Sunday, November 24, 2013

2015 Chevrolet Colorado Coming In The Fall Of 2014


The all-new 2015 Chevrolet Colorado has a 193 horsepower 2.5L I-4 engine as standard with an available 302 horsepower 3.6L V-6, both matched with a six-speed automatic transmission, and the 2.5L is available with a six-speed manual transmission on extended cab 2WD Work Truck models. Colorado will also offer a Duramax 2.8L I-4 turbodiesel in its second year. Colorado has the WT, LT and Z71 trim levels in 2WD or 4WD. The Colorado goes on sale in Fall 2014 as a 2015 model. Chevrolet will continue to work on and develop the Colorado until the start of production in 2014.

BMW Concept X4 Destined For Reality


The BMW Concept X4 is a smaller version of the X6 Sports Activity Coupe measuring 183 inches long, 75.4 inches wide and 63.9 inches high on a 110.6 inch wheelbase and, like the other BMW X models will be built at the BMW plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina which exports vehicles globally. So those dreaming of an X6 but have shallower pockets, this could be the answer.

BMW 4 Series Convertible Starts At $49,675 In First Quarter 2014



The new BMW 4 Series Convertible with a three-piece retractable hardtop will be offered as a 428i with a 240 horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder TwinPower Turbo and as a 435i with a 300 horsepower 3.0-liter inline six TwinPower Turbo, both mated to a standard 8-speed sport automatic transmission.


The 428i Convertible will be offered with a choice of rear-wheel drive or with optional xDrive all-wheel drive system, while the 435i Convertible will be available at launch with rear wheel drive. The 2014 BMW 428i Convertible will have a base MSRP of $49,675, and the 2014 BMW 435i Convertible will have a starting price of $55,825 (including $925 destination and handling). The 2014 BMW 4 Series Convertible will arrive in US showrooms in the first quarter of 2014.

Maserati Ghibli Now On Sale Starting At $65,000

 
The all-new Maserati Ghibli four-door sedan is now on sale in the U.S. with plans to build 50,000 cars a year by 2015. Starting at $65,000, the Ghibli has a 350 horsepower twin turbo-charged, 3.0-litre V6 gas engine and the choice of rear- or all-wheel drive and starting at $75,000, the Ghibli S, has 410 horsepower with a zero to 62 mph of 5.0 seconds and stretches out to a top speed of 176 mph. The Ghibli, the Ghibli S, the Ghibli S Q4 and the Ghibli Diesel all utilize an eight-speed automatic transmission.


Features include the Maserati Touch Control screen, adjustable pedals, reversing camera, Poltrona Frau leather interior and the 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkes audio system, as well as WLAN-based WiFi and compatibility with most modern mobile phone systems. This is a stand-out at the L.A. Auto Show. MPG figures are 15 city/22 highway but this is a performance car giving you the Ferrari Maserati design and technology for a great entry level price.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

2015 Porsche Macan Arrives Next Spring For $49,900


The 2015 Porsche Macan S compact SUV starting at $49,900 is powered by a 340 horsepower 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engine with a zero to 60 mph acceleration of 5.0 seconds while the Turbo variant starting at $72,300 has a 400 horsepower 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6 with a zero to 60 mph time of 4.4 seconds. Porsche expects to sell 10,000 Macans in the first year after it arrives at U.S. dealerships in late spring of next year. The Macan will attempt to compete with the Audi Q5 and BMW X3.

Honda Accord Selected As 2014 Green Car Of The Year


The Honda Accord, which gets 47 miles per gallon city and 46 highway, Accord Hybrid which gets 50mpg on the highway, and Accord Plug-In Hybrid, which can go 115 miles on one gallon of gas, were all selected as the Green Car of the Year® 2014 beating out the Audi A6 TDI, BMW 328d, Mazda3, and Toyota Corolla. Two years ago the Honda Civic CNG took the honor.

MPG's Innovation Vehicle of the Year (IVY) Award Winners


Under $29,000 Category: Mazda3



$29,000 and Over Category: Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Range Rover Long-Wheelbase Autobiography Black Edition For $185,000

The Range Rover Long-Wheelbase Autobiography Black edition, which has a starting MSRP of 185,000, has nearly eight inches more rear seat legroom than standard-wheelbase models and an increased seatback recline of 17 degrees. Rather pricy and it looks like the Black edition is white.

Audi A3 Becomes A Smartphone Next Spring


Next Spring you'll be able to buy an Audi A3 sedan with secure high-speed wireless Internet connections with download speeds of up to 100 Mbps giving you access to picture navigation with Google Earth™ and Google Street View, high-definition video streaming for up to eight devices, read-aloud news headlines, Facebook and Twitter alerts, access to more than 7,000 Web radio stations, personalized RSS news feeds, and more. The 4G LTE connectivity powered by Qualcomm Technologies’ second generation LTE chipset, the Qualcomm® Gobi™ MDM 9215 is the same technology found in smartphones and tablets. Can a driver really enjoy all these visual options or is it just more driving distractions and reasons for kids to fight with no need to talk to the other people in the car. Really? Shouldn't we focus on the road? How long a commute justifies all this technology?

2015 Nissan GT-R and GT-R NISMO Coming Soon

The 2015 Nissan GT-R is refreshed offering a smoother ride with fine-tuned suspension, braking and steering and multi-LED headlights. The Nissan GT-R goes on sale in Japan on December 2, to be followed by other markets worldwide.

The Nissan GT-R NISMO with a 600 horsepower 3.8-liter V6 VR38DETT engine will be available in Japan in late February 2014, U.S. and Europe later in 2014.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Bentley Flying Spur Is A Fast Luxury Sedan

 
The Bentley Flying Spur with a 616 horsepower 6.0-liter twin turbo W12 engine sprints from 0-60 mph in just 4.3 seconds will be on display with the 2014 Bentley Mulsanne and Continental GTC V8 at the Los Angles Auto Show this week and next. Bentley's worldwide sales through the end of September increased nine per cent to 6,516 cars. The Americas remains Bentley’s largest market and accounted for 2,022 cars which represented a 16 percent increase over the previous year and 31 percent of all sales.

Acura RLX Sport Hybrid Coming This Spring At 30 MPG

The Acura RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD luxury-performance sedan which uses Acura's new three-motor hybrid powertrain technology combining a direct-injected 310-horsepower 3.5-liter i-VTEC® V-6 engine with two high-output 27-kilowatt electric motors mated to a 7-speed dual clutch transmission with built-in electric motor and an electrically powered variant of Acura's torque-vectoring Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD)  launches next spring. The RLX Sport Hybrid with Variable Cylinder Management™ that includes an idle-stop feature to help maximize fuel efficiency is expected to get 28mpg city/32 mpg highway for a combined 30mpg EPA rating.

Friday, November 15, 2013

2013 J.D. Power U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index Study


J.D. Power's SSI study says satisfaction is highest among new-vehicle buyers who are presented with pricing/payment options on a computer screen or tablet (833), followed by a computer printout (820); verbal price quotes (792); and hand-written figures (780). Rankings are based on the experiences of both buyers and rejecters. Overall sales satisfaction improves 9 points year over year to 673 in 2013. The 2013 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study is based on responses from 29,040 buyers who purchased or leased their new vehicle in April or May 2013. 

Courtesy J.D. Power

Volkswagen CrossBlue Coupé Concept Coming To L.A. Next Week


Volkswagen CrossBlue Coupé concept is 192.5 inches long, 79.3 inches wide and 66.1 inches high with a turbocharged direct-injection (TSI) V6 gasoline engine that works together with two electric motors to produce as much as 415 horsepower with a 0 to 60 mph time of just 5.8 seconds and a top speed of 147 mph. The CrossBlue Coupé can be driven as a zero emissions EV for up to 13 miles at a maximum speed of 75 mph. The CrossBlue Coupé has a manufacturer estimated combined fuel consumption of 70 MPGe.


In hybrid mode, it allows for a theoretical range of around 570 miles. Powered by its lithium-ion battery, the CrossBlue Coupé can cover a distance of up to 13 miles in pure electric mode with a top speed is limited to 75 mph. In EV mode, only the 114-hp rear electric motor provides propulsion. In all-electric driving, the V6 TSI engine is decoupled from the drivetrain by opening the clutch, and the engine is shut off. As soon as there is a need for gasoline power, because of the battery charge or other parameters, it is coupled to the drivetrain again, jolt-free, within fractions of a second. The powertrain is made up of a 295-horsepower EA390-series V6 TSI engine mated to a six-speed DSG® dual-clutch automatic transmission. The vehicle’s electrical architecture includes a lithium-ion battery mounted in the center tunnel as well as a pair of electric motors: 54 horsepower at the front and 114 horsepower at the back.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Ford Ka Concept Could Turn Into Big Global Selling Car


Ford Ka Concept compact hatchback with comfortable seating for five developed by Ford Brazil and just shown there, could launch in 2014

Volkswagen e-Golf Debuts Next Week, Arrives In A Year

 
Volkswagen e-Golf fully electric vehicle, powered by a 115-horsepower electric motor and 24.2 kWh lithium-ion battery, will debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show next week and go on sale in the U.S. in select states in the fourth quarter of 2014. The average range for the e-Golf is between 70 and 90 miles and the EEM-85 synchronous permanent-magnet AC motor develops 199 pound-feet of torque getting the e-Golf to25 mph from rest in 4.2 seconds and to 60 mph in approximately 10.4 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 87 mph. Standard Fast Charging capability allows 80 percent battery charge within 30 minutes.

2015 Lincoln MKC Small SUV Arrives Next Summer

The all-new 2015 Lincoln MKC small premium utility will offer an available all-new 275 horsepower 2.3-liter EcoBoost® turbocharged four-cylinder engine in addition to the standard 240 horsepower 2.0-liter EcoBoost powerplant when it begins arriving to Lincoln dealerships next summer.

Monday, November 11, 2013

Kia Soul EV Goes On Sale In U.S. Next Year

The Kia Soul EV, Kia’s first all-electric, zero-emissions vehicle is powered by a 109-hp electric motor, producing 210 lb.-ft. of torque to the front wheels through a single speed constant ratio gear reduction unit, accelerating from 0-62 mph in less than 12 seconds with a top speed in the region of 90 mph. With a high-capacity 27 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack the Soul EV will have a target range of more than 120 miles on a single charge. Recharging times are up to five hours for a fully depleted battery using a standard 240v outlet, or 25 minutes on ‘fast’ charge with 100 kW output. It goes on sale next year.

Friday, November 8, 2013

2014 Kia Forte Koup Kuming Soon


The 2014 Kia Forte Koup, is an all new second-generation model offered in EX and SX trim levels, and adds a 201 horsepowr 1.6-liter GDI turbocharged four-cylinder engine to the standard 173 horsepower 2.0-liter GDI powerplant coming standard with a 6-speed manual transmission and an available 6-speed automatic featuring steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Sales are expected to begin soon.

2014 Kia Optima Gets Updated


The 2014 Kia Optima mid-size sedan, powered by either a 2.4-liter GDI engine on LX, EX and SX (non-turbo) models or a 2.0-liter turbo GDI engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission featuring Sportmatic® clutchless shifting, gets newly designed LED rear lamps, and inside, redesigned seats, new Blind Spot Detection system5, which includes rear cross-traffic alert and rear parking sensors, and new displays, a 4.3-inch TFT LCD instrument cluster and an optional high-resolution 8-inch navigation and telematics screen.