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Report: Buick struggling to keep up with Encore demand

Filed under: Car Buying, Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Buick, Luxury

2013 Buick Encore

Buick is having a hard time keeping up with demand for its all-new Encore mini-CUV, according to a report from Automotive News. The stylish, lifted five-door went on sale in January, but dealers have reported that supplies have dwindled after the initial high demand, taking the proverbial “wind out of the sails.”

General Motors admits that it underestimated demand for the diminutive Buick, which is built in Korea and sold as the Opel Mokka in Europe, where it’s also seen success. Buick spokesperson Nick Richards told AN, “We increased production, so there have been a lot more landing within the last month.”

Buick has done a booming business, though, even with its limited supply of Encores. With over 12,000 units sold in the first half of 2013, the small CUV is on pace to annihilate industry analysts’ estimates, which predicted no more than 18,500 units in 2013. We’re not entirely surprised. When Autoblog first drove the Encore late last year, we professed that we had no idea how sales would turn out, as the Encore wasn’t really entering into an established segment. Even so, wefound a surprising amount to like in the Encore, enough that we “wouldn’t bet against it” being a major success.

As Automotive News points out, though, Buick won’t be alone in this oddball, subcompact, premium CUV segment for long – Audi, Lexus, Lincoln and even corporate sibling Cadillac are expected to bring competitors to market in the next few years.

Buick struggling to keep up with Encore demand originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Aug 2013 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #344

Filed under: Podcasts, Audi, Infiniti, Kia, Porsche, Subaru, Fiat

Doug DeMuro from Plays With Cars, Infiniti Q50, Subaru BRZ STI, Porsche Macan

Autoblog Podcast logo

Episode #344 of the Autoblog podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth and Executive Editor Chris Paukert are joined by Doug DeMuro, author of Plays With Cars and prolific internet autowriting presence. Topics include the latest spy shots of the Porsche Macan, the 2014 Infiniti Q50, and the teaser images we’ve recently seen of a Subaru BRZ wearing STI badges. As always, we start with what’s in the garage and finish up with some of your questions. For those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. You can follow along after the jump with our Q&A. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #344:

Topics:

Subaru BRZ STI?
2014 Infiniti Q50
Porsche Macan caught uncovered

In the Autoblog Garage:

2014 Fiat 500e
2014 Audi R8 V10 Plus
2014 Kia Forte EX

Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Paukert
Guests: Doug DeMuro

Runtime: 01:33:14

Get the podcast:
[UStream] Listen live on Mondays at 10PM Eastern at UStream
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
[MP3] Download the MP3 directly

Feedback:
Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com

Review the show in iTunes

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Autoblog Podcast #344 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Aug 2013 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Toyota Tacoma X-Runner dead

Filed under: Car Buying, Truck, Toyota

A report from last week indicated that Toyota will begin trimming models from its Tacoma lineup starting with the Regular Cab in 2015, but the popular pickup will lose its first variant even sooner than that. For 2014, the Tacoma X-Runner has been dropped, though the company’s SR Package could fill the need of those looking for a sporty pickup.

The X-Runner has been around since 2005 with its lowered stance, aftermarket-look body kit and bright paint colors, all of which are offered available only on V6-powered, two-wheel-drive Access Cab Tacomas. The new SR Package sounds like it will offer a somewhat similar appearance, though, with a monotone exterior paint scheme in limited colors accented with smoked headlights, but it will only be offered on Pre-Runner and 4×4 models. Other changes being made to the 2014 Tacoma include a new wheel option with black finish, a wider variety of Entune multimedia features, and the option to have the backup camera display moved from the rearview mirror to the audio system head unit.

Continue reading Toyota Tacoma X-Runner dead

Toyota Tacoma X-Runner dead originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Aug 2013 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Average US car now a record-setting 11.4 years old [w/poll]

Filed under: Car Buying

Heavy traffic is shown on north-bound Interstate Highway 5, Monday, Oct. 24, 2011, in Seattle. Commuter traffic was congested but moving slowly in Seattle on the first weekday commute following the nine-day closure of the elevated Alaskan Way Viaduct, one of the city's main north-south highways. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Cars are becoming less and less of a disposable item, according to a report from The Detroit Free Press. The average age of the 247 million cars and trucks in the US fleet is now up to 11.4 years, an increase of two full years since 2007 and 0.2 years since 2012. The newspaper spoke with Mark Seng, vice president of industry research firm Polk, who cited consumers’ desire to avoid monthly payments and the ever-improving quality of mainstream cars and trucks as reasons for the increased age.

The first item is fairly obvious – no one really likes to carry a monthly car payment. The second point, though, is perhaps less obvious. The fact of the matter is that modern vehicles are just so reliable that people aren’t feeling the need to scrap them as quickly. In fact, scrappage has fallen 50 percent since the start of the recession, a stat that is sure to pain junkyard scroungers everywhere.

But while the nation’s average vehicle age is likely to continue to increase, it is expected to do so right along with increasing sales of new vehicles. After a 30-year low of 10.4 million vehicles in 2009, the annual average is running right along at 15.5 million according to The Detroit Free Press. While it seems counterintuitive for these two stats to climb together, the combination of improved reliability, lower interest rates and readily available longer-term financing options has created a kind of perfect storm for both long-term ownership and new vehicle sales.

How old is your primary vehicle? Participate in our poll below, then let us know your thoughts in Comments.

View Poll

Average US car now a record-setting 11.4 years old [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Aug 2013 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2014 Fiat 500L now comes with a complimentary Italian family

Filed under: Budget, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Hatchback, Humor, Fiat

2014 Fiat 500L

Fiat’s marketing machine has invaded Funny or Die, and the resulting web commercial is both entertaining and weird. Watch one couple buy the “most stylish” and “roomiest” car they’ve ever had, thinking they’d be able to transport golf bags and art supplies (and 32 basketballs?) only to have the roomy-for-a-Cinquecento back seat filled with a complimentary Italian family. In real life, we can’t see this being a good thing; not only do they take up space, but their added weight most certainly would hurt gas mileage and performance.

But in commercial land, it comes off as funny, and Fiat does prove that the 2014 500L is roomy enough for five people (including the driver), if not golf bags, art supplies and 32 basketballs. Scroll down to watch amusing Internet short below.

Continue reading 2014 Fiat 500L now comes with a complimentary Italian family

2014 Fiat 500L now comes with a complimentary Italian family originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Aug 2013 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2013 Ram 1500

Filed under: Truck, Work, New Car Reviews, Off-Road, Ram

Enough Is Enough. Finally.

2013 Ram 1500 - front three-quarter view

Not long ago, the efforts of an automaker to put a six-cylinder engine into a pickup truck went something like this: take the basic bread-and-butter V8, lop two cylinders off one end of the block and call it a day. The resulting engines were generally pretty rough around the edges, and while they were able to churn out reasonable amounts of torque, they generally weren’t good at anything else. Instead of being smooth running, they shook and shimmied; in place of a quiet highway jaunt, they operated well outside their low-rpm comfort zones and sent a corresponding racket throughout the cabin. And, instead of returning significantly superior fuel economy over their V8 counterparts, they guzzled gas and spat noxious vapors out their tailpipes.

In other words, the only reason to choose the base V6 engine over an optional V8 was to save money on the initial purchase, and that usually meant you’d be driving home in a stripped-out machine and would be lucky to have power windows, cruise control and air conditioning.

Those days are long gone, and good riddance, we say. Today’s lineup of full-size trucks are better in every way than ever before, from styling and safety to towing and overall performance. And, for the first time ever, fuel efficiency is a primary selling point for V6-powered pickups. But how does a new, modern-day truck with a V6 engine work in the real world? Does it deliver on the promises of decent efficiency, refined driving manners and adequate performance (both around town and when put to work) all for a palatable price? We spent back-to-back weeks with two 2013 Ram 1500 pickups to find out, one with a Hemi V8 and one with a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6. Read on, faithful truck buyers.

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2013 Ram 1500 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Aug 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Chevy Trailblazer headed for US in 2014?

Filed under: SUV, Chevrolet, Rumormill

After killing off the previous Chevrolet Trailblazer back in 2009, General Motors continues to sell a new-for-2013 version of its midsize, body-on-frame SUV in foreign markets including Thailand and Brazil. Using an unnamed source, Edmunds is reporting that GM is looking at bringing this second-generation Trailblazer to the US, although an official statement from the automaker suggests otherwise, a stance that echoes what the company said when it revealed the truck back in 2012.

The article states that the current Trailblazer could go on sale here as early as next year, retaining its seven-passenger, rear-wheel-drive layout, but a Chevrolet spokesperson quoted in the story maintains that there are “no plans” to add another utility vehicle. If added to the lineup, the Trailblazer would give Chevy five crossovers and SUVs. One aspect that could make it an easier decision for GM is the fact that the Trailblazer is built on the same platform as the next-gen Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups, models that will be built in the US. Only time will tell if GM plans to bring its global Trailblazer to our market, but with as many car-based CUVs as there are these days, the idea of another rugged SUV sounds good to us.

Chevy Trailblazer headed for US in 2014? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Aug 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Mini considering sports car replacement for Coupe and Roadster?

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Budget, Performance, Crossover, Hatchback, Mini, Luxury

Mini Coupe

The next-generation Mini lineup could see some big changes, according to a report from Australian site CarSales. Starting with the debut of the third-generation Mini Hardtop at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show, we could see a regular string of Minis on the stages of the world. But the bodystyles we see might not be what we’ve grown used to.

A four-door sedan could eventually arrive, while the polarizing Mini Coupe and Roadster are likely to be replaced by a dedicated sports car with unique sheetmetal and uprated engines. While the rest of the line is switching to three-cylinder, turbocharged engines, the new sports car, which will be available in both soft- and hardtop variants, will use some version of BMW’s 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder. The Aussie site also claims that the interior treatment could take inspiration from the Mini Vision concept car, while showing off the know-how BMW gained when working carbon fiber into the i3. The new model(s) would likely arrive in late 2015 or early 2016.

According to CarSales, we’ll see the three-door Hardtop at the 2013 LA Show, along with a five-door hatch that is different from the Clubman at the 2014 Paris show. The Clubman, meanwhile, will arrive in Geneva in 2015, while the Convertible is slated for later that same year. The current Countryman and Paceman are expected to be around for some time, before being joined by an MPV. Eventually, the larger Minis will share their architecture with the BMW X1.

Mini considering sports car replacement for Coupe and Roadster? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Aug 2013 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Gymkhana video team produces insane off-road flick using Polaris UTV

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Specialty, Off-Road

Gymkhana video team makes flick of Polaris UTV tearing it up at an abandoned iron mine.

The video team responsible for Ken Block’s first three Gymkhana videos is at it again, but this time, the action has been taken further off-road with a highly modified 2014 RZR XP1000, the new top-of-the-line Utility Task Vehicle (UTV) from Polaris. The video by Mad Media was published today as part of a campaign timed to follow last week’s release of Polaris’ newest offering.

The $20,000 recreational vehicles (Mad Media uses two XP1000s for the shoot), which started off with 107-horsepower 999.6cc two-cylinder engines before modifications, received suspension, engine and drivetrain upgrades before off-road truck racer and UTV champion RJ Anderson pitched them through some truly punishing terrain in an abandoned iron mine in Southern California’s desert.

The stunts are insane, and we’re impressed by the little UTV’s capabilities, but to our eyes, the video lacks the finesse and progression of the first three Ken Block Gymkhana videos. The single-pitch drone of the UTV’s engine doesn’t help, either. Watch as much off-road action as you want in the 10+ minute video below.

Continue reading Gymkhana video team produces insane off-road flick using Polaris UTV

Gymkhana video team produces insane off-road flick using Polaris UTV originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Aug 2013 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Porsche celebrates 5M Facebook fans with crowdsourced one-off 911

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Porsche, Luxury

Porsche’s Facebook fan base appears to be accelerating as quickly as the cars it builds. The German automaker has just unveiled a special 911 Carrera 4S designed with crowdsourced input as a way to thank its five million Facebook fans.

The 911 features special Aquablaumetallic paint from Porsche Exclusive, contrasting 20-inch white Carrera S wheels and pinstriping, along with an aero package including a fixed rear wing. Inside, there are unique backlit sill plates and the obligatory dashboard engraving that says “Personally Built by 5 Million Porsche Fans.”

As a way to turn at least one virtual thumbs up into its more meaningful physical-world equivalent, Porsche is holding a contest to win the chance to drive the car at Britain’s Silverstone racetrack – and bring a friend – and nine lucky runners-up will win 1:43-scale models of the 911. If you want to enter the contest, click here.

One-off Facebook “thank you” creations are nothing new for Porsche – back in February of 2011, it celebrated its first million Likes with a signature-laden 911 GT3-R Hybrid, and a year later, it observed its two-millionth with a Cayman S plastered with fans’ faces. That was barely a year and a half ago, and Porsche has more than doubled its digital fans since then – in fact, it’s up to 5.8 million Likes. Could it catch Ferrari? The Italian automaker counts 12 million fans in its stable, but it doesn’t appear to be accelerating as quickly…

Porsche celebrates 5M Facebook fans with crowdsourced one-off 911 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Aug 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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