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Now that Dodge and Ram are seperate groups under the Chrysler umbrella, Dodge plans to phase its trademark cross-hair grille out of its product lineup. The cross-hair nose will remain a part of the Ram truck lineup for the foreseeable future, but Dodge vehicles will get a new identity that has not yet been revealed.

Ralph Gilles, Dodge CEO and Chief Designer for the Chrysler Group, recently spoke to Automotive News about this decision. Gilles stated that this move will take time but the products will evolve and go in a different direction. In other words, no matter what direction Dodge takes its styling, don’t expect to see any wholesale changes until well after the 2011 model year.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

Dodge brand to ditch cross-hair grille?

Shopping for a new car (or truck, for that matter) in a crowded segment can be a bewildering task, especially when you’re talking about mid-size SUVs and crossovers. There’s a plethora positioned under the 30-grand mark, and most of them have comparable features and specs. So which one to choose?

Our friends over at Cars.com recently assembled a selection of nine such vehicles – the Chevrolet Equinox, Dodge Journey, Kia Sportage, Subaru Forester, Hyundai Tucson, Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, Ford Escape, and Toyota RAV4 – and pitted them against each other. Now you may be thinking, Really? A Journey against a Sportage? What gives?

True, they’re vastly different vehicles, but Cars.com arrived at its selections through a different kind of methodology. They checked with J.D. Power & Associates to find a median price – $29k – and then let the automakers choose which of their products to field in the test. Then they assembled a panel of testers, including members of their own editorial staff, plus Chris Woodyard of USA Today, Brian Robinson from MotorWeek and – wait for it – Joey Lawrence. Yes, he of Blossom and Melissa & Joey fame. Whoa!

So what did the B-list celeb (along with his wife Chandie and two daughters) and his auto-journo fellow jurists select? Hit the source link to find out, but we’ll give you a hint: we listed them above by score from 1st to 9th. Bonus: Follow the jump for a video featuring Joey and Chandie.

[Source: Cars.com]

Continue reading Cars.com $29K SUV Shootout – now with more Joey Lawrence [w/video]

Cars.com $29K SUV Shootout – now with more Joey Lawrence [w/video]

If you want to park your riding pants in the saddle of the 2012 BMW K 1600 GT or the K 1600 GTL, get ready to hand over a stack of shiny pennies. BMW has officially released pricing on both bikes, and the K 1600 GT will set you back a lofty yet reasonable $20,900 without the $495 destination charge.

Sounds like a hefty chunk of change, no? It is, no doubt, but it’s also just $200 more than the base price for the K1200 LT that it’s replacing. Delving a little deeper in BMW’s model range, the K 1300 GT goes for $19,150 or $22,595 with the optional Premium Package.

For that 20K-plus stack of cash, you’re rewarded with niceties such as a dynamic-leveling xenon headlight, a heated seat and grips, ABS and a power-adjustable windshield among other tricks. Of course, all of that kit is strapped onto the company’s 160 horsepower, 1,649 cc engine. The mill is good for 129 pound-feet of torque, all of which is available from just 1,500 rpm.

Opting for the K 1600 GTL will add on even fancier gadgetry like Bluetooth, satellite radio and iPod integration in addition to body-color top cases. If you like the sound of that dance, get ready to tap your toes to the sound of $23,200 plus destination.

Want one? We’d get your BMW dealer on speed dial pronto – BMW has also announced that it’ll stop taking preorders for the new K-series hotness at the end of February due to unexpectedly high demand. Hit the jump for the press release.

[Source: BMW]

Continue reading BMW prices K 1600 GT at $20,900

BMW prices K 1600 GT at $20,900

If our review of the McLaren MP4-12C only sparked your appetite for the super-rare mid-engine fighter, don’t fret. Thanks the wonder of YouTube, we can all hop in the cockpit for a few quick hotlaps in the cabin of the 592-horsepower machine with none other than Jenson Button behind the wheel. McLaren has released a trio of videos to show off exactly what the MP4-12C can accomplish with the limitless talent of an F1 champion behind the wheel.

The first video follows the world’s auto journos around as they were introduced to the vehicle for the first time. The second clip, meanwhile, is all about introducing exactly what kind of figures the car can produce on a proper track. McLaren says that 0-62 mph can be clicked off in as little as 3.1 seconds when the MP4-12C is fitted with the optional Pirelli tires and that the quarter-mile dash takes just 10.9 seconds.

If that’s not enough to wet your supercar whistle, the final clip focuses on a quick look at the company’s advanced simulator. Prepare to geek out in grand fashion. Hit the jump to see the videos.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Videos: 2012 McLaren MP4-12C gets flogged

Videos: 2012 McLaren MP4-12C gets flogged

Company: Chrysler

Brand: Dodge

Medium: TV Ad

Ad Agency: Wieden & Kennedy, Portland, Oregon.

Product: 2011 Dodge Charger

Campaign: “Never Neutral”

What We Like: The re-do on the 2011 Dodge Charger turned a car that was one half of a two-suits-for-the-price-of-one deal into a slick, polished and nicely sprung sedan that now earns our respect. The “Never Neutral” marketing campaign debuted last week at the Chicago Auto Show and comes across in these ads as a decent tag-line for the Charger. We like the attitude that the Charger is a car for people who still enjoy real driving, don’t moan about pumping their own gas and aren’t necessarily swayed by the reputations of other brands that are now bigger than their current sheet-metal supports. In these two ads, Chrysler takes aim squarely at Google’s self-driving car and Mitsubishi’s online test drive “experience”, (though picking on Mitsubishi at this point is like taunting Urkel), as well as referencing the Matrix movies, which never hurts.

What We Don’t Like: Making a statement about the Dodge brand being for real drivers and sticking a thumb in the eye of a couple of competitors is all well and good, but could we get some edgier writing here? All they could come up with to ridicule Mitsubishi’s online test-drive is, “That’s absurd.” As we used to say in the newspaper biz, “Get me rewrite!”

Strategy: Dodge is positioning itself as the brand of vehicles for those who appreciate that Detroit is still the capital of car-making in the U.S., and that driving a responsive automobile is a fine American value. We absolutely loved the ad from 2010 showing George Washington leading his troops into battle against the British redcoats in Dodge Challengers, and we like the similar attitude on display here. But this approach to selling Dodge’s new image around Americana, American values and for people who relish having a real set of wheels is a bit of a high wire act dependent on the creative teams batting well above .500.

Grade: B-

What do you think? Watch the ads for yourself after the jump.

Continue reading AdSpotting: Dodge Charger gets the “Never Neutral” treatment

AdSpotting: Dodge Charger gets the “Never Neutral” treatment

Report: Pentastar V6 models first to get ZF eight-speed autos at Chrysler

Now that Fiat has finally launched the 500 here in the United States, it’s time to start looking ahead. The automaker has already said that it will offer two other versions of the diminutive hatch – a high-performance Abarth-badged variant as well as a battery-electric vehicle – and now Fiat has disclosed that it is planning to create an all-new B-segment car specifically designed for the U.S.

Motor Trend reports that the new B-car, dubbed Project L-Zero internally, is expected to arrive sometime during 2013. Fiat has not specified whether the new car will be a four-door sedan or five-door hatchback, nor did the automaker say if the B-segment vehicle would be sold in markets outside of the United States.

In talking to Motor Trend, Fiat North America’s Laura Soave said that the automaker will not stray from its roots as a small car company. With Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep offering a bounty of larger vehicles, and with Alfa Romeo planning a return to the States, Soave told MT that Fiat would “likely never build anything larger than a C-segment car for the U.S.” Earlier reports suggested that Fiat was working on a five-door 500 specifically for consumption here in the U.S., but with the automaker branding Project L-Zero as something “all-new,” we’ll have to wait and see exactly what’s in store for 2013.

[Source: Motor Trend Image: Steven J. Ewing/AOL]

Report: Fiat readying all-new B-segment four-door for U.S. by 2013

Porsche is wading even deeper into hybrid waters by showing off a new electrified model at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. According to the company, the vehicle will be a parallel full hybrid. Porsche says that the move to introduce another battery-laden model to the company’s stable was bolstered by the success of the Cayenne S Hybrid as well as the gaggle of hybridized race cars and concepts that Porsche has unveiled as of late. The most recent of those, the 918 RSR hybrid, debuted at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, but that’s not the only battery-operated vehicle to wear the crest.

Porsche famously campaigned its 911 GT3 R hybrid racer on the tracks of Europe last year, and the 918 RSR predecessor, the 918 Spyder concept, have all helped underscore the automaker’s commitment to the hybrid game.

The automaker’s unnamed hybrid isn’t the only new model headed to Geneva. Porsche says that it will also dust off the recently-unveiled Cayman R as well as the stealthy Black Editions of the 911 and Boxster. Hit the jump for the full press blast.

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Porsche to unveil full hybrid in Geneva

Porsche to unveil full hybrid in Geneva

You think there were a lot of special editions of the Bugatti Veyron? The Europeans ain’t got nothin’ on muscle cars when it comes to low-volume derivatives. And for its part, Chevrolet doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. Just the opposite, in fact… at least, that is, according to the latest reports.

Word has it that Chevy is planning on rolling out a new special edition Camaro every six months for – hold on while we take out our trusty old Autoblog abacus – two each year! The new ZL1 that debuted in Chicago is said to be the first in a long line that is expected to be followed by a new Transformers edition for the upcoming sequel Dark of the Moon. After that we should see run of 500 replicas of the Camaro SS Convertible that’s set to pace the Indianapolis 500, and then a limited-edition Camaro Synergy that’ll offer buyers a V6 with all the performance bits you’d expect from the V8.

If the reports prove accurate, that ought to take us through the end of next year. Beyond that, Chevrolet reportedly plans on tapping in to other historic Camaro variants for future specials. Have a thought or two on the subject? Tell us what special Camaro you’d like to see next – you never know who might be listening.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

Report: GM to launch special edition Camaro every six months

Is Porsche getting ready for Extenzify its Panamera sedan? According to Autoweek, the German automaker is currently developing a long-wheelbase Panamera for the North American and Chinese market to satiate demand for increased rear legroom.

The report states that Porsche is planning to increase the currrent 115-inch wheelbase by five inches, bringing the long-wheelbase Panamera out to – carry the one… – 120 inches. This means larger rear doors and a larger rear entryway will be fitted, making ingress and egress an easier task.

There has always been talk of further Panamera variations, which include a possible shooting-brake and four-passenger convertible. Anything other than the standard and long-wheelbase sedans have been put on hold until the Panamera enters a second generation around 2015.

All Photos Copyright (C)2011 Michael Harley/AOL

[Source: Autoweek]

Report: Long-wheelbase Porsche Panamera coming in 2012

Italy’s assault on the Mini’s territory has more prongs than a drawer full of forks and involves more brands and labels than a department store. On the one hand, there’s the ever-popular Fiat 500. On the other is the Alfa Romeo MiTo. And now we have the latest: the new Lancia Ypsilon, which the Italian automaker has just revealed ahead of its scheduled debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show.

Unlike the model it replaces – and the Cinquecento on which it’s based – the Ypsilon is a five-door, though contained in a compact package and with hidden rear door handles. Pitched as a more premium offering than the 500, the larger Ypsilon places an emphasis on refinement, with such cabin touches as LED dashboard lighting, a special sound-absorbing headliner, a large sunroof and a host of electronic systems – from “magic parking” to Blue&Me and TomTom Live connectivity – available features you might expect to find in a flagship luxury sedan.

Lancia’s also emphasizing the customization possibilities with the new Ypsilon, offering 17 exterior shades (including four two-tone combos), three interior trim levels (Silver, Gold and Platinum), six different upholstery options and three styles of alloys. There are also four engines on offer from launch: a 1.2-liter engine with 69 horsepower, the 900cc TwinAir with 85hp, a 95hp 1.3-liter MultiJet turbodiesel and a flex-fuel 1.2-liter LPG engine, with either manual or semi-automatic transmissions.

The Ypsilon will be sold across the European continent as a Lancia, but intriguingly, it will wear Chrysler badges and grillework when it crosses the English Channel to the British Isles. A suitable springboard to enter Chrysler’s North American lineup as well? We’ll have to wait and see, but Lancia’s also got a range of rebadged Chryslers joining the Ypsilon in Geneva. Follow the jump for the press release, check out the first crop of images in the gallery below, and watch this space for more. Thanks to all for the tips!

[Source: Lancia]

Continue reading Lancia launches all-new Ypsilon premium hatch ahead of Geneva debut

Lancia launches all-new Ypsilon premium hatch ahead of Geneva debut

The Volkswagen Group wants to be number one in global sales, luxury sales and, hopefully, profits. In order to reach the auto sales zenith, however, Volkswagen may need to make room for more Audi production.

Bloomberg reports that Audi is struggling to meet demand for the A3 and A6, with buyers waiting three to four months to take delivery of those models. Audi sales boss Peter Schwarzenbauer tells Bloomberg that its factories are running at full throttle and that if sales continue to grow it will be “difficult to say how long it could take to reduce waiting times.”

So why aren’t car buyers leaving Audi for the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz? The line for Germany’s other luxury makes can be just as long. All three automakers reported record sales in January, and that’s with buyers waiting up to six months for hot new vehicles like the new BMW X3. While all three German luxury struggle to keep pace with demand, experts say Audi is in the toughest spot, with wait times up to two months longer than its competitors.

Will the Volkswagen Group address the problem in a timely manner? Since Audi reportedly contributed 47 percent of VW’s overall profits for the past nine months, execs should be eager to take care of their cash cow.

[Source: Bloomberg]

As Audi plants struggle to meet demand, buyers wait months for cars

Still puzzled as to why Mercedes-Benz killed off the CLK a couple of years ago? Puzzle no more, friend, for your answer is here. You see, the CLK was designed to slot in between the C-Class and E-Class sedan and wagon ranges, and was both preceded and succeeded by the E-Class Coupe. When Mercedes went back to the old formula, it made room for the vehicle you see here: the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe.

The subject of many spy shots and leaked photos, the new C-Class Coupe has finally been officially revealed by the factory ahead of its official debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. There, the new Benz coupe will arrive with two engine options: The Mercedes-Benz C250 coupe gets the 1.8-liter direct-injected turbo four with 201 horsepower, while the C350 coupe is equipped with the 304-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6. Both are mated exclusively to Mercedes’ 7-speed automatic transmission, which drives the rear wheels. 4Matic all-wheel drive will not be offered on the C-Class coupe. (The AMG version of the coupe is tipped to come along in another month at the New York Auto Show.)

So what else separates the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe from the sedan it’s based on? Two fewer doors and a slightly lower roofline. That’s about it. The C-Class coupe’s wheelbase is the same, the front end is the same, the luxury touches and the cutting-edge electronic wizzardry… it’s all the C-Class we know, only coupier. Will that be enough to steal sales away from the likes of the BMW 3 Series coupe and Audi A5, both of which are more distinctly differentiated from their four-door compatriots? We’ll find out once the two-doors hit showrooms, but for now, you can scope out the official details in the press release after the jump, along with the gallery of high-resolution images below.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe set for Geneva Motor Show debut

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe set for Geneva Motor Show debut

Still puzzled as to why Mercedes-Benz killed off the CLK a couple of years ago? Puzzle no more, friend, for your answer is here. You see, the CLK was designed to slot in between the C-Class and E-Class sedan and wagon ranges, and was both preceded and succeeded by the E-Class Coupe. When Mercedes went back to the old formula, it made room for the vehicle you see here: the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe.

The subject of many spy shots and leaked photos, the new C-Class Coupe has finally been officially revealed by the factory ahead of its official debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. There, the new Benz coupe will arrive with two engine options: The Mercedes-Benz C250 coupe gets the 1.8-liter direct-injected turbo four with 201 horsepower, while the C350 coupe is equipped with the 304-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6. Both are mated exclusively to Merccedes’ 7-speed automatic transmission, which drives the rear wheels. 4Matic all-wheel drive not offered on the C-Class coupe. (The AMG version of the coupe is tipped to come along in another month at the New York Auto Show.)

So what else separates the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe from the sedan it’s based on? Two fewer doors and a slightly lower roofline. That’s about it. The C-Class coupe’s wheelbase is the same, the front end is the same, the luxury touches and the cutting-edge electronic wizzardry… it’s all the C-Class we know, only coupier. Will that be enough to steal sales away from the likes of the BMW 3 Series coupe and Audi A5, both of which are more distinctly differentiated from their four-door compatriots? We’ll find out once the two-doors hit showrooms, but for now, you can scope out the official details in the press release after the jump, along with the gallery of high-resolution images below.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe heads to Geneva

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe heads to Geneva

We know this looks like an F1 car. But you know what it actually is? It’s the end of the beginning. Because after Ferrari, Lotus, Renault, Sauber, Mercedes, Red Bull, Toro Rosso, Williams, McLaren, Virgin and Force India all unveiled their new Formula 1 cars for the 2011 championship, Hispania Racing Team has joined the action with the F111, marking the end of the preseason debuts.

The new car bears all the hallmarks of the new F1 regulations, but the first thing you’re likely to notice is its livery. With little in the way of sponsors, HRT brought in Daniel Simon – the former VW Group designer responsible for, among other things, the light-cycles in Tron: Legacy – to pen the car’s dynamic paint scheme. The result is considerably more attractive than last year’s gray car, leaving open spots for future sponsors (currently held by “this could be you” and “your logo here” lettering). Simon’s Cosmic Motors design firm gets its own logo on the sidepod wing plates, joined only by Tata Motors, which came to the team with Narain Karthikeyan.

The Indian driver, who once raced for Jordan way back in 2005, returns just in time for this year’s inaugural Indian Grand Prix. However, after showing Bruno Senna the door, HRT is the last outfit that still needs to confirm its second driver. This is business as usual for HRT, which last year used four different drivers: Karun Chandhok, Bruno Senna, Sakon Yamamoto and Christian Klien, none of whom scored a single point in the 2010 car. Can Karthikeyan and his to-be-announced wingman do better? Well, when you’re at rock bottom, there’s nowhere to go but up. Details are in the press release after the jump, with high-res images in the gallery below.

[Source: Hispania Racing Team]

Continue reading Hispania Racing Team F111 debut rounds out Formula 1 preseason

Hispania Racing Team F111 debut rounds out Formula 1 preseason

Have you been waiting for Chrysler’s long-promised Ram hybrid pickup truck? Bad news: Speaking to PluginCars.com, Ram Trucks CEO Fred Diaz firmly put that notion on ice when he bluntly said, “Truckers don’t want to buy hybrids.”

We’re not sure truck buyers are so much anti-hybrid as they are unwilling to cough up the necessary bucks to bring meaningful hybrid technology to their pickups. Either way, General Motors‘ full-size hybrid trucks have failed to set the market on fire, and there’s little indication Chrysler’s would either, unless the automaker were to offer them at an extremely favorable price point. That seems unlikely.

For now, it seems that the only hybrid pickup trucks Ram will offer are the recently announced plug-in models that were developed using federal stimulus funds via a $48 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant and a separate $5 million grant from the Canadian government. A total of 140 PHEV Ram trucks will be offered to fleet customers within the next several months.

The good news for mileage-conscious pickup truck buyers is that Diaz suggested other technologies from Fiat are likely to make their way to the Ram Trucks division at some point. Multiair and light-duty diesels sound like a good starting point…

[Source: PluginCars.com]

Report: Ram Trucks will not offer hybrid pickup to consumers

We know the Toyota rear-wheel-drive coupe will wear a Scion badge, and now we might finally know what it’s going to be called. The just-make-it-already Toyota FT-86 concept has evolved into the Scion FT-86 and word on the web is that the production version will be known as the Scion FT-S.

Look for the Scion FT-S coupe to make its debut at the 2011 New York Auto Show. Rumor has it that a 2.5-liter engine, not a 2.0-liter, will power the rear wheels and that Toyota plans a heavy marketing push aimed at the drifting crowd.

The Subaru version is slated for a Geneva debut, and the rumormill now suggests that all-wheel drive is planned for the Subaru coupe, which should easily differentiate it from the Scion FT-S and help keep the two cars from cannibalizing each other’s sales. If anyone’s listening, we’ll take an AWD Subaru coupe in full STI trim, please.

[Source: Toyobaru]

Toyota FT-86 coupe to be named Scion FT-S?

The Pontiac Fiero was produced from 1984 through 1988 and the “fired-up” GT version was introduced in 1985. Just one year before the car’s demise, Pontiac slightly updated the Fiero front and rear, greatly improving its appearance to most late-’80s buyers in the process.

A video sales aid was produced to help dealers learn more about the Pontiac Fiero GT and the clip is pure, uncut 1987 packed into 6 minutes and 38 seconds. We won’t spoil the entire clip but it features a nerdy Fiero owner, an 80’s tough guy neighbor and that tough guy’s jean-jacketed significant other.

“Just like a Ferrari? Pretty close.”

Put on your acid wash jeans then click past the jump and take a trip back to a time when people confused Pontiacs for Ferraris. Poor guy in the Mazda RX-7 just didn’t stand a chance… And now you know why hunting down dealer training materials is one of our favorite guilty pleasures.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: 1987 Pontiac Fiero GT looks like a Ferrari, helps you steal your neighbor’s wife

Video: 1987 Pontiac Fiero GT looks like a Ferrari, helps you steal your neighbor’s wife

Unless you live in New Hampshire, here in the States, you’re required to have some form of car insurance covering your vehicle. The annual cost to insure a car depends on an array of factors ranging from the type of vehicle to where you live to your driving record. You undoubtedly know what you pay for insurance on an annual or monthly basis, but do you know how much you will end up paying over the course of your driving life? According to Insurance.com, the average person will spend $84,388.

What does ‘average’ mean in the context of this study? In this case, researchers assume that you first insure your own vehicle at 21 years old, get married at 27, insure two teenagers for a few years and then stop driving when you turn 75. That passage of time is filled with a variety of claims, including accidents and other incidents that get sent across your insurance agent’s desk.

Predictably, Insurance.com offers up a few suggestions for cutting your overall coverage expenses. Some are easier said than done (avoid traffic tickets) while others might actually be fun (defensive driving course). Check out the company’s press release for the full details after the jump.

[Source: Insurance.com Image: Flickr/jcrakow via CC2.0]

Continue reading Study: Average lifetime car insurance costs estimated at $84,000

Study: Average lifetime car insurance costs estimated at $84,000

Have you always wanted to drive a BMW X6, but felt that leaving one of your four friends waiting on the curb was a drawback? Tell that friend to buck up and head over to your local BMW dealer, because the X6 is getting an optional third rear seat.

The additional seat is available on all version of the X6 with the exception of the ActiveHybrid variant. Along with the extra (and from the looks of the pic above, tiny) middle squab, the Spartanburg, South Carolina-built BMW X6 is getting new 20-inch alloy wheels, interior leather options, and vicinity lighting.

In addition, there will be available enhanced content for Apple iPhone users. Through the BMW Apps system and ConnectedDrive, iPhone users will be granted access to Facebook and Twitter. The BMW Apps system also allows iPhone users to listen to radio stations from around the world regardless of where they’re located. Learn more in the official press release after the jump, which also details changes to the X6’s kissing cousin, the more capacious X5.

[Source: BMW]

Continue reading BMW X6 to get five-seat option among other changes

BMW X6 to get five-seat option among other changes