may or may not help you pick out some interesting details. Lastly, feel free to check out the official press release after the break.

2011 Dodge Charger Rallye V6

2011-08-06T17:59:00.003+05:00

The year was 1966. The muscle car era, which arguably began two years earlier with the introduction of the Pontiac GTO, was in full swing. In order to have a chance at attracting the young, affluent buyers so craved by American automakers of the day, a car needed to offer equal doses of style and horsepower. Dodge, with its brand new Charger fastback, offered plenty of both.

But it wasn't until 1968 that the Dodge Charger truly hit its stride, earning it legendary status in the annals of automotive history. Coke-bottle styling, a full suite of powerful V8 engines – including the 440 Six Pack and 426 Hemi – and plenty of success on the NASCAR circuit meant that the Dodge Boys had a winner on their hands.

Sadly, the heyday of American muscle was nearly over by the time Dodge figured out the formula, and the car was just a shell of its former muscular self by the end of 1974.

The rest of the 1970s were not kind to the Charger, and sales slowly faded away until the model name was canceled altogether after the 1978 model year. We'll gracefully skip over the front-wheel-drive years from 1983 through 1987 and move straight to the nameplate's reintroduction in 2006. The Hemi was back in action, the new car's styling was aggressive and generally well received and sales took off. But by 2010, yet again the reborn Charger was seriously showing its age, having received nothing in the way of significant interior or exterior updates during its five years back on the market and being saddled with a fully uncompetitive line of V6 engines and even an ancient four-speed automatic transmission in base models.

Dodge has finally given the "new" Charger some attention with an update for 2011 that includes new looks, new engines and the complete absence of a four-speed transmission. Does this mean that Dodge is done letting the Charger nameplate wither on the vine? Without spoiling the rest of the review, let's just say we have some good news to share.

Next Range Rover to get Evoquative styling?

2011-08-06T17:52:00.002+05:00

As much as we'd like to think that Land Rover is still the same rough-and-rugged off-road brand it always was, truth is, the British automaker is becoming more of a style icon these days. Just look at the new Range Rover Evoque – a sleek little crossover that's been seen posing with Victoria Beckham on more than one occasion. (She was the 'posh' Spice Girl, you know.)

Autocar reports that the next-generation of Land Rover's flagship Range Rover could move away from its signature boxy styling and transform into something a bit more rakish. The British magazine obtained spy photos of an early Range Rover mule that clearly shows a substantially more sloped roofline, pointing towards a dramatic new styling direction.

Speaking to Autocar earlier this year, Land Rover design head, Gerry McGovern, said that "the Evoque will inform the future Range Rover attitude," adding that, "Range Rovers usually have a level window line and the body's side and glass areas are equal. We've got rid of both on the Evoque, but we've still got the signature floating roof."

The next-generation Range Rover will also have a stronger emphasis on rear legroom, ride, handling and – surprise, surprise – fuel economy. Expect the Range Rover to drop a bit of weight in its redesign, too.

2011 AEV Jeep Wrangler Hemi

2011-08-06T14:50:00.013+05:00

It's no secret that when it comes to off-road capability, nothing quite tops the Jeep Wrangler. This grizzled mainstay continues to be the first choice for people wanting to get down and dirty with the great outdoors, and its success story is decades old. It's like the Porsche 911 of off-roaders.

Unlike the 911, however, Jeep has long foregone a higher-strength version of the Wrangler straight from the factory. Porsche, for instance, offers the base 911 Carrera alongside more than 20 other variants, all the way up to the hardcore GT2 RS. So where do Jeep enthusiasts go when it comes time to enhance the off-road experience of the Wrangler? The aftermarket. One such company, AEV, has a package that combines superb off-road prowess with all the creature comforts of an everyday driver.

Oh, yeah – and it has a Hemi V8.

We headed to AEV's workshop in Wixom, Michigan, where we were presented with a trio of Wranglers – two fitted with Chrysler's tried-and-true 5.7-liter Hemi V8 and one making do with Jeep's standard 3.8-liter V6. Here, we learned that shoehorning the big V8 under the Wrangler's hood isn't all that difficult – "it's pretty much plug-and-play," said one of the AEV product specialists. The same goes for the five-speed automatic transmission that replaces the four-speed in the V6 Wrangler. From what AEV tells us, it's easy-peasy.

That in mind, it comes as no great surprise to learn that AEV is already working on fitting Chrysler's new 6.4-liter V8 engine into the Wrangler. Based on our day of driving the 5.7-liter, we can only imagine the good things that will come with the 6.4.

We drove the three Wranglers from Wixom up to Harrison, Michigan – about 150 miles of nothing but highway. Our destination was Rocks and Valleys, an off-road park where we'd be putting the AEV Wrangler through its paces, climbing rocks, scaling steep grades and doing our best not to hack the side mirrors off on trees. Before that, though, the Wrangler needed to prove its everyday drivability on the road.

You can go ahead and clear your minds of any stereotypical scenarios starring Jeeps wearing mud tires, bouncing down the highway and struggling just to reach the speed limit. For the drive up, we hopped in the white Hemi Jeep, which had been outfitted with 35-inch BFGoodrich all-terrain tires fitted on 17-inch AEV-designed alloy wheels. While aggressive, these tires don't represent the end-all-be-all footwear for off-roading, but they aren't bad for mucking about. Better still, when it comes to on-road performance, we were shocked by just how smooth and comfortable the ride quality was.

AEV fits its JK Wranglers with a so-called high steer kit that optimizes steering and roll center geometry, allowing for better handling. This system also adds a larger steering damper to keep things steady and solid when turning. Of course, this all blends well with AEV's pièce de résistance, the 3.5-inch premium suspension lift kit. The company tells us this package was designed by former Jeep engineers. Special attention was paid to areas like overall suspension geometry and custom spring and shock tuning, to give the vehicle ride quality that's smooth on flat, paved roads, yet capable for off-road tasks. The whole setup includes – deep breath – frequency-tuned progressive rate springs, custom-tuned shocks, a geometry-corrected rear tower and trackbar, rear stabilizer end link, heavy-duty steering damper and front control arm drop brackets. They all work together to create an on-road driving experience that's unlike any other hardcore off-road vehicle. In our estimation, it's even better than the standard off-the-shelf Wrangler.

The real treat for our 150-mile highway drive, however, was the 5.7-liter V8 under the Wrangler's hood, offering a full 360 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque – increases of 158 hp and 153 lb-ft versus the 3.8-liter Wrangler. In other words, the Hemi is roughly equal in power to the Wrangler's V6 plus the 2.4-liter four-cylinder from the Jeep Compass. Now, don't assume this means the Wrangler is suddenly a speed demon – all of those aftermarket additions add weight, remember – but the extra grunt from the V8 provides more than adequate acceleration for on-ramps and highway passing, and at speed, there's simply much less effort and planning required for passing maneuvers. Our three-Jeep caravan frequently got separated when the red V6-equipped Wrangler simply couldn't keep up when it came time to pass a convoy of semi trucks.

When we arrived at Rocks and Valleys, we corralled in the open dirt parking lot until a little Jeep CJ-5 came barreling out of the forest, doors removed, mud everywhere (including the interior), driven by a small-framed man named 'Gar' who was smoking a cigarette. He was our guide for the adventure at Rocks and Valleys, and almost immediately, Gar skipped the introductions and started to fixate on all of the modifications fitted to the AEV Jeeps. If your mental image is still blurry, Gar and his CJ-5 can be glimpsed in the image below.

Infiniti GT-R back on the table?

2011-08-06T14:43:00.003+05:00

When Japanese automakers crank out a supercar, it is, first of all, a rare occasion. And it usually wears the badge of its respective luxury division. Toyota's is the Lexus LFA. Honda's was the Acura NSX (at least here in the States). But not Nissan. That company's supercar – the GT-R – is a Nissan through and through. But that hasn't always been taken for granted.

Infiniti has long been rumored to get a vehicle based on the GT-R, but that scuttlebutt appeared to reach a dead-end a year ago or so. However, the gossip mill has now cranked back up thanks to a certain Monsieur Carlos Ghosn.

The Renault-Nissan CEO has reportedly gone on the record with the UK's CAR, indicating that his luxury marque could – but won't necessarily – build a luxury GT-R. Ghosn stopped short of confirming that a project was in the pipeline, but left the possibility open for the future. So there's some hope. The question is whether an Infiniti supercar would have much room to improve over the existing beast we know as Godzilla, particularly when the above-pictured Egoist model already offers nearly all the trimmings you could ask for.

Aston Martin subtly confirms production for V12 Zagato

2011-07-04T13:08:00.002+05:00

Take a look at Aston Martin's website and you may notice a new model listed in its portfolio. Slotted in between the One-77 and the DBS sits the V12 Zagato, effectively confirming the new model's place in the company's production lineup and accompanied, in the fourth slide showcasing the model, by the statement "only a strictly limited run of road going cars will be built".

The V12 Zagato is based on the Aston Martin V12 Vantage, but features fresh bodywork penned by the namesake Italian design house. The car celebrates of fifty years of collaboration between Aston Martin and Zagato, dating back to the original DB4 GT.

Following the debut of the concept at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in May and the model's racing debut at the Nürburgring, this is the closest thing to an actual production confirmation we've seen so far. Given where Aston has placed the model among its existing products, a very high purchase price is probable. We look forward to further official confirmation regarding the V12 Zagato's market availability.

[Source: Aston Martin via Autocar]

Report: Volvo to launch new performance line with production C30 PCP

2011-07-04T13:04:00.001+05:00

If you ever looked at those old Volvo ads that suggested their station wagons were the next logical step up from a Lotus, well, you can stop snickering. Sure, it may still be a long shot, but Volvo appears to be getting serious about offering performance-oriented automobiles.

A couple of weeks ago, we brought you a report that indicated Volvo was forging a closer relationship with Polestar, the racing outfit that fields the company's entries in the Scandinavian and World Touring Car Championships. Volvo, it seemed, had already turned to Polestar to squeeze a bit of extra juice from its S60 and XC60 R-Design models, and according to the report, was prepared to utilize Polestar's talents even more in the future.

A clearer picture of that that partnership is now emerging, and so far, it looks promising. Their first collaborative project is tipped to be a production version of the baby-blue, 400-horsepower, all-wheel drive C30 hatchback unveiled last year. If given the go-ahead, we could be looking at a limited run of 500 cars priced around £50,000 in the UK – about the same as a BMW M3.

Like the concept, the production Volvo/Polestar C30 would be the first to carry the PCP badge – referring not to the chemical narcotic, but standing, somewhat repetitively, for Performance Concept Prototype. Similar high-performance versions of Volvo's other products would follow and wear the same nameplate, creating a subdivision for Volvo that would be equivalent to what Mercedes-Benz has in AMG and what BMW does with its M division.
[Source: What Car?]

Review: 2011 Chrysler 300 V6

2011-05-24T16:00:00.001+05:00

Of the many hurtful similes one can hurl at a vehicle, few are more insidious than drawing design or driving parallels to the oft-maligned American sedan. Thanks to the dark days of the ’70s and ’80s, once proud nameplates like Imperial, Impala and Galaxie were either completely forgotten or bastardized into models with about as much personality as a tube sock. Whether you blame it on oil prices, safety standards or the popularity of disco and cocaine, there’s no denying that the domestic four-door suffered a major fall from grace.

Now, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler are all fighting tooth and nail to establish their products as capable of besting metal from Japan, Germany and Korea. While that’s largely translated into a fleet of mid-sized sedans with soap-bar aesthetics and front-wheel-drive architectures, the 2011 Chrysler 300 is hell-bent on continuing to buck that trend.

With its rear-wheel-drive configuration and stylish lines, the four-door strives to draw connections to the Pentastar’s more successful past – to an era long before corporate take-overs and the K-car. Is it successful?

When the 300 first bowed in 2005, it brought a new-found element of menacing appeal to the full-size segment thanks to its high shoulder line, chopped roof and vertical grille. The design may have borrowed more than a few cues from the Bentley stable, but buyers were more than happy to embrace the high-dollar association. For 2011, Chrysler insists the 300 is all-new from tires to taillights, though much of that same look has held on for the new generation. The company’s designers have given the big beast a more mature nose with LED-trimmed projection headlamps, touches of chrome and a more subdued grille.

From the profile view, it’s difficult to discern the new-generation 300 from its predecessor, though careful examination will reveal more pronounced fender arches fore and aft, as well as new detailing behind the rear wheel. The tail of the sedan has received much more aggressive updating, with a new valance that integrates smoothly into the upper and lower portions of the 300’s posterior, allowing for muscular-looking exhaust outlets – even on our V6 tester. The LED taillights are both bright and beautiful at night, and although we don’t mind the chrome detailing on the lamps themselves, the shiny trim along the trunk sill is a bit much.

While the 2011 Chrysler 300 may still wear its older sibling’s hand-me-down skirt outside, its cockpit has benefited fully from the Pentastar’s interior renaissance. A single piece, soft-touch dash stretches between both A-pillars and integrates flawlessly with the front door panels. Compared to the clunky center stack and cheap plastics of the old machine, the new cabin has been improved by several orders of magnitude. The centerpiece of the dash is the same 8.4-inch LCD touchscreen interface found elsewhere in the Chrysler lineup. As massive as it is quick, the new piece of kit puts most other infotainment systems to shame, at least in the graphics department.

The interface is a little cumbersome when it comes to actually managing mobile media players, but climate, radio and navigation settings are intuitive and blisteringly quick.

In addition, the driver is treated to attractive and easy-to-read gauges highlighted by bright blue accent lighting. These pieces do much to give the cabin a much classier look compared to the white-faced gauges found on the previous generation. A new, well-sculpted leather-wrapped steering wheel has has replaced the chunky tiller of old.

Our tester arrived with black cloth seats that must have been lifted straight from the Lay-Z-Boy factory. The front buckets are ludicrously huge and envelop passengers in a loving embrace of foam and high-quality cloth that’s perfect for a vehicle of this size. The rear seats afford the kind of space that only a full-size sedan can deliver, too. For quick trips, there’s ample room for three full-grown adults on the back bench.

The trunk offers up a cavernous 16.3 cubic feet of cargo room, which means that there’s enough storage area for everyone’s luggage should you decide to pack the family in for a trip cross-country.

We were fortunate enough to sample the 2011 Chrysler 300 with the base 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 behind its headlights. In this application, the engine delivers 292 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque and is mated to the same old five-speed automatic transmission found in the previous-generation model. According to the EPA, the 300 should see 18 miles per gallon in the city and 27 mpg highway, which fits pretty closely with the 23 mpg we saw over five days of mixed driving.

Despite the fact that the new six-cylinder weighs in with 70 fewer ponies and 134 fewer pound-feet of torque than the optional 5.7-liter V8, the V6-equipped 300 never really seems out of breath. In fact, the V6 feels pretty quick on the way to 60 miles per hour, though its torque deficit is readily apparent. As we’ve found in other applications, this Pentastar engine is happy to rev, making the majority of its power at a high 6,350 rpm. For buyers used to the early-pull of the big V8, the V6 may take some getting used to. Even so, after a week with the vehicle, we’d have a hard time paying more for the bigger displacement mill.

Unfortunately, the 3.6-liter engine is handicapped by its aging five-speed automatic transmission. We’ve rarely taken issue with the gearbox when paired with the larger 5.7-liter V8, but in this application, the automatic seemed easily confused. That was especially true under hard-acceleration passes as it struggled to drop a gear or two to put the engine in its lofty power sweet spot. We can’t wait for Chrysler to grace this engine with its upcoming new generation of eight-speed transmissions.

Chrysler describes the redesigned suspension at work in the 300 as built for grand touring duty, which is surprisingly accurate for PR-speak. While clearly engineered to consume mile after mile of interstate asphalt, the springs and dampers do a stand-up job under more athletic driving circumstances. There is some body roll, to be sure, but it doesn’t translate into traditional understeer as readily. Really get the V6 singing in its upper octaves and saw on the wheel, and you’ll actually be rewarded with some rotation before the traction control quietly steps in to contain the chaos. This beast drives incredibly well for its size.

Unfortunately, the 2011 300 is cursed with comically light steering. That beautiful leather-wrapped wheel seems to be only casually associated with hardworking hardware out front, and as a result, piloting the vehicle takes some adjustment. Trying to command the big sedan through aggressive maneuvers is like attempting to pluck a stuffed animal from one of those infuriating claw games. Despite being able to see what needs to happen, you’re constantly flummoxed by a layer of machinery seemingly designed to misinterpret your every input.

The good news is that the vehicle’s brakes don’t suffer from the same impotence. Despite the fact that the 300 weighs in at 3,961 pounds, its 12.6-inch vented rotors up front and 12.6-inch solid rotors out back do an outstanding job of bringing the beast down from speed.

Chrysler has really done its homework in the noise, vibration and harshness department, too. The 2011 300 is quiet at most sane speeds and there’s very little engine vibration at idle. The single-piece piece dash has done away with any squeaks and rattles that could arise from plastic-on-plastic action, and the result is a cabin that could allow eight hours of driving in a day to be comfortably covered without making you want to guillotine yourself with the auto-up driver’s window.

But there are still a few ghosts of Chrysler past bumping around the big sedan. While the interior fit and finish is top notch, it’s apparent that the company could still use some work in the detail department outside. Our tester wore an excess of structural adhesive along the trunk rail (see it here) that looks to have been haphazardly slathered on. To us, it’s the kind of “good enough” thinking that got Chrysler into its most recent Chapter 11 mess.

At the end of the day, the 2011 Chrysler 300 is a vehicle you can’t help but want to drive. It looks as good as it feels, offers decent fuel economy for a full-size and won’t break the bank. Prices get going at $27,170, not including the $825 destination fee. That figure is fairly close to what our tester commanded, and includes niceties like the big LCD screen and Uconnect telematics system.

Unfortunately, nearly $28,000 is a lot of money to pay for a thirsty sedan these days. As vehicles like the Honda Accord and Volkswagen Passat grow to full-size territory, buyers may be less inclined to shop bigger. That’s especially true as fuel prices continue to creep up. While the ballyhooed eight-speed automatic transmission that’s coming to Chrysler will likely increase the Pentastar’s fuel economy, the engine will never be able to effectively lock horns with the four-cylinder, diesel and hybrid options available in the mid-size segment.

Still, as with most of the vehicles crafted from the Chrysler renaissance, the 2011 300 is yet another big step in the right direction. It ought to be a giant leap when we can finally get our hands on the SRT8 version.

[Source: autoblog]

GM releases another shot of the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu

2011-05-24T15:59:00.000+05:00

The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu will be unveiled on Monday at the Shanghai Motor Show. General Motors is expectedly making a big deal of the event, and started dropping teasers a couple weeks back. Those were followed by a full-on, high-resolution pic of the Malibu in red on Thursday. And now? Another picture of the China-spec car in blue. Since it’s static, we get a clean look at the new Malibu’s wheels and a better idea of the car’s profile

If you feel like you’re already overstuffed on the 2013 Malibu, try to save some room for the main course, which comes in the form of the sedan’s official debut in Shanghai.

[Source: GM via EGM Car Tech]

Roush announces 2012 Stage 3 Mustang with 540 horsepower horsepower

2011-05-24T15:57:00.001+05:00

The Stage 3 has always been the flagship of Roush’s modified Ford Mustang stable, and the supercharged pony car is making a return for 2012 with a new RS3 moniker. With 540 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque on tap, the Stage 3 replaces the 5XR as Roush’s most powerful offering.

Along with the extra power, the RS3 comes with a new graphics package that is available in six stripe colors and six accent colors, making for 288 color combinations. You can use Roush’s new online configurator to see what colors like Luminescent Lime and Red-Blooded American look on the car and add optional items like the 20-inch Hyper Black wheels and rear three-quarter window louvers. The 2012 RS3 Mustang starts at $59,945 and comes standard with a 3-year/36,000 mile warranty.

[Source: Roush]

PRESS RELEASE:

Livonia, Mich. (April 14th, 2011) – DETROIT MUSCLE | REDEFINED is the vision that sets the direction for the design team at ROUSH® Performance this year. The ROUSH brand has long been synonymous with high horsepower, performance handling and an aggressive body style. And, for the 2012 Mustang model year, ROUSH is introducing some game-changing enhancements that will “Redefine” their heritage of high performance and stylish appearance.

ROUSH Performance proudly introduces the new 2012 ROUSH Stage 3™ performance Mustang. The 5.0L 4-valve DOHC TiVCT power-plant has received clearance for takeoff with the addition of the R2300 ROUSHcharger, forcefeeding up to 12psi of inter-cooled energy to the already robust Coyote engine. The ROUSHcharger® supercharger induction system increases the base horsepower from 412HP to an impressive 540HP and 465 ft/lbs of torque. To enjoy the ride, ROUSH Stage 3 (RS3) vehicle owners enjoy peace of mind with ROUSH’s 3 year/36,000 mile power train warranty.
The 2012 RS3 takes to the streets with an all new graphics and appearance package. ROUSH Performance is now offering a wide palette of color options for the RS3’s appearance and curb appeal. This allows for personal customization of three different aesthetic elements of the car  8 choices for the base vehicle color, 6 stripe colors, and 6 stripe accent colors. Together, these options offer an impressive 288 unique color combinations.

“In addition to the powerful ROUSH power train and tuned suspension, we’re really excited about the new graphics and design options,” says Gary Jurick, VP/GM of ROUSH Performance. “The ‘Redefined’ graphics introduce new metallic colors utilizing automotive paint-grade materials. The result is a breathtakingly deep tone to the RS3’s graphics. We’re now providing our ROUSH consumers a very broad spectrum of graphics and color combinations to consider for their 2012 RS3 Mustang.”

To view and interact with the new RS3 paint colors, graphic striping and accent combinations, painted calipers and wheel options visit the all new ROUSH Vehicle Configurator at: http://www.roushperformance.com/2012-stage3-mustang-configurator.shtml
The ROUSHcharged® 2012 RS3 vehicle is currently not available for sale into California and other states requiring CARB emissions standards.

The estimated retail price for the typically equipped 2012 ROUSH Stage 3 Mustang is around $59,945. Actual final retail pricing will vary based on options selected. The RS3 is backed by a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty and is currently available with a 6-speed manual transmission only. The 2012 ROUSH Stage 3 is expected to start appearing on ROUSH Authorized Ford Dealer lots by the end of April 2011.

For more information on the 2012 ROUSH Stage 1, Stage 2 and RS3 vehicles, upgrades and options, retail pricing, and downloadable Hero Cards, please visit: http://www.roushperformance.com/vehicles.shtml

Review: 2011 Kia Optima EX

2011-05-24T15:51:00.001+05:00

Nobody remembers the 2010 Kia Optima, but just like that, the 2011 model may be the mainstream sedan to beat. While some consumers – the uninformed and brand-bigoted – might remain skeptical, the 2011 Kia Optima is the new benchmark. How could the Optima go from warmed-over also-ran to the segment’s latest front-runner?

The 2011 Kia Optima is at once classy and striking. There’s just enough detailing to keep it interesting without looking gaudy. Kia sent us an Optima EX with standard 17-inch alloy wheels, chrome accents on the door handles, body color mirrors and chrome exhaust tips added to the crisp bodywork. The windshield header’s echo of the “tabbed” grille is the designer’s way of saying “Hey, we thought about this.” Clean and inoffensive, there’s virtually nothing to criticize about the 2011 Optima’s styling.

The nuts and bolts of body assembly appear carefully attended to with tight panel gaps and good fit and finish all around. A stretched-out, long-wheelbase look underscores the increased size over the old Optima, and passenger volume is boosted to 102 cubic feet, near the top of its class. A 15.4-cubic-foot trunk is also larger than several of the Optima’s peers.

On the inside, there’s not as much flair as the outside, perhaps, but the dashboard has a whiff of Saab-ness to it. French stitching, the latest way to say “I’m upscale!” appears on the padded material ringing the instrument panel and center stack. The EX trim level we tested carried the $2,000 Technology Package, which also rolls in the $2,500 Premium Package. All of this translates to a panoramic moonroof and heated and cooled power-adjustable front seats with memory for the driver’s side and heated rear seats. A metal bezel around the shifter and wood trim on the center console and door panels is there to reinforce the message of fancy tailoring. Materials, design and quality are as good or better than anyone else. You’ll have to step up to a luxury brand to find anything better.

Knobs and stalks also feel tight and precise. The big LCD screen, automobiledom’s equivalent of the ostentatious flat screen, is clear and easy to use, but we found it too bright for night driving, even at its minimum illumination setting. Fortunately, the screen is easily switched off to minimize nighttime distraction. We did occasionally hunt for buttons, and even though Bluetooth is standard, there’s no voice command system for anything other than paired phones. Uvo, developed with Microsoft, does offer some voice recognition control and communication and device integration, but it’s rolling out gradually and not offered on Optimas that have navigation like our EX.

The Optima is a mainstream sedan, so ease-of-use is a priority. The chunky leather-wrapped steering wheel is sporty-feeling, even if the electrically-assisted rack and pinion is too light and not much of a talker. With a roomy cabin, the Optima is comfortable front and rear, though the class-leading 44.5 inches of front leg room comes at the expense of rear legroom – at just 34.6 inches, it’s about three inches shy of its segment peers. Rear seat passengers are also shortchanged on shoulder room relative to the rest of the class, though rear headroom isn’t bitten by the raked C pillar like you might expect.

Kia says the 2011 Optima rides on an all-new platform. That’s true, and the underpinnings were co-developed with the all-new Hyundai Sonata. The Optima’s suspension is firmer, giving sharp responses at the expense of some ride comfort. Kia’s modus operandi of stiffly tuned standard suspensions makes even the basic 2011 Optima stern enough over bumps. It’s more supple than some of its overly-harsh siblings that bounce and clunk over bad pavement, capable of tight body control and impact absorption. The multi-link rear and MacPherson strut front setups allow the Optima to corner with discipline. Brakes are firm and easily modulated, as well. The bottom line for drivers is that the 2011 Optima follows orders eagerly and can actually be fun to drive.

The 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that our EX carried is among the smoothest engines of its type. Its 200 horsepower is made possible by direct injection that also boosts efficiency. A six-speed manual transmission is available in the entry Optima LX trim and a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine can also be had, but not together. Optional turbo aside, the 2.4-liter’s no slouch on its own. Teamed with a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic, this powertrain is quiet and refined, capable of great fuel economy. The EPA estimates you’ll get 24 mpg city and 34 mpg highway. We scored a solid 27 combined.

Perhaps it’s not much of a surprise that the newest mainstream sedan appears to trump all the established players. After all, competitors like the Nissan Altima, Toyota’s evergreen Camry, Ford’s lauded Fusion and the Chevrolet Malibu that debuted to much fanfare are all years-old veterans by now. Refreshes are coming and this battle will wear on. Soon, we’ll know if the 2011 Kia Optima is forged from the right stuff to continue proving the company’s “The Power to Surprise” tagline. For the moment, it’s got what it takes, but our advice would be to not rest on its newfound success. It’s brutal out there.

[Source: autoblog]

Mini Goodwood packs the heart of a Rolls-Royce for Shanghai

2011-05-06T15:50:00.001+05:00

While it may seem anathema to American tastes, in the Old World, bigger is not always better. Particularly if you live in a city laid out long before the advent of the automobile. But overseas buyers can still have extravagant tastes, so downsizing to a smaller vehicle to get around densely-packed cities shouldn’t necessarily equate to losing out on those little touches that make a high-end automobile what it is. Hence cars like the Ferrari edition Abarth 695, the Maserati edition Alfa MiTo, the Aston Martin Cygnet, and this: the Mini Inspired by Goodwood.

A joint effort between the two subsidiaries of BMW in England, the Mini Insipired by Goodwood (named for the home of Rolls-Royce) is set to be unveiled shortly at the Shanghai Motor Show. Mechanically, it’s essentially a Mini Cooper S, packing the same 1.6-liter turbocharged four with 181 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque (192 hp on overboost).

The exterior is distinguished by Diamond Black Metallic – a color straight from the Rolls-Royce catalog (or alternatively, Mini’s own Reef Blue Metallic) – with 17-inch multi-spoke alloys and the requisite special badging. But like a Disney character seeking access to a secret, lion-shaped desert cave, it’s what’s inside that counts: Rolls-Royce craftsmen have collaborated with the Mini Yours custom orders department to trim the Cooper’s cabin out in Cornsilk leather, Walnut Burr wood trim, black Nappa leather upper dashboard, thick-pile carpeting… the works, in other words – everything you’d expect from a Rolls-Royce cabin, only smaller.

There’s a lot to love here, but try not to love it too much: only 1,000 examples will be made, and as with all BMW-related option packages, we’re sure it won’t be cheap. Even though deliveries start about a year from now, we see this car going down a storm, so you’d better get your order in quick.

[Source: Mini]

PRESS RELEASE:

MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD: THE HIGHEST IN EXCLUSIVITY.

Limited production model from the MINI Yours range of special edition vehicles and options
Based on the MINI Hardtop, this special edition includes authentic Rolls-Royce materials, colors and accessories
Production limited to 1,000 units worldwide
Deliveries to begin spring 2012

WOODCLIFF LAKE, NJ – April 13, 2011-The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD, which will make its world debut at the Auto Shanghai 2011, is an exclusive special edition that adds another layer to the MINI brand experience with a generous dose of automotive luxury and exclusivity in its highest form.

Close collaboration with the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars design team at the development center of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England has produced a limited-run special edition MINI, whose exterior and interior design is inspired by fine materials and the British luxury car marque’s commitment to absolutely flawless workmanship.

The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD, which will be produced in a limited edition of 1,000 units, combines typical MINI driving fun with discerning craftsmanship, select materials and a styling marked by typical British understatement of the world’s leading producer of luxury automobiles. Deliveries of the 2012 model year vehicle, which will launch as part of the exclusive MINI Yours product line, are scheduled to start in spring 2012.

The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD is characterized by top-grade materials, the highest level of workmanship and stylish supremacy. The special edition of the MINI Hardtop was built under the guidance of the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars designer team and transfers the unmistakable style of the British luxury car manufacturer to the equally unique MINI, an original within the premium small car segment.

The exterior and interior design from the MINI Yours range: fascinating charisma and incomparable high-quality ambience.

As the first premium model in the small car segment, MINI has been a genuine trailblazer, the unsurpassed scope of its equipment features and accessories allowing it to meet the most varied requirements. And now MINI fans can express their appreciation of exclusive individuality, eye for stylish elegance and penchant for uncompromising premium quality with even greater sophistication.

Inside the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD, a harmonious color concept, selected materials and a production quality characterized by precise craftsmanship guarantee the highest degree of well-being and comfort.

The dashboard, including the surrounds of the central instrument and the air vents, the center console, carpet surfaces, the Lounge leather seats, the roof lining as well as the door, side and body pillar cladding boast the exclusive Rolls-Royce color Cornsilk, a warm and natural shade of beige. Only the upper section of the instrument panel, which is lined with extremely high-quality, soft full-grain leather, is in black.

The dashboard and door handle surfaces are manufactured in Goodwood and finished in Walnut Burr, a wood quality also exclusive to Rolls-Royce. The black nappa leather dashboard top, Tipped Leather Cornsilk door linings as well as Piano Black surface finishes for the buttons on the multifunction steering wheel and the controls below the central instrument all provide additional quality-enhancing accents. These veneers are selected at the Goodwood factory exclusively for the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD, and the matching black dials for the speedometer and rev counter bear the same typeface as their Rolls-Royce counterparts.

Two of the most striking features of the exterior design are the body finish in the exclusive Rolls-Royce color Diamond Black metallic and 17-inch light alloy wheels sporting a multi-spoke design. Alternatively, the MINI color variant Reef Blue metallic can be specified as an option.

The chosen paint shade is also used for the exterior mirror caps and roof spoiler of the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD. The exclusivity of the special-edition model is also reflected in its body design. The car’s front and rear apron are the same as those found on the MINI Cooper S, but are combined with the bonnet from the MINI Cooper D. Rather than carrying over the air scoop of the MINI Cooper S, it boasts a harmoniously flowing surface which underlines the stylishly elegant appearance of the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD.

There are also high-class aluminum badges stamped with the lettering “MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD” on the side indicator surrounds above the front wheel arches and on the door sills. Another badge, also featuring the legend “One of 1000″, can be found on the centre console in front of the gearshift lever (or selector lever, if the automatic gearbox is specified).

Beyond the signature features of the special-edition model, the standard equipment fitted in the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD also meets the highest expectations of a premium car. The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD’s range of high-quality equipment offered as standard also includes Xenon Adaptive Headlights, Park Distance Control, automatic air conditioning, an onboard computer and the audio system Radio MINI Visual Boost, which includes the Harman Kardon hi-fi speaker system.

Twin-scroll turbocharged engine delivers customary MINI driving fun.

The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD is powered by a turbocharged l.6-liter four-cylinder engine that was featured for the first time in the 2011 MINI Cooper S. The MINI Cooper S engine ensures that the hallmark MINI driving fun and imposing power reserves are available on tap. The engine includes a Twin Scroll turbocharger, direct injection and variable valve control.

The 1.6-liter drive unit generates 181 hp and maximum torque of 240 Newton meters (177 lb-ft), which can be raised to 260 Newton meters (192 lb-ft) using the Overboost function.

The most efficient engine in its displacement class combines its outstanding power development with exceptionally low fuel consumption and emissions figures. The sprint from 0 to 60 mph is all over in 6.6 seconds, while its EPA fuel economy ratings are 35 mpg highway / 27 mpg city / 30 mpg combined (manual transmission). As an alternative to the standard six-speed manual gearbox, the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD can also be ordered as an option with a six-speed automatic.

Inspired by Goodwood, built in Oxford.

The exterior and interior features specially developed for the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD embody the inimitable style of Rolls-Royce Design. From the initial inspiration, the selection of materials and the detailed preparation of the color concept, to the fine-tuning of the production process to ensure unimpeachable quality standards, the entire development process in Goodwood was carried out in close collaboration with the MINI plant in Oxford and the BMW Group’s development center in Munich.

The special-edition car will be built at the Oxford MINI plant, where the MINI Hardtop, MINI Clubman and MINI Convertible are also produced for the global market.

Bred from the finest of stock: The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD.

The British origins of the two brands, their shared belief in meeting the individual needs and desires of their customers, and the creative pooling of ideas between the various brands at BMW Group Design provided the fuel for the collaboration between Rolls-Royce and MINI. At the Rolls-Royce headquarters in Goodwood, southern England, Rolls-Royce interior designer Alan Sheppard has overseen the emergence of a MINI which reproduces the hallmark majestic allure of the historic luxury brand and an interior ambience born of exquisite materials and outstanding workmanship in a representative of the small car community for the first time.

The exclusive status of the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD is rooted in a materials and color concept which reflects the unmistakable and globally unique Rolls-Royce style not only in its individual component parts, but also in the configuration put together for the special-edition model.

BMW Z4 GT3 undergoes first round of customer tests

2011-05-06T15:48:00.001+05:00

The 2011 BMW Z4 GT3 proved it can win races back in January when it took the overall victory at the Dubai 24 Hours. Never one to rest on its laurels, BMW took the car from the winners circle in Dubai and put it right back on a test track. After a good beating throughout March, BMW made aerodynamic and electronic tweaks to get the racer into absolute state-of-the-art shape for customer entries in 2011 GT3 competition.

The BMW Z4 GT3 resembles its production cousin in name and basic shape only. Most of its body panels have been significantly altered to keep the car slipping through the air and bolted to the road.

Under the hood, the production Z’s six-cylinder heart has been ripped out and replaced with the same 4.4-liter V8 that sees duty in the M3. The V8 feeds power to the ground through a six-speed paddle-shifted sequential manual. Stuffing all that engineering know-how into the Z4 GT3 isn’t cheap, either; the car retails at just north of $450,000.

[Source: BMW]

PRESS RELEASE:

Modified BMW Z4 GT3 Completes Successful Test Programme

Munich, 8th April 2011. The modified BMW Z4 GT3 has survived its baptism of fire: the GT customer sports car proved itself in a series of intensive tests in recent weeks. The goal of the latest modifications was primarily to improve aerodynamic efficiency in order to ensure the car’s competitiveness in the many, hard-fought GT3 classes.

The BMW Z4 GT3, which was launched in March 2010, achieved its greatest success to date in January 2011. Claudia Hürtgen (DE), BMW works driver Augusto Farfus (BR), Tommy Milner (US) and Edward Sandström (SE) won the Dubai 24 Hours for Team Schubert. This was the first outright victory for the BMW Z4 GT3 at a marathon race of this scale, having already proven its potential with wins in its debut season in the FIA GT3 European Championship.

With its elongated bonnet, the driver’s compartment towards the rear of the car, long wheel base and narrow wheel arches, the series version of the BMW Z4 boasts an unmistakable appearance. The two-seater provided BMW Motorsport engineers with a good basis for developing a competitive GT3 racing car.

A difference between the production and racing car can be found under the bonnet: while the production version of the BMW Z4 is driven by a six-cylinder engine, the GT3 car is powered by a 4.4-litre eight-cylinder engine.

BMW Motorsport engineers have also fine-tuned the aerodynamics of the BMW Z4 GT3 for the new season, improving the car’s performance in this area. When it comes to electronics, the private teams can look forward to innovative BMW solutions: The modern ECU408 takes over the engine management, while the Power400 electronic control unit is responsible for controlling all the actuators. The power is transmitted through a six-speed, sequential gearbox. Gearshifts are now initiated using two paddles.

The steel body of the car comes from BMW Plant Regensburg. A safety cell made of extremely rigid, precision steel tubing is then welded into the body. The engine block of the V8 engine is produced in the BMW foundry in Landshut. BMW Plant Dingolfing contributes the rear axle differential, among other things. Front and rear wings, bonnet, roof, fenders and many other components are made of carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP).

The car is available now at a price of 315,000 Euros (plus VAT) from BMW Motorsport Distribution, email address Z4GT3@bmw-motorsport.com.

First Drive: 2012 Ferrari FF

2011-05-06T15:43:00.001+05:00

The last time Ferrari blew absolutely everyone away with wall-to-wall surprises and equally sizzling performance all wrapped into one car was in 2002 with its Enzo. We’re not saying that all things between then and today have been shabby, mind you. And we’re also not saying that the 2012 Ferrari FF does it in marquee-and-fireworks Enzo-style, but the unexpected innovations aboard this gorgeous trailblazing all-weather shooting brake will keep conversation heated for an uncommonly long time. This is Ferrari thinking way outside its box of usual GT forms and, for no other reason than this, we must applaud them.

You’re probably expecting us to drop the “But…” right about now, yanking the carpet away in the damning-with-faint-praise tradition, however, there isn’t one to drop on the parade here. We’ve just reeled off some 150 miles of sheer V12 driving joy in the endlessly challenging Dolomite Mountains of northeastern Italy, and when finished with that, we only wanted more. Admittedly, we could do with a better onboard sat-nav and command center than the Harman Kardon unit, as well as a slightly weightier steering map for warm and dry days, but these are our only moments of quandary when assessing the FF.

FF means “Ferrari Four” and this unashamedly standout model will most likely cost around $300,000 when it hits North American ports in the end of October of this year. That’s cheap. Why keep a $173,200 Porsche Panamera Turbo S, a $39,680 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4×4, a $111,100 Corvette ZR1, and a $21,200 Ford Transit Connect cluttered in your drive, when you can save both money and garage space by snapping up the ingenious and rare all-wheel-drive 651-horsepower Ferrari FF and call it a day? For that matter, why buy a house when you can have all the comfort and room we took advantage of inside the FF? The leather is luscious and an optional Schedoni [pronounced ske-DOH-nee] luggage set outfitted in the same hides runs around $10k.

We are not ignorant of the fact that some of those who can afford an FF – together with legions of the less wealthy who aspire to simpler pleasures like a BMW xDrive model or some such thing – have been exuberantly vocal (usually in writing, huddled away in their computer lairs) about what an atrocity the FF is to the Ferrari brand and heritage. We have only one thing to say before we say more things: stick it in your ear. The FF is a genius move from a company that we frankly saw getting itself into a small rut and having an increasingly challenging time selling V12-engined dream cars, no matter how gorgeous they might draw them or how well they were engineered. Thinking of a world without a briskly selling V12 Ferrari makes us break out in a worrying sweat for humanity.

And seeing as there has been a real challenge for anyone selling 12-cylinder cars lately, any new V12 needs to be about a lot more than simply the engine and its power. That said, even the 6.3-liter “F140 EB” V12 sitting front/amidships in the FF possesses a raft of sophisticated improvements. Nuances to the FF’s engine almost make the outgoing 612 Scaglietti’s F133 F 5.7-liter V12 and its 536 horsepower seem historic. The 6.3-liter has more in common with the 611-to-661-hp 6.0-liter V12 in the 599 line. Just add 200-psi direct injection and new “reed” valves in the dry sump to keep oil from seeping back up with the pistons. Voila! 651 hp and 504 pound feet of torque and at least a 15-percent improvement in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Certainly we must talk design and packaging of this latest Ferrari that has succeeded in surprising everybody. First, just like Porsche and others before it, Ferrari found itself at a point where it needed to create something more “practical” – using the term very loosely, of course. Bringing new blood to the brand was necessary. One measure that reassures as we eye the FF before driving it is the 1.4 inches taller that it stands versus the 612 Scaglietti, while at the same time still remaining 1.5 inches squatter than a Panamera Turbo S. In all other key measures, the FF is almost exactly the same size as the Scaglietti, though the aluminum chassis and every aluminum body panel are all new. So, the FF still sits low down enough to be a sleek two-door supercar worthy of the Ferrari badge.

Marking Ferrari leader Luca Cordero di Montezemolo’s words, there will never be a four-door Ferrari and hence, nary an SUV or crossover. So, also along these lines, the four-honest-seat FF should be as close to such genres as the company ever gets.

How Ferrari designers have established the taller rear section of the greenhouse is a thing of beauty, with rear-seat head- and leg-room that is copious for anyone up to six-feet, two-inches tall. Luggage space in back ranges from 15.9 cubic feet up to 28.3 cubes with the rear seatbacks simply falling forward and laying flat. Bagged skis and golf bags can also be stored by loading through the center section of the rear seats very comfortably. For many car companies, these facts and figures would be far from miraculous, but the FF is a 208-mph Ferrari with a thoroughly heart-wrenching exhaust symphony that sets it miles apart.

Helping the exterior proportions are the surface treatment and detailing of all the lines of the FF’s sexy rear, as well as the standard 20-inch wheels bookending the long 117.7-inch wheelbase. Whereas we’re still not 100-percent convinced by the headlights of the sensational 458 Italia, the LED light design up front on the FF is just right. Does the FF have too large a mouth? That V12 does need to breathe a lot and stay cool, hence the constant Italian smile.

Sitting in the multi-adjustable driver’s seat within the first class cabin, before us is an impressive steering wheel that’s clearly inspired by the one gripped on occasional Sundays by Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso. By forgoing all traditional stalks, the now larger column-fixed carbon-fiber shift paddles for the new seven-speed F1 DCT automated manual gearbox sit closer to the backside of the wheel, and thus right at our fingertips like never before. Besides the five-mode GT manettino switch and red Engine Start button, a windshield wiper toggle and the “Schumacher” button for softer suspension while in Sport or ESC Off on the manettino, Ferrari has incorporated the turn-signal controls into the 3-o’clock and 9-o’clock positions for thumbs to activate or deactivate. This seems small as far as features go, but it’s a revelation of functionality. There are also the “Look, Mom, I’m racing!” red LEDs that light up left to right at the top of the wheel as the revs build to the 8,000-rpm redline.

Luckily, we were directed to many a tunnel with perfect acoustics during our drive day, and this obligated us to downshift even when not really necessary, and there were a few occasions when we couldn’t help but pull both paddles to find neutral so that we could then just blip the throttle like rabble rousers. And what a sound from the FF’s four burnished tips! The throttle is so responsive that we could blip out entire songs as we coasted briskly through the heart of many a mountain. There’s nothing anywhere more emotionally evocative as a carefully tuned Ferrari V12 singing in a tunnel.

And it’s not just all sound and fury with no substance. The 651 horses and 504 lb-ft of torque work together with all that sweet tech on board to move this 4,147-pound Ferrari as though it weighs about half a ton less than it does. Despite all of the changes, the FF weighs just 13 pounds more than the 612 Scaglietti. Given its added power and torque, acceleration to 62 mph is quoted officially at 3.7 seconds versus the Scaglietti’s 4.0 seconds. We’ll take odds right now on a digitally timed 3.3 seconds to 60 mph as soon as Ferrari lets us do that. Four adults and their bags – moving very quickly.

The Dolomites are a perfect testing area for dynamics and engine characteristics. The A-Number-1 innovation on the FF is the two-ratio gearbox mounted in front of the V12 linked directly to the crankshaft, looking a bit like the motor hung on the front of a Morgan 3-Wheeler when it’s naked. These two ratios in front are what give the FF its lightweight all-wheel drive only when needed. Think about it: Do 99 percent of all-wheel-drive vehicles need to be all-wheel-drive at all times? No, they do not. How often do you need four-wheel drive in gears 5 through 7? Just about never.

This system is labeled “4RM” – “4 Ruote Motrici” meaning “four driven wheels” – and it is a Maranello in-house patented approach that we know others will be using in the future. First off, it is mechanically much simpler than a traditional all-wheel-drive setup, it weighs half as much and the reactions are silk smooth. There is no center differential needed and no additional shaft is required to pass from the rear axle back up to the front axle. You do not talk of a torque split here. Rather, the seven-speed F1 DCT and E-Diff torque vectoring on the rear axle still run most of the show and they are built to manage up to five times the torque of the front axle. The mechanism on the front of the crankshaft is referred to as a PTU, for power take-off unit or power transfer unit. Take your pick.

Wet clutch packs on the rear transaxle and the front PTU are synchronized by the FF’s sophisticated ECU to make sure all four wheels are doing everything they can at all times to give you the dynamic advantage under all driving conditions. The PTU has one gear that acts on the front wheels while the F1 gearbox is engaged in either first or second gear in back. The PTU’s second gear is used with the F1’s third and fourth gears. There is more slip programmed into the PTU in first or third gear, while less slippage happens when in second or fourth. This variation is to simply maintain proper wheel speeds between front and back at all times while in these more sensitive first four gears. The PTU’s first taller gear is good up to around 60 mph, while the longer-legged second gear can engage up to 125 mph or so before rendering the car a traditional full-time rear-wheel-drive Ferrari fast-lane funfest from fifth through seventh gears.

We drove plenty of sundrenched dry mountain roads with a plethora of hairpins that would suck the wind out of and overtax the weight-shift characteristics of almost all other cars we know that can compete. We flew over graveled sections of road, hammered the third-generation Brembo CCM ceramic brakes ad infinitum and played a lot with the third-generation Delphi magnetorheological dampers via the manettino switch and Schumacher button. The throttle to the new direct-injected V12 motor knew no rest and the responses were precise. Overtaking a constant flow of delivery trucks and people driving slowly into the mountains for the weekend became an afterthought as the FF’s mid-range enthusiasm imposed itself.

Shifts from the Getrag-Ferrari F1 DCT gearbox are emotional moments, and happen exactly as we hoped they would while staying in Sport mode practically all day long. In full Auto mode with the manettino set at Comfort, this DCT is far more livable than the former Graziano single-clutch race-oriented boxes. Do not let yourself be fooled, though, it’s still manically satisfying to slap the carbon-fiber paddles up and down the scale. The FF’s downshift throttle blips are the stuff of legend.

In those myriad curves – ascending, descending, flat, and all in abundance – the all-season 20-inch Pirelli P Zero tires – 245/35 ZR20 (95Y) front, 295/35 ZR20 (105Y) rear – were made to look infallible thanks to the 4RM system conducting all negotiations between the PTU in front, E-Diff with F1 DCT in back, and the agile F1 Trac rear axle torque control. Launch Control comes on all FFs and it can be used in all five settings of the manettino this time around. On the dry, just stand on the brake with the left foot, press the Launch button and insert first gear, floor the throttle, which holds at 3500 rpm, and let go of the brake. The F1 tranny then takes over and automates all the shifts at the 8,000-rpm power peak. Sadly, all our testers this day wouldn’t let us try out the LC party – something about cars possibly flying off the narrow mountain roads in unskilled hands and whatnot. We’ll just need to hit the closed track later, we suppose.

The FF also proves itself a capable snow-goer on optional 20-inch Pirelli Sottozero tires. We really see the entire 4RM suite of features at work here and the controlled oversteer drifts are just weird since we’ve never been encouraged to behave this way in a Ferrari. On our testers, there was a Traction Index interface to the left side of the driver’s display that was as addictive to watch as the green graphics in any slow-moving Japanese tree-hugger car. This digital display showed the traction values jogging between the four wheels in real time as we scooted over ice and snow, or over wet or dry pavement. It was fascinating stuff that a Ferrari spokesperson confided will not be offered on production models. Pity, because it was amazing to play with – especially when kicking out tail in empty hairpin sections.

It’s in exactly those tail-swishing dynamic sections of road where the FF equation all comes together. In our preferred Sport manettino position, feeling the forward PTU help pull us through and out of all hard curves while still letting the rear end swing around was akin to ballet. The FF profits from a typical 47/53 percent fore/aft Ferrari weight distribution and there was no perceivable understeer through whatever curves we were barreling into and screaming out of. It was also here, on dry pavement, that we wanted the feedback of a slightly heavier wheel, just as we’ve come to love on all other Ferrari models – especially the 458 Italia. In the slick stuff on winter tires, this lightness is ideal, but we were looking for it to tighten up a touch on warm, dry asphalt.

Funnily enough, a Ferrari guardian angel/spokesperson (who came to aide us after our left front Michelin Super Sport summer tire found a nail) handed us his backup FF and said in passing, “Try the steering feel on this car.” Later, after having driven this other FF all the way back to base camp, someone informed us that the steering map had been increased by ten percent for this pre-production car as an experiment. It was just the ticket and we hope that this calibration at least gets offered as an option somehow.

Other than all that, what can we say? Those out there who are so caught out by the non-traditional nature of this amazing Ferrari GT variation are only going to cheat themselves. Maranello has absolutely done it to a tee with the FF. In a sense, the FF is one of those beautiful moments where a company has answered a question that nobody was asking, only for us to drive it and smack our foreheads for not having thought of something like it sooner. It takes all of the racing lore Ferrari puts into each car it builds and adds every single bit of correct versatility that we’d add were we in charge.

The FF’s first year of production is already sold out and annual volume is planned at around 800 units, though Ferrari intends to stay open to making more if and when more are needed. European left-hand-drive FF deliveries start the end of May, worldwide right-hand-drive units ship in July, and North America gets federalized FFs into buyers’ hands in late October.

Just in time for the early snows.

[Source: autoblog]

Racers from Germany and Spain announced for Pixar’s CARS 2

2011-04-30T16:13:00.001+05:00

Pixar has released more goodies this week about its upcoming sequel, CARS 2, due to hit theaters in the U.S. on June 24. What we have for you today are the cars representing Germany and Spain in the movie’s championship race, the World Grand Prix.

First up is Max Schnell, who not only represents Deutschland, but also appears to be carrying the torch for all DTM racers in CARS 2. His last name, Schnell, is also a nice touch, being the German word for ‘fast’. He hails from Stuttgart, which is the home of both Porsche and Mercedes-Benz, but we think his design is actually inspired by the Audi A4, hence him wearing the #4. He’s also won more races at the Motorheimring (Pixar-speak for Nürburgring, and also German for Motorhome-ring) than any other car in the World Torque Champion League (Pixar-speak again for World Touring Car Championship).

Next up, representing the country of Spain, is Miguel Camino, who hails from Pamplona. Miguel gained fame in his homeland by participating in the famous Running of the Bulldozers and competing as a toreador in the dozer ring. He now races as car #5 in the Grand Touring Sport circuit. If we had to venture a guess at who Miguel is modeled after, we’d say Spanish F1 champ Fernando Alonso. Why? The shape of his headlights suggest a Ferrari influence, and Spain’s real greatest racer drives for Ferrari in Formula One.

Max Schnell

Max Schnell started as a humble production sedan from Stuttgart, Germany. An avid amateur racer, Max would practice alone in the back roads of the dense Black Forest-a trek that eventually caught the eye of a racing team owner. Soon Max was on a professional circuit, bearing the #4, and as his horsepower increased, he converted himself to carbon fiber, dropping his weight and getting into prime racing shape. He’s won more races at Motorheimring than any other World Torque Champion League car in history. A naturally brilliant engineer, he used logic and analytics to refine his build, and plans to approach the World Grand Prix in the same perfectly calculated manner.

Miguel Camino

Spain’s most renowned, admired and captivating car is Pamplona’s Miguel Camino. He first caught his home country’s attention by participating in the infamous Running of the Bulldozers. His flair, style and speed as a toreador in the dozer ring has inspired a generation of young bulldozer fighters, and soon that same speed and verve turned headlights of fans and competitors alike on the Grand Touring Sport racing circuit. Bearing the #5 and the fiery colors of the Spanish flag, Miguel Camino is hoping to race his way into more hearts at the World Grand Prix.

Audi Q3 sketches released ahead of Shanghai debut

2011-04-30T15:57:00.001+05:00

Audi has confirmed that its 2012 Q3 small crossover will receive its worldwide unveiling at the Shanghai Motor Show later this month. Before the Q3 debuts in the metal, Audi has released a series of sketches hinting what we can expect in a few weeks time.

When the production Q3 debuts it will sit on Volkswagen Tiguan underpinnings, but will be considerably more shapely than its less costly cousin. If these sketches are to be believed, the Q3 owes a little somethin’ somethin’ to Audi’s Cross Coupe Quattro concept shown in Shanghai back in 2007.

The Tiguan’s engines and transmissions should carryover into the Q3, which means a turbo four producing around 200 horsepower with a diesel option for Europe.

[Source: Audi]

Review: 2011 Chevrolet Volt

2011-04-30T15:40:00.002+05:00

There’s something to be said for being at the right place at the right time. Had our primordial ancestors evolved legs and lungs while the entire globe was still awash in warm sea water, they would have gone belly up and we might have never made it to the top of the food chain. At this point in history, our entire species can thank generations of ancestors for not being squished, drowned, beaten, eaten or stabbed before cranking out offspring that would further the human race. One misstep to the left could have been all it took to eradicate entire lines of Homo sapiens progress.

Those same laws of luck and fortune dictate which automotive traits will survive into the future and which will be left to be bookmarks of curiosity in the mechanical fossil record. General Motors knows this all too well. The company infamously birthed the EV1 in the mid-’90s only to find that its high costs of development meant the short-range electric couldn’t keep its head above water in a sea of relatively cheap fuel prices. At the time, there just wasn’t any land in sight for the electric movement.

What a difference 15 years make. Thanks to the trailblazing efforts of the hybrid fleet, more and more Americans now associate efficiency with electric power, and General Motors has given rise to what could possibly be the perfect evolutionary species to bridge the gap between hybrid and full-electric motivation – the 2011 Chevrolet Volt.

It’s been four years since General Motors first pulled back the sheets on the original Chevrolet Volt Concept. As you likely recall, that vehicle was a stylized dream that wore a vertical nose, high belt-line, chopped roof and massive wheels for a look that was, in a word, awesome. The concept was downright muscular and served as an excellent counterpoint to the econo-blob styling of the Toyota Prius at the time. Unfortunately, nearly all of the brawny build of the Volt Concept never quite made it to the production world.

Instead, the designers at GM were confined by the laws of aerodynamics, which means that the production Volt wears a shape that’s very similar to what Toyota came up with for its battery-assisted wonder child. At 177.1-inches long, the Volt is around four inches shorter than its platform mate, the compact Chevrolet Cruze, and 1.5 inches longer than the current generation Prius. The front fascia is appropriately swept into the hood and fenders with wrapped projector headlamps and a shield grille help to give the electrified four-door one of the lowest drag coefficients of any vehicle GM has ever produced. Only the low-slung Corvette rivals the 0.287 Cd of the Volt.

Even with all of its slippery concessions, the Volt is an attractive enough vehicle. Our tester came with 17-inch chrome-clad wheels that added a splash of style to the judicious use of chrome and piano-black plastic along the window line. The vehicle’s tall, abrupt Kamm tail rear takes some getting used to, especially with its slit brake lamps and somewhat awkward spoiler, but the design does have the effect of differentiating the Volt from the rest of North America’s roadgoing hardware.

Jump inside and it’s even clearer that you aren’t driving a run-of-the-mill internal-combustion mule. The center stack is awash in capacitive-touch controls that are simple to navigate if not difficult to read during daylight hours. At night, excellent back-lighting makes the small text labels somewhat easier to translate. A large LCD touchscreen handles everything from climate, navigation and audio information to data on the vehicle’s state of charge and efficiency, and the interface is perfectly intuitive.

Unfortunately, in what must have been a quest to skimp on weight and cost, GM built the cabin of the Volt with materials that would be more at home on a humble Cobalt. Hard, dark plastics abound as far as the eye can see, and while they’re nicely grained, they do little to make drivers feel any better about the vehicle’s lofty price tag.

We do have to give GM praise for the location of the vehicle’s start button, though. Mounted just north and to the left of the shifter, the button is at perfect thumb level. There’s no fumbling around or craning your neck in an attempt to find switchgear stashed behind the steering wheel. Here’s hoping that little trick begins finding its way to other products soon.

GM has also opted for a complete LCD gauge cluster in place of any standard dials. Those nostalgic for the old kit can give it up. The screen organizes and displays a wealth of information clearly and accurately, with vehicle speed represented in large, easy to read numerals above all else. We have to imagine that even if the Volt drivetrain doesn’t spread to the rest of the GM fleet, elements of its instrument cluster surely will.

We were treated to optional leather seating in our time with the Volt, and the light cream-colored thrones did much to brighten the otherwise dark interior. GM hasn’t skimped on details with the Volt, and the double-stitched seats include one line of electric blue thread that’s a particularly nice touch. Rear passengers will find somewhat cramped leg room and no comfortable place to put their inboard elbows, but there’s enough space up top to keep even the cast of Jersey Shore from scraping their hair on the headliner.

Interestingly enough, GM has opted to build the Volt as a hatchback. The rear cargo area offers around 10.6 cubic feet of room, which is plenty for stashing groceries and the like. Our only real issue with the design is that the hatch weighs a ton. Even with gas struts to assist in lifting and lowering the piece, it’s difficult to keep from slamming the door without using both hands. Additionally, with no partition to separate the cabin from the aft area, tire noise is especially prominent at highway speeds.

Under the hood, GM has stashed a tangle of technological wizardry. At its heart, the Volt uses a three powerplant system to get down the road. With a fully charged battery, the vehicle gets its gusto from an 111kw traction motor. Additionally, a 55kw electric generator is also onboard. Clutched to a 84-horsepower 1.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine, the generator can jump in to provide power to both the battery and the traction motor at the same time should conditions warrant an extra push of power. Should the batteries drop to a certain predetermined state of charge, the internal combustion mill will jump in to generate electricity to power the front wheels.

GM has graced the Volt with a lithium-ion battery system that the company claims has no memory. That means that it doesn’t have to be fully drained in order to receive the most efficient charge possible. The tech also allows for rapid energy release – something that’s essential for all-electric power at highway speeds. The Volt can be charged using either a 120v plug or a 240v outlet. We were only able to dabble with the first option, and as such, we saw complete-drain charge times of around 10 hours through a standard household outlet. That’s a long time, especially considering that you’re only rewarded about 36 miles of all-electric range for your patience. The good news is that the 240v option will top off the cells in right around four hours. If you’re going to be parking a Volt in your garage with any frequency, make sure there’s a 240v plug nearby.

For all of the bellyaching that we could work up over how long it takes to fully charge the Volt, GM has done an amazing job of building an EV that drives just like any other vehicle on the road. Acceleration isn’t exactly neck-snapping by any means, but if you get frisky with the accelerator, you will be rewarded with a few quick spins of the low-rolling resistance Goodyear Assurance tires. The jump to 60 miles per hour takes around 8.53 seconds in the optional Sport mode, but plan for a little more time in the Normal drive configuration.

We were pleasantly surprised to see that should you need an extra shot of power for a quick pass on the interstate, the Volt will happily oblige. Torque from the 111 kw motor is always at the ready, and while acceleration seems to level off quickly, there’s enough on hand to get you out of trouble. Likewise, the engineers at GM did an excellent job working up the brakes to feel just as linear and progressive as anything you’d find on a standard vehicle. Despite being regenerative, the stoppers never felt grabby or clunky in anyway. Pedal feel is always firm and confidence-inspiring, which is great considering that the Volt tips the scales at a portly 3,781 pounds.

That’s plenty of mass to carry around, and combined with the fling-averse tires, it’s clear that the Volt is never going to be mixing it up on the dance floor with any sports sedans. Get too froggy with the wheel and you’ll quickly be reminded of just how much this vehicle weighs.

But that’s clearly not what the Volt is all about. Under a full-head of electric steam, the Volt is beautifully quiet in city driving up to around 40 mph. Once the speedometer ticks past 50 mph, there’s a noticeable amount of tire and wind noise, though the vehicle never feels taxed or uncomfortable. Again, it’s a level of refinement typically associated with the compact segment, not vehicles with an MSRP north of $40,000 like the Volt, but with the drone of an internal combustion powertrain absent in EV mode, outside factors like air and road noise can’t help but become more prominent.

GM has aced the logic behind the range estimation for all-electric power. If the screen says you have 36 miles before the internal combustion engine kicks in, you can feel safe betting your first born that you won’t run of juice before then – a small detail that builds big confidence in the viability of getting where you’re going.

Once you do drain the battery cells, the 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine kicks in to generate more electricity. While the small four-cylinder isn’t crude by any means, there’s little insulating driver and occupants from its vibration once it gets going. We’ve never noticed just how harsh an internal combustion engine can be until we’d been romanced by the smoothness of 36 miles of EV driving. We almost felt embarrassed every time the engine came on, like someone had just pointed out a lengthy piece of toilet paper glued to the bottom of our shoes.

We drove the Volt over the course of four days and put around 165 miles on the clock in mixed driving. During that time, we purposefully drained the battery a few times in order to give the 1.4-liter engine a workout, but also kept the vehicle on the charger and in a climate-controlled garage when not in use. At the end of our stint, we burnt a whopping 2.064 gallons of premium fuel for a final average of 79.94 mpg. Of course, we’ll have to wait for our next power bill to know exactly how much that stellar fuel economy cost us.

When GM first showed off the Volt Concept, it lurked on stage with a sexy white cord coiled daintily beside the front wheel indicating just how easy it would be to charge your car instead of filling up its tank. While the Volt is about as easy to charge as your cell phone, there is some aggravation involved. For starters, the vehicle requires a clunky adapter that roughly resembles Officer URL – the glowing face of law and order from Futurama. Coiling and uncoiling the meaty orange cord from the converter requires some coordination, especially if you happen to be juggling a bag of groceries at the same time. What you’re left with is a long cord strewn in front of the driver’s door just waiting to ensnare the clumsy or calamitous.

Still, it’s easy to tell when the vehicle is charging thanks to a series of lights and honks from the vehicle itself. The good news is that we never had any issues charging the Volt during our time with the vehicle. Simply plug in the converter, click it into the car and go on your merry way.

We won’t completely dive into the EV debate here. That’s an argument best left to the well-educated pages of AutoblogGreen. While we have our reservations about digging up massive quantities of lithium and coal simply to serve our transportation needs, the Volt is nothing less than an amazing piece of engineering. Quite simply, GM has pulled off something worthy of all the accolades heaped on this vehicle’s hood. Nearly 80 mpg is nothing to scoff at, and we’re guessing that the figure would likely climb if we were simply using the Volt to dart back and forth from work instead of running weekend errands all over creation.

Ecological concerns aside, the only hitch in this giddyup is the price tag that the Volt carries. With optional equipment like leather, 17-inch wheels, rear-view camera and the sultry Crystal Red Metallic paint of our tester, final coin for this machine sits at $44,180 with destination. That’s a fat stack of cash, especially considering that the much larger Toyota Camry Hybrid starts at $27,435 with destination and promises 33.5 mpg combined. Likewise, Hyundai only asks $26,545 with destination for its 37.5 mpg-capable Sonata Hybrid. It doesn’t take any advanced mathematics to realize that the nearly $13,000 premium it takes to score a Volt over a Camry Hybrid would buy a lot of gasoline, even at Road Warrior prices.

That said, Uncle Sam really wants you to buy vehicles like the Volt, which is eligible for a $7,500 federal tax rebate, as well additional state and local rebates depending on where you live. Some residents of Lansing, Michigan, for instance, are eligible for up to $15,000 worth of rebates on the Volt. GM also plans to cut the Volt’s price when production ramps up and the technology spreads to other platforms.

So where does the Volt fit in the evolutionary spectrum of personal transportation? Though it’s priced for early adopters, the vehicle demands few concessions from owners coming directly from hybrid or internal combustion vehicles. We’ve heard word that GM is planning to up production of the vehicle to 12,000 units by 2012, which means that the automaker is anticipating steeper demand connected to ever loftier fuel prices. Though the Volt seems to be serving as the missing link between our transportation right now and full electrification, the price will have to drop before we see them wheeling around every corner.

[Source: autoblog]

Subaru shows us a side of the 2012 Impreza

2011-04-25T19:43:00.001+05:00

Subaru rolled out an impressive Impreza concept vehicle at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show. That design was aggressive, good-looking and one of the better reveals of the entire auto show. Will the impending production version be as exciting as the concept? We’ll see. Subaru has plans to reveal the next Impreza at the fast-approaching New York Auto Show. Ahead of that, the automaker has released a profile shot of the 2012 Impreza.

We don’t have much in the way of actual information to offer just yet, but Subaru is offering fuel efficiency estimates of 36 miles per gallon on the highway, and we’re told that both the sedan and wagon are scheduled to appear at the 2011 NYIAS. As far as the styling goes, we’re going to hold off final judgment until we see it in the flesh, or at least until we can show you more than just this side profile. Until that time, you can find us hanging out in our angry dome.

[Source: Subaru]

PRESS RELEASE:

Subaru of America today announced the world debut of the all-new Subaru Impreza 4-door and 5-door models at the 2011 New York International Auto Show. The new Impreza will deliver 36 MPG highway, the highest fuel economy* of any all-wheel drive car on sale in the United States. The new designs will provide a roomier interior and improved levels of comfort and refinement.

*Manufacturer’s estimate.

Review: 2011 Honda Pilot 4WD Touring

2011-04-25T19:41:00.001+05:00

The family Crossover Utility Vehicle segment is, to put it mildly, crowded. Every major automaker has at least one option from which to choose. Ford has four choices, while Toyota makes due with three options. Some models feature two rows of seating, while others boast room for up to eight. Then there are the more off-road capable options to contrast with the docile soft-roaders.

Though most automakers have gone crossover crazy, Honda has made due with a simple two-CUV lineup. The perennially top-selling CR-V takes care of those who desire a smaller footprint, smaller price tag and higher fuel economy, while the larger Pilot takes on the three-row crowd. The Pilot has been mostly successful during its nine-year production run, with high marks for safety (the 2011 model has an overall score of four stars from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration) and reliability (Consumer Reports gave it the organization’s coveted Recommended rating). Dancing on the fringes of the CUV segment and selling in low numbers, Honda also offers the nearly gone Element and Accord Crosstour, but it’s still the boxier CR-V and Pilot doing the heavy lifting for the brand. Honda made enough changes to the Pilot to keep it competitive with stiff competition like the Toyota Highlander and Chevrolet Traverse? We spent a week with a well-appointed 4X4 Touring model to find out.

When the Pilot first hit the market in 2003, Honda’s CUV was competing mainly with quickly aging body-on-frame Sport Utility Vehicles like the previous Ford Explorer and Chevrolet Trailblazer. That first-generation Pilot’s 240-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 and relatively nimble chassis made those SUVs look outdated in comparison, and buyers took notice. The Pilot later received a touch-up in 2006 and a fuller refresh in 2009, but other than a boxier, more macho design and an interior that some say actually regressed, the formula really hasn’t changed all that much. That’s not as damning a statement as one might think, considering how far ahead of the competition the Pilot once was, and it helps that repeat buyers know exactly what to expect from their big Honda: safety, reliability and unshakable resale value.

One appealing aspect of buying a Honda Pilot is the simplicity of its available options. For example, our $41,175 4WD Touring model came equipped with Bluetooth, a navigation system, leather seats, rear-seat DVD and a power liftgate. An impressive list of features for sure, except that this big Honda is without a single option box checked. The above is all standard on this highest trim level that starts at $40,395, and yet there are plenty of accessories to pick from, including some exorbitantly priced 18-inch wheels that retail for $3,093. Most utility vehicles in this price range start with 18-inch wheels standard and offer optional 20-inch or bigger wheels, which makes the extra three grand that Honda’s asking for one-inch larger diameter wheels than standard 17s even tougher to swallow.

If the goal of offering standard 17-inch wheels even on the top-of-the-line Touring model is to make the Pilot look even more massive than it actually is, then… mission accomplished. From the side the Pilot looks every bit as large as the GMC Acadia, even though GM’s crossover is about a foot longer. The big and bold theme is accentuated with a Lego block design theme throughout, as the Pilot reminds us of a super-sized Ford Escape. Up front, it features a squared, in-your-face double polygon chrome grille framed by a pair of headlamps that appear to have missed the trend towards more stylized peepers. The same storyline unfolds out back, with more boxiness and a similar absence of flair.

The Pilot’s exterior screams “utility vehicle,” and that theme carries over inside this crossover’s large cabin. We mentioned earlier that some feel the interior of the latest Pilot was actually downgraded when the vehicle was redesigned in 2009. You’ll get no arguments from us on that point, as the current model’s massive center stack and hard plastic materials are outdone by the first generation model’s more appropriately sized center console and more appealing materials. And although our tester didn’t feature this accessory, the Pilot’s dash can be made more attractive by dropping $393 for light wood accents that break up the expanses of dark plastics. Speaking of the center console, we have no idea why Honda designers chose such a massive canvas to place so many tiny and difficult-to-find buttons. We counted 62 buttons total, though don’t hold us to that figure, as our eyes began to fail sometime after reaching 40.

We usually require a day or so to adjust to our new surroundings when testing a vehicle, but we never got comfortable enough with the Pilot’s multitude of controls to come anywhere close to mastery. We even found ourselves repeatedly looking away from the road for three to five seconds at a time as we hunted for the proper radio or climate control settings. Despite being called “Pilot,” there’s no reason this crossover’s interior should mimic the cockpit of a 747. And then there is the oddly placed shifter, which blocks passage the driver’s reach to the mass of buttons and switches on the other side.

That’s a lot of hostility aimed at the Pilot’s cabin, but there are some areas where the boxy Honda shines. First and foremost is comfort. We love the Pilot’s front-row seats (the second row is a bit low to the ground). They’re big, comfy and upholstered with high-quality leather. The steering wheel, too, feels very posh. And then there is the Pilot’s cargo-hauling capability, which easily bests that of the Toyota Highlander. The Pilot is also the widest vehicle in its class, beating the Chevy Traverse by all of .1 inches. But hey, a win is a win, and the Pilot uses its span to swallow up more cargo than its middle-of-the-pack 87 cubic-feet of cargo carrying capacity would suggest. The Pilot also wins when it comes to handy storage space throughout the cabin, with our favorite cubby located under the load floor behind the third row. The six-inch deep storage space helps keep your cargo from pinballing around the cabin.

With great size comes great weight, and the Pilot tips the scales at over 4,600 pounds, or nearly 200 lbs. more than the Highlander. Yet in spite of the Pilot’s size, Honda has done little to increase power over the years. The crossover’s 3.5-liter V6 churns out 250 horsepower at 5,700 rpm and 253 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 revolutions. Those numbers would have been impressive about five years ago, but in 2011 the Pilot lags behind the Traverse by 38 horsepower. Even the much smaller Toyota RAV4 can out-grunt the Pilot by 19 horsepower with its optional V6.

And while the Pilot’s engine, which is mated to a tried-and-true five-speed automatic transmission, is smooth as glass, the power deficit is all too obvious. And less horsepower doesn’t translate to a decreased reliance on fossil fuels, as the Pilot lags behind both the Traverse and Highlander on the fuel economy front. When equipped with all-wheel drive, the Pilot earns 22 miles per gallon on the highway and 16 mpg in the city according to the Environmental Protection Agency. We managed a meager 18 mpg in mixed driving, which is still better than most eight-passenger crossovers, albeit nothing to brag about to your hybrid-driving neighbor. We were expecting better fuel economy what with the Pilot featuring Honda’s Variable Cylinder Management technology that shuts down two or three cylinders when conditions permit, but alas, we never found it.

The Pilot makes up for its lack of power and so-so fuel economy with a rock-solid chassis that tackles bumps and other imperfections with little fuss. Its rack and pinion steering is linear and nicely weighted as well, though there’s not much that can make this big ‘ute feel sprightly when turning into a curve. It snowed on the last day we had with the Pilot, which gave us the opportunity to test the Pilot’s all-wheel-drive setup. The system can transfer up to 70 percent of the engine’s power to the rear wheels when the need arises. We experienced next to zero slip with all-wheel drive engaged, which translated into a lot of confidence when we needed it most. We can’t say the same for the Pilot’s brakes, though. While the pedal felt firm, we noticed that the positive vibe didn’t translate into increased stopping power. On more than one occasion, we found ourselves tapping on the brake at first, then pressing more firmly when we realized the vehicle wasn’t stopping as quickly as we thought it would.

After a week with the Pilot, we can see why many customers love their big Honda. It’s roomy, smooth, reliable and safe, which hits many of the attributes near and dear to the American car buyer. And who cares if the Pilot is a bit south of stylish? The crossover segment isn’t this industry’s canvas of choice to display cutting-edge design, and neither has Honda ever been accused of being an artist. Buyers know this going in.

While we can see why the Honda faithful are perfectly happy with their Pilot, there are a lot more seven- and eight-passenger fish in this sea of crossovers. The aforementioned Highlander and Traverse consistently beat the Pilot in terms of power, fuel economy and style, and there are very few areas where the Pilot takes them both out. Sales, however, is the most concrete harbinger of a vehicle’s success or failure, and by that score, the Pilot continues to do well. Even so, we’re looking forward to the next iteration of Honda’s big family hauler.

[Source: autoblog]

Dodge offers sneak peek at 2011 Mopar Charger

2011-04-25T19:38:00.001+05:00

The 2010 Mopar Challenger arrived last summer to a hero’s welcome. Chrysler only offered 500 copies of the special edition Mopar model, which carried a base sticker price of $38,000. With the all-new 2011 Charger now trolling Dodge dealer parking lots all around the country, you can probably guess which vehicle is next to feature a Mopar makeover.

Fortunately, Chrysler doesn’t plan to disappoint, as the automaker has released the first sketch of its forthcoming special edition model. The rendering reveals a black and blue color scheme similar to that of the Challenger, though the side stripes have been replaced with a stripe that stretches across the hood, roof and trunk. As an added bonus, the Mopar team appears to have gotten rid of the bulbous and unnecessary hood scoop for the 2011 Charger; a move we support 1,000 percent.

Some 2010 Mopar Challenger owners may have been disappointed that Chrysler’s mod team opted for the 5.7 liter V8 as the engine of choice instead of the more powerful 6.1 liter V8. Team Pentastar hasn’t yet announced which engine the Mopar Charger will receive, though the automaker did promise that engineers have “added even more performance.” We’re hoping that “more performance” translates into the new 470-horsepower, 6.4 liter V8, but we’ll have to wait until later this month when Chrysler officially reveals the hot new sedan at an as-yet undisclosed event (New York Auto Show?).

[Source: Chrysler]

PRESS RELEASE:

Auburn Hills, Mich. - Today, Chrysler Group LLC issued a sketch of its new Mopar® ‘11 Charger. The company will release details of the vehicle later this month.

“After the success of our Mopar ‘10 Challenger, we moved on to the iconic Dodge Charger and added even more performance,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group’s service, parts and customer-care brand. “As a new company, we will continue to leverage the heritage of the Mopar brand at every turn.”

Review: 2011 Lexus IS 250 AWD

2011-04-25T19:36:00.001+05:00

Your available options in the entry-level luxury sedan segment rival the variety found at your local Baskin-Robbins. Interested in all-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive or front-wheel drive? Nearly every automaker has you covered. Want to row your own gears, or sit back and let the silicon chippery do the work? The car of your dreams awaits. There’s an option for all of us, and if you prefer a good vanilla to rocky road, then you’re going to love the 2011 Lexus IS250 AWD.

The Lexus IS 250 is instantly familiar, yet ever-so-slightly different for 2011. The reason is that little has changed on the exterior, with a few minor exceptions. Some updates are hard to find, while others are immediately clear. The front bumper and grille have received slight tweaks, while subtle changes have been made to the foglight area and lower fascia opening, which benefit from sharper cutouts. In back, the IS 250 wears new taillamp lenses and redone exhaust tips.

By far, the most noticeable change has occurred out front, where a pair of bright LED eyelids have taken up residence under the swept-back headlamps. All of these changes give the 2011 Lexus IS 250 a smattering of sprinkles on an otherwise rather bland landscape of sheetmetal. The overall theme is conservative, but the new LED running lamps imbue Lexus’ most affordable sedan with a bright flash of modern style, displayed brilliantly against our tester’s Tungsten Pearl paintwork.

That subdued exterior style continues on the inside, as clean lines perform in concert with the surprisingly airy interior cabin. The pleasing to the eye Light Gray color scheme hangs in the background like a briefly foggy coastal morning. Against the sea of gray sits a set of bright white-faced gauges, which are easy-to-read and rather sharp, with a thin blue line underlining the ambitious 160-mile-per-hour display.

Ambitions aside, we had no desire to press that speedo into serious use. Why? Because the seats were just too darn comfortable for us to care. The perforated semi-aniline leather front thrones of our tester offered both heating and cooling features, thanks to the $2,195 Luxury Package Value Edition. It may be a bit crass to call this option grouping a “value” when it costs over $2,000, but the package does include wood trim, the aforementioned LED running lights, power everything (that wasn’t already), a rear sunshade and rain-sensing wipers.

Should you require the use of those intelligent water removers, fret not, because this particular IS 250 is equipped with all-wheel drive. Though the AWD gubbins add nearly 200 pounds to the curb weight (3,651 pounds), the IS 250’s small, 2.5-liter V6 remains surprisingly entertaining. We expected a droning bore of an engine coerced into working far harder than it wanted. What we found was a mill that pushed the whole works up to speed more quickly than we anticipated.

The engine produces 204 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 185 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm. Those numbers sound low in a world filled with 400-horsepower daily drivers (including the brand’s own high-performance IS F model) yet the IS 250 AWD simply rears back and moves at a pace capable of holding our interest. Push it above 3,500 rpm and it even begins to clear its throat something approaching a sense of authority.

The 2.5-liter is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, which features steering-wheel mounted paddles for manual shifting. This may be Lexus’ entry-level car, but the shifts could be a few degrees smoother – even if the IS represents the brand’s sportier side. While we were hoping for less I-just-got-my-license and more of a Sade-like smooth operator, the setup didn’t oblige. The paddles only serve to nudge the drivetrain back into sporty, slightly roughneck territory, but unfortunately they don’t respond quickly enough to make the leap entirely.

This baby Lex comes across as confused in a few other areas as well. A bipolar effort, the IS 250 suffers from overboosted steering and mushy brakes. When driving, those factors make us think the IS 250 is pining to be a true luxury sedan, yet the ride, while smooth, is stiffer than we’d expected it to be. Vigorously bouncing over a rough section of Southern California tarmac makes one think the IS has changed its mind, suddenly wanting to be a sports car. It’s a little confused, and so are we.

At the end of the day, the slight redesign for 2011 doesn’t help a conflicted vanilla offering stand out in a display-case full of capable entry-level luxury sedans. The Lexus IS 250 AWD’s $35,775 base price is on par with its classmates, but fails to stack up as well in other areas. The Infiniti G25x is less costly ($34,900) and offers a more engaging driving experience, though its interior falls short. For $34,500, you might find yourself in a 2011 Audi A4 Quattro, with its top-shelf all-wheel-drive system, 7 more horsepower, 73 more pound-feet of torque available and better fuel economy ratings (21/31 miles per gallon versus the Lexus’ 20/27 mpg). The 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 4Matic starts at $37,900 and makes more power, but is only rated at 17/24 (an updated 2012 model is just around the corner). We could add the Lincoln MKZ, BMW 328i xDrive, Cadillac CTS and Acura TL SH-AWD to the list of competitors to further muddy the waters.

The entry-level luxury sedan category is chock full of viable options and the 2011 Lexus IS 250 AWD is a perfectly acceptable (if run-of-the-mill) choice. The styling is conservative, the driving dynamics are a mixed bag of sport and luxury, but the engine is better than we anticipated. It’s priced exactly where it should be and, were you shopping in this segment, you wouldn’t be embarrassed to put one in your driveway. And yet… while we’ll happily concede that vanilla ice cream is enjoyable from time to time, we can’t help but think that Audi, BMW, Infiniti and Cadillac buyers are paying about the same to enjoy all 31 flavors every single day.

[Source: autoblog]

Kia Naimo EV concept ready for Seoul Motor Show debut

2011-04-25T19:35:00.001+05:00

The name Naimo is Korean for “square,” and the new Kia EV concept certainly fits its name. But we’re not talking about a total box, as you can see from the photo above. The B-segment vehicle, which will debut this week at the Seoul Motor Show, looks primed to take on all comers in the emerging small car segment, with interesting lines, plenty of LEDs all around and a touch of Korean heritage. The Naimo has no B-pillars, and the rear doors open up clamshell-style, an auto show staple that almost never makes it to production. The concept also features massive 20-inch wheels, which almost look comical on such a small vehicle, and the square-themed wheels are wrapped in low rolling resistance rubber.

On the inside, Kia designers were looking for a tranquil feel, with Korean oak covering the concept’s floor and adorning the trim. A transparent organic LED display instrument panel and full connectivity gives the Naimo that futuristic concept interior look without going too Buck Rogers.

And since the Naimo is a 21st century concept, an electric powertrain is a near must. The permanent magnet synchronous motor provides a maximum output of 80 kW (107 horsepower). Battery power comes from a 27 kWh lithium ion polymer twin battery pack, giving the little concept a range of 124 miles on a charge. Speaking of charges, Kia says the Naimo features a special rapid charge mode that enables the driver to charge the battery to 80 percent capacity in a scant 25 minutes. A full charge will reportedly take five and a half hours.

[Source: Kia]

PRESS RELEASE:

* Striking all-electric concept car makes world debut at Seoul Motor Show
* Naimo expresses sophistication through simplicity of design
* B-segment electric utility vehicle combines Korean heritage with high-tech innovations

Making its world premiere at the Seoul Motor Show today (Thursday), the Kia Naimo electric concept car combines Korean heritage with innovative modern features.

Taking its name from the Korean word “Ne-mo”, (pronounced ‘Neh-mo’, meaning ’square shape’), the Naimo electric crossover utility vehicle (CUV) was conceived by Kia’s international design team in Seoul, and is characterised principally by its simple lines and solid, muscular stance.

The simple overall design is accentuated by a number of striking key details, such as the wrap-around windscreen and asymmetric sunroof, and the front and rear dot-style LED head- and positioning-lamps. This mix of simple and complex is a common trait of many traditional Korean arts and crafts.

Kia’s design team also made use of innovative technology to give the car a premium feel and to ensure the car’s exterior remained uncluttered. For example, Naimo has no traditional wiper blade on the windscreen – instead it employs a high-intensity air jet at the base of the windscreen that performs an ‘air wiper’ function. Conventional door mirrors have also been replaced with miniature cameras installed in the A-pillars.

Naimo’s interior was designed to evoke a strong sense of tranquility and features hand-crafted materials throughout. Korean oak is used to trim the interior door panels and the entire interior floor, Korean “Han-ji” paper is used for the head lining. Alongside these traditional elements sit modern features such as a transparent organic light emitting diode display instrument panel and full connectivity.

“Naimo is a perfect balance of innovation, high-tech and Korean tradition. It was heavily inspired by the purity and grace of traditional Korean arts and crafts, but combines this with cutting edge technologies to deliver a truly premium experience,” commented Kia Motors’ Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer.

The third electric vehicle design to be unveiled by Kia Motors Corporation in a year, the 3.9-metre long Naimo concept explores the practicalities of introducing a zero-emissions, five-door, four-seater city car into a future niche market.

Measuring 3,890 mm in length, the Naimo’s generous wheelbase, width and height (2,647, 1,844 and 1,589 mm respectively) – plus the short overhangs which place a wheel at each corner – ensure that the cabin provides exceptional head, leg and shoulder room for the occupants.

The concept car has no B-pillars and features rear-hinged rear doors to maximise easy access to the cabin, and a three-way split opening boot-lid, allows versatile access to the load bay for varying luggage sizes.

Power comes from a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor with a maximum output of 80 kW (109 ps) and maximum torque of 280 Nm, enabling Naimo to reach a top speed of 150 kph (93 mph).

A twin-pack 27 kWh battery is located under the boot floor and uses innovative Lithium Ion Polymer technology that offers numerous advantages over other battery types. Equipped with this battery, Naimo provides a driving range of 200 km (124 miles) on a single charge. To enhance range, the showcar is fitted with special low-drag 20-inch diameter alloy wheels.

Under the quick recharging cycle (50 kW) the Naimo’s battery can be recharged to 80 percent of its capacity within 25 minutes. Under the normal cycle (3.3 kW), 100 percent power is attained after five and a half hours.

Naimo will join Kia’s growing test fleet of hybrid, electric and fuel-cell vehicles being extensively driven in widely varying conditions to develop future production models with zero or significantly reduced emissions.

Review: 2012 Ford Focus Titanium

2011-04-25T19:28:00.001+05:00

Ironically named little car, the Ford Focus. While you could surely argue we’re drawing too literal a line between the car and its moniker, we have to chuckle a little when we recall just how far afield Ford drifted with its compact offering over the last several years. Suffice it to say that Ford lost its way somewhere after the original Focus was introduced as a so-called ‘world car’ back in 1999. At the time, the spunky Focus shared the same C170 platform no matter where in the world it was sold.

Sadly, such platform sharing diverged in 2005 as the United States made do with the aging C170 chassis in a reduced number of bodystyles while the rest of the world received a new model based on the brand spankin’ new C1 platform. That new architecture debuted to rave reviews from the international motoring press while the aging North American Focus doddered off to live among the also-rans. A few short years later, with the global economy in the doldrums and fuel mileage sitting atop many consumers’ automotive wishlists, it wasn’t long before the Blue Oval found itself standing flat-footed without a class-competitive compact in its home market. Many tears were shed in the form of lost dollar signs over the ensuing years, until Ford finally promised to make the Focus a truly global car for the 2012 model year.

And we’re happy to report that the 2012 Ford Focus is several orders of magnitude superior to the model it replaces. How so? Keep reading to find out.

We’ll start with its exterior appearance. Instead of telling you how the 2012 Focus was drawn up with smooth, flowing lines and more than a few traces of Ford’s Kinetic design language, we’ll instead share a little story.

After a few days of daily driving duties, our Tuxedo Black Focus sedan was sorely in need of a good washing. After finishing the deed and taking a few moments to admire the shiny metallic flecks in the bright Arizona sun, we noticed we weren’t alone… three burly-looking, bearded workers and their supervisor had stopped toiling away at whatever project they had been assigned and were talking amongst themselves about our car. Eye contact was made, so they gaggle of laborers decided to come take a closer look.

What transpired could best be described as a Focus Love Fest. A traditional walk-around was performed (several times, actually), doors were opened and shut and specifications were debated. Finally, a general consensus was reached: “That there is a nice car.”

And so, the next logical question was asked: “How much?”

The window sticker was presented and summarily dissected. “Wow, that thing’s got a six-speed automatic? My wife’s Civic only has five.” It continued this way for several minutes. “Voice-activated navigation, nice. Leather, heated seats, sunroof… SYNC, what’s that mean?”

SYNC was then demonstrated. Push this button on the steering wheel, then say a command – “Sirius; ALT Nation.” (The stereo is now magically playing ALT Nation.) Impressive.

The price for all these bells and whistles? $26,925. Seems pretty pricey for a compact car, but then again, most compact cars don’t come equipped to the gills like our Focus Titanium sedan, either. We polled the workers. “Not bad… I’d have guessed more,” said the supervisor.

So, we’ve established that the 2012 Ford Focus is attractive enough to draw the attention of casual passers-by, its list of available equipment (in top-drawer Titanium trim, at least) is impressively thorough and that the normal sticker shock inevitably experienced when delving into the new car shopping experience isn’t all that, well… shocking.

Good so far, but how’s it drive?

Very well, it turns out. As our very own Zach Bowman found out during his First Drive of the car, Ford managed to bake quite a bit of handling goodness into the 2012 Focus. Our tester was equipped with the so-called Titanium Handling Package, and, aside from the clunky name, we were impressed. Turn-in was sharp, and the 2012 Focus holds its line through a curve in admirable fashion while responding shockingly well to attitude adjustments from the throttle.

There’s just one engine option for the 2012 Focus, so we’re happy to report that we have no qualms with its operation. The direct-injected 2.0-liter four cylinder powerplant puts out 160 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 146 pound-feet of torque at 4,450 rpm. Those figures put the Focus near the the head of its class, which includes the Hyundai Elantra (148 horses and 131 lb-ft), Chevrolet Cruze (138 hp and 148 lb-ft), Honda Civic (the new 2012 model is rated at 140 horsepower, torque TBA) and Toyota Corolla (132 hp and 128 lb-ft). Among its primary rivals, the Ford is only bested by the Mazda3 s, which packs 167 hp and 168 lb-ft.

EPA fuel economy comes in at 27 miles per gallon city and 37 mpg highway when equipped with the six-speed automatic and the SelectShift option that allows the driver to manually change gears using a little rocker switch mounted on the console shifter. Nope, no paddles on the steering wheel, which is especially frustrating as this transmission is a dual-clutch unit that would seemingly lend itself rather well to the shift-for-yourself crowd. Same as the Fiesta. Why no paddle love, FoMoCo?

Fortunately, we found the automatic gearbox to be extremely well suited to this application. There’s enough power on hand that the transmission doesn’t hunt and peck for gears in daily driving and downshifts come right on schedule when called upon by either the driver’s right foot or by a steep grade. In all other situations, the tranny just goes about its duties without thought from the driver… and that’s exactly what you want from a two-pedal setup, no?

Despite its aforementioned handling prowess, the car’s ride was plenty smooth and controlled, without any undue noisiness echoing through the cabin. Speaking of which, the leather-clad interior, in two-tone Black and Tuscany Red that seemed more maroon to our eyes, is just as stylishly designed as the exterior. The hides covering the seats and door panels is soft to the touch and surprisingly grippy, meaning we didn’t find ourselves sliding to and fro when throwing the car into the bends. Heated seats with five levels of adjustment meant we could fine-tune the bum warmers to our liking, a boon since the last Ford Fiesta we tested offered just two settings: off and scorch.

There isn’t a ton of room in the rear seat when a six-foot driver gets comfy behind the wheel, and taller passengers in the front seat may find that their legroom is pinched a bit by the thick center stack and console. Similarly, trunk space in the sedan isn’t anything to write home about, and its 13.2 cubic feet of volume isn’t as easy to make use of as we’d like, mostly due to a distinct lack of depth. Taller items will need to be placed on the rear seat, which does fold in something like a 70/30 split. Frequent haulers might do better to consider the five-door hatch, which offers up to 44.8 cubic feet of storage space with the rear seats folded.

Considering how much electro-gadgetry the 2012 Focus offers, the center stack is rather easy to navigate. Part of that overall look of cleanliness, though, is attributable to the steering wheel, which rivals that of a Formula One’s tiller for its sheer number of controls. Not counting the horn, there are six clusters of buttons that can be pressed – and no, we’re not making this up – 19 different ways. With controls for cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity, SYNC, the audio system and the in-dash computer (which has its own menu system directly between the speedometer and tachometer), we strongly suggest that any new drivers spend a few minutes acquainting themselves with the layout before heading out on the open road.

Note that we haven’t even mentioned the big LCD screen mounted high up in the center stack. It’s a touchscreen, and most anything the driver might want to do can be controlled at that location in lieu of the dedicated buttons. Plus, there’s SYNC, which allows the driver to press a single button and change any number of settings (audio, telephone, etc.) using voice commands. In other words, there’s almost always more than one way to make an adjustment.

That said, in practice we didn’t have any problems using all the technology packed into the Focus, and we appreciate the dedicated set of dials and buttons for the climate control system mounted below the LCD and Sony audio system.

We spent just one week with the 2012 Ford Focus, but that was plenty enough for us to realize that it’s a worthy contender in the hotly contested compact car segment. No other competitors offer the level of available equipment the Focus offers, but the basic goodness of the car’s platform should surely shine through on lesser trims, as well.

We went ahead and made use of Ford’s online configurator, and found that a very nice Focus SE sedan with the five-speed manual gearbox, 17-inch wheels, leather, sunroof and SYNC rings the register at around $22,000. Add about a grand for the six-speed automatic. Either way, you’ll end up with a highly desirable ride that does an equally fine job of catering to enthusiasts and commuters alike. Or even a grizzled quartet of hard-edged construction workers, apparently.

[Source: autoblog]

Lincoln MKZ Hybrid sales exceeding Ford’s expectations

2011-04-18T14:54:00.001+05:00

Given that the 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid is little more than a gussied-up Ford Fusion Hybrid, it’s not surprising that the gas-electric MKZ achieves the same 41 miles per gallon city and 36 mpg highway rating. Admittedly, we were a bit shocked when Lincoln announced that the MKZ Hybrid starts at $35,180 (including destination and delivery) – the same price as a gas-only front-wheel-drive 3.5-liter V6 model. Perhaps that’s why buyers are snatching up the MKZ Hybrid at a rate that even Ford didn’t expect.

Initially, Ford targeted the hybrid version to account for approximately 15 percent of total MKZ sales. However, the numbers show that the MKZ Hybrid’s take rate has averaged between 22 and 23 percent since January of 2011. Ford says that March’s numbers look similar. Through the end of February, Lincoln sold a total of 3,343 MKZ sedans, 762 of which were hybrids. With no premium price tag and gas prices soaring, perhaps nobody should be surprised by the MKZ Hybrid’s take rate. Perhaps the better question would be, is the hybrid model profitable?

[Source: Ford]

PRESS RELEASE:

Consumer Demand for the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid Continues to Outstrip Expectations; MKZ range excels for choice and dependability

2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid

* Percentage of hybrid models sold within the MKZ range is higher than expected
* Lincoln MKZ Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient luxury sedan in America and is the first model to offer a no-charge hybrid powertrain option
* Lincoln received highest score for durability in the latest J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study of three-year-old vehicles

DEARBORN, Mich., March 28, 2011 – Sales of the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid luxury sedan continue to exceed expectations. Having launched with a sales mix of approximately 15 percent within the MKZ model range, sales have continued to track at more than 20 percent since January 2011.

In addition to sales momentum, the MKZ Hybrid is proving popular for its other strengths, including fuel economy and top-rated dependability. No other four-door luxury sedan – gasoline, diesel or hybrid powertrain – can top the MKZ’s certified 41 mpg city and 36 mpg highway EPA rating.

Lincoln Dependability
Recently, Lincoln received the highest score for long-term durability among all vehicle brands in the annual J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Vehicle Dependability Study, the second-highest performing model for long-term durability in the entire study.

The study asked owners about their experience in the past 12 months with their three-year-old vehicles (for the 2011 study, 2008 model-year cars and trucks were surveyed). Survey respondents were asked to indicate any problems they experienced with their vehicle in the previous 12 months, choosing from a list of more than 200 issues in eight diverse categories.

The study also shows a strong link between reliability and purchase. Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of new-vehicle buyers say reliability/durability is one of the most important factors in choosing a new vehicle. Additionally, the study found that fuel economy is among the top 10 purchase considerations.

Lincoln MKZ Choice
Lincoln was the first luxury automaker to offer a hybrid vehicle with the same base price as its gasoline counterpart. Both gasoline and hybrid versions of the MKZ have the same suggested retail price of $34,605.

That’s a value equation for the consumer that San Diego Lincoln dealer Ed Witt calls “huge.” He has delivered Lincoln MKZ Hybrids to customers who traded in other luxury brand vehicles as well as other hybrids. Witt’s store has delivered MKZ Hybrids to drivers of Toyota’s Prius and Lexus luxury vehicles, and has even taken BMWs in on trade for the car. One family, he said, traded in three cars and bought two Lincoln MKZ Hybrids.

To date, Witt has sold the most MKZ Hybrids out of any other Lincoln dealer in the United States since the vehicle’s launch in October. “Potential customers are surprised by the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid’s quietness, comfort and power. They just love the performance,” says Witt.

Outfitted with Ford’s award-winning 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine, permanent magnet electric motor and eCVT transmission, Lincoln MKZ Hybrid delivers seamless performance. The gas-electric powertrain is rated at 191 horsepower.

MKZ’s interior has been laid out with an array of standard features, including real wood trim taken from sustainable forests, supple leather upholstery, heated and cooled front seats, and the award-winning SYNC voice-activated in-vehicle communications and entertainment system.

Lincoln is also the only luxury car brand to offer a THX® II Certified Audio System, bringing home theater sound quality to the MKX through 14 speakers strategically spread around the acoustically engineered cabin.

“Lincoln’s latest models continue to be well received by luxury car customers” said C.J. O’Donnell, Lincoln group marketing manager. “The MKZ Hybrid is just the start of the journey we are taking in redefining the Lincoln brand and its new model range for the future. Lincoln uniquely blends the style today’s luxury vehicle customers demand with impressive, clean, economical performance as well as a wide range of intuitive technologies and features.”

###

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 164,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.

Review: 2012 Ford Focus Titanium

2011-04-18T14:51:00.001+05:00

And we’re happy to report that the 2012 Ford Focus is several orders of magnitude superior to the model it replaces. How so? Keep reading to find out.

And so, the next logical question was asked: “How much?”

SYNC was then demonstrated. Push this button on the steering wheel, then say a command – “Sirius; ALT Nation.” (The stereo is now magically playing ALT Nation.) Impressive.

Good so far, but how’s it drive?

[Source: autoblog]

Report: Volvo and Pininfarina end C70 joint venture

2011-04-18T14:49:00.001+05:00

Volvo has announced it will take sole ownership of its joint manufacturing facility with Pininfarina. The Pininfarinia Sverige AB plant in Uddevalla, Sweden, only builds the Volvo C70 convertible. According to Volvo, the changeover will take place in 2013, and the automaker will continue to build C70s at the plant.

Volvo and Pininfarina have been bedfellows at the plant since Volvo began building C70s in 2003. The car moved just over 4,000 units in 2010, down nearly two percent from the 2009 total.

[Source: Autoweek]

Review: 2011 Hyundai Genesis Sedan V6

2011-04-18T14:44:00.001+05:00

Automakers have been carving the luxury segment into finer and finer slices for generations. Territory that once belonged solely to the likes of Mercury, Buick and Oldsmobile is now the fertile hunting grounds of brands from Acura to Infiniti. Thanks to these relative newcomers, buyers without the cash to jump into Bavarian marks like BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Audi can still plant their derrières on supple leather thrones without having to sell the family farm in the process.

Three years ago, Hyundai leapt into the low-buck luxury fray with the company’s Genesis Sedan – a vehicle that was intended to prove the Korean automaker could strut its stuff up market without the burden of launching a separate dedicated luxury brand just for the occasion. We were impressed with the big Hyundai when it touched down three years ago as a 2009 model, but domestic automakers like Buick and Chrysler have since sharpened their game in a big way. We jumped behind the wheel of the 2011 Genesis Sedan to find out how the vehicle’s first generation has held up before the updated second one arrives as a 2012 model.

Hyundai decided to wade into luxury waters just as the automotive market’s well began to run dry, and in 2009, the company managed to move around 20,000 Genesis Sedan and Coupe units combined – about half its initial sales projections at the time. As industry-wide numbers have begun to clamber back to their pre-fall heights, Genesis sales have increased accordingly, though we have a feeling the figures still haven’t managed to snag that magical 40,000-50,000 unit mark originally imagined by the Hyundai hive-mind.

That’s likely no fault of the vehicle’s styling, though. There’s no denying that the 2011 Genesis Sedan still carries the same high-brow presence of its forebearers thanks largely to one massive, stylized rib-cage grille. Hyundai still hasn’t set about slapping a big H on the hood, and from the front, uninitiated onlookers may have a hard time discerning the vehicle from the Lexus GS bloodline. From the side, the vehicle borrows cues from BMW’s styling department with wrapped headlights and taillights as well as a shark-fin antenna. Large ovular exhaust exits dominate the lower rear fascia and a single Hyundai badge on the rear trunk deck is the only indication that this beast comes from anywhere other than Japan.

When the Genesis Sedan debuted, it came packing an interior that was several light years ahead of what Hyundai had turned out in the past. Dominated by plenty of excellent stitching, perforated leather and attractive wood accents, the cabin made it clear that the Korean sedan wasn’t playing around. Since then, the cockpit has received few updates, and while still a nice enough place to spend time, interiors from both Buick and Chrysler have finally gotten a chance to play catch-up.

Both of those automakers have suddenly taken this whole auto manufacturing thing seriously, and as a result, vehicles like the 2011 Buick Lacrosse and Chrysler 300 are now available with cabins that can easily eclipse the Genesis in terms of design and quality, at least for a price. And that’s one point that the Genesis Sedan still has on the lower-luxury domestic marks. The Korean four-door comes standard with heated and cooled leather seats up front, slightly raised seating out back with plenty of legroom and wood grain trim throughout as well as tech treats like adaptive cruise control and dual-zone automatic temperature control for a mere $33,000 plus an $850 destination charge.

If you want those goodies in either the Lacrosse or the 300, expect to pay similar money. Opting for the leather-clad nicety of the TriShield will see you staring at an MSRP of $33,765 plus destination for the Lacrosse CXS, while the 2011 Chrysler 300 Limited comes to the dance wearing a price tag of $31,995 including destination. Don’t expect to find heated or cooled seats or dual-zone climate control from the 300, though.

The only place that the Genesis sedan really shows its age is in its dated interior lighting and flimsy switches, most notably for the heated and cooled seats and window mechanisms. Whereas both Buick and Chrysler have made sure to incorporate solid-feeling interfaces, the Hyundai simply doesn’t pack the same feel of quality.

Our tester came with the company’s lively 3.6-liter V6 mated to a six-speed Aisin automatic transmission that shuffles power to the rear wheels. With 290 horsepower and 264 pound-feet of torque on hand, the six-cylinder has no problem moving the vehicle’s 3,748-pound curb weight along, especially given the EPA’s fuel economy rating of 18 miles per gallon city and 27 mpg highway. During our time behind the wheel we saw around 23 mpg combined.

Those numbers put the Genesis Sedan 10 horsepower ahead of the 3.6-liter V6 found in the Lacrosse CXS and just two horsepower behind the same displacement V6 in the Chrysler 300. Interestingly enough, fuel economy for all three vehicles is nearly identical at 22-22.5 mpg combined.

With that in mind, it’s easy to get the impression that all three of these vehicles are neck-and-neck contenders, but that reality fades from view after a little time behind the wheel. Hyundai still has an excellent driver in the Genesis thanks largely to the vehicle’s front-engine, rear-wheel-drive configuration. Plop your foot on the accelerator and the big four door moves forward without any of the scrambling drama of the front-wheel-drive Lacrosse.

But make no mistake, this isn’t a sports sedan by any stretch of the imagination, although acceleration is more than ample and handling is predictable without being twitchy. Jump onto the interstate and the Genesis delivers a quiet cabin free of engine, tire or wind noise, and the six-speed automatic transmission has no problem landing on the correct gear for hard-throttle passes.

Hyundai curiously provides flappy paddles for making your way through the six cogs in the gearbox should you get bored letting the vehicle’s ECU do all the work. The transmission delivers fairly rapid shifts, though the trickery doesn’t do much to lend the sedan any of the sporting tones of its two-door twin. We’re guessing that the paddles are significantly more at home with the optional 385-horsepower V8 engine and ZF six-speed transmission.

Despite showing a few gray hairs here and there, the 2011 Genesis Sedan is still more than capable of holding its own in the budget luxury market. While its heaps of standard equipment and nicely appointed interior are all strong points on its résumé, the Genesis still holds one massive trump card over its competition – a 10 year, 100,000 mile warranty. While we can’t wait to drive next year’s Genesis R-Spec with its 429-horsepower 5.0-liter V8, the current model is a no-worry ace.

[Source: autoblog]

Porsche planning Ferrari 458 challenger?

2011-04-13T19:34:00.000+05:00

Porsche would like to double its current sales volume, and to do that, the automaker will need to expand its lineup. The Cajun crossover and 918 are still a year or three away, and we’re always hearing talk of a sub-Boxster roadster or even a baby Panamera being in the cards. But what about a new coupe to take on Maranello’s finest?

Autocar claims that such a supercar could be on the way, and it would go toe-to-toe with the Ferrari 458 Italia. The British mag reports that Porsche boss Mathias Muller would like the company to produce another mid-engine offering, adding “we’re thinking above the 911 but below the 918 Spyder.” Muller also says that Porsche already has some designs that still need further development, and that a business case still needs to be made.

If such a Porsche were to find its way to production, it would need plenty of lightweight materials. And since Audi now shares a family tree with Porsche, the new supercar could share the R8’s aluminum space frame chassis. If that doesn’t work, a heavily-modified (and larger) 911 platform would probably do the trick, too.

At any rate, such a super-Porsche appears to be a long way from a production green light, much less a showroom floor. Still, it’s nice to dream, and we don’t mind waking up to a world with one more Porsche from which to choose.

[Source: Autocar | Image: Michael Harley/AOL]

Infiniti confirms plans to launch in Australia

2011-04-13T19:32:00.001+05:00

Infiniti has big plans to expand beyond North America, and Drive reports that the Japanese luxury automaker intends to include Australia in its expansion. The site says that officials at Nissan have officially announced that Infiniti would head Down Under by September 2012, adding that the brand would start off with three stand-alone dealerships in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

When those dealerships launch, there will only be three Infiniti products from which to choose. The G37 coupe and convertible, the M sedan and the FX crossover were chosen in part because of their freshness in the market. Infiniti has reportedly decided against exporting the high volume G37 sedan to Australia, opting instead to wait until the next generation model goes prime-time. The Australians will be able to choose from the same 3.7-liter V6 and 5.0-liter V8 options we have here in the States, and they’ll also be able to pick a 3.0-liter diesel that we aren’t afforded.

The folks at Infiniti also hinted at their strategy for the brand. Infiniti brand GM Kevin Snell reportedly told the press at a launch event that the brand wouldn’t try to be the “cheapest” make Down Under, adding that Infiniti models are often better-equipped than the competition from Europe.

[Source: Drive]

Review: 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport SE AWC

2011-04-13T19:22:00.002+05:00

Mitsubishi has a problem with its current lineup. Unless you’re looking for a Lancer, your options are limited to the Galant mid-size sedan and the Endeavor and Outlander crossovers. Right now, the Galant is contemplating seppuku and the Endeavor hasn’t been fully redesigned since it first went on sale back in 2003. The Outlander, however, has something positive to offer. It seats up to seven passengers (in a pinch), has been named an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick, and tops out at 28 miles per gallon on the highway.

Mitsubishi knows having just two competitive vehicles to choose from isn’t enough to compete in an industry eager to fill every niche, and the company appears focused on evolving the two lone bright spots in its lineup. The Lancer has spawned many variants, the latest being the Lancer Sportback, a fun-to-drive wagon that doesn’t step on the toes of the top-trim Lancer Evolution. The Outlander, meanwhile, recently gave its name to the smaller 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, a five-passenger crossover looking to make its mark in a currently crowded segment.

If the 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport had a favorite song, it would be Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family.” There’s no mistaking this CUV for anything other than a product from the diamond-star family. The gaping mouth and muscular haunches leave no doubt that the Outlander Sport got the “good genes” after a night of passion between a Lancer Evo and the larger Outlander. And despite sharing the name “Outlander” with its larger three-row brother, the Outlander Sport is its own vehicle, a compact crossover different in size, shape and demeanor.

Up front, for instance, a jet-fighter nose kicks off an aggressive forward-leaning stance. Sharply cut headlights dig into the face of the Outlander Sport while the roof line pulls tightly rearward along the 169.1-inch long body. That length is almost 15 inches shorter than the larger Outlander, despite the two crossovers sharing the exact same wheelbase and almost the same width. Like a Beverly Hills housewife with a face-lift, this look has to be done correctly or things can quickly turn into a cat-faced disaster. Fortunately, Mitsubishi’s corporate face survived the transplant with nary a scar to show for it. A set of 10-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels wearing Goodyear Eagle 225 55R/18 rubber shoes also sit neatly below the ever-so-slightly bulging fenders. These larger wheels come standard on our SE tester, while 16-inchers are standard running gear for the lower-trim ES.

Inside, the Outlander Sport prefers muted tones, with dark plastic and black cloth the only interior color choices available. Fortunately, the controls are laid out in a simple manner, and we appreciate the climate controls relying on three traditional dials instead of being relegated only to touch-screen control. That screen is left to handle audio and navigation, which it does rather well being responsive to the touch with crips graphics. Pop into Reverse and you’ll also get a nice view of what’s going on behind the Outlander Sport thanks to the back-up camera that’s bundled with the $2,000 nav system.

Unfortunately, laying down two grand for navigation also forces you to opt for the $1,800 Premium package that adds a panoramic glass roof, LED interior mood lighting, a Rockford-Fosgate sound system, Sirius satellite radio and an in-dash six-disc CD changer. All told, you’re on the hook for almost $4,000 worth of options if you want the Outlander Sport to tell you where to go.

Sound from the optional Rockford-Fosgate audio system is pushed out to your ears courtesy of nine-speakers, a 10-inch subwoofer in the rear cargo area and 710 watts. Surprisingly balanced, this particular sound system has lost the overbearing bass that used to be a hallmark of Rockford-Fosgate systems.

If you plan on listening to your iPod, Mitsubishi also includes a connector that lets you control the device from the touch-screen or steering wheel-mounted controls. Annoyingly, however, the stereo takes about a minute to recognize the mp3 player each time you turn off the car, and once it does, playback starts from the first song on the unit. It’s like teaching your dog to sit, and every time you turn around the pooch forgets where his butt goes. In a word: frustrating.

What’s not frustrating is the level of supportive comfort provided by the front seats. Headroom is also a non-issue and visibility is great regardless of where you’re looking. The cabin is relatively simple, aside from the touch-screen, but it works in the Outlander Sport’s favor.

If you go for a base two-wheel-drive ES model, the Outlander Sport starts at just $19,275. Our all-wheel-drive SE model starts at $22,995 (plus $780 in destination charges), and thanks to a few of those aforementioned fixings reaches $28,570. The Outlander Sport AWD SE’s base price, however, is below that of the Honda CR-V EX-L ($26,645), Hyundai Tucson Limited ($26,345) and Kia Sportage EX ($24,795). Equipped like this Outlander Sport, the Kia and the Hyundai are just a few dollar bills away from $30,000 and the Honda climbs past by a Benjamin. So paying over $28,000 for this compact crossover becomes a little more palatable when compared to more expensive competition, and it’s made even more so once you raise the hood.

Pull the lever and prop up the sheet metal and you’ll see a familiar 4B11 face smiling back at you. Used throughout the Mitsubishi lineup, this 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine produces 148 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 145 pound-feet of torque at 4,200 rpm. That may not sound like much oomph to propel the all-wheel-drive Outlander Sport, but at just 3,263 pounds, it feels quicker than it should be.

The Outlander Sport isn’t fast by any means, but the four-cylinder engine gets the job done while returning 24 miles per gallon around town and 29 mpg on the highway. Two-wheel-drive models do even better at 25 city/31 highway. By contrast, the 2011 Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage are 240, 103 and 92 pounds heavier, respectively. Each vehicle also produces more horsepower (32 hp for the Honda and 28 hp for the Kia/Hyundai) and torque (16 lb-ft for the Honda and 23 lb-ft for the Kia/Hyundai) yet return slightly worse fuel economy (21/27 for the Honda and 21/28 for the Kia/Hyundai).

It’s not just the weight that helps the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport in the fuel-economy equation. Connected to that 2.0-liter engine is a Continuously Variable Transmission, or CVT, which can be manually “shifted” via a pair of steering wheel-mounted paddles. CVTs are notoriously buzzy contraptions, and the one employed in the Outlander Sport is no exception. Truth be told, the engine and transmission combination would be rather dull without those flippers for manually controlling the fun.

The Outlander Sport does have a few tricks up its sleeve besides being able to fake a gear shift. It handles surprisingly well for what’s essentially a high-riding, tall-roof wagon. The brakes are quite responsive once you push past the first inch of light pedal travel, but over bumps, the tight Lancer-like suspension reveals some flaws in the Noise Vibration and Harshness department. There was some chatter inside the cabin of our test vehicle and, when rolled down a bit, the windows produced a slight rattle. We could chalk up the window rattle to press-car jitters, but the cabin chatter is probably there to stay.

Those problems aren’t enough, however, to make us forget the sporty handling, accommodating interior and competitive pricing of the 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport SE AWC. Will it become Mitsubishi’s third bright spot behind the Lancer and Outlander? The company is crowing that 1,290 units of the Outlander Sport were sold last month. That’s peanuts compared to the Honda CR-V, which sold over 19,000 units, but does represent nearly a fifth of the entire brand’s sales. That’s remarkable for a model only a few months old, and tells us that Mitsubishi is giving buyers exactly what they want.

[Source: autoblog]

Report: Toyota Prius V launch delayed in Japan due to earthquake

2011-04-09T20:39:00.001+05:00

The new-for-2012 Prius V was scheduled to go on sale in Japan at the end of April, but Automotive News reports that production delays stemming from the March 11 earthquake have pushed that date back a bit. In Toyota’s official statement regarding the delay, the company notes plant closings, supply chain issues and damage to Japanese Toyota dealerships as primary reasons.

Japan is slated to get both five- and seven-seat versions of the new Prius MPV. We’ll only be seeing the five-passenger configuration here in the United States, and European markets are scheduled to get the seven-seat Prius. Toyota says that, as of now, the U.S. and European launches of the Prius V are not expected to be delayed.

One of the key reasons for this delay is that one of the plants damaged in the earthquake, operated by Primearth EV Energy Co., supplies batteries for Toyota’s hybrid vehicles. This plant has the capacity to supply enough nickel-metal hydride battery packs for up around 300,000 vehicles annually. With this plant offline, Toyota faces a 27 percent drop in hybrid production. The automaker also receives batteries from plants in Tokyo and Nagoya, which are fully operational.

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Review: 2011 Hyundai Equus Ultimate

2011-04-09T20:34:00.001+05:00

My roommate – bless her heart – is about as much of a car enthusiast as the BMW X6 is a coupe. She puts forth an honest effort to hold conversations with me about autos, but 90 percent of the time, it just doesn’t work. You have to understand, in her eyes, a Cadillac Escalade is the pinnacle of luxury, the fastest car in the world has to be a Ferrari and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is fitted with “those squeezy seats.” She’s still amazed by the power of Bluetooth and always gets wide-eyed whenever I plunk a car into Reverse and a rear-view camera comes on.

That in mind, it will come as no surprise to learn that when the 2011 Hyundai Equus Ultimate arrived at my door, she beckoned from the other room, “Hey, I think your Lexus just showed up.”

It’s like she had already drank the proverbial Kool-Aid. Hyundai wants everyone to believe that its new luxury flagship is capable of doing everything that a Lexus LS does, but at a much lower price. And while there are a few swing-and-miss things to note about the Equus experience, what Hyundai has done here is create a truly bona-fide luxury car capable of standing toe-to-toe with its Japanese competition and coming pretty darn close to the likes of its lofty German rivals.

But will we simply boast that the Equus – Hyundai’s most expensive car to date – is a good value, or does it possess enough content and engineering prowess to truly stand out amongst its highly regarded classmates?

“That’s a big Hyundai.”

The Equus uses a stretched version of Hyundai’s rear-wheel-drive BH platform – the same one that underpins the smaller Genesis sedan. At 203.1 inches long, the Equus adds 7.2 inches to the length of a Genesis, riding on a wheelbase that’s been stretched by 4.3 inches. Width hasn’t changed in creating the longer-wheelbase flagship, but the Equus is 0.4 inches taller than its little sister and rides on 19-inch chrome rollers as standard stock.

From the side profile, the Equus is a relatively modest-looking, yet attractive sedan. There’s a strong horizontal character line that stems from the front wheel well and fades just before the C-pillar, where an arched line draws your eye up over the rear wheel, accenting the upward slant of the greenhouse.

We must say, though – there’s a whole lot going on from the dead front view. The hood and grille shape references that of the smaller Genesis, but the bug-eyed HID headlamps, large LED turn signal strips and added chrome trim are a bit off-putting at first. After a while, you get used to the flashy face. It’s an interesting contrast to the car’s rear, which is sedate yet handsome, with LED taillamps, chrome strips to match the ones up front and large exhaust ports that are nicely integrated into the lower valence.

Interior refinement on the Equus is exactly what you’d expect for a proper luxury flagship, though there are a few small omissions. We aren’t talking about big stuff here – little amenities like power lumbar adjustment for the front passenger seat, side bolster adjustments for the front chairs or a one-touch close feature for the sunroof, for example. Still, our Ultimate-spec tester’s cabin arrived positively lousy with bells and whistles – niceties like a heated steering wheel, heated and cooled seats all around, a refrigerator in the rear console, power sunshades and a rear entertainment system.

What separates the Ultimate from the base Equus is its rear seating configuration, ditching the three-passenger bench seat in favor of two chairs with a fixed center console. The rear passenger-side chair – the one we’ve named the “executive throne” – even has massage and recline functions. If you ever have the chance to sit in a four-passenger Equus, we highly recommend spending no less than five minutes exploring the features of the royalty seat. Be warned, though – even with the Equus’ longer wheelbase over the Genesis, those rear seats don’t offer as much legroom as you might think.

The thing we like best about the Equus’ interior is that it isn’t as overwhelming as some of its competitors. There’s no second-guessing of buttons, there’s no scanning for control knobs and there aren’t so many different levels of functionality that the whole setup needs to come with an instruction manual. Take the infotainment system, for example – it is controlled by a single knob on the center console, sort of like BMW’s iDrive or COMAND from Mercedes-Benz, but because of the added layer of buttons around the large dial, it’s easy to operate. Still, the graphics look a little outdated to us, especially when you consider the beautifully colored displays from Audi or BMW.

Fit and finish is superb, though the Equus often feels more like a big Genesis than a wholly different level of exclusivity. Sure, the Genesis’ interior is plenty good, but the cabin – especially in front – still has the feeling that it was designed for Korean tastes and not American sensibilities. The switchgear is exactly what you’d expect to see in every other Hyundai, and other minor details like the relatively flat-bottomed seats and thin steering wheel are more proof that the automaker targeted cushier bogeys like the Lexus LS and not sportier offerings like the 7-Series.

The only available engine for 2011 is Hyundai’s 4.6-liter Tau V8, pumping out 385 horsepower and 333 pound-feet of torque in this application. It doesn’t quite put its power to the ground with the same level of grace or involvement as the European-engineered cars, but unsurprisingly, driving the Equus is similar to the experience you get in a Lexus LS. It’s buttery smooth, refined and is more concerned with being comfortable than engaging.

Things will likely change once the Equus receives Hyundai’s new 429-hp, direct-injected 5.0-liter V8, but even with the current 4.6-liter powerplant, we never once wished for more grunt. The Equus is indeed at a disadvantage against its German rivals, only because the majority of them now use turbocharged eight-cylinder setups that are super-torquey down low.

Unfortunately, there’s a whole lot of numbness when it comes to steering and braking. When moving the tiller from side to side, we wish there were a lot more on-center feeling that doesn’t correlate to the random bouts of heaviness felt as you really pull into a turn. It’s very non-linear in this regard, and if Hyundai wants to truly compete with all of the globe’s luxury sedans someday, it had better work on improving this behind-the-wheel experience.

For the majority of non-enthusiastic drivers, the Equus motoring experience will be pleasant. It’s eerily quiet while moving down the road, the six-speed automatic transmission does a fine job of firing off shifts with a sense of urgency and the suspension damping is soft yet appropriate in this sort of barge. The adjustable air-assisted suspension is one of the best parts about the Equus experience – not only because it does things like automatically tweak the suspension damping based on road condition or lowers the car when cruising over 70 mph, but that you don’t have to push any buttons for the adjustments to happen.

There’s a Sport mode, activated by a button just to the right of the gear lever, but its adjustments to the transmission’s shift schedule aren’t great for around-town cruising. Even on the highway, when left to its normal devices, the six-speed tranny has no problem kicking down for high-speed passing.

“So, what is it, like, 80 grand?”

Far, far less. Even in the fully decked-out Ultimate trim, the Equus’ price tag will go no higher than $65,400, including destination and delivery charges. You want a Lexus LS 460? Add over $5,000 to that tag. And if you insist on shelling out for German engineering, be prepared to spend anywhere from $10,000 to $40,000 more for comparably equipped cars.

What’s more, we can’t overlook the benefits of Hyundai’s exclusive dealership (or lack thereof) experience for Equus owners. When routine maintenance is needed, reach for the included Apple iPad in your glove box, queue up the service app and wait for technicians to collect your Equus from your home or office, leaving you a different Equus or Genesis sedan as a loaner car. When the work is done, the dealership will swap the cars back again. None of the competitors – German or Japanese – offer that.

If Hyundai continues on its current pace, it will only be a matter of time before it is widely regarded as highly as other major automakers in every segment in which it competes. Will my roommate ever tell me that my Hyundai has arrived when a Lexus LS shows up at my door? Probably not. But as long as non-enthusiasts can be convinced that the Equus is up to snuff to take on the Japanese big guns, Hyundai’s path to righteousness will continue to be paved.

[Source: autoblog]

Officially Official: Porsche releases 918 hybrid details, priced from $845,000

2011-04-08T13:23:00.001+05:00

Porsche has announced that dealers the world over have begun taking orders for the company’s 918 Spyder. The plug-in hybrid will boast a 500-horsepower, 4.0-liter V8 engine and two electric motors capable of a combined 218 horsepower. Porsche says the hybrid powertrain will consume a mere 3.0 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers – or around 78 mpg. The German automaker hasn’t released any fuel economy estimates based on U.S. testing standards, though EPA figures are said to be on the way. Look for the gas-electric Porsche supercar to touch down on U.S. soil by late 2013.

If you want one, you better drop what you’re doing and get in line right now. The automaker says that it’s only planning to build 918 examples of the vehicle and that each of them will carry a lofty price tag of $845,000 plus destination and handling.

That’s a lot of coin, but with an electric motor at each axle, the 918 Spyder is projected to be able to launch to 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds. Top speed is said to be 199 mph, and Porsche believes that under the right conditions, the 918 will be able to drive on pure-electric power at speeds of up to 94 mph.

[Source: Porsche]

PRESS RELEASE:

Now available for ordering, the 918 Spyder will feature cutting-edge plug-in hybrid technology and stunning performance, forever changing the future of the super sports car

ATLANTA – March 21, 2011 — After outstanding customer response to the concept car first shown at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, Porsche today announced that dealers around the world will begin taking 918 Spyder customer orders. This is a significant step toward actual production of the company’s next super sports car, a Porsche that marries unique plug-in hybrid technology and outstanding performance in a visually stunning and purely Porsche package.

The 918 Spyder will feature a high revving 500-plus horsepower V8 engine assisted by two electric motors with a total of at least 218 horsepower, yet Porsche estimates it will consume only 3.0 L/100 km based on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). Official EPA fuel economy figures or estimates will be announced just before the first customer cars begin arriving in the United States near the end of 2013.
To ensure the 918 Spyder’s worldwide exclusivity, Porsche will produce no more than 918 examples. Start of production at Porsche’s famed factory in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen is planned for Sept. 18, 2013 (9/18), and the U.S. base manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $845,000 (excluding destination and handling charges).

With its design inspired by past Porsches like the Carrera GT super sports car and the legendary 917 and highly successful RS Spyder race cars, the 918 Spyder remains faithful to the 2010 concept car. Unlike the concept car, the two-seat production version, based on a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic monocoque, will feature a manual roof system with removable panels that can be stored in the front luggage compartment.

Super high performance with very low fuel consumption and emissions

The 918 Spyder will be powered by a unique plug-in hybrid system that will include a high-revving, mid-mounted V8 engine with capacity of more than 4.0 liters and producing at least 500 horsepower. The engine will be based on the Porsche RS Spyder racing engine that demonstrated its impressive performance and efficiency through multiple Michelin Green X Challenge victories in the American Le Mans Series, the Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Power will be transferred to the rear wheels via Porsche’s compact, seven-speed Porsche-Doppelkupplung (PDK) double-clutch gearbox.

Two electric motors – one each on the front and rear axles – together will provide approximately 218 additional horsepower. This configuration also will offer an innovative, variable all-wheel drive system with independent control of the drive forces on both axles. Electrical energy will be stored in a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery that can be recharged from a standard household outlet. Electric-only driving range is expected to be more than 16 miles on the NEDC. Recharge time will depend on each country’s electrical power network, but charging is expected to take about seven hours at 110V/10A in the United States. A quick-charge option is being evaluated to further reduce charging times.

With anticipated combined fuel consumption of just 3.0 L/100 km on the NEDC, this equates to CO2 emissions of only 70 g/km or 112 g/mile. On the other hand, the Porsche 918 Spyder will deliver super sports car performance. It is estimated that the final production version will accelerate from zero to 60 mph in about 3.1 seconds on its way to an estimated top track speed of 199 mph. It should also tackle Germany’s famed Nürburgring Nordschleife in less than 7 minutes and 30 seconds, two seconds faster than the Porsche Carrera GT. Under the right conditions, the 918 Spyder will be able to drive on electric power alone at speeds up to 94 mph for limited distances.

Customers who order the 918 Spyder also have the opportunity to acquire a special-edition 911 Turbo S Coupe or Cabriolet. Also limited to no more than 918 units, the 911 Turbo S Edition 918 Spyder will have exterior and interior design elements echoing the plug-in hybrid 918 Spyder supercar’s styling. It features similar exterior colors, carbon-fiber elements inside and out, enhanced leather equipment and numerous acid-green accents on items such as the brake calipers, illuminated sill plates, interior stitching and instrument cluster needles. A limited-edition badge on the glove compartment door will feature the same production number as the customer’s 918 Spyder.

Worldwide 918 Spyder customers can begin ordering this special edition 911 Turbo S sports car today, and customer deliveries will start later in 2011. The U.S. base manufacturer’s suggested retail prices for the Coupe and Cabriolet versions are the same as the standard 911 Turbo S models, $160,700 and $172,100 respectively, excluding destination.

Porsche bookmarks new flagship with special 911 Turbo S “Edition 918 Spyder”

2011-04-08T13:20:00.001+05:00

The big news from Porsche lately is the go-ahead and pricing attached to the production of the 918 Spyder. But if you read the fine print on the official announcement, you may have noticed the German automaker’s current performance flagship mentioned.

To celebrate the launch of the 918 Spyder, Porsche is offering a special edition of the 911 Turbo S. Called, appropriately enough, the 911 Turbo S “Edition 918 Spyder”, it’s essentially the same as the standard Turbo S, only with some extra decals, special colors and unique trim. The model will be available exclusively to customers ordering the 918 Spyder, can be had in either coupe or convertible, and carries the same sticker price.

So what’s the point? To keep customers who are waiting for delivery of their 918 happy in the meantime. Now that’s one heck of an appetizer if we’ve every seen one. And at $160k+ (on top of the $845k price of the 918) one very pricey option as well.

[Source: Porsche]

Review: 2011 Jaguar XKR Convertible

2011-04-04T13:54:00.001+05:00

I know you’re probably here to read all about how the 2011 Jaguar XKR Convertible stacks up against other six-digit luxury sports cars, but I’ve got a confession to make. Before we get down, dirty and up to our elbows in power figures, you need to know that this is my first real brush with luxury performance of this caliber. As we speak, the ruling houses of auto journalism are likely sending laptop-wielding assassins my way for breaking the seventh sacred tenet of our craft – “Always pretend you know more than you do” – but I can’t accurately convey my time with this big cat without first giving you a taste of my perspective.

Get the mouthwash ready, this may be unpleasant.

My office is headquartered in a beautiful part of East Tennessee, where $30,000 will happily buy you seven acres of wooded hill country. Around here, I’m pleased to say that I’m more likely to hear a Massey-Ferguson lumber past my window than a Maserati, and as such, most folk have neither the use for a high-horsepower 2+2 convertible nor the ludicrous kind of coin it takes to call one your very own. As one neighbor remarked, “You can buy a damn nice home for as much as that thing costs.”

And for the majority of the country, he’s dead right.

Receiving word that you’ll be the sole custodian of a 2011 Jaguar XKR Convertible for a week and actually meeting the beast in the sultry flesh are two entirely different things. When the machine arrived, it announced its presence with a low rumble that snaked its way through the pine, gypsum and hardwood of the house and into my ears long before it showed its face in the driveway.

Intrigue, thy name is the 5.0-liter, supercharged V8 planted behind this kitty’s headlights.

I mark the third generation of my clan to call this particular house my own, and while there have been some true curiosities parked in this driveway over the past few decades, there’s never been anything quite like this topless supercharged wonder. Approaching the XKR Convertible from the rear, you’re met with the kind of knee-shaking aesthetics that few vehicles possess. Tall, rounded flanks work their way into a concise aft dominated by LED taillamps, a steep rear deck spoiler and four menacing exhaust outlets. Vast 275-series tires the size of a pair of small continents peek out from below the rear valance, and from this angle, there’s no mistaking this convertible’s true purpose.

Move down the sports car’s side and you’re introduced to a full 188.7 inches of sprawling bodywork. With a lengthy 108.3-inch wheelbase, Jaguar’s designers had plenty of space to ply their art. From the sides, prominent haunches define the XKR Convertible’s profile before transitioning easily into a low-slung nose that rolls on for a country mile. It’s the kind of look that could induce labor or stop your heart if you aren’t prepared for what you’re seeing.

Don’t be surprised if you leave a trail of newborns and cardiac arrest in your wake.

At least, that’s the case with the top down. Crank the soft shell up with a merry push of a convenient, windshield frame-mounted button and the spell’s handily broken. Jaguar has done an excellent job of incorporating a smooth top structure, but the mechanism draws undue attention to the massive proportions of the rear deck. While everything looks squared away with the car slinking around topless, you can’t help but think there’s enough sheetmetal out back to set up a regulation badminton court with the roof in place. Fortunately, the top stows in around 17 seconds, so you don’t need to waste any time should the sun start shining.

Jaguar was kind enough to supply the XKR Convertible with a set of heated and cooled ventilated leather seats up front that are fully capable of boiling up a cup of Earl Grey should you become stranded far from a kettle at tea time. With the seats set to incinerate and the heater dialed to blast furnace, mother nature was no match for this kitty’s open-air motoring.

In addition to being able to tan your hide, the front seats are also nearly infinitely adjustable. That includes bolsters that can be tweaked to squeeze you tighter than your one true love. That little trick joins the standard portfolio of fore/aft and up/down wizardry to serve up seating custom tailored for nearly every size and shape.

The rest of the cabin swaddles you in no less comfort. The leather dash is double-stitched with contrasting thread, and a lumber yard’s worth of polished burlwood accents adorn those surfaces that aren’t already covered in hide. It’s a beautiful place to spend an hour or three, so long as you don’t have to fight the touchscreen infotainment system. Commands to change the radio station are seemingly sent by first-class air mail to an overburdened worker in Coventry where they must be approved before taking effect. Don’t expect anything to happen quickly.

The thermometer bobbed at around 40 degrees my first night with the XKR Convertible, but with stars peeking through the bud-laden branches and no clouds in sight, there was no way in this life or the next that I was going to leave this cat in the driveway. I stowed the top and headed for the snaking asphalt of Union County. From the first press of the glowing start button, it was clear I had stumbled into an alternate universe of propulsion. This is no sewing machine, and at no point did I have to check to see if the engine was running.

Jaguar has made damn sure that you feel the supercharged 5.0-liter V8 come to life, and it does so with a bark that serves as a harbinger of all sorts of naughtiness. If the starting sequence is the gateway drug of Jaguar love, the first punch of the accelerator is straight methamphetamine. You can forget fighting this addiction. The automaker’s engineers have managed to wring a full 510 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque from the eight force-fed cylinders, and every dash to 60 miles per hour clicks off in a claimed stammer-inducing 4.6 seconds. That’s shorter than the time it took you to read that last sentence, which is an impressive feat given that the XKR Convertible tips the scales at a whisker under two tons.

The six-speed automatic gearbox is a work of art, dispatching upshifts with quicker-than-thou precision and serving up rev-matching downshifts with a click of a paddle. An extra cog or two would likely go a long way toward bettering the vehicle’s 15 miles per gallon city and 22 mpg highway EPA rating, but really, who’s counting?

In order to keep all that momentum-building glory in check, Jaguar has bolted on a traction control system that must have been programmed by a panel of ruler-wielding nuns. No matter how desperately you mash buttons or turn dials, get too happy with the accelerator and you’ll get your knuckles rapped in a hurry. Even with the gearbox set to Sport, Competition mode on and Dynamic Stability Control off, I was barely able to get a few decent revolutions of wheel-spinning heaven before being made to submit to she-who-rules-all-nannies. I don’t even want to talk about attempting to ply the throttle in anger with the parameters adjusted to more sane settings.

Still, the chaperone under the hood wasn’t enough to quell my lust for this car. Even with 3,968 pounds of heft to scoot along, the dynamic suspension is perfectly firm for a series of apexes while turning buttery supple to accommodate imperfections in the tarmac. Mix in a brake system fully capable of pulling your eyelids from your face and you’re delivered a grand tourer that can go 10 rounds with lighter sports cars all night long. The machine is just as happy to consume mile after mile of rolling highway as it is darting from one mountain corner to the next.

Pulling into the driveway after a full hour of sampling all the talents the XKR Convertible has to offer, I was convinced that Jaguar had managed to build a vehicle that was worth every copper cent of its MSRP.

That was the honeymoon.

With the sun shining after work the next day, I was looking forward to dinner out with the wife followed by a long ride home via some of the area’s more desolate roads. We hopped in, I hit the key and was instantly rewarded with a glowing check engine light. Having suffered through the hazing associated with English vehicle ownership in the past, a few dozen Lucas jokes buzzed through my brain before I could so much as mutter a curse.

For the uninitiated, Joseph Lucas founded the company behind nearly all of the electrical components under the hood of hardware from jolly old England. His gear had a reputation for reliability that was about as spotless as a pair of polka dot socks. There’s a reason they say the company holds the world’s only patent on the short circuit.

Still, check engine lights are nothing new or special, even on a vehicle with 2,200 miles on the clock. We piled back out and the next day I got the pleasure of spending some time with the experts at Harper Jaguar. The problem stemmed from a faulty evaporation system sensor, and in no time the techs at the dealer had the XKR Convertible up and running again. There was much rejoicing.

Or at least there was until two days later, when the light reared its head once again. Having precious few days before having to leave town, I wasn’t interested in carving out any more time to have the vehicle addressed. I parked the cat in the driveway and defaulted to the familial fleet for the remainder of my transportation needs.

Jaguar’s current owner, Tata, inherited an entire British brand that was on its way up. From beautifully-styled XF, XJ and XK models to vastly improved reliability records, Jaguar is heads and shoulders above its old self. In fact, the automaker routinely scores well in J.D. Power and Associates surveys. Unfortunately, those scores are based largely on the company’s previous generation hardware, not the new kit that mostly fills Jag showrooms now.

Granted, the poor vehicles submitted to the vicious hands of the average automotive journalist endure acts banned by the Geneva Convention, but by and large, most automakers manage to serve up products that can at least manage three days without needing attention from a qualified service professional.

I can’t help but imagine what would happen if Kia, Toyota or Chrysler began cranking out vehicles with the kind of reliability woes that recent Jaguar models have come to be known for. Whereas the big cat is more or less given a pass for its luxury pedigree and history of foible-ridden vehicles, other brands are held to continuous scrutiny.

Having been completely wowed by an excellent interior and heavenly drivetrain, I’m more than a little soured by my run-in with the ghost of Lucas’ past. Until Jaguar can get its reliability house in order, I have to imagine there are better places to spend your $103,375. A nice house on a few dozen acres in Tennessee, perhaps…

[Source: autoblog]

2012 Audi R8 GT to start at $196,800

2011-04-04T13:50:00.002+05:00

Audi has announced that the 90 examples of the 2011 R8 GT slated to come to this country will carry price tags starting at $196,800. The R8 GT packs a version of the 5.2-liter FSI V10, but cranked up to 560 horsepower, mated to Audi’s R-Tronic sequential transmission. Backing up the transmission is a four-wheel-drive system with a locking rear differential.

The R8 GT is built using more aluminum and carbon fiber than the standard car, which translates to a 180-pound weight loss. The rear hatch, spoiler and front splitter on the GT are all carbon-fiber pieces.

The weight savings, power increase, and sequential gearbox team up to scoot the R8 GT to 60 miles per hour in 3.6 seconds, and a up to a 199-mph top speed.

[Source: Audi]

PRESS RELEASE:

Audi R8 GT U.S. pricing starts at $196,800 as sales of limited-production sports car begin
• Only 333 Audi R8 GT models will be built worldwide; 90 for U.S sales
• Extensive use of carbon fiber parts makes the Audi R8 GT about 180 pounds lighter than the Audi R8 5.2 quattro coupe
• Modified 5.2-liter engine achieves 560 hp, 0-62 mph time of 3.6 seconds, top speed of 199 mph

Audi of America established prices for the limited-production 2012 Audi R8 GT starting at $196,800 at the launch of sales in the U.S. market. The Audi R8 GT is the lightest, fastest and most powerful entry in the Audi supercar lineup, which has won global acclaim. Only 333 Audi R8 GT models will be produced worldwide, with 90 slated for U.S. buyers.

2012 R8 GT pricing (excluding $1,250 destination charge, taxes, title, options and dealer charges):

R8 GT Coupe (R tronic) $196,800

The 2012 R8 GT receives significant exterior modifications aimed at enhancing its already stellar handling, and it is powered by a modified 5.2-liter V10 FSI engine that produces 560 horsepower (35 hp more than the R8 Coupe 5.2 quattro and the R8 Spyder 5.2 quattro). The 2012 R8 GT employs the R tronic sequential manual transmission. This pairing produces a top track speed of 199 mph, and a 0-62 mph time of 3.6 seconds. Overall, the Audi R8 GT will provide drivers with high lateral acceleration and a low center of gravity.

The signature Audi ASF® lightweight construction of the Audi R8 GT, combined with extensive use of lightweight carbon fiber body parts reduces the weight by approximately 180 pounds when compared to the Audi R8 Coupe 5.2 quattro. Key carbon fiber components are the rear hatch, spoiler and diffuser.

The Audi R8 GT continues the heritage of mid-engine configuration with quattro® all-wheel drive that has distinguished all R8 variants. The axle load distribution of the R8 GT will be 43/57 front/rear. Integrated into the front differential is axle-load-optimized torque split with self-locking differential in the rear axle.

The newest member of the Audi sports car family was inspired by the Audi R8 LMS GT3 race car. To convey its limited-edition nature, the Audi R8 GT will come with a variety of exclusive interior and exterior touches. Each car will have a numbered gearshift knob. The instrument cluster will be white with the R8 GT logo and the interior will feature carbon matte inlays. The seats, headliner, steering wheel and handbrake lever will be black Alcantara® with contrast stitching. Door sills will include aluminum inserts with the R8 GT logo.

On the exterior, the grille, distinctive sideblade and other trim parts will come in exclusive matte finishes. The Audi R8 GT will also be available in an exclusive new color: Samoa Orange.

Optional carbon-fiber reinforced ceramic brakes are available to provide superb fading resistance even in racetrack conditions. Brake calipers with a red anodized finish come with the ceramic brakes. A 12-speaker, 495-watt Bang & Olufsen® sound system is also available. The Audi R8 GT offers other trim and wheel options to personalize the full array of standard features.