Automotive Reviews

Scion debuts 2012 limited production models in Texas

The Scion 2012 xD Series 4.0 (xD RS 4.0) and xB Series 9.0 (xB RS 9.0) debuted Sept. 29 State Fair of Texas, with limited release models featuring as standard equipment a new Pioneer audio system that features Bluetooth hands-free, streaming audio and HD Radio technology. The two Scions will begin arriving at dealer showrooms in October and the debuting will be available for viewing at the Scion booth at the State Fair of Texas until October 23. The 2012 xD Release Series 4.0 The 2012 xD Release Series 4.0 (xD RS 4.0) comes exclusively in a premium Blizzard Pearl exterior paint and is upgraded with 16-inch alloy wheels finished in a smoked platinum color. Scion will only build 800

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Camaro ZL1, 2012: Rick Hendrick gets No. 1 for $250,000

Several days after the announcement of the public sale of the first production model of the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, more details of the Barrett-Jackson auction in Las Vegas are available. To wit: * Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, a the NASCAR team that employs several drivers, including Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, purchased the car for $250,000; * The proceeds of the sale will benefit the YMCA of Southern Nevada; * Hendrick will take delivery of the 69th ZL1 coupe (to commemorate the 1969 Camaro ZL1, of which only 69 were ever produced) and the only one painted in Carbon Flash Metallic, in winter 2012; * The 2012 ZL1 has a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 with for 580 horsepower

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Dodge Viper blazes to record lap at famed Nurburgring

The Dodge Viper and the Nurburgring Nordschleife track in Germany share iconic but unrelated speed status in the automotive world. Now the famed racetrack and the fastest factory built street legal race car share more. The Dodge Viper SRT10, with its 600HP V10 engine, recently set the record lap time of 7 minutes, 12.13 seconds on the famed 12.9-mile track. ViperExchange sent two new Viper ACR cars from Tomball Dodge in Tomball, Texas to Germany where one was piloted by GT class driver Dominik Farnbacher to the record. The Viper ACR held the record on the track previously with a time of 7:22.1, a record that stood through most of 2011. The Viper ACR holds records at 19 different racetracks

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Ashton Kutcher goes green with Fisker Karma TV role

Ashton Kutcher is a spokesperson for digital cameras, among other products, and the former child actor married to Demi Moore is among the most popular celebrities on Twitter. Now he's also given Fisker Automotive its biggest dose of mainstream exposure. The 2012 Fisker Karma was featured for the first time Sept. 26 in what is scheduled as a recurring role in the newly revamped television program Two And a Half Men. In its supporting role, the Fisker Karma is driven by Kutcher's character, Walden Schmidt. Kutcher replaced Charlie Sheen, who departed the show in controversy last year during his reign as the highest paid actor on television. The Fisker Karma is a plug-in hybrid luxury sports sedan from the Los

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Honda CR-V, 2012: Some new, some old for LA debut

The 2012 Honda CR-V, the fourth generation of the best-selling sport utility vehicle in the United States, will debut as a concept at the Orange County International Auto Show and then will debut in its production model at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The 2011 and 2012 models are similar but the new year model has a more angular front end, with a large three-bar grille and more rounded tailgate. Additionally, the vertical taillamps have been will now resemble the design on Civic and Accord models. Although specifications haven't been released, Honda said the 2012 CR-V will be more fuel efficient and weigh less than the current edition. The 2012 edition will also have a redesigned interior. Honda has sold

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Ferrari unveils 458 Spider price: 257K in U.S, 309K in Europe

The Ferrari 458 Spider, which replaces the 430 Spider and features an aluminum retractable hardtop, will be priced at $257,000 in the United States and will be available to the public in January 2012, according to the Italian manufacturer. In Europe, where sales of the car begin in October, the Ferrari 458 Spider will cost 226,800 euros or about $309,000 with current exchange rates. Ferrari customers in Europe also usually spend the equivalent of 15-20 percent on top of the car’s list price to purchase personalization items from the company’s Carrozzeria Scaglietti program. These items include carbon fiber seats ($7,800) and a rearview camera ($3,600). The aluminum top replaces the canvas top offered on its predecessor. Webasto AG supplies the

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Toyota Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, 2012: diversity rules

The 2012 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid move into 2012 as three-row crossovers that offer a four-cylinder or V6 power, front-wheel drive (FWD), full-time four-wheel drive (4WD) as well as a hybrid that provides a class-leading 28/28 mpg city/highway fuel economy ratings. All Highlander 2012 models feature a standard 50/50 split third-row seat and rear climate control for customer comfort and flexibility. The 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 for the others. All Highlander Hybrid models are equipped with four-wheel-drive with intelligence and are available in Highlander and Limited grades. The Toyota Highlander offers three performance

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Nissan Murano, 2011: No beauty queen, but makeover works

Those who want a sporty crossover vehicle with SUV utility should check out the 2011 Nissan Murano. The second-generation Murano — one of the original “crossover” vehicles — benefits from improved styling and a solid reputation for comfort, performance and utility. The technically advanced Murano was introduced seven years ago and was overhauled for 2009. While no beauty queen despite a sculptured exterior, the latest Murano looks better, thanks to a revised grille and front bumper and freshened taillights. There are redesigned standard 18-inch aluminum wheels and 20-inch alloy wheels for the top-line LE trim level. All 2011 Muranos also have interior and content additions, and there’s a new mid-range   SV model. Front seats for all Muranos have been designed

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Toyota Venza, 2012: More variety for sporty crossover

The 2012 Toyota Venza, the combination sports sedan and crossover and available in LE, XLE and Limited models, expands the previous one-style only model and features a sport-sedan design with crossover versatility. Offered with a with four-cylinder, V6, front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), the Venza Limited comes with the V6 engine only and with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive configurations. The Venza’s standard 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine delivers 182 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 182 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,200 rpm. The four-cylinder Venza is EPA-rated at 21 MPG city/-27 MPG highway for the FWD model. The 3.5-liter V6 produces 268 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 246 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,700 rpm. The V6 FWD model has EPA-estimated

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Unique Carbon Camaro ZL1, 2012 sells for $250,000

The first and only 2012 Camaro ZL1 with a carbon exterior has been purchased in Las Vegas for $250,000 by Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. The transaction occurred at the Barrett-Jackson auction Sept. 23 when the iconic Camaro was offered by Fairway Chevrolet-Buick-GMC. One hundred percent of the auction proceeds benefitting the YMCA of Southern Nevada. Hendrick expected to take delivery of his new Camaro in the first quarter of 2012. It will be the 69th ZL1 produced at the Oshawa Assembly Plant, in tribute of the legendary 1969 Camaro ZL1, of which only 69 were produced. "Like the original, the 2012 Camaro ZL1 introduces a performance benchmark for the street and the track," said Russ Clark, marketing director

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Ferrari Italia 458 outdrives Lotus, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz

The Ferrari 458 Italia has outdriven 10 of the word's most renowned cars, Audi to Mercedes-Benz, Lotus to Porsche, according to Motor Trend. The automotive magazine named the Ferrari 458 Italia as the "2011 Best Driver's Car" after the 11-lap racetrack drag race and racetrack hot-lapping. Motor Trend drafted a crew of 25 editors, photographers, video producers, championship-winning race driver Randy Pobst and Le Mans class winner/TV host Justin Bell, to test, review and film the cars in the competition's history over six days. The competition required daily driving, hot lapping on Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, plus the full battery of Motor Trend performance tests. "The 458 Italia is easily the best mid-engined Ferrari road car yet," said Angus MacKenzie,

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Toyota Camry Hybrid, 2012: More car, less money

The 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid will feature a slightly larger engine and, depending on the model, will be priced $800-$1,000 cheaper than the 2011 versions. The base model 2012 Camry Hybrid will be priced $25,900, approximately $1,000 less than the 2011 model. The premium will be priced at $27,400, a decrease of $800 from last year’s model. Equipped with the company’s Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain, the new Camry features a four-cylinder, 2.5 liter engine that can produce 200 horsepower. It has a combined fuel economy of 41 mpg. During the Green Drive Expo, a recent media brand launch in Richmond, Calif., the Toyota Camry hybrid presented itself well. It's handsomely designed with a spacious cabin, upgraded trim and, most importantly,

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Toyota Prius, 2012: Some old, some new for hybrid leader

The 2012 Toyota Prius will retain many of the same features offered in the hybrid's third generation that debuted in 2010. But new year models of the United States' best-selling hybrid will also offer exterior and interior upgrades. In other words, Toyota knows it has a good thing, but it's tweaking its existing offering while other manufacturers continue their quest to gain increased shares of the still-small hybrid market. For 2012: The Prius will feature updated headlamps and tail lamps, plus a new front fascia and bumper; The Prius Two will feature 15-inch wheel covers for 2012 and standard LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL); The Prius Three will feature a standard three-door Smart Key entry system; The Prius Four will

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Jennifer Lopez takes new love Fiat for a hot, hard ride

Jennifer Lopez has influence in the worlds of fashion and pop music. Fiat also believes the singer/actress is also an ideal spokesperson to market the newly re-introduced Fiat 500. A 2012 Fiat 500 Cabriolet is featured in a 30-second trailer for Jennifer Lopez’s new “Papi” video. The trailer first aired during the first “Monday Night Football” game on ESPN at the start of the 2011 NFL season. The commercial is also featured on other networks. “Like the Fiat consumer, Jennifer Lopez sees the world as her canvas and is not afraid to express herself; she is continuously drawn to projects that are authentic and real,” Olivier Francois, chief marketing officer for the Chrysler Group, said via a press release. “Jennifer

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Scion xD, 2012: More hi-tech, still low-priced sub-compact

The 2012 Scion xD five-door urban subcompact vehicle, which will come standard with several Bluetooth features and HD Radio, will have a MSRP of $15,345 and $16,145 for the five-speed manual and the four-speed automatic transmissions respectively. The xD truly focuses on youth with its all-new standard AM/FM/CD/HD/USB 160-watt maximum output Pioneer audio system. New standard features for 2012 include HD Radio technology and Bluetooth connectivity that allows hands-free phone connection and streaming audio capability. Streaming audio allows compatible phone or personal media devices to pair with the audio system and listen to music through the vehicles sound system. The audio system also features an organic electroluminescent (OEL) screen with a personalized welcome screen, iPod/USB connectivity, Advanced Sound Retriever (ASR)

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John Travolta’s vintage Mercedes-Benz stolen in California

John Travolta is as passionate about vintage transportation as any aficionado. He’s driven vintage cars in films and he’s a pilot who owns a Boeing 707. But the veteran actor is now also a victim of the vast world of auto theft. Travolta’s 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SL has been stolen. Then incident occurred quickly on Sept. 18 in Santa Monica, Calif., when Travolta stopped for 10 minutes at a Jaguar dealership. The actor’s vintage Mercedes was gone when he returned from the dealership. Travolta then re-visited the dealership and waited for law enforcement officers to file a crime report. According to several media outlets, there are no suspects, nor witnesses to the theft. Travolta owns numerous vintage cars, including a Rolls

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