Automotive News

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Buick Regal GS, 2012: Fast, handsome competition for Audi, Acura

Buick’s fast 1965-74 GS (Gran Sport) muscle cars were far more luxurious than some rivals. The 2012 Buick Regal GS revives the “GS” name in fine style. This time around, though, the mid-size GS is a fast, handsome rival to foreign sedans from Audi and Acura. The new Regal GS has a decidedly European feel because it was largely engineered by General Motors’ Opel unit in Germany. It thus has a taut, supple ride, confident handling and a refined demeanor. The 2012 Regal also is offered with an 182-horsepower four-cylinder, which makes it feel a little underpowered, and a turbocharged 220-horsepower four-cylinder. The GS has an advanced engine that easily outdoes those motors. The old GS models had big V-8s,

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Chevrolet Sonic, 2012: Supple ride in automaker's best-ever economy car

The new 2012 Chevrolet Sonic is the best subcompact car the manufacturer has produced. But, looking at Chevy history, that may not be saying a lot. Its tinny, troublesome 1970s Vega is still remembered by many as being one of the worst small cars from Detroit. However, it’s a different auto world now. The Sonic is derived from General Motor’s German Opel Corsa and provides larger-car refinement and driving kicks. The front-drive Sonic replaces the lackluster Aveo and is Chevrolet's newest small car, although it feels larger inside than it looks from the outside. The Sonic is among the new crop of small, upscale U.S. cars. American automakers have finally learned how to make money with small family cars. Formidable

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Volkswagen goes to the dogs in Stars Wars homage Super Bowl commerical

Volkswagen may have outdone itself. As if fathers and sons and Darth Vader and Star Wars weren’t the perfect combination for one of the most popular Super Bowl commercials in history, how about dogs playing Star Wars characters and barking the famous movie’s ominous theme song? Last year, the “Mini Darth Vader” commercial was the outright favorite in the Super Bowl. It’s generated more than 40 million page views on VW’s YouTube channel. This year, VW has produced a video for a video of its television commercial “The Bark Side.” It will be broadcast in the third quarter of the Super Bowl on Feb 5. The carmaker has replaced the child dressed like Darth Vader with several dogs in custom

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Hyundai claims another honor via J.D. Power's customer loyalty crown

Hyundai has claimed another honor, the time it's been ranked highest among all automotive brands in J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Customer Retention Study. Now in its ninth year, the study measures the rate at which automotive brands retain their existing customers and examines the reasons why customers remain loyal. Hyundai earned the top spot in the study, improving its retention rate by four percentage points from 2010 to 64 percent in 2012. According to J.D. Power and Associates, Hyundai's increased retention rate is shaped by its expanding model lineup, as well as the fact that perceptions of the brand's quality and appeal have continued to improve during the past decade. The 2012 Hyundai Elantra was a top pick among

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BMW recalls 235,000 Minis globally with engine fire potential

BMW is recalling more than 300,000 of its Mini-branded cars globally, including nearly 89,000 in the United States, because of faulty water pumpas and the potentiall the problem could leading to engine fires. Three months ago, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened up a defects investigation, citing a dozen reports of fires in the vehicles manufactured by BMW. Among the 12 reports, five of the fires reportedly destroyed the cars, but there were not injuries. The recall in the U.S. will comprise of seven models of the Mini series in model year from 2007-2011, including: 2007-11 Cooper S; 2008-11 Cooper S Clubman; 2009-11 Cooper S convertible; 2011 Cooper S Countryman; and the 2009-11 John Cooper Works, John Cooper

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Nissan Xterra, 2012: Rugged, comfortable, keep off-road

Named after the off-road triathlon race series that began in 1996 as the Aquaterra, the Nissan Xterra was introduced in 2000 as a compact sport utility. Nissan ended its sponsorship of the multi-sport event in 2006, but the vehicle bearing the same name remains. It's now in its fourth generation, the 2012 edition is largely unchanged from the previous year's model. The Xterra was Nissan's entry-level SUV until the arrival of the 2008 Nissan Rogue. In the model lineup, the Xterra is priced between the Rogue and the Murano. The Weekly Driver Test Drive For my week's test, I drove the PRO-4X edition, the most off-road geared of three Xtrerra trims. It feature all-terrain tires, skid plates, locking rear differential,

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Nissan Murano, 2012: Flagship SUV offers smooth drive as segment leader

By Mary Ellen Ash In the highly competitive crossover SUV segment, Nissan offers buyers its flagship, the five-passenger Murano. First presented almost a decade ago, the Murano has stood apart from its competitors for years and is still an industry leader. Its appeal goes deeper than ts distinctive styling — the drive quality is also a step above the rest. The combination of Nissan’s strong 260 horsepower 3.5L V6 engine, smooth shifting CVT, well-tuned suspension, and a plethora of features adds up to a crossover that rides like an oversized Maxima. New for this year, the 2012 Nissan Murano is available in five trim levels each with varied specifications to attract potential buyers. Build & Styling It’s always nice to

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Harley-Davidson, Triumph, Star have new 2012 cruisers

Three Gorgeous New Cruisers Here’s a look at three new cruisers you’d love to ride down the beautiful open road. Good-looking cruisers are fun to ride, but it’s even more fun knowing you have nothing to worry about. Make sure to wear a helmet and get in touch with MotorcycleInsurance.com before hitting the road. Star Motorcycles Raider S A great new cruiser and head-turner is the Star Motorcycles Raider S. Star Motorcycles is a subsidiary of Yamaha, and their cruising bikes are quite impressive. The Raider S is a sleek and powerful machine that resembles a custom semi-chopper. This cruiser features a 113 cubic inch V-twin engine with a 5-speed transmission and belt drive. A double cradle raked swingarm frame, 5-spoke

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NAIAS hits and misses: Ford Fusion 2013, Honda Accord Coupe, 2013

After several media-only days, the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), often called the Detroit Auto Show, is now open to public for the next week or so. Ford and Honda — two of the expected most popular manufacturers — are getting a lot of attention, but for opposite reasons. The 2013 Ford Fusion is getting heavily praised and has been selected by Yahoo Autos as one of the top five hits of the NAIAS. The 2012 Honda Accord Coupe has been selected by Justin Hyde of Yahoo Autos as one of the top give misses. Here's what Yahoo wrote about the Ford Fusion: "Like anything popular, midsize sedans can get boring fast. The new Fusion, which Ford will sell

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NAIAS 2012: Honda Accord Coupe 2013, Scion FR-S 2013, Toyota Prius C 2013

Honda Accord Coupe Concept Honda unveiled the Accord Coupe Concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, providing the first official glimpse of the athletic styling direction, as well as revealing new technologies for the ninth-generation 2013 model. It's set to go on-sale this fall. The 2013 Accord will feature three new powertrains, including the first U.S. application of both a 2.4-liter direct-injected engine and two-motor plug-in hybrid system from Honda's suite of next-generation Earth Dreams powertrain technologies. In addition, the V-6 Accord will be the first Honda sedan to feature a six-speed automatic transmission. The Accord Sedan and the Accord Coupe models are expected to achieve class-leading fuel economy ratings and will be available many new safety

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Ford recalls 450,000 SUVs, minivans for potential fire, crash woes

Ford is recalling nearly 500,000 minivans and sport utility vehicles manufactured in the past decade, including the Escape, Freestar and Mercury Monterey for mechanical concerns potentially resulting in crashes and engine fires. The Dearborn, Mich., automaker is recalling 205,896 Freestar and Mercury Monterey minivans (2004-2005 models) because their torque converter output shaft may fail resulting in a loss of sudden loss of power. Ford is also recalling 244,530 Escape SUVs (2001-2002 models) because their brake master cylinder reservoir cap could leak brake fluid, prompting potential corrosion and a subsequent fire. Ford detailed said it will inform owners of the affected cars and that dealers will replace the parts for free. Ford said it will first begin notifying Escape owners the

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NAIAS 2012: Acura NSX, Acura ILX, Hyundai Veloster Turbo, Hyundai Genesis Coupe

By Megan Green Acura ILX Concept As the Acura brand enters its second 25 years as Honda’s premium luxury-performance automobile brand, a concept version of the Acura ILX luxury compact sedan and a prototype of the 2013 RDX crossover sports utility vehicle were also unveiled. Acura has big plans for the 2013 ILX Concept, a luxury compact sedan, to attract a new generation of buyers to the brand. The aerodynamic, fluid lines and understated Acura design cues might just be inviting enough to achieve this goal. Acura introduces its first ever gas-electric hybrid in the 2013 ILX with a 1.5-liter gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain; two standard gasoline powertrain options will also be available – the base model will have a 2.0-liter

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Kia Sorento, 2012: More horsepower adds clout to unheralded SUV

Manufactured since 2002 and refreshed last year to begin its second decade, the Kia Sorento is a midsize crossover Sport Utility Vehicle continuing to find its niche market in the crowded SUV segment. It offers the unique combination of third row of seating, nimble handling and impressive fuel economy for its segment, and it's among the few SUVs with more than a 30 mpg freeway mileage average. Available in base, LX, EX and SX models, the 2012 Kia Sorento offers a first — an optional direct-injection 2.4-liter four-cylinder that adds 16 more horsepower. It's a keen addition that boosts the horsepower to 191 and gives potential buyers an dded reason to consider the unheralded South Korean offering. The Weekly Driver

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Cadillac ATS, 2013: Agile, lightweight, hi-tech, luxurious (video)

Hoping to compete in the increasingly popular trend of small luxury cars, the 2013 Cadillac ATS, a compact sports sedan and the smallest vehicle in the 107-year-old carmaker's history, has debuted at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The Cadillac ATS, which will be available in dealerships nationwide in the summer of 2012, is being marketed as the most agile and lightweight Cadillac. It weights less than 3,400 pounds. The ATS will be available in two four-cylinder engines and as a V-6. They new sedan will range from 200 to about 320 horsepower, and will be available in rear-wheel or all-wheel drive and with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. Cadillac hopes it can challenge segment

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Hyundai Elantra 2012 takes another honor — North American Car of the Year

Another day, another award for Hyundai. And this time, it's among the most prestigious honors. The Hyundai Elantra defeated the Volkswagen Passat and Ford Focus and was selected as 2012 North American Car of the Year. A jury of 50 independent North American automotive journalists evaluated each of the new cars introduced last year and chose the 2012 Hyundai Elantra at a news conference at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The honor marks Hyundai’s second win. The Hyundai Genesis was named North American Car of the Year in 2009. “Elantra speaks to the success of our recipe of bold design and great fuel economy,” said John Krafcik, president and chief executive officer, Hyundai Motor America. “In

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Rolls-Royce still rolling strong, sets all-time sales record in 2011

Rolls-Royce, the ultraluxury centenarian automaker, sold more cars in 2011 than it has in any year in its 107-year history, its owner BMW AG has announced. While breaking a sales record that stood for 33 years, Rolls0-Royce sold 3,538 cars last year, most notably via the Ghost Extended Wheelbase model, which debuted in April 2011. The new sales figures marked a 31 percent increase from Rolls Royce sales in 2010. Rolls-Royce‘s previous annual sales record dates to 1978, when it sold 3,347 cars. “We had an outstanding year,” Rolls-Royce brand chief Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes said in a statement. “We’re expanding our dealership network, entering new markets such as South America and expanding our production facility in Goodwood to meet rising demand

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