has issued its 2012 Brand Image Awards and took home four of the 12 honors.
The Blue Oval was recognized as the Most Family-Friendly Brand, Best interior Design Brand, Non-Luxury, Best Exterior Design Brand, Non-Luxury, and Most Rugged Truck Brand. was the only other U.S. marque to win awards. It took the Best Interior Design Brand, Luxury and Best Comfort Brand.
The usually dominant Japanese brands were scarce, with the only representative. Honda took the Most Trusted Brand and Best Value Brand.
The remaining four categories all went to Germany. took Best Exterior Design Brand (somewhere is smiling), took Coolest Brand and Best Performance Brand. , for the fifth year in a row, was named the Most Prestigious Brand.
The will receive a significant refresh for the 2013 model year, and the majority of the changes are indeed more than skin-deep. That’s because the 2013 Ram will hit the showroom floor with a host of powertrain upgrades, including features that have never been offered on American pickup trucks until now.
Chrysler promises that the new 3.6 will improve fuel efficiency by “at least 20 percent.”
Many of the Ram’s new technologies speak to its fuel-saving nature, including an eight-speed automatic transmission for both six- and eight-cylinder models, stop-start, improved aerodynamics, electric power steering, grille shutters and an auto-adjusting air suspension. The air suspension is essentially a version of the setup used in the and features an Aero Mode, lowering the ride height by 1.2 inches to help cut through the wind more efficiently. Ram will also offer the Chrysler Group’s 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 as the base powerplant, delivering 305 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. For reference, rates the pickup’s naturally aspirated 3.7-liter V6 at 302 hp and 278 lb-ft.
Chrysler promises that the new 3.6 will improve fuel efficiency by “at least 20 percent” compared to the old 3.7-liter unit. Another 20 percent added to 20 miles per gallon on the highway and 14 mpg in the city equates to a class-leading 24 mpg highway and 17 mpg city.
Of course, V8 power is available, courtesy of Chrysler’s tried-and-true 5.7-liter Hemi, which now delivers 395 hp and 407 lb-ft of torque. That’s five more horsepower compared to the 2012 model, and that improvement comes courtesy of the new electronic power steering system. The most impressive part is that the Hemi-equipped model will also boast 20 percent better fuel economy, thanks largely to the fact that the eight-speed automatic is also fitted to this eight-pot mill. Chrysler will announce official fuel economy numbers closer to the Ram’s on-sale date.
The Ram 1500 can achieve these substantial efficiency gains because of the aforementioned fuel-sipping technologies, but engineers have also cut considerable weight. The V6 powertrain is an amazing 76 pounds lighter than the outgoing 3.7-liter, and the TorqueFlite eight-speed and Hemi combine for a 30-pound reduction in the 5.7-liter model. Other weight savings come from an aluminum hood (26 pounds), chassis with more high-strength steel (up to 30 pounds), new floor cross-members in the bed (seven pounds), new front bumper (four pounds) and the electronic steering system (four pounds).
Additional improvements include upgraded exterior styling, a richer-looking cabin and a stiffer chassis that promises decreased noise, vibration and harshness. The Ram will also feature improved available infotainment tech, including an 8.4-inch navigation screen and a configurable seven-inch thin-film transistor screen that is standard on Sport, Laramie and Laramie Longhorn models.
to read over the Chrysler press release, which includes a ton more information. You can also watch a few videos that highlight some of the new features.
Well, maybe not… but, at the very least, we’re surprised by Scion’s latest marketing campaign for its minicar. There are a lot of reasons to be interested in the iQ – its small size makes for easy parking, it’s not terribly expensive and it’s nicely fuel efficient – but its ability to do donuts with four full-size occupants isn’t one of them.
Not just four occupants. How about four bikini models? Not your style? There’s four dudes, four bikers and four police officers, too, each in their own video. They’re all eating donuts and drinking milk while being driven around in backward smoky burnouts and reverse donuts.
And suddenly, we’re leaning toward speechless yet again.
You can see all four videos , but we warn you, it’s all complete and utter nonsense.
Motor America CEO John Krafcik confirmed Wednesday that the all-new seven passenger will replace the model.
“The Veracruz is going away,” Krafcik told Autoblog. “It ends production around November.” Hyundai debuted the Santa Fe Wednesday at the New York International Auto Show in both five-passenger and seven-passenger configurations.
The seven-passenger Veracruz was a new nameplate for Hyundai when it rolled out in 2007. It never gained much acceptance in the U.S., so Hyundai has found a new way around that problem.
“It’s hard to establish a new brand name,” Krafcik said. “It can take $50 to $100 million dollars. Santa Fe is a golden nameplate for us, it’s a great product, and now it will be much more efficient in my marketing spend.”
Indeed. It will also be more efficient producing a five- and seven-passenger Santa Fe than two different vehicles. From the B-pillar forward, there will only be minor differences between the two Santa Fe models.
Furthermore, the new design of the Santa Fe moves it into Hyundai’s stylized fluidic design theme, something that has been very successful with the compact and midsize . The Veracruz, which still included many of Hyundai’s older design elements, just didn’t fit in with everything else.
Now, or at least in the coming months, it will be no more.
Shortly after announced that the production will be , we sat down with Adrian Hallmark, Jaguar Global Brand Director, to discuss some of the finer points of the new sub- sports car. The F-Type is more or less the production version of the that debuted at the , but instead of sticking to the concept’s coupe body style, Jaguar said that the production F-Type will launch as a two-seat roadster. But that doesn’t mean a coupe isn’t coming.
Jaguar “certainly won’t stick to just a convertible. If you get a convertible right, it’s easy to do a coupe.”
“C-X16 was a vision car,” Hallmark stated. The intent of C-X16 was to show off a new design language, and it’s easier to completely realize the full capacity of a new styling direction on a coupe body style rather than on a roadster. But when we asked Hallmark about the possibility of a hardtop F-Type, his response was that Jaguar “certainly won’t stick to just a convertible. If you get a convertible right, it’s easy to do a coupe.”
Jaguar’s director of design, Ian Callum, added that there are no plans to offer a folding hardtop version of the F-Type roadster – it will use a standard soft top. A folding hardtop “would ruin the shape of the car,” Callum told us.
As we reported earlier, the F-Type will use a new powertrain family, possibly previewed by the supercharged 3.0-liter V6 and electric motor combination found under the hood of the C-X16 concept. Hallmark stated that in terms of driver involvement and performance, the F-Type “will start where the finishes, even with less power.” In other words, the F-Type will be more of a focused sports car rather than a luxury GT. As for pricing, Hallmark stated that the F-Type will be priced below the XK but above competitors like the /, and .
Moving away from the F-Type, Hallmark spoke briefly about plans to add all-wheel drive into the Jaguar lineup. “We’re very interested in all-wheel drive,” he stated, later adding that the company will likely offer it in its next-generation products rather than fitting it to the vehicles that are currently available. Hallmark assured us that it will be “not more than two years” until we see an all-wheel-drive Jag, and that prototype vehicles are already in the on-road testing phase.
A used to be a Passat, and that was that. But these days, things have gotten more complicated. Like does with the , the Passat that builds and offers in the United States is an entirely different vehicle from the one it offers overseas. And while we used to have a Passat wagon at our disposal in American showrooms, that one stayed on the opposite shore when the model was split.
And then there’s the Alltrack. Taking a similar approach to what took to make its into the , what does to its to turn it into an and what (perhaps most pertinently) sister-brand does to its to make it the Allroad, the production model was unveiled at the back in November with a higher suspension and some rugged-looking lower body cladding.
Although the Alltrack – or for that matter, the Passat wagon altogether – is not currently available in the United States, Volkswagen has brought the overseas model to the (as a “concept”, mind you) in an effort to gauge reaction. If it drums up enough support – and over 80 percent of you have supported in our so far – VW could opt to offer it to American customers as a more cost-effective alternative to the Audi Allroad range. The showcar seen here is fitted with a TDI diesel engine, but presumably if it came to the States, it would be offered with a gasoline engine as its main powerplant. Take a closer look in our gallery of high-resolution live images from the show floor and the official release and decide for yourself.
If the orange you see here looks familiar, it’s because we’ve seen it before. Not only that, . So why, then, would choose to unveil its high-riding yet again here at the ? It’s coming to America, that’s why. And the car displayed here in the Big Apple is the official U.S. model.
The XV Crosstrek is, essentially, a lifted Impreza that speaks to the Outback Sport models that came before it. It boasts a surprising 8.7 inches of ground clearance and Subaru states that its engineers have made quite a few tweaks to the body and chassis to make the XV substantially more rugged than its Impreza kin.
Power comes from the same 2.0-liter boxer four that’s found in the standard Impreza, putting out 148 horsepower and mated to either a five-speed manual or Continuously Variable Transmission. Naturally, all-wheel drive is standard, and because the XV is capable of achieving up to 33 miles per gallon on the highway, Subaru touts that it’s the most fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive CUV on the market.
The XV Crosstrek goes on sale this fall and official pricing will be announced closer to that time, but we’re guessing it’ll start off somewhere in the neighborhood of the 2011 Outback Sport’s $20,720 price of entry. for Subaru’s press release.
Opinions found at the Autoblog table of most auto show press rooms are usually in concert, but every once in a while, we fail to come to a consensus. This is one such cause of discord, you see, as some of us think it belongs only on European streets, while others insist it will find enough homes here in North America.
The smallest of Bavarian crossovers has been available in overseas markets for a while now, but with its unveiling here at the , is preparing to launch it in the North American market. And along with it, the tallish wagon has received a facelift and interior rework.
When deliveries begin at American BMW showrooms this coming September, buyers will be able to choose between two twin-turbo engines – the 245-horsepower sDrive28i (in rear-wheel-drive) or all-wheel-drive xDrive28i, and the 306-hp X1 xDrive35i. The first and last are U.S. exclusives.
Pricing? Glad you asked. The X1 sDrive28i will carry a $31,545 price tag – including $895 in delivery fees. The churns-at-all-fours xDrive28i commands $33,245, and the 306-hp xDrive35i can be yours for $39,345.
The launch of the new may be the bigger news for here at the , and the may still be getting the lion’s share of the attention, but the and its high-riding counterpart, the , have also debuted here in Manhattan with a series of updates.
Most noticeable (that term being a relative one) is the pair’s revised front fascia, but behind the new look is a fresh boxer four that replaces the old one in the 2.5i model, now producing three more horsepower and four more pound-feet of torque (173 hp/174 lb-ft.) while returning improved fuel economy. An updated CVT is the principal transmission for the 2.5-liter four, with a six-speed manual available, both driving all four wheels in typical Fuji Heavy Industries style. The available 3.6-liter flat six carries over with a five-speed automatic. Subaru says it has also revisited the suspensions on both models for improved ride comfort and performance.
There’s also a suite of new electronics packed into the , including everything from new active safety technology features like lane departure warning and collision mitigation to improved audio system connectivity.
Sadly, Subaru has axed the enthusiast-minded model for 2013.
No one may have asked to drop the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 found in the Taurus SHO behind the headlights of the , but that doesn’t mean we’re complaining. Ford has just debuted the higher-performance crossover at the 2012 New York Auto Show, complete with its full 350 horsepower. Ford says the newly menacing softroader will be good for around 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway, and the nudge in power shouldn’t do anything but help the vehicle’s ability to tow up to 5,000 pounds. Engineers have also thrown in bigger brakes and a little extra bracing to help the chassis cope with the additional muscle, not to mention a quicker ratio steering rack for a slightly more responsive cornering.
The available horsepower drops to the pavement via a paddle-shifted six-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive system. The Sport features a unique version of the Terrain Management System found on lesser Explorers, though the software has been uniquely calibrated to handle the additional power on hand.
A handful of aesthetic tweaks are also part of the package, including blacked-out bodywork on the mesh grille, side-view mirrors and lower fascia. Unique wheel choices are also part of the package. for the full press blast.
It takes a special type of individual to take a look at a twin-turbo V8 roadster with 530 horsepower like the new and say, “Nope, that’s not enough.” And for just such an individual, now presents the new SL65 AMG.
Unveiled here at the alongside the facelifted and crossovers, the replaces its predecessor with a pair of turbos and twelve cylinders good for a monumental 621 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque. It also gets a seven-gear Speedshift transmission that has been beefed up enough to handle all that twist in place of the five-speed that soldiered on through the last model.
All that is packed, of course, into the newer, (relatively) lighter new , complete with Airscarf and Magic Sky Control and all that jazz. The new roadster sits at the very top of the SL range, and if the outgoing model is any indication, this droptop is likely to receive a starting price well over $200,000.
We were on hand for the new SL65’s unveiled here at the Javitz Center, and you can join us for a closer look in the high-resolution image gallery above and the press release .
SL65 AMG packs an earth-moving 738 pound-feet of torque
The gorgeous Mazda Takeri concept is making its U.S. debut at the , and you’ll want to take another close look at it: it will “strongly influence” the 2014 that we’ll see at the later this year. The next Mazda6 will also follow the Mazda in the company’s lineup of SkyActiv vehicles.
In spite of the 2014 model year, the 6 will go on sale during Q1 of 2013 and will feature the SkyActiv 2.0-liter gas engine that shifts through a six-speed auto or six-speed manual. Mazda says it is gunning to post class-leading fuel economy figures.
We will also be looking to see if it , since the Takeri could make an equally beautiful two-door. If so, that isn’t expected to happen for at least a year after the sedan bows, but have made such long-distance predictions exceedingly difficult. for a press release with more info on the 2014 Mazda6.
This is the 2013 Concept, along with its “more capable-looking styling” that’s been revealed today at the .
is re-aiming the Crosstour at “active consumers,” so those new capable looks come down to foglights shrouded in embossed polygons, and the soft-roader rugged-esque front bumper, and dark trim skirting the bodywork. There’s also a new grille that helps clean up the front end. The rear gets stressed horizontals to emphasize the concept’s width, but this is the only photo Honda has released, so we’re not sure yet what other changes (if any) are in store for the 2012 model. The new face looks modestly better than the original, but based one what we see here, we’re unclear how this updated look will improve the Crosstour’s frigid sales.
Inside, Honda says the new production Crosstour will be available with an eight-inch display and LaneWatch blind-spot detection along with updated trim and keyless ignition. As before, motivation will come courtesy of a 192-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder or a 3.5-liter V6 that shifts through a six-speed paddleshift transmission (Honda promises that the latter has been reengineered for more power). Don’t be fooled by the 19-inch wheels, though – the production version set to go on sale this Fall will get 18-inchers.
We’ll update this article with a gallery of live images shortly after the Crosstour Concept’s official debut at the New York Auto Show, so stay tuned for more views of its “capable-looking” refreshening.
This is the 2013 Concept, along with its “more capable-looking styling” that’s been revealed today at the .
is re-aiming the Crosstour at “active consumers,” so those new capable looks come down to foglights shrouded in embossed polygons, and the soft-roader rugged-esque front bumper, and dark trim skirting the bodywork. There’s also a new grille that helps clean up the front end. The rear gets stressed horizontals to emphasize the concept’s width, but this is the only photo Honda has released, so we’re not sure yet what other changes (if any) are in store for the 2012 model. The new face looks modestly better than the original, but based one what we see here, we’re unclear how this updated look will improve the Crosstour’s frigid sales.
Inside, Honda says the new production Crosstour will be available with an eight-inch display and LaneWatch blind-spot detection along with updated trim and keyless ignition. As before, motivation will come courtesy of a 192-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder or a 3.5-liter V6 that shifts through a six-speed paddleshift transmission (Honda promises that the latter has been reengineered for more power). Don’t be fooled by the 19-inch wheels, though – the production version set to go on sale this Fall will get 18-inchers.
We’ll update this article with a gallery of live images shortly after the Crosstour Concept’s official debut at the New York Auto Show, so stay tuned for more views of its “capable-looking” refreshening.
has used the to show off its new , which was announced at The Spring Festival, a small-scale event held in Southern California for Mopar LX fans and owners. Besides being seen by those select few, this is the coupe’s first public showing.
Powered by the same 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine with 305 horsepower and 268 pound-feet torque as the base model, this machine gets a performance boost via an upgraded suspension package called the Super Sport Group. Updates include firmer front and rear shocks, larger front and rear sway bars, wider P245/45R20 Firestone Firehawk tires and steering that’s 25-percent quicker.
As you can see, there are also a bunch of exterior tweaks, including the big red stripe down the center, red-striped 20-inch wheels with a Pitch Black treatment and a body-color rear spoiler. Inside, the exclusive availability of heated front performance seats in Radar Red leather is the biggest news, but Dark Slate Grey is also available. The optional Exterior hues are Bright Silver Metallic, Tungsten Metallic, Bright White and Pitch Black.
Want one? Dodge says the Rallye Redline will be available this month starting at $28,745 (plus $925 for destination). See the machine yourself in our high-res image gallery of live photos above.
Although we don’t doubt it’s been done, turning a Dodge Neon or into a race car would be a bit of a stretch. The , however, is another beast entirely. So people stood up and noticed when Dodge announced it was of its Alfa Romeo-based compact sedan – with no less prominent a performer than Travis Pastrana behind the wheel – in the Global RallyCross Championship.
Now the rally-spec Dart has debuted here under the bright lights of the – all 600 horsepower of it. And as far as competition versions of Dodge economy sedans go, it sure looks the business. Especially since Alfa hasn’t taken the Giulietta on which the Dart is based to any races we’ve seen, anyway. Check it out in our gallery of high-resolution photos from the Javitz Center show floor.
Remember the stunning that debuted at last year’s ? Guess what, kids – it’s coming to production. Well, sort of.
has officially announced that a new entry-level sports car will come to market next year and that it will indeed carry the “F-Type” moniker. But unlike the coupe concept that we saw in Frankfurt, the automaker has revealed that the F-Type will be a two-seat roadster.
No other official details have been confirmed, though Jaguar’s press release confirms that “a range of engines will be available, including a new powerplant family.” For reference, the C-X16 concept came with a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 – good for 376 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque – matched with a “Push to Pass” hybrid system controlled by a steering wheel-mounted button that delivers an additional 92 hp and 173 lb-ft of twist when pressed.
Jaguar will announce the full F-Type model range and details later this year (likely at the ) and the car will go on sale in mid-2013. for the official press release and to watch – and hear – a disguised prototype.
You might think that has pulled a fast one at today’s New York Auto Show by unveiling two different of its , one a two-row Sport model and the other a three-row family-minded model simply called Santa Fe. In reality, however, we’ve been expecting this since we .
The Santa Fe Sport seen above will offer buyers seating for five as well as two four-cylinder options. The base model comes equipped with a direct-injection 2.4-liter four-pot good for 190 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, while a turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder good for an estimated 264 ponies will also be offered. Both will be offered paired to a six-speed automatic transmission, and either engine can be had with all-wheel drive. The latter comes with torque-vectoring cornering control, a bit of tech that Hyundai hopes will set the Santa Fe Sport apart from other affordable crossovers. More impressively, the automaker says it has managed to clip a whopping 266 pounds from the Santa Fe compared to the 2012 model.
Buyers who need a bit extra space may want to step up to the seven-passenger Santa Fe. The three-row model adds around four inches of additional wheelbase and a more powerful 3.3-liter direct-injection V6 with 290 horsepower. The additional inches allow for around 38.6 additional cubic feet of passenger volume compared to the Santa Fe Sport, and the long-wheelbase model should fill in for the ill-embraced which is likely in its last model year. for the complete press release.
There is no sugar-coating the fact that the has been a dud since Day One. Honda’s luxury brand is painfully aware of this fact, especially since . Then again, the RL has suffered the indignity of being outgunned by a lower-priced model , so we can see how selling one has been an uphill climb for dealers. But has an all-new luxury flagship waiting in the wings, and it’s seen its first light of day as the RLX Concept, which just debuted at the .
Honda is quick to point out that the sedan will provide large car interior volume in a mid-size package.
Like most other Honda/Acura concepts, the RLX is sure to look much the same in production trim. The concept features a new design direction for the upscale marque, with more understated yet elegant lines that just look more expensive than the outgoing RL. With the exception of the fussy concept car wheels, we think it looks rather crisp, though it is very conservative and has a trunk that reminds us more than a little bit of the when viewed in profile. The concept appears to be quite large as well, but Honda is quick to point out that the sedan will provide large car interior volume in a mid-size package.
The RLX concept arrives packing some advanced technology under the hood as well, including an all-new 3.5-liter V6 mated to a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. But the reworked V6 and all-new transmission is just part of the powertrain story. The concept also features an advanced Sport Hybrid SH-AWD system that helps boost overall power to a V8-like 370 horsepower.
The concept features a Sport Hybrid SH-AWD system that boosts power to a V8-like 370 horsepower.
The “hybrid” part of that title includes what Acura is calling a “unique dual electric motor drive unit with a bilateral torque adjustable control system.” Basically, it’s a through-the-road electric all-wheel-drive setup with torque vectoring on the rear axle. The same Sport Hybrid SH-AWD system first appeared on the NSX concept, and we disguised as a last November. Acura promises fuel economy numbers of at least 30 miles per gallon on the highway and in the city.
The production RLX will also be available sans electric-AWD system, with 310 horsepower coming solely from the 3.5-liter V6. The front-wheel-drive version will feature a plethora of technology that improves handling, including Amplitude Reactive Dampers, a new double-wishbone front suspension and a multi-link rear suspension. It will also weigh in “well under 4,000 pounds,” which should help in the handling department.
The production Acura RLX should be available in early 2013. to read Acura’s official press release and click on the image above to view the RLX concept in high resolution while you wait for our live shots from the show floor.
When the gets overhauled, , you know it’s not long before its corporate sister, the , gets revisited as well. And has done exactly that this afternoon at the , with the new model doing what the ES does best: Surprise no one.
, the biggest news is the announcement of a hybrid ES, a move that should be the final . This new hybrid is essentially the Camry hybrid in a nicer package, powered by the same 2.5-liter four-cylinder fitted with the ubiquitous hybrid system. As it does in the hybrid , Lexus will offer a sport drive mode, as well as an EV mode. Lexus estimates that the ES hybrid will have 40-mile-per-gallon combined fuel economy, matching that of the Camry Hybrid XLE (a number that presumably will give it best-in-class bragging rights).
The ES gets the new Lexus spindle grille treatment and a 1.8-inch longer wheelbase, but changes to the sheetmetal aren’t as dramatic as the upgraded cabin. The instrument panel now resembles the one in the GS, with a horizontal treatment and a big LCD screen, along with the love/hate Lexus Remote Touch Interface controller snuggling next to the gearshift in the center console. New seats boast a leather-alternative NuLuxe covering, although real hide is also available, along with premium semi-aniline leather. Somehow, Lexus has even managed to find an extra four inches of legroom up front.
The ES 350 will still mate Toyota’s proven 3.5-liter V6 with a six-speed automatic, driving the front wheels. But Lexus says it’s modified the suspension and steering in this generation of ES to improve handling – and it’s even cut the curb weight of the 2013 ES by 90 pounds.
