2012 Archives | Page 16 of 30

Restyled 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan leaks out ahead of Geneva debut

Filed under: SUV, Geneva Motor Show, Crossover, Volkswagen

2012 Volkswagen Tiguan

Here we have our first look at the facelifted 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan, courtesy of an apparent slip from the automaker’s domestic website.

From the sole image we have so far, it looks like the Tiguan is getting a tweak to more closely resemble the new Touareg, with a new front end encompassing revised headlights with LED elements. The blue vehicle in the background also appears to feature off-road cladding incorporated into the front bumper.

Volkswagen is expected to debut the restyled SUV at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. Stay tuned for more.

[Source: Autopareri via autoblog.it]

Restyled 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan leaks out ahead of Geneva debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Is this the 2012 Honda Civic?

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Honda

Call us crazy, but the sedans stowed tightly away on this car carrier reportedly spotted in Japan don’t look like the Honda Civic we all know and love here in the United States. According to Notícias Automotivas, what we see here are 2012 Civics awaiting delivery to America.

We can clearly see that these Civics are sharing space on the car carrier, which was reportedly spotted in Suzaka, Japan, with what appear to be American-spec Honda Fit hatchbacks and Insight hybrids, lending credence to the notion that these are new State-bound Civics.

These cars don’t look terribly different at first blush from the 2011 Civic, but that actually jibes with what we’re expecting from the 2012 model. In any case, we can’t be 100-percent positive either way. Take a good look at the spy photos here, then let us know what you think in the Comments.

[Source: Notícias Automotivas]

Spy Shots: Is this the 2012 Honda Civic? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: 2012 Cadillac SRX to get 3.6L V6

Filed under: Crossover, Cadillac, GM

2011 Cadillac SRX

2011 Cadillac SRX – Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors may have pulled the plug on the Cadillac SRX Turbo, but fear not, we will not be stuck with the anemic 3.0-liter V6 as the Caddy’s sole powerplant. A report from GM Inside News states that the 2012 SRX will use the automaker’s well-received 3.6-liter V6 with direct injection – the unit currently found in the CTS sedan.

Not only is the 3.6-liter V6 more powerful than the outgoing 2.8-liter turbocharged six, it will likely be tweaked to improve overall fuel efficiency when it makes its way under the SRX’s hood. Known internally as “LFX,” this engine currently produces 304 horsepower in the CTS, though rumors have suggested that power will be increased for use in the larger crossover. GM Inside News also reports that the SRX will get a few other tweaks for the 2012 model year, including a heated steering wheel.

Gallery: 2011 Cadillac SRX

2011 Cadillac SRX

[Source: GM Inside News]

Report: 2012 Cadillac SRX to get 3.6L V6 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Porsche Boxster S Black Edition gets horsepower bump, sinister styling

Filed under: Convertible, Porsche

2012 Porsche Boxster S Black Edition

2012 Porsche Boxster S Black Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery

Much like the recently unveiled 911 Black Edition, Porsche has created a murdered-out version of the Boxster S roadster that combines a slight boost in power with a raft of new standard amenities. Called the Boxster S Black Edition, the new two-seater features black paint, black wheels, a black convertible top and a fully black interior. It looks sinister, and we’re big fans.

Under the hood is a 320-horsepower version of Porsche’s 3.4-liter flat-six – 10 more ponies than the standard Boxster S – mated to a six-speed manual or the automaker’s PDK dual-clutch transmission. Sprinting to 60 miles per hour takes just 4.8 seconds, and the roadster will eventually top out at 170 mph. An optional Sport Chrono package shaves two-tenths of a second off that acceleration time, and the Black Boxster is capable of achieving fuel economy numbers of 19 miles per gallon in the city and 26 mpg highway.

New standard features include things like the black-painted Design package, convenience package (bi-xenon headlamps, auto-dimming mirrors, automatic climate control) and infotainment package (navigation, Bose surround sound and XM satellite radio with NavTraffic). The whole kit will set you back $65,200 when the car officially goes on sale this spring. Follow the jump for Porsche’s press release.

Gallery: 2012 Porsche Boxster S Black Edition

2012 Porsche Boxster S Black Edition

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading 2012 Porsche Boxster S Black Edition gets horsepower bump, sinister styling

2012 Porsche Boxster S Black Edition gets horsepower bump, sinister styling originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2012 Fiat 500

Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, First Drive, Fiat

A Very Small Car In A Very Big America

2012 Fiat 500 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Five minutes behind the wheel sometimes tells you everything you need to know about a vehicle. Of course, you figure out more as the miles pile up, but the gained nuances usually support – not refute – that first impression.

Our first five minutes behind the wheel of the 2012 Fiat 500 shouted that it was solid, substantial and sporty. The rest of the day simply demonstrated the amplitude of these characteristics, and whether the exceptionally-popular-in-Europe 500 might actually catch on with American drivers.

We think it will.

Gallery: 2012 Fiat 500: First Drive

2012 Fiat 500

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First Drive: 2012 Fiat 500 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG details released

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG

2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG – Click above for high-res image gallery

Mercedes-Benz has finally released official details on the 2012 C63 AMG. Buyers can expect to be met with the same 451-horsepower 6.3-liter V8 under the hood, though an optional AMG Development Package can crank that figure all the way up to 481 ponies. Bolted behind that miracle mill is the company’s seven-speed AMG Speedshift gearbox, though the transmission now comes with new mapping to squeeze as much efficiency as possible from the drivetrain. Mercedes-Benz calls the mode “controlled efficiency,” and along with a new, more efficient power steering pump, the company says that the 2012 C63 AMG will boast a 10 percent nudge in fuel economy over its predecessor.

EPA figures are still pending, but Mercedes-Benz says that the sedan will clip off the 0-60 dash in 4.3 seconds with the optional performance kit. With acceleration like that, who needs fuel economy?

The Silver Arrow has also been kind enough to include a handful of aesthetic tweaks, including a redesigned grille, lower apron and daytime running lights that were heavily influenced by the company’s SLS AMG. Inside, a new dash and LCD screen dominate the conversation, though a new three-spoke tiller is also part of the package. Look for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG to touch down in the United States this fall. Hit the jump for the full press blast.

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Official 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG details released

Official 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG details released originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2012 Ford Focus

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Hatchback, Ford, First Drive

Ford Proves It Can Build A Compact With A Pulse

2012 Ford Focus – Click above for high-res image gallery

We should no longer be surprised by the notion of a compact car with big-sedan features and eye-popping fuel economy. New creations like the Hyundai Elantra and Chevrolet Cruze have gone about making the compact segment one of the most hotly contested arenas in the market, rankling the chains of long-time fighters like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla in the process. But while the Cruze and Elantra have proven that big content can come in small packages with smaller price tags, there’s a growing sense that the fun-to-fling small car may be on its way out in favor of commuters that have inherited the soft-riding genes of their bigger brethren.

In a way, the change was all but inevitable. Whereas the compact segment once served up a cornucopia of rides that were low on power but big on handling, the market has proven that above all else, buyers in this neck of the woods want value. In an effort to pinch every last copper cent, both Hyundai and Chevrolet have scrapped the independent rear suspension in their respective compacts in favor of the considerably cheaper torsion-beam design.

So when Ford announced that American buyers would finally be able to get their hands on the global Focus, our ears perked up. The last Euro-Focus had built a reputation for being a smart handler, and if this latest version could make it across the pond without becoming too watered down in the process, compact buyers would once again have a vehicle that’s as fun to drive as it is responsible to own. Now we get to find out if Ford pulled it off.

Gallery: 2012 Ford Focus: First Drive

2012 Ford Focus

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First Drive: 2012 Ford Focus originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Autoblog witnesses the 2012 Nissan GT-R’s launch control

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Nissan

2012 Nissan GT-R launch

2012 Nissan GT-R deftly launches – Click above to watch the video after the break

Smoke ’em if you got ’em. Well, only if you’re really just interested in showing off. In reality, if your tires go up in giant plumes of white smoke, you’re going nowhere fast.

It stands to reason, then, that drivers of the 2012 Nissan GT-R, which once again has an official factory launch control mode, won’t be indulging in any tire-smoking shenanigans. Instead, they will be launching themselves and any passengers they may be carrying into ludicrous speed with nary a hint of wheelspin to contend with.

And we finally have first-hand video evidence that proves the point. We witnessed the 2011 GT-R catapult itself into near orbit using launch control with our own eyes and managed to capture the act on video. Click past the break to see for yourself.

Continue reading Video: Autoblog witnesses the 2012 Nissan GT-R’s launch control

Video: Autoblog witnesses the 2012 Nissan GT-R’s launch control originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 18:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Volkswagen Golf MkVII could come by end of 2012

Filed under: Hatchback, Volkswagen, Rumormill

2010 Volkswagen Golf TDI

2010 Volkswagen Golf TDI (MkVI) – Click above for high-res image gallery

The MkVI (sixth-generation) Volkswagen Golf has been around since 2009, and according to a report from Reuters, the next all-new Golf may be approaching sooner than we thought. According to a spokesperson for Volkswagen, the automaker will have the MkVII Golf ready for public consumption by either the end of 2012 or beginning of 2013.

Golf generational changes typically occur in much larger intervals, but this rapid introduction for the MkVII is a result of the Volkswagen Group’s new cost-savings model architecture called MQB. Different makes and models that share the same underpinnings will be built in a similar manner to save large percentages of money.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Volkswagen Golf TDI

[Source: Reuters]

Report: Volkswagen Golf MkVII could come by end of 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official 2012 Fiat 500 fuel economy numbers fall short of 40 mpg

Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Fiat

2012 Fiat 500

2012 Fiat 500 – Click above for high-res image gallery

2011 marks the official return of Fiat here in the United States, with the adorable little 500 hitting dealerships in the coming weeks. With Fiat’s MultiAir 1.4-liter engine under the hood, you’d be right to expect top-notch fuel economy numbers. And while the 500’s EPA ratings of 30 miles per gallon in the city and 38 mpg on the highway aren’t bad, it’s not exactly what we were hoping for.

For comparison, consider the fact that much larger C-segment entries like the Hyundai Elantra, Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cruze are all capable of achieving 40 mpg or higher (granted, you have to spec certain transmissions and option packages on the latter two in order to achieve it). What’s more, the 30/38 mpg rating on the Fiat 500 is only with the five-speed manual transmission. Cars equipped with the six-speed self-shifter will only achieve 27/34 mpg. Ouch.

Still, with prices starting at $15,995 for the entry-level Pop model, we don’t think Fiat will have too much trouble moving 500s out of showrooms. Besides, the majority of people purchasing the Fiat 500 will be doing so because of its style rather than its frugality.

Gallery: 2012 Fiat 500

2012 Fiat 500

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Official 2012 Fiat 500 fuel economy numbers fall short of 40 mpg originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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