Automotive Reviews

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Nissan Versa, 2012: Budget concious buyers don't have to settle for less

The redesigned 2012 Nissan Versa sedan is small on the outside, big on the inside. Basically, the new Versa sedan is a no-frills, all-business mode of transportation priced between $10,990 for the S model and $15,560 for the SL model. Utilizing a "clean sheet" ground-up design, Nissan approached the Versa redesign with maximizing usable volume space and increasing fuel efficiency. The goal was to create a totally new global platform and drivetrain, reducing the size of engine and transmission, reducing the number of component parts and reducing platform weight. I drove the middle-child of the model range which was the 1.6 SV model configured with a CVT and the optional Convenience Package. After adding floor mats and destination charges, MSRP

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Maserati Gran Turismo Cabrio, 2012: A quick, intoxicating masterpiece

Text/Images by Conrad Dodd Sometimes, something grabs you. It causes an overwhelming feeling. It's unexplainable, illogical. For me, the Maserati GranTurismo Cabrio incites bewildering fascination. The designers at Pininfarina have been turning out automotive masterpieces for 80 years, and this one is no exception to what we’ve come to expect. It’s head versus heart. The car is shockingly stunning. Genius consistencies prevail in the sexy design theme. The taillights, headlights and side-window openings all have a similar sleek shape making the car unmistakable from any angle. The paint is brilliant, and when measured is as thick as my arm compared to many other current manufacturers' specs. The 20-inch wheels come in several available styles all some interpretation of the Maserati

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Bugatti Veyron even impresses police in 225 mph deserts fun runs

Shy of actually driving a Bugatti Veyron, a video of the exclusive car being driven at 225 mph is pretty impressive — even if the car is cruising along in handling mode. So it is with the 2009 video shot by an experience crew showcasing several views and angles in flyby footage. The video was made in conditions reported with 5 mph crosswind and a temperature of 62 degree farenheit. The producers explain that the video was made just across the southern U.S. border. The car was kept in handling more and limited to 225 mph because it was being drivent on roads with uneven surfaces. But on return to Arizona, an law enforcement officer stopped the car, apparently just

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Toyota Prius c, 2012: Prices revealed for four models in expandng hybrid family

Toyota has announced a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) range of $18,950 to $23,230 for the 2012 Prius c which extends Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive to the subcompact segment. The five-door hatchback will arrive at Toyota dealerships in March 2012. Designed to function as a city-friendly vehicle with an engaging driving experience, hatchback utility, and an EPA-estimated city fuel economy rating of 53 mpg, Prius c offers the highest city mpg rating of any vehicle without a plug. The Prius c joins the Prius Family, which includes the third generation Prius Liftback, the new Prius v and the Prius Plug-in Hybrid, which will be available in early 2012. The Prius c will find favor with younger shoppers seeking a smartly

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Hyundai Elantra, 2013: European functionality, more standard features

Hyundai has introduced the 2013 Elantra GT in a North American debut at the Chicago Auto Show. The Elantra GT, which brings five-door functionality and European driving dynamics to the expanding Elantra lineup, is scheduled for dealerships in the summer of 2012 The lineup now includes Elantra Coupe – also making its world debut – and the Elantra sedan, the 2012 North American Car of the Year. Elantra GT is based on the new-generation i30 model designed for the European market. Hightlights for the 2013 Elantra GT include: Fluidic Sculpture’ design, 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with six-speed automatic or manual transmission, 148 horsepower, EPA estimated 28 mpg city, 39 mpg highway, driver knee airbag, hidden rear camera. Hyundai’s signature hexagonal grille

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Buick Regal eAssist mild hybrid, standard engine for 2013

The Buick Regal will come with eAssist hybrid technology in 2013 as standard equipment. A system that provides a light, but effective, secondary electric motor that assists to either motivate the car during slow traffic or to provide an additional boost to the engine, eAssist was initially a $2,000 option for Regals equipped with the Ecotec 2.4 liter engine. According to EPA ratings, the eAssist Regal reaches 25 mpg city and 36 mpg highway. GM will phase out the base 2.4-liter engine which delivers 19 mpg city and 31 mpg highway. No word yet on the 2013 Regal eAssist pricing, but the 2012 model starts at $28,490 excluding an $885 destination charge. If the thought of conservation takes away the

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Mercedes-Benz Citan, minivan targeted for urban use

Limited oil supplies are a reality and turmoil in the mid-east reminds the western world of our precarious dependency on low fuel costs. The trend now is toward smaller vehicles with smaller more fuel efficient engines whenever possible. Ford’s success with the Transit Connect and Nissan’s entry with the E-NV200 quickly come to mind. Mercedes-Benz will also soon offer a small van designed for urban use. Called the Mercedes-Benz Citan – an amalgamation of City and Titan, the new “urban delivery van” will slot in a new segment under the Vito, Sprinter and Vario models, and will be available as a standard panel van, crew bus, and other configurations in various lengths and weights. Once a “niche” market in the

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Fisker Automotive money woes complicate hybrid Karma, Nina development

Fisker Automotive in Fall 2009 was granted a $528 million low-interest loan by the Department of Energy for development and production of next generation plug-in hybrids, the Fisker Karma and Nina. One requirement for the massive funding was that Fisker meet certain deadlines, or milestones, for production of the Karma sedan. When those deadlines were not met, the DOE required modification of the loan terms to incorporate new deadlines for the company's second car, the Nina. Meanwhile, Fisker had to layoff some its workforce as reworking of the loan takes place between the hybrid carmaker and the DOE. Twenty-six people at the Delaware plant and a number of contract engineers at Fisker headquarters located in Anaheim, California, were cut from

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Range Rover, 2012: Luxury, style, attitude, hefty price

The 2012 Range Rover, the legendary British SUV, combines luxury and prestige with goat-like off-road abilities and still can't be topped for snob appeal. The large, beautifully crafted Range Rover is priced at $79,425 to $94,820 and shares its V-8 with Jaguar. One engine is a 5-liter V-8 with 375 horsepower. The other is a supercharged version of that engine with a whopping 510 horsepower. Both engines work with a responsive, smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission, with manual shifting mode. I tested the 2012 Range Rover with the 375-horsepower V-8, rated at 12 miles per gallon in the city and 18 on highways. But the range is decent because a driver should be able to get 20 miles per gallon during

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Super Bowl commercials: Jerry Seinfeld, Darth Vader, singing dogs all selling cars

Bolstered by Volkswagen's clever presence of a young child dressed in a Darth Vader outfit, automakers made a big comeback last year in Super Bowl advertising. And carmakers will combine in this year's extravaganza as the largest-spending industry. Volkswagen will return different Darth Vadar and Star Wars' takes this year. Acura, Audi, Chrysler, Kia, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Lexus and Toyota, among other auto-related companies, will also advertise and will be among the sold out 70 commercial spots in the Feb. 5 game between the New York Giants and New England Patriots. Commercial positions for this year's Super Bowl were already taken by late last November, with one slot reportedly selling for $4 million. Ad sales during the Super Bowl, according

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Volvo S60, 2012: Still sturdy, safe (and now) sporty after all these years

Introduced 12 years ago as the carmaker's first major departure in a few decades from its box-on-wheels reputation, the Volvo S60 is now in its second generation. The 2012 edition is offered in three trims, including the most-sports-car-like Volvo yet, the S60 T6 AWD R SR. That's a lot of numbers and letters for a model. But what the alphabet soup name means for potential buyers is 325 horsepower, a turbo-charged six-cylinder engine with a six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The R means "R-Design Elements" and that translates into the car's sportiness with a handful of features — 18-inch alloy wheels to sport tuning and lower front and rear spoilers to the signature Volvo blue watch dial instrument cluster.

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Honda, Matthew Broderick team for Ferris Bueller homage Super Bowl commercial

About a quarter century after Matthew Broderick debuted in his now cult classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off, the veteran Broadway actor and Honda have collaborated on a 2 1/2-minute homage to the movie for a Super Bowl commercial touting the 2012 Honda CR-V. In the 1986 film, a high school wise guy (Bueller played by Broderick) is determined to have a day off from school, despite of what the principal thinks of that. To celebrate the launch of the all-new 2012 CR-V, Honda brought Ferris Bueller's Day Off back. The carmaker has featured Broderick skipping out on a day of acting work and living it up in his all-new CR-V. As Honda describes: "Think you're a true fan of Ferris

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President Obama's former Chrysler 300 back on eBay — $1 million

The 2005 Chrysler 300C leased by President Barack Obama in July 2004 with two miles on the odometer, is back for up for auction again on eBay for $1 million. The vehicle, which features a host of options — leather seats to CD player — did not sell for the same $1 million during its recent first eBay auction. In the comments, the seller writes: "We have the original Illinois title showing this vehicle was actually used by Barack. 19,000 miles driven when this vehicle was Obama's – I'm sure many of them were highway miles back & forth from Chicago to Springfield since Barack was an Illinois State Senator during 2004. "He won election to the U.S. Senate in

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BMW X6, 2012: sturdy crossover has keen craftsmanship, hefty price

Now approaching its fourth birthday, the BMW X6 is touted as a Sports Activity Coupe. It's a mixed, odd offering — a small, luxury sport utility vehicle meshed with a high-performance sports coupe. It's built with the X5, it similar sibling (they share platforms) in Greer, South Carolina. In addition three standard offerings, including a turbocharged V8, a hybrid X6, called the BMW Concept X6 ActiveHybrid, debuted in 2009. The Weekly Driver Test Drive In its assessment, U.S. News & World Report noted: "If you’re in the market for a practical SUV, the BMW X6 definitely isn’t it." Rarely has so much been said in a car review in so few words. During my week with the base model xDrive35i,

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Toyota Highlander, 2012: Tackles family, weekend duties with ease

The 2012 Toyota Highlander is a three-row crossover that offers a choice between four-cylinder and V6 power, front-wheel drive (FWD) and full-time, four-wheel drive (4WD). The Highlander Hybrid, with EPA fuel economy estimates of 28/28-mpg city/highway, provides a nice blend of performance and fuel economy. The 2012 Highlander is available in Highlander, SE and Limited grades with either front-wheel drive (FWD) or full-time four-wheel-drive (4WD). A 270-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 is standard on the Limited grade and available with other models. All Highlander Hybrids are equipped with four-wheel-drive with intelligence and are available in Highlander and Limited grades. Standard engine for the Base and SE models is a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine which produces 187 horsepower at 5,800 RPM and 186 lb.-ft.

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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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