Nissan Rogue Replacement Coming in 2013

Comedian Chris Rock’s 1999 homily “No Sex in the Champagne Room” wisely observes, “Cornbread: ain’t nothing wrong with that.” The same could be said for Nissan’s compact crossover, the Rogue. As a vehicle, it’s fine. It’ll be replaced next year, with production starting in Smyrna, Tennessee. About a year later, Nissan also will start producing Rogues in South Korea—some will be shipped here to supplement the Tennessee supply. 

There isn’t a whole lot to say about the next Rogue because it’s still far off. Guided by Sir Occam, we’d guess that the next Rogue will grow just a bit in size, ride on the upcoming Sentra‘s platform, and use a four-cylinder engine that displaces about two liters.

Here’s the why for building it in South Korea: The current Rogue is built in Japan, a practice that Nissan and other automakers are trying to get away from; the Yen is pretty strong compared to the dollar, and that makes Japanese-made cars expensive to sell in the U.S. The next Rogue will be built here in the U.S., but Nissan thinks that U.S. and global demand will exceed what it can do in its Tennessee factory.

As a result, Nissan has turned to its live-in significant other, Renault—in MBA jargon, they have a manufacturing alliance, hold stakes in each other, and share a CEO. Renault bought controlling ownership in a small South Korean car manufacturer called Samsung more than a decade ago, so the Busan-based factory is available. South Korea and the U.S. have a free trade agreement that adds a relatively minimal 2.5-percent tariff to imported vehicles through 2015; after that, there’s none at all. The bottom line is that Nissan needs the space, has some in South Korea, and the costs of building the Rogue there are reasonable.

The current Rogue still is a deservedly strong seller for Nissan; we just hope the company doesn’t Versa-fy the next generation of it.

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Volkswagen Presents Redesigned Gol Hatchback and Gol Voyage Sedan

While Volkswagen's European division is gearing up for the all-important world premiere of the brand-new Golf Mk7 at the Paris Motor Show, half way around the globe, the company's South American arm lifted the covers of the redesigned Gol hatchback and its sedan sibling named Voyage. 

The Gol, which is the Portuguese and Spanish word for 'goal', is the best-selling car in South America since the mid-1980s, with more than 5 million units produced and sold in Brazil alone. 

The mid-life facelift for both body styles brings Volkswagen's corporate face as seen on the latest Polo, Jetta and Passat models with a new grille, bumper and headlamp designs. At the back, there are new tail lamps and a restyled tail gate for the hatchback. 

Changes inside are limited to the lighting and trim décor on the dashboard such as the chrome rings on the vents, the controls with improved feel and ergonomics plus upgrades to the car's equipment features. 

Under the hood, the main news is the introduction of a new bi-fuel 1.0-liter engine rated at 72hp when using gasoline and 76hp with ethanol. 

According to the manufacturer, when fueled with ethanol, the Gol 1.0 accelerates from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in 12.9 seconds and tops out at 165 km/h (103mph). 

Story References: Volkswagen via NovidadesAutomotivas

Hat tip to Henrique R.! 

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Nissan will split production

As it turns out, Nissan will split production of the new Rogue crossover between its Smyrna plant in Tennessee, USA, (starting from next year), and the Renault Samsung Motors factory in Busan, South Korea, (beginning in 2014). 

Analysts believe that Nissan will benefit from a weak Korean won and recent free trade deals. 

The French-Japanese firm said it will invest US$160 million (€130 million) to add 80,000 units of the Nissan Rogue production in Korea and "increase cost competitiveness of a key industrial base". The vehicles will be shipped to North America and select Asian countries. 

"Adding production in Korea shows a commitment across the Alliance to helping Renault Samsung Motors achieve its targets for cost competitiveness and growth," said Renault-Nissan Alliance CEO Carlos Ghosn. 

"The Busan announcement represents a unique ‘win-win-win’ for Renault, Nissan and RSM, demonstrating the flexibility and power of the Alliance for all partners -- and I am counting on every RSM employee to contribute to the successful completion of this project," he added. 

The Busan factory has a total capacity of 300,000 units per year but is expected to build only 180,000 vehicles in 2012. 

Renault said that it aims to achieve a 10 percent market share in Korea this year, up from 7 percent in 2011.

As part of the Renault Samsung Motors (RSM) Revival Plan, the company plans to introduce a new small crossover and the zero-emission SM3 ZE in 2013. RSM’s current lineup includes the SM3 compact, the SM5 midsize sedan, the SM7 large sedan (rebadged for China as Renault Talisman) and the QM5 SUV, which is sold as the Renault Koleos outside Korea.

Update: A previous version of this story said that Nissan would build the new Rogue only in South Korea. Travis Parman, Director, Corporate Communications of Nissan North America told us that production will be split between its Smyrna plant and the Busan factory.

"The Rogue will be produced in the United States as well," explained Parman. "The South Korea production is intended to provide additional global capacity for the new model, for which we anticipate increased demand. The plans to move Nissan Rogue production to Nissan’s Smyrna, Tenn. plant in 2013 remain in place. Over the past 24 months, we’ve seen demand for the Rogue in the U.S. increase about 50 percent—from just under 100K units in 2010 to 126K in 2011, and we’re on a trajectory to pass 150K units in 2012." 

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2013 BMW X1

Big engine + little vehicle = marketing pay dirt. Jim Wangers helped prove this theorem when Pontiac jammed a Bonneville 389 into a little Tempest way back in the "Mad Men" era, before the safety and emissions bogeymen crashed the car party. BMW is dusting off this formula by bringing the tiny, strong-selling global subcompact 2013 BMW X1 to the U.S. market and wedging its beloved 300-hp/300-lb-ft turbo-six under the hood. No other market gets this dragstrip drivetrain, and this market offers no direct competitor to the X1 at the moment. 

As for versatility, the cargo hold features rubber tie-down floor straps, tie-down hooks, an elastic strap, and a 40/20/40-percent split-folding rear seatback that also reclines to 31 degrees for comfort, or to 1 degree bolt upright to increase the seats-up cargo space by about 2 cubic feet. (Official SAE dimensions are not yet available, but Euro specs are 14.8 and 47.7 cubic feet.)

Front-engine, RWD/AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV2.0L/241-hp/255-lb-ft turbocharged DOHC 16-valve I-4; 3.0L/300-hp/300-lb-ft turbocharged DOHC 24-valve I-6140-187 / 102-125 kW-hrs/100 miles (est) 

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VW Jetta Gets Turbo Four in 2013

The Volkswagen Jetta’s long-awaited changeover from the current inline-five-cylinder engine to a turbo four will happen in 2013 for the 2014 model year, the company’s U.S. product czar Rainer Michel told us this week. Soon after, Michel says, the engine will land in a 2014.5 model-year Passat. This confirms the timing we heard earlier from a different—and has-to-stay-nameless—source.

Here’s the scoop on the engine changeover. The new engine is a 1.8-liter turbo four, and it’s essentially a downsized version of the mill in the Volkswagen GTI and GLI, among other cars. Already on the market in Europe, the 1.8T makes 158 hp and 185 lb-ft of torque. (Those numbers could rise for the Passat, lest it sit at the bottom of its class in power.) There’s no connection between the new 1.8T and an unreliable engine of the same displacement offered in Jettas about a decade ago.

We wave goodbye to a 2.5-liter inline-five, which debuted in 2005. That engine makes 170 hp and 177 lb-ft, but is neither high-performance nor thrifty: A Jetta with this engine and a six-speed automatic needs an unimpressive 8.4 seconds to accelerate from standstill to 60 and scores 24/31 on the EPA cycle. Compare that to the heavier Chevy Cruze—138 hp, 8.0 seconds to 60, ratings of 26/38—and you can see why we’re not sad to see ol’ Fivey sent to the glue factory. 

 

The next-generation Volkswagen Golf, which debuts this fall but comes here in the fall of 2013, will almost definitely skip the 2.5 altogether. We anticipate that the Beetle will switch to the 1.8T around the time the Passat does. In the meantime, if you’re the kind of person who gets free gas and enjoys the warble of a straight five, the next year will be a good time to buy a VeeDub on the cheap.

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2013 Audi Allroad

Way back in 2006, customers could walk into a U.S. Audi dealership and choose between an A3 five-door hatchback, an A4 Avant, an A6 Avant, and the A6-based Allroad. Even with journalists' best efforts, wagons and hatchbacks still aren't flying off the lots like pfannkuchen. First the Allroad disappeared, and now the A4 and A6 Avants and the A3 hatchback are going away next year. But luckily for those buyers who aren't SUV-inclined, Audi is bringing back the Allroad for 2013, this time based on the A4 platform. Although it is based on Audi's smaller platform, the 2013 Allroad is just slightly bigger than the 2006 A6-based car, and it has a far more fuel efficient, but less powerful, engine. Previous Allroads were equipped with either the famous 250-horsepower, twin-turbo 2.7-liter V-6 or the 300-horsepower, 4.2-liter V-8. The 2013 Allroad is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 with 211 horsepower. Interestingly, the 2.0 liter puts out the same 258 lb-ft of torque as the older 2.7 liter, but falls just short of the 4.2 liter's peak 280 lb-ft. 

Besides the mechanical bits, the Allroad is equipped with stainless steel skidplates to protect the underside of the car and plastic cladding around the fenders. For those who don't need to advertise their outdoorsy Bear Grylls ruggedness, Audi will paint the plastic trim pieces body color for $1000. On the inside, the layout is basically the same as the outgoing A4, but materials and electronics have all been upgraded. The MMI navigation and infotainment system now uses Google Maps for the best-looking navigation system this side of a corporate jet. A 3G connection provided by a T-Mobile SIM card in the dash also allows for the use of Google data for weather, points of interest, and several other features. 

The service will add between $15 and $30 to your monthly payment for unlimited data. If you chose not to opt for the service, Audi's navigation system is still one of the best in the business -- it just won't look as pretty. As it sits, The Allroad still gets from 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds, pretty quick compared to the XC70's 8.9-second run. Things don't get any easier for the Volvo in the quarter mile, with the Audi running 15.0 seconds flat at 92.4 mph, while the Swede trailed with a 16.7-second run at 87.9 mph. Braking is where things really evened out. 

From 60 mph the Audi hauled down to a stop in 120 feet, while the Volvo only needed a single foot more. Overall, the Allroad is an impressive package for the active customer needing some off-road ability without sacrificing the efficiency and sport touring abilities of a wagon. I drove the test vehicle back from the launch event in Colorado and never wished I was in a standard A4 Avant. It handles like a wagon, has the looks of a CUV, and will certainly go 90 percent of the places a CUV will go. While journalists will miss the choice of two wagons and a hatchback, the Allroad is certainly a good compromise.

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2012 BMW 328i

The BMW 328i Luxury's logbook had finally cooled down after a disappointing trip to the local road course when something else happened: the weather heated up. Between surviving one choice mishap and dealing with sweltering temperatures, our BMW has had a rough month.

The month of June started with the BMW sitting on injured tires. The BMW's stock tires are Goodyear EfficientGrip RunOnFlats, a special tire chosen by BMW to increase fuel economy (they're low rolling resistance) and support the car even in the event of a puncture. While we don't mind the EfficientGrip's stiff sidewalls -- the car's Luxury Line suspension more than makes up for it -- its rock-hard tread compound would prove to be an issue.

By the time we took the BMW to GingerMan Raceway the Goodyears had only been on the car for two months (we put winter tires on the car between mid-February and late April) but they were badly worn from a day of spirited driving at GingerMan. Small chunks were missing where the sidewall meets the tread, and the resulting rough ride and noise annoyed associate web editor Donny Nordlicht. "The cabin is no longer quiet thanks to these tires," he wrote. Tire Rack sent us a new set of Goodyear EfficientGrips for a quick fix, but the special order, eco-friendly, run-flat tires cost $1170.98, including mounting and balancing. The tire wear was our fault -- we did, after all, track a car with mpg-minded tires -- but the damaged windshield wasn't: managing editor Amy Skogstrom parked the 3-series in her driveway one evening and came out the next morning to find a sizable crater near the top of the glass, blaming it on an errant ball from the nearby golf course. Ann Arbor Auto Glass charged us $979.12 for a full glass replacement. That's a hefty sum for a new sheet of glass, but our BMW is equipped with a head-up display, which requires a windshield with thin reflective foil embedded in the section above the dashboard.

A new windshield and set of tires wasn't necessarily enough to sway staffers -- many of whom continued to grouse about the car's soft handling and long-travel clutch pedal -- but the 3-series did impress some people: passengers. "Every single passenger I take for a ride in the 328i is impressed," wrote road test editor Chris Nelson. "They like the comfortable suspension, the beautiful exterior, and the even more gorgeous interior. They also think the start/stop system is cool."

For many staffers, however, the wow factor of the start/stop system faded when the temperatures rose. The combination of a black paintjob, 100-degree temperatures, and an engine that shuts itself off at stoplights made for some warm passengers as the HVAC system struggled to cool the cabin using only battery power. "I wonder what BMW buyers in Texas and Florida do," mused creative director Kelly Ryan Murphy. "Do they just drive with the system off all the time?" (Drivers can disable the system by pushing a button above the engine start/stop button) Kinda defeats the purpose of putting such a system in the car in the first place, doesn't it?

The 100-degree highs took another toll on the car: the driver's side dashboard endcap -- the piece of hard black plastic between the dashboard and the driver's door cutout -- warped and pulled away from the dashboard. "I wouldn't say that it's broken," wrote associate web editor Jake Holmes, "but that's an unacceptable fault in an almost $50k car that is only six months old."

Despite all of our nitpicking, we're getting along with the BMW in this long and hot summer. We're sure the car will end up wowing friends and relatives at barbecues, coddling us on many trips to the beach, and thrilling us on some choice back roads. It's summertime -- let's hope living with the 328i is easy.

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2013 Chevrolet Equinox 3.6-Liter V-6

Within the past year, both the Honda CR-V and the Ford Escape—two 800-pound gorillas in the compact-crossover segment—have been completely redesigned. (The Toyota RAV4, a multiple comparison-test winner, will get a reboot soon.) But with no full do-over on the docket just yet for its handsome but ho-hum Equinox, Chevy clearly still had to make a move. Honda has never offered a V-6 in the CR-V and the 2013 Escape went exclusively four-cylinder (albeit with two optional turbo’d engines), and Mazda’s CX-5 is packing the least powerful four-banger in the segment, despite being brand new. For Chevy, then, getting rid of the 264-hp, 3.0-liter V-6 would make sense, right? Except it bucked the downsizing trend and replaced the 3.0-liter with a 301-hp, 3.6-liter direct-injected V-6. Wait, what? 

This latest version of the 3.6 sees duty across the GM portfolio, including the Cadillac CTS and 2013 GMC Terrain, among others. The good news for the fuel-conscious is that estimated economy figures for the new V-6 versus the 3.0 are identical—17 mpg city/24 highway with front-wheel drive and 16/23 with AWD (OK, so good news for the sorta-fuel-conscious)—despite the increases in displacement and power. We estimate 0-to-60-mph times of 6.8 seconds for the front-wheel-drive version and 7.2 seconds for all-wheel-drive models. (A four-cylinder model we tested did the deed in 8.7 seconds.)

We had a chance to drive all-wheel-drive Equinoxes with both old and new V-6s back to back, and we found no difference in drivability beyond the extra kick in the pants; the upshift-happy six-speed automatic carries over, as do high output peaks that encourage a heavy right foot and make frugality difficult. (The previous V-6 offered maximum power and twist at 6950 and 5100 rpm, respectively; the new motor churns them up at 6500 and 4800.) From the sliding rear seat, however, we detected a significant difference in engine noise. The 3.6 is considerably louder for those in the second row, who are treated to a slightly buzzy and metallic note.

Along with the new engine comes a revised suspension. The Equinox now features dual-flow dampers—the 2013 Chevy Traverse, the 2013 Buick Enclave, and the Equinox’s equally updated 2013 GMC Terrain platform-mate are among the other vehicles that get them. The result is less bobbing and weaving over undulating surfaces and an incrementally improved perception of grip during cornering.

As for the interior, Chevy MyLink with navigation makes its way to the options list for the first time—in the past, buyers were forced to choose between a navigation system and MyLink—although it will be available only on the mid-level LT and range-topping LTZ trim levels. Those two trims also gain an eight-way power passenger seat (optional on the LT) and a Safety package, which includes forward-collision alert, lane-departure warning, and radar-based rear park assist. Also new is an available rear-seat entertainment system that includes monitors in the back of the front headrests, dual wireless headphones, and a dual-player DVD setup—again, available as an option only on LT and LTZ trims. With any luck, it’ll distract the kids from the engine noise.

With the speed at which the segment turns over—and the excellence found within it—Chevy needed to tinker with the Equinox, an entry that has never been fully competitive. But slightly improved handling and more power only go so far, and they do nothing for the poor rear visibility, hefty curb weight, and overall lackluster dynamics that keep this Chevy behind much of its competition. We’d consider hitting the Ford, Mazda, or Honda stores instead.

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front- or 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door wagon

BASE PRICE: $27,770

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 217 cu in, 3564 cc
Power: 301 hp @ 6500 rpm
Torque: 272 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with manual shifting mode 

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 112.5 in
Length: 187.8 in
Width: 72.5 in Height: 66.3 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 3950–4200 lb 

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 6.8–7.2 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.5–15.9 sec
Top speed: 131 mph

FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST):
EPA city/highway driving: 16–17/23–24 mpg

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Toyota TRD GT86 Special Edition

Following the UK debut of the TRD GT86 at last month's Goodwood Festival of Speed, we now have new photos and additional information on what is being described by Toyota as the "ultimate road going evolution" of the brand's rear wheel drive sports coupe. 

First unveiled in Japan at the Tokyo Auto Salon early in 2012, the Toyota Racing Development (TRD) GT86 is scheduled to go on sale in Britain as special edition model in the beginning of January 2013. 

The exterior modifications of the car include a lower front spoiler, complete with aerodynamic ‘fins’ ahead of the front wheels, wider side skirts, a venturi style under spoiler and a larger boot lid wing. 

There's also TRD badged oil filler cap while the car rides on new 18-inch forged alloy wheels finished in black and shod in Michelin performance tyres. 

Inside, the TRD treatment brings new sports “bucket” seats, additional instrumentation including the Sports Meter Link System comprising water temperature, and oil temperature and pressure gauges, plus a red push button start switch, and a TRD badged gearshift knob. 

The GT86's car’s engine remains stock, but TRD has made modifications to the chassis with a new adjustable suspension system and thicker anti-roll bars front and rear, and a more powerful mono block brake kit larger calipers and 355mm front and 345mm rear grooved and vented rotors. 

A new exhaust system with quad tailpipes that Toyota says improves engine response and sound completes the package.  

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2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo

The standard, 138-hp Hyundai Veloster overpromises and underdelivers. Its tame, unexceptional dynamics contrast with the wild styling and the curious three-door package. Yet even as we abandoned our hope for a Korean revelation during our first drive of that car last October, we remained optimistic that Hyundai would take a mulligan with the upcoming turbocharged model. 

Even before turning a single wheel in the Veloster Turbo, however, our expectations met harsh reality again this summer when product planners at Hyundai's U.S. headquarters revealed that the damping, the spring rates, and the bushings were all left unchanged for the Turbo. We had been hoping for a more mature setup -- something with the suppleness and sophistication of a Volkswagen GTI. Instead, the Turbo suffers the same busy, stiff-legged ride over cracks and heaves as the base car. 

Hyundai did address the Veloster's lackluster steering with a rack that is imperceptibly quicker and a power-assist calibration that is noticeably heavier. It's a significant step in the right direction, although there's still room for improvement in on-center responsiveness and feel. Weight remains commendably low at less than 2900 pounds and the car corners with good body control and a sense of stability. If the pavement is sufficiently smooth, you can find joy in stringing together a series of bends, but the Veloster lacks the composure of its competitors in the most demanding conditions. Thus, piloting the Veloster Turbo is nowhere near as visceral as the best hot hatches. 

It's a similar story with the 1.6-liter four-cylinder. Despite a resume that includes a twin-scroll turbocharger, dual variable valve timing, direct injection, and 201 hp and 195 pound-feet of torque (on regular gas), this overachiever lacks the personality we expected. Power delivery is more linear than in the similar-sized engines in the Nissan Juke and the Mini Cooper S, but the Veloster is much less lively. Fuel economy for the manual-transmission car is rated at 26/38 mpg city/highway, a very impressive number but one that's telling about the Turbo's character. Rather than a boisterous driver's car, Hyundai has built yet another 38-mpg small car. 

The optional six-speed automatic gains a sport mode in the Turbo that's supposed to speed up shifts. We say supposed to because it requires an unusually deep push on the accelerator to elicit a downshift. In fact, the sport mode's most noticeable change over the standard programming is the unnecessary and annoying act of locking the transmission out of top gear. Drivers seeking earlier downshifts and later upshifts will instead need to use the manual shift mode via the steering-wheel-mounted paddles. Or they can stick with the standard six-speed manual. 

Aesthetically, the Veloster Turbo is even more extroverted than the base car, with a gaping grille in place of the base car's convoluted fascia. Styling flourishes like LED accents in the headlights, new tail pipes for the center-exiting exhaust, 18-inch wheels with chrome accents, and a printed graphic on the headliner increase the attitude. Others, like the oversized circular reflectors in the lower rear fascia that could have been sourced from Home Depot, are less successful. Of all the design tweaks, though, our favorite is the matte gray paint, a $1000 option that's unique on a vehicle this affordable. (Just don't drive it through an automated car wash.) Heated, leather-trimmed seats, an eight-speaker stereo, push-button start, and a seven-inch touch screen are standard. As per Hyundai convention, the 2013 Veloster Turbo offers excellent infotainment with clear graphics and intuitive controls for iPhone integration, Bluetooth pairing, and Pandora Internet radio. Options are limited to a single package that adds navigation, a backup camera and rear parking sensors, a panoramic sunroof, a 115-volt power outlet, and automatic headlights for $2500. The automatic transmission adds another $1000 to the price. 

Even with a turbocharger, the Veloster's best attributes remain its value, fuel economy, and infotainment features. As with the base Veloster, you're more likely to experience emotions looking at the Turbo than driving it. When it comes to rational, practical automobiles, Hyundai can hang with the best, but in trying to capture passion and character, the Koreans are designing when they need to be engineering. 

Price: $22,725
Engine: 1.6L turbo I-4, 201 hp, 195 lb-ft
Transmissions: Six-speed automatic, six-speed manual
Drive: Front-wheel
EPA Mileage: 26/38 mpg (city/highway; manual) 

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