June 18, 2013
- Back in 1990s, Volkswagen had an advertising campaign built around German word “fahrvergnügen,” which loosely means “driving pleasure.” Apparently the whimsical ads worked on me, because I keep hearing it every time I get into a new car. We recently had the pleasure of driving two cars loaded with fahrvergnügen, the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS [...]
June 17, 2013
- Pros and cons* Pros Great ergonomics, extremely stylish, decent fuel economy, affordable price, generous warranty and numerous standard features are the many attractive drawing cards of this sedan. Cons We can criticize its low rear-seat headroom, rear torsion-bar suspension that limits handling, a feeble engine, ordinary fit and finish, vague steering and soft suspension that is tuned towards comfort. Price The manual transmission Elantra L Sedan starts at $15,949. The automatic...
- Goodwood has issued a list of the drivers and cars confirmed for the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed Goodwood has issued a complete list of drivers appearing at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed 2013. Drivers and riders competing on the hillclimb at this year’s event include past and present F1, WRC and Le Mans drivers.The Festival of Speed will also feature stars of film and radio, such as Peter Fonda and Chris Evans.The full, provisional list of drivers and cars:Rally Rauno Aaltonen...
June 14, 2013
- Five of the top 10 brands in the 2013 Best Global Green Brands report were automotive, including the top three. Toyota, Ford, and Honda took the top three, respectively; followed by Nissan at fifth and Volkswagen at seventh. Ford’s crosstown rivals, General Motors and Chrysler, did not make the list, which includes the top 50 brands.
- Pros and cons* Pros Great ergonomics, extremely stylish, decent fuel economy, affordable price, generous warranty and numerous standard features are the many attractive drawing cards of this sedan. Cons We can criticize its low rear-seat headroom, rear torsion-bar suspension that limits handling, a feeble engine, ordinary fit and finish, vague steering and soft suspension that is tuned towards comfort. Price The manual transmission Elantra L Sedan starts at $15,949. The automatic...
- With all the troubles in Europe, one would expect Volkswagen to hurt, but the Wolfsburg company is doing just fine, thank you. For the first five months, Volkswagen Group sales are up 5.9 percent to 3.87 million units. In May, global deliveries rose 6.9 percent to 816,500. In China, Volkswagen could edge out perennial numbers [...]
June 13, 2013
- Most large automakers are working on a modular architecture of some sort. Farthest ahead appears to be Volkswagen,which already is rolling out new car after new car on one of four related kit architectures, and which is rumored to be working on one master kit. The other day, Toyota showed me glimpses of its new [...]
June 12, 2013
- Pros and Cons* Pros Quality build, quiet ride, impeccable handling, supportive seats and a superior all-wheel drive system combine to make the 2013 Audi A4 simply irresistible. Cons Limited rear cabin room, reduced steering feedback and the absence of a diesel option are some of the sorer points. Price The base price of the front-wheel drive Audi A4 starts at $37,800. The all-wheel drive version has a MSRP of $39,700 with manual transmission...
- Ever wonder what some companies may be worth? Their street value? How about Walmart? Their brand value is $36.2 billion. Coca-Cola? $78.4 billion. McDonald's? $90.3 billion. Google? $113.7 billion. And what about Apple? A whopping $185 billion. I may have gone overboard with the examples, but I find these amounts to be incredibly fascinating. So, about the carmakers: Can you guess which is the most valuable? If you know a little bit about the car business, you'll possibly have guessed Toyota...
June 11, 2013
- The next generation European-market Volkswagen Passat will be delayed until at least the end of 2014, as Volkswagen follows an industry-trend in Europe of neglecting their slow-selling D-segment cars. Europe’s economic crunch has led to a sharp contraction in new car sales, and D-segment vehicles are among the hardest hit. Ford is delaying replacing the [...]
- Jaguar F-type V8 S tested; new Audi Quattro revealed; Lamborghini Gallardo successor previewed; Volkswagen Golf GTD driven; Freelander buying guide This week’s Autocar magazine delivers verdicts on two very different performance cars, one of which is so anticipated that it remains under wraps until the issue goes on sale.No less exciting is the Jaguar F-type V8 S, which our road test team have forensically examined to bring you every fact and figure in the definitive verdict of Jag’s Porsche...
June 10, 2013
- Long before the second-generation Chevrolet Corvette, split rear windows were found on a multitude of cars, from the original Volkswagen Beetle to the unpopular DeSoto Airflow sedan. It’s a sight to behold on this particular hot-rodding favorite, courtesy of Todd Rollins. Can you guess the car? Sound off in the comments section below, and if [...]
- Pros and Cons* Pros Surprisingly superb combination of comfort and driving pleasure, precise steering, leading-edge technology, choice of powerful engines and impeccable fit and finish are a few of the strong points of the 2013 BMW X6. Cons Limited visibility, thirsty engines, cumbersome size and weight as well as its limited cargo room spoil some of the charm. Price The BMW X6 xDrive 35i starts at $66,800. The selling price of the xDrive 50i...
- It may not look any different on the outside, but the 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel is a pioneering vehicle: It's the first passenger car with a diesel engine sold by General Motors for 28 years. Now reaching Chevy dealers in initial launch areas--those where the Volkswagen Jetta TDI diesel already sells well--the diesel Cruze adds a new dimension...
June 9, 2013
- With summer quickly approaching, we're eagerly awaiting some seat time in our favorite droptop models, cars that allow us to take in the sunshine and the warm air afforded by the summer months - especially for those of us who reside in states with bitterly cold winters. And while many Autoblog team members are already happy convertible owners (fun fact: three of us own Mazda Miatas, and there's even a Saab 9-3 Viggen droptop looming in the AB personal fleet), new sales data shows that the best-...