Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[First Drive: 2013 Ferrari California [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/14/2013-ferrari-california-first-drive-review-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/14/2013-ferrari-california-first-drive-review-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/14/2013-ferrari-california-first-drive-review-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

A Rare Mid-life Updo Comes To The Starter Ferrari



Every time I travel to Maranello for a test drive, the three hours or so prior to turning the red key are driven in a U.S. Interstate-style straight line along Italy's A1 autostrada in my 99-horsepower 2001 Opel Astra station wagon with five-speed manual. It's just about the perfect antithetical setup for the unleashing of the hounds that awaits just over the hills south of Ferrari HQ.

This trip over was for the midlife upgrade of the Ferrari California for our 2013 model year, a car that promises to weigh less, deliver more horsepower and torque, and go quicker.

Continue reading 2013 Ferrari California [w/video]

2013 Ferrari California [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 May 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 ferrari california2013 ferrari california handling specialecaliforniacalifornia hsferrariferrari californiafirst driveFirstDriveMon, 14 May 2012 11:57:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2013 BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/08/2013-bmw-6-series-gran-coupe-first-drive-review/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/08/2013-bmw-6-series-gran-coupe-first-drive-review/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/08/2013-bmw-6-series-gran-coupe-first-drive-review/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

BMW Takes On Mercedes And Audi In The Profit Margin Wars

2013 BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe

As the years go by, it's become the Germans who are most closely watching what each other are doing over the backyard fence. So much so, at times, that it can almost seem like they're freely swapping all their trade secrets unapologetically in full view.

Take this nicely executed new luxo-niche player, the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe. It's no scoop, of course, that it was created specifically to not miss out on what both Mercedes-Benz and Audi are discovering for themselves with the CLS and A7. And yes, that "nicely executed" modifier just used to describe the Gran Coupe could indeed ring with more enthusiasm.

The 640i Gran Coupe we sailed around in all over Sicily under a crisp sun is a generally good-looking machine. BMW designers have taken the existing Big Bimmer language and successfully created a new dialect for the company, if you will. But these "four-door coupe" creations are curiosities for which many develop a love (or, occasionally, a distaste) for over the long run. Only the first-generation CLS in 2003-04 absolutely socked it to us at first glance, and since then, everything else in the genre has felt derivative. Well, they essentially are blatant derivatives, right?

Continue reading 2013 BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe

2013 BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 May 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 bmw 6 series gran coupe6 series6 series gran coupe640i gran coupebmwfeaturedfirst driveFirstDriveTue, 08 May 2012 11:57:00 EST<![CDATA[New details on the next Audi A3]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/04/new-details-on-the-next-audi-a3/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/04/new-details-on-the-next-audi-a3/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/04/new-details-on-the-next-audi-a3/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



We just attended a thorough workshop covering the tech inside the next Audi A3, the new compact from Ingolstadt that the U.S. gets in October 2013 as a five-door Sportback model, as well as a new four-door small sedan. A concept version of the four-door was shown at the Geneva Motor Show last year, while deliveries of this European hatchback start this July.

Our first drive of the three-door premium hatchback model that will be available at launch happens later this month, though it's sort of a shame we won't be getting this three-door here in the States. The five-door Sportback model that will be sold in the U.S. will be shown this October at the Paris Motor Show and will be available in Western European in January of next year. The premium hatch segment is fillling up fast now with this Audi, then the Volvo V40, to be followed then by the all-new Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

Continue reading New details on the next Audi A3

New details on the next Audi A3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 May 2012 12:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 audi a3a3audifeaturedFri, 04 May 2012 12:43:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2013 Audi S6]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/02/2013-audi-s6-first-drive-review/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/02/2013-audi-s6-first-drive-review/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/02/2013-audi-s6-first-drive-review/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Proof That Less Of Some Things Can Equal More.

2013 Audi S6

It's been fascinating to sample Audi's new greener edition of the EA824 V8 in all of its various incarnations. Our first crack at the new TFSI powerplant with cylinder-on-demand was in Audi's own 513-horsepower S8, and we then went on to try it out in the new 500-hp Bentley Continental GT and GTC V8 models. Most recently, we dipped into the 4.0-liter biturbo in the new S7 before getting behind the wheel of the closely related S6 seen here.

Versus the previous S6 with its muy macho Lamborghini-derived 5.2-liter V10, everything is quicker, more efficient and lighter in weight. The new fourth-generation S6 Quattro with S-tronic seven-speed dual clutch comes in at a European curb weight of 4,178 pounds - about 30 pounds lighter than the previous V10-stuffed car with its automated six-speed. Yes, power is slightly lower now at 414 horses, but peak torque of 406 pound-feet is slightly higher and happens over a vastly wider range of 1,400 to 5,200 rpm. Audi's 0-62 miles per hour sprint time is now listed at 4.6 seconds, a figure that compares favorably with the outgoing car's official 5.2-second time.

For my test drive, Audi thoughtfully provided a couple of S6 four-door setups for me to sample: those with Dynamic Steering and the torque vectoring sport Quattro rear differential, and those without. You know which trim I went for already. So equipped, these S6 sedans were all painted Misano Red... an exterior color that Americans cannot get this time around. So, just visualize me thundering around Bavaria in a car painted shades of white, black, silver, gray, or blue, since those are the paint chips you'll find on the order sheet at your local dealer.

Continue reading 2013 Audi S6

2013 Audi S6 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 May 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 audi s6a6audiaudi a6featuredfirst driveFirstDrives6s6 first drives6 reviewWed, 02 May 2012 11:57:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2013 Audi S7]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/26/2013-audi-s7-first-drive-review-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/26/2013-audi-s7-first-drive-review-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/26/2013-audi-s7-first-drive-review-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Performance With Poise

2013 Audi S7

As reaction settles down to news that Audi has scooped up Italian bikemaker Ducati right from under the nose of Mercedes-Benz for a cool billion, we can now get back to the four-wheeled performance Audi does best. And there are few better ways I can think of doing that than throwing body and mind into a fully optioned new Audi S7 and hitting the sunny German countryside.

At least for this scribe-driver, Audi does a much finer job on its S models than it attempts to do on the RS versions. Not that the RS lineup is a bad thing, but its various members often strike me as just souped-up S models - not the true RennSport icons they ought to be. I want mayhem and magic in an RS and never really get it. What I probably really want is rear-wheel drive and about 400 fewer pounds to lug around, but knowing Audi's modern day raison d'être, that'll never be allowed to happen.

But the S cars are genuinely satisfying Sport-driving professionals that happily double as very stylish everyday drivers. The current civilian Audi that expresses best the stylish part of the equation is the sleek A7. It's a funny car in that the initial reaction to the swoopy A7 was a bit hesitant from some quarters. But the enthusiasm has grown over time and now the sportback-style car is a certifiable hit in the United States and elsewhere.

Continue reading 2013 Audi S7

2013 Audi S7 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 audi s7a7audiaudi a7audi saudi s7featuredfirst driveFirstDrives7Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Beijing: Lamborghini Urus super SUV officially unveiled in China]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/22/lamborghini-urus-super-suv-officially-unveiled-in-china/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/22/lamborghini-urus-super-suv-officially-unveiled-in-china/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/22/lamborghini-urus-super-suv-officially-unveiled-in-china/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Everything You Want To Know About Lambo's Super SUV



The promise is to make it the most powerful series production SUV on the market, but also the least polluting.

Lamborghini has told us repeatedly that it wasn't planning on doing such a thing anytime soon. We expected most likely the front-engine four-door super sedan - playing off the 2008 Estoque showcar and 1968-'78 Espada - to become the raging bull's third model line.

Feast your eyes on the Lamborghini Urus, or "LB736." First off, yes, it is part of an upcoming (i.e. sometime in 2015) Volkwagen Group premium SUV onslaught. In the company of Lamborghini design director Filippo Perini and research and development guru Maurizio Reggiani, we were able to pry into all of the details back in mid-March during a special preview at company headquarters. We've had to hold off scribbling until today because the official debut for the edgy 4x4 happens right about now at the Beijing Motor Show. China is foreseen as a good market for the supersonic SUV, but the United States remains Job One.

In comparison to the clumsy Bentley EXP 9 F concept seen at the recent Geneva Motor Show, the Urus hits us almost gleefully by comparison; it's right on the money with Lambo's current design language. Lamborghini's Perini understands that this is a polarizing proposition: "When Lamborghini creates a whole new model line, it's automatically risky since it doesn't happen so often."

And we were nervous about it, too, imagining a four-seater setup that would need to ride way too high, sort of like the first generation Porsche Cayenne or that Bentley. But when the veil came off and the hard lights hit it, we were pleased.

Continue reading Lamborghini Urus super SUV officially unveiled in China

Lamborghini Urus super SUV officially unveiled in China originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 beijing motor showbeijingbeijing motor showconceptlamborghinilamborghini urus concepturusSun, 22 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2012 Peugeot 208 [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/19/2012-peugeot-208-first-drive-review-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/19/2012-peugeot-208-first-drive-review-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/19/2012-peugeot-208-first-drive-review-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Euro Hatch Icon Reclaims Some Of Its Mojo

2012 Peugeot 208

The challenge of small, efficient and clever hatchbacks catching on with the American masses is a long story that shows infrequent signs of becoming less challenging. The bottom line is that most U.S. consumers feel such vehicles are simply too small for our wide-open-spaces sensibilities. This smallness is only enhanced when one looks around while stopped at American intersections, only to see big and tall sheetmetal in all directions. There are admittedly serious strides being made in this segment in various U.S. markets, usually of the urban variety and on the coasts, but it will always be a struggle.

The last time Peugeot tried directly communicating in American English with imported product was back in 1991 with its 505 and 405 ranges that unceremoniously flopped. There was ongoing talk at that time of bringing over the 205 hatchback to try and improve things, but we missed out and Peugeot was gone. Perhaps the seven percent of PSA Peugeot-Citroën now owned by General Motors will someday result in the importing of the solid hatchback tested here, but I won't hold my breath.

Recently, the new Peugeot 208 was all over the French giant's show stand at the Geneva Motor Show, together with its legendary GTi trim and new XY upmarket trim. Back in 1984, it was the 105-horsepower 205 GTi that established the legend of the French hot hatch. While the 206 was then a smash hit with buyers between 1998 and 2006, the subsequently larger 207 has been far less popular in the face of much improved competitors - a group that blossomed from just 16 different models on the European market in 1998 to now 27 separate hatches today. In its prime, the 206 outsold even the mighty Volkswagen Golf and stayed at the top of Europe's sales charts for a time. The outgoing 207, however, has routinely lingered behind the Volkswagen Golf and Polo, Renault Clio, Opel Astra and Corsa, not to mention the Ford Focus and Fiesta.

Continue reading 2012 Peugeot 208 [w/video]

2012 Peugeot 208 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>207208featuredfirst driveFirstDrivepeugeotpeugeot 207peugeot 208peugeot-citroënpsaThu, 19 Apr 2012 11:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Quick Spin: 2012 Audi A6 Allroad Quattro biturbo diesel]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/11/2012-audi-a6-allroad-quattro-quick-spin-review/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/11/2012-audi-a6-allroad-quattro-quick-spin-review/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/11/2012-audi-a6-allroad-quattro-quick-spin-review/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Don't Get Too Attached To This Larger Allroad

2012 Audi A6 Allroad Quattro

As an American living in Italy, there are often entire month-long stretches where I drive nothing but European cars that will sadly never come out to play on American soil. Such is the case for the abundantly adored Audi A6 Allroad Quattro seen here. I was initially of the assumption that since the A4 Allroad had already been confirmed for the U.S. that the A6 Allroad would be coming as well, but I am dismayed to report otherwise.

Such a pity, too. The business case for giving North America the whole range of Audi models that Germany offers apparently just doesn't pan out financially - and for some of us, it's the old predictable story of unrequited love across the chilly Atlantic.

Team Ingolstadt brought me into their home in Neckarsulm just north of hilly Stuttgart for this drive through the area's precisely cultivated fields of hops. The aroma of beer is everywhere here, which may go some way toward explaining just why the new A6 Allroad felt so good under and around me as we freight-trained along the Swabian two-lanes.

Continue reading 2012 Audi A6 Allroad Quattro biturbo diesel

2012 Audi A6 Allroad Quattro biturbo diesel originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 audi a6 allroad2012 audi a6 allroad quattroa6a6 allroadallroadallroad quattroaudiaudi allroadfeaturedquattroquick spinquickspinWed, 11 Apr 2012 11:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Official: Volkswagen Up! named 2012 World Car of the Year]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/05/volkswagen-up-named-2012-world-car-of-the-year/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/05/volkswagen-up-named-2012-world-car-of-the-year/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/05/volkswagen-up-named-2012-world-car-of-the-year/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,



As is tradition, Day Two of the 2012 New York Auto Show kicked off with the annual World Car of the Year awards. Global entries competed for honors in four different categories, and from the initial list of 34 contenders, the final four were selected this morning.

The big winner was the 2012 Volkswagen Up! subcompact, which takes home the honor of World Car of the Year, beating out its other finalists, the BMW 3 Series and Porsche 911. We've had a chance to drive VW's tiny runabout and, while it would be hard for the automaker to justify offering something this small in the United States (right now), we'd gladly welcome its tossable city dynamics and efficiency here on our shores. With a small bump in power, it could certainly show the Fiat 500 who's boss.

But the Up! wasn't the only car praised in New York this morning. The new 991-series Porsche 911 was named World Performance Car of the Year, besting other nominees like the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 and McLaren MP4-12C. Stiff competition, for sure, but you just can't match the 911's razor-sharp precision, not to mention that this new 991 model is easily the best 911 yet.

Moving on to a different sort of performance, the Mercedes-Benz S250 CDI BlueEfficiency took top honors for its eco-performance, securing the World Green Car of the Year award. In this segment, the other two finalists were the Ford Focus Electric and Peugeot 3008 Hybrid greenlings.

Lastly, the WCOY jury selected the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque for the World Car Design of the Year - not really a surprise, seeing as how the baby Range Rover has been praised for its styling ever since the day it launched. Our condolences to the Citroën DS5 and Volkswagen Up! - you guys just aren't pretty enough.

Stay tuned for more details about this year's awards later today.

Full disclosure: Author is a juror and co-chair of the World Car of the Year Awards.

Volkswagen Up! named 2012 World Car of the Year originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 world car of the year911evoquefeaturedfocusfocus electricfordland rovernew yorknew york 2012new york auto showporscherange roverupvolkswagenwcotyworld car of the yearThu, 05 Apr 2012 09:20:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2013 Subaru BRZ [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/26/2013-subaru-brz-first-drive-review-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/26/2013-subaru-brz-first-drive-review-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/26/2013-subaru-brz-first-drive-review-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Subaru Gives Us Their Sports Car On Real Roads. Does It Deliver?

2013 Subaru BRZ

Last December, our wandering man of intrigue Jonathan Ramsey drove a Subaru BRZ prototype at Japan's Tochigi circuit under somewhat controlled conditions and was nonetheless very impressed. Then, in that same month, SoCal lad Michael Harley - he who knows a thing or two about hot-footing it on closed circuits - took the practically identical Scion FR-S for many unfettered laps on the island's short and sweet Sodegaura Forest Raceway. He, too, was left extremely enthused by the experience.

My turn now. We needed a real road test of the Subaru BRZ just to see if this car really does merit the "zenith" part of its name represented by its final letter. Can the stellar handling and light weight we've already raved about translate into something you could happily drive every day?

The roads on which Subaru sent me with their new star pupil could not be more appropriate: the ominous Route Napoleon in southern France. This is perfect, because the number of new car drives following the Geneva Motor Show has been mind numbing, and I frankly needed a spectacular car-and-road pairing to recharge my enthusiasm. I can think of no better combo for this than a promising sports car and this insanely technical French two-lane. I am here to find out if, in the real sporting car world, 200 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque are enough to keep the fire burning in me.

Continue reading 2013 Subaru BRZ [w/video]

2013 Subaru BRZ [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Mar 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 subaru brzbr-zbrzfeaturedfirst driveFirstDriveroute napoleansubarutoshio masudaMon, 26 Mar 2012 11:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Quick Spin: 1984 Audi Sport Quattro S1 [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/14/1984-audi-sport-quattro-s1-stig-blomqvist-wrc-rally-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/14/1984-audi-sport-quattro-s1-stig-blomqvist-wrc-rally-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/14/1984-audi-sport-quattro-s1-stig-blomqvist-wrc-rally-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Tearing It Up In The Deep White With The Original Stig

1984 Audi Sport Quattro S1

There are lots of fine race driver names in the history of motorsports. Sterling Moss, Alfonso Antonio Vicente Eduardo Angel Blas Francisco de Borja Cabeza de Vaca y Leighton (a.k.a. Marquis de Portago), and the ever popular Dick Trickle come to mind. We'd need to put in a strong vote, however, for Swede rally sensation Stig Blomqvist, winner of the 1984 World Rally Championship drivers' title. He drove for the Audi Sport factory team between 1982 and 1985, his Group B championship-winning season starting in a long-wheelbase Audi Quattro A2 and finishing in a short-wheelbase Sport Quattro S1.

Lucky for us, we recently had the chance to belt in beside The Stig as he powered over a west central Swedish parcours buried in deep snow. Better still, we were able to ride shotgun with the legendary shoe piloting what was essentially the same Sport Quattro S1 he drove for the last part of the '84 WRC season.

Continue reading 1984 Audi Sport Quattro S1 [w/video]

1984 Audi Sport Quattro S1 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiaudi quattroaudi sportaudi sport quattro s1blomqvistfeaturedquattroquattro s1quick spinquickspinstig blomqvisturquattroworld rally championshipwrcWed, 14 Mar 2012 11:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Exclusive: Autoblog goes one-on-one with the Pininfarina Cambiano Concept [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/02/autoblog-goes-one-on-one-with-the-pininfarina-cambiano/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/02/autoblog-goes-one-on-one-with-the-pininfarina-cambiano/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/02/autoblog-goes-one-on-one-with-the-pininfarina-cambiano/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Italian Turbine-Powered Calling Card For A New Era...And A New Maserati Quattroporte?



The global meltdown that boiled to the surface in 2008 was really hard on a lot of car companies, but it was categorically horrendous for the tradition of Italian car craftsmanship out of Turin.

Of the three big players left in the traditional Italian design mecca - Italdesign Giugiaro, Bertone and Pininfarina - only Giugiaro has managed to avoid administrative takeover of its debts and assets by working out a major deal with longtime allies Volkswagen to sell them 90.1 percent of the firm. Both Bertone and Pininfarina are currently trusted to oversee their own operations but are nonetheless bonded to pay off significant operational debts to Italian banks after having hammered out merciful sweetheart low-interest deals. Neither has succeeded in closing mutually agreeable VW-style takeover bids, but both would probably prefer not doing so anyway.

The Geneva Motor Show has been treated as Italy's (and my) hometown gig ever since the once wonderful Turin auto show fizzled away in 2002. One of the great spectacles of the Swiss salon is seeing the three major houses unveil their trinkets to the press, their stands traditionally placed side-by-side for maximum effect. This year, Italdesign Giugiaro will naturally show off some Volkswagen conceptual thinking, while Bertone has once again chosen a whimsical dream showcar approach with its 1970 Stratos-inspired Nuccio concept meant to commemorate Corrozzeria Bertone's centenary.

But the Pininfarina stand will most likely steal the attention of showgoers. How can you lose with a spanking new and hot Ferrari F12 Berlinetta and a concept that seems to hint at a future replacement for the Maserati Quattroporte?

Continue reading Autoblog goes one-on-one with the Pininfarina Cambiano Concept [w/video]

Autoblog goes one-on-one with the Pininfarina Cambiano Concept [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cambianogenevageneva 2012geneva motor showmaseratimaserati quattroportepinin farinapininfarinapininfarina cambianoquattroporteFri, 02 Mar 2012 11:57:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2013 Audi RS5]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/01/2013-audi-rs5-first-drive-review/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/01/2013-audi-rs5-first-drive-review/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/01/2013-audi-rs5-first-drive-review/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Tweaked RS5 On Ice Is More Thirst Quenching Than Before



We've admittedly had our share of issues with the approach Audi takes with its RS cars. In theory, "RS" represents the German tradition of heavy-breathing RennSport driving - essentially for cars that can really race. What we have found most often, however, is that the RS more readily approximates a branding exercise that comes sort of close to smacking us upside the head with thrills, but falls short in key ways - especially when Audi has brought us to a track, eagerly awaiting our feedback.

RS models tend to weigh a lot, and the company's Quattro obsession can harm handling while cornering - and it costs a pretty pickle or two to boot. The RS model that finally got us closest to Renn Sportiness was the TT RS (a car that's finally hitting the U.S., having already been savaging European roads since 2009). Then we waited until Spring 2010 and the RS5 that promised us things - wonderful things. The A5 upon which it is based was possessed of the near-perfect rear-biased sports coupe proportions, and the S5 it spawned was a pretty solid piece of work, too, so we were excited to drive it.

Continue reading 2013 Audi RS5

2013 Audi RS5 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 audi rs5a5audifeaturedfirst driveFirstDriveice drivingrs5s5snow drivingThu, 01 Mar 2012 11:57:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2012 BMW M550d xDrive]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/24/2012-bmw-m550d-xdrive-first-drive-review/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/24/2012-bmw-m550d-xdrive-first-drive-review/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/24/2012-bmw-m550d-xdrive-first-drive-review/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Diesel Thunder and Efficiency Arrive at M Performance



Having recently spent a day driving through Portugal in the well-executed but slightly less than inspiring BMW ActiveHybrid 5, we've now plunked our rumps into a very separate yet parallel 5 Series dimension. It's called the M550d xDrive, and instead of Portuguese hill country, we find ourselves driving over a heady combo of no-limit autobahn and essentially unmonitored idyllic two-lane Bavarian country roads. As luck would have it, the view ahead is sunny and dry.

As with any diesel phenom, the story here is not in the horsepower, which nonetheless rests at 376 between 4,000 and 4,400 rpm. You have to look at the peak torque: 546 pound-feet belting out a high-speed freight train tune between 2,000 and 3,000 rpm. That twist joins hands with the rising horsepower curve and spirals (in hugely inspiring fashion) up to a scorching rendezvous at 4,500-4,600 rpm. After which point, the two forces share a smoke, rest up, maybe chat a little to kill time while the sweat dries, and then have at it again. And again. And again. Like any active and happy young couple should do.

Continue reading 2012 BMW M550d xDrive

2012 BMW M550d xDrive originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20132 bmw m550d xdrive5 seriesbmwfeaturedfirst driveFirstDrivem550dM550d saloonFri, 24 Feb 2012 13:01:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 5]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/03/2012-bmw-activehybrid-5-first-drive-review/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/03/2012-bmw-activehybrid-5-first-drive-review/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/03/2012-bmw-activehybrid-5-first-drive-review/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

BMW Finally Builds A Serious Full Hybrid

2013 BMW ActiveHybrid 5

After having us over to drive its raging new M5 last September, BMW is now aiming to show just how efficient their F10 5 Series can be with the occasionally silent and rage-free ActiveHybrid 5. Whereas the ActiveHybrid X6 and ActiveHybrid 750i arrived somewhat lacking in state-of-the-art hybrid credentials, the ActiveHybrid 5 carries a true and undeniable full parallel hybrid powertrain starting with all the goodness you find in a 535i.

This ActiveHybrid 5 is essentially a 535i sedan that pollutes less, travels farther on each of its 17.7 gallons of fuel, is painted BMW's alternative-propulsion color of choice, Bluewater Metallic, and weighs 330 pounds more due to its electric motor, electric power unit motherboard and lithium-ion battery pack. Both CO2 emissions and range are said to improve by roughly 16 percent in a car that performs up to par with a 535i, so it's a likeable proposition. Sticking with the standard 17-inch wheel/tire setup and setting the Driving Dynamics Control to Eco Pro mode, that'd make the CO2 rate 240 grams per mile - an impressive stat that most Americans still don't care about - and an average EPA city/hwy combined fuel economy score of around 31 miles per gallon.

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2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 5 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 bmw activehybrid 55 series5 series hybridactivehybridactivehybrid 5bmwbmw activehybrid 5bmw hybridfirst driveFirstDriveFri, 03 Feb 2012 11:56:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2013 Porsche Panamera GTS [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/31/2013-porsche-panamera-gts-first-drive-review/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/31/2013-porsche-panamera-gts-first-drive-review/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/31/2013-porsche-panamera-gts-first-drive-review/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The Panamera That Can Win Over Purists



The roads winding from the southernmost coast of Spain up to Ascari Race Resort near the town of Ronda are enough to bring telling tales out of any car that professes to have high performance intentions. What talented few acquit themselves well on these roads are then exposed to the 3.4-mile Ascari circuit, and that's usually enough to send most of them home in a huff of brake dust and blow-by.

This time in the crucible, it's the 2012 Porsche Panamera GTS, a car first shown under the hard lights of November's Los Angeles Auto Show. Despite not being the most powerful in the range, this naturally aspirated GTS is tipped to offer the most race-like dynamics of the entire Panamera portfolio. And after 100 or so miles on public amusement park roads and 20 or so on the track, this plus-size GT showed us it's capable of dicing it up like a 911 or Cayman while delivering an understandably different experience from behind the wheel.

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2013 Porsche Panamera GTS [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 porsche panamera gtsascarifeaturedfirst driveFirstDrivegtspanamerapanamera gtsporscherondaTue, 31 Jan 2012 11:57:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2012 Audi A1 Sportback [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/25/2012-audi-a1-sportback-first-drive-review/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/25/2012-audi-a1-sportback-first-drive-review/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/25/2012-audi-a1-sportback-first-drive-review/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Do We Really Want Audi To Think This Small In America? Perhaps...

2012 Audi A1 Sportback front 3/4 view

It is perhaps with all the speed of a mighty iceberg, but increasingly, more and more North American buyers appear willing to think smaller when pondering their next auto purchase. The other shoe, which still has largely yet to drop, is for automakers to convince consumers of the merits of a luxury subcompact, paying a price premium for a longer list of creature comforts, options and badge appeal. However small, this trend in the States is best represented by BMW and its Mini range, followed (with a few stumbles out of the gate) by the Fiat 500.

In Europe, however, there is already a well-defined tradition of premium minicars on which buyers happily lavish extra dollars, and there is no model quite so indulgent for the masses as the Audi A1. Through its first complete year of sales in 2011, the Bavarians built at their factory in Brussels, Belgium - and sold - nearly 120,000 A1 three-doors.

Now we've finally gotten the chance to drive an Audi A1 Sportback with five doors, a model first shown publicly at last October's Tokyo Motor Show. The five-door model carries on with the basic A1 recipe of offering big things in small packages, and rather unusually, we think the model with more doors might actually look better this time. That may not seem altogether based on reason at first glance, since both the three- and five-door A1 designs have a length of 155.7 inches and a wheelbase of 97.2 inches. (Only the Fiat 500, Jeep Wrangler, Scion iQ, Smart ForTwo and various two-door Mini models take up less parking space.)

Continue reading 2012 Audi A1 Sportback [w/video]

2012 Audi A1 Sportback [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 audi a1 sportbacka1a1 sportbackaudifeaturedfirst driveFirstDriveWed, 25 Jan 2012 11:57:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2013 Volkswagen CC]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/19/2013-volkswagen-cc-first-drive-review/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/19/2013-volkswagen-cc-first-drive-review/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/19/2013-volkswagen-cc-first-drive-review/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Sleek Four-Door Coupe Noses Upmarket



When European deliveries of the then new Volkswagen Passat CC started back in late 2007, even in its home market, the know-it-alls received it with skepticism. There didn't seem to be any burning need for a sexed-up four-door based on a Passat chassis. Was there an audience large enough for a Mercedes-Benz CLS-inspired sedan for the coupe-loving common family?

Apparently the smug automotive intelligentsia was wrong about the CC. In four years, the image-enhancing four-door with the swoopy body has quietly sold 320,000 units worldwide. Last we checked, that's a lot for something supposedly meant to fill a niche.

For the 2013 model year, the CC is receiving a mid-life updo in the form of several small but important touches. The unfortunate news is that many of the premium upgrades happening in this freshened CC for the European market will not come out to play in North America. But enough of them will, making a First Drive the proper thing to do. Besides, it's the least we could do when VW has finally changed the name of the car worldwide from the European "Passat CC" to the simpler "CC" moniker favored Stateside.

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2013 Volkswagen CC originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 volkswagen ccccfirst driveFirstDrivepassatpassat ccvolkswagenvwThu, 19 Jan 2012 11:58:00 EST<![CDATA[David E. Davis, Jr. items and his cherry '51 Caddie hit the block at Bonhams auction in Scottsdale]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/12/david-e-davis-jr-items-and-his-cherry-51-caddie-hit-the-bloc/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/12/david-e-davis-jr-items-and-his-cherry-51-caddie-hit-the-bloc/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/12/david-e-davis-jr-items-and-his-cherry-51-caddie-hit-the-bloc/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

David E. Davis auction

On January 19th starting at precisely 10:30am, Bonhams auctioneers at the Barrett-Jackson mega-event in Scottsdale will begin bringing to the stage lots 1 through 151 as part of the auction house's "The Scottsdale Sale". The lots represent a wide range of significant and unique items from the estate of automotive journalism guru and personality David E. Davis, Jr, who suddenly and sadly passed away on March 27th of last year following surgery.

The items are a vast array of Mr. Davis' collection of rarities assembled during his nearly 60-year career history with automobiles, the people who designed and built them, and especially with those legends who risked their lives racing them. Lots range from lot number 1 through to lot 151, and these can all be seen online and bid on pre-auction.

Among the array of a lifetime's collectibles are included several pieces of desk art, original wall art, rare signed photographs of Dan Gurney, Juan Manuel Fangio, Carroll Shelby, and others, plus a great number of authoritative books, many now out of print. Not to mention a perfectly preserved crimson red 1951 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe - a favored Harley Earl design - with fewer than 9,000 original miles, listed as lot number 326.

Editor's Note: Matt Davis is the son of the late David E. Davis. We asked Matt to write the item because he is familiar with the contents of the auction. But we also want to say that Matt in no way will profit or receive any proceeds from the auction of his father's property at this auction.

Continue reading David E. Davis, Jr. items and his cherry '51 Caddie hit the block at Bonhams auction in Scottsdale

David E. Davis, Jr. items and his cherry '51 Caddie hit the block at Bonhams auction in Scottsdale originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1951 Cadillac Series 62 Coupeauctionbarret-jacksonbonhamscadillacdavd e. davis jr.series 62Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Detroit: VW of America targets 12.5% sales growth in 2012; U.S.-built Audis "a matter of when, not if"]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/08/vw-of-america-shoots-for-12-5-sales-growth-in-2012-u-s-built/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/08/vw-of-america-shoots-for-12-5-sales-growth-in-2012-u-s-built/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/08/vw-of-america-shoots-for-12-5-sales-growth-in-2012-u-s-built/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Today in New York City prior to the start of press days at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Volkswagen of America Inc. President and CEO Jonathan Browning laid out ambitious plans the VW Group and Volkswagen brands have for the United States.

After a stellar sales year in 2011 that saw VW brand sales in the U.S. go up over 26 percent and TDI (diesel) sales jump 33 percent, the automaker's 2012 sales year promises more climbing up the sales and market share ladders.

Citing a wild up-and-down past in the U.S., Browning pointed at the numbers for the dark year of 1993 and reminded one and all that VW sold less than 50,000 units. Nowadays, with over 320,000 brand sales the bad times seem far behind as VW Group in Wolfsburg, Germany has invested well over $1 billion in its revived presence on U.S. shores. The current improved 2.5% it possesses of the U.S. total market is a percentage last seen way back in 1981.

Continue reading VW of America targets 12.5% sales growth in 2012; U.S.-built Audis "a matter of when, not if"

VW of America targets 12.5% sales growth in 2012; U.S.-built Audis "a matter of when, not if" originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 08 Jan 2012 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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