Category: New Cars (Page 12 of 83)

Ram coming in with the Ducato for North America

January 16, 2012 / Staff

It was a matter of time before Chrysler re-entered the commercial van market in North America and now we know what’s coming. Starting in 2013 Chrysler’s Ram division will produce a version of Fiat’s Ducato Van to square off with Ford and GM’s commercial vans. This could be a real player in that segment but time will tell.

From Auto News.com:

Chrysler Group plans to add a large expansion to its current facilities in Saltillo, Mexico, to assemble a Ram-branded version of the Fiat Ducato commercial van for North America.

Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Chrysler Group, said this week at the Detroit auto show that the expansion of the Saltillo plant would make it “the center for production of light-commercial vehicles in North America for us.”

A Chrysler spokesman would not confirm the size of the investment, but company sources said it was expected to be about $500 million. Chrysler already operates a truck assembly plant, a stamping plant and two engine plants in Saltillo, about 180 miles southwest of Laredo, Texas.

Marchionne said the front-wheel-drive full-sized commercial van shares a platform with the Peugeot Boxer in Europe.

Read the full article.

Chrysler, Dodge, New Cars

Chrysler Chrysler commercial vans Chrysler vans Dodge Ram van

2013 Porsche Boxster Debuts

January 12, 2012 / Joe Gustafson

Alongside the 911, it was easy to forget that the Porsche Boxster is also due for a refresh. Porsche has not forgotten about its enty-level sports car, though, and has delivered a brand new Boxster that is wider, lighter, and more powerful.

The 2013 Boxster can be distinguished at a glance by its newly refined exterior and interior. The exterior sports some flamboyant side scoops, new lights similar in shape to the 918 supercar concept, and an overall tightening of its appearance. The interior sports q center console inspired by the Panamera and better materials. Also, the car is slightly widened to increase interior volume. This redesign bodes especially well for the new Cayman as well since the Cayman is basically a Boxster with a roof.

On the mechanical side, the non-S Boxster get a horsepower bump to 265hp and the S models get an increase to 315hp. Both models recieve either a 6 speed manual transmission or a 7 speed PDK option. Weight has also been dropped by 77lbs.

Lighter, leaner, and meaner, the new Porsche Boxster sets its sights on driving out from under the 911’s shadow.

New Cars, Porsche

Porsche 918 Porsche Boxster

2012 Infiniti FX50 Review on Bullz-Eye.com

December 27, 2011 / Staff

Not all luxury cars and SUV’s are built alike, and after spending some quality time in a 2012 Infiniti FX50 AWD S, you know you are driving something special.

Exterior
The revised front grille and fascia design for 2012 is the topper for an already very impressive looking vehicle. Our test model looked sleek and elegant in moonlight white paint and sports car-like 21 inch 6 spoke alloy aluminum wheels. The FX50 S was already loaded before you add in the sport package. Some of the notable exterior features included a new grille design, double wave hood, strong front-to-rear shoulder line, integrated rear spoiler, power sliding moonroof, standard automatic on/off High Intensity Discharge (HID) bi-functional xenon headlights and integrated front fog lights, aerodynamically designed rear LED taillights, Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS) with auto-leveling headlights, distinctive functional side air vents which reduce front end lift by five percent, lightweight aluminum-alloy hood and doors, standard power rear lift gate, chrome window moldings and door handles, available aluminum roof rails, power folding, heated outside mirrors with courtesy lights and available reverse tilt-down feature, and dual outlet exhaust with chrome tailpipe finishers. The overall look of the 2012 Infiniti FX50 AWD S is basically a blend of high performance design and luxury that can put a smile on many discerning persons.

Read the full review.

Car Reviews, Infiniti, New Cars, SUV

Tablet computers will change road trips

December 24, 2011 / Staff

One of the big push for carmakers in recent years has been in-vehicle entertainment. Having a video player in the back seat so kids could watch movies has become a critical component of cars and minivans aimed at families.

But now with the explosion of gadgets like smartphones and tablet computers, you wonder whether in-car wi-fi will become even more important in the coming years.

Even younger kids now expect gadgets like the iPod touch, and many families will now have multiple tablet computers. The iPad is still a huge hit, and now you have newer and cheaper entries like the Amazon Kindle. So instead of having the kids fight over which movie to play in the back seat, each kid can entertain themselves with their own movie or TV show. This is particularly true as kids get older.

But it’s not limited to kids. Guys love to play poker and some women love things like bingo. So if you have wi-fi in the car, your son can be playing online chess or poker with friends while your wife is playing online bingo. You daughter meanwhile might be streaming a vampire movie on Netflix. Anything is possible.

Of course this raises safety issues as well, as we need to make sure drivers don’t participate! That’s where Pandora comes in handy . . .

New Cars

in car entertainment

New Cadillac ATS to Debut at the 2012 NAIAS with a 270 Horsepower 4 Cylinder

December 16, 2011 / Staff

Cadillac is poised to announce the all new ATS which debuts a new 3.6-liter V6, a 2.5-liter four cylinder, and a new-generation 2.0-liter turbocharged Ecotec four that can reach 270 horsepower. That is really impressive for a 2.0 4 cylinder and I have a feeling that the 2.0T is going to be a popular choice with Cadillac customers.

From AutoGuide.com:

While a relaxed, naturally aspirated V6 and a fuel efficient inline-four comes as no surprise, the new 2.0 turbo caught our attention. The high-performance, direct-injection 2.0 turbo is tuned to produce 270-hp. Translating to 135-hp/liter, GM boasts that its power dense engine has greater horsepower per liter than the BMW M3, Porsche 911 GTS, or Lamborghini Aventador (although these are all lack forced induction). Most importantly, the turbo 4-cylinder ATS packs 30-hp more than the turbo 4-cylinder found in the 2012 BMW 328i.

GM powertrain officials noted that the 2.0T Ecotec found in the ATS is 95 percent brand new compared to the 2.0T found in the Buick Regal GS. The new 2.0T features direct-injection, four-valves/cylinder with continuously variable valve timing, twin-scroll turbocharger with air-to-air intercooler, forged steel crankshaft with modular balance shaft system, and a two-stage variable displacement oil pump with jet-spray piston cooling.

From Media.GM.com:

“This engine is the perfect match for the new ATS, which will be a refined performance luxury sedan,” said Don Butler, Cadillac vice president of Global Marketing. “The 2.0T has an exceptionally smooth and responsive power curve that will make the ATS nimble, quick and fun to drive.”

The new 2.0T highlights a broad engine lineup that will power the ATS which is slated to begin production next summer. Cadillac will also offer a normally aspirated 2.5L four cylinder engine and a 3.6L V-6 engine in the ATS.

The 2.0T builds on the advanced-technology heritage of previous GM turbo engines with features that enhance efficiency, durability and refinement.