2012 Archives | Page 10 of 30

2012 Audi R8 GT to start at $196,800

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Performance, Audi, Specialty

2011 Audi R8 GT

2011 Audi R8 GT – Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi has announced that the 90 examples of the 2011 R8 GT slated to come to this country will carry price tags starting at $196,800. The R8 GT packs a version of the 5.2-liter FSI V10, but cranked up to 560 horsepower, mated to Audi’s R-Tronic sequential transmission. Backing up the transmission is a four-wheel-drive system with a locking rear differential.

The R8 GT is built using more aluminum and carbon fiber than the standard car, which translates to a 180-pound weight loss. The rear hatch, spoiler and front splitter on the GT are all carbon-fiber pieces.

The weight savings, power increase, and sequential gearbox team up to scoot the R8 GT to 60 miles per hour in 3.6 seconds, and a up to a 199-mph top speed.

Gallery: 2011 Audi R8 GT

2011 Audi R8 GT

[Source: Audi]

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2012 Audi R8 GT to start at $196,800 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #221: Cadillac XTS, 2012 BMW 6 Series and Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet

Filed under: Podcasts, BMW, Cadillac, Chrysler, Jaguar, Lexus, Nissan

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Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!

Autoblog Podcast #221 is here, and the two Chrises, Zach and Dan chat about the 2012 BMW 6 Series, whether or not the Cadillac XTS has a shot, and debate whether or not the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet is hot, or a hot mess. Questions and feedback wrap it up, and it’s an hour and twenty three minutes of fun this week. Thanks for listening, we’ll see you next week!

Autoblog Podcast #221: Cadillac XTS, 2012 BMW 6 Series and Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet

2012 BMW 6 Series
Murano CrossCabriolet First Drive
Cadillac XTS

In the Autoblog Garage:

2011 Lexus IS 350 AWD
2011 Chrysler 200 Convertible
2011 Jaguar XFR
2011 Lexus CT200h

Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Chris Paukert Zach Bowman

Runtime: 01:23:26

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Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com
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Autoblog Podcast #221: Cadillac XTS, 2012 BMW 6 Series and Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Mercedes-Benz, First Drive

On Top Of The World With Merc’s New Magic Roadster

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK – Click above for high-res image gallery

We usually see women behind the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class. Who can blame them? It’s a cute little car. The original SLK debuted in 1996 with a four-cylinder powerplant and all of 136 ponies. What it lacked in the motivation department it made up for with its Vario-roof retractable hardtop. Not since the 1957 Ford Skyliner could a car stop so much traffic while parked.

The SLK gained some testosterone with its first facelift in 2000. While the exterior was still rather tame, the chick car jokes ceased in 2001 with the introduction of the 354-horsepower SLK 32 AMG.

Things continued to get better with the all-new 2004 edition and its sleeker styling that paid homage to Mercedes’ Formula One designs and the beastly McMerc SLR. The reality that AMG could stuff its hand-built 5.4-liter V8 under the hood made the second-generation SLK a serious performance car.

For 2012, the SLK officially begins its third generation, and you can see the difference from 100 yards. Especially from the front view, the roadster looks more mature and substantial. The split-grill design reconstitutes the 190 SL’s design from the late 1950s in a handsome, modern manner. The bolder aesthetics continue in the rear, which features large arches over the rear wheels and LED taillamps. And it keeps getting better on the inside…

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Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK: First Drive

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK

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First Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pics Aplenty: 2012 BMW 6 Series Coupe [w/video]

Filed under: Coupe, BMW

2012 BMW 6 Series Coupe

Pics Aplenty: 2012 BMW 6 Series Coupe – Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2012 BMW 6 Series Coupe has officially come out of hiding. We’ve given you some of the details on the redesigned two-door, and now we have an onslaught of photos for you to look through. The redesigned shark-skinned coupe, powered by a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8, can be seen in all of its high-res glory in the gallery below.

As if that weren’t enough, we also have B-Roll footage of the 400-horsepower 2012 650i in action pasted after the break. So what are you waiting for? Time to stop reading and start clicking, because this mega-gallery has over 120 photos for you to scroll through. Enjoy!

Gallery: 2012 BMW 6 Series coupe

2012 BMW 6 Series coupe

[Source: BMW]

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Pics Aplenty: 2012 BMW 6 Series Coupe [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First sketch of 2012 Mercedes-Benz A-Class leaks out

Filed under: Hatchback, Mercedes-Benz, Shanghai Motor Show, Design/Style

Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sketch

The first sketch of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class has made its way to the internets, and judging by the look of things, the vehicle may appear much sportier than the styling buck we saw back in January. According to Autoblog.it, the A-Class will likely make its debut at the Shanghai Motor Show, and when it does, it may bring along lines borrowed from the sports-coupe playbook. Toward the rear of the vehicle, the artists at the Silver Arrow appear to have thrown in a beltline that kicks up toward the rear hatch. Likewise, the roof of the A-Class leans down as it approaches the back glass.

Those details were all but absent in the clay buck nabbed by our spy photographers just a few weeks ago. That creation wore a much more functional, boxy design. Regardless of which look wins out, odds are buyers can expect to find both five-door and three-door hatch configurations when the baby Benz finally lands in dealer showrooms.

Under the hood, rumor has it that Mercedes-Benz will bolt in a number of fuel-savvy engines, though rumored AMG iteration may pack up to 270 horsepower.

[Source: Autoblog.it]

First sketch of 2012 Mercedes-Benz A-Class leaks out originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This is your 2012 BMW 6 Series Coupe, America

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, BMW, Luxury

2012 bmw 6 series coupe

2012 BMW 6 Series Coupe – Click above for high-res image gallery

The shark has finally surfaced – the 2012 BMW 6 Series coupe has officially arrived. Its lines are tighter, its bite is more potent and it’s heading to your local BMW dealership sometime this fall. Under the hood sits the same 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 that our man Chris Paukert sampled in the convertible. It produces 400 horsepower between 5,500 rpm and 6,400 rpm, and a stout 450 pound-feet of torque from 1,750 rpm up through 4,500 rpm.

That power is managed by an eight-speed automatic transmission, which can be controlled manually via a pair of paddle-shifters. Should you prefer to row your own gears in the more traditional manner, a six-speed manual gearbox will also be offered. The engine and both transmission options help propel the car from 0-60 miles per hour in just 4.8 seconds and on to an electronically-limited top speed of 155 mph.

In the cabin, the 2012 6 Series Coupe is filled with BMW’s latest gadgetry. A 10.2-inch high-definition screen serves as the nexus of visual information. This modern Sixer boasts available Lane Departure Warning, Active Blind Spot detection, Rear and Top View Cameras, a Parking Assistant and a three-dimensional heads-up display.

This is all just the tip of the iceberg for the 2012 BMW 6 Series Coupe. Don’t break out the checkbook just yet, because pricing hasn’t been announced. For now, check out the updated two-door in the gallery below. Also, be sure to click past the jump to dive into the full press release.

Gallery: 2012 BMW 6 Series coupe

2012 BMW 6 Series coupe

[Source: BMW]

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This is your 2012 BMW 6 Series Coupe, America originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 12 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: PickupTrucks.com breaks down the 2012 Ram Cargo Van

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Videos, Work, Chrysler, Dodge

2012 Ram Cargo Van

PickupTrucks.com details the 2012 Ram Cargo Van – Click above to watch the video after the jump

The 2012 Ram Cargo Van may be based on the more pedestrian Dodge Grand Caravan, but make no mistake, this van is ready to work. The minivan’s seats have been removed, meaning there’s 144 cubic feet of cargo space behind the front seats, and with tie-down hooks integrated into the flat load floor, the Cargo Van is capable of hauling up to 1,800 pounds.

Our friends at PickupTrucks.com were on hand at the NTEA Work Truck Show this week to see the 2012 Ram Cargo Van make its official debut. Senior editor Mike Levine gets in front of the video camera to show us the C/V’s features, so follow the jump to get an up-close look at Chrysler’s new work van.

Gallery: 2012 Ram Cargo Van

2012 Ram Cargo Van

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

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Video: PickupTrucks.com breaks down the 2012 Ram Cargo Van originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pics Aplenty: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Europe, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK – Click above for high-res image gallery

Mercedes-Benz has released studio shots of the newly-redesigned SLK Roadster, which debuts later this year as a 2012 model. The new SLK will be the third generation of Mercedes’ entry-level convertible.

The redesign moves the SLK’s shape further toward its higher-end brethren, and introduces Merc’s new panoramic vario roof with Magic Sky Control, which means the car’s glass roof can change its tint.

Mercedes has redesigned the SLK’s engines, offering four- and six-cylinder mills with electronic stop-start as standard. Mercedes claims the new engines are about 25 percent more efficient than the mills in the last-generation SLK. Initially, the SLK will be available with a seven-speed auto, but Mercedes promises they will add a traditional six-speed manual in the future.

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK 350 Front 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK side 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK 350 rear

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Pics Aplenty: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2012 Volkswagen Golf R

Filed under: Performance, Hatchback, Volkswagen, First Drive

A Hotter GTI Is Hatched

2012 Volkswagen Golf R

2012 Volkswagen Golf R – Click above for high-res image gallery

We’re slumming through traffic in downtown Geneva, Switzerland, making our way towards the French border where we’re about to spend a few hours flogging the 2012 Volkswagen Golf R along the twisty, narrow roads of the Alps. Right now, we’re focused on the Golf’s comfortable, well-appointed interior, and how its good visibility and relatively small stature make it a pleasant drive through heavy city traffic. It’s just like every other GTI – or Golf, for that matter – in this regard. But as soon as we approach the entrance to highway A40, we find out exactly what that R badge is for.

We speed towards the sharp, right-hand on-ramp with a furious growl coming from the turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine, and as we throw the wheel to the right, the Golf R hunkers down, digs its claws into the pavement, clips the apex of the ramp and sends us blasting onto the A40 with tremendous force.

“A GTI would have fallen all over itself right there,” our co-driver states, matter-of-factly. He’s right, too. Even with Volkswagen’s nifty new XDS active differential, the GTI is prone to understeer when coming into a turn at high speed, and there’s a decent amount of torque steer that makes the exit a bit more skittish than you’d prefer. But in the Golf R, with its fourth-generation 4Motion all-wheel-drive system and more powerful engine, every step of the high-speed cornering dance is executed perfectly.

You can imagine, then, that the rest of our drive through the French Alps was nothing short of bliss. The Golf R is Volkswagen’s new poster child for hot hatchery, and if you’ve ever fallen in love with a GTI, be prepared to be absolutely smitten with this little number.

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Gallery: 2012 Volkswagen Golf R: First Drive

2012 Volkswagen Golf R

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First Drive: 2012 Volkswagen Golf R originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Smart ForTwo Electric Drive to go on sale in early 2012

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Hatchback, Smart, Electric

Smart Fortwo Electric Drive

Smart ED – Click above for high-res image gallery

The second-generation Smart Fortwo Electric Drive (ED) is a limited (250 units available in the U.S.) test program model that Daimler will use to gauge consumer interest in battery-powered vehicles. Leasing the electrified Fortwo is costly, with payments ringing in at $599 a month for 48 months, plus $2,500 due at signing. Technically, the 2011 Smart ED is offered under the lease-only plan detailed above, but the automaker has listed its MSRP at $44,387.

Truth be told, we’re not shocked by the Smart ED’s lofty sticker price, nor are we put off by its astronomical lease rate. You see, this Fortwo ED is a limited run model and not a production electric vehicle.

But come January of 2012, the third-generation Fortwo electric, a production model, should hit the streets. By then, we’d hope that the automaker adjusts its pricing structure and offers the pint-sized electric at a more reasonable rate and, according to a report on Kicking Tires, a price drop seems to be part of Smart’s plans.

Lessees of the second-gen Fortwo ED will be eligible to upgrade to Smart’s electrified third-gen Fortwo when it hits the market and, unlike the automaker’s current battery-powered hatch, the upcoming model will be offered for both lease and purchase.

Gallery: Smart ED

[Source: Kicking Tires]

Smart ForTwo Electric Drive to go on sale in early 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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