Mercedes CLS63 AMG Shooting Brake

The Shooting Brake concept has finally arrived as a real purchasable car. The Shooting Brake has AMG’s 5,5L biturbo V8 and the power outputs range from 391KW to 415KW and a colossal torque output of 800NM this, with the usual variety of AMG performance enhancements. The CLS also comes with the SPEEDSHIFT 7speed MCT box which isn’t the best on the market but does it’s job just fine. The biggest draw of this car is going to be its practicality matched to the sheer beauty of the Shooting Brake design. AMG have widened the front track by 56mm giving it an almost unmatched road presence that screams “Get out of my way poor person”. Even with it’s 2 ton body to pull around it still dashes to the 100km/h mark in 4.4seconds all while doing and average 13.8l/100km which for this type and size of car is very impressive.

I think that Mercedes have built the perfect car here. You can take 5 people in absolute comfort then do a years worth of shopping. Hit the track for some afternoon fun and later that evening still look good showing up at the most trendy nightclubs or bars. The car for all people, well that is if you have R2million to buy one. Seems to be the only draw back with the big Benz.

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Cadillac's Plans for the 2013-15 Model Years

The next 24 months will be a busy time for Cadillac in terms of new products as the Detroit automaker has plenty on its plate including the presentation of a flagship limousine loosely based on the well-received Ciel convertible sedan concept. 

A report from Automotive News (sub. required) citing sources from within General Motors outlines Cadillac's plans for the 2013-15 model years. 

According to the insiders, GM has given the green light for the development of a full size, rear-wheel drive luxury sedan that will sit atop of the range rivaling the Audi A8, BMW 7-Series, Jaguar XJ and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. 

This model will be built on a new platform codenamed Omega and is expected to be offered with a choice of V6 and V8 engines, possibly in supercharged form, an eight-speed automatic transmission and the option of all-wheel drive. The styling will draw heavily from last year's Ciel study. The as-of-yet unnamed flagship is said to arrive sometime in 2015. 

Putting aside the new 2013 XTS front- and all-wheel drive sedan that is currently Cadillac's largest saloon model and which went on sale in June, the wreath and crest brand will launch the updated SRX crossover this fall and the BMW 3-Series-rivaling ATS sedan in August.

The Alpha rear-wheel drive platform-based ATS will likely spawn a V-Series Performance model and a coupe within the next two years, while Autonews reports that plans for a convertible variant have been put on hold for the time being. Cadillac will not be making a sport wagon variant. 

Next up for Cadillac will be a replacement for the all-important CTS that is due to arrive in sedan guise in the second half of 2013 as a 2014MY. It will grow in size to better compete with the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

The CTS Coupe and V-Series performance variant will follow by 2015, while sources state that there won't be a station wagon model. 

Other models planned by Cadillac are said to include an all-new SRX crossover in late 2014 or early 2015, a larger crossover based on the Lamda platform that underpins the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia, a replacement for the Escalade SUV built on the next Chevy Tahoe / Suburban and GMC Yukon platform, and the ELR Coupe equipped with a similar electric propulsion system to the Chevy Volt in late 2013.  

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2012 Volkswagen

One of the toughest parts of my job, and yes, there are several, is trying to express to readers the value of a car is not necessarily found in the boxes of a spec chart. While the numbers are important, it's often the qualitative mortar in between the quantitative bricks that tell the story. When talking to friends about our long-term Volkswagen Passat, one of the first things that gets brought up is the 0-60 mph time, which happens to be 9.0 seconds. 

The Passat is certainly not quick off the line, but once rolling, holds its own. I have been told by a few people that they would never consider the Passat's 2.5 liter because of this stat. Apparently, they're doing more street racing with their family sedans than I am as I have yet to drag race a Camry for money. Having put nearly 7000 miles on our Passat, there have been only a few times I really wished for more power. Uphill passing and on our figure-8 course are the only two that immediately come to mind. Generally, however, I am fine with the 170 hp and 177 lb-ft the 2.5-liter I-5 churns out. I merge on the freeway, I turn left across traffic, I survive in L.A. -- one of the fastest, most aggressive driving cities in the country. None of the horrors of a car without 300 hp have befallen me. 

All this refinement, however, might be just in time for its final act. Rumor has it, this engine's days are numbered and a 1.8-liter direct-injected turbocharged I-4 will be taking its place in a couple of years. It will no doubt offer a flatter torque curve, possibly higher power and torque numbers, and better fuel economy. If it's similar to the 2.0T in power delivery, this will totally change entry-level VWs. Until then, VW offers the TDI and the VR6 for the aspiring Vin Diesels with kids. 

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2013 Cadillac ATS

Prying satisfied customers out of their Audi A4s, BMW 328s, and Mercedes-Benz C350s might seem tougher than establishing democracy in Afghanistan, but conquest sales will have to play a huge role in the success of the new Cadillac ATS. The brand desperately needs a successful entry-luxury car because that’s the bestselling segment in the premium-car world. And since Cadillac has been moving in a sporting direction, it’s taking on these European sedans rather than targeting real-estate-agent buggies like the Lexus ES or the Lincoln MKZ. 

Off to a Good Start

We went into deep detail with the ATS earlier this year and were impressed with its design and engineering. Based on the brand-new Alpha platform, the ATS features a front-engine, rear-drive layout, as well as four-wheel independent suspension, the latest ZF electric power steering, and four-wheel disc brakes. Motivation comes from a choice of three engines, with an available manual transmission, and optional all-wheel drive. It’s all wrapped in modern and attractive sheetmetal styled with a softer take on the Cadillac Art and Science design language. The whole shebang is 8.5 inches shorter than the CTS. We got a chance to drive it last month, and now we can finally tell you about it.

From behind the wheel, the car makes an excellent first impression, with a good driving position combined with superb sightlines delivered in part by reasonably thin A-pillars. Models with sport seats have adjustable thigh support as well as adjustable side bolsters. You can choose from among seven interior color and finish schemes, including ones with aluminum trim and genuine carbon fiber. The overall ambience feels stylish and rich, and we were immediately able to find a comfortable driving position.

Good visibility extends to the information displayed to the driver, although the tachometer is tucked a bit far to the left on the instrument cluster and can fall out of your vision when driving hard. A head-up display is available, and there are three customizable windows below the central speedometer that can be configured using a large toggle switch on the right steering-wheel spoke; the control can be manipulated easily without looking down at it. Another toggle on the left spoke operates the cruise control.

The 8.0-inch LCD touch screen for the new CUE (Cadillac User Experience) system looks great and remains highly visible even when hit by direct sunlight. It has a number of clever features, such as a function that only brings up additional buttons only when a proximity sensor detects your hand nearby—this allows the screen to stay uncluttered most of the time. You can change the map scale by squeezing or spreading your fingers as you do on a smartphone, and the nav system can pull contact address information directly from a paired phone. We appreciate not having to manually enter an address that already exists in a connected device.

Overreaching Engine Lineup

We first drove an ATS with the base engine, a 202-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder with direct injection. It’s basically a slightly updated version of Chevy’s workhorse engine and is available only with a six-speed automatic and rear drive. This engine won’t generate envy among any Audi or BMW owners. It delivers no better than adequate performance (claimed 0 to 60 in 7.5 seconds, which we think is about right on the nose) and it feels slower than it is, as the transmission resists downshifting as you toe the throttle. The big four-cylinder also is fairly loud at high revs. Were we in charge at Cadillac, we would have introduced the ATS without this engine, then slipped it into the lineup several months down the road if a less expensive entry-level model was deemed necessary. 

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

BASE PRICE: 2.5 $ 33,990; 2.0T, $35,795; 3.6, $42,090

ENGINE TYPES: DOHC 16-valve 2.5-liter inline-4, 202 hp, 191 lb-ft; turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter inline-4, 272 hp, 260 lb-ft; DOHC 24-valve 3.6-liter V-6, 321 hp, 275 lb-ft

TRANSMISSIONS: 6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic with manual shifting mode 

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 109.3 in
Length: 182.8 in
Width: 71.1 in Height: 55.9 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 3350–3700 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 5.4–7.5 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.0–15.7 sec
Top speed: 130–152 mph

FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST):
EPA city/highway driving: 19–22/28–33 mpg

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2013 Infiniti JX35

After a highly satisfactory experience with a Four Seasons Infiniti QX56, our collective antennae were up at the debut of Infiniti's newest SUV, the JX35. One rung down size-wise from the big-boy QX, the JX is also built differently, being of unibody construction rather than body-on-frame. Additionally, the JX is based on Nissan's front-wheel-drive, mid-size D-platform (which also underpins the Altima and the Maxima), and it's therefore the first Infiniti in a long time that doesn't use a rear-wheel-drive architecture.

Will the front-wheel-drive platform -- not to mention the CVT automatic -- compromise the new model's Infinti-ness? Or can Infiniti successfully imbue its more popularly priced three-row offering with the expected levels of refinement? And how will this new entry stack up in the burgeoning field of three-row crossovers? The answers to these questions are particularly important because the JX is expected to be the brand's second-biggest-volume model (behind the G).

Another Four Seasons test was in order, and Infiniti gamely signed on. We ordered an all-wheel-drive JX35, in trendy brown with brown leather (make that midnight garnet and java). The very reasonable base price of $42,500 includes such essentials as leather, a backup camera, a sunroof, power seats, a power tailgate, a power-adjustable steering column, and HID headlamps. Adding $12,300 worth of options took us somewhere beyond "reasonable" -- but still short of "absurd" -- and brought such niceties as an extra-huge moonroof that covers all three rows, heated and cooled front seats and heated second-row seats, a heated steering wheel, twenty-inch wheels, a Bose thirteen-speaker premium audio system, and more.

Between the technology package, the deluxe touring package, and the premium package, this JX has enough electronics to stock a Best Buy. There is the expected navigation system, with an eight-inch touch screen, voice recognition, traffic and weather, and a Zagat restaurant guide. Add to that Infiniti's Around View Monitor with moving object detection; front and rear audible park assist; and dual, headrest-mounted rear-seat entertainment screens. Finally, this JX also comes equipped with a slew of features that recall the Greyhound tagline, "Leave the driving to us:" intelligent brake assist with forward-collision warning, blind-spot warning and intervention, lane-departure warning and prevention, intelligent cruise control, and distance control assist.

That's a lot of technology to digest, but we'll have a full year to do it. The staff at the home office, however, will have to wait to get started, because the New York contingent is getting the first crack at this one. No sooner did the JX arrive at our office than it shipped off to the East Coast to spend its first few weeks with New York bureau chief Jamie Kitman and senior editor Joe Lorio. They'll be the first to weigh in on how well the JX tackles its big role.

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