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Honda has announced it will debut a concept version of the 2013 Crosstour at the New York Auto Show next month. Details are scarce at the moment, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the vehicle turns out to be a thinly veiled look at the next version of the funky crossover. Honda has a long and storied history of rolling out concepts with more than a passing resemblance to its production models. Given that the Crosstour has only been on the market for a couple of years, we aren’t anticipating an all-new model, or perhaps even a heavy redesign.

Back in December, Honda President and CEO Tetsuo Iwamura told Autoblog that he was “really disappointed” with sales of the Crosstour, which he maintained has “very beautiful styling.” Even so, Iwamura acknowledged that Honda would further refine the vehicle’s styling and performance. As to the latter, Honda now offers buyers the ability to outfit their Crosstour with a more fuel-efficient four-cylinder. The move was largely thought to be in response to the fact that competitors like the Toyota Venza are available with four-pot motivation.

Still, all the engine options in the world won’t save the Crosstour from its inherent design issues. Specifically, the Crosstour offers compromised rear visibility and cargo area, not to mention its highly controversial appearance. Will the concept headed to New York address those ails? We certainly hope so. Hit the jump for the brief press release.

Continue reading Honda to reveal Crosstour concept in New York

Honda to reveal Crosstour concept in New York

Honda has announced it will debut a concept version of the 2013 Crosstour at the New York Auto Show next month. Details are scarce at the moment, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the vehicle turns out to be a thinly veiled look at the next version of the funky crossover. Honda has a long and storied history of rolling out concepts with more than a passing resemblance to its production models. Given that the Crosstour has only been on the market for a couple of years, we aren’t anticipating an all-new model, or perhaps even a heavy redesign.

Back in December, Honda President and CEO Tetsuo Iwamura told Autoblog that he was “really disappointed” with sales of the Crosstour, which he maintained has “very beautiful styling.” Even so, Iwamura acknowledged that Honda would further refine the vehicle’s styling and performance. As to the latter, Honda now offers buyers the ability to outfit their Crosstour with a more fuel-efficient four-cylinder. The move was largely thought to be in response to the fact that competitors like the Toyota Venza are available with four-pot motivation.

Still, all the engine options in the world won’t save the Crosstour from its inherent design issues. Specifically, the Crosstour offers compromised rear visibility and cargo area, not to mention its highly controversial appearance. Will the concept headed to New York address those ails? We certainly hope so. Hit the jump for the brief press release.

Continue reading Honda to reveal Crosstour concept in New York

Honda to reveal Crosstour concept in New York

Remember that new 36-mpg 2012 BMW 3 Series we were so excited about, the 328i that got better fuel economy in EPA testing than even the old 335d diesel model? Well, those early estimates haven’t held up.

BMW has confirmed to Autoblog that the EPA has issued revised numbers for the eight-speed automatic-equipped F30 328i, with highway fuel economy taking a 3-mile-per-gallon hit to 33 mpg and the city number dropping by a single digit to 23 mpg. BMW is investigating the discrepancy but says the 2012 figure will stay at 33. Spokesman Tom Plucinsky: “Unfortunately, there is no provision in the EPA rules for a re-test this year. Therefore regardless of the results of our investigation, the new rating will stand for this model year.”

Though BMW says its testing showed the car capable of 36 mpg on the highway, the EPA decided to validate BMW’s numbers and came away with different results. As we type this, the government’s fueleconomy.gov website has not yet been updated, though BMW’s consumer website reflects the new numbers. According to Plucinsky, buyers of the six-speed manual 328i can expect to see a 34 mpg highway figure on their window sticker, which fueleconomy.gov corroborates at 23/34.

What’s surprising about this situation is that when we test drove the new 3 Series last fall, BMW told our Matt Davis it was estimating only 32 mpg highway. Plucinsky suggests that perhaps the 32-mpg figure was an “early estimate was based on the previous version of the 328i.”

While the efficiency hit is disappointing, even with the downgrade to 33-to-34 miles per gallon, the 3 Series’ fuel economy figures are still class-leading, besting competitors including the Acura TL and TSX, Audi A4, Cadillac CTS, Infiniti G, Lexus IS and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

With all of that said, we can’t help but wonder if this development will add fuel to the fire of those who have been clamoring for the EPA to “retest” the fuel economy of vehicles in the wake of owner complaints?

Click past the jump to read BMW’s email explanation to us in full.

Continue reading BMW forced to lower 2012 3 Series automatic fuel economy to 33 mpg

BMW forced to lower 2012 3 Series automatic fuel economy to 33 mpg

Earlier reports have proven true. Volvo has officially signed Jeremy Lin to a global endorsement deal, and the New York Knicks point guard will serve as the new Volvo brand ambassador worldwide. Lin will also participate in the company’s marketing activities for the next two years. Lin, who holds a degree from Harvard, has risen to international stardom in only his second year in the NBA. Volvo says the athlete’s character, intelligence and perseverance all dovetail with the brand’s ethos. The Swedish automaker didn’t disclose the terms of the agreement.

According to Automotive News, Volvo aims to increase the company’s global sales to 800,000 units by 2020, with much of that increase aimed at the Chinese market. Last year, the company sold around 47,000 vehicles in China. Given Lin’s popularity in the People’s Republic, the point guard’s endorsement should be a boon for Volvo. He also has a staggering 664,000 Twitter followers, which jibes nicely with the automaker’s renewed focus on social media as a marketing tool. Click past the break for the full press release.

Continue reading Volvo announces Jeremy Lin endorsement contract

Volvo announces Jeremy Lin endorsement contract

Strategic Vision has announced its 2011 Total Value Index (TVI) awards, and Volkswagen of America has earned its position at the top of the podium. Hyundai Motor America placed second, with Ford Motor Corporation taking third place overall. According to Strategic Vision, its Total Value award is calculated based on explicit owner statements on hundreds of (weighted) attributes with regards to immediate and expected (long-term) economic factors such as warranty, technical innovation, standard equipment, fuel economy, and so on. The company says that the current economic crisis, rising fuel costs and affordability concerns make its TVI very relevant to today’s consumers.

“An important ‘time marker’ in this year’s study is that for the first time in over ten years, American manufacturers lead the number of Total Value winners, with eleven segment leaders. This is an important milestone toward the ‘domestic comeback,’” says Chris Chaney, the company’s vice president and head of automotive research. He also notes that consumers find perceived value in alternative fueled vehicles, pointing out that the Chevrolet Volt, Honda Civic Hybrid, Nissan Leaf and Lincoln MKZ Hybrid all led their respective segments.

The Total Value Awards have been presented by Strategic Vision annually since 1995. The 2011 TVI was calculated from 68,088 buyers (of the 325,000 total who responded during 2011) who purchased models during September 2010 to June 2011. The Volkswagen CC (an updated 2013 model of which is shown above) earned the Total Value award in its Large Car segment.

Continue reading Volkswagen tops Strategic Vision Total Value Index

Volkswagen tops Strategic Vision Total Value Index

It’s called “The Chase”, and on the surface it doesn’t exactly have anything to do with cars. In reality, we’re not so sure it has a lot to do with anything other than serving as promotional material for Philippe Gamer and the Space Patrol Crew, but that’s fine. It’s a fun video with four animated girls and a car chase scene unlike any other we’ve ever seen.

You’ll see about four minutes of animated insanity that includes what appears to be hundreds of police cars, a couple of log-toting semi trucks, some extremely unrealistic loops and lots of explosions. Oh, and four Nissan models, driven by the female lead characters. Apparently, the studio had previously done work for Nissan and the already digitally rendered vehicles were reused for The Chase.

Topping it all off is a plot twist worthy of M. Night Shyamalan. We won’t spoil it for you, but the director says it’s “a story about the art of aging.” We should also warn you that some language makes this one unsafe for work. See for yourself in the video below.

Continue reading Watch this animated car chase… with a twist

Watch this animated car chase… with a twist

Kia is shutting down the lines at its West Point, GA, factory today, after a fire struck a nearby parts supplier. According to Reuters, the Kia plant will be closed for two days, with production scheduled to resume on Wednesday morning.

Kia builds its Optima sedan and Sorento crossover at the Georgia facility, and it also provides its corporate cousin Hyundai with Santa Fe crossovers. The plant operates three full shifts and has an annual production capacity of over 300,000 vehicles.

The fire broke out at a factory owned by Daehan Solution on Saturday, according to a local TV report, which described the damage as “major,” including a partially collapsed roof. Nobody was injured in the blaze, which is suspected to have started when a hot piece of metal was not allowed to cool before being discarded.

While a Kia spokesman told Reuters that the interruption would have a limited impact on sales, due to the plant’s inventory, Hyundai officials can’t be happy about the down time. Hyundai sales have been capacity constrained for months, as the company’s rapid growth in recent years has led to speculation that it will soon be expanding its manufacturing operations in the U.S.

Kia takes Georgia plant offline after supplier fire

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a safety recall of the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, but this campaign comes with a twist. NHTSA announced on its website that Sonata Hybrid models produced between December 2, 2010 and March 7, 2012 are being recalled due to a seatbelt issue. NHTSA announced that the rear center belt, which incorporates a release mechanism that detaches both the lap and shoulder portion at the lower anchor point, doesn’t meet safety standards.

Of the 14,728 units potentially covered under the recall, Hyundai will repair the 1,633 Sonata Hybrid models currently sitting on dealer lots. But here is where the catch comes into play: The government agency says Hyundai plans to file a petition for a recall exemption for those vehicles already delivered to their owners because it believes the action is “inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety.” Hyundai will not have to send out recall notices to the 13,095 Sonata Hybrid models already on the road until after the petition has been resolved. Hit the jump to read over the NHTSA press release.

Continue reading Hyundai to petition NHTSA over 2011-2012 Sonata Hybrid seatbelt recall

Hyundai to petition NHTSA over 2011-2012 Sonata Hybrid seatbelt recall

Today is the day that racing fans have been looking forward to. The cars have been unveiled, the drivers announced, the calendar confirmed and everything is in place. Today is race day.

After an off season that saw two teams resolve their naming-rights dispute, one driver sued by a team owner over a brawl in a Shanghai night-club, and the much-anticipated return of a former world champion, the 2012 Formula One World Championship got underway today in Melbourne with the Australian Grand Prix.

Follow the jump to read how it unfolded.

Continue reading 2012 Formula 1 World Championship kicks off with Australian Grand Prix [spoilers]

2012 Formula 1 World Championship kicks off with Australian Grand Prix [spoilers]

Last time Roadkill took a trip it inolved a $1,500 budget, a 1972 Pontiac Catalina and a trip from El Paso to Los Angeles. This time their adventures point northward to Alaska, and their chariot will be a clone of the 1968 Ford Ranchero that Hot Rod used to take a class win in the first Baja 1000. It is, naturally, called “Viva Raunchero.”

Ice racing in America’s largest state is the goal. But the real action ends up taking place far away from Arctic latitudes as co-pilots David Freiburger and Mike Finnegan get to enjoy hours of freezing temps when the Ranchero throws repeated tantrums in Vail, Colorado and Utah. You’ll find another lesson in road tripping the Hot Rod way in the video after the jump.

Continue reading Hot Rod tackles the Alaska Highway in 1968 Ford Ranchero Baja 1000 clone

Hot Rod tackles the Alaska Highway in 1968 Ford Ranchero Baja 1000 clone

An automotive enthusiast and a vehicle restoration specialist have endeavored to create a modern interpretation of a storied 1930s sports car. Neil Watson introduced the original Atalanta Sports Tourer 75 years ago, and to mark the occasion, Martyn Corfield and Trevor Farrington crafted a new version of the vehicle that combines modern engineering with the classic lines of the first Sports Tourer.

Details are worryingly scarce about the vehicle’s driveline, but we’re told that 85 percent of the vehicle is unique to the Atalanta brand, including certain castings, the axles, and the steering system, among other components. That also means the revival vehicle is likely to carry a price tag as stunning as the vehicle’s exterior. Unsurprisingly, the company has yet to say a word regarding the MSRP.

Atalanta is now accepting orders for the Sports Tourer, and buyers can custom tailor each car to their tastes. Whether that extends beyond the typical interior appointments wheel-and-color options to include driveline options remains to be seen. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Atalanta Sports Tourer revived after 75 years

Atalanta Sports Tourer revived after 75 years

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class wowed us at the Geneva Motor Show with its handsome styling and luxe interior fitment, so much so that we wondered aloud if this is the new family of small cars that Daimler has promised the U.S. market for 2013. According to a firsthand tip, the A-Class has already made a trip to Hollywood for a close-up. Taking advantage of the well-established motion picture industry, Mercedes-Benz sent its small wonder to Los Angeles for a 5-day working vacation to shoot a commercial.

Camera department pro Nic Restrepo tells Autoblog:

“This is such an awesome car! WAY nicer and better looking than its competition (A3…). This AMG-badged model had all the big Benz amenities; Self Park assist, lane departure, blind spot warning, Alcantara covered racing seats, dual clutch trans etc. The interior on this thing is head and shoulders above ANY compact I’ve ever worked with. The dash has this beautiful carbon fiber cloth that’s soft to the touch like suede, and it’s layed on like a fabric, feels like a pillow…a carbon fiber pillow.”

It looked great while being chased around by the Pursuit Systems ML63, and the A-Class made a good impression with the French Rallycross driver hired to fling the car around for the shoot. All who laid eyes upon the car seem to agree with our impression from the show floor, that there’s a lot of big-Benz nice packed into an exciting small package. Disappointingly, though, the little Benz’s corporate minders told the crew that the car is not headed to the U.S. Whether that’s a ruse or the truth, we’ll soon find out as Mercedes still has a couple tricks up its sleeve as the auto show season winds down.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class comes to Hollywood, but not to stay

We’ve been expecting for some time that Mercedes-Benz would choose to grace its New York Auto Show stand with a variant on its new A-Class family as part of a push to bring a new range of small cars to North America. However, it now seems more likely that Los Angeles audiences will get a vision of Mercedes’ entry-level future, not New York. That’s because Mercedes has officially confirmed that it will show something called the “Concept Style Coupe” at an art, music, film and food festival in LA curated by none other than Mike D of the Beastie Boys.

Transmission LA: AV Club, a “multi-disciplinary festival,” runs from April 20 to May 6, and sponsor Mercedes promises an “artistic staging” of the concept car (expected to be a sedan), the production version of which is rumored to be dubbed CLC. The 17-day festival will be held at the Geffen Contemporary at LA’s Museum of Contemporary Art.

All of which begs the question: With the New York Auto Show staged earlier (press days are April 4 and 5), what will Mercedes show in the Empire State? It’s too significant of a market to the Three-Pointed Star to let the show pass without debuting something significant. See the complete press release below for more.

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz CLC to get Beastie introduction in LA?

Mercedes-Benz CLC to get Beastie introduction in LA?

Toyota is pretty sure that its expanded Prius family will drive up sales of the world’s best-selling hybrid, and the early sales returns indicate that the company is right, right, right.

After the Prius V sold about 8,400 units in the U.S. in the first ten weeks, the smaller, cheaper and more efficient 2012 Toyota Prius C is also getting a lot of attention. Toyota announced today that the C sold 1,201 units in just the first three days it was on sale. That’s enough to make it “one of Toyota’s fastest-selling vehicles,” according to the automaker, which also pointed out that those three days of sales is more than either the Nissan Leaf or Chevrolet Volt sold all last month.

If anything, those 1,201 sales are not as impressive as the C managed in Japan (where it is badged ‘Aqua’) – Toyota obtained 120,000 orders in the first five days it was on sale, though it isn’t immediately clear how many units have actually been sold. So far, the newly expanded Prius family has sold almost 10,000 units in the U.S. through the first half of March. This certainly points to the Prius franchise doing well in 2012. Last year in the U.S., Toyota sold 136,463 examples of its Prius Liftback (it sold 140,928 in 2010) and expects to sell 220,000 Prius models of all types here this year.

Continue reading Toyota Prius C outsells monthly totals of Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf in three days

Toyota Prius C outsells monthly totals of Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf in three days

Continue reading 2011 Hyundai Equus Ultimate: Wrap-Up [w/videos]

2011 Hyundai Equus Ultimate: Wrap-Up [w/videos]

The 2013 BMW 7 Series has an appointment for some cosmetic surgery, according to a report in Car & Driver. The restyle will be minimal, with detail changes around the fascia going just far enough to let other 7 Series owners know that you have the latest model.

A more substantive change could occur under the skin of the ActiveHybrid 7, however. It’s nearly $13,000 more expensive than it’s non-hybrid counterparts but doesn’t make an equally hard-to-ignore case for efficiency: the ActiveHybrid 750i has 55 more horsepower than the standard car, but is rated at 17 city / 26 highway versus 15 city / 22 highway. Speculation is that the ActiveHybrid 7 could get the six-cylinder powertrain from the ActiveHyrbrid 5 to improve its green credentials.

BMW 7 Series getting mid-cycle updates for 2013

Rally racing, like virtually every other form of motorsport in the world, is a dangerous activity. As much as we love watching a talented driver negotiate a tricky off-road race course with skill and luck, crashing is no doubt part of the experience as well. And crashes happen rather often in the world of rallying.

During the 2012 Rally Mexico, which took place from March 8-11, 2012, there were two drivers who started the race but were forced to retire after crashing out. One of those was Evgeny Novikov, who ended his race in spectacular fashion after the roof vent of his Ford Fiesta RS WRC blew away, causing the cabin to fill with dust and debris. As the commentators point out, he was truly driving blind, at least until he veered off course and crashed.

When we say Noviko crashed, what we really mean is that he flipped, rolled and generally demolished his Fiesta rally car with a vengeance before ending up on the roof. See for yourself by watching the video below.

Continue reading Watch Evgeny Novikov crash spectacularly out of the 2012 Rally Mexico

Watch Evgeny Novikov crash spectacularly out of the 2012 Rally Mexico

More Consonants, More Raw

There’s an almost infinite amount to love about the Infiniti G37 line. In sedan or coupe form, X or S guise, the vehicles deliver that difficult-to-attain blend of rear-wheel-biased performance, content and refinement with a manageable price tag. With the excellent VQ37 3.7-liter V6 engine pounding under the hood and the buyer’s choice of manual or automatic gearboxes pushing power to the rear or all four wheels, the G37 family is one of the market’s best arguments against sliding behind the wheel of a BMW 3 Series. That is, unless you wanted a truly serious performance machine.

German titans like BMW and Mercedes-Benz have been lapping European racetracks under their M and AMG banners for decades, honing performance hardware that customers would merrily plop down fat stacks of cash for later. While Japanese luxury automakers have been somewhat slow to embrace performance sub-brands, recent years have seen an explosion of consonant-laced badging stuck to sharper machinery. Among Japanese automakers, Lexus first dipped a toe in those waters with the company’s F-Sport goods, and Infiniti has risen to the challenge with its new Infiniti Performance Line. By gracing the G37 Coupe with more horsepower, a sharper suspension, larger brakes and unique interior appointments, Infiniti has taken a first step into a world dominated by some of the world’s most storied badges.

But is the IPL G37 a serious performance contender or simply a bolt-on queen with delusions of grandeur?

Continue reading 2012 Infiniti G37 IPL

2012 Infiniti G37 IPL

When it comes to handing out awards, nobody works harder than J.D. Power. With surveys concocted to measure dependability, brand reputation, customer retention, quality, and whatever else the company can dream up, we sometimes wonder whether the company’s plaudits aren’t becoming a little like “participant” medals awarded at the end of kids’ sports seasons.

This latest J.D. Power survey, the 2012 Customer Service Index, measures service satisfaction at dealerships. The most interesting find is that overall satisfaction at dealers is nearly four percent greater than at independent repair facilities. Visits to dealers among owners of vehicles less than three years old are up as well.

Of course, the numbers that people will be most interested in relate to how each brand fared in the survey. J.D. Power ranks each marque on a 1,000-point scale, “based on dealer service performance during the first three years of new-vehicle ownership, which typically represents the majority of the vehicle warranty period. Five measures are examined to determine overall customer satisfaction with dealer service (listed in order of importance): service quality; service initiation; service advisor; service facility; and vehicle pick-up.”

The brands are broken into either luxury or mainstream categories, and the top performers in each list are clustered fairly close together. Lexus scored 861 points, followed by Cadillac (852) and Jaguar (849) on the luxury side. The mass market competitors finished even closer, with Mini leading at 809 points, followed closely by three General Motors brands: Buick (805), GMC (803) and Chevrolet (801).

See below for the full press release.

Continue reading Lexus, Mini take home dealer satisfaction laurels in latest J.D. Power survey

Lexus, Mini take home dealer satisfaction laurels in latest J.D. Power survey

While the top brass gets their minds made up as to whether there will be a next-generation Dodge Avenger, the folks at Dodge have gone ahead and added a new top trim to the current model. The 2012 Dodge Avenger SE V6 gets the Pentastar V6 tuned to 283 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque mated to a six-speed automatic, along with 18-inch alloys, dual exhaust, and a rear spoiler.

This makes five trims for the Avenger line, with this model starting at $21,495 before destination. That puts it $2,500 over the current range topper, the Avenger SE, which starts at $18,995 and comes with a 173-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder shifting through an ancient four-speed auto. The four-cylinder SE is rated at 30 mpg highway, while the Pentastar engine only drops that a fraction to 29 mpg highway.

Stacked against the competitive set Dodge has in mind, like the Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion and Nissan Altima, the current SE is in the ballpark regarding specs while being less expensive. With the SE V6 and six-speed tranny to update refinement and give it a 110-hp boost, Avenger sales – which are already up 112 percent this year – could rise even further. Follow the jump for the press release on the newest addition to the family.

Continue reading Dodge adds Avenger SE V6 trim for 2012

Dodge adds Avenger SE V6 trim for 2012