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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

Bugatti Veyron even impresses police in 225 mph deserts fun runs

Automotive News, Specialty cars

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

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

Hyundai Elantra, 2013: European functionality, more standard features

Automotive News, News Service, Sedans

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,

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,

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

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

Toyota reinvents Camry, babies, DMV and pizza curtains in Super Bowl ad

Toyota made one of the best commercials for the 2012 Super Bowl. It's toutig the 2012 Toyota Camry, carmaker decided to do more. In the one-minute commercial, here's what Toyota has done: This is the re-invented couch. It also comes in male. This is a re-invented police officer. He's also a masseuse. This is the re-invented baby. It doesn't poop. It it also a time machine. The re-invented DMV. It's a little nicer. The re-invented blender. It plays Lionel Ritchey. The reinvented plant. It fights crime. The re-invented curtains. They are made of pizza. This is re-invente rain. It makes

Clint Eastwood gets down and dirty for Chrysler, America in Super Bowl ad

With Clint Eastwood and his still powerful but raspy voice as the audio and images of Detroit and its people draped in shadows and often in darkness, Chrysler for the second straight year presented the only two-minute commercial in Super Bowl XLVI. Like Eminem last year, Eastwood was hired to star in a two-minute movie. Eastwood's role was in “It’s Halftime in America.” Unlike most carmakers, Chrysler didn't release the video or a tease to it prior to the same. Its absence only added to the suspense of its pending broadcast. And when Eastwood emerged from the shadows just before

VW, Darth Vader and determined St. Bernard star in Super Bowl commercial

Even when Darth Vader, the usual go-to Volkswagen star for the carmaker’s Super Bowl commercials isn’t in his usual fictional villain prominence, he’s around. In one of VW’s spots for Super Bowl 46, it’s an overweight family pet dog that gets top billing. The dog undertakes a human healh fitness routine — treadmill, swimming, a better diet — to lose weight. When the dog is fit, he can fit through his owner’s doggy door, and he can match the speed of new VW Beetle cruising down the street. The dog’s name in Bolt. Darth Vader shows up in a bar

King Elton John gets dethroned in campy Super Bowl commercial for Pepsi

Sir Elton John has seemingly mellowed in recent years. He's a married guy now and his once flamboyant Liberace-Gone-Wild approach has transitioned into a more Wall Street-executive-with-hair-weave style. One exception is his new Super Bowl commercial for Pepsi. The over-the-top Elton is back with his one-minute commercial with X Factor winner Melanie Amaro. They act out a epic, medieval music showdown. Elton has his outrageous Kings clothes, platform heals and some oversized glasses, circa the performer's signature look from 30 years ago. Amaro's blasts out the beginning of "Respect," the epic pop tune made famous by Aretha Franklin. Amaro gets

Super Bowl commericals: For creepy Cars.com ad, two heads not better than one

It's sometimes hard to know what the creative minds behind the commercials are thinking, particularly when considering a spot like the Cars.com 30-second ad that will be broadcast in Super Bowl 46. The plot is odd: Inside a dealership showroom, a car shopper is talking to a friendly dealer. But it's no ordinary visit. As the customer and salesman are chatting, the car shopper's inner confidence is unleashed from his neck and shoulder in the form of smooth Disco-singing head. The tune: "Baby, I want that car!" Some internet viewers have commented that the commercial "creeps them out." That's a

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

Chevy Silverado emerges from Apocalypse in Super Bowl commercial, Ford doesn't

General Motors has opted for a campy tact in its Super Bowl commercial touting the 2012 Chevy Silverado. With Barry Manilow’s hit single “Looks Like We Made It” from 1976 as the theme, a man drives his Chevy Silverado through an apocalyptic world predicted by the Mayan calendar. A group of friends, who are Silverado owners, makes its way to the designated meeting spot but notice one of their buddies is missing. One of the survivors offers the Chevy Silverado driver a Twinkie upon his arrival. The 60-second commercial is called “2012” and it will be broadcast in the first

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

Super Bowl commercials: Hyundai Genesis helps save 'heart-attack' victim

Hyundai will join more than a dozen other carmakers and automotive-related companies advertising via expensive commercials in the Super Bowl. In its “Think Fast,” commercial, a 30-second spot scheduled for the fourth quarter of the game between the New York Giants and New England Patriots, the character Bob is introduced. In the commercial, a young professional is driving his boss, Bob, a seasoned business pro, in his Genesis Coupe R-Spec. Bob is about to deliver a “pearl of wisdom” when he falls unconscious. The young driver hits the brakes hard, then throws his Genesis Coupe into drive repeatedly, generating enough