2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE: 1 Less Excuse to Not Buy a Camaro

There are some things about the ’80s that aren’t worthy of nostalgia. The era’s pony cars, by and large, fall under this umbrella. It’s true that Ford has the five-point-oh—a designation fairly soaked in Aqua Net, yet perhaps the only thing about the decade’s Stangs worth revisiting—but when it named its latest track-oriented model, it resurrected “Boss”. First appearing in 1969, Boss is cool, it’s a little intimidating, and it’s also Bruce Springsteen’s nickname. It sounds bad-ass. Chevrolet’s 1LE? For the 17 people who were paying attention in 1988, it conjures memories of an option bundle that only made that year’s Camaro less bad. To the rest of us, it sounds like three randomly selected characters. 

While it still seems as though the designation was plucked from an alphanumeric bingo bucket, 1LE has new significance for 2013 as an option package for manual-transmission Camaro SS models. It brings a host of upgrades either ported from or inspired by the mighty ZL1. The pieces that make the most difference fall into the latter category, however, including the front anti-roll-bar mounting setup, 10x20-inch front wheels and 11x20-inch rears, and beefier half-shafts. The gear pilfered directly from the ZL1 includes wheel bearings, toe links, rear shock mounts, the fuel pump, the flat-bottom steering wheel, the short-throw six-speed manual and its transmission cooler, and 285/35-20 Goodyear Eagle Supercar G: 2 tires all around (the ZL1 gets 305/35-20 rubber at the rear). The beefy wheel/tire combo actually saves a total of 22 pounds of unsprung weight. 

The 1LE package also comes with a shorter final-drive ratio of 3.91:1 versus the 3.45:1 rear end in the SS, and adds monotube rear dampers—instead of the SS’s twin-tubes—and a strut-tower brace. As for externals, Chevy engineers tell us that while the 1LE’s splitter increases downforce in the front, the wider wheels generate enough lift to bring the 1LE right back in line with the SS. Out back, the SS’s lip spoiler carries over to 1LE cars.

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door coupe

BASE PRICE: $37,305

ENGINE TYPE: pushrod 16-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection

Displacement: 376 cu in, 6162 cc
Power: 426 hp @ 5900 rpm
Torque: 420 lb-ft @ 4600 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 112.3 in
Length: 190.4 in
Width: 75.5 in Height: 54.2 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 3900 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 4.6 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 10.5 sec
Standing 1/4-mile: 13.0 sec
Top speed: 157 mph

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 16/24 mpg

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2013 C-Max Hybrid to Start at $25,995

Ford has priced the C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid at $33,745, slightly higher than the least-expensive Toyota Prius plug-in. The C-Max is eligible for a $3750 federal tax credit, which brings its overall cost just below the $30,000 mark. Three option packages are available for between $1195 and $2495, and include goodies like navigation and a Sony audio system, a power liftgate and a backup camera, and active parking assist. The Energi plug-in’s electric-only range is 20 miles, or about half of Chevy’s 38-mile claim for the Volt, which costs $32,495 after a federal tax break of up to $7500. To the Ford’s credit, you get more space for your stuff and a fifth seat.

It has been a while since we last heard any news regarding Ford’s upcoming C-Max twins—hybrid and plug-in Energi—but today the silence was broken. Ford has announced the C-Max hybrid will start at $25,995 when it goes on sale in the fall. (The company has not disclosed how much it will charge to deliver the C-Max to a dealer near you.) Ford is quick to point out that the C-Max’s price undercuts that of Toyota’s similarly sized Prius V tall hatchback/small van thing by $550. (Again, not including applicable destination charges.) The C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid will arrive towards the end of 2012 and its price tag hasn’t been revealed.

As you can probably tell, Ford is sizing up Toyota’s Prius V as the C-Max hybrid’s key competitor, with the V and the plug-in version of the regular Prius falling into the C-Max Energi’s sights. Ford also took the opportunity to hype the C-Max hybrid’s Toyota Prius V–beating efficiency, although the company did not provide any numbers for comparison; the Prius V is EPA rated for 44 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway. Ford claims that the C-Max Energi will better the Prius plug-in’s 95 MPGe electric-mode fuel economy, as well as that car’s total driving range.

The C-Max hybrid will go on sale nationwide this fall, but the C-Max Energi will initially be available only in select markets. Ford will ship the Energi only to its electric vehicle–certified dealers—the same ones trained up on the Focus Electric. That means the same 19 markets where the Focus Electric is currently available will also get the C-Max Energi. The Energi’s limited distribution pattern makes sense, as it’s built on the same line as the Focus Electric. Expect more details on both C-Maxes in the coming months. Tags:  | 

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Arrinera Redesigns and Renames its Supercar to the Very Pagani-like Sounding Hussarya

Polish startup Arrinera just can’t seem to make up its mind about its first production model that has been in the development stages since 2008.

The company that started out as Veno Automotive before changing its name to Arrinera has presented several iterations of its V8-powered supercar model over the years, with the styling of the first sketches and prototypes being reminiscent of the Lamborghini Reventon.

Today we received pictures of the latest redesign and the announcement that the car will be named Hussarya. The news comes not too long after it was announced that famed British car designer Lee Noble became a member of the board, as well as a shareholder for Arrinera Automotive S.A.

As much as Arrinera would like to convince us that the nameplate is purely derived from Poland's Hussar cavalry of the 16th to 18th century, we have few doubts in our mind that many readers will automatically make an association with the Pagani Huayra.

Fresh nameplate aside, the Hussarya features a revamped exterior and interior design, though we only get to see the outside of the car for now.

Compared to the previous A.H.1 prototype, the Hussarya ditches the scissor doors and gains conventional doors, a newly designed front bumper with different air inlets, revised side panels and air vents, a reshaped roofline and rear engine compartment plus a redesigned rear end with twin round tail lamps on both sides.

Arrinera Hussarya Technical Specifications

Length (mm): 4450
Width (mm) : 2056
Height(mm): 1190
Wheel track front (mm): 1744
Wheel track frear (mm): 1744
Wheelbase (mm): 2695
Engine capacity (l): 6.2
Engine: V8
Power (HP): 650
Maximum torque(Nm): 820
Gearbox: Graziano
Weight(kg): 1300
Weight/power (kg/1 KM): 2,0
0-100 km/h: 3,2
0-200 km/h: 8,9
0-200-0 km (s): 14,3
200-0 km/h (m): 133
1/4 mile time(s): 11.0
Max. speed km/h: 340
Lateral g-force (g): 1,3 

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2013 Lexus ES 350 and ES 300h First Test

In the first six months of this year, Lexus sold 18,265 ES sedans in the U.S. -- nearly a 9 percent increase over the same period in 2011 and by far the most of any car in its lineup (only the RX crossover outsells it). Since the model's introduction in 1989, the faithful have loved this buttoned-down four-door and their ardor is sure to bloom even more this month, as the Japanese maker releases a new, sixth-generation version -- including a first-ever hybrid. The ES has always been -- and, it turns out, continues to be -- the internal-combustion equivalent of Top 40 hit from The Carpenters: pleasant enough, masterfully executed...and almost offensively innocuous. The enthusiast driver will find almost nothing to latch his soul to here. The Lexus brass monitoring the sales charts doubtless couldn't care less; for buyers in search of slip-on status, the ES's relative affordability, proven quality, and look-what-I'm-driving "L" on its hood ensure this machine will fly off sale floors like a rocket-fueled iPad. Still, given that Lexus is now touting a high-drama, $375,000 LFA supercar, who could blame us for expecting some of that DNA to trickle, BMW-like, into everything the company makes? 

The standard V-6 is a seasoned champ, frisky enough to serve in the Lotus Evora sports car. It's potent, smooth, and makes an aggressive yowl under a heavy foot. In the ES 350, there's enough grunt to reach 60 mph in six seconds flat, the six-speed automatic snapping off shifts as if it's a graduate of the University of Idyllic Torque Management, but don't for a moment think this is an athletic car. Steering feel is...well, there isn't any. Though the ratio has been quickened for the new car (from 16.1:1 to 14.8), it's still glacial in response. Worse is the lack of feedback; the wheel offers little sense of the road beneath or building cornering forces. 

Perhaps that's because there aren't many cornering forces to detect: both cars delivered just 0.76 g of grip. An automobile doesn't need lofty performance limits to be entertaining (VW's GTI is no F1 car, but it's a blast to gun across a twisting road), but the ES resolutely shrugs off any attempts at driving enthusiasm. It's almost unbelievable that this machine and the LFA (not to mention the GS 350 F Sport and the IS F) wear the same badge. Though we might not have predicted as much going into this review, after driving both ES models back-to-back it's the hybrid ES 300h that comes off as the far more appealing car. It's not as quick as the V-6 -- the run to 60 mph takes a leisurely 7.6 seconds -- but in around-town driving its instant-torque electric motors and seamless CVT make it feel livelier (despite the hybrid weighing 161 pounds more than the ES 350).

 A silly feature, standard on both cars, dubbed Drive Mode Select allows the driver to choose eco, normal, or sport settings to alter the response of the throttle and power steering assist. In the ES 350, you'd be hard-pressed to notice much difference between any of the three, but in the ES 300h the sport setting really juices-up the throttle; the car fairly leaps away from stoplights. In sport, the hybrid's main dash displays a tachometer -- which takes some getting used to for the first few stoplights as the needle suddenly plops to zero. While the hybrid is capable of running in full-electric mode for short periods, doing so requires a delicate right foot -- and keeping the speedo below 25 mph. Of course, the hybrid trumps the V-6 model on economy: 40/39 city/highway mpg versus 21/31.

That taken into consideration, the ES 300h really is a standout: a luxuriously appointed, hugely spacious sedan that returns 40 miles per gallon in urban settings -- nearly double that of its V-6 sibling. True, the four-cylinder gas engine in the ES 300h can't match the ES 350's six for silkiness, but it's respectable. Overall, the hybrid simply comes off as the more modern and engaging machine. The ES 300h carries a $2750 premium over its "regular" twin, in return delivering crisper city responsiveness, far fewer visits to the pump, and the knowledge that you're demanding a little less of Mother Earth than the driver of the ES 350 (some might consider that worth it, others not). Outfitted with navigation, Mark Levinson premium audio, and the Ultra Luxury Package (leather, climate-control seats, park assist, etc.) our test car climbed to $45,050. 

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2013 Nissan Pathfinder SUV Fully Detailed Plus

Nissan has fully revealed the final production version of its all-new 2013 Pathfinder SUV, following the presentation of the Pathfinder Concept at the Detroit motor show in January and a first batch of teaser images earlier this week. 

Continuing the back-and-forth between unibody constructions and truck-based frames, as the first generation of the Pathfinder (1985-1995) utilized a ladder-type frame while the second generation (1996-2004) a unibody platform and the third iteration (2005-2012) a truck frame, the new model returns to a passenger car-like unibody structure. 

The Japanese carmaker says it made the shift again as truck-based SUV sales have declined steadily over the years with consumers preferring more fuel efficient and refined crossovers. 

"It's no secret that the industry has shifted as gas prices have increased," says Al Castignetti, general manager of Nissan North America. 

"But while traditional SUV customers are looking for improved fuel economy, they still demand a vehicle that can do all the things they need, like carrying seven people, towing, and providing the surefootedness in all conditions of a four-wheel drive," he adds. 

The new platform, which is shared with the Infiniti JX crossover, helps shed 500 pounds (227 kg) of mass compared to the outgoing model, with the FWD model tipping the scales at 4,149 pounds (1,882 kg) and 4WD version at 4,290 pounds (1,946 kg). 

Nissan states that the new Pathfinder offers a standard towing capacity of 5,000 pounds (2,268 kg).

As we anticipated, the 2013 model uses the same 3.5-liter V6 engine found in the new Infiniti JX, matched to a next-generation Xtronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). In this application, the V6 produces 260-horsepower. 

The Pathfinder is offered in FWD and 4WD configurations, with the latter featuring ALL-MODE 4x4-i system with selectable 2WD, Auto or 4WD modes. 

Thanks to the lighter platform and the new powertrain, the 2013 Pathfinder's fuel economy has improved more than 30 percent over that of the 2012 model with the FWD version returning an EPA-estimated 20mpg city, 26mpg highway and 22mpg combined, and the 4WD model, 19mpg city, 25mpg highway and 21mpg combined. 

Nissan claims that the new model features a more upscale exterior and interior – though for some reason, the Japanese company skimped on the pictures of the dashboard that we don't get to see as a whole [Update: we found a third video that gives us a better look at the interior]. 

Inside, it's worth mentioning that the 2013 Pathfinder has room for seven passengers in three rows of seats equipped with the so-called "EZ Flex Seating System with LATCH AND GLIDE", which the company says is an industry first 2nd row tip-up seat for use with a child safety seat. 

Among other amenities offered on the new Pathfinder are the leather appointed seats, heated steering wheel, heated and cooled front seats, programmable Nissan Intelligent Key, Nissan Navigation System, Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System, 13-speaker Bose Premium Audio system, Satellite Radio, Dual-Zone Climate Control, RearView Monitor, remote engine start and tri-zone entertainment system. 

The 2013 Pathfinder will go on sale in the States this fall with pricing to be released closer to launch. 

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2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible Fuel Economy

We haven’t seen the next Volkswagen Beetle convertible yet, but we do know its EPA-estimated fuel-economy numbers ahead of the car’s debut. Despite the added structural weight that is needed when a roof is removed, the droptop gets the same mileage as the coupe model.Driving the stick-shift TDI in the city is good for 28 mpg, while highway cruising reaches 41; Turbo models with the manual are good for 21/30. EPA estimates for the 2.5-liter inline-five have not been made available yet, but considering TDI and Turbo convertible numbers mirror those of the coupe’s, we expect the base Beetle convertible to receive ratings of 22/31 with a row-your-own gearbox.

Fuel-economy estimates for DSG-equipped convertibles also haven’t been released yet, but we anticipate dual-clutch-equipped droptops will equal those numbers set by the coupe. Expect 22/29 for the 2.5-liter five, 22/30 for the Turbo, and 29/39 for the TDI. The remaining EPA estimates and more Beetle convertible details will become available closer to the car’s debut at the L.A. auto show this November.

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