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Porsche may have just unveiled its new 2012 911 Carrera Cabriolet at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this week, but the German automaker is wasting no time before showing off its next bit of overhauled hotness, the 2013 Boxster. The mid-engine roadster won’t make its official debut until the Geneva Motor Show in March, but we’ve been given some preliminary details ahead of the new Box’s primetime unveiling.

Much like the 911, the new Boxster’s design is more evolution than revolution, and that’s a-okay with us. The redesigned roadster is extremely handsome, and most of us on the Autoblog staff think it’s the best-looking Boxster yet. We like the revised headlamps and more svelte running lamp/air intake setup, and the wider stance and longer wheelbase are nicely masked in the new design. The 2013 Boxster’s all-aluminum skin also helps the new model shed a few pounds compared to its predecessor, which will not only make it that much more engaging out on the road, but also improve fuel economy.

But really, the Boxster is all about performance, and under the hood behind the seats are two flat-six engines with direct injection, thermal management and start/stop functionality. The base Boxster uses a 2.7-liter flat six, good for 265 horsepower (10 hp more than its predecessor) while the Boxster S is powered by a 3.4-liter six that produces 315 hp (an increase of 5 hp versus the 2012 model). The standard Boxster will run to 60 miles per hour in 5.4 seconds with the seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission, while the Boxster S will do the same jaunt in just 4.7 seconds. A six-speed manual gearbox (what, no seven-speed?) is also available with either engine. Porsche will offer a Sport Chrono package that further enhances performance, adding things like dynamic transmission mounts and Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV).

Look for the 2013 Boxster to hit United States showrooms this summer, priced from $49,500 for the base car or $60,900 for the Boxster S (not including $950 for destination). Now, about that Cayman…

Continue reading 2013 Porsche Boxster unveiled with more efficiency, performance and maturity

2013 Porsche Boxster unveiled with more efficiency, performance and maturity

It’s amazing what a little good old-fashioned ingenuity can create. Well, that and about 200 feet of thick steel tubing, 16-inch Fox coil-over suspenders, an LSX 454 crate engine from General Motors hooked to a Powerglide automatic transmission, and a custom-built pair of axles and a set of four 43-inch tires…

Of course, none of those components would do a lick of good if it weren’t for a talented builder and driver, and Tim Cameron apparently is both. Cameron has been building this unique type of rock-climbing off-road buggy for years, and his latest creation, which is called ShowTime, is his most impressive yet.

There aren’t many obstacles that can’t be tackled when you’ve got endless supplies of horsepower and articulation, even if traction is limited. That point will be driven home if you check out the video after the break, which is a compilation of tricky situations ably conquered by Cameron and his ShowTime rig. Well, almost all of them were conquered… See for yourself.

Continue reading Tim Cameron’s ShowTime is our kind of commuter car for the apocalypse

Tim Cameron’s ShowTime is our kind of commuter car for the apocalypse

No matter what you think about the BMW brand or its vehicles, you’ve got to admit that it’s got the greatest slogan of any car company, ever. “The Ultimate Driving Machine” is one of those timeless phrases that ad execs dream about and companies pay millions to come up with.

According to The New York Times, the best-selling luxury brand in the U.S. will again be embracing the phrase, formerly just its tagline, but now BMW’s slogan. (What’s the difference? We’ll have to ask Don Draper and get back to you.) More importantly, the German automaker has ditched its “Joy” campaign, that touchy-feely series of ads that downplayed the brand’s enthusiast appeal in favor of lots of smiling, happy people. According to the report, BMW will be introducing 14 models in 2012, its biggest-ever product rollout, hence the need to launch a new series of ads with an overarching theme. Not that “Joy” didn’t work, but we’re much happier seeing BMW’s sliding sideways on a track than people jumping into their cars.

The first ad, from the company’s new agency, Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal & Partners, debuted during the NFL playoffs this past weekend, and featured a rather clever voiceover saying, “We don’t make sports cars. We don’t make SUV’s. We don’t make hybrids, and we don’t make luxury sedans,” then paying it off with, “We only make one thing: The ultimate driving machine.”

Bravo, BMW.

Click past the jump to see the new commercial.

Continue reading The ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’ is back

The ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’ is back

Automakers have been integrating wind deflectors into convertibles for years now, though in many cases, they’re a do-it-yourself, manual affair. The idea is to disrupt the wind enough to eliminate that obnoxious swirling effect that kills conversations and hairstyles in equal measure.

That said, we’re not surprised that Porsche has fitted its 2012 911 Carrera Cabriolet with just such a device, but we like the car’s unique power execution here (manually erecting or folding a wind deflector can be a chore and eat into storage space). The 911 Cabrio’s new assembly is massive, which might not do the car’s aesthetics any favors, but the size should help it be more functional.

Hit the jump to watch the 911 Cabriolet drop its top in only 12 seconds, followed by the big wind deflector that arrives on the scene in the blink of an eye.

Continue reading 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet gets unique power wind deflector

2012 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet gets unique power wind deflector

There’s virtually no end to the list of automakers for which Pininfarina has designed over the years. But every once in a while, the stoic Italian studio works up a project just for itself. And this is one such occasion.

So what is the occasion, you ask? The 30th anniversary of the company’s Styling Centre, and the 10th anniversary of its Engineering Centre, which were founded in 1982 and 2002, respectively. The dual milestone is celebrated with the Cambiano concept car.

Named for the town in which Pininfarina is based, the Cambiano is an environmentally friendly sport sedan concept which the company will unveil at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March. That’s about all we have to go on at the moment, revealed on the studio’s Facebook page along with the teaser image above. Watch this space for more as the Swiss expo approaches.

Pininfarina previews Geneva-bound Cambiano concept

Some things are at the fringe because they belong there. The tastes are too peculiar, the style too strange for the masses. But once in a while something emerges from the fringe into the mainstream because it deserves to be, because people learn to like it. Like matte paint finishes.

Long the purview of aftermarket tuners rejecting the glitz of the gloss, matte finishes are slowly finding their way onto automakers’ show stands and into dealership showrooms. Hyundai broke new ground at the Detroit Auto Show this week in announcing the availability of the new Veloster Turbo in flat grey, but the Korean automaker isn’t the only one offering the anti-shine treatment direct from the factory and displaying it on the floor of Cobo Hall.

Through its Designo program – a range of over-and-above options provided by AMG – Mercedes-Benz offers a selection of matte finishes for some of its higher-end (though not necessarily AMG-tuned) models. The palette currently includes white (like the CL63 in the gallery below), flat silver (like the CLS550 pictured above), dark grey and black, but is being expanded to include additional colors (and wider availability), starting with brown and hopefully extending to some of the shades Maserati and its sister brands have been displaying lately.

The results may not be to everyone’s liking – and may not be well suited to every car – so don’t expect them to replace the go-to metallic paintjobs typically selected for such vehicles, but we’re glad to see this particular trend coming in out of the cold and into the showroom.

Mercedes-Benz brings the matte in from the cold

Good things, they say, come in threes. If that’s the case, for fans of rugged-looking Audi wagons, this must be a good week indeed. Not only did Audi unveil the Q3 Vail concept in Detroit (while confirming the arrival of the production Q3 in the US market), but the new A4 Allroad also made its debut at the show. And now the German automaker has released the new A6 Allroad Quattro.

Like the two versions that proceeded it, the latest Allroad takes the A6 Avant wagon (which was just updated for this model year) and adds an extra dose of off-road attitude. That’s taken care of by a six-centimeter (2.36 in) increase in ride height, contrasting lower bodywork, stainless steel underbody plating, flared fenders and roof rails.

Four engine options deliver their power to all four wheels, each displacing three liters and packing turbochargers and direct injection. The sole gasoline engine offers up 310 horsepower and 324 lb-ft of torque, while the three diesel versions range from 204 hp and 332 lb-ft up to 313 hp and 479 lb-ft.

We’ve yet to receive any word on potential US availability, but the fact that Audi chose to release this model the day after we’d all gone home from the Detroit show does not bode well. Looks like we’ll just have to suffice with the details in the press release after the jump and the huge gallery of high-resolution images instead.

Continue reading Audi releases new A6 Allroad… with no word on U.S. availability

Audi releases new A6 Allroad… with no word on U.S. availability

It might have been a worthy successor to the Pontiac Vibe – a stylish, youth-marketed crossover – but alas, the GMC Granite may never come to be. Jim Federico, GM’s small car exec, told Automotive News that the Granite concept from the 2010 Detroit auto show isn’t headed into production.

Granite was rumored to be green-lighted for production, and would have been based on the Chevrolet Cruze platform, to compete with vehicles like the Scion xB and Kia Soul. We liked the concept when we saw it in 2010, but felt that the Granite was perhaps a bad match for GMC, given its small size.

While AN says Federico offered no further details, we imagine GM figures the forthcoming Buick Encore crossover probably doesn’t need the competition in Buick/GMC showrooms.

GMC Granite is dead

Mercedes-Benz is making a big splash at CES this year, finally bringing a booth to the party and trotting out Daimler head Dr. Dieter Zetsche to keynote Tuesday morning’s festivities.

The big news is the introduction of mBrace2, Mercedes’ new cloud-based entertainment and information delivery system that debuts on the all-new SL roadster and proliferating through the Benz lineup in 2013.

We just wrapped up a hands-on with the prototype system (coming soon), but if you’re looking for a thoroughly updated COMAND interface, you’re in for disappointment.

The same beige and black user interface carries over with mBrace2, but there’s attractive news on the horizon. Mercedes tells us that an all-new and completely redesigned interface is due to debut on the 2014 S-Class, which will drop the 90s-era graphics for a more modern, intuitive design. And if it’s anything like the system Mercedes showed off with the Concept A-Class, things are finally looking up for Benz infotainment.

2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class to feature all-new infotainment system

A plethora of new diesel offerings is driving sales, according to a new report from the Diesel Technology Forum. Sales of diesels rose 27.4 percent in 2011, according to numbers from HybridCars.com and market researchers Baum and Associates.

The Diesel Technology Forum pegs the overall market growth in 2011 at 10.2 percent, putting diesels’ increase considerably ahead of the curve. Interestingly enough, the group says hybrid sales were down 2.2 percent. The non-profit coalition of diesel engine and technology companies includes such auto industry heavyweights as Chrysler, Daimler, Ford, General Motors, Mazda and Volkswagen.

Diesel sales are expected to grow to over six percent of the U.S. market by 2015, according to the report, and could reach as high as 7.4 percent by 2017, as more diesel models hit the market. Diesel-powered versions of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Cadillac ATS, Porsche Cayenne, Chevrolet Cruze and Mercedes-Benz S-Class are slated for near-term U.S. release, according to the group.

To read the entire release, click past the jump.

Continue reading U.S. diesel auto sales up 27% in 2011 while hybrid share shrinks

U.S. diesel auto sales up 27% in 2011 while hybrid share shrinks

Lincoln dropped plenty of jaws with the company’s MKZ Concept at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, but the vehicle may have been a bit hotter than the company intended. Something seems to have gone awry with the showcar’s electronics as it sat on the show floor. At some point, thin puffs of smoke began wafting from the driver’s side door panel. No actual flames were spotted or damage reported, but something tells us someone is going to have some explaining to do in Dearborn (the screencap above appears to be an unnerved Joel Piaskowski, Ford’s exterior design boss).

The Lincoln MKZ Concept heralds things to come from the production version of the vehicle set to debut later this year. The vehicle features the resurrection of the push-button transmission, the likes of which we haven’t seen on a production vehicle since the late ’60s. Lincoln promises to roll out drivetrain details as we get closer to the 2012 New York Auto Show. Here’s hoping they can keep the vehicle from going all flambé between now and then. In the mean time, hit the jump to see the video of the concept smoking on stage.

Continue reading Lincoln MKZ Concept arrives smokin’ hot in Detroit

Lincoln MKZ Concept arrives smokin’ hot in Detroit

That’s a wrap, folks. Press days for the 2012 Detroit Auto Show have come and gone, meaning there’s just one thing left to do: pick our favorites.

As we said in our end-of-show wrap-up, the Detroit show is back in full force after several years of being stuck in first gear in the wake of a stagnant auto industry and a horrid economic climate. This year, though, automakers from the United States, Asia and Europe all had impressive production and concept vehicles to show off. After tallying our votes, these are our five favorites.

Continue reading Editors’ Choice: Top Five 2012 Detroit Auto Show Debuts

Editors’ Choice: Top Five 2012 Detroit Auto Show Debuts

The 2012 Toyota Aygo is here with better looks, better fuel economy and emissions and better equipment. It’s the supermini’s first serious overhaul since it was introduced in 2005, and it borrows some of its aesthetic chops from the recently unveiled 2012 Yaris. A bulldog-y stance is emphasized with a jutting lower front bumper with a wide trapezoidal opening, while the lines above have been slenderized.

The carryover 1.0-liter, three-cylinder engine has been tweaked for efficiency; its 67 horsepower and 69 pound-feet of torque remain the same, but rowing the five-speed manual will now get you 65.7 Imperial (54.7 U.S.) miles per gallon combined. You’ll also hear less of it and the transmission due to increased sound deadening.

Trim options will include new hubcaps, seven exterior hues, a new unified finish on the instrument panel, and a new steering wheel backed by paddle shifters. It might look like just another tiny Eurocar, but the previous Aygo still earned the title of The previous Stig’s favorite car, and that’s a recommendation not to be trifled with. Pricing and other details will follow closer to its on-sale date, for now, there’s a press release after the jump with more info.

Continue reading Toyota l’eggos updated Aygo

Toyota l’eggos updated Aygo

The BMW ActiveHybrid 5 is only a few months from hitting dealer floors, which makes this as good a time as any to release pricing. The ActiveHybrid 5 will start at $61,845, *including a $895 destination and handling charge.

That’s about $8,000 more than the 535i, but the extra coin will go towards a 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo inline six-cylinder engine that packs 335 horsepower when combined with a 55-horsepower electric motor. That’s enough power to launch the ActiveHybrid 5 from zero to 60 in a scant 5.7 seconds and the lithium-ion battery pack carries sufficient juice for the ActiveHybrid 5 to travel 2.5 miles on electricity alone.

The ActiveHybrid 5 arrives in dealerships this spring. Hit the jump to read BMW’s uncharacteristically brief press release.

Continue reading BMW ActiveHybrid 5 priced from $61,845*

BMW ActiveHybrid 5 priced from $61,845*

The last two days for us auto-obsessive types have been a blur of press conferences and vehicle debuts in what has been a typically hectic Detroit Auto Show. As the final day of the press preview comes to an end, though, we’ve been able to walk around the show floor and take a closer look at the various production and concept cars that have been unveiled.

That also means we have been able to get better photographs of some of our favorite vehicles of the show, like the Acura NSX and Lexus LF-LC concepts, Porsche’s new 911 Carrera Cabriolet, the V8-powered Bentley Continental GT, and Chevrolet’s intriguing Code 130R Concept. We have put them all into a desktop wallpaper gallery, and you can see them all in the high-res gallery above. We’ve even uploaded each of them in 1920×1275 for those of you with extra large computer monitors. Enjoy!

Top 25 Desktop Wallpapers from the 2012 Detroit Auto Show

Press days for the 2012 Detroit Auto Show have now officially ended, and a quick survey of our yield reveals more highly anticipated production vehicles and concepts than we’ve seen since the days when Chrysler drove a stampede of cattle down Washington Blvd. The heyday of press conference theatrics may be behind us, but the vehicles themselves have begun to return. Check out the lot of them from this year’s Detroit show below.

PRODUCTION VEHICLES

2013 Ford Fusion	2013 Dodge Dart	2013 Cadillac ATS
2013 Ford Fusion Energi	2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid	2013 Chevy Sonic RS
2013 Veloster Turbo	2013 Genesis Coupe	2013 Mercedes SL-Class
2013 Charger Redline	2013 Mopar 200 Super S	2013 Porsche 911 Cabriolet
2013 Lexus LX 570	2013 Acura RDX	2013 Bentley Conti GT V8
2013 VW Jetta Hybrid	2013 Buick Encore	2013 Mini Roadster
2013 E-Class Hybrids	2013 Audi A4 Allroad	2013 Toyota Prius C
Shelby Anniversary Mustang

CONCEPT VEHICLES

Acura NSX	Lexus LF-LC	Lincoln MKZ
Chevy Code 130R	Chevy Tru 140S	VW E-Bugster
Honda Accord Coupe	Acura ILX	Nissan Pathfinder
Chrysler 700C minivan	Smart For-Us	Toyota NS4
Nissan e-NV200	Audi Q3 Vail	Scion FR-S Drifter
Volvo XC60 Plug-In

We obsessively covered the 2012 Detroit Auto Show

Three years (on top of the three-plus we’ve already waited) is a long time to wait for the second coming of the Acura NSX. Measured in Internet time, it’s an infinite opportunity for speculation about the whys and hows of the new car. Aside from the new supercar’s hybrid powertrain, the most shocking part of the announcement is that the car will be built in Ohio. Honda has an engine plant, a transmission plant, two assembly plants and a research and development center in the state, so this shouldn’t be treated with the same level of surprise as if, say, Ferrari announced it would start building cars in Kansas.

Yet it’s still a big change for the exotic Acura, which was manufactured in Japan during its entire first-generation lifecycle, from 1990-2005. When the NSX debuted, part of its appeal was that it represented the pinnacle of Japanese technology and quality, at a time when Japanese automakers were absolutely crushing the competition in both. Times have changed, but we still suspect that a number of fanboys might be disappointed that the second-generation NSX will be built by gaijin.

We spoke with American Honda CEO and president Tetsuo Iwamura about the decision to develop and manufacture the NSX here in the U.S., and he told us that the decision was made for three reasons. The first is that Honda is committed to building cars in the market in which they are sold. The U.S. is the largest market for the NSX, although he said the car will be exported to Japan and other markets.

When asked if there was any concern that Japanese customers might have objections to a Japanese supercar built in the U.S., Iwamura said, “You don’t have to be so modest. American-built cars have a power, even in Japan.”

The second factor was that Honda has had positive experiences with product development of other models here in the States. Iwamura specifically mentioned the North American market-only Pilot and Odyssey as examples. The third reason for the decision to build the NSX here is that Honda believes its Ohio manufacturing facilities produce high-quality products and wants to take advantage of that expertise. Iwamura also said that assigning the halo car to the U.S. would be motivational for its American employees.

Currency fluctuation, however, was not a consideration, according to the Honda chief. While he said that would indeed be the case with a mass-market model, the limited-production nature of the NSX makes the effect of a strong yen a moot point. Regardless of where its built, Iwamura said the main consideration in bringing the NSX back to market is its technology, quality and performance, just as the original did. The NSX is an important part of modern automotive history, a literal poster-child of the ’90s, so we’re certainly rooting for this new exotic Buckeyemobile to deliver on all fronts.

View Poll

Why is the Acura NSX being built in Ohio? [w/poll]

We’ve just returned from a Detroit Auto Show media roundtable with Klaus Draeger, member of the Board of BMW AG, Development, and he’s helped shed some light on both some near- and far-term developments for BMW in the States.

Draeger confirmed that BMW has absolutely no plans to expand the 1 Series lineup in the U.S. with a hatchback variant like the new generation F20 range sold in Europe. While Draeger says that the 1 Series has done a “wonderful job” for BMW, he notes that the model is positioned very differently in the U.S. and Europe. In the States, the 1 Series is a car for hardcore driving enthusiasts, but in Europe, with its fuller range of (primarily lower-power) engines and bodystyles, the 1 Series is positioned as more of a family car – an entry point to the brand (70 percent of European 1 Series buyers are new to BMW).

In the short-term, Draeger confirmed that the 740i six-cylinder model will receive the company’s xDrive all-wheel drive system before the end of the year. The system is currently available on the V8-powered 750i, but with the biggest market for the 7 Series being the New York tri-state area, not having the additional foul weather performance of xDrive in the I6 has left a vacuum in the model lineup.

In more general terms, Draeger says we can expect to see electric power steering and start/stop systems in all BMWs, and indeed, a number of models in the company’s portfolio already feature the fuel-saving technologies.

Also on the fuel-saving front, Draeger says that X5 diesel sales are going well in the States, accounting for roughly one-third of sales. Despite that, the X6 will not get a diesel variant, as the current model only has two or three years left in its life and it wouldn’t make sense to introduce one this late in life. However, he wouldn’t rule one out for the next-gen X6, nor was he willing to preclude a diesel’s inclusion in the new X3. The new generation 3 Series and current 5 Series are also likely candidates for oil burning motivation, but they won’t happen this calendar year.

When asked if BMW is happy with X6 sales, Draeger said “Yes. Absolutely.” As a followup question, Draeger was asked if it then made sense to do a similar variant on the X3, and he said “Yes. Yes.” Unfortunately, he wasn’t at liberty to elaborate.

Finally, BMW officially announced yesterday that its smallest crossover, the X1, will go on sale here soon (likely not before a mid-cycle refresh), but Draeger maintains that there is “no real synergy” to justify bringing production to the U.S.

BMW still has “no plans” for 1 Series hatch in States, X6-like X3 variant in the cards

Along with introducing its 600-horsepower Scion FR-S drift car in partnership with GReddy, Scion has also let all the felines loose from the bag called “First 86.” The program makes it possible for a lucky 86 FR-S cravers to be the first to own the rather excellent sports car before it goes on sale to the public.

The process is rather simple, if a little hazy at the moment. On January 12 at 12 p.m. EST, a purchase-request page will go live at www.ScionFirst86.com, and anyone wanting an FR-S will have eight hours and six minutes to submit a request detailing their desired color and transmission. Within 24 hours the chosen 86 will be notified, and they’ll have 96 hours to take their confirmation number and $500 to a dealer to officially reserve their coupe.

There isn’t much more info to be had at the moment, but that should be enough to get you going until the gun goes off Thursday, January 12. Follow the link to scour the site for more clues, and to everyone who’s going to get in the game, good luck.

How to be one of the first 86 owners of the Scion FR-S

In between debuting the Smart for-us and SL on the floor of the Detroit Auto Show today, Mercedes-Benz thought it right to bring out two brown cars that are actually green: diesel and gasoline flavors of the E-Class hybrid. In fact, the E300 diesel hybrid is so efficient that Mercedes calls it the “world’s most economical luxury-class model.” Unsurprisingly, the diesel will launch in Europe while the gas-powered E400 hybrid will arrive first in America and will later come to Japan, China and other countries. Pricing for the E-Class hybrids has not yet been announced, but Mercedes says the “extra cost involved here is only moderate.”

As we learned during the slow-burning teaser month of December, the diesel-fueled BlueTec hybrid is expected to get 56 miles per gallon (on the European scale, so around 45 mpg in the U.S.) and the gas-electric E400 Hybrid will get 27 mpg (U.S.). The numbers for the E300 are based on the sedan (saloon) versions; it will also be available in estate (station wagon) form. The E-Class hybrids use a combination of lithium-ion batteries, start-stop, regenerative brakes and the ability to “sail” to save fuel. Sailing here means that, at speeds of up to 100 mph, the combustion engine can switch off while the electric motor keeps the car moving as long as the 0.8-kWh battery has enough power.

Since this is Mercedes, the cars also perform well: the E300 BlueTec offers 204 horsepower from the four-cylinder diesel powerplant and another 27 hp from the electric motor. The gas-powered E400 gives up 306 hp, plus the 27 hp. The E300 hybrid has a top speed of 150 miles per hour and goes 0-62 in in 7.5 seconds, while the E400 hybrid can hit 130 mph and does 0-60 in 6.7 seconds. Or, as Damiler’s chairman of the board, Dieter Zetsche, put it this during the press conference in Detroit: Mercedes is “making green cars cooler and cool cars greener.”

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz says E-Class hybrid makes cool cars greener

Mercedes-Benz says E-Class hybrid makes cool cars greener