studio car

Porsche Tweets Undisguised 918 Spyder

2013-08-21T02:34:00.000-07:00

Brendan McAleer, Canada Marcelo De Vasconcellos, Brazil Matthias Gasnier, Australia J & J Sutherland, Canada Tycho de Feyter, China W. Christian 'Mental' Ward, Abu Dhabi Mark Stevenson, Canada Clemens Gleich, Germany Doug DeMuro, Atlanta Phil Coconis, Los Angeles Faisal Ali Khan, India

Revisão: 2014 Acura RLX (com vídeo)

2013-08-20T22:23:00.000-07:00

Breaking into the Luxury market isn’t easy. Toyota has arguably had the most success with Lexus, the only full-line luxury marque sold in America that isn’t German. Infiniti gave up on trying to go head-to-head with the S-Class and 7-Series when they ditched the Q, and Cadillac has yet to have a complete and coherent strategy. Meanwhile Acura started off strong with the Legend, created a competent E/5 competitor with the all-wheel-drive RL, and then things started to fall apart. Can the RLX bring the brand back?

Why do I bring up Germans in a review of a front-wheel-drive luxury sedan? Because some folks [not everyone mind you] at Acura and plenty of fan boys would like to think the brand runs with the big dogs. In truth Acura has always been a “near-luxury” brand because they lack a full-size competitor to play in the S-Class/7-Series/A8 pool.

Competition

In order to look at the RLX through the right lens, we need to nail down the competition. Acura would like you to believe the front-wheel-drive RLX should be pitted against the rear-wheel-drive BMW 528/535, Mercedes E350 and Lexus GS350. I think this comparison has a few problems. First, the RLX isn’t as dynamic as a RWD sedan. Second, Acura’s brand position is a problem. What say our readers? Should the brand matter in comparisons? Should this all be priced based? In my mind the RLX’s drivetrain and the brand’s near-luxury image put the Acura in direct competition with the Cadillac XTS, Lincoln MKS and Volvo S80. What about the FWD/AWD A6? Perhaps, but Audi’s brand is a solid BMW/Mercedes competitor these days.

Exterior

Acura’s flagship has always worn elegant and restrained sheetmetal and that continues with the RLX. Up front we get a more muted and better integrated version of Acura’s signature “beak” flanked by multi-beam LED headlamps. The LED high and low beams are standard on every RLX and strike a unique pose as identifiable as BMW’s “angel eyes.”

The RLX’s rump is probably the best looking in Acura’s current product portfolio. I’ve never cared for the jumble of shapes on the TL’s back side, thankfully none of them are along for the ride. In an interesting twist, Acura put the RLX’s quad exhaust tips behind the bumper where you can’t see them instead of integrating them into the bumper cover as in the smaller TL. Looking at the RLX from the side it’s obvious this car has grown. The rear doors give the Acura a more luxurious look than the old RL which had a decidedly Accord-like silhouette. A long front overhang advertises the transverse engine layout in the RLX, but that’s not really a problem with our pre-defined competition since the two Americans and the Swede are all FWD platforms as well.

In my opinion, the RLX’s exterior ranks second behind the 2014 Volvo S80's clean lines. Yes the Volvo is getting old, but frequent refreshed have helped it age well. I like Caddy’s art-and-science design theme on every Caddy except the XTS where I find the proportions to be awkward. However Awkward trumps the ginormous and bizarre schnoz on the Lincoln MKS.

Interior

The RLX’s interior is one place where I can not only compare the Acura to the Germans, it’s an area where Acura excels. You won’t find a full-on stitched leather dash like the Volvo S80 or the Mercedes E350 with the “designo” package, but you can “option up” a band of stitched leather running across the cabin. Anyway you order your RLX, perfect seams and a tasteful amount of metallic trim are standard. You’ll also find perfect seams and fit and finish quality that would make Lexus blush. What you won’t find is real tree. The choice of fake wood on upper trim levels perplexes me when all the RLX competitors slather the cabin in acres of burl. (Base RLX models get faux-metal trim.) When it comes to interior styling and quality, I rank the RLX above the E350, 528i, S80, MKS, XTS, GS350, and yes, even the A6.

Front seat comfort ranks second in this quartet behind Volvo’s large and supportive thrones. Enlarging the pool only drops the Acura to third place above the BMW 5-series’ standard seats but behind the optional million-way sport buckets. Oddly however, those seats aren’t covered in leather in base RLX models. Want real moo? That’ll be $6,000 more than the RLX’s base $48,450. This may be in line with Lexus’ recent move in the GS, but the RLX’s closest competition comes with real leather standard.

Rear passengers have notably more room than the outgoing RL with legroom and headroom in line with everyone else. While Lincoln and Cadillac cut corners in the back, Acura delivers rich plastics and an attention to detail that places it first in thus class and certainly on par with BMW’s 5.

Infotainment
If one screen is good, two must be better, right? My short answer is: sometimes. The standard two-screen system first debuted in the new Accord and is tweaked for luxury duty donning the AcuraLink name. The concept as explained to me is: the lower touchscreen handles the audio, freeing the upper screen for navigation and other tasks. My beef with the system is: you still need to use the upper screen to navigate your media device as the lower screen simply selects sources and changes tracks somewhat defeating the purpose of splitting the screens. Because of this split personality, and the fact that you have to use the touchscreen, and the knob/dial controller, and the button-bank to navigate the system, AcuraLink comes across as “not fully baked.”

Since my first experience with AcuraLink, the system has grown on me, and in the RLX the dual screens are very well integrated into the dashboard rather than looking like an afterthought as in the Honda. AcuraLink is without question snappier than MyLincoln Touch or Cadillac’s buggy CUE system. I find Volvo’s Sensus interface more intuitive, but you need binoculars to use the microscopic LCD.

Two screens might be standard on the $48,450 base model, but navigation is not. Want maps? That bumps the price to $50,950. For $54,450 Acura will bump the speaker count from 10 to 14, watts from 404 to 588, add sound deadening side glass, rain sense wipers, and folding side mirrors. If you want the Krell audio and all the electronic goodies like radar cruise, lane keep assist, parking sensors, dimming side mirrors, ventilated front seats and heated rear seats that bumps the price of the RLX to an eye watering $60,450. Ouch.

Drivetrain

Acura’s only engine for 2014 is a direct-injected 310HP 3.5L V6 that cranks out 272lb-ft of torque. In typical Acura fashion peak power comes at 6,500 RPM, torque comes to a boil at a lofty 4,500 RPM and the six-pot is smooth as butter at every RPM. 310 ponies used to be something to brag about, unfortunately this is 2014 and the RLX’s mill only leads when you compare it to base engines in the competition. The problem is everyone but Acura offers a more powerful engine option. If you think nobody options up, let’s look at the numbers. Lincoln says over 30% of MKS shoppers opt for their twin-turbo V6 which puts down 19% more power and 30% more torque. My local Volvo dealer says the take rate on the twin-scroll turbo S80 with AWD (300 horsepower and 325lb-ft, 20% more twist) is nearly 80% and I’m not in the snow belt. It remains to be seen how many of the fire-breathing twin-turbo 410 horse V6s Cadillac ships in the XTS, but judging by the competition I expect them to shift a few. The Germans? Their twin-turbo V8s are in a different performance ballpark but the 443 horsepower 550i starts just $3,500 more than the top-end RLX.

Power isn’t the only area where the RLX is at a competitive disadvantage, Acura also dropped their Super Handling AWD system from their flagship. Acura’s torque vectoring AWD, capable of continually varying the FWD/RWD bias, set the old RL apart (and ahead) from the pack. Yes, there will be a hybrid AWD RLX soon we are told, but with a maximum of around 60 horsepower at the rear wheels the 370HP RLX hybrid is likely to retain a strong FWD bias. (The system will not have a mechanical connection between the engine and rear wheels. Instead there will be a ~40HP motor/generator between the engine and transaxle and an approximately 28HP motor at each rear wheel.) The less sophisticated AWD systems found in the MKS, XTS and S80 are suddenly the choice for driving enthusiasts.

Drive

The lack of AWD has a huge impact in the way the RLX drives compared to its predecessor. The old RL was a hoot and a half on winding mountain roads. In comparison, the RLX is three-quarters of a hoot. The old RL was capable of sending the majority of the engine’s power to the outside rear wheel making it corner with precision and confidence. When pushed to its limits, the front-heavy RL understeered predictably. The RLX on the other hand is probably one of the most capable front drivers on the market, easily more capable than the FWD Lincoln, Cadillac or Volvo but slots behind AWD versions of the same.

Acura’s “Precision All Wheel Steer” system (dubbed P-AWS) is the reason for the RLX’s crisp handling. P-AWS differs from other systems on the market in that it can rotate the rear wheels independently of one another allowing the car to toe both wheels in when braking. That might sound odd, but doing so keeps the RLX’s rear end from feeling “squirely” under hard braking, something usually associated with nose-heavy sedans. P-AWS is tuned to “mimic” oversteer as much as possible in corners leading to a peculiar combination of slight torque steer, [very] mild oversteer and a hint of wheel hop all at the same time. This is a confluence of personalities you will find only in the RLX. Helping out is an always-active stability control system. Unlike the stability control on most cars which only intervene when things go pear-shaped, this system is always playing with the brakes trying to “improve” the handling characteristics of the RLX. Paired with electric power steering these systems make the RLX the best handling, but the most artificial FWD sedan I have ever driven.

Our RLX was equipped with Acura’s “Lane Keep Assist” system which uses the electric power steering system to help keep you in your lane. Unlike all the other systems on the market, on a freeway the LKA system is almost always providing some level of steering assistance. Acura likens the aid to a ball riding in a “U” shaped trough, the closer you get to the lane lines, the more the system assists. I don’t know if I have formed an opinion on the system yet, but it did work as advertised and can be turned off completely.

If you’ve been keeping score, I found the RLX to be the second most attractive on the outside, have the best interior, second most comfortable seats, best infotainment system, best handling numbers, a middling engine and questionable behind-the-wheel-feel. One might assume this puts the RLX towards the top of the quartet, and perhaps a viable alternative to the Germans. One would be wrong. The RLX is unquestionably a good car, but it’s $3,200 more than a similarly configured FWD XTS, $8,275 more than the FWD Volvo S80 and $9,990 more than the FWD MKS. Things get worse when you load up the Lincoln and Volvo with the more powerful S80 T6 AWD still $5,000 cheaper and the 365HP MKS Ecoboost AWD $3,000 less expensive. Only Cadillac’s 410HP XTS VSport is more expensive ranging from $62,000-$72,000. The news is just as grim when pitted against the luxury competition with the RLX being $1,300 more than the Lexus GS350, $1,200 less than the Infiniti M37, and only a $3,000 discount compared to the E350 and BMW 535i. The result is the RLX has no “value” proposition to counter the middling engine numbers, FWD bias, road feel and most importantly: the brand image. Sadly I fear the RLX is about $10,000 away from being a great car and $15,000 away from being a game changer. Until Acura realigns their flagship’s capabilities (or shrinks the price tag) the RLX is destined to be the car everyone likes but nobody buys.

Acura provided the vehicle, insurance and one tank of gas for this review.

Specifications as tested

0-30: 2.38 Seconds

0-60: 5.72 Seconds

1/4 Mile: 14.28 Seconds @ 99 MPH

Average Observed Fuel Economy: 23 MPG over 781 miles

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In Japanese Bondage: The Honda Freed Hybrid and the Mazda MPV

2013-08-20T19:17:00.000-07:00

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Yesterday, I took a look at the Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear and the Toyota Hi-Ace, the “size queens” of the Japanese market. Today, I decided to look at the odd men out, so to speak, those mini-vans that hit the sweet spot in the market and offer seven seats in a small or mid-sized package. Sticking with that earlier theme, both of these are only available outside of the United States so, sorry, you can’t get them here. But it’s fun to see how other people live so let’s take a look.

As my young family has grown in size and number over the past few years, my in-laws have been absolutely wonderful. When we lived in Japan we saw one another frequently and even today, thought we are half a world away, my wife and her parents Skype at least once a week and we are blessed with their presence in our home usually two or three times per year. Last summer we decided to bless their home with our presence and the whole Kreutzer clan picked up and headed across the Pacific. In preparation for our arrival, my in-laws ran out and purchased a new seven seater and wisely, with an eye towards the fact that most of those seats would be empty most of the time, they went small and they went hybrid.

The Honda Freed is a “compact seven seater” with sliding side doors that is similar in size and function to the Mazda 5 we get stateside. In person it bears a striking resemblance to the most recent incarnation of the Honda Fit, with a steeply sloping nose, a long curving windshield, and a rectangular back half that ends so abruptly it looks like it was cut with a knife. As a Star Trek nerd, the little Freed reminds me very much of one of the small shuttles used in The Next Generation from the outside and on the inside, if it is not overly spacious, it is at least futuristic.

The Freed offers three rows of seating with each of the back two rows slightly elevated in a way that makes the vehicle’s cabin appear to have stadium seating. The third row is even with the rear wheels and my guess is that this arrangement was necessary to fit atop them, but the effect is generally nice and gives the rear passengers a chance to look over the front seats and catch a glimpse out the windshield. I understand that there are second row captain’s chairs available, if they can be called that, but my in-law’s car was outfitted with a three person bench seat. The back row is cramped and only offers space for two. Because the rear seat is so far aft, there is no additional cargo space and no place for a fold-flat seats. To allow space for cargo, the rear seat is split in two allowing each side can be folded and then swing up into a position where they block the rear quarter windows. Personally, I don’t like this arrangement.

I don’t spend a lot of time in Hondas these days so stop me if you already familiar with the two level dash the Freed mounts. It is an odd looking piece at first, but it fits in well with the car’s overall styling. The top of the dash incorporates the instrument bezel and a place for the car’s navigation system while beneath its rounded leading edge a second almost flat shelf comes out and provides space for the climate controls and the gear shift. It is, I think, a little odd but quite refreshing given that the alternative would have simply been a flat panel with a glove box.

Although I had the opportunity to ride in the Freed on the expressway, where it seemed to do just fine, I did not get to take the wheel until we were safe at home in Kyoto and then my trips were mostly confined to the local area. Around town it was a competent little car that handled the city streets well and accelerated without any kind of drama whenever I hit the gas. All in all, not bad.

But not all of the hybrid systems were so seamless. In order to save gas, at lengthy stoplights the engine would shut itself off if I held my foot on the brake too long and, of course, when the engine turned off so did the air conditioning. That’s a problem on a hot summer day so I began to use the hand brake to hold my position in order to keep the engine running and the air conditioning pumping. Not horrible, but annoying. The other “eco” effect I noticed was how the car acted while coasting. It seemed to me that whenever I took my foot off the gas they car would begin to slow more rapidly than a normal, non-hybrid car might and it the overall effect was that the car seemed as though it was especially heavy for some reason. That said, the effect was predictable and never caused any issues while driving even if I never quite acclimated to it entirely.

I generally liked the Freed well enough but I think there are a lot of other cars on the market I would probably go to before I actually purchased one. With four adults and three children in the cabin, the little car was quite cramped and with all the seats in action there was virtually no space for any kind of luggage. Even without the grandparents, the car was still crowded with my wife and me up front, two kids in the middle and another in the third row. To facilitate a trip to the grocery store we would have to fold up one of the rearmost seats, and I really hate the way they fold up where they block a window and create a possible problem should they somehow, say in the event of a side impact, come loose and fall onto any body parts that might end up in that space in an accident.

I like the idea of a smaller mini-van, but I think we need to acknowledge that larger families need larger size vehicles. In my in-law’s case, the Freed makes a great deal of sense as it offers good economy in a small, easy to drive package while having the extra seats for those times my wife and kids decide to head home for the summer. For daily use, however, about the smallest I would be willing to buy for my own family is another van we can’t get here in the States, the new Mazda MPV.

In the interest of full disclosure, I want to start this part of the article by stating right up front that I owned a 2002 JDM Mazda MPV with the 2.3 liter 4 cylinder for the entire three years we lived in Okinawa. Prior to purchasing it, my wife and I spent some time in the then brand new 2006 MPV and I was quite taken by it. It was that experience that sent me to my local Mazda dealer to seek out a used version and it was my inner cheapskate that caused me to end up purchasing a slightly used 2002 for a fraction of the price the redesign was fetching. Regardless of the fact that the design was already “day old bread,” I loved that van and sold it to family when I left just so I could see it when we go home.

It’s funny how the mind works, because when I was in Japan my MPV seemed like a reasonably large, reasonably well powered vehicle. Back in the United States, however, I soon saw just how small the MPV actually is when compared to other vans and the especially so when compared to the even more giant SUVs that prowl this side of the Pacific. Even so, the earlier generation of MPVs did well in the United States, but I will note that to help satiate the American’s desire for more of everything the smaller 4 cylinder was not available here and only V6 MPVs were sold on our shores.

The 2006 MPV I drove, and yes I know that Mazda still sold MPVs in the USA in 2006 and so I want to stress here that the US got the old version while the Japanese stopped selling that design domestically in 2005, was a handsome, long nosed, low profile vehicle that appeared more like a tall station wagon than a typical mini-van. They came in two flavors, both 2.3 liter four cylinders, one turbo charged, the other not and had any number of features that were typical at the time but, as one commenter who lives in Hong Kong rather astutely pointed out when I mentioned the JDM MPV in some remarks a week or two ago, lack a lot of the more modern electronic and interconnectivity features found in many of the newest vans. Our Canadian enthusiasts, who waxed rhapsodic about the previous model’s four wheel drive capability, will be thrilled to know that the current redesign also features both front and four wheel drive versions.

As those of you who have them in your cars probably know, the Mazda 2.3 liter is a smooth running little engine that does pretty well on the road. The extra weight of the MPV and a load full of passengers does affect the engine, however, and there are times when I found myself working the engine harder than I would normally like. In general, it was serviceable on the highway but I would have enjoyed trying the turbo. Around town, as with virtually all Japanese minivans, the engine was more than sufficient.

Inside, the MPV was a good combination of “get the job done” practicality and pure class. I liked that the gear selector was not on the dash next to the wheel but was located below it on a small protruding console on the lower part of the dash. Above that, the climate controls were prominent and intuitive and, topping the center stack and tucked neatly between a pair of vents, was the navigation/audio screen. In front of the driver, in a blatant display of Mazda’s Zoom-Zoom philosophy, back lit analog gauges included a large, easy to read tachometer alongside a matching speedometer. There are several seating options available and they run from the totally practical cloth covered three row bench to the highest-end full leather recliners you can get. There is no doubt in my mind that the MPV’s primary mission is to move people in comfort and style and that utility, which is still present thanks to a fold-flat rear seat and the well in the floor that swallowing that seat necessitates, comes in a close second.

On the road, the current MPV is not as easy to drive as many of the larger, taller JDM vans currently on the market. Because it is has a longer nose, the driver sits well behind the front wheels and the overall driving dynamic is quite car-like. Also, thanks to a lower greenhouse, the windows too are slightly smaller than the enormous ones available on more typical high-end JDM people movers like the Elgrand and the Alphard and that makes it slightly more difficult to see out of. Handling and the ride is good and the driving experience is reminiscent of a large, full size luxury car. I like it.

The MPV is all about compromise and, unlike many compromises I have been forced to make during my life, the trade-offs made in its design do not end up giving away all the good in favor of all the bad. The design offers seven seats and sliding doors with the handling dynamics of a large car. It gives up overall height, which is bad because it limits the driver’s view but also good because it eliminates the sail area that sends most mini-vans skittering across the freeway on gusty days. It sits the driver further back in the cabin than most vans, which I think makes it more difficult to drive in tight situations but gives an added sense of comfort and control. I think the MPV would do wonderfully on the American market and I would purchase one in a heartbeat.

It’s a shame we don’t get either of these wonderful people movers stateside. They both strike a perfect balance by being big on the inside and small on the outside and, in doing so, are exactly what a mini-van is supposed to be. To wrap up, both of these mighty minis are decent vehicles that would probably draw people into showrooms in the United States, but only one, the Mazda MPV, would make my short list of mini-vans. If only they were sold here. If only…

Thomas M Kreutzer currently lives in Buffalo, New York with his wife and three children but has spent most of his adult life overseas. He has lived in Japan for 9 years, Jamaica for 2 and spent almost 5 years as a US Merchant Mariner serving primarily in the Pacific. A long time auto and motorcycle enthusiast he has pursued his hobbies whenever possible. He also enjoys writing and public speaking where, according to his wife, his favorite subject is himself.

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Dispatches Do Brasil: Small Crossovers, From A BRIC Perspective

2013-08-20T14:45:00.000-07:00

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Derek’s recent article on the CUV “event horizon” seemed to have been misunderstood by some of the B&B. Derek’s fine analysis showed you how one type of car, the crossover, has left its usual stronghold of America and is now eclipsing other kinds of cars in other markets. His proof is the new Mercedes GLA which shows that now everybody wants in. I posit that the “event horizon” came somewhat earlier in the form of the Renault/Dacia Duster and that this phenomenon had been brewing for a while. My home country of Brazil is one place where crossovers have been steadily rising in popularity.

For those of you living in the USA, it’s easy to dismiss small crossovers. You are blessed with open spaces, cheap gas and a choice of automobiles with limits that will never come close to being tested. Your streets are, and have been, littered for decades with huge land yachts in various forms: cars, full-size pickupss, SUVs and finally CUVs. It used to be that different markets had different requirements. Not anymore. Now, with globalization the kind of car you can buy has less to do with what you want, but rather what others want, even if they’re an ocean or two away.

For Americans, the CUV can be a bit of a let down. Not as capable as the Body-on-Frame SUVs and pickups of yore, not as roomy as the completely misnamed minivans prevalent in the North of the Americas, the CUV nonetheless fits the bill and offers a tangible set of advantages for consumers in world. Stepping up from their small, simple, crudely finished compact hatches, the latest crop of CUVs offer more powerful engines, better build quality, more room (specially for your head!) and more prestige. European, Latin American and Asian consumers can and will rationalize and their new toy as a big step up from their old Ford Ka, Renault Symbol or Fiat Siena.

In markets where the population can afford it, the most successful crossovers aren’t all that different to the ones sold in North America. As Derek mentioned in his original post, the 9 of the top 10 4x4s sold in France are all on offer in the United States. I went over to Matt Gasnier’s most excellent best selling car blog to check out how CUVs in general where doing. To my great surprise there are 3 crossovers in the French Top 10. Three!!!! In France. Can you understand the significance of this? France, the country where the only truck-like vehicle that had managed to break into the top 10 until very recently, in all the history of French car sales, was the Dacia Duster. Now there are three CUVs selling in the top 10. And growing.

I see the effects here in Brazil. Some commenters on Derek’s article mentioned they had seen their first Range Rover Evoque. Here, in poor Brazil, it has been a somewhat common sight for over a year. You just can’t go to a mall without seeing at least two parked. I see them at least every other day in traffic.

You can blame Ford for this turn of events, since their EcoSport started the whole thing. Back in the 90s, somebody in Ford Brazil had the genius of seeing that the Euro Fusion of the times wouldn’t cut it here. Based on the Fiesta, the Euro Fusion was a tall wagon thingy, with a minivan-esque design (not like the Fusion you all know in America). Ford Brazil decide to butch it up and turn it into a jipe (that is how Brazilians used to call anything 4×4-like). A sort of jipe. One that was not big, didn’t really have any aptitude to go off-road or pull anything, but looked the part. Better yet, they discovered that they could raise the price over the regular Fiesta more than 40 percent and people would still buy it. The EcoSport simply doubled Ford’s market slice and improved their profits significantly. Undeniably a home run, or in Brazilian terms: Golaço! This is the formula that nearly every manufacturer is following now. Take your basic car, turn it into a CUV, make lots of money on very little investment for the improvements (raised height, cladding etc).

Then came the Renault Duster which did basically the same thing on the original Logan. Another star, another hit. Better yet, the French had the gall to take it to Europe to do battle with more refined opponents. Armed with a spectacular low price and a ride that was in no way offending, sales took off and the horizon event was reached. Like in Brazil, everybody scrambled to get a piece of the only growing pie in the market. Suddenly newspapers in their business sections and car magazines on both sides of the Atlantic started posting pictures and news of CUVs that may or not happen. The only thing you read about is the upcoming mini-SUVs. Renault Captur! Honda something or other! The Chevy anti-EcoSport was spotted somewhere int the world! VW confirms the Taigun (smaller than Tiguan) for next year! BMW will build the X1 in its new Brazilian factory! New factories are needed to keep up with demand! Sales! Money! Margins!

What does all that mean? Death to the station wagon for one. VW’s small Parati, a perennial Brazilian favorite, is dead. Fiat’s Palio Weekend has no substitute planned. In Europe, no more Clio or 208 station wagon. The really mini minivans are going too. The Chevy/Opel Meriva has already died, the Fiat Idea will soon join it.

And damn the enthusiasts. Or not. In America they talk and talk of the mythical brown, diesel, station wagon, but none buy them. In Brazil and other places outside the USA, all they want to see is that new shiny CUV in their garage. To them it’ll be a symbol of their success. The jacked up, ill-handling (comparing to a car), low capacity (comparing to a BOF SUV) will continue its sale rise.

How long? That’s anybody’s guess. I wouldn’t bet against the surging wave though. It is just gaining strength. If my wife and her friends (not to mention many of their husbands) have their way, the rise of the mini CUV will continue until there’s a least one in every family’s garage.

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Editorial: Event Horizon For Compact Crossovers

2013-08-20T10:42:00.000-07:00

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By Derek Kreindler on August 14, 2013

Normally this is something I would have saved for our “TTAC Staff” news items, but I’m the arrival of the Mercedes-Benz GLA is significant. We’ve reached the event horizon for compact crossovers and their global proliferation.

There’s long been a dichotomy in North America regarding SUVs and station wagons. Ask a certain group of car enthusiast and they’ll tell you that Americans, in their profligacy and pig-headedness, preferred wasteful, dynamically unsatisfying SUVs built on archaic ladder-frame truck underpinnings, or worse, crossovers, which had all the drawbacks of both cars and trucks. According to our wagon evangelists, Europhiles and tenured academics (oftentimes the three intersected), Europeans were wiser in preferring more efficient, car-based station wagons, which were more European and therefore superior to two-box vehicles with taller ride heights.

The past two years have turned that notion on its head. Buyers from Amsterdam to Mumbai to Zaragoza have been flocking to compact crossovers like the Opel Mokka and Dacia Duster, while those who have been less hard hit by the Eurozone crisis are flocking to the Audi Q3 and BMW X1. Even in emerging markets like Brazil, small crossovers are in demand (click here for Marcelo’s definitive explanation of why these vehicles are so well suited for developing countries). It turns out that a raised driving position, higher ride height and SUV-like styling have resonated with consumers the world over. A list of France’s top-selling crossovers shows that 9 of the top 10 sellers are available in North America as well as Europe.

Products like the Mokka, Duster, the Renault Captur and VW Tiguan are all first-generation vehicles, and the segment itself is one of the few bright spots in a dismal European car market. There is plenty of room for growth too. The Nissan Qashqai, credited with inventing the segment in outside North America, has only been on sale since 2007, but its instant success has meant that nearly every brand is readying a competitor for the Qashqai or the smaller, B-segment Juke, for sale in the next couple years.

Beyond Europe, these vehicles are also gaining ground in global markets like the BRIC countries, Australia and even America, where Buick can’t keep enough rebadged Mokkas (dubbed the Encore) on dealer lots. Globally, Range Rover’s Evoque has been an unprecedented success, with Jaguar Land Rover unable to meet demand despite building the cars literally 24 hours a day.

Consumers aside, small crossovers are a profitable proposition for car makers as well. The Encore and Mokka share the Gamma II platform with more modest offerings like the Chevrolet Spin (a low cost minivan built in Indonesia and Brazil) and the Sonic subcompact in North America and Australia. While a Sonic can cost just over $14,000, an Encore’s base price is roughly $10,000 more. And one look at an Encore will reveal that the two cars aren’t terribly different both inside and out (even sharing the same 1.4: turbocharged powertrain).

For luxury car makers like Mercedes-Benz, which is introducing a new compact front-wheel drive architecture, the GLA will serve a similar purpose as the higher margin version of a premium compact sedan. Crucially for Mercedes, it will finally have something to compete against the Audi A3 and BMW X1, rather than letting its two rivals gobble up market share. While BMW continues to build the X1 in Germany, Audi and Mercedes have chosen lower cost production sites like Spain and Mexico (for Audi) and Hungary (for Mercedes) which can help maintain profit margins while also keeping assembly costs down.

The success of these vehicles mean that these vehicles aren’t going anywhere, and current conditions will only help entrench them further. Consumer tastes, the need for ever greater economies of scale through increased volume and utilizing of existing platforms. The enhanced potential for profit through these vehicles means that auto makers will be doing all they can to sell them worldwide. They also provide a regulatory boost for many OEMs when it comes to CAFE or Euro emissions regulations, as the smaller, more-efficient compact crossovers offset less efficient luxury and performance vehicles.

Luckily, wagons aren’t going anywhere, especially outside North America. But compact crossovers are here to stay. And I was totally wrong about them.

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How Did That Get There? An Anglia In East Alabama

2013-08-20T06:58:00.000-07:00

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By J.Emerson on August 15, 2013

As much of America redevelops in the direction of increased urbanization and strip-mall suburbia, small downtowns have either dried up or re-purposed themselves as purveyors of quaint fashion and entertainment. Such is the case with Opelika, the sister town to Auburn. Boutiques, restaurants, and antiques places have mostly replaced the hardware stores and other obsolete staples of small-town commerce. I come from a family of enthusiastic collectors of rare junk, but even I can see the occasionally sad irony of a town selling pieces of itself just to get by. A few weeks ago, however, I spotted a prominently displayed chunk of the past that defied my expectations. Instead of distressed Americana on sale, one shop had a very English relic I didn’t expect to see in this part of the country. I returned later to take a closer look.

This Ford Anglia was pulled from a field somewhere in East Alabama. The proprietress of the shop knew of the car’s British origins, but didn’t know how it came to rest in a Southeastern cow patch. She received it “from a friend” and converted it into a display piece for her downtown antiques emporium. Lodged in the front window of the shop with a couple of artfully-positioned suitcases, it’s not for sale. Its value as a conversation piece and an attention-getter clearly outweighs whatever sum someone might be tempted to pay for it. Rest assured, Anglia diehards: this isn’t one that you’d want to save. It’s pretty rotten in the floors and the sills, there’s plenty of bullet holes, and a number of hard-to-find bits are missing. Still, I’m glad that it wound up here rather than in a China-bound scrap steel container. It took me a while, but I managed to get some decent shots of the car despite it being surrounded with stuff.

Who in Alabama would have bought this car new? I’m guessing it was sold here as a new or nearly-new car because of the chrome trunk tag. Brewbaker Motors is a large multi-franchise family dealership in Montgomery that still operates today. They aren’t a Ford store, though, so they must have acquired it secondhand. I like to think that some expat British professor brought the car with him when he came to teach at Auburn in the 1950’s. He might have traded it in after discovering that English Fords didn’t have much repair or parts support in the Deep South. Or maybe some hardworking Dixie resident snapped the Anglia up as an alternative to the big Fords of the era. In any case, it went the way of all discarded cars in Alabama and became somebody else’s target. Now it serves as a reminder that not everyone wanted a Detroit land yacht in the 50’s.

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Editorial: Tempo para a reforma de economia de combustível

2013-08-20T02:04:00.000-07:00

Por Derek Kreindler em 16 de agosto de 2013

A revista de combustível classificações de economia para o Ford C-Max não é a primeira vez que uma montadora foi forçada a recuar em reivindicações de economia de combustível – nem vai ser a última, a menos que a reforma significativa é empreendida para garantir que a economia de combustível figuras mais refletem com precisão os motoristas de forma dirigem seus carros no mundo real.

As discrepâncias entre os números de economia de combustível da EPA, e o que os consumidores podem esperar decorrem uma série de questões. Para começar, os fabricantes estão autorizados a suas descobertas, de auto-relato com o EPA auditoria apenas cerca de 10 a 15 por cento dos veículos à venda em qualquer ano. Existem todos os tipos de truques que os fabricantes de automóveis podem usar também. No caso do C-Max, Ford usou dados de seu Fusion híbrido para determinar a economia de combustível do C-Max, que levam ao inflado classificações. Enquanto isto pode parecer absurdo para o observador exterior, isso é permitido sob as diretrizes da EPA, como as montadoras são apenas necessárias para enviar dados para o modelo de volume de qualquer grupo de placas que usam o mesmo powertrain – mesmo que não carregam pouca ou nenhuma relação um ao outro, como foi o caso aqui.

Procedimentos de ensaio EPA também não permite o uso de etanol. Em todo o país, mas particularmente nos Estados de emissões-consciente, muitas bombas dispensam gasolina com até dez ou mesmo vinte por cento álcool, o que reduz significativamente a quilometragem. As condições de condução usadas suportar pouca semelhança com nada encontrado no mundo real. Os testes são realizados em um dinamômetro, em vez de em uma estrada real, e 48,3 km/h é considerado "free-flowing tráfego" em uma rodovia enquanto ciclos de condução cidade usam uma velocidade de rastreamento mal de 21,2 km/h. Apesar de ser totalmente separada da realidade, há uma boa razão por que os testes de economia de combustível de EPA são projetados assim. Eles não são feitos para realmente testar o consumo de combustível.

Um artigo por Consumer Reports cita um perito afirmando que os testes

"... eram originalmente projetado para teste de emissões, economia de combustível não. Eles queriam testar uma variedade de velocidades e acelerações."

Testes de economia de combustível do próprio CR revelaram discrepâncias significativas entre os números de EPA e teste seu próprios ciclos, com os maiores culpados sendo pequenos motores de 4 cilindros Turbo. Estes tendem a fazer bem em testes da EPA, desde as baixas velocidades não exigem muito impulso do turbocompressor. Por outro lado, mundo real de condução exigir o turbo a trabalhar mais quando conduzido em velocidades acima de 21,2 km/h, que é como um carro como o Lincoln MKZ, com um motor de 4 cilindros de 2.0 L, pode retornar 16 mpg no mundo real , apesar de ser avaliado por 22 mpg pela EPA.

Com os preços do gás de afiação mais alto e o consumo de combustível, tornando-se uma prioridade entre os consumidores de carro, combustível economia testes têm se tornado cada vez mais importância para os compradores. Consumidores comparar "em-xixi-gee" figuras como se eles tivesse olhado uma vez para tempos de 0-60 mph ou acidente testar as classificações de segurança e contam com os números de EPA para tomar decisões de compra. Tipos de marketing automotivos sabem disso, não é razoável supor que powertrain calibração às vezes foi projetada especificamente com os procedimentos de teste de economia de combustível em mente. Sendo capaz de atingir um número"mágico" como 40 mpg rodovia é um golpe de marketing. Mas sendo expostos como incapaz de atingir esse número na vida real é um embaraço por dez, como Ford e Hyundai que ambos sabemos.

O atual regime de testes de economia de combustível que sobrevivemos claramente sua utilidade.Se o teste de EPA realmente é projetado para medir as emissões, ao invés de consumo de combustível, que é uma forte indicação de suas orientações relevantes como realmente são. O próximo passo é, o que deve ser feito para trazê-los de volta à relevância? O processo de teste de EPA pode ser reformado? Deve haver um fim para o fabricante informou figuras? Ou vale a pena ignorar figuras de EPA de agora em diante em favor de alguém como a Consumer Reports, ou até mesmo um site auto-relato como Fuelly?

Brendan McAleer, Canadá Marcelo De Vasconcellos, Brasil Matthias Gasnier, Austrália J J & Sutherland, Canadá Tycho de Feyter, China w. Christian 'Mental' Ward, Abu Dhabi Mark Stevenson, Canadá Clemens Gleich, Alemanha Doug DeMuro, Atlanta Phil Coconis, Los Angeles Faisal Ali Khan, Índia

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VW Brand Sales Down in July

2013-08-19T22:58:00.000-07:00

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By TTAC Staff on August 14, 2013

The Volkswagen Group announced that global July sales for VW branded vehicles were down half a percent from last year, to 466,100. July joins March 2013 as the second monthly decline this year.

Christian Klinger, head of VW sales used words like “uncertain” and “challenging” to describe the near term situation. Sales for the first seven months of 2013 were up almost 4% from last year, with 3.38 million units sold, with strong Chinese sales offsetting the continued weak European market. Sales in Europe were down 6.8% and in Volkswagen’s home country of Germany they were off by even more, 9.1%. The Volkswagen Group’s array of cars and brands across the price spectrum and overseas growth are seen as helping the company withstand the decline in it’s European base.

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Ford Downgrades C-Max Hybrid To 43 MPG – Will Give Current Owners $550 Compensation – C-Max Hybrid Was Not Actually Tested

2013-08-19T18:13:00.000-07:00

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By TTAC Staff on August 16, 2013

After facing consumer complaints and lawsuits over consumers failing to get advertised fuel economy Ford announced on Thursday that it will be downgrading the combined MPG rating of the C-Max Hybrid from 47 to 43.

The company says the discrepancy consumers have been seeing is because the C-Max Hybrid was never actually tested. Instead the Ford says that it relied on data from the Fusion Hybrid, with which it shares drivetrain components. Ford says that it will now test the C-Max Hybrid itself. Current C-Max Hybrid owners will be compensated with $550 and lessees will receive $325. Cars still on dealer lots will be relabeled with new Monroney stickers while owners and lessees will be notified by mail. It’s not clear if Ford will drop the price of the C-Max Hybrid by a similar amount. If you are a C-Max owner or lessees and have questions, you can contact Ford’s Customer Relationship Center via the web, or by phone at 800-392-3673.

Using the Fusion Hybrid MPG test results was allowed under EPA rules. Raj Nair, who is in charge of global product development at Ford, said, ”This is an industrywide issue with hybrid vehicles. We’ve learned along with EPA that the regulations create some anomalies for hybrid vehicles under the general label rule.”

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Na paz, liberdade e a reputação temível do Ford Falcon

2013-08-19T13:17:00.000-07:00

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By Thomas Kreutzer on August 16, 2013

Last week, I had the privilege of attending a Naturalization Ceremony. If you have never had the opportunity to be there when immigrants to our country take the oath of citizenship and exchange their Green Cards for their Naturalization Certificates, you are missing out on one of those special things that makes the United States of America a truly great place to be. Looking out across the crowd you can see people who began their lives in the far corners of the world sitting beside one another without regard for gender, race or national origin. It matters little where they came from, whether or not they once lived on one side of some armed border or the other, today they are Americans and the old hatreds, if not forgotten, are at least set aside. On that day, they are united in their desire to join in our great experiment, to offer their descendents to the great American melting pot in the hopes that they will blend seamlessly into the fabric of our nation in the same way that we, the descendants of so many who made that journey before them, have done.
The stories they tell are often powerful. We often think they come to our shores simply for freedom and to take advantage of the economic opportunity our country offers, but often they are here because we are an island of peace in a terrible world and because they have endured horrors that would keep most of us awake at night if we spent too long thinking about them. At the ceremony I attended the speaker, a young man from Rwanda, told of his childhood experiences hiding in a thorn bush to avoid being murdered and of walking over corpses so thick on the ground that he could not avoid stepping on them as he sought to escape his war ravaged land. Other people have spoken to me about poverty, hopelessness and, worst of all, what happens when your own government institutes a reign of terror and people begin to vanish. Such was the case in Argentina in the mid 1970s and, although the reign of terror is now ended and the situation improved, one icon of those times still strikes fear into the populace whenever it appears: the otherwise unremarkable Ford Falcon.
In 1961, Ford sent two examples of their recently introduced Falcon to Argentina in order to help their factory in La Boca set up a production line. Argentina was booming then and the newly emerging middle class finally had enough discretionary income to afford new cars. Naturally, the Ford company was hoping to put that country on wheels and the rugged and reliable Falcon seemed to be perfect for the task. The car was introduced for the 1962 model year and was a hit from almost the minute it went on the market. Argentines took to it as though it were their own Model T and made it the bestselling car in their history. The Falcon thrived and by 1973 had received several updates and was almost entirely built of locally sourced parts. But even as the Ford Falcon flourished, the nation was headed towards Chaos.

In 1976 the Argentine military seized control of the country and most of those who actively opposed its rule were murdered shortly thereafter. The military followed up those first murders with what is known as “The Dirty War,” a war they waged against their own people between 1976 and 1983 and during that time an estimated 30,000 people went missing. What happened to most of these people remains a mystery to this day, but one common thread to their disappearance is that many were last seen in the back of a dark green Ford Falcon.
Why the Argentine secret police chose the car is simple. The Falcon was already a proven police vehicle in service all over the country where it wore more-or-less standard black and white police livery so the secret police knew the car would be reliable. Why they decided on dark green is less clear, perhaps it was intentionally chosen because they hoped the dark color would elicit fear or because there were so many others around in that color and they thought it would blend in better, who knows? The end result, however, is that the dark green Falcon soon became feared on the streets and whenever one of the cars was spied cruising slowly along the block, people knew there was a good chance that someone in the area would likely not be returning home that night.

Those days have passed but live on in the memories of those who endured those horrific events and what should be a golden legacy for the Falcon has been tarnished by its fearful association. To many Argentines, the Falcon is simply an old car, one that their parents and grandparents may have owned, one that they may have ridden in during their childhood. To others they are a symbol of oppression and fear. For those people, the memories of what they endured and those that they lost will never go away. For them, even the mere sight of a Ford Falcon, especially one painted dark green, stirs those memories and causes the pain to begin again. It is a horrible legacy for what everyone agrees was an otherwise fine car.
We in the first world often live in ignorance of what happens outside of our borders. We see the events on the news, hear the talk of analysts and pundits, but seldom grasp the actual horror that is sometimes the norm in some of the Earth’s most terrible places. The next time someone tells you that they are a naturalized citizen, shake their hand and know that their presence strengthens our country. The next time you see a Ford Falcon, especially a dark green one, think for a moment about the 30,000 Argentines who vanished after their ride in a similar car and be thankful we are insulated from such things. There but for the grace of God, go us.
Thomas M Kreutzer currently lives in Buffalo, New York with his wife and three children but has spent most of his adult life overseas. He has lived in Japan for 9 years, Jamaica for 2 and spent almost 5 years as a US Merchant Mariner serving primarily in the Pacific. A long time auto and motorcycle enthusiast he has pursued his hobbies whenever possible. He also enjoys writing and public speaking where, according to his wife, his favorite subject is himself.

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Reuters Poll of Economists Say Euro Recession Has Ended But Recovery to be Slow

2013-08-19T09:32:00.000-07:00

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By TTAC Staff on August 15, 2013

According to a Reuters poll of 30 economists, data to be released next week will show that the recession in Europe has ended, but that the euro zone will not start growing significantly until 2015. The consensus prediction for the second quarter of 2013 was 0.2% growth.

That prediction was supported by industrial production figures released earlier this week showing a 0.7% increase in June. Most of the economists expect a very slow recovery, echoing what auto executives like Sergio Marchionne have been saying for a while. GDP for the euro zone won’t surpass 0.4% in any quarter until 2015, according to their predictions. Inflation is expected to stay at or below 2%, allowing the European Central Bank to keep its lending rates at record lows for the next two years. When asked about potential risks to the recovery, those economists who answered the question referenced political instability. Southern European countries have had some political turmoil recently and German federal elections are being held next month.

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Gordon Murray’s T.25 and T.27 City Cars To Go Into Production

2013-08-19T04:57:00.000-07:00

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By TTAC Staff on August 16, 2013

Pioneering designer Gordon Murray, the man who gave the world the McLaren F1, announced on his blog that his T.25 and T.27 urban concept cars have been sold by Gordon Murray Design to an as yet unnamed manufacturer, to go into production and on sale in 2016. “The T.25 and T.27 concept has now been sold to a customer and with a following wind a lot more drivers should be able to enjoy the centre drive experience in 2016!,” Murray said. The tiny T. cars use a 1+2 configuration, with space for the driver and two passengers. The driver sits centrally with the two passengers flanking the driver in the back. The T.25 will be powered by a modified 660cc 51 HP 3 cylinder sourced from Daimler’s smart division. The T.27 is the same car, only battery electric. The very small cars were designed to be built with Murray’s unique iStream manufacturing process.

The T.25 will weigh only 1,265 lbs (575 kg), almost 400 lbs lighter than a smart Fortwo. It’s 94.5? long, 51.2? wide and 55.1? tall. The turning circle is a very tight 20 feet. It is designed to meet crash standards and Murray says that the tube and composite chassis is “exceptionally strong”. It has scissor doors to allow parking in tight spaces. It’s short enough to park in curbside spaces parked nose to the curb.

Murray also said the he has contracts signed to use iStream on four other projects. “The next challenge in the iStream story is to develop one or more of our current programmes into a mass-produced vehicle so that as many folks as possible can enjoy the benefits of low cost, low weight and very high levels of safety that iStream provides – truly Formula One technology for the everyday motorist,” he said.

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Toyota Highlander

2013-08-19T04:14:00.000-07:00

O Toyota Highlander é um crossover familiar de médio porte que oferece um pouco mais de espaço e assentos do que muitos dos seus concorrentes, com espaço para até oito passageiros. O Highlander oferece quatro - seis- e drivetrains híbrido do seis-cilindro.

Para obter mais informações sobre o modelo atual, incluindo preços, opções e especificações, consulte nossa revisão cheia de 2013 Toyota Highlander.

Os slots Highlander para a linha de veículos Toyota, família com preços mais elevados do que o sedan Camry e crossover Venza e mais ou menos a par com o Avalon sedan e minivan Sienna. Ele é montado em Princeton, Indiana e concorre com veículos como o Ford Explorer, Nissan Pathfinder, piloto Honda e Chevrolet Traverse.

O Toyota Highlander, primeiro, foi colocado à venda nos Estados Unidos como um modelo de 2001. Que Highlander original furo um estilo muito simples, dentro e por fora..--quase não relacionadas com o sedan Camry relacionado, mais como o Subaru Forester em sua postura ereta, quadrada. O comprimento total compacto de 2001-2007 Highlander tinha muitas vantagens, porém..--entre eles um espaço interior utilmente alto e grande visibilidade. Relativamente leve e equipado com uma escolha de um motor de quatro cilindros de 160 cavalos de potência ou um hp 220 V-6, o Highlander 2001-2003 também veio com uma escolha de quatro velocidades automática ou manual de cinco velocidades nos modelos de quatro cilindros; a versão V-6 veio somente com o automático de quatro velocidades. Movimentação all-wheel era uma opção popular.

O ano de 2004, o Highlander ganhou um novo 3,3 litros V-6 com 230 hp e uma cinco-velocidade automática. O propulsor de quatro cilindros foi transitada. O Highlander também acrescentou uma terceira linha opção de assento, dando-lhe adicionado flexibilidade sobre o Ford Edge e Honda Pilot de cinco passageiros. Uma reforma muito ligeira anunciava essas versões atualizadas. Em 2006, foi introduzida uma edição suave-híbrido do Highlander V-6 all-wheel-drive, mas benefícios de economia de combustível foram slim. O sistema compartilhado suas baterias elétricas e motores com o Lexus RX400h, também novo naquele ano.

Um novo Toyota Highlander chegou para o ano de 2008, e é como uma bênção misturada. Fãs do original pragmática vão encontrar a nova geração muito maior, mas também muito mais suave em sensação, mas também mais impressionante terminada dentro de condução. A versão de quatro cilindros faz 187 hp e está emparelhado com uma automática de seis velocidades, mas já não tão refinado como Toyota do pequeno quatros costumavam ser. Há uma grande, automático-deslocados, 270-hp V-6 opção..--e melhor é adequado para o bolada novo Highlander. Dinamicamente, nem versão sente muito conectado ou responsiva..--um problema agravado com o mais recente Highlander híbrido e sua direção hidráulica elétrica livre de sentimento.

Inicialmente, para esta geração de Highlander, Toyota tinha planejado para deslocar a montagem do Japão para uma nova instalação em andamento em Blue Springs, Mississippi. A desaceleração da economia global e em vendas de carro colocar esse plano em espera; a planta, ousará hoje, dia um de poderão fabricar o híbrido Prius. Para 2008, a Toyota importados Highlanders japonês-construído; desde o ano de 2010, a Toyota agora fontes edições dos EUA de sua fábrica de montagem de Indiana.

Toyota extensivamente atualizado o Highlander para o ano de 2011 com um assento de terceira linha padrão em modelos não-híbrido e um novo front-end visual que imita uma no crossover Venza. A edição de híbrido, que percorremos novamente este ano passado, viu seu deslocamento gás-motor aumentou de 3,3 litros para 3,5 litros, que melhorou a economia de combustível enquanto compensação 10 cavalos de potência adicionais, para um total de 280 hp.

Para 2013, Toyota introduziu novos sistemas áudio Display com uma porta USB, bem como de áudio e de mãos-livres chamada conectividade Bluetooth, mesmo em modelos de base. Em seguida, Toyota adicionado um modelo 2013 Highlander Plus slots entre modelos de base e SE, adicionando características úteis, tais como um computador de viagem, tampa de carga, trilhos do telhado e lâmpadas de leitura da segunda fila.

Para o novo ano modelo, o Highlander de Toyota 2014 recebeu um olhar inteiramente novo..--o que é mais assertivo e caminhão-como do que alguma vez antes. Ainda o maior crossover na linha Toyota, o Highlander não cresce tanto em qualquer direção, mas parece muito maior como resultado o sheetmetal novo. A nova cabine modelado depois do novo RAV4, e Entune da Toyota traz com uma grande tela de LCD para o traço. Powertrains são transitadas: há um four-cylinder, um seis-cilindros e um híbrido de V-6, tudo automático. Movimentação all-wheel é oferecida somente nos modelos V-6. Milhagem de gás deverá permanecer o mesmo. Dentro, Toyota alega é esculpido mais espaço interior e tem instalado mais recursos, mas foi excluído em favor de um assento de banco liso ou duas cadeiras de capitão do assento central oculta na linha média.

creditos

O governo dos Estados Unidos tem ido longe demais desta vez

2013-08-19T00:13:00.000-07:00

Por Jack Baruth em 16 de agosto de 2013

Primeiro vieram buscar os comunistas,
e eu não falo, porque não era comunista.
Então eles vieram para os socialistas,
e eu não falo, porque eu não era um socialista.
Depois eles vieram buscar os sindicalistas,
e eu não falo, porque eu não era sindicalista.
Em seguida vieram atrás de mim,
e não sobrou ninguém para falar por mim.

Em um ato de estupidez quase incompreensível, ignorância e má energia pura, o Governo Federal dos Estados Unidos da América aparentemente atingiu um golpe contra os entusiastas do automobilismo em todo o país.

É isso mesmo. A filhos da puta têm proibido ATE Super azul fluido de freio. Pilotos do clube e ratos de trilha muito tempo conhecido alternando ATE 200 ouro e Super azul, foi possível confirmar facilmente que seu sistema foi devidamente liberado, mesmo sob condições de pouca luz ou em condições de agitado.

O aviso de não deixar absolutamente claro que o G entrou, mas por outra Continental pararia de distribuir e forçosamente, lembre-se um produto que, a meu conhecimento, nunca foi usado para enganar ou enganar ou caso contrário ferir um motorista? Quer dizer, claro, estou correndo Super azul na Boxxy, meu 986S Anniversary Edition, agora e dirigindo por aí na rua, mas isso não é fazer mal a ninguém. Super azul é feito e vendido para pessoas que sabem o que fazer com ele. Não há nenhum risco de qualquer tipo por aqui. Me sinto mal ao meu estômago. Sim, nunca foi tão bom quanto, digamos, 600 Motul, mas foi o fluido de freio do homem comum.

Eu vou acabar com isto porque comecei a canalizar Thomas Paine, mas sério... com todos os problemas que enfrentam os Estados Unidos no ano 2013, é SUPER fluido de corrida azul a maior prioridade? O inferno com isso. Se vocês precisarem de mim, eu estarei no bosque construindo uma cabana ou algo assim.

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Volkswagen Tiguan

2013-08-18T23:39:00.000-07:00

O VW Tiguan é um crossover compacto que encapsula a funcionalidade de sedan em um pacote mais alto. Enquanto o Tiguan pode parece uma versão menor do Touareg, eles são inteiramente diferentes veículos. Onde o Touareg oferece construção áspera e legítima proeza de off-Road, o Tiguan é essencialmente um vagão alto que concorre com o Chevrolet Equinox, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson e Toyota RAV4.

Consulte nossa revisão cheia da 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan para observações detalhadas e conselhos, bem como preços, especificações e muitas mais fotos.

O Tiguan foi um modelo completamente novo para o ano de 2009. E embora sua sheetmetal alisado-acabou ainda ereto leva depois Touareg SUV do Volkswagen, não podia ser mais diferente no desempenho no mundo real. Com mais leve construção e suspensão e direção sintonizado para a estrada ao invés da trilha de rocky, o Tiguan se sente um pouco como um carro pequeno soft-equitação sobre palafitas. Com um comprimento total que é o mesmo que um sedã subcompacto, ele tem tamanho certo para a cidade e se encaixa facilmente em compacto somente manchas. E o motor de quatro cilindros turboalimentado 200 cavalos, 2.0 litros fornece suficiente energia para scoot energeticamente em lacunas no trânsito, no entanto, de uma forma descontraída de cruzeiro na estrada. Nas versões front-wheel-drive, você tem uma escolha de seis-velocidade transmissão automática ou manual de seis velocidades, mas com o disponível 4Motion all-wheel - drive sistema são todas automáticas. Classificações de economia de combustível são tão bons quanto 19 mpg cidade, 26 da estrada.

O resto do pacote do Tiguan permanece bastante perfeito para famílias pequenas ou viajantes que querem um pouco de espaço extra e utilitário. Assentos dianteiros são mais apoio do que você encontrará na maioria dos outros utes crossover compacto, a posição de condução proporciona boa visibilidade e a guarnição interior e sensação de painel de instrumentos que mais premium do que tag de preço acessível do Tiguan indica. Os passageiros do banco traseiro vão encontrar espaço suficiente cabeça e perna, embora não haja suficiente largura para três adultos ficar confortável. Espaço de carga não é abundante, mas os assentos dobram para a frente, como os outros utes, para encaixar peças maiores, e há muitos lugares para itens menores, como um duplo porta-luvas e do compartimento de carga underfloor.

Não muito mais está faltando este pacote bem equipado. Equipamento padrão tem sido forte, e as opções incluem alguns itens encontrados normalmente em veículos maiores, mais caros, como um teto solar panorama, sistema de música disco rígido e sistema de navegação. Equipamento de segurança superior e classificações estão todos lá, também; o Tiguan recebeu as classificações de segurança do governo federal e tem sido um IIHS Top Safety Pick.

Uma edição de Wolfsburg foi adicionada à linha em 2010, mas caso contrário, o Volkswagen Tiguan mudou muito pouco para seu segundo ano. No ano modelo 2012, Volkswagen atualizado seu estilo com um front-end mais magro e nova taillamps e melhorou a eficiência do drivetrain para impulsionar a milhagem de gás tão elevada como mpg 22/27. Então o 2013 VW Tiguan havia algumas outras mudanças menores de recurso; mais notavelmente, o sistema de som premium Dynaudio e sistema de navegação high-end não estavam mais disponíveis. No 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan, há uma nova versão do Tiguan R-Line que oferece uma longa lista de upgrades de aparência, incluindo guarnições e um volante de fundo plano, além de uma suspensão 'esporte sintonizado', faróis bi-xenon e luzes LED-diurno.

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BMW M4 Concept Revealed

2013-08-18T20:23:00.000-07:00

Por TTAC pessoal em 16 de agosto de 2013

De Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance neste fim de semana também será o local da estréia do conceito BMW M4. O M4 é esperado para curvar-se sob forma de produção em setembro no salão do automóvel de Frankfurt – versão este conceito deve estar muito perto.

View the original article here

2009-2010 BMW X 5 Diesel SUV recordou

2013-08-18T19:49:00.000-07:00

BMW está realizando um recall voluntário de certos 2009 e 2010 BMW X 5 diesel SUVs para corrigir um problema potencial com o aquecedor do filtro de combustível.

Um aviso no site da National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) coloca o número de veículos potencialmente afetados pela recordação em 1.540. Os veículos afetados são BMW X 5 xDrive35d SUVs construídos a partir de 13 de junho de 2009, através de 13 de novembro de 2009.

O problema

De acordo com o boletim da NHTSA, "o aquecedor filtro de combustível, que é usado para aquecer o combustível diesel durante o funcionamento do veículo em baixas temperaturas exteriores, pode experimentar uma condição de sobrecarga elétrica e tornar-se permanentemente ativado."

Documentação de BMW (PDF) enviado para a NHTSA indica que a ativação permanente do aquecedor do filtro de combustível poderia resultar em uma bateria escorrida. A montadora disse que, na maioria dos casos, não seria possível ligar o veículo por causa da bateria descarregada. Em casos raros, "a unidade poderia superaquecer e eventualmente levar a um incêndio do veículo."

A montadora disse que descobriu o problema no início de 2012, após receber 16 relatórios de campo "possivelmente relacionado" em mercados fora dos EUA, mas não há relatórios de campo nos EUA Um campo adicional de seis relatórios foram recebidos no início 2013 em mercados fora dos EUA.

BMW disse que não recebeu quaisquer relatórios de acidentes ou lesões relacionadas a este assunto.

O que a BMW vai fazer

BMW irá notificar os proprietários e negociantes substituirá o aquecedor do filtro de combustível. O serviço será executado sem nenhum custo. O recall de segurança BMW está previsto para começar em agosto de 2013.

Entretanto, os proprietários de 2009 e 2010 BMW X5 diesel SUVs com dúvidas ou perguntas pode entrar em contato BMW em 1-800-525-7417.

Como alternativa, os proprietários dos veículos envolvidos na campanha podem entrar em contato com o NHTSA veículo segurança Hotline em 1-888-327-4236 ou ir para http://www.safercar.gov. Referência a campanha da NHTSA ID n º 13V339000.

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Used Car Review: 2008 Honda S2000

2013-08-18T17:18:00.000-07:00

AppId is over the quota

They say that when you are schizophrenic you are never alone. If that is the case for cars, then the dual-identity Honda S2000 will always have a garage mate. Cruise conservatively and you may as well be driving a Miata, albeit the world’s roughest riding and loudest MX-5. Find a twisty back road and wind the overachieving 4-banger to 6,000 rpm when the Flux Capacitor kicks in and you are hanging onto a snarling, world-class sports car.

We are reviewing the bone-stock 2008 S2000 that I bought in June, now with 28,500 miles on its clock. Mine is an “AP2? model, essentially the second generation version which was sold between 2004 and 2009. It differs from the original 2000 to 2003 “AP1? model due to its larger engine with its redline lowered to “only” 8,000 rpm, more low-end torque and suspension tweaks making the car less tail-happy. (Hondas claims over 2,000 improvements were made in the AP2. Why does every car company use that same number when they upgrade a model?) Traction control was also added in 2006.

Every other review of the lightweight 237 horsepower two-seater can be summed up in one sentence: “The S2000 has the greatest gearbox ever, boasts precise handling and an ultra-high revving VTEC motor, has a cramped interior and a terrible ride, is Honda-reliable, and ‘I want one NOW!’” Suffice it to say that you are already aware of all that. Let’s talk about some things you don’t know about owning the little Honda.

Do Not Fear The Clutch Delay Valve

I test drove my S2000 during a rare Arizona rainstorm on urban streets, mainly to find out if my long legs would fit which they did thanks to the car’s generous 44.3 inches of legroom. I thus did not really wring out my roadster. On the 400 mile trip home the next day, I noticed when shifting at full throttle at revs in the VTEC range above 6,000 rpm, the clutch would not fully engage for a couple of seconds. I was disturbed to say the least – was my new yellow car a lemon with a slipping clutch?

A quick trip to S2Ki, the all-knowing S2000 owner’s forum, revealed numerous posts about this problem. It turns out that many AP1 owners were a little too enthusiastic in their speed shifting and were shredding their Torsen differentials and gearboxes at an alarming rate. (Honda deemed those cases “owner abuse” and thus maintained the car’s impeccable quality ratings.) In response, Honda added a clutch delay valve (CDV) in the upgraded AP2 model in 2004. As I am not a mechanical engineer, allow me to explain its function by quoting from this great article:

So what does the CDV do exactly? In short, it regulates the flow of clutch fluid in one direction through the slave cylinder, so you can disengage the clutch quickly but it will always re-engage at an engineered pace – quick enough not to be noticed or cause significant clutch slip, slow enough to prevent shock damage to parts of the drivetrain like the differential. The effect the CDV has on everyday driving is minimal but noticeable, and can be described as putting a piece of velvet between a hammer and nail. It softens the feel of the blow while still allowing enough power to get the job done

As an owner, the remedy to no-slip shifting is to either remove the device or slow down your shift and clutch action by a nano-second. I have done the latter and now nail 95% of my shifts. Let’s just say I was relieved to learn about the clutch delay valve.

Funniest Owner’s Manual Line

Alas, the manual appears to have been written by an American thus there are no humorous “lost in translation” moments. However, check out this directive that may be difficult for S2000 owners to follow: “The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport Canada recommend that children aged 12 and under be properly restrained in a back seat.”

Stuck In Neutral Cornering

Since this is not an American Honda press car does that mean I treat it gentler than the average auto writer would? You bet it does. Case in point were my first runs on the local mountain roads. I have never gone faster in any other car on these highways and with absolutely no drama: no body roll, no oversteer or understeer, the car flat goes where you point it – at least at that speed I was traveling.

I obviously have not reached the car’s handling limits, but looping it going up Palomar Mountain with its blind curves and two-wheel knee-draggers passing over the double-yellow line would not be a good idea. I plan to hit a track day or autocross where I will take the S2000 to the edge. This is easily the best cornering car I have ever owned and I want to learn its capabilities in a safe environment.

I don’t think the S2000 “understeers at the limit” but I plan to write that in the next installment just to annoy our Editor pro tempore as he hates that hackneyed auto writer line even more than he hates the S2000. (By the way, San Diego has the best Shrimp pro tempore anywhere.)

I Now Understand Cordless Radar Detectors

I have no issue with most of the car’s odd ergonomics that others have pointed out. (For example: why do you have to turn the key AND push the start button?) I was however not pleased that the lighter/power outlet was by my right elbow, thus my radar detector’s cord was dangling over the gear shift lever on the 400 mile drive home from the dealer. My solution was to buy a cordless Passport Solo X3, which has proven to be as much of a ticket-avoider as my corded Passport 8500 X50. The battery life is good plus it will be easier to pack so I can use it in rental cars.

My last yellow Honda was a 1989 Prelude Si. The DPS officer said he could see me coming a mile away.

Despite The Color, I Am Still Invisible

This will come as no surprise to S2000, Miata and Bugeye Sprite owners: when you drive a small convertible, other motorists will look right at you and then pull right out in front of you, my blinding Rio Yellow Pearl patina not withstanding. I was once almost punted into the ice plant by a Lexus LX 570. I have always driven with the attitude that every other motorist was blind, but being an S2000 owner means my driving senses are now set at DEFCON 1.

Join The Cult

When you acquire an S2000 there are two rules you must follow: 1. Wave to other S2000 drivers. The Return Wave Factor has been near 100% so far. 2. Join the S2Ki Forum.

This S2000 owner’s board has 124,000 members, contains literally millions of posts and has more pop-ups than “Wac-A-Mole.” I particularly like the Get-Off-My-Lawn Vintage Owner’s section. The forum taught me that I need to install seat locks to prevent my $4000-a-pair leather seats from being stolen and winding up in a purple fart-can Civic or Integra. I was pleased to learn that my car is 1 of only 122 Rio Yellow Pearl 2008 S2000s produced for the US.

Obsession Confession: do you own a scale model replica of your car?

Posthumous Press

The S2000 has been out of production for four years but the accolades keep pouring in. It appears that auto journos have realized that a sports car so extreme and single-minded might never be duplicated again. A few weeks ago our friends at Japlopnik named it a “Future Classic.” Earlier this year msn autos named the s2000 a Used Car Steal and the website Everyday Drivers compared an 80,000-mile S2000 against a new Scion FR-S and a Mazda RX-8 and the Honda came out on top. The capper was that the S2000 was recently named One Of The 100 Most Attractive Cars Of All Time by those official experts on auto styling, Popular Mechanics.

Buying An S2000

The great pub is probably why S2000 prices are stable-to-rising. Auction giant Manheim projects that the car’s wholesale value will be unchanged one year from now.

There are 519 S2000s for sale today on autotrader.com, with an average asking price of $18,038. (It goes without saying that if you want a trashed or over-modded s2000, shop at craigslist.) If you desire a rare 2009 model (654 produced for the US, 0 on autotrader today) or a 2008/2009 Club Racer edition (699 produced for the US, 2 on autotrader today), you will pay upwards of $30,000, not too bad a return on investment for the sellers considering the original MSRPs were between $34,000 and $36,000. (I paid $24,600 for my babied 2008.)

There are a surprising number of the screaming 9000 rpm-redline 2000 to 2003 AP1 models available with under 20,000 miles, indicating some owners treated them like exotics but you will pay around $20,000 for them. I think finding an unmodified 2004 or 2005 AP2 with 50,000 to 70,000 miles and all the books and records in the mid-to-high teens price range is a good way to go.

There are plenty of nice S2000s for sale but you will likely have to travel to find what you want. There are no consistent mechanical problems reported with the S2000, no surprise due to Honda’s reputation for reliability.

In Conclusion…

It has been 15 years since my last Honda and it was a nice bonus to discover that my S2000 has the same perfect body gaps and lack of rattles like my previous Hondas. I keep forgetting I that bought a used car because it literally drives like a new one.

In the end, the S2000 is the finest and most fun sports car I have ever owned. It bests my beloved 1993 Mazda RX-7, if only for the fact that I started having my mail forwarded to my Mazda dealer as I was spending so much time there. I sold the RX-7 after a year but I will be keeping the S2000 for a long time unless, by some miracle, a car company comes along with something better in this price range. The S2000 may be schizophrenic but it stands alone.

Picks

Buy it for the transmission alone

A race car for the road

Honda durability

Nit Pics

Digital gauges

Weak sound system

Every ricer wants to race you

View the original article here

2013 Hyundai Santa Fe esporte lembrou para o fracasso do eixo dianteiro

2013-08-18T16:44:00.000-07:00

Hyundai está realizando um recall voluntário de certos crossover de esporte Santa Fe 2013 modelo ano SUVs para corrigir um problema que pode causar a falha e a fratura do eixo dianteiro.

Um aviso no site da National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) coloca o número de veículos potencialmente afetados pela recordação em 20.300. Desse número, cerca de 300 veículos em Puerto Rico são afetados, enquanto o resto são nos Estados Unidos.

O boletim diz que veículos afetados são 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe esporte SUVs equipados com motores de 2,4 litros e tração dianteira. Os veículos foram construídos a partir de 13 de julho de 2012, através de 12 de março de 2013.

O problema

Para resolver o problema, de acordo com a documentação da Hyundai (PDF) e a NHTSA, decorre de um problema de fabricação que pode resultar em fratura do eixo do eixo dianteiro direito.

Esta condição pode causar uma perda de potência para as rodas. Além disso, se o veículo está estacionado sem o freio de estacionamento noivo, ele poderia rolar. Ambos os casos aumentam o risco de um acidente de veículo.

A montadora disse que recebeu 60 reclamações de garantia e sete reclamações relacionadas com a questão, mas não há relatos de acidentes ou lesões.

O que vai fazer a Hyundai

Hyundai irá notificar os proprietários e negociantes irão substituir o conjunto do eixo eixo dianteiro sem nenhum custo. O recall de segurança de Hyundai, identificado como #112, está previsto para começar em agosto de 2013.

Entretanto, os proprietários de 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe esporte SUVs com quaisquer perguntas ou preocupações poderão contactar Hyundai em 1-800-633-5151.

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How Fast Was Michael Hastings Really Going?

2013-08-18T12:53:00.000-07:00

AppId is over the quota
By Jack Baruth on August 14, 2013

When this website reported on the death of Michael Hastings, your humble author’s comments regarding the odd nature of the crash wound up everywhere from the front page of the Fox News website to the Facebook pages of various relatives who didn’t notice that I was the author.

There’s now surveillance footage of the crash, which frankly looks more like the Castle Bravo test than a regular car crash. And at least one source has “calculated” an awfully low and suspicious-sounding speed of impact from that footage.

From the not-always-100%-conspiracy-theory-free Infowars comes a
report that Hastings might have been going just 35mph at the time of the crash:

Analysis of the recently released surveillance footage of Hastings’ vehicle in the moments before the crash, which was carried out by SDSU professor Morteza M. Mehrabadi, Professor and Interim Chair Areas of Specialization: Mechanics of Materials, also suggests that Hastings was not speeding before his Mercedes hit a tree… By measuring the distance traveled by the car on the surveillance clip and the time that elapsed before the explosion, Professor Mehrabadi was able to calculate that the car was only traveling at a speed of 35 MPH, and not speeding as some reports claimed.
“The pre-explosion and slower speed could also explain the minimal damage to the palm tree and the facts the rear tires rested against the curb. It also provides an explanation for the location of the engine and drive train at more than 100 feet from the tree impact area,”

So the theory works like so:

Michael Hastings was investigating something really scary. Somebody set him up the bomb. Explosion, and a hell of an explosion it was Crash.

Again, I have to say that I’ve seen plenty of cars crash at 100mph. I’ve crashed a car myself at 100mph, at Mid-Ohio, with a standard fuel tank in it (which seemed like a good way to save a few bucks right until I ran into the Armco) and I didn’t explode. I’m not ready to say that this was the work of whatever Star Chamber exists in this country, but it continues to look awfully odd to me.

View the original article here

Volkswagen Touareg

2013-08-18T12:19:00.000-07:00

O Volkswagen Touareg é um SUV de médio porte que é um dos mais difíceis e mais robustamente construídos SUVs no mercado, mas tem uma aparência de carro-como, mais suave do que muitos dos competitors–it do que podem ser facilmente mal compreendidos. O Touareg concorre com carros como o Toyota 4Runner e Highlander, Jeep Grand Cherokee, piloto Honda e Ford Explorer.

Veja nossa avaliação completa de 2013 Volkswagen Touareg, o modelo atual, para obter mais detalhes, bem como fotos, especificações e preços.

Introduzido pela primeira vez aos Estados Unidos para o ano de 2004, o Touareg parece muito mais um vagão alto do que um caminhão; Mas ele tem uma capacidade mais trucklike do que os mais modernos veículos utilitários, com robustez para off-Road e impressionante capacidade de reboque-reboque. Modelos adiantados eram movidos por um 220 cavalos de potência, 3,2-litros V-6 (na verdade a VW ângulo estreito VR6 motor) ou um hp 310, 4,2-litros V-8. Mais tarde naquele ano — e também para o ano de 2006, mas não para 2005 — VW fez o que ainda é considerado por alguns como o rei dos modelos Touareg: um modelo Touareg TDI, alimentado por um turbo, injeção direta diesel V-10, fazendo 310 hp e 553 libras-pés de torque, dando o Touareg a capacidade para rebocar cargas pesadas reboque sem quebrar um suor. Touareg V-6 modelos foram uma história diferente inteiramente; com apenas 220 cavalos de potência para mover mais de 5.000 libras — e não um monte de torque baixo-rev do VR6 — o motor se sentiu oprimido e desempenho foi lento, apesar da seis-velocidade transmissão automática tinha controle manual Tiptronic e fez o seu melhor. Uma nova versão de 276 hp, 3,6-litros do VR6, introduzidas para 2007, foi o primeiro modelo V-6 se sentir adequado. Os modelos V-8 também não não muito rápidos, mas eles aceleram vivamente o suficiente e cruzeiro confortavelmente; Eles também foram atualizados para 350 hp em 2007.

Em gerais, a primeira geração Touareg modelos têm nomeações interiores impressionantes, espaço para cinco adultos e um dos passeios mais tranquilos, mais refinados de qualquer veículo utilitário. No entanto ao contrário de alguns outros veículos seu tamanho, o Touareg não tem uma terceira fileira de assentos. Também não há muito espaço de carga se os assentos de trás está de pé. Robusto hardware Off-Road, com a ajuda da eletrônica moderna, é parte do pacote; o Touareg pode manipular modesto rocha-scrambling, juntamente com o slick, encostas enlameadas ou areia solta. Com uma suspensão a ar disponível, o Touareg ofereceu três alturas de passeio diferente e foi um dispositivo ainda mais capaz de Off-Road. E para todos os modelos Touareg, segurança é top-notch.

Para 2008, a Volkswagen renomeado o Touareg Touareg 2, significando uma atualização suave e uma lista revisada de características, incluindo um modo de travagem antibloqueio Off-Road melhorado mais novas opções tais como controle de cruzeiro adaptativo e um sistema de alerta de ponto cego. Na verdade, o Touareg não tinha mudado muito. Em 2009, o Touareg tem um TDI V-6 mais moderno, econômico, substituindo o grande diesel V-10; Embora este motor não tinha mais a saída de torque semi-like, em 221 hp e 407 libras-pés foi ainda a melhor escolha para reboque-reboque e foi avaliado em 17 mpg cidade, rodovia 25 e 50 Estados emissões legais desta vez. O modelo V-8 foi abandonado para 2010.

Um Touareg completamente redesenhado, juntamente com um novo modelo Touareg híbrido, chegou para o ano de 2011. O novo modelo, transferido para o ano modelo 2012, oferece uma escolha de três motorizações..--uma base 280 hp V-6, um V-6 de turbodiesel com 225 hp e 406 lb-ft de torque e uma edição de híbrido com 380 cavalos-força líquidos. Em 2013 VW Touareg, o motor diesel foi redesenhado para 240 cavalos e 407 lb-ft, e avaliações de quilometragem subiram para 19 mpg cidade, rodovia 28 — melhor para a maioria dos tipos de condução em comparação com o híbrido mpg 20/24. Características mudaram muito pouco em 2012 e 2013, com apenas algumas diferenças cosméticas; o ano de 2013 modelo trouxe novo taillamps LED para modelos híbridos, mais notavelmente.

As versões diesel e híbrido oferece economia de combustível impressionante, mas expandir pricetag substancial do Touareg em território de SUV de luxo — a conspirar contra os gostos da BMW X5. Reboque a capacidade com o Touareg, porém, é bastante impressionante, e VW completamente melhorou o design básico sobre a primeira geração com melhores proporções e detalhes de estilo. O Touareg permanece um SUV de 5 lugares, no entanto, enquanto o relacionados Audi Q7 é um crossover de três-fileira. Espaço de carga também é bom, e embora a qualidade do passeio é um pouco firme, o Touareg dá muitos compradores high-end, uma razão para olhar para baixo no preço sem mover para baixo no desempenho.

Uma edição especial da Touareg X foi introduzida no Paris Auto Show 2012. Com 19-polegada rodas de liga leve de Moabe, além de um teto solar panorâmico; trilhos do telhado anodizado prata; faróis bi-xenon, lanternas traseiras escurecidas e logotipos especiais, esta edição especial de 2013 celebra o décimo aniversário do modelo. Então o 2014 Volkswagen Touareg é slated para obter uma variante R-linha desportiva, oferecendo rodas de liga leve de 20 polegadas, um pára-choque dianteiro exclusivo, saias laterais, LED tail-lights e de forma oval duplo escape dicas. Por dentro, ele adiciona placas de chinelo guarnição, de aço inoxidável de alumínio, pedais de alumínio do esporte e um volante R-Line.

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Junkyard Find: 1975 Dodge Dart

2013-08-18T08:15:00.000-07:00

AppId is over the quota
By Murilee Martin on August 15, 2013

Will there ever be a time in which no Chrysler A-bodies show up in North America’s cheap self-serve wrecking yards? Sure, Darts and Valiants were as common 20 years ago as are dead Tauruses now, so the former torrent of old Chrysler compacts has become a trickle, but I still find at least a couple of them every time I visit The Crusher’s waiting room. In the last couple of years, this series has included this ’75 Duster, this ’64 Valiant wagon, this ’68 Valiant Signet, this ’66 Dart, this ’73 Valiant, and this ’61 Valiant, and today we’ll be admiring the car that was to 1983 what the ’94 Corolla is to 2013: a cheap, dependable sedan that nobody noticed.
This one does have an unusual option that you almost never see on Slant Six Chrysler A-bodies: air conditioning!
Most Dodge shoppers who could afford air conditioning in 1975 went ahead and got a Coronet, or at least sprang for the 318 V8 in a Dart. Perhaps this was an ex-rental car, or a New Mexico purchase.
Even in the dry Southwest, however, Detroit cars of this era managed to rust around the rear window and beneath the vinyl top.
These were just good simple cars, full of corner-cutting build-quality glitches and crappy components but easy to keep running. If I found myself transported back to 1975 and I needed to buy a cheap new car for daily-driving use, I’d probably get a Dart (though mine would be a coupe, and it would have a V8, manual transmission, and no fancy vinyl-top option). A close second choice would be the Civic.
Even with a missing hood and headlight, plus 5 MPH crash bumpers, this car has a good face.

View the original article here

2006-2011 Hyundai Azera, Sonata Sedans recordas para emissão de corrosão

2013-08-18T07:41:00.000-07:00

Hyundai está recordando certas 2006-2011 Hyundai Azera e sedãs Sonata em 20 tempo frio ou "sal cinto" dos Estados e do distrito de Colúmbia para solucionar um problema potencial de corrosão.

Um aviso no site da National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) coloca o número de veículos potencialmente afetados pela recordação em 239.000.

De acordo com o boletim do NHTSA, o recall envolve 2006 através do ano de 2011 modelo Hyundai Azera sedan Full-Size construído a partir de 27 de setembro de 2005, através de 22 de novembro de 2010 e 2006 através de sedans de médio porte de Hyundai Sonata construídos a partir de 1 de março de 2005, através de 21 de janeiro de 2010, ano de modelo 2010.

O recall afeta veículos atualmente registrados em ou originalmente vendido em Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nova Hampshire, Nova Jersey, Nova York, Ohio, Pensilvânia, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virgínia Ocidental, Wisconsin e o distrito de Columbia.

O problema

Hyundai documentos (PDF) e a NHTSA identificar o problema como estrada sal e a água entrando em porções do Madeiro a traseira, que pode levar à corrosão do aço do Madeiro. Como resultado, um dos braços de controle traseiro pode desanexar do veículo.

Um braço de controle traseiro desanexados, diz NHTSA, "pode de repente mudar o alinhamento de roda traseira, afetando o manuseio do veículo, aumentando o risco de um acidente.

O recall segue uma investigação preliminar da NHTSA anterior (PE13007) de falha do braço de controle traseiro após recebimento seis queixas alegando controle suspensão traseira braço falhas relacionadas à corrosão em 2006 sedan Hyundai Sonata.

A montadora disse que tinha recebido reclamações de garantia oito e sete reclamações de clientes, mas não tem conhecimento de quaisquer acidentes ou lesões como resultado o problema de corrosão Madeiro traseira.

O que vai fazer a Hyundai

Hyundai irá notificar os proprietários dos veículos afetados e negociantes reparará ou substituirá o conjunto traseiro do Madeiro. O serviço será executado sem nenhum custo.

O recall de segurança de Hyundai, identificado como #113, está previsto para começar no final de setembro de 2013. Entretanto, os proprietários de sedans 2006-2011 Hyundai Azera e 2006-2010 Hyundai Sonata com quaisquer perguntas ou preocupações poderão contactar Hyundai em 1-734-337-9499.

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Lincoln "Tarja preta", um estúpido, mas de alguma forma brilhante, para ressuscitar o conceito de "Atmosferas" Audi

2013-08-18T03:43:00.000-07:00

Say it with me in the Don LaFontaine voice:

IN A WORLD…

WHERE EVERY SOURCE OF “PREMIUM” HAS BEEN EXHAUSTED…

AND MASS-PRODUCED GARBAGE IS REBRANDED AS LUXURY GOODS FOR AN INCREASINGLY FECKLESS, IGNORANT, AND NAIVE UPPER MIDDLE CLASS…

A BRAND SHALL RISE…

Seriously. I’m sick unto death of “premium”. Luckily, there’s almost none left to be had. Even now, the signs of desperation among the tastemakers cannot be ignored. The most recondite and worthless watch brands from 1820 have all been resurrected to sell ETAs in gold cases to the BRICs. Every clothing designer in history has signed on to do a TV show or a line at Target or a Chrysler 300. There’s actually a company that makes John Wayne signature whiskey and guarantees that it’s just like the whiskey he used to drink, except said whiskey was probably just Jack Daniels or something even cheaper.

The past and present have been mercilessly and methodically mined and drilled for all applicable stories and sources of prestige and premium and upscale. It’s like oil, which makes what’s currently going on at Pebble Beach the equivalent of fracking shale.

Pebble Beach was once a place where people got together to show off their cars. It’s now a place where automakers have placed the dirty boots of the PR departments all over the grass and the cars have been subordinated to the marketing message and journalists buy red pants and $199 “blazers” so they can cosplay being the people who used to tell their grandparents to scrub the underside of the toilet rims in the guest house better next time.

The new BMW M4 “concept” is there, of course. This is the only time such a vehicle will ever appear at Pebble Beach; none of them will ever survive or have parts availability long enough to make it there on their own merits as vintage restorations. There are various Jags and Phaetons Bentleys and whatnot. Last but not least, and just to show that all the cool has been forcibly sucked out of the zipcode, Lincoln’s arrived with their so-called “Black Label” line of interior decorations.

Our sister publication AutoGuide notes that

The Black Label collection features three separate themes that clients can choose from. Indulgence was inspired by rich chocolate and its associated sensory experiences. Truffle-colored leather and exotic zirciote wood trim are the highlights of this selection.

Next is the Modern Heritage theme, which centers on a classic-looking black-and-white interior. But that’s not all. Things have been spiced up with subtle red accents and special engineered wood trim with a unique metal flake between its layers, something that creates an eye-catching sparkle.

Lastly there’s Center Stage, which is the most striking of the three options. Supposedly fashion and theater were its inspiration. The cabin is Jet Black in color but the headliner, roof pillars and package shelf are trimmed in “Foxfire” red Alcantera suede.

I mean come on, guys, this is just “Audi Atmospheres” with more colors. Or fewer, I’m not sure. You remember the Atmopsheres, right? It was all the rage in 1997 when the “Bauhaus” A6 came out. Three different interior trim combinations. Audi didn’t bother to debut it at Pebble or anything, but it was cool, and it flopped, and it was discontinued.

The use of Ziricote is interesting. Paul Reed Smith uses Ziricote for overseas markets where he can’t legally export Brazilian Rosewood. Since I live in the United States and have been able to get PRSi (which is how douchebag collectors such as myself refer to multiple PRS guitars) with Brazilian rosewood necks and fretboards, I’ve never bothered to try the Z-wood but I’ve heard it’s cool. Of course, the veneer thickness used in automotive interiors means that Lincoln can probably make a hundred MKZ Ziricote interiors with the amount of wood needed to carve one decent neck for a guitar.

A lot of automotive journalists seem to be confused about “Black Label” as a name, thinking it has something to do with whiskey. It doesn’t. It’s from the world of fashion, where certain designers like Armani use a black label for their couture/handmade lines. Armani Black Label costs more than white-label Armani or Collezioni or, G-d help us, MANI. Ralph Lauren, on the other hand, uses it for mid-level stuff; Purple Label is the baller RL stuff and it’s usually made by his betters, such as the RLPL shoes which are secret Edward Greens. If you ever see a set of RLPL shoes in an outlet for under $500, buy them regardless of whether they fit. You see? All sorts of stuff you can learn on TTAC. RL Black Label shoes used to be Crockett and Jones, but I don’t think they are any longer.

There’s something intellectually dishonest and just plain pathetic about calling some interior upgrades “Black Label”. When the peso-paid crew at Hermosillo’s bangin’ out a couple extra Center Stage MKZs at the end of the day under the influence of mescaline and scorpion-frying heat, there won’t be anything upscale or exclusive about it. The rarefied and artificial environment of Pebble Beach is very far away from the actual origins or likely destinations of these vehicles. It’s fakey-doo and not cool.

And yet… There’s something interesting and fun and brave about the colors and design choices. If you can put aside the 10k-gold-plated-plastic nature of the marketing hype surrounding Black Label, it’s a real and valuable contribution to the luxury market. Lincoln used to do this stuff brilliantly with the Designer Mark Vs and whatnot and when the cold, grey, characterless era of the German austerity-mobiles arrived it was deeply missed. (Full disclosure: Benz used some neat zebrawood back in the day and the W140 could be had with some baller-class burl walnut.) I’m glad to see them back in the business of creating interesting and involving design themes again.

Tell you what, Lincoln. If you agree to drop these stupid names and just call it the MKZ Givenchy or Bill Blass, I’ll put in an order. I don’t even care if the gas flap falls off. Call it the Givenchy. Out of respect to your heritage, your customers, and DJ Quik. It’s the right thing to do. And then we can get into my MKZ Givenchy and drive the hell away from the lamers at Pebble Beach, back into the American heartland, okay?

View the original article here

Aston Martin Vanquish

2013-08-18T03:09:00.000-07:00

AppId is over the quota

The Aston Martin Vanquish is the brand's flagship high-performance, super-premium sports coupe or "Volante" convertible.

Reviving the Vanquish name used in the early 2000s, the 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish is an all-new vehicle. The previous Vanquish amounted to a period take on the same basic concepts, however, with its pursuit of extreme style, performance, and exclusivity.

Manufactured from 2001-2005 as the V12 Vanquish, the first Vanquish used a 6.0-liter V-12 engine rated at 450 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. Sold as either a 2+2 or a "2+0", the V12 Vanquish used several high-tech methods in its contraction, including a bonded chassis, extensive use of aluminum and composites, a drive-by-wire throttle, and an electro-hydraulic manual transmission. As with many Astons before and after, the V12 Vanquish also played a supporting role in a James Bond film.

The second iteration of the car was known as the Vanquish S, and was built from 2004-2007. More a collection of revisions than a redesign, the primary mechanical difference was an increase in power to 514 horsepower. Slight revisions to the exterior and interior marked the new Vanquish S to skilled observers. A limited run of the 40 final cars built in the line were called the Vanquish S Ultimate Edition, and received a special Ultimate Black paint scheme and special interior touches.

Inspired by the Project AM310 Concept, the new 2014 Vanquish marries Aston's characteristic style--still traceable to the original Vanquish from some angles--with a carbon fiber body and its most powerful V-12 engine to date. That 6.0-liter V-12 engine is rated at 565 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. All of the power is routed to the rear wheels through a six-speed Touchtronic 2 automatic transmission with paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

Despite the carbon fiber body, the Vanquish's extensive luxury and and aluminum-and-steel chassis--the latest advancement on Aston Martin's VH platform--result in a curb weight of 3,900 pounds. The less-than-sprighty weight lends a substantial feeling to the Vanquish's movement, encouraging smooth and effortless cruising, but discouraging any attempts at truly sporty behavior--despite its 4.1-second 0-60 mph capability and 183 mph top speed.

The Vanquish's equipment list is excellent, as you might expect from a car that stickers at $280,000 and up, including a fantastic 1,000-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system, iPod and iPhone integration, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, WiFi, and navigation.

Of course, bespoke builds here are the norm; buyers can also specify nearly any custom option they can imagine for the Vanquish, as well as nearly any color combination or upholstery material as well, through the company's personalization services.

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