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New York 2011: Nissan says subcompact buyers aren’t looking for styling, sportiness

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Budget, Sedan, Nissan

2012 Nissan Versa

2012 Nissan Versa – Click above for high-res image gallery

After Nissan unveiled its redesigned 2012 Versa sedan at the New York Auto Show yesterday, coverage was almost unanimous in declaring it, at best, inconspicuous. David Reuter, Nissan’s VP of Corporate Communications, tells Autoblog that’s fine:

“The Fiesta may have been getting the press, this is what was selling. We were up 20 percent last year. Our competitors have gone for sporty and styling, but that’s not what these buyers want. Subcompact buyers want a dependable, roomy car with good fuel economy, and they want the features and specs to feel they spent a lot more on a car than they did.”

The formula, inconspicuous as it might be, has worked: Nissan moved 99,705 Versa sedans and hatchbacks in 2010, running away from everything else in the class – next were the Honda Fit with 54,354, the Hyundai Accent with 51,975, and the Chevrolet Aveo with 48,623 units sold. Say what you will about the looks, with a segment-leading 103 cubic feet of room in the 2012 Versa and more standard features at a competitive price point, the momentum will likely continue.

Gallery: 2012 Nissan Versa: New York 2011

New York 2011: Nissan says subcompact buyers aren’t looking for styling, sportiness originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 14:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York 2011: Mazda’s refreshed 2012 Mazda3 looks to the sky

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Sedan, Hatchback, Mazda

2012 Mazda3 with SkyActiv

2012 Mazda3 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Mazda is betting big on its SkyActiv engine technology, and the first North American vehicle to carry the new motor is the 2012 Mazda3. Makes sense, since one out of every three Mazda vehicles sold around the globe wears a “3” on the back. Launching with the 2012 Mazda3 this fall, SkyActiv engines and transmissions will then wind-up in the upcoming CX-5 by next spring, and a year later we’ll get a diesel variant of the efficient engine.

mazda skyactiv-g engine First up, however, is the SkyActiv-G gasoline-burner, which is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. The directly injected unit is rated at 40 miles per gallon on the highway in the Mazda3, and produces 155 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 148 pound-feet of torque at 4,100 rpm. That’s a horsepower increase of five percent and torque bump of 10 percent, all in a package that’s 4.4 pounds lighter than the currently available standard 2.0-liter.

The SkyActiv-equipped 2012 Mazda3 is offered with a choice between two transmissions: a six-speed manual or automatic, both of which are also part of the SkyActiv family. SkyActiv-Drive is the automatic of the group, and helps the Mazda3 achieve a range of 540 miles. While the auto is the transmission of choice for 40 mpg drives, the SkyActiv-MT also allows for efficient motoring. When equipped with the manual, the fuel economy rating dips to 39 mpg on the highway.

SkyActiv-G engines will be offered under the hood of both the sedan and hatchback versions of the Mazda3. Both have also received a minor exterior refresh, which comes in the form of a revised front fascia. SkyActiv-equipped models can also be distinguished by some subtle blue headlamp trim and SkyActiv badging.

See the updates for yourself in the galleries below, and be sure to head past the jump to learn more about the 2012 Mazda3 and its SkyActiv technology.

Gallery: 2012 Mazda3: New York 2011

2012 Mazda3: New York 2011

Gallery: 2012 Mazda3

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New York 2011: Mazda’s refreshed 2012 Mazda3 looks to the sky originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Fiat 500c drops its top in New York

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Convertible, Budget, Fiat

2012 Fiat 500c

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

Fiat will unveil the brand’s newest take on the tiny 500 at the 2011 New York Auto Show later today. The 2012 500c delivers a unique power-operated dual-layer panoramic folding top that leaves the vehicle’s roof arches in place, and Fiat says that the design protects vehicle occupants from wind noise and buffeting unlike any other convertible on the market. The design also keeps the roof from impeding on rear passenger and cargo room, which is a nice touch on vehicle about the size of a ballet slipper.

The drophead can lose its canvas cover at speeds up to 60 miles perh our, and the roof can be partially closed to serve as a large sunroof should the driver so desire. The 500c also makes use of a slightly taller windshield compared to its hatchback brethren – a trait designed to give occupants a little more outward visibility.

Inside, the back seats can still be folded down to offer up to 23.4 cubic feet of cargo area. With the rear thrones in place, that number drops to a scant 5.4 cubes.

The 2012 500c will get its pep from a Multiair 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine when it goes on sale later this spring. Buyers can expect to play with 101 horsepower and 98 pound-feet of torque. When coupled to a five-speed manual transmission, the engine is also good for up to 38 miles per gallon, and a six-speed automatic is also available. Follow the jump for Fiat’s full press release.

Gallery: 2012 Fiat 500C

[Source: Chrysler]

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2012 Fiat 500c drops its top in New York originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 New York Auto Show: Day 1 Round Up

Filed under: New York Auto Show

Day One of the 2011 New York Auto Show has come and gone, bringing with it a whole slew of new cars, trucks and concept vehicles for us to obsess over. We’ve gone ahead and sorted through the day’s unveilings and put them all together in one handy-dandy spot. And of course, tomorrow will be more of the same. Stay tuned!

Nissan Leaf NISMO RC	MB SLS AMG Gulf Livery	Scion FR-S Concept
2012 Chrysler 300C SRT8	2011 Jeep Wrangler Mojave	2012 VW Beetle
2012MB C63 AMG	2012 Nissan Versa	2011 Subaru Impreza
2012 Ford Taurus SHO	2012 Chrysler 300S	2012 Jeep SRT8
2011 Panamera Turbo S	2012 Hyundai Accent	Lexus LF-Gh Concept
MB Concept A-Class	2012 MB E63 AMG	2013 Chevrolet Malibu

2011 New York Auto Show: Day 1 Round Up originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York 2011: Chrysler 300S first to get new eight-speed transmission

Filed under: Sedan, Chrysler, Luxury

2012 Chrysler 300S

2012 Chrysler 300S – Click above for high-res image gallery

Chrysler has officially announced that the company’s 2012 300S model will be the first of its products to carry a new eight-speed ZF transmission. We’ve been waiting to see the gearbox show up in a production vehicle since the smallest of the Big Three first made news about the transmission’s development last year, and it looks like the wait is finally over.

At first, the eight-speed will only be found in the new 300S with the company’s 3.6-liter Pentastar V6. Check the boxes for all-wheel drive or the more impressive 5.7-liter V8 and it’ll be all five-speed, all the time for you.

Chrysler is currently in the midst of retooling its transmission facility in Kokomo, Indiana to build the new gearbox here in the States. Until that happens, each of the new cog-swappers will be purchased directly from ZF in Germany. Hence the limited availability.

In addition to the new transmission, the 300S packs a Beats by Dr. Dre ten-speaker stereo system and unique piano-black interior accents along with the standard goodies found in the Luxury Package. That means Nappa leather, a rear-view camera, rain-sensing wipers and a power tilt and telescoping steering column are all part of the deal. Hit the jump for the full press blast.

Gallery: 2012 Chrysler 300S: New York 2011

Gallery: 2012 Chrysler 300S

[Source: Chrysler]

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New York 2011: Chrysler 300S first to get new eight-speed transmission originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York 2011: Chrysler’s new 300 SRT8 is a tuxedo-wearing thug

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Sedan, Performance, Chrysler

2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8

2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 – Click above for high-res image gallery

We may have fallen all over the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 that debuted this past February at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show, but if we’re honest, The Pentastar’s latest LX-platform creation – the 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 – is the one we’d want to take home. In its previous generation, this car was one of our favorite guilty pleasures, and with all of the new enhancements made for the 2012 model year, the top-rung Hemi 300 is sure to impress.

Gone is the 6.1-liter V8 of yore, and a new, fire-breathing 6.4-liter Hemi engine has been fitted underhood. With 465 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque on tap, the 300 SRT8 will easily sprint to 60 miles per hour in under five seconds, and all that grunt is managed by a five-speed automatic transmission, now enhanced with paddle shifters. Not the most modern transmission, yes, but we’re sure the 300 SRT8 will still be a total hoot to drive.

The 2012 300 SRT8 has made its debut this week at the 2011 New York Auto Show next to its Grand Cherokee SRT8 cousin, and we invite you to click through a handful of high-res images live from the Javits Center in our gallery below.

Gallery: 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8: New York 2011

Gallery: 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8

2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8

Continue reading New York 2011: Chrysler’s new 300 SRT8 is a tuxedo-wearing thug

New York 2011: Chrysler’s new 300 SRT8 is a tuxedo-wearing thug originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York 2011: 2012 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG gets a twin-turbo heart transplant

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Sedan, Performance, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

2012 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG

2012 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG – Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG has been unwrapped at the New York Auto Show having gained a new, more economical lease on life thanks to the brand’s 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8. For 2012, Mercedes-Benz is offering the mill in two levels of crazy, with either 518 horsepower in the regular E63, or 550 if you opt for the AMG sport package. That much grunt shuffles the standard car to 60 miles per hour in 4.4 seconds on to a top speed of 155 mph, or 4.3 seconds and 186 mph if you drop the extra coin for the sport pack.

Like its kissing but shapelier cousin, the CLS63 AMG, the 5.5-liter engine channels its substantial resources through AMG’s Speedshift MCT seven-speed transmission. We’ve sampled and enjoyed the unusual gearbox before, and this one also has a “Controlled Efficiency” mode, which is Mercedes-speak for a stop-start function.

Despite the looney power and performance figures, Mercedes says its big sedan is 22 percent more efficient than last year’s model, thanks to the new powerplant. To help keep things green(ish), the new heart sports spray-guided direct injection thanks to a set of piezo injectors. Mercedes has even gone so far as to develop an eco-friendly power steering setup which saves fuel by only drawing power when the wheel is being turned.

Inside, the car gets a new sports steering wheel with aluminum shift paddles and flat top and bottom sections. For those who go with the AMG sport package, the wheel is trimmed in Alcantara for the last word in racy luxury.

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG: New York 2011

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG

2012 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading New York 2011: 2012 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG gets a twin-turbo heart transplant

New York 2011: 2012 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG gets a twin-turbo heart transplant originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York 2011: Subaru shows off 2012 Impreza with lighter figure, impressive fuel economy

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Sedan, Hatchback, Subaru

2012 Subaru Impreza Five-Door

2012 Subaru Impreza five-door hatchback – Click above for high-res image gallery

We just gave you a deep dive look at the 2012 Subaru Impreza. Now, we get to see the fourth-generation Subaru in its four and five-door flesh on the floor of the 2011 New York Auto Show. The new car is lighter and more fuel efficient, boasting a very impressive 36 mile per gallon highway fuel-economy rating. How is the new 2012 Impreza able to claim the title of most fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive car in the United States? Dropping a few pounds doesn’t hurt but there’s a bit more to it than that.

Beneath the hood lies a brand-new 2.0-liter horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine, which produces 148 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. When paired with Subaru’s new CVT, the Impreza achieves the aforementioned 36 mile per gallon highway fuel-economy rating, and also returns 27 mpg in the city. And though the 2012 Impreza occupies the same footprint as the model it replaces, the wheelbase has been pushed out an extra inch, which allows for more interior space yet no trunk room was compromised.

The lightened-up Subaru Impreza sedan and five-door hatchback are scheduled to arrive at your local dealership later this summer. Follow the jump to read the full official press release from Subaru and check out our galleries of high-res live images from the show floor below.

Gallery: 2012 Subaru Impreza Five-Door: New York 2011

2012 Subaru Impreza Five-Door: New York 2011

Gallery: 2012 Subaru Impreza: New York 2011

2012 Subaru Impreza: New York 2011

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New York 2011: Subaru shows off 2012 Impreza with lighter figure, impressive fuel economy originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 17:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York 2011: Nissan’s Leaf Nismo RC ready to jolt motorsports world?

Filed under: Concept Cars, Motorsports, New York Auto Show, Technology, Hatchback, Nissan, Electric

Nissan Leaf Nismo RC concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Countless auto industry pundits have suggested that there would be no better way to accelerate the development of EV technologies than for someone with the wherewithal to organize a racing series just for electric cars.

Nissan appears to agree with that strategy, having just unveiled its Leaf Nismo RC (Racing Competition) concept here at the New York Auto Show. The juiced-up hatchback has lost a couple of doors and nearly four inches out of its wheelbase in the transition to competition spec, but it’s a whopping 6.7-inches wider and nearly an inch longer – proportions that are exaggerated by its minimal ground clearance of 2.4 inches. With its carbon fiber body shot in special white paint, the Nismo RC ends up looking a bit like a really, really angry vacuum cleaner, and that’s just fine by us. All-in, Nissan says the motorsports special weighs just 2,068 pounds – around 40 percent lighter than your garden-variety Leaf.

The Nismo RC rolls up to the starting line packing 107 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque, and its lithium-ion pack can reach an 80 percent charge state in just 30 minutes. Still, if the Leaf is ever to be raced, we’re thinking that some sort of swappable battery solution will have to be developed; otherwise pit stops are going to be rather leisurely.

Despite its menacing appearance and real racecar engineering, Nissan says its top speed is just 93 mph and its battery would likely only last about 20 minutes in competition. In other words, while this is a promising start, we don’t see the Nismo RC spawning its own race series just yet.

High-res galleries below, official press release after the jump.

Gallery: Nissan Leaf Nismo RC: New York 2011

Gallery: Nissan Leaf Nismo RC

Continue reading New York 2011: Nissan’s Leaf Nismo RC ready to jolt motorsports world?

New York 2011: Nissan’s Leaf Nismo RC ready to jolt motorsports world? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York 2011: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe is German for “sexy drift monster”

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Coupe, Performance, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

2012 mercedes-benz c63 amg coupe

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

We’ve got a soft spot in our hearts for anything AMG, and the all-new 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe is certainly no exception. The angst-ridden two-door snarls angrily courtesy of its 6.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine, churning out 451 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque, mated to a quick-shifting seven-speed automatic transmission. Spend some extra dough and you can equip the C63 coupe with the AMG Development Package that raises output to 481 horsepower and will have the coupe scooting from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 4.3 seconds.

Your eyes do not deceive you, this Mercedes is a visual stunner. The low-profile and twin-domed hood handle the aggressive looks topside while the titanium gray 19-inch wheels keep things menacing down low. This coupe is a looker on the inside too, thanks to the new AMG sport seats fitted with a new head restraint system and breathable fibers.

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG coupe is the Teutonic two-door of our dreams. It’s fast as hell, sexy as hell and make noises that were probably sound-tested in the devil’s own studio. Start saving your paychecks – it hits dealer showrooms in September. See the complete details in the press release after the break.

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe: New York 2011

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe

Continue reading New York 2011: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe is German for “sexy drift monster”

New York 2011: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe is German for “sexy drift monster” originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 15:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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