The Auto Blog .ru

Volkswagen Up! named 2012 World Car of the Year

Just the other day, we heard that General Motors might extend its traditional two-week summer shutdown to three weeks for the Chevrolet Volt. But, after record Volt sales last month, we wonder how the calendar looks in Hamtramck now. We wonder because we are hearing reports that the current shutdown – originally scheduled to run for five weeks, from March 19 to April 23 – will be shortened by a week. GM originally decided on the hold to reduce supply that had grown too large because of soft demand.

Don LaForest, the chairman of the United Auto Workers bargaining committee at the Hamtramck plant where the Volt is made, told Talking Points Memo that GM is “adding a week of production back in.” The Detroit News reports that GM President of North America Mark Reuss said the same thing Wednesday during the New York Auto Show. Reuss said, “We’re doing it because we sold a lot.”

Increasing sales numbers (GM sold 2,289 Volts in March – well over double February’s 1,023-unit total) come at a time when some of the right-wing attacks on the plug-in hybrid appear to have calmed down. LaForest told TPM that his union workers have been confused about these criticisms. “I don’t think Newt or Mitt have said a single negative thing about the Nissan Leaf,” he said. “They’re attacking our car to get at the President. But our car is going to change the way America does business. It’s a breath of fresh air.”

Improving Chevy Volt sales leads GM to shorten summer shutdown

Kelley Blue Book has issued its 2012 Brand Image Awards and Ford 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. Cadillac 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 Honda the only representative. Honda took the Most Trusted Brand and Best Value Brand.

The remaining four categories all went to Germany. BMW took Best Exterior Design Brand (somewhere Chris Bangle is smiling), Porsche took Coolest Brand and Best Performance Brand. Mercedes-Benz, for the fifth year in a row, was named the Most Prestigious Brand.

Ford honored most by 2012 KBB Brand Image Awards

The Ram 1500 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 Jeep Grand Cherokee 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, Ford rates the 2012 F-150 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.

Scroll down 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.

Continue reading 2013 Ram 1500 unveiled with eight-speed auto, start/stop, air suspension [w/videos]

2013 Ram 1500 unveiled with eight-speed auto, start/stop, air suspension [w/videos]

Shortly after Jaguar announced that the production F-Type will be coming to market in mid-2013, we sat down with Adrian Hallmark, Jaguar Global Brand Director, to discuss some of the finer points of the new sub-XK sports car. The F-Type is more or less the production version of the C-X16 concept that debuted at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, 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 XKR-S 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 Porsche Boxster/Cayman, BMW Z4 and Mercedes-Benz SLK.

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.

Jaguar confirms F-Type coupe, AWD coming within two years

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 2013 BMW X1 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 New York Auto Show, BMW 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.

Continue reading 2013 BMW X1 becomes America’s most affordable Bavarian CUV

2013 BMW X1 becomes America’s most affordable Bavarian CUV

The gorgeous Mazda Takeri concept is making its U.S. debut at the New York Auto Show, and you’ll want to take another close look at it: it will “strongly influence” the 2014 Mazda6 that we’ll see at the Paris Motor Show later this year. The next Mazda6 will also follow the Mazda CX-5 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 spawns a coupe, 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 recent events at Mazda have made such long-distance predictions exceedingly difficult. Follow the jump for a press release with more info on the 2014 Mazda6.

Continue reading 2014 Mazda6 confirmed for Paris Motor Show

2014 Mazda6 confirmed for Paris Motor Show

This is the 2013 Honda Crosstour Concept, along with its “more capable-looking styling” that’s been revealed today at the New York Auto Show.

Honda 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.

Continue reading 2013 Honda Crosstour Concept is, um, better? [w/video]

2013 Honda Crosstour Concept is, um, better? [w/video]

This is the 2013 Honda Crosstour Concept, along with its “more capable-looking styling” that’s been revealed today at the New York Auto Show.

Honda 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.

Continue reading 2013 Honda Crosstour Concept is, um, better?

2013 Honda Crosstour Concept is, um, better?

Although we don’t doubt it’s been done, turning a Dodge Neon or Caliber into a race car would be a bit of a stretch. The Dart, however, is another beast entirely. So people stood up and noticed when Dodge announced it was fielding a competition version 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 New York Auto Show – 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.

Dodge Dart gears up for Pastrana’s assault on RallyCross

Remember the stunning Jaguar C-X16 concept that debuted at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show? Guess what, kids – it’s coming to production. Well, sort of.

Jaguar 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 Paris Motor Show) and the car will go on sale in mid-2013. Scroll down for the official press release and to watch – and hear – a disguised prototype.

Continue reading Jaguar F-Type officially confirmed for production in 2013 [w/video]

Jaguar F-Type officially confirmed for production in 2013 [w/video]

You might think that Hyundai has pulled a fast one at today’s New York Auto Show by unveiling two different of its 2013 Santa Fe, 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 first told you about the Korean automaker’s new strategy back in mid-2010.

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 Veracruz which is likely in its last model year. Hit the jump for the complete press release.

Continue reading 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe goes on big diet, unveils five and seven-passenger models

2013 Hyundai Santa Fe goes on big diet, unveils five and seven-passenger models

There is no sugar-coating the fact that the Acura RL has been a dud since Day One. Honda’s luxury brand is painfully aware of this fact, especially since next to nobody purchased the pricey sedan. Then again, the RL has suffered the indignity of being outgunned by a lower-priced model from within its own portfolio, so we can see how selling one has been an uphill climb for dealers. But Acura 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 New York Auto Show.

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 BMW 7 Series 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 drove a prototype of the system disguised as a Honda Accord 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. Scroll down 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.

Continue reading Acura RLX Concept looks to kickstart Honda’s premium brand from the top [w/video]

Acura RLX Concept looks to kickstart Honda’s premium brand from the top [w/video]

Attendees at the New York Auto Show are getting their first hands-on look at the all-new 2014 Nissan NV200, the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission’s choice to replace much of its taxi fleet beginning in late 2013. “The Nissan NV 200 unveiled today will be the safest, most comfortable and most convenient taxi the City has ever had,” said New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg at a pre-show event last night. “New York City cabs have always been iconic, and now they will set a new standard. The 600,000 passengers who use taxis to get around every day deserve the cutting-edge technology and top-of-the-line safety features that this model delivers.”

The compact front-wheel drive yellow vans, fitted with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder for fuel efficiency, are loaded with features designed to keep four passengers and the driver on the other side of the partition smiling. Grab handles and sliding doors ease entry while a transparent roof panel and independently controlled rear air conditioning allows paying fares a comfortable, panoramic view of the city. Throw in mobile charging stations, antimicrobial upholstery and active carbon headliner to absorb odors, and an amusingly named “low annoyance horn” and Nissan just may have a winner on its hands – assuming cab companies and their fares embrace the rather frumpy looking things.

Nissan will build its 2014 NV200 Taxi in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Base price, with all planned standard features, will be approximately $29,700.

Continue reading 2014 Nissan NV200 Taxi brings convenience, comfort, safety and homeliness to Gotham

2014 Nissan NV200 Taxi brings convenience, comfort, safety and homeliness to Gotham

Carlos Ghosn is not backing down.

Giving the keynote speech at the 2012 New York Auto Show today, the president and CEO of Nissan said that he stands behind his prediction that EVs will make up 10 percent of the market by 2020 in the places they are available. He also said that he expects Nissan to sell 1.5 million zero emission cars by 2016.

Ghosh brushed off a question about somewhat slow Leaf sales by pointing out that the Leaf is still constrained by supply, given the earthquake and tsunami in Japan last year as well as the strong yen. Leaf production in the UK and U.S. that will start in the near future (later this year for Tennessee, early 2013 for Sunderland) will make the car more available to more people. “I don’t want you to take a one-month or two-month sales result in one particular market to try to make your opinion about the evolution of a very important technology for the industry,” he said. “I think the electric car will hold its promises. All the stars are lining up to make it a very important segment. … I am not at all changing my bullish approach.”

Ghosn has reason to be bullish. Nissan has sold 27,000 Leafs worldwide since introducing the car in late 2010, and 11,000 of those sales were in the U.S. And, he added, “The Nissan Leaf has had no quality problems.”

Looking forward, Ghosn also said that the challenge is to reduce the cost, size and weight of the battery and “we have to do it fast” because government incentives will not last forever. Luckily, the industry has changed enough in the last half-decade to make this possible. He said:

One of the biggest evolutions we are seeing in our industry is the battery. As you know, when we started our electric car goals, it was in 2006, there were not a lot of battery makers in the world. Fortunately, with our drive and with the drive of other carmakers, the number of battery makers and companies investing in batteries has really been impressive. Today, you can find very good batteries, extremely competitive, in Korea, in Japan, in the United States. The Chinese are investing in batteries. … The life of the battery is going to be longer than the life of the car.

Carlos Ghosn: Still bullish on battery electric vehicles

Harmless as it may seem, the new-for-2013 Nissan Altima actually packs quite a punch. Rated at an estimated 38 miles per gallon, it boasts the best four-cylinder fuel economy of any midsize sedan, and that’s without the use of any electric motors, turbochargers or even direct injection. Impressive stuff, and considering that the sleek new Altima starts at a cool $21,500 (not including $760 for destination), it should prove to be a worthy opponent for rivals like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.

The engines – a 2.5-liter inline-four and 3.5-liter V6 – carry over without many changes, but the big powertrain news is that the Continuously Variable Transmission has been heavily massaged. It’s the smoother-running transmission’s revised gear ratio spread that is largely what allows for that huge fuel economy win. The fact that the Altima is 79 pounds lighter than its predecessor – the lightest car in its class, actually – certainly helps, as well.

With the Altima, Nissan also debuts its new infotainment platform, Nissan Connected, which seems to be like, well, just like every other new infotainment system that’s come to market lately. The Altima is also available equipped with lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring and moving obstacle detection that’s all wrapped in to one single wide-angle camera mounted on the car’s rump.

Check out our live shots of the Altima direct from the New York show floor, and click here to read our in-depth deep-dive of Nissan’s new midsizer.

Continue reading 2013 Nissan Altima is ready for the midsize sedan showdown

2013 Nissan Altima is ready for the midsize sedan showdown

Interested in purchasing a Saab? Heck, why not just buy the whole company? If you’re in the market, you’ve got until April 10 to put in a bid, and at present, the only rival you have is China’s Youngman.

Chances are, according to the administrators in charge of Saab’s liquidation, the sale of Saab assets – which includes Saab Automobile, Saab Automobile Powertrain and Saab Automobile Tools, among others – won’t cover the automaker’s debt of somewhere between $1.8 and $2 billion (12-13 billion kronor).

Rumor has it that there are a few more potential suitors waiting in the wings, such as India’s Mahindra, but none have come out expressing public interest in the bankrupt Swedish brand. Seems everyone is waiting until the last minute, eBay style.

Want to bid for Saab? Get your paperwork in by April 10

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Ryan Leaf was arrested last Friday and charged with being in possession of prescription Oxycodone pills that weren’t his. Three days after posting a $76,000 bond, the Associated Press says he’s been arrested again.

According to the report, the owners of a Great Falls, Montana home came home to find a “tall man with an athletic build” and shiny shoes waiting for them. The police report says the man stated he was in the wrong house and left.

The wrong house part is the most interesting part of this story for Autoblog readers, because police say they searched Ryan Leaf’s truck and, whaddaya know, the fallen quarterback’s GPS showed he had been in the driveway of that Great Falls house at the same time the owners claim. Leaf’s navigation system data also suggests he pulled into between five and ten other driveways in the neighborhood. Whoops.

Leaf is charged with two felony counts of burglary, two felony counts of criminal possession of a dangerous drug, two misdemeanor counts of theft and a probation violation.

To be clear, Leaf remains innocent until proven guilty. Heck, maybe he was just following the real thief from house to house trying to do a favor for the police. Great Falls indeed.

Ex-NFL QB Ryan Leaf busted for drug-related break-in with GPS data from his truck

Though it’s never going to post particularly impressive sales figures, the 2013 SRT Viper is, at least to us driving enthusiasts, the most important debut at the 2012 New York Auto Show. As such, it comes as little surprise that Chrysler has done its best to keep its new snake under cover ahead of its official debut.

Despite those efforts, here we have what appears to be photographs snapped during a video presentation showing the 2013 SRT Viper looking rather sinister in crimson. Based on previous spy shots, teasers, renderings and other random glimpses, these pics sure look like the real thing, and the reborn Viper looks just as venomous as ever.

There’s plenty of inspiration drawn from the first and second generations of the Dodge Viper, especially the gorgeous Coupe model, but we also note a fair bit of European flair courtesy of the automaker’s recent tie-up with Italy’s Fiat. Some of the coupe’s sinuous and feminine curves recall the Alfa Romeo 8C in particular.

You won’t have to wait long for the 2013 Viper’s official debut, as the New York Auto Show gets underway tomorrow. In the meantime, feel free to browse the image gallery above and let us know what you think of the new Viper in Comments.

2013 SRT Viper slithers out ahead of New York debut

Chrysler Keeps Winning, Hyundai and Kia Set Records

Another chapter has been written in the comeback story of Chrysler, which reported a 69.7-percent sales increase in March compared to a year earlier. We’re starting to wonder, though, what will happen if gas prices continue rising. If consumers begin to shift their tastes back to smaller, more fuel efficient cars, Chrysler will find itself without much to offer. The promising Dodge Dart is coming but not here yet, and Chrysler doesn’t offer any passenger vehicles as hybrids or diesels. The Ram 1500 is of course available with a diesel, but we doubt consumers will flock to it for a respite from rising fuel costs.

Hyundai also had a good month of sales in March. Actually, it had the best month of sales in its history of selling cars in the U.S. Nearly all of its high-volume products are selling well, while the Veloster is picking up momentum and adding all-new sales to the mix. Soon, the completely redesigned Azera will go on sale, which means this new all-time sales record likely won’t last long. Its Korean counterpart, Kia, also enjoyed its best month ever.

A couple of automakers who seem to be teetering on the edge of trouble are General Motors and Honda. GM can be happy with positive performances last month from Chevrolet and GMC, but Buick and Cadillac continue to falter and find themselves on the very bottom of our sales chart trends this month. Honda, meanwhile, hasn’t seemed to have found its footing as well as rival Toyota, despite both companies reporting that their production lines are completely restored following a year of disruptive natural disasters.

Check out how the rest of the industry did in our monthly sales chart below, and visit our By the Numbers section to see all past months.

*Brands and companies are displayed in descending order according to their percentage change in volume sales. There were 28 selling days in March 2012 versus 27 selling days in March 2011, so there will be a difference between monthly sales volume and the average daily sales rate (DSR) for each brand/company. Also, brands are combined and reported as companies only if their sales figures are released jointly.

March 2011 - Fool on a Hill Edition