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Nissan Murano, 2012: Quick, sporty SUV fares well in tight market

The Nissan Murano debuted in 2003, but updates have kept it sharp and competitive with other mid-size SUV/crossover vehicles. It’s luxurious enough to wear a badge from Nissan’s upscale Infiniti division. Sculpted body lines and chromed exhaust pipe tips help give the Murano a sporty look, and it has definite sporty performance. The Murano was overhauled for 2009 and updated a bit for 2011, so the 2012 model has small trim changes and the addition of a new Platinum Edition equipped with such things as 20-inch aluminum alloy wheels. There are minor changes for the 2013 Murano. The 2012 Murano,

Concours on the Avenue, Carmel, 2012: Jaguar to Muscle Cars, Maserati to Mercedes-Benz

Concours on the Avenue is an ideal way to begin Monterey Auto Week. It’s low-key with a great mix of automobiles parked on Ocean Ave., and adjoining side streets for a one-day, judged show. The beauty of the show, this year, held Aug. 14, is the combination of the cars and their engaging owners eager to discuss their vehicles w — Bugatti to Buick, Ferrari to Ford Pinto — with the public. And it’s hard to go wrong with a car show stationed in Carmel. The weather was in the mid-60s and the sunshine, as per Monterey Peninsula tradition and

Mazda 5 CX-5, 2013: Comfort, convenience in new crossover

Mazda long has been known for sporty vehicles, and its all-new 2013 CX-5 compact crossover is no exception, with swoopy styling and carlike handling. However, the CX-5 has just average acceleration because it only has a 2-liter, four-cylinder engine with 155-horsepower and weighs approximately 3,500 pounds. It’s no slug, but is designed more for comfort and convenience than 0-60 mph times. For instance, the automatic transmission shifts smoothly, but with no great urgency. It’s tuned more for the best fuel economy—rather than outright performance. The CX-5 is in a tough compact crossover league, with rivals such as the Toyota RAV4,

Monterey Auto Week showcases all things cars, Ferrari to Ford, Bugatti to Bentley

Auto Shows-Museums

Monterey Auto Week is the unofficial name of all things automotive on the Monterey Peninsula during the month of August. The name doesn’t make sense because combined the car-related activities last for about two weeks. The Concours d’Elegance, of course, is the most well-known event during Monterey Auto Week, but my favorite celebration of cars for the last few years has been the Concours on the Avenue. It’s a free, full-day gathering on Ocean Ave. and several side streets in Carmel where a vast collection of automobiles — Bentley to Volkswagen, Ferrari to Porsche — are on display and judged.

NASCAR surprise as Dodge announces exit from Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series

Following the pending defection of its primary partner six months ago, Dodge has announced its departure from NASCAR racing at the end of the season. Dodge currently races in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series, with Penske Racing featuring cars in both divisions. Penske announced in February it will switch to Ford for the 2013 season. Dodge, which earlier this year rebranded itself to SRT Brand and Motorsports, said the Penske move had an impact on the decision. SRT CEO Ralph Gilles said the company had been evaluating all its options for five months before making the decision on Friday.

Fiat 500C, 2012: Italian city car returns with convertible cuteness, driving fun

Three years ago in France I noticed the new Fiat 500 for the first time in the driveway of a country inn. Then I noticed Fiat 500s parked perpendicularly in big city parking lots and zipping along through traffic on congested city streets. What was not to like? With a huge supply of unwavering cuteness, the new 500 hopes to rekindle all the good, clean fun driving traits of Fiat from yesteryear. Available in the United States for the first time in nearly three decades as a 2012 model, the new Fiat also seeks to have as little as possible

Ferrari F12 quickly moves to the front as most powerful street car

No other auto manufacturer attracts more attention than Ferrari, and when the Italian carmaker is touting its newest offering as the most powerful street-legal car it's likely to attract further attention. But if you get Dan Neil, the Pulitzer Prize-winnning journalist, to write about the new Ferrari, then sit down in your favorite chair with a beverage of choice and go along for a journalistic ride with the wondrous wordsmith. Neil's review the F12 appears in the Aug. 4 edition of the newspaper is his weekly column titled Rumble Seat. In an early review paragraph, Neil writes: "Ferrari says the

Barnfinds.com: Auto site for owners and dreamers, Bugatti to Buick

Amid all of the fine automotive sites, Edmunds to Car and Driver, Kelley Blue Book to Motortrend, one new unheralded site has joined best-of-the-best car sites list. It's only slightly more than one-year-old, but it's developed a strong following. It doesn't give tips to find the best prices for a new car or tips for negotiating with salesmen or getting the best insurance prices. Barnfinds.com is the site for anyone who has the same fantasy as car enthusiasts everywhere — finding a classic. Its sub-title is perfect, "Barn Finds, Survivors and Unique Collector Cars For Sale." According the site, based

Kia Optima Hybrid, 2012: Mixes racy style with economy, comfort

The 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid gas-electric sedan offers a good combination of comfort, practicality, style, performance and high fuel economy. The mid-size Optima Hybrid is rather large, as are many current mid-size sedans, and its racy-looking body has a roomy interior. However, the coupe-like styling results in narrow rear door openings and poor visibility through the rear window. (The optional rear camera display thus is a good idea.) The small rear “lip” spoiler is so nicely integrated into the styling that you have to look twice to notice it. But too bad the gas/electric hybrid system prevents use of dual

Infiniti FX35, 2012: Luxury SUV with sports car ride

Now ending its first decade, the Infiniti FX is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV manufactured by Nissan's luxury brand. The FX replaced the QX4 and debuted at the same time as the Porsche Cayenne and Volvo XC90. Sometimes called a "Bionic Cheetah" because of its unique combination of a SUV lower body and sleek upper body, the Infiniti FX blurs the boundaries of a sports car and SUV. It's both performance-oriented and functional, and since 2009 is in its section generation. The Weekly Driver Test Drive My test drive for the week was the Limited Edition. It's less powerful (but

Toyota recalling nearly 800,000 vehicles dating to 2006 with suspension problems

Toyota is recalling nearly 800,000 RAV4 and Lexus vehicles in a six-year span dating to 2006 because of potentially suspension arms. The recall includes 760,000 Toyota RAV4 vehicles from 2006 to 2011 and 18,000 Lexus HS 250h vehicles from 2010. The manufacturer announced that if the nuts on the rear suspension arm are not tightened following the proper procedure and torque specification during a rear wheel alignment service, excessive play may occur at the threaded portion of the arm, followed by rust formation. If the problem occurred, the threaded portion of the rear suspension arm may wear and cause the

MINI Cooper takes on human flight launch in outrageous commercial

MINI takes chances with its videos, which means the iconic brand and its BMW ownership are successful whether the commercials are raging hits or fall flat. But to attempt human flight with John Cooper Works Countryman edition? That takes the carmaker's efforts to an entirely new horizon on the desert? Is the whole thing rigged? Is it real? And could the flying man in the wing suit possibly land on the car? It's up to the viewer's imagination, right? And isn't that one more reason why MINI commercials work so well? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlSxmiCyhCI

Car technology 101: Anatomy of a dashboard

The icon of a human figure with a ball in its chest? A triangle with an exclamation point in the middle? Under the category technology overland, the website carinsurance.org has introduced an instructional infograph to define all of the functions on the dashboard — odometer to warning signs designated with bizarre icons. The website has title the infograph as “What Are All Those Light on My Dashboard?” What are all those lights on my dashboard? So, to define the icons: The human figure in a seated position with ball shape near its chest indicates there’s an electrical problem the car’s airbag

Rare Tesla Roadster owned by George Clooney set for Monterey Auto Week auction

It won't be the first nor likely the last celebrity car sold during Monterey Auto Week. But George Clooney's rare 2008 Tesla Roadster is expected to attract its share of attention during annual collectipn pf vintage and exotic car show and auctions. Clooney owns a Tesla Roadster "Signature 100" model. According to Inside Line, the website property of Edmunds.com, the car has only 1,700 miles on its odometer. The Obsidian Black Metallic Roadster, number 0008 from the run of 100 special editions, will be auctioned by Gooding & Company on Aug. 19. The car features a two-tone leather interior and

Leonardo DiCaprio, Fisker announce equity marriage for plug-in hybrid

Leonardo DiCaprio, the three-time Oscar nominated actor and celebrity environmentalist, has become an equity investor and brand ambassador for Fisker Automotive, the manufacturer of the Karma plug-in hybrid. The timing of DiCaprio's involement is curious since the California-based carmaker recently expanded its recall of its $103,000 Karma because of the incorrectly positioned hose clamps. The recall represents more than 25 percent of the estimated number of Karma's sold. "DiCaprio will work closely with marketing and promotional initiatives to bring attention to sustainability and environmental issues around the world,” Fisker Automotive said in a press release. “In turn, Fisker will support

Suzuki Grand Vitara, 2012: Unheralded SUV offers truck strength, street savvy

The 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara has the structural integrity of the Brooklyn Bridge with its ladder-frame-reinforced unibody, and that helps make it a solid off-roader with its available four-wheel-drive system. This compact, fairly handsome, reasonably priced SUV has much standard equipment—including a navigation system. Numerous safety features include all-disc anti-lock brakes with a brake-assist feature, electronic stability control, traction control and lots of air bags. The Grand Vitara is often overlooked because Suzuki lacks the dealer network and advertising firepower of rivals, such as the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. It has a more trucklike-feel than most competitors, with an