2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek U.S. Spec

In 1995, Subaru became one of the first manufacturers to jump into the emerging crossover SUV market when it introduced the Forester, which was essentially an Impreza with a new, taller body. Fast-forward to 2012, and Subaru has once again called upon the Impreza to be the bones for an-all new compact crossover, this one called the 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek. The interior of the Crosstrek is nearly identical to that of Impreza, save a few minor differences: the instrument cluster, a plastic cargo tray, and privacy glass. This similarity is hardly surprising -- it's both easy and cost effective to use as much as you can from what you have on hand. You sit in, not on, the firm yet comfortable seats, which have just enough bolstering keep you in place. For such a relatively small vehicle, the Crosstrek has a surprising amount of room inside. I could easily sit behind myself with plenty of headroom. Being 6'2", that's not something I can say about every vehicle. 

We got to sample both transmissions our drive, which consisted of both on- and off-road driving, and found that the five-speed made the Crosstrek much more enjoyable to drive. Being able to row your own makes a big difference in how lively it feels. Since it is neither a hardcore SUV nor a completely on-road vehicle, Subaru had to balance on-road feel with off-road capabilities, a job it accomplished very well. On the highway, the Crosstrek had a smooth feel, and when we hit broken road, the suspension absorbed the bumps nicely -- not too firm, not too soft. We couldn't get a feel for more spirited driving feel, specifically how the Crosstrek felt going through a corner hard, partly because the two-lane roads of Oahu often are clogged with slow-moving vehicles. 

We're guessing it will be similar to the behavior of other Subarus, exhibiting a little bit of body roll with the AWD system pulling you nicely through the corner. According to Subaru, its customers are active individuals who are four times more likely to hike and 3.5 times more likely to bike compared to your average customer. The target buyer is what Subaru calls a "youthful explorer," someone who seeks particular attributes in their vehicle. They want something that can handle all-around adventure, has flexible capabilities, is equipped for fun, and, of course, is safe. Subaru feels it has hit the nail on the head with the XV Crosstrek, and we agree. It's not a sports car by any means, but it is a sporty, capable, and fun CUV that will definitely fill a void in Subaru's lineup.

Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door CUV 2.0L/148-hp/145-lb-ft DOHC 16-valve I-4 147/112-135/102 kW-hrs/100 miles 

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2014 Mazda 6 Revealed in Photos

When a photo of the 2014 Mazda 6 leaked on a Russian car-enthusiast website, it raised a few eyebrows. Not because the car looked any different from what we expected, but rather because it came from a Russian site. That all makes a little more sense now, because Mazda has announced that the 6 will make its debut at the Moscow auto show next month, rather than the Paris show this September as had been expected. The company also filled in the gaps between the teaser videos it has been releasing lately, which you can see in a new cut after the jump.

In addition to moving up the 6's debut, Mazda also divulged some details about its new mid-sizer. The 6 will debut with the Skyactiv-G 2.0-liter four-cylinder that’s already featured in the Mazda 3 and CX-5. In its current applications, the engine produces 155 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque while still achieving an EPA-estimated 28-mpg city and 40 highway in the 3 and 26/35 in the CX-5. The 6 also will get the Skyactiv-Drive six-speed automatic transmission that’s available in the 3 and CX-5.

Along with that, we’ve learned that the 2014 6 will be the first Mazda to use what the company calls i-ELOOP, for “intelligent energy loop,” which is a brake-energy recovery system. When the vehicle is decelerating, a variable-voltage alternator sends power to a supercapacitor. The electricity can then be discharged when the engine stop-start system takes over, supplying juice to the accessories when the vehicle is stopped with the engine off. It’s a take on the clutched-alternator approach that is making its way into other manufacturers’ vehicles.

The 2014 Mazda 6 making its debut in Moscow on August 29 will be specific to the Russian market; since this is a global model, we expect most of the details to carry over to the U.S.

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Chevrolet Reveals 2013 Camaro NASCAR Nationwide Race Car

Today, Chevrolet released the first photos of its 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series entry rendered in the Camaro’s likeness. The new Camaro race car is not to be confused with the yet-to-be-revealed SS sedan, which will be entered into service in next year’s NASCAR Sprint Cup series. The arrival of the Camaro and the SS marks the end of the Impala’s run as the bow-tie brand’s entrant for both series.

If you’re not familiar with NASCAR’s two racing series, there are two major differences: One, Sprint Cup cars produce around 850 hp, while the Nationwide cars make 650. And two, the series use different sets of cars. For example, Sprint Cup cars include sedans like the Dodge Charger, Ford Fusion, the aforementioned Chevy SS, and the Toyota Camry. Nationwide’s lineup includes sportier two-doors like the Dodge Challenger, Ford Mustang, and now this new Camaro. (The Camry also is part of the Nationwide mix, but that likely has more to do with lack of a production Toyota coupe.)

We say based on looks alone, this new Camaro has what it takes to run with the series-spec Challengers and Mustangs. The race car’s body gets a fairly realistic take on the real Camaro’s scalloped-out grille opening, hood power bulge, and headlight design. You can first see the Camaro in a NASCAR race next year at Daytona International Speedway. 

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Nissan Leaf Limousine

So many vehicles have been turned into limousines, some more sensibly than others. These stretched examples, in our opinion, were a bit over the top. It’s probably no surprise, then, that electric vehicles now are getting in on the act. Nissan, in conjunction with the Embassy Suites hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, commissioned the limo-fication of the all-electric Nissan Leaf.

During our test of a standard-wheelbase Leaf, we experienced a range of 58 miles. The builder of the stretched Leaf, Imperial Limo Land, says that it expects range to decrease by 15 percent. The drop in range is a result of the extra 400 pounds from the additional aluminum structure used to stretch the center section of the car.

That roughly 12-percent gain in weight is not offset by any changes to the powertrain. The Leaf’s 24-kWh battery remains, though it is located farther back for better balance. The hotel says that it will use the Leaf limo for journeys averaging around 10 miles round-trip. If our calculations are right, the Leaf limo might complete five trips before needing as many as 12 hours to recharge.

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2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class

The Mercedes-Benz GL-class was once a cautionary tale. It launched in 2006 to strong demand but, as we all know, gas prices soon spiked and then the financial market collapsed. The unsurprising sales slump that followed -- a 46 percent drop in 2009 -- seemed to underline the shortsightedness of relying on sales of big, expensive trucks as opposed to smaller, more efficient vehicles. 

The only problem with such a pat conclusion is that the world didn’t actually come to an end in 2009. Since then, the seven-seat GL, like many “outmoded” big trucks, has steadily recovered. Mercedes sold some 25,000 of them in the United States last year, nearly equaling its 2007 sales high and outselling the smaller GLK crossover. It should thus come as no surprise that although Mercedes is indeed preparing smaller cars like the new A-class, it is first interested in showing off a new, even more powerful GL-class. 

Did we mention it’s more powerful? GL buyers will choose from two, soon to be three, potent V-8s. The 2013 GL450 now features a bi-turbo 4.7-liter V-8 that basically equals the output of the old GL550 with 362 hp and 406 lb-ft. Good thing then, that the new GL550 has its own bi-turbo 4.7-liter (down from 5.5 liters) that produces 429 hp and a stout 516 lb-ft of torque. These engines manage to achieve small fuel economy gains despite carrying over the last generation’s seven-speed automatic. That said, both still fail to break 15 mpg in the city or 20 mpg on the highway. We expect even heavier drinking from the new GL63 AMG, which arrives next year with a 550-hp 5.5-liter bi-turbo V-8. 

On sale: September
Base price: $63,305 (GL350); $64,805 (GL450); $87,405 (GL550)
Engines: 3.5-liter turbo-diesel V-6, 240 hp, 455 lb-ft; 4.7-liter biturbo V-8, 362 hp, 406 lb-ft; 4.7-liter V-8, 429 hp, 516 lb-ft
EPA mileage: 18/24 (GL350); 14/19 (GL450; 13/18 (GL550) 

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Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster

The all new all beautiful Aston V12 Vantage Roadster. The normal hardtop car was great but now you can have that great Vantage chassis with a V12 and a soft top, yes please, the great looks matched with the awesome Aston V12 sound track.

 The performance figures stay the same at 390KW and 570NM.  Aston have also managed to keep the curb weight under control with only an 80kg raise. This has changed the 0-100km sprint from 4.1sec to 4.5secs combined with a top whack of 305km/h.

This Aston makes it hard to justify buying a Ferrari California. It is also a much more dynamic and beautiful  alternative to the DB9 roadster and a lot cheaper than the monstrously priced DBS soft top. Orders have been opened. Only one problem, Aston have decided to send their press release pics out with a ginger in the passenger seat, that might drop you respectability by a few points.

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Audi A1 Sportback gets the Tuning Treatment

After the three-door Audi A1, it's time for ABT Sportsline to show some tuning love to the five-door Sportback variant of Ingolstadt's premium supermini. 

The German tuner offers a complete mix of cosmetic and performance enhancements, including a lite styling package as seen on the model in these pictures and which includes vents on the front fenders, side skirt décor parts, chrome tailpipes and a choice of 17- and 18-inch alloy wheels. 

There are more parts available such as front lips, rear skirt inserts, a larger spoiler, and even a selection of wraps aptly named 'Aloha', 'Klecks' and 'High-voltage'. 

Power upgrades include performance kits for the 1.4-liter TFSI, boosting the 120hp (122PS) version to 158hp (160PS), and the 182hp (185PS) model to 207hp (210PS) for a top speed close to 240km/h (149mph) and a 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint time of 6.6 seconds. 

The base 1.2-liter TFSI petrol is bumped from 85hp (86PS) to 108hp (110PS), while the 1.6-liter TDI diesel with 104hp (105PS) delivers 123hp (125PS) and the 2.0-liter TDI with 141hp (143PS) churns out 167hp (170PS) after ABT's engineers install the upgrade kit. 

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Toyota Dropping Base 4.6-Liter V8 from 2013 Sequoia Lineup

Toyota revealed to us that it is paring the 2013 Sequoia’s engine options from two to one by eliminating the SUV’s base 310-hp, 4.6-liter V-8. The move leaves the previously optional 381-hp, 5.7-liter V-8 as the 2013 Sequoia’s sole engine choice, which is fine by us. In our most recent test of a 5.7-liter-equipped, four-wheel-drive Sequoia, the brawny V-8 launched the 6100-pound beast from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.6 seconds. 

Throw in the minor fuel-economy penalty exacted by the 5.7-liter (rear-drive models sacrifice 1 mpg in the city and 2 on the highway to the departed 4.6) and the loss of the 4.6-liter doesn’t seem so grave.

Toyota hasn’t finalized pricing for the 2013 Sequoia, but we suspect that the rig’s base sticker will rise to about the same level as it costs to get into a 2012 model with the 5.7-liter. A similar price increase was levied on the 2013 Sienna minivan, which dropped its base four-cylinder this year. In the case of the Sequoia, that means you should expect to pay at least $42,540 to drive away the current least-expensive, rear-drive Sequoia equipped with the 5.7-liter. 

 

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