If there’s any place a SUV can feel at home, surely it’s Manhattan. Only fitting, then, that the updated has debuted at the .
The revised luxury crossover has been treated to a mild facelift, but as with so many things, it’s what’s inside that counts with the new . The cabin has been updated with a series of cosmetic and functional changes (new steering wheel, new shifter, etc.), but the bigger news is its fresh electronics. Cadillac has imbued the angular high-rider with its new CUE infotainment and connectivity system, complete with an eight-inch capacitive touchscreen. Other additions include the Safety Alert Seat system and active safety features like automatic front- and rear braking, adaptive cruise control, and so on.
In short, it looks to be a better SRX than the one it succeeds, and you can check it out in our gallery of live shots above and the stock shots from the manufacturer below.
Our sister site visits the University of Michigan in their latest episode to check out a bipedal robot named MABEL. While other similar robots like ASIMO (built by ), and the Partner Robots (from ) have wowed crowds with their ability to walk upright, MABEL advances the technology with a complex system of springs in its knees so that its gait more resembles actual human locomotion. This enables MABEL to actually run like a human, with both “feet” leaving the ground for part of each stride.
MABEL actually set a world record for fastest two-legged machine last summer, hitting a peak pace of 6.8 miles per hour. (By comparison, ASIMO tops out at 3.7 mph.) More importantly, MABEL is able to walk and run over more than just flat terrain, as it can dynamically balance similar to a human. University of Michigan researchers say this technology may be able to help the disabled regain the ability to walk some day, or be deployed for future vehicles that don’t use wheels.
You may not have ever heard of a car called the Daihatsu Copen, but it’s ending production and we’re sad to report it. The Copen is (or was) made by the budget brand and stands as the only convertible kei car – those being the whimsical little cars that zip around Japan – still on the market.
A tiny two-seat roadster with a 1.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the Copen was a favorite among customers for being just downright fun. But apparently after ten years of production, there just aren’t enough of those customers left to justify its continued production.
As a result, Daihatsu is reportedly discontinuing the line, with no to replace it. Before it does, however, a 10th anniversary edition is reportedly in the works, with production limited to just 500 units. But with only 2,000 Copens sold last year, that represents a full quarter of production.
J.D. Power has become a household name thanks to the organization’s yearly awards based on in-depth consumer surveys about all manner of goods and services. In the automotive industry, manufacturers constantly struggle to best each other for top honors, and that struggle has helped push the industry toward ever-better quality. But as Ward’s Auto points out, few people know the man behind the name.
James David Power III began licensing manufacturers to use his award in advertisements in 1986, two years after dropped the J.D. Power name in a Super Bowl ad.
In 2005, Power sold J.D. Power and Associates to publishing giant McGraw-Hill, but stayed on with the company until 2009. Even after his departure, Ward’s Auto says Power is proud of the empire he helped build. While outlets like Consumer Reports have gained a substantial following, the organization only polls its own subscribers, while J.D. Power takes its data from a larger cross section of consumers.
Using a separate operation to keep conflicts of interest at bay, companies must pay a fee to be able to use the J.D. Power name in their ads. Yet J.D. Power is not without controversy – auto companies pay substantial fees for access to its various quality metrics and counsel, leading critics to suggest there’s a conflict of interest in having a quality auditor paid by the very companies it monitors. In addition, critics note that the company’s much ballyhooed Initial Quality Study , but rather an arcane formula that mixes actual owner problems with design flaws (think: cupholders that can’t hold a Venti Frappucino from Starbucks). As most consumers are likely to equate the idea of quality with a product free of problems, the thought is that this is somewhat misleading methodology.
Either way, there’s no doubting J.D. Power’s impact on the auto biz – both the company and the man who bears its name. To learn more about him, check out the in-depth Ward’s Auto article at the link below.
You’d expect someone with a nickname like “hotshoe” or “leadfoot” to be behind the wheel of a . “Slowhand” less so, but that’s the nickname of one Eric Clapton, who in addition to being one of the most highly acclaimed rock and blues guitarists of all time also happens to be a huge nut for the Prancing Horse marque. In fact, Clapton is understood to have a couple of years back, where he presumably got the reddest of red carpet treatments while placing an order for a custom Ferrari.
That unique one-off, called the SP12 EPC has been dropping on and off of our radar, with some a couple of weeks ago and some hasty of the custom creation leaving a dealership in the UK a few days thereafter. But if those didn’t provide clear enough a picture for you, a batch of alleged patent renderings have now surfaced showing every line of the car’s bespoke shape. Check it out in the gallery for a closer look.
has treated its high-performance to a refresh for the 2013 model year, rolling the controversial bad boy out during the for its first official appearance. Unfortunately, the changes are so subtle that we required an official BMW tour guide to point them out. In lieu of such a service for each of our readers, the next paragraph will have to suffice.
Most obvious is the new ‘power bulge’ hood, borrowed from the . Less visible are the cosmetic changes to the BMW-signature kidney grill and the new optional LED headlights (active HID bulbs remain standard). Peer inside the 20-inch wheels to spot the painted calipers, now in a distinguished “M” blue (vehicles with optional carbon/ceramic brakes have gold calipers). Lastly, inside the cabin, BMW’s active sport seats are now standard.
Unchanged – and rightly so – is the gobsmacking twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 boasting 555 hp and 501 pound-feet of torque. Mated to a six-speed paddleshift automatic and permanent all-wheel drive, the hunchbacked hero will easily crack 60 mph in under than five seconds. By the way, you’ll have to make your own arrangements to get the gaudy Olympic sponsorship graphics seen on the vehicle above.
Move over, Batmobile, and make room in the geekosphere for the latest comic book superhero ride.
, as you may be aware, signed a multi-picture deal with Marvel to have its carsfeatured in a raft of superhero movies. The Japanese luxury brand’s cars were there at the end of Captain America, they were there in Thor, and they’ll be there in full force in the highly anticipated upcoming superhero spectacular, The Avengers.
Most prominent of these will be the NSX-like roadster Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) has been on set, but that won’t be the extent of it for the Honda brand. Feast your eyes on the MDX which Acura has prepared for the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division – the fictitious government agency that brings the gang together.
The S.H.I.E.L.D. with the Sentinel Package is, according to its , packs the same Palladium-powered titanium engine, nine-speed transmission and diamond quartz brakes as the Stark roadster, albeit packed into a more capacious form. It’s got an aerial drone stored in a briefcase in the back, a cloaking device, bulletproof body, repulsor cannon and advanced targeting system.
So what would a fictitious vehicle like this set you back? MSRP (with destination and Sentinel package) is pegged at a nearly $6 million. Suck on that, .
has announced base pricing for the 2013 XTS, its all-new, full-size luxury sedan. The car goes on sale this spring with a starting MSRP of $44,995 (*including destination charges).
The front-drive XTS will be available in four specifications: Base, Luxury, Premium and Platinum. All-wheel-drive will be available with any of the three trim packages. Cadillac will be deploying , its new capacitive touch infotainment system, as standard equipment and every XTS will be equipped with Magnetic Ride Control.
Not mentioned today was the specific availability of Cadillac’s new or any further pricing information about the specific packages. Cadillac did say it will be releasing a CUE Apple iPad app next month that will replicate the XTS’ center screen. Click to read the full press release, then comment on whether you think Caddy’s pricing is a fair shake in Comments.
While it doesn’t even appear as a bad pixel on most enthusiasts’ radar, the serves legions of mainstream consumers perfectly well. To keep the unassuming family hauler from lagging behind its advancing competition, the automaker has introduced a refreshed and tweaked at the .
Look carefully on the exterior and you may notice the freshened fog lamps or redesigned grille on the front fascia. Out back, there are restyled taillamps. Three new colors join the pallete (Attitude Black, Cypress Pearl and Cosmic Gray Mica). Under the hood, the engines are carried over from last year (2.7-liter four-cylinder or a 3.5-liter V6, depending on trim level, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission).
With the exception of the new interior color (black leather or black cloth upholstery) and new buttons on the steering wheel, the cabin appears virtually identical. However, there are more standard features on the LE trim (blind spot mirror, eight-way power-operated driver’s seat, puddle lamps, tilt/telescope steering wheel, and more) and the range-topping Limited receives LED running lights and a premium navigation system with Entune connectivity. Most of the new features are offered across the model range, but at an additional cost. The updated 2013 Toyota Venza goes on sale in late May.
Lacking the fanfare of a flashy press conference, the arrived at the sporting an upgraded interior and new wheel options ( is one of the few automakers still following the actual calendar when it comes to model year introductions, meaning 2012 models are just now flowing into the North American marketplace).
While hardly lacking lavishness, the Evora’s cockpit has been further enhanced with additional leather on the door panels and lower sills. There is a new trim ring around the transmission shifter, the standard Recaro seats have been re-upholstered with upgraded leather (with contrasting piping and woven fabric inserts) and the bright brushed metal dashboard has a new dark finish for better contrast. Rounding up the interior alterations, the loathed Alpine audio/navigation system has been replaced with a superior system from Pioneer.
The standard alloy wheel package remains a staggered 18- and 19-inch setup, but Lotus is also offering a new 19- and 20-inch wheel package with several different finishes including a gorgeous matte anthracite (). The 2012 Lotus Evora / Evora S is rolling into showrooms today.
The is a Dutch take on the flying car, and whereas its Terrafugia contemporary is more like a plane you can drive, the PAL-V One (Personal Air and Land Vehicle) is perhaps more accurately called a driving gyrocopter. According to the company, this flying Dutchman can reach terrestrial speeds of 112 miles per hour and its fuel economy checks in at 28 miles per gallon on the ground. Then once you’ve found a suitable place to take off, you unfold the auto-rotating main rotor, the gas-engine powered propeller extends, and you can take to the air. Max airspeed is also 112 mph, and airborn range is listed at 220-315 miles.
The PAL-V One has finished its maiden flight and is now working to secure investors for the commercialization phase – the company hopes to start delivering production models in 2014. to watch video of the PAL-V one in action on its maiden voyage.
Shelby is celebrating the company’s 50th anniversary this year, and to mark the occasion, the performance gurus rolled out the very first Cobra ever constructed.
Assembled by Carol Shelby himself, the roadster is the very first pairing of an AC Ace and V8 engine. Shelby first opted to slide a 221 cubic-inch eight-cylinder under the hood before later switching to a 260 cube engine tuned to around 260 horsepower. He beefed up components like the chassis tubes, spindles, rear differential and springs to build a car capable of handling the uptick in power.
Flash forward 50 years, and the CSX2000 looks surprisingly good. Gentle tears on the seats, a well-worn shifter and flawed paint lend the impression that this beast is in perfectly unmolested condition. Consider us in love. Currently, the first in a long line of snakes is valued at around $20 million, though Shelby himself says he has no intention of selling the vehicle any time soon. We can’t blame the guy.
is out to make both and General Motors sweat with the Auburn Hills automaker’s newest pickup, the . Debuting at the 2012 New York Auto Show, the half-ton pickup bows with less weight, an efficient new 3.6-liter V6 option and an eight-speed automatic transmission. projects the V6 alone should help yield 20 percent better fuel economy over the old 3.7 lump, thanks in part to a start/stop system. While there are no solid EPA numbers as of yet, our estimations put the vehicle at around 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. Throw in aerodynamic tweaks like an active shutter system that closes off the engine bay and a standard air-ride suspension that lowers the vehicle by as much as 1.2 inches for better efficiency, easier loading and load leveling and you have a force to be reckoned with.
The Pentastar churns out 305 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque, besting the 3.7-liter V6 in the by around three ponies. Chrysler has also increased the output of the optional 5.7-liter V8, from 390 hp to 395 and 407 lb-ft of torque. Engineers managed to free up the extra grunt by using an electronic power steering system in place of the old belt-driven unit. Interestingly enough, the V8 will also boast 20 percent better fuel economy thanks to an eight-speed automatic.
In addition, the new 1500 features a tweaked interior, complete with the company’s excellent 8.4-inch UConnect touch screen interface. We love the system in vehicles like the Dodge Charger, and the tech should be right at home on the big pickup.
Chrysler also managed to trim a significant amount of weight from the 2013 Ram 1500. In V6 guise, the truck now uses aluminum control arms, an aluminum hood, a new bed and frame design as well as lighter bumpers for a combined weight savings of around 147 pounds over the previous generation. V8 models get away with a more modest trimming. for the full press release.
When we read through the press materials for the new , we had to double-check… had we downloaded the release for the wrong car? Because right here it says, “In Sport mode, throttle response is enhanced and steering effort is weighted… to offer a sportier character.” And what’s this about paddle shifters? This is the Avalon, the car that replaced the Mercury Grand Marquis in the hearts, minds and garages of Florida retirees.
But yes, we had the right car. Apparently is serious about developing more interesting and youthful products, and it’s off to a good start with the Avalon, based on what we have heard and seen at the today. The car was developed, styled and engineered in the United States, and it will be built here too, at Toyota’s Georgetown, KY, plant. While that doesn’t mean much without a product that can deliver the goods, we like most of what we see. From the A-pillar on back, the new Avalon looks long and sleek and seems to have a lot of inspiration in its design. The front grille, however, has way too much in it for our tastes. Inside the Avalon, we see what looks to be a pretty stunning instrument panel design, and we’re intrigued by the capacitive touch controls Toyota has included.
While Toyota is declining to say anything about what powers the new Avalon other the fact that the engine will have six cylinders, we can’t imagine it will be anything other than a version of its corporate 3.5-liter. The big question is how much horsepower this new, sportier Avalon might be packing. The current car has 268 horses, though another derivative of the engine in the Lexus GS boasts 306. The 2013 Avalon goes on sale late this year, and we must admit, this is the first Avalon we might actually be excited to drive. Click past the jump to read the full press release.
General Motors is taking a big gamble in a little way with its . The Detroit automaker is betting that high fuel prices and an increased awareness of one’s ecological footprint will mean more consumers are willing to entertain a new car with an even smaller err… footprint. The Spark will join other minicars like the , and , none of which have met with significant sales volume. On the other hand, its big brother, the has performed well in the early going. In addition, the Spark offers more physical volume than its peers – as well as a set of rear doors – so practicality appears to be solidly in favor of Camp Chevy.
The five-door Spark will test America’s appetites for small car life with a starting price of just $12,995 (*including delivery) when it arrives in showrooms later this year. Available in a trio of trims, the lineup will start with the well-equipped LS model that includes a whopping 10 airbags, air conditioning, power windows, OnStar and 15-inch alloys.
Stepping up to the 1LT trim will cost $14,495, but it adds an audio system with seven-inch color touchscreen, USB connectivity and satellite radio. Additional features include keyless entry, power mirrors, cruise control, Bluetooth (”for select phones”) and mundane items like visor mirrors and floor mats. The range-topping 2LT ($15,795) will be distinguished by a unique set of 15-inch wheels, sportier body-color fascias, fog lamps and additional exterior brightwork. Inside, heated, leatherette-covered seats and a leather-wrapped wheel spruce up the cabin.
Regardless of which trim spec is selected, buyers will find a 1.2-liter Ecotec four-cylinder underhood, and a five-speed manual is standard equipment, though a four-speed automatic can be substituted for $925.
GM that it will also bring a Spark EV to “select markets” in the U.S. sometime in 2013, though it has yet to announce pricing or an on-sale date for the pure electric runabout.
announced today that the starting price of its much anticipated will be $25,495 when it goes on sale. We don’t have an exact date, but Subaru says it will arrive in dealerships “this spring.”
The starting price of $25,495 does include a destination charge of $750* and will get you the BRZ Premium with a six-speed manual transmission. Choosing a six-speed automatic will add $1,100 for a new total of $26,595. That price of admission does, however, include a touchscreennavigation system, Bluetooth connectivity and HID headlamps.
Those who require more pampering can step up to the BRZ Limited with a base price of $27,495 for the manual-equipped model. Adding the automatic again bumps the price by $1,100 to $28,595. Limited models also get heated seats with Alcantara inserts and leather bolsters, heated mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, fog lights, keyless entry/start and a body-color rear spoiler. The last and most expensive configuration comes when opting for seats fully covered in leather, which raises the starting price to $27,495 for the manual model and $28,595 for the automatic.
Even fully loaded, the 2013 Subaru BRZ appears to come in safely under $30,000, thought it is more expensive than its sibling, the , which but doesn’t come with a nav system or leather as an option. Based on our experience driving the car, that’s a reasonable price to pay for such a high level of rear-wheel-drive handling. What do you think? Take our poll and send a Subaru a message about whether or not they have priced the BRZ correctly.
Arguably the biggest news of the for enthusiasts is the debut of the new SRT Viper. But as the high-performance arm of has pointed out, the street-legal Viper “isn’t the only high-performance snake making a triumphant return” here at Javitz.
No, Auburn Hills hasn’t missed a beat in releasing the new super-musclecar’s racing counterpart, the SRT Viper GTS-R, alongside the production version. Picking up where previous competition-spec Vipers left off – including three successive GTS class one-two victories at Le Mans, a landmark win in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and numerous international GT championships – the new Viper GTS-R is gearing up to take on the American Le Mans Series already this year.
Two of these bad boys will be fielded in ALMS, driven by Indy race winner Ryan Hunter-Reay, German driver and Rolex 24 veteran Dominik Farnbacher, Le Mans vet Marc Goossens of Belgium and Viper racer Kuno Wittmer of the great racing town of Montreal. But before these guys get to turn a wheel in anger, their new ride is on show here in New York, and we’ve got the gallery of high-resolution photos for your viewing pleasure. ( as well for more info in the press release.)
As is tradition, Day Two of the kicked off with the annual World Car of the Year awards. Global entries competed for honors in four different categories, and from the initial list of 34 contenders, the final four were selected this morning.
The big winner was the subcompact, which takes home the honor of World Car of the Year, beating out its other finalists, the and . We’ve had a chance to drive VW’s tiny runabout and, while it would be hard for the automaker to justify offering something this small in the United States (right now), we’d gladly welcome its tossable city dynamics and efficiency here on our shores. With a small bump in power, it could certainly show the who’s boss.
But the Up! wasn’t the only car praised in New York this morning. The new 991-series Porsche 911 was named World Performance Car of the Year, besting other nominees like the and . Stiff competition, for sure, but you just can’t match the 911’s razor-sharp precision, not to mention that this new 991 model is easily the best 911 yet.
Moving on to a different sort of performance, the took top honors for its eco-performance, securing the World Green Car of the Year award. In this segment, the other two finalists were the and Peugeot 3008 Hybrid greenlings.
Lastly, the WCOY jury selected the for the World Car Design of the Year – not really a surprise, seeing as how the baby Range Rover has been praised for its styling ever since the day it launched. Our condolences to the Citroën DS5 and Volkswagen Up! – you guys just aren’t pretty enough.
Stay tuned for more details about this year’s awards later today.
Full disclosure: Author is a juror and co-chair of the World Car of the Year Awards.
Not that we don’t like the or anything, but this is the third that has trotted out at an auto show in the space of seven months. (Never mind that it looks like they just repainted the from the .) Forgive us, then, for wishing Land Rover would get on with it and announce that it’s going into production.
But no. Instead, we get this: The Luxury Limited Edition. With a mere 2,000 available worldwide, Land Rover seems serious about the limited part. A long list of unique trim pieces including “HSE Luxury” badging on the tailgate and interior finishes borrowed from the should take care of the rest of the equation.
If you’d like all the details about things like “satin chrome” and “Havana” (that’s a color, by the way), the full press release on the special LR4 is .
Better yet, check out the episode of where our sister site drives the DC100 – also available .
Just the other day, we heard that General Motors might for the . But, after 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 , 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.” TheDetroit News reports that GM President of North America Mark Reuss said the same thing Wednesday during the . Reuss said, “We’re doing it because we sold a lot.”
Increasing sales numbers (GM – well over double February’s 1,023-unit total) come at a time when some of the on the plug-inhybrid appear to have . 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 ,” 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.”
