VW to retrofit quarter-million TDI diesels with misfueling protection originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading 2015 VW Golf R caught getting a flogging on 'Ring

2015 VW Golf R caught getting a flogging on 'Ring originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

2014 Subaru Forester gets big nod of approval from Consumer Reports originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 10:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading The first Forza Motorsport 5 trailer is here

The first Forza Motorsport 5 trailer is here originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Toyota passes BMW as most valuable car brand originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

2014 Toyota Corolla shows just enough to keep us interested originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading 2014 Bentley Flying Spur

2014 Bentley Flying Spur originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Chrysler readying Hellcat V8 with Viper-like power originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Hennessey completes first VelociRaptor SUV conversion [w/video]

Hennessey completes first VelociRaptor SUV conversion [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 May 2013 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Freak accident during Jeep demonstration turns fatal

Freak accident during Jeep demonstration turns fatal originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 May 2013 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Bowler EXR S vs Caterham Seven Supersport in spectacularly bizarre track battle

Bowler EXR S vs Caterham Seven Supersport in spectacularly bizarre track battle originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 May 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Visteon working on creepy artificial intelligence for your car's infotainment [w/video]

Visteon working on creepy artificial intelligence for your car's infotainment [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 May 2013 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• The 5.0 V8 never gets old. 420 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque are delivered with satisfying linearity, as the Coyote motor spins up to redline far quicker than you'd expect for an engine of this displacement. Sonically rich, with just a hint of a hard edge to the exhaust over 5,000 rpm and a satisfyingly lazy rumble at idle, the soundtrack is pure enthusiast driving pleasure at most speeds. Oh yeah... on the first day I had the car I was reminded that the 5.0 Mustang is fast as all hell, too. Don't let its ubiquity fool you, this is a serious performance machine.
• The six-speed manual trans is quite substantial, with a positive, metallic click heard when shifting through the range. The gates are nicely spaced and the throws short. I generally enjoy using this beefy gearbox, though when trying for really fast changes - especially downshifts - a lighter, more accurate action would be appreciated. Clutch action is pretty low effort and progressive, and with so much torque that it's simple to get the GT moving - gently or in a cloud of smoke as your taste and situation dictate.
• As I mentioned, the Mustang I drove was equipped with Ford's excellent GT Track Package. For $2,450, the track pack feels like an excellent value for weekend racers or drivers that might want to upgrade their GT substantially down the road. The options group contains a little bit of what made the Boss 302 cool, in a Bossless model year. (Automobile web editor Evan McCausland quipped to me that the test car I had was, "more of an assistant manager" than a Boss, which is about right.) The most noticeable equipment you'll get if you spec your Stang this way are the larger Brembo brakes and the Torsen helical diff with its more aggressive 3.73:1 rear axle. In a week filled with random quick corners and side-trips to back roads, I can attest that all make the GT feel a lot more sports car-like than less-endowed base GTs. For actual track work, the package's upgraded radiator (from the Boss 302) and engine oil cooler should help keep internals cool, as well.
• Not part of the track pack, my car also had optional ($1,595) Recaro cloth racing seats. A far cry from the fully stuffed leather chairs I'm used to seeing in media-fleet Mustangs, I ended up falling in love with these Recaros. The fabric they're trimmed with is simple without looking downmarket, and the bolsters help them grip the driver firmly without squeezing too hard at the hips. Even my XL frame was a good fit. I'll admit that after about 150 miles, I was feeling the frame dig into my thighs a little bit - these probably aren't the best road trip seats - but for everyday driving or canyon road bombing, they're superb.
• On that same road trip, I should mention that I had no trouble hitting the EPA-estimated 26 miles per gallon on the highway... if I set the cruise right around 70 miles per hour. At a more normal (for me) 75 or 80 mph, the econ drops to about 21 on the interstate. In town I was seeing roughly 11 mpg, though admittedly I was keeping the revs high quite a lot to better hear the exhaust. I think the 17 mph city estimate is doable, if you're willing to blandly shift up into fourth a lot.
• Outside of the great seats, this interior is starting to feel pretty dated. With no navigation screen especially, there's no end to the gray and black plastic you seen in front of you. Accessing SYNC via the standard radio's buttons and knobs is an atrocious way to navigate your digitally stored music, and the voice commands feel utterly unwieldy compared to newer systems like Cadillac CUE. (Dan Roth's, Chris Paukert's and Consumer Reports' protestations to the contrary, CUE feels positively visionary after a week with this low-end, touchscreen-less SYNC.) Both iPhones and iPods were randomly spurned as "not recognized" devices; even after working the time before. And even when I could get my music to play, the sound system managed to sound both underpowered and badly voiced. It's a good thing the V8 soundtrack doesn't get old.

2014 Ford Mustang GT originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 May 2013 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

GM stock prices finally eclipse $33 IPO price originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 May 2013 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Millionth Jeep Wrangler JK to roll off line this morning originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 May 2013 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading 2014 Subaru Forester XT

2014 Subaru Forester XT originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 May 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

1967 Toyota 2000GT most expensive Asian car ever sold at $1.2M originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 May 2013 17:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• For starters, the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine is nothing like an actual drawback for the XF. Had I not known the joys of the 5.0-liter V8 in this car - if Jag had launched with the 2.0T as the base engine - I'd never label this as "the slow one." 240 horsepower and 251 pound-feet of torque are solidly competitive with turbo fours in BMW's 5 Series and Audi's A6, and the Jaguar feels just about as quick to get moving as that pair. I mostly didn't like the XF 2.0T when it came to initial acceleration, where the motor needs to get spinning to 4,000 rpm or so before you get any real thrust. Higher-speed passing is a bit less stressed, though still not particularly quick.
• Jaguar gives you a new eight-speed automatic transmission with which to modulate the power of the new 2.0T engine, too. There are manual and sport modes to go along with the default settings, but neither with hold the gear if you are taken with the spirit of wild adventure, and hit the redline. I found the standard shift logic to be, frankly, a bit jumpy around town. Some of my driving style comes in to play here, but the trans seemed almost overly eager to kick down, even if I wasn't mashing the throttle. Slow and fast acceleration are both accommodated well, but the middle speeds caused some mental hiccups in the software. Of course, this was all easily remedied; I simply used the paddle shifters when I wanted to be aggressive.
• Ride and handling were pretty smooth and stress-free, if not terrifically athletic. I've always thought that, for its size and class, the larger Jaguar XJ has always differentiated itself in a sporting way more than the XF. Middle-weight steering is pretty numb and slow to bring the nose around, in the unlikely event that you find yourself in a hard corner. You won't - I had to work myself up to it - as the engine does little to enliven one to seek out fast stretches of road. On the plus side, with the removal of V8, the XF has become almost Lexus-like in terms of quiet at speed. It's a characteristic that fits well with overall character of this 2.0 car, even if it makes the Jag a bit less enthusiastic than its German competitors.
• Here's something you do get with the XF that you won't get with the Bimmer or the Audi: noticed. The slinky XF sedan shape has been around long enough, that I forget that loads have people have never seen one. I drove some friends through downtown Ann Arbor, MI, during the University of Michigan's graduation weekend; no fewer than three passersby stopped to tell me what a nice car the XF was. I've never had that kind of response to an E-Class or 5er, for what it's worth.
• Let's talk price. The XF 2.0T starts at a class-competitive $46,975 (before delivery and destination). That's about a thousand less than a 528i, and a few thousand more than an A6 2.0T with Quattro. Now, my test car was optioned up to - make sure you're sitting down for this - $68,175. The biggest chunk of that $20k-odd glut of options is taken up by the $10,150 "20" Sport Portfolio Pack," which bestows the XF with a luscious set of wheels and a truly palatial interior. Music lovers might also be tempted by the $2,300 Meridian sound system, which I enjoyed listening to a great deal.
• Jaguar has set up an interesting lineup for the new XF, when I consider what's good and bad about the tweaked lineup. For starters, no matter how you spend your money, you're getting a car that's both beautiful and rather unique on the road. Optioning up the thing will be expensive, as it the case for most of the luxury class, but you can now really choose your poison if you've fallen in love with the XF. Should you want a powerful, sports-like sedan, lay off the options list and make sure you've got one of the forced-induction Vs under the hood - the V6 supercharged starts just over $50k. If you just like the deeply luxurious feel of the high-spec XF, don't sweat getting this perfectly adequate turbo-four engine, and enjoy the hell out of your big wheels, soft leather seats and banging audio system.

2013 Jaguar XF 2.0T originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 May 2013 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Jaguar F-Type Coupe spotted testing originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 May 2013 20:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading What does a world-class downhill skateboarder drive? Something very cool

What does a world-class downhill skateboarder drive? Something very cool originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 May 2013 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.