News feed - Page 172 of 254 - The Weekly Driver

Fisker Karma, 2012: 'The Most Interesting Car in the World?' (video)

Dan Neil, author of the automotive column Rumble Seat in The Wall Street Journal, is now also part of the publication's new video channel on YouTube call "Off Duty." Like the publication's print section of the same name, the new video component features lifestyle videos about music, fashion, and cars. Neil's first contribution is a test drive of the 2012 Fisker Karma — the $100,000, four-seat plug-in hybrid. Built in Finland, the Fisker Karma is partly-funded by U.S. taxpayers. Neil, who won the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism, describes the vehicle in glowing terms. But he also includes his usual

Fisker Karma, 2012: Six-figure, four-seat hybrid sports car turns heads

Your dream car may just have arrived. The stunning new 2012 Fisker Karma low-slung sedan looks like a futuristic experimental car. Moreover, it’s a “green” gas/electric plug-in model with a fairly long driving range. I found the Karma to be a head-turner at a media preview of it on a variety of Los Angeles area roads. No wonder actor Leonardo DiCaprio bought one of the first ones, following the old Hollywood tradition of stars driving the most coveted cars. The approximately $104,000 Karma feels solid as a rock and is beautifully assembled, inside and out, although the low front end

Volkswagen Beetle Turbo, 2012: The fat bug has a new image

Like the fat kid from Math Club who came to the high school reunion with something to prove, the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle Turbo wants everyone to do a double take and notice that it’s no longer the archetypal chick car. The new VW wants it to be OK for a guy to purchase it and visit the Starbucks drive thru. It wants it known the latest version of the Beetle has a turbo in it, and it means business. Doesn’t the now-flattened roofline says "I drink more beers than wine coolers" to you? After almost a decade of the New

Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobahn, 2012: Responsive, fun to drive compact

When I heard I was going to test drive a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta, I had low expectations. I didn’t know it was going to be a GLI Autobahn Jetta, just a Jetta. And as someone much wiser has told me, having low expectations is the key to happiness in life. It's especially true with VW Jetta GLI Autobahn. It's a ton of fun and perfect for the daily comuting grind. The GLI is the range-topping Jetta, with its 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine pumping out 200 horsepower and 207 lb.-ft. of torque married to six -speed DSG automatic transmission. A

Ford Edge EcoBoost, 2012: Surprising performance, extra fuel efficiency

Placing a small 4-cylinder engine inside a mid-size SUV might seem like a bad idea, especially for power-hungry American drivers. Yet, this is exactly what Ford has done with the 2012 Edge EcoBoost mid-size crossover. Fortunately, this motor is an overachiever. The 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine features direct injection, twin independent variable camshaft timing, and a turbocharger that spools up to 16 psi of boost. Output is 240 hp at 5500 rpm and a healthy 270 lb-ft of torque from 3,000 rpm. The end result of this unusual arrangement is a surprising level of real-world performance. The beefy torque response makes

Subaru Impreza, 2012: sleeker styling, new engine, improved interior

Subaru once made small boxy, rather tinny front-wheel-drive cars with no visual appeal. Now look what it has done. The compact Impreza is the smallest model in Subaru’s auto lineup and is one of its most popular ones, with standard all-wheel drive. Faced with greater competition, it makes sense the fourth-generation Impeza has arrived as a much-improved 2012 model. Subarus long have been gotten high marks tackling tough New England winters, but the automaker has been striving for some time to make its vehicles more popular throughout the country. Major features include much-needed sleeker styling, with such things as a

Ferrari sets sales record in 2011, new 12-cylinder model set for Geneva debut

The fluctuating economy didn't hurt Ferrari in 2011. In fact, it helped the Italy luxury carmaker establish two sales records, including the most vehicles it's ever sold in one year. Ferrari sold 7,195 cars globally in 2011, an increase of 9.5 percent from the 2010 previous record, 6,573. The record sales number translated into 2.251 billion euros ($2.63 billion) in sales, the first time Ferrari has surpassed two billion euros in sales in one year. Ferrari, owned by the auto giant Fiat, recorded record sales in the United States, Greater China region and in the Middle East in 2011. "We

Nissan Maxima, 2012: Flagship sedan has sports car tendencies

Now more than 35 years since it origins as the Datsun 810, the Nissan Maxim is in its seventh generation as a full-sized sedan also marketed as a four-door sports cars. The Maxima name began in 1981 when the car was primarily built in Oppama, Japan. It manufacture transitioned to Smyrna, Tennessee, in 2004 and that's where it's currently built. The Maxima remains the flagship sedan of Nissan, with the 2012 edition receiving only minor changes from last year. The exterior adjustments include tweaks to the front grille and new 18-and-19-inch alloy wheel designs. The minor interior changes include newly

Infiniti G37 convertible, 2012: Stylish, efficient, confident coupe

Now in its fourth year, the Infiniti G37 convertible is the newest of the three body styles and is among five Infiniti G Series model trims. Largely unchanged from last year, the 2012 G37 convertible features a good selection of standard features: leather seating, rearview camera, navigation system with hard-drive music storage, XM Satellite Radio with real-time traffic data, an MP3-compatiable sound system and iPod connectivity Among the most efficient features is the door-mounted button to lower the roof. A Bose audio system is an option as is an advanced climate control system. The Weekly Driver Test Drive This is

NHTSA proposes voluntary ban on drivers' use of 'distracting devices'

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has proposed voluntary guidelines for manufacturers that would automatically disable hand-held and factory installed devices in vehicles that distract from driving. The proposal recommends that devices including GPS systems would not functional unless the vehicle is stopped and the transmission is in park. Carmakers will review the guidelines and will have 60-day period to comment, according to a car industry spokeswoman. GPS and other navigation devices that provide directions would also be permitted while driving, but the safety administration is asking that the systems be designed so that drivers can't manually enter a

Porsche Macan, not Cajun, confirmed as Porsche’s newest SUV

Porsche has announced its upcoming compact SUV will be called Macan, not Cajun as previously announced. The name Macan originates from the Indonesian word for tige, which describes the core characteristics of Porsche’s new all-terrain vehicle — suppleness, power, fascination and dynamics. “The Macan combines all sports car characteristics with the benefits of an SUV and is a genuine Porsche," said Bernhard Maier, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing of Porsche AG. The new car will bebut at the Porsche factory in Leipzig, Saxony, in 2013. The site is currently being expanded into a fully-fledged production plant including body assembly

Volvo S60 R, 2012: Sporty sedan with multi-national flair (video)

The Volvo S60 was introduced 12 years ago as the carmaker's first major departure in a few decades from its box-on-wheels reputation. Now in its second generation. the Volvo S60 2012 edition is offered in three trims, including the most-sports-car-like Volvo yet, the S60 T6 AWD R. 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. That's a lot of numbers and letters for a model. But what the alphabet

Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2013 and Azera 2012 pricing announced

Prices for the refreshed 2013 Genesis Coupe have been announced, starting at $24,250 for the 2.0T model paired with a six-speed manual transmission and extending to $34,250 for the 3.8 Grand Touring model with a V6 and 8-speed Shiftronic automatic transmission. The facelifted Genesis Coupe features more aggressive exterior styling. The 2013 Genesis Coupe interiro has been enhanced with distinctive, upscale features. The 3.8-liter Lambda V6 engine adds direct-injection technology for improved horsepower, better fuel economy and lower emissions. Peak horsepower rises to 348, a gain of 42, and peak torque increases to 295 lb.-ft. on premium fuel. The 2.0-liter

Jaguar XKR-S, 2012: New kitty has big teeth, purrs

Text/Images By Conrad Dodd Jaguar has stepped up its game with its quickest car ever, the 2012 XKR-S. With its 550 horsepower and 4,100-pound curb weight, that's an easily believable boast. This car is properly fast. Jaguar claims a 0-60 mph dash will take only 4.2 seconds. For once, that feels like an understatement. The current XKR has been tested around the 4.0 second mark already. Doing the math, a 4.2 second 0-60 mph for the XKR-S seems silly. After all, it pumps out an additional 40 horses over the XKR. The exhaust note is violent under full acceleration thanks

Lexus, Toyota, Scion shine in 2012 J.D. Power dependability study

Paced by Lexus, which earned the No. 1 overall rating, eight Lexus, Toyota and Scion models captured segment awards in the 2012 J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study Lexus is the number one nameplate improving by 23 fewer problems/100; Toyota is the highest ranked non-premium nameplate and tied for third place overall, improving by 18 fewer problems/100; Scion achievrd its highest ever position at fifth place, jumping 17 positions and improving by 55 fewer problems/100. Lexus was the highest ranking nameplate in the industry in the 2011 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study and earned more segment awards than any

New cars vs. used cars: pros, cons for both options

If you're n the market for a car and you don't know know whether to buy a new car or a used car, consider some of the pros and cons of each choice. New Cars New cars are great because they have no previous history of ownership, and you won't have to worry about maintenance records, accidents and other things. New cars also come with warranties that have a minimum of three years or 36,000 miles, and some cars have more extended warranties. Therefore, buying a new car means that you won't have to worry about paying any unexpected repair