Download: 17 Nov 2011

Thursday 17 November 2011

The BRZ is a Knock-Out – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show

The BRZ is a Knock-Out – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show:

Subaru BRZ STI Concept

Here’s my take for the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show’s “Car That Makes a Much better Second Impression” (cue a drum roll and the sound of an envelope being opened).

Subaru BRZ STI Concept

The Subaru BRZ STI Concept left me cold when I saw the first computer generated pictures. Chunky proportions and an oversized rear wing didn’t appear to break much new ground for the car hailed as Subaru’s first rear-wheel-drive sports car. In the metal, the BRZ is a knock-out. The lines look leaner and that monster wing actually works extremely well with the car’s proportions. Of course, a turbocharger and all-wheel-drive might be nice too…

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Cadillac Ciel: And a Trick of the Eye – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show

Cadillac Ciel: And a Trick of the Eye – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show:

Cadillac Ciel

Here’s my favorite view of the Cadillac Ciel concept car; to my eye, it can use all the photographic foreshortening it can get.

But in this pure side view, it sports a really e-x-t-e-n-d-e-d appearance that I find disconcerting.

Cadillac Ciel

I learned how the eye can be tricked, though. It turns out the car’s apparently opulent length is something of a trompe l’oeil, brought off by its relatively simple and taut lines. In fact, it’s 203 inches long.

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2013 Lincoln MKT and MKS: Refined, Not Revamped – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show

2013 Lincoln MKT and MKS: Refined, Not Revamped – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show:

2013 Lincoln MKT

Both the 2013 Lincoln MKT crossover and the 2013 Lincoln MKS sedan have been facelifted and upgraded with new adaptive suspensions and engine enhancements. The most notable changes are on the noses of the vehicles. While Lincoln has not abandoned its “Bow Wave” graphic for the grille, it has greatly refined the look to make it more three-dimensional and not so much in your face as the previous toothy grille work. The more refined, thinly spaced slats harken back to the original Bow Wave grille on late ‘30s and early ‘40s Lincoln Zephyrs and Continentals. In addition to the change in the grille work, the new MKS has a revised front fascia, new hood and front fenders to accommodate the changes.

2013 Lincoln MKS

Both vehicles, which share the same D-platform, also benefit from Continuously Controlled Damping on vehicles equipped with the optional, more powerful 355 EcoBoost 3.5-liter V-6. Standard MKT and MKS models with the normally aspirated 3.7-liter V-6 also see a bump in horsepower to 300 from 273 bhp without sacrificing fuel economy. In fact, on some models, the gain in efficiency is about a 3 mpg highway gain over current models. Both vehicles also feature interior upgrades that include new dash treatments and greater use of soft touch materials.

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2013 Flex: The New Face of Ford – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show

2013 Flex: The New Face of Ford – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show:

2013 Ford Flex

The 2013 Ford Flex features a revamped grille treatment that is part of a larger trend to establishing a new identity for the Blue Oval.

2013 Ford Flex

Gone is the three-bar grille treatment that was used across the board on both cars and trucks. On the truck and people mover side, look for this new mail-slot treatment on the front grille as well as bold lettering to identify the particular model. On the car side, the three-bar grille is being replaced by a trapezoidal shape introduced on the Fiesta and Focus and which will be adapted to the larger Taurus and Fusion for the 2013 model year.

2013 Ford Fiesta

Besides changing its grille, the 2013 Ford Flex also features more muscle under the hood, a gain of 20 bhp on the standard 3.5-liter V-6 for a total of 285. The optional 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 remains at 355 bhp. Other changes include the addition of push-button start, rear inflatable seat belts, rain-sensing wipers, active park assist and adaptive cruise control.

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Five Axis Lexus CT200h – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show

Five Axis Lexus CT200h – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show:

Five Axis Lexus CT200h

Just snapped the Five Axis Lexus CT200h at the Yokohama booth! It wears Advan Sport tires, featured lowered suspension and Five Axis wheels. Nice!

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Isle of Man TT Video: Cantle’s Nerves of Steel! – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show

Isle of Man TT Video: Cantle’s Nerves of Steel! – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show:

Isle of Mann Subaru WRX STI

On the Isle of Man TT course, a lap record for production cars was set in this very Subaru WRX STI with rally driver Mark Higgins at the wheel. But who’s this Chris Cantle guy? And why is there a stain in the passenger seat? Actually, he’s a man we know very well, R&T’s ace shooter/videographer who has nerves of steel. You have doubts? Check out this wild video. Higgins calls it the scariest moment of his life; Chris didn’t even blink!

Isle of Mann Subaru WRX STI

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Who Left the Keys in the Mastretta MXT? – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show

Who Left the Keys in the Mastretta MXT? – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show:

Mastretta MXT Keys

One of the nicest perks of media previews is that most cars are left unlocked. You can get cozy behind the wheel of everything from a budget Hyundai to the swankiest Rolls-Royce. In the case of Mastretta MXT, the first Mexican-designed and engineered sports car, this level of hospitality has been taken to another level. Someone has left the keys in the car…

Since this is Mastretta’s first appearance at a U.S. auto show, we’ll resist the temptation to fire it up.

[Note: Carlos Sandoval, communications manager for Mastretta, just informed me the battery is disconnected, thereby foiling all plans for an impromptu test drive.]

Mastretta MXT

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Rally Scion xD – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show

Rally Scion xD – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show:

Rally Scion xD

While some of you might be aware of Scion’s drifting efforts, lesser known is the Toyota sub-brand’s foray into rallying. This xD from Sparco was driven by Andrew Comrie-Picard, who competed in the 2011 Rally America series. The rally xD retains the stock 1.6-liter 4-cylinder, but is fortified by a Greddy turbo kit. Tein suspension and Volk CE28 wheels helped keep this xD planted to the terra firma, and all the custom work—such as the rollcage, carbon-fiber bits and even all the maintenance—was carried out by Design Craft Fabrications of California.

Rally Scion xD

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2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8 Yellow Jacket – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show

2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8 Yellow Jacket – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show:

Dodge Challenger SRT Yellow Jacket

During the 1960s, an enthusiast movement bubbled at Dodge. What resulted was a series of cars that started to roll out in 1968, oozingperformance. Cars like the Coronet R/T, Charger R/T, Dart GTS and the Yellow Jacket, among others. Now, here at the 2011 LA Auto Show, the Yellow Jacket has been resurrected.

Dodge Challenger SRT Yellow Jacket

The color choice is limited for the Yellow Jacket—it’s available only in attention-grabbing Stinger Yellow. The special model also features side stripes on the body and Yellow Jacket logos on the rear quarter panels. The wheels are the same as those on the Super Bee: cast aluminum split 5-spoke designs with black accents. Inside thecabin, the leather seats feature yellow striping and Yellow Jacket logos. The powertrain for the Yellow Jacket is the same as in the Challenger,which means a manual transmission will be available. Hooray!

Dodge Challenger SRT Yellow Jacket

The original Yellow Jacket didn’t make it past the auto show circuit. This one, however, will, albeit limited to a production run of 1000. Pricing hasn’t been announced for the 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8 Yellow Jacket, but expect it to be slightly higher than the regular Challenger SRT8, in the high $40s. Buyers can put down their orders starting in December. Cars arrive at dealers in the first quarter of 2012.

Dodge Challenger SRT Yellow Jacket

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Honda’s Efficient EV: Based on an Efficient Gasoline-Powered Car – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show

Honda’s Efficient EV: Based on an Efficient Gasoline-Powered Car – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show:

Honda Fit EV

Inefficient gasoline-burners make a poor base for EV-hood. But take a highly efficient – and super fun – Honda Fit and its EV version tops the charts. The Fit EV is (conservatively)-EPA-rated at a 76 mile range with an LA4 range of 123 miles. Nissan Leaf numbers are, respectively 73 and just a tad over 100.

Honda Fit EV

Plus, the Fit EV does this with a 20-kWh battery pack (the Leaf’s is 32 kWh, as I recall.)

The Leaf is efficient and purpose-built as an EV. This Honda Fit EV displays an alternative approach to EV design, and one that’s just as rational. Plus, being a Fit it’s likely to be a ball to zip around in.

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