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10/06/2012 - Nicolas Popov wrote:

2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Arrives in Early 2013

he 2014 Aston Martin AM 310 Vanquish, the British sports car maker's new flagship, will go on sale in the U.S. in early 2013, priced from $279,995.

Previewed as the Project AM 310 concept at last month's Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, the new Vanquish replaces the DBS at the top of Aston Martin's regular production range, nestled below the limited-edition One-77 supercar (which is now officially sold out) and the V12 Zagato.

The starting price of the 2014 Vanquish is barely more than the base $277,576 sticker on the 2012 Aston Martin DBS, despite the fact that the Vanquish has been comprehensively re-engineered from top to bottom.

The most noticeable and striking aspect of the Vanquish is, of course, is its sleek new carbon-fiber body, created by Design Director Marek Reichman and his team, drawing styling inspiration and cues from the One-77. The new car is marginally longer, taller and wider than the DBS, but has more interior and luggage space.

The 2014 Vanquish comes standard as a two-place coupe, with optional 2+2 seating.

Built on the next generation of Aston Martin's long-running VH architecture, the Vanquish features an upgraded and more potent version of the company's 6.0-liter V12 engine mated to a Touchtronic six-speed automatic gearbox. The V12 now makes 563 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque, enabling 0-60 acceleration in less than 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 183 mph.

The 2014 Vanquish rides on Pirelli P Zero tires — 255/35ZR20 front and 305/30ZR20 rear — and gets revised ceramic brake discs, among other improvements. The car also will be among the first Aston Martins to offer electronic launch control.

The leather and Alcantara cockpit boasts a 1,000-watt Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 15-speaker audio system and a Garmin sat-nav system. Among the available options are a choice of alloy wheels in different finishes, a One-77 steering wheel, a choice of brake caliper colors and a choice of interior trim and accent colors, as well as exposed-carbon-fiber roof panel, door mirror caps, side strakes and door handles.

10/04/2012 - Nicolas Popov wrote:

2013 Ford Explorer Sport

Ford has had nothing but great success with its latest, three-row iteration of the Explorer SUV, with buyers finding it a suitably good driving tool for the jobs demanded by family living. And while I've never found the naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 that inhabits the engine bay to be anything less than well-suited to this large SUV/CUV class – it wasn't so very long ago that a 290-horsepower, 24-mile-per-gallon-highway six-cylinder would have seemed like a real tough guy – it has never been a particularly exciting powerplant, either.

Enter the 2013 Explorer Sport, with an EcoBoost twin-turbocharged version of that 3.5-liter six, and 365 horsepower with 350 pound-feet of torque to show for it. I should add that the extra shove only comes at the expense of one highway mpg and one city mpg, relative to the four-wheel-drive iteration of the non-turbo Explorer, which is nice, too.

10/03/2012 - Nicolas Popov wrote:

Land Rover Defender will return to U.S. in next generation

Good news, Defender fans: word has it Land Rover will bring the rugged SUV to the U.S. market once the next-generation bows. According to TheCarConnection.com, Jaguar Land Rover North America CEO Andy Goss confirmed the next Defender will be a global product, and that it will be specifically engineered to meet U.S. crash safety and emissions standards. The news came during the 2012 Paris Motor Show, where JLR officials also made it clear the brand intends to bolster its Land Rover offerings in the North American market. As of right now, the vast majority of Land Rover Sales in the States can be attributed to the high-end Range Rover line.

That mix may change somewhat as Land Rover refreshes some models and replaces others. Expect to see both the LR4 and the Defender receive serious overhauls in the near future.

Even so, it will be some time before he next-generation Defender bows, and whether or not it looks anything like the DC100 concept above remains to be seen. From what we've heard, the new bruiser won't bow until 2017 at the earliest. In the interim, U.S. buyers will just have to continue to look wistfully across the pond.

10/02/2012 - Nicolas Popov wrote:

Volkswagen Phaeton Staged For U.S. Return

An example of biting off more than a brand can chew, the last Volkswagen Phaeton was a troubled car in many ways. Nonetheless, Volkswagen appears to be bringing the next-generation version of the Phaeton back to the U.S.

Speaking with Inside Line, Volkswagen's R&D chief Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg said the new Phaeton "will be offered in the U.S." That's a definitive statement--even if not yet officially announced--and it piques our interest in how the VW Group aims to make this go at the luxurious large sedan different.

The last Phaeton was priced through the stratosphere, especially as relates to other Volkswagen-brand products, and had its own share of mechanical and electricl gremlins as well. That combination, together with Audi's higher prestige status here in the U.S., conspired to make the Phaeton a complete sales failure. Despite its struggle in the U.S., however, the Phaeton has lived on in Europe, as pictured above.

While the new Phaeton will (presumably) overcome the construction shortfalls of the previous model, it's unclear how it will fare differently in terms of brand and image. Worse yet, there is a very strong set of competitive offerings from BMW, Cadillac, and, soon, Mercedes, that will make it even harder for VW to carve out space in the large luxury sedan marketplace--and that's before you consider the lingering bitter aftertaste the last Phaeton left with potential buyers.

10/01/2012 - Nicolas Popov wrote:

BMW To Offer Three-Cylinder Engines In U.S.

At the Paris Auto Show last week BMW unveiled a radical new concept that previewed the future technologies the automaker plans to introduce across its model range, from the base MINI Cooper right up to the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car. One of those technologies was a new three-cylinder engine that should start appearing in some of the automaker’s cars from next year onwards, including here in the U.S.

The first U.S. model the tiny engine will appear in will likely be the i8 sports car, which in concept form has already been previewed with a three-cylinder engine rated at 223 horsepower. However, not long after, expect to see it in the third-generation MINI and several new hybrid models from the German luxury automaker.

09/28/2012 - Nicolas Popov wrote:

Maserati to show GranCabrio MC in Paris

Maserati sure seems to be milking the GranTurismo franchise for all its worth these days. In addition to plenty of limited editions and sport models for both the coupe and convertible, Maserati recently launched the MC version of the hardtop. Now, ahead of its debut at the Paris Motor Show, the Modenese automaker has dropped details on its latest iteration of the GT platform, the GranCabrio MC.

Visually, the droptop's most noticeable change is its new face, which has been lifted directly off the MC Stradale coupe. This means the car is a full 48 millimeters longer than the standard and Sport versions of the GranCabrio, but we like the decidedly more aggressive look to that big ol' schnoz. The large rear spoiler has also been reworked for the MC, providing even more downforce to keep that large body firmly glued to the road.

Maserati has not released powertrain details, but we assume that the GranCabrio MC uses the same 4.7-liter Ferrari-sourced V8 as the MC coupe, good for 444 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

09/27/2012 - Nicolas Popov wrote:

Lamborghini Revealed Its New 2013 Gallardo LP 560-4 In Paris Auto Show

Lamborghini unveiled an updated version of its Gallardo supercar for the 2013 model year at this week’s Paris Auto Show, with the range receiving a fresh new look and also offering customers a whole new level of personalization. The range still consists of six separate models, though now there’s greater differentiation between the regular Gallardo LP 560-4 models and more extreme LP 570-4 Superleggera and LP 570-4 Spyder Performante.

All Gallardo LP 560-4 variants, coupe and Spyder, get a new front-end, which is dominated by triangular and trapezoidal forms. The rear has also come in for an update, having received the same triangular treatment.

As we can see from the live photos, there are also some new wheel patterns and distinct interior trim options. The model here is a Gallardo LP 560-4 coupe.

Also new for the 2013 model year is the addition of the Edizione Tecnica option on all Gallardo LP 570-4 variants, including the extreme LP 570-4 Superleggera and LP 570-4 Spyder Performante.

09/26/2012 - Nicolas Popov wrote:

BMW M Performance 7-Series To Be Named M750i

If you want a fast, full size German sedan, there is no shortage of models available on the market. Audi has its S8, Mercedes-Benz has its AMG-tuned S-Class and BMW offers its V-12-powered 760Li, which may be fast but falls short of being nimble or even entertaining.

There’s also the BMW 7-Series-based Alpina B7, but what’s oddly absent from the BMW product line is an M-tuned version of the company’s flagship sedan. BMW has even gone so far as to trademark the M7 name, which seems to go counter to the M Division’s belief that the 7-Series is too much of a luxury car to wear a full M badge.

Enter the ever-increasing range of M-Performance BMWs, like the upcoming M235i or the not-for-U.S.-consumption M550d and X5 M50d. M Performance gives buyers a taste of the M treatment, without substantially revising the car (or crossover) from other production forms.

Look for suspension development beyond the M Sport package, too, as BMW will need to justify the car’s higher price in the lineup. While nothing has been set in stone, the M750i is expected to hit the market priced above the current 750i but below the range-topping 760Li.

09/25/2012 - Nicolas Popov wrote:

2013 Porsche Panamera GTS

The 2013 Porsche Panamera GTS is a fine example of what happens when a manufacturer makes no compromises. A car every bit at home on the highway, in the canyons, or on the track; seats four in comfort and luxury; holds ample cargo. This is a combination not easily matched.

The Panamera GTS was first introduced in 2011; here in 2013, it’s one of the eight (!) configurations in which the Panamera is available. It sits in the lineup somewhat between the 4S and Turbo configurations, receiving – amongst many other updates – the former’s all wheel drive and naturally-aspirated 4.8L V8 (albeit, with upgraded air filter, intake, and cams, good for 430 HP vs. the 4S’ 400).

In addition, the GTS badge brings with it a host of other unique features, including a lowered ride height, widened front and rear tracks, custom interior trim, a more aggressive front end, and the automatic split rear spoiler from the Turbo.

09/24/2012 - Nicolas Popov wrote:

2013 Audi A8L 3.0T Quattro

For the new model year, the base engine shifts from the long-standing 4.2-liter V-8 to a supercharged 3.0-liter, six-cylinder workhorse that serves duty in as such varied applications as Audi's own S4 compact sport sedan and Porsche's Cayenne S Hybrid SUV. Your first thought might be that the new 3.0-liter engine garners better fuel economy in the A8 than the outgoing V-8, but you'd be wrong. In fact, the 2013 A8 3.0T gets incrementally worse city fuel mileage than the old 4.2 (17 mpg compared with 18), but the freeway mileage stays the same at 28 mpg, as does the combined rating of 21 mpg.

Does the 3.0T make more power than the somewhat elderly 4.2? There again, no. With 333 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque on tap, the six-cylinder engine runs a deficit of 39 hp and 3 lb-ft to its larger predecessor. It does, however, gain an advantage in weight. Our well-equipped long-wheelbase 2013 A8 L tipped our scales at a very acceptable 4353 pounds, compared to 4402 pounds for our regular-wheelbase long-term 2012 A8 4.2. The six-cylinder car also gains an advantage with its window sticker. The base price for a regular-wheelbase 2013 A8 is now "just" $73,095, a savings of more than $6000 on the entry-level 2012 A8. Our A8 L tester starts at $79,395 but is optioned to $84,595.

Given all this, you might be tempted to think of the new base-level A8 as something of an A8 Lite; a car that offers less for less money. But again, you'd be wrong. Acceleration of our long-wheelbase 2013 A8 was nearly on par with our shorter, V-8 powered long-term 2012 car, zipping through the 0-60-mph sprint in 5.3 seconds (compared with 5.1) and nailing the quarter-mile run in 13.8 seconds at a trap speed of 101.3 mph (compared with 13.7 seconds at 103.1 mph). That said, the 2013 A8 L was slightly slower through our figure-eight test, recording a 26.3-second run against our 4.2 long-termer's 25.7-second time (and at a slightly lower average g load, too), but that discrepancy can be partially chalked up to nuances between long- and the slightly more nimble short-wheelbase cars.
Most important, the 2013 A8 L 3.0T feels just as good to drive as the old 4.2 does. Its aluminum-intensive construction allows the big Audi to waft along the road feeling much lighter, smaller, and more tossable than any full-size luxury sedan has a right to. The standard adaptive air suspension does an impressive job of giving a ride that allows the driver to feel in touch with the road, while also soaking up larger surface imperfections. Compared with the big S-Classes and 7 Series of the world, the A8 feels lithe and more responsive -- less of a limousine and more of a sport sedan. That's to say nothing of the long-wheelbase Audi's huge amount of rear legroom.

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