New Chevrolet Spin is an MPV Version of the Cobalt

Less than a year after the introduction of the new Chevrolet Cobalt sedan for select markets around the globe, General Motors pulled the sheets off a new compact minivan called the Spin. 

The MPV was designed and developed by GM Brazil with the automaker stating that the car underwent tests in four continents around the world. The Spin is built at GM's factory in São Paulo, Brazil and will be sold across South America and Asia starting from July. 

The Spin shares its platform architecture including its 2,620mm (103.1-inches) long wheelbase, mechanical hardware and design language with the Cobalt. 

If you were not impressed with the Cobalt's styling, then we are going to guess that you will not warm up to the Spin either as it looks awkward, as if someone took the Cobalt and stretched its height on Photoshop…

The interior, which can seat five or seven people, depending on the trim model, also shares many parts with the Cobalt including the partially digital instrument cluster, steering wheel and center console designs. 

Chevrolet says that with seven occupants, the Spin's load capacity is 162 liters, which can be increased to 710 liters in a five-seat configuration and 1,668 liters with the middle row seats folded down. 

There are two available models, the five-seater LT that comes equipped with standard air-conditioning, power steering, ABS, EBD, dual airbags, power windows and locks, plus height adjustable driver's seat and steering wheel. 

The LTZ adds a third row of seats, trip computer, parking sensors and steering wheel controls.

A 1.8-liter four-cylinder Econo.Flex engine delivering 108 horsepower when running ethanol and 106 horsepower on gasoline powers both models. Transmission choices include a five speed manual gearbox and a six-speed automatic transmission. 

GM has not yet announced pricing for the Spin.  

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2013 Mercedes GLK

There is no denying that the new face-lifted Mercedes GLK is uglier than the previous model. Those blessed with the gift of sight can easily notice that if they look at the pictures of the cars side by side. Now, this new commercial they released for the car tries to kind of justify that by delivering the message that it might be ugly, but it’s got a strong character. It’s about a couple searching for a new house. The look at some pretty nice ones, but at end settle for one that doesn’t look very brilliant, but has character.The ad also showcases the GLK’s capabilities on and off the road. 

The comprehensive range of equipment and appointments for the GLK includes details which are generally the reserve of higher classes of vehicle. With a total of seven model versions, the GLK-Class furthermore offers one of the most comprehensive model ranges in the compact SUV segment (Prices for the German market, incl. 19% VAT):

GLK 200 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY: € 36,235.50GLK 220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY: € 38,377.50GLK 220 CDI 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY: € 42,721.00GLK 220 BlueTEC 4MATIC: € 44,149.00GLK 250 BlueTEC 4MATIC: € 46,142.25GLK 350 CDI 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY: € 49,742.00GLK 350 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY: € 50,099.00

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Audi SQ5 TDI

So you want a small SUV with Quattro, a 5 second run to 100Km/h and  fuel efficient diesel engine? Well look no further than the all new half super-SUV, half Eco-diesel. The SQ5 has Audi’s BiTDi 3 liter V6 motor which is a tower of power producing 230Kw and a massive 650NM of torque while boasting avg. fuel consumption of 7.1l/100km. The SQ5 has Audi’s brand new 8 speed DSG, the suspension is dropped 30mm and it runs on 20inch rims as standard with 21's as an option. This is the first ever “S” model to be powered by diesel and it was debuted alongside the R18-Quattro’s at Le Mans. If you were worried about the noise made by the diesel power plant, have no fear, Audi developed a sound actuator in the exhaust to give it the sound to match the go and it will tow 2.4tons to boot.

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Kia Rio Sedan

Kia has really been upping their game over the past few years and I still had to reserve my judgment since I have not had a chance to drive any of them, just look at them. On the design side of things Kia gets top marks, the looks of the Rio Sedan are fresh modern and clean. The lines are great on the hatch and have crossed over well onto the sedans larger shape. Kia really made a smart move snapping up Peter Schreyer after he left Audi. His signature Tiger Nose design is fresh and has really brought Kia to the fore in the looks department. Where some of the Rio’s competitors have become a much of a much-ness, the Rio really stands out.

Inside this continues, the cabin is spacious, clutter free and everything laid out logically. I do wish they had used more soft touch materials than there appears to be but this doesn’t detract from it being a nice place to be. There was a good amount of space in the back even with the front seat in my driving position. I felt comfortable enough to sit there over an extended journey. It’s no luxury limo but, you will not be wanting for space. The seats are comfortable and with the great array of standard equipment, make it easy to chew away the miles in comfort. The satellite controls on the steering wheel means you never have to take your eyes off the road.

A nice touch is the two twelve volt power points in the front and the tray were you put your iPod has a perfect cut out for your iPhone or iPod to fit snugly and not slide around. The controls are easy to fathom and the Bluetooth is easy to pair, making it easy no matter if you’re 18 or 80.

I know that a lot of cars these days come with beeps and bongs mostly for the American market I guess and the Rio is no different. There is a bong from the seatbelts and then a bong when the key is in the ignition and you open the door, to tell you the key is there so you don’t leave it behind. Well I think that is just plain idiotic. Who leaves their keys in the ignition and walks away from their car to go shopping I ask? Boot space is huge and you will manage to get plenty of luggage in there with 389litres of space

The Rio rides well, feeling firm but not harsh and bumpy. It gives you a lot of confidence in the car and the chassis. The steering is light and easy to manuver in those tight parking lots, which I am sure it will spend a considerable amount of time in. The 1.2 litre unit powering  this base model won’t set any timing sheets on fire, we tested the 0-100 time at 17seconds which is slow by any means but this doesn’t really matter, let’s be frank  you’re not buying a car like this to race around in like Lewis Hamilton . The motor has good torque in the lower RPM range but, the power does seem to die off after 5000RPM. Fuel savings are part and parcel of this car, if you follow the trip computers and the prompts to change gears on the in dash display, you can see fuel figures coming down to as low as 4.3l/100km. Most of the time those figures will be around the 5.5l/100km which is great when you consider the ever rising fuel costs. The Rio’s clutch is light and easy to use but I did find it stalled far too easily pulling off in first. This can get very frustrating and you find yourself over revving just to compensate.

In summary the new Rio Sedan really impressed with its styling, good ride and cabin. Kia has become a real force to reckoned with that better have the other established marques really worrying how they are going to fight back. For the money and what you get as standard there is nothing right now that I would rather spend my hard earned cash on in this segment.

Pros:

Great styling

Bang for your buck motoring

Build Quality

Standard Features

Cons:

Too easy to stall in first gear

Engine needs more oomph

Steering is void of all feel

Specs:

Engine:  1248cc In-line, 4 Cyl 16 valve DOHC CVVT

Power: 65KW @ 6000RPM

Torque: 120NM @ 4000RPM

Standard Features:

Bluetooth, iPod, AUX, Mp3

Electric Windows

Air Con

Power Mirrors

Trip Computer

Special Thanks to Ian Little

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Audi A6 2.0T to get eight-speed auto and Quattro for 2013

Not much gets written about the Audi A6, which is a shame because we have found it one of the most enjoyable models in German automaker's lineup to drive. A report in Car and Driver as to the future of the A6 2.0-liter turbo might not get the model much more press, but could get it more sales. The 211-horsepower four-cylinder has only been available with a CVT and front-wheel drive; now an eight-speed automatic and Quattro appear on the option sheet. 

C/D says will be a surprisingly modest $2,200 premium to move up from the FWD model to the Quattro, with $45,295 needed for the 2.0's base Premium trim – but since the front-drive CVT model will continue to be offered, we're not sure if the eight-speed Tiptronic will be a cost option as well. Even if so, there should still be a healthy stack of Benjamins between it and its German competition, and the addition of Quattro isn't expected to knock it from the top spot in fuel economy among its luxury foes. The upspec'd A6 should appear in dealerships this August. 

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SEAT Ibiza Facelift by JE Design

It didn’t take long for JE Design to come up with a tuning package for the new SEAT Ibiza facelift after the Spanish car maker announced it. Save the color on this particular car, they’ve done a pretty good job making the Ibiza look even sportier. The visual upgrade will soon be complemented with substantial power increase for all the engines int he range. 

For now though you have to settle for the body kit, a set of 17 or 18-inch wheels, and sport suspension with shorter springs that lower the car by 35mm. The nicely designed body kit includes a hefty spoiler lip at front, tall side skirts, a roof spoiler and a big rear diffuser. All the components are made from plastic, but that diffuser has a nice carbon look to look more appealing. It’s a simple and effective way of improving your car’s looks. But for heaven’s sake choose a dignified color!

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Infiniti still wants halo car, GT-R variant ruled out

Take a good look at the lineup of cars at Infiniti. Notice anything interesting? We see sedans of multiple shapes and sizes, wagon-like crossovers, a hybrid and even a massive SUV, which is the most expensive machine the company has on offer. What we don't see, though, is a clear range-topper. 

According to Car and Driver, that fact doesn't sit very well with Andreas Sigl, the man at the head of Infiniti's Formula 1 relationship with Red Bull. "A halo car would help us ... It could bridge the gap between Infiniti and F1."

With an Infiniti version of the Nissan GT-R apparently off the table, we're not really expecting any kind of halo car that will bring to mind the raw performance of an F1 racer. Still, the options available to Infiniti are intriguing: the Emerg-E and Essence concepts are reportedly being considered for production.

The Essence Concept was powered by a twin-turbo, direct-injection 3.7-liter V6 and electric motor hybrid combination that was good for 592 brake horsepower. That sounds perfectly halo-esque to us, but a V8 may have potential, too. Meanwhile, the Emerg-E concept was co-developed with Lotus with componentry borrowed from the Evora. The range-extended electric vehicle could reportedly run from 0-60 in four seconds flat while offering a 300-mile range.

 

So, which direction might Infiniti go? Beats us, but C&D poses a nice solution: How about both? 

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New Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake

It took Mercedes-Benz a little over two years to turn the Shooting Break Concept from the 2010 Beijing Auto Show into the production CLS Shooting Brake (that's no typo, the German automaker changed the name in the process) you first saw in a set of leaked pictures earlier today and in much more detail now. 

So what exactly is the CLS Shooting Brake? Well, if you ask the brand with the star, it will tell you that it's "quite clearly a coupé, but with five doors and a roof which continues through to the rear." 

If you're having a problem comprehending Mercedes' description of the Shooting Brake, you're probably not alone. 

To put it simply, it's an estate version of the CLS with a heavily arched roof that digs into the load area reducing space but at the same time, makes the car look far more elegant and sporty than let's say, the E-Class Wagon. 

While it does look sleek, the Shooting Brake is a large vehicle that measures 4,956mm (195.2 inches) long, 1,881mm (74.1 inches) wide and 1,413 mm (55.6 inches) tall. This means it has the same width with the CLS sedan but it is 16mm longer and surprisingly, 3mm lower than the saloon it is based upon. 

Another surprise comes from the load area as with 590 liters of space with the rear seats in their position, the CLS Shooting Brake beats the Jaguar XF Sportbreak (550 liters), Audi A6 Avant (565 liters) and BMW 5-Series Touring (560 liters) losing only to its E-Class Wagon stablemate (695 liters). 

With the rear seats folded, however, the Shooting Brake with 1,550 liters of space falls behind all four cars (Jaguar: 1,675 liters, Audi: 1,680 liters, BMW: 1,670 liters and Mercedes E-Class Wagon: 1,950 liters). 

The Shooting Brake is equipped as standard with a self-leveling air suspension at the rear while another special feature worth mentioning is the available 'designo' wooden luggage compartment floor that Mercedes says "serves to underscore the hand-finished nature of the interior". 

In addition, unlike the CLS sedan that gets a strict-two seat layout at the back, the Shooting Brake features three seats, the backrests of which can be folded down from the luggage compartment as standard. 

Customers will be able to choose from five interior colors, five trim designs and also three qualities of leather.

The initial engine range for Europe will include a total of four powertrains, all coupled to a 7-speed 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission with an ECO start/stop function. 

These include two diesels, the CLS 250 CDI with a 2.1-liter four-cylinder turbo rated at 201hp (204PS) and the CLS 350 CDI powered by a 3.0-liter V6 delivering 261hp (265PS), and two petrol models, the CLS 350 with a 302hp (306PS) 3.5-liter V6 and the CLS 500 sporting a 4.7-liter V8 turbo producing 402hp (408PS). 

The CLS 350 CDI and the CLS 500 will also be offered with Mercedes' 4MATIC all-wheel drive system.

In the UK, Mercedes will only offer the two rear-wheel drive diesel models. 

In 2013, the Shooting Brake's range will be enhanced with the flagship CLS 63 AMG version series, likely powered by a 5.5-liter bi-turbocharged V8 rated at 530bhp (537PS) in standard trim. 

Mercedes-Benz has said that it has no current plans to bring the Shooting Brake to North America.

If you scroll down, you'll find all the technical data for the European-spec model along with Mercedes-Benz's account on the origins of the Shooting Brake/Break moniker, plus 80 high-resolution photos and a video.

[From Mercedes-Benz] It's all in a name: the origins of the name "Shooting Break"
"Break, or the homonym Brake, was the name once given to carriages used to "break" in wild horses and also to restrict (or "brake") their urge to move, so that they could be put to use as work horses. Since the carts could easily be broken as part of this process, people tended not to use ones which they may have urgently needed for other purposes.

Where necessary, "Brakes" were often fitted out with variable bodies, which were only really used to carry along anything that may have been necessary for the hunt, for example. Any such vehicle which was used when going out shooting was called a Shooting Brake or Shooting Break. Motorised Shooting Brakes were popular in England in the 60s and 70s – exclusive two-door sports cars, which combined the luxury and style of a coupé with a larger load compartment and large tailgate."

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Tesla Model S officially rated at 89 MPGe with 265-mile range

The numbers are in, and they are prosperous. in keeping with the EPA, the Tesla Model S gets a far per gallon equivalent (MPGe) rating of eighty nine (combined), eighty eight (city) and ninety (highway). MPGe is outlined because the distance a vehicle would travel on the energy contained in one gallon of gasoline, though after all the mould S runs on electrons not gas.

To compare, alternative pure electrical cars on the market embody the Honda match at 118 conjoined MPGe, the Mitsubishi i with 112 MPGe the Ford Focus electrical with one zero five MPGe and also the Nissan Leaf with "just" ninety nine MPGe. Even at rock bottom of this specific list, these are spectacular numbers for the Model S, that means it makes economical use of the energy offered in its battery.

Tesla says the vary has been declared to be 265 miles using the EPA's five-cycle testing procedure that makes it the long range mileage champ of the assembly electrical automotive world. Using the EPA's older two-cycle testing Fist letter the Model S would score quite three hundred miles per charge – considerably larger than the 244 miles managed by the older Tesla Roadster. Still, that vary figure solely applies to the top-of-the-line version with the 85-kWh battery that starts at $69,900.There will be Model S sedans offered with significantly less vary and a smaller worth tag, furthermore as a Performance model beginning at $84,900.

We're on the lookout for additional info from Tesla, and that we expect it will return before the primary deliveries happen this Friday at the company's Fremont factory in California.

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Hyundai pondering new large crossover

According to a report in Ward s Auto the pale fortunes of the soon-to-depart Hyundai Veracruz are not stopping Hyundai from considering another dedicated seven-seat crossover. though the new Santa Fe can usher in a very long-wheelbased sibling that may seat seven, Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik advises Ward's to "stay tuned for future details on a possible premium crossover" that would be a fanatical – read: Veracruz replacing – CUV for seven.

The question is, what will "premium" mean? The word was applied to the Veracruz however customers did not specifically obtain it, cross-shopping the Veracruz with mass-market competitors. Ward's uses a barn-sized brush to get out the competitive set for this future CUV, from the $18,995 Dodge Journey(!) to the $46,250 Audi Q7. that is a boggling vary, the prime takeaway being that no matter it's are clearly a lot of "premium" than the Veracruz. in keeping with Ward's, "Hyundai has expressed a need to use the rear-wheel drive platform underpinning its premium Genesis and Equus sedans for different models, probably CUVs."

Just as necessary for the instant is that Hyundai believes there is a fight it will still win within the arena of huge crossovers.

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