The automaker’s small car effort adds its third piece of the puzzle with the Spark, a car 14-inches shorter than the Sonic. The five-door hatchback, which arrives summer 2012, features a 1.2-liter, four-cylinder engine with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic.Chevrolet plans on marketing the mini car to young city dwellers because of its diminutive size.
Following the trend in putting more content in smaller cars, Chevy includes several standard features including a seven-inch color touch screen radio capable of displaying smart phone-based navigation, media and contacts for hands-free calling, available heated seats and the availability of MyLink on upper trim levels. MyLink is GM’s media management system, which can link to Bluetooth capable phones to stream music from Internet radio outlets including Pandora and Stitcher, along with navigation that can be displayed on the system’s screen.
Air condition, power windows and 10 airbags are standard across the range. Fuel economy numbers haven’t been established, but Chevrolet expects Spark to get very good city mileage and be competitive in the mini car segment. Pricing is yet to be announced, but will come below the Sonic, which sells for about $14,000.
–Bob Beamesderfer
Arriving in 2013, the Honda Fit EV is the automaker’s first all-electric vehicle, adding to a range that includes hybrids, a fuel cell and natural gas vehicles.
Honda says the Fit Ev will travel 120 miles in city driving, and its lithium-ion batteries can be recharged in less than three hours. Smartphone users can monitor the car’s charge from an app. Honda will lease the fit initially for $399 a month based on an MSRP of $36,625. Honda expects to put 1,100 Fit EVs on U.S. roads in the next three years. The car arrives in summer 2012. The automaker also said it will bring out a plug-in hybrid vehicle next year.
To understand how important the CR-V is to Honda, consider that it was the best-selling SUV four years running and might have made it five if not for the disruption wrought by the tsunami. This latest generation CR-V is heavily restyled, but will still offer front- and all-wheel drive powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine developing 185 horsepower and 163 lb.-ft. of torque. Front-drive fuel economy comes in at 23 mpg city and 31 mpg highway, an increase of 2 and 3 mpg city/highway.Also new is EcoAssist, which provides the driver with feedback on how the vehicle is being driven.
Bluetooth phone connectivity and a full-color information display are standard across the range, and a Pandora Internet radio interface that’s compatible with Apple iPhones. The CR-V goes on sale Dec. 15.
–Bob Beamesderfer
Porsche describe the 911 as the heart and soul of the brand, which given its success on and off the race track seems less like hyperbole and more like a confession. Any new variant of the iconic sports car is met with keen interest, even thought changes tend to be evolutionary. More surprising than the expected power boost to the Carrera and Carrera S is the longer wheelbase – nearly four inches more than the previous model.
The Carrera’s 3.4-liter, flat six engine produces 350 horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of torque and is mated to either a seven-speed manual gearbox or Porsche’s PDK dual-clutch transmission. Carrera S gets a boost to 400 horsepower and 44o lb.-ft. of torque and features the same choice of transmissions. Carrera S makes the trip to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and tops out at 188 mph with the Sport Chrono package. The 911 goes on sale Feb. 4, 2012
With two Porsche factory drivers on hand, the automaker showed off the 2012 Panamera GTS. With air suspension, active dampers a lower ride height and brakes from the Panamera Turbo, the GTS is a more track-oriented version of the sedan.
Under the hood, the 4.8-liter V-8 now produces 330 horsepower and 384 lb.-ft. of torque driving all four wheels and producing a 0-60 mph time of less than 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 178 mph. Inside are sports seats and steering wheel, and lots of Alcantara.
–Bob Beamesderfer
Volkswagen formally introduced the re-styled 2013 CC, which features new front and rear bumpers, xenon headlights, LED taillights, two engines choices, two navigation systems, adaptive front lights,LED daytime running lights, four 18-inch wheel designs, and the biggest change, it’s now seats five instead of four.
The CC will again be offered with either the 2.0-liter turbocharged and direct-injected TSI four-cylinder engine that generates 200 horsepower or the 3.6-liter narrow-angle VR6 engine that produces 280 horsepower. All 2.0-liter powered cars are front-wheel drive, while the those with the six-cylinder are available with either front-drive or 4Motion all-wheel drive on the top-of-the-line Executive model. The VR6 mates with a six-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic and paddle shifters are available.
Volkswagen will offer the 2013 CC in six models and it’s expected to go on sale in the spring of 2012. Pricing wasn’t announced.
VW also took the opportunity to display the Beetle R concept. While the company didn’t announce any performance data, they did say it would live up to the R moniker. The Golf R boasts 256 horsepower. The Beetle R features a wider front bumper with three large air intakes, while the rear bumper is integrated with a diffuser for better aerodynamic down force. interior features include sports seats and R-style gauges. While it’s only a concept for now, VW will be monitoring the reaction of the press and public.
–Bob Beamesderfer
With a cameo from actor/racecar driver Patrick Dempsey, below right, Mazda showed off its new crossover vehicle, which the automaker says built entirely on the company’s new Skyactiv technologies, including engine, transmission, chassis and suspension.
Available in front- and all-wheel drive, the CX-5 uses the 155-horsepower Skyactiv G, four-cylinder gasoline engine mated to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic transmission. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 26 city and 32 highway for the front-wheel drive model, while the all-wheel drive version delivers 25mpg city and 30 mpg highway. Towing capacity is a modest 2,000 pounds.
Standard safety features include six airbags, antilock brakes, daytime running lights, active headrests, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), a Traction Control System (TCS) and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). Also available are a Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) system, Adaptive Front-Lighting System (AFLS) with auto-levelling bi-xenon headlamps and a rear view camera with distance guide lines.
–Bob Beamesderfer
The striking 2012 Buick Verano represents the future of the premium compact sedan in this country, but it achieves that status thanks to a technology that was first introduced in times long past: In fact, the Verano’s exclusive Z-link rear suspension is based on a system originally used more than 225 years ago on steam engines. [click to continue…]
Already the only half-ton pickup on the market with driver-friendly unibody construction, the Honda Ridgeline adds a number of upgrades—as well as a new model—to make its lineup even more appealing for the 2012 model year. [click to continue…]
It’s official: “Today is a historic day, as Ford opens up the order banks for the company’s first full-production, all-electric passenger vehicle—the Focus Electric,” said Chad D’Arcy, Ford’s marketing manager for the vehicle. “The all-new Focus Electric is an important part of Ford’s overall strategy, bringing still another option to customers who want a car that is fun-to-drive, easy to own and fully electric.”
Just as importantly, the car is expected to bring customers the ability to travel up to 100 miles on a single charge, using no gasoline and producing no emissions. That achievement is the result of numerous Ford advances in EV technology, like the development of an innovative battery pack that relies on a liquid-cooling system to deliver a long life and optimum performance regardless of the weather or driving conditions. In addition, recharging the Focus Electric takes just over three hours when using a 240-volt quick-charging station—about half the time it takes to “refill” the 2012 Nissan Leaf. In addition, Focus Electric owners can top off the car’s battery any time using a standard 120-volt outlet. [click to continue…]
Substantial increases from Chrysler, Nissan and Hyundai-Kia helped the industry to an 8 percent rise for October, compared to the same period a year ago. Total sales of 1,021,185 light vehicles last month bring the annualized figure to 13.3 million units, Automotive News reports.
Automotive News quoted Jesse Toprak of TrueCar.com as saying the industry’s recovery is a healthy one because automakers haven’t relied on incentives to drive sales.
While several automakers posted double-digit gains – Volkswagen up 40 percent, Daimler up 26 percent, Volvo up 23 percent BMW up 17 percent, Chrysler up 27 percent, Hyundai up 22 percent and Nissan up 18 percent – Toyota and Honda slipped while struggling to regain their footing since the March earthquake and tsunami, and now hampered by flooding in Thailand. Subaru, Mitsubishi and Porsche all lost from 12 to 14 percent, while GM gained 2 percent and Ford was up 6.
No, this is not an infographic about Steve Martin, John Candy, or pillows. This is about the mobile society in America where geographical boundaries have been overcome through various means of transportation and planning these moves has become easier thanks to improved forms of communication.
In English, Americans are moving. A lot. Jaguar Boston confirms this trend.
[click to continue…]
Following the trend in putting more content in smaller cars, Chevy includes several standard features including a seven-inch color touch screen radio capable of displaying smart phone-based navigation, media and contacts for hands-free calling, available heated seats and the availability of MyLink on upper trim levels. MyLink is GM’s media management system, which can link to Bluetooth capable phones to stream music from Internet radio outlets including Pandora and Stitcher, along with navigation that can be displayed on the system’s screen.
