Audi Debuts Facelifted A4 and S4

Audi released images of its new A4 and S4 models today, continuing with their new styling evolution. The most obvious changes are the new headlights and grill. The headlights are more angular and aggressive, and the grill has the same cut corners that the A6 showed off. There is also a new LED design inside the light itself, and the taillights have been altered as well. The A4 now fits in with the recently restyled or released A5/S5, A6/S6, A7/S7, and A8/S8 models. The same 2.0L turbocharged four cylinder engine producing 211 horsepower will be available in the A4, and the 3.0L supercharged producing 333 horsepower will return in the S4. New interior gadgets have been added, such as the touch sensitive MMI pad found first implemented in the A8. The US will also get an Allroad version of the A4, but whether we will get the wagon is still up in the air.

Louts Develops New V8

Lotus has been working on a new V8 engine for their Esprit as part of their great resurgence. It has been indicated by Lotus engineers that the new V8 could produce as much as 630 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. The engine could also rev all the way up to 9400 rpm. This new engine has been completely made in house by Lotus, contrasting with their current partnership with Toyota to get their engines. Lotus considered using the V8 in the IS-F to power the Esprit, but decided to go with their own engine which is lighter weighing about 370 pounds versus 550 with the Lexus mill. The engine could power an Esprit weighing 3,200 pounds from 0-60 in about 3.5 seconds which would put it smack in the middle of supercar territory. Lotus hopes for the car to have spectacular responsiveness and be a car that can be fast like a McLaren MP4-12C, but with more personality.

2012 Fisker Karma Goes on Sale

The long awaited Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid has officially gone on sale. This comes amid the EPA's fuel economy ratings for the vehicle. It was quoted by Fisker that the car would travel 50 miles on electricity alone, then 250 miles on the generator, creating a total of 67 MPGe. However, the EPA rated the vehicle at  52 MPGe and an electric-only range of a mere 32 miles and engine-only gas mileage of just 20 MPG. For a car with a $96,895 base price theoretically justified by its eco-friendliness, this is somewhat disappointing. The car is visually beautiful and the interior is full of high quality materials. It also accelerated from 0-60 in 7.9 seconds on electricity only, and can trim that number to 5.9 seconds with the help of the GM-sourced ecotec four-cylinder engine. The combined power of the electric motor and the gasoline engine is an impressive 403 horsepower. However, one could buy a better performing car than this one and a Prius and still not reach the price of the Karma. The Karma really just doesn't seem to make that much sense anymore.

Audi TT RS is a Blast

Audi has brought the TT RS to the US of A for the 2012 model year. It has an extra 25 horsepower over the European version bringing it to a grand total of 360 horsepower, though this will only be available with a manual transmission which doesn't feature the launch control that is partially responsible for the lightning fast 0-60 sprints. The US version is quoted to have a 4.1 second 0-60, which is still approaching supercar territory, but starting at $56,850. The little rocket is a pavement hound and will devour corners on the twisted back roads. It is wicked quick with good steering feel and tenacious grip, making it a fun beast of a car. It is incredible easy to drive fast, making even beginners feel like superstars. The car can be had as a coupe or convertible, but we prefer the coupe due to its lower weight, stiffer body, and better looking exterior.

BMW Shows Off 2012 3-Series

BMW unveiled its redesigned sports sedan today that is set to go on sale in February. The new model looks more aggressive and fits in more with the styling direction of the new 1, 5, 6, and 7-Series vehicles. In my opinion, the whole car looks more angular. Also, headlamps look like they are too low on the nose and the hood looks too flat, but the rear looks nice and overall, the design is refreshing. The interior is a big upgrade from the current 3-Series and the car is longer and wider overall, adding to the sporty appearance. One of the big changes is in the engine room. The 328i will be getting BMW's new turbocharged inline-4 cylinder engine. It makes the same 240 horsepower, but has 260 lb-ft of torque, making it quicker to 60 mph with a time of 5.7 seconds. Pricing hasn't been announced, but that should come as it approaches February.

Chevy Sonic Impresses

The new Chevy Sonic has been released and tested and it appears to stack up to the competition well. Chevy has had a rather long streak of making really bad small cars, but this vehicle bucks the trend. The steering is communicative and precise, making it fun to drive. The Sonic can be had with a 1.8L four cylinder making 135 horsepower and 128 lb-ft of torque, or a 1.4L turbocharged four cylinder making 138 horsepower, but 148 lb-ft of torque 1,400 rpm sooner. This will make for a more responsive car off the line, which makes it peppier and more fun. The car is heavier and more expensive than some of its rivals, but is right up there in fun and functionality with a great interior to boot, making it a great buy for anyone looking for a small and fun car.

Nissan Develops 10-Minute Charger

Nissan has developed a charger that can charge an electric car (they would prefer it to be a leaf) in 10 minutes. This may still sound inconvenient if you were on a road trip, but compared to the roughly 8 hour charging time that most of these cars require, this is a giant leap foreword. The trick is using a capacitor electrode made of tungsten oxide and vanadium oxide. Today, these are made of carbon. This allows the battery to take in more energy without being overwhelmed and getting destroyed. The technology likely won't go commercial for another decade or so, but this is a step in the right direction for electric cars.

2013 Porsche Boxster Spied Camo-Free

The 2013 Porsche Boxster will be coming out fairly soon, and it looks to be a pretty sharp car. The new Boxster has a few possibilities for engines. It could feature two flat-sixes producing around 270 and 320 horsepower (the two flat-sixes currently make 255 and 310 horsepower). Porsche could also employ flat-fours as well. The four-cylinder could be a less powerful and less expensive engine producing something around 240 horsepower, or it could be a more powerful turbocharged engine making somewhere around 360 horsepower depending on Porsche's goals. Among other things, the new Boxster will probably receive a new interior and a lower curb weight, making the vehicle more fun to drive.

Tesla Model S Beta

Tesla has been working on their Model S sedan for a few years and is nearing production, which will hopefully commence this coming year. The sedan is powered by a battery that sits under the floor of the car, giving two large storage areas, one under the hood, and a large hatchback in the rear that can theoretically seat two small children in rear-facing seats. The car is totally silent and smooth in ride. Journalists have only gotten the chance to ride in it though, not actually drive. The focal point of the interior is the 17'' touch screen in the center console that controls all the main functions of the cars. It even contains a web browser, though that may be removed when the car reaches production if legislators require it. To get a real sense of how good the car will be in the end, we must wait until it goes into production, but this taste was a good beginning to what could be the future of the automobile.

Luxury Car Sales Soar

Despite the slightly slumping economy, luxury car sales are up a significant amount in September, and for the year to date as well. This bodes well for the auto industry, who may not be quite so effected by the down economy as in 2008 when car sales plummeted. Audi is up %19 vs. last September, and up %15 vs. last year to date. BMW is up as well, %19 increase vs. last September and a %12 increase over the last year to date. Mercedes-Benz has grown as well, posting a %13 increase over last September and a %10 over the last year to date. Porsche's numbers vs. last September aren't quite as spectacular as Audi and BMW at %10, but they are up %28 vs. last year so far. This may have to do with the introduction of the new Cayenne late last year, which has been a sales boon for the company.

Steve Jobs Dies at Age 56

Acknowledging that this has little to do with autos, those of us working at CarMatrixMan Blog thought that it would be proper to pay tribute to Steve Jobs. Mr. Jobs was a remarkable man who affected almost all of our lives in one way or another. His innovations created new technology segments such as the portable digital music player (iPod), smartphone (iPhone), and tablet (iPad). Mr. Jobs will likely be remembered as one of the greatest business innovators of the 21st century, if not ever. We thank Mr. Jobs for everything that he has given us. In the words of the man himself, "Stay hungry, stay foolish."

Better Fuel Economy on Mazda 3

Mazda recently set the price for the 2012 model of the Mazda3. The sedan starts at $15,200 and the hatchback starts at $21,200. The front end of the 2012 model was altered slightly to cut back on the "I'm so happy to see you" look that the previous model had. The other big change for this year's model is the fuel economy. The previous model somewhat lagged behind its competitors in fuel economy. This is no more. The new model matches rivals from Ford and Hyundai with its 40 mpg highway. Several months ago, Car and Driver tested the Mazda3 against the Ford Focus, among other cars. The Focus came out on top and the Mazda was runner-up. One of the reasons for this was the fuel economy. With the better gas-mileage, the Mazda might have that little nudge that it needed to push the Ford out of the top spot.

New Alfa Romeo Engine Debuts

As part of Alfa Romeo's resurgence plan in the United States, it has introduced a new engine. This engine is a 1.8L turbocharged 4 cylinder engine that surprisingly makes 300 horsepower. This engine will power the 4C (the concept is pictured above) and most likely other models when Alfa moves here. Alfa continues the trend in engine downsizing and turbocharging, even in sports cars like the 4C will be. This allows for lower weight and better fuel economy, and when done right can produce big power as well.

Comparing Apples to Oranges

In a new ad from Cadillac, a drag race between a Mercedes C300 and a Cadillac Escalade is depicted. This has got to be the most pointless ad ever to be created in the history of ads. Not only are the specs of the cars totally off (228 horsepower for the C300 and 403 horsepower for the escalade), but the likelihood of the two cars being cross-shopped is next to none, making the commercial totally irrelevant. In fact, if anything, this would just show that Cadillac is desperate and just trying to show that it is better than someone else at something, even if they are totally unrelated. Here is the video:

Epic Turnaround for Chrysler

In a recent review of the Chrysler 300, Consumer was impressed with the redesign, calling it "the best Chrysler sedan we've seen in decades." The vastly improved interior and new powertrain are where the biggest changes were made, and were where Consumer Reports was most surprised. The model's large change in score is unusual for a redesign to improve this dramatically. This victory represents the second for Chrysler in recent months, with Consumer Reports previously applauding the Dodge Durango and Charger.

Different Sizes of the Same Sausage?

People have frequently used the phrase "different sizes of the same sausage" or such, to describe Audi's lineup of sedans. While it is true that all Audi's share similar design elements, each car looks distinctly different from the others. The A4 looks more plebeian and simple than the A6 and A8. The A6 is by far the most aggressive looking one with its inward angled headlights and the trademark Audi grille trimmed on the upper corners. The A8 looks large, upright, and solid, making it the most upscale design. All of the designs are some of the understated beauties of the automotive world. And really, just about every automaker nowadays uses similar design cues throughout their lineup as well, so Audi isn't the only one. BMW uses the similar grilles, profiles, headlights, taillights, and other elements to the same extent as Audi, yet Audi seems to get more criticism for it. There doesn't really seem much to criticize. They are all stunning designs and each model has its unique take on a general idea.

Cushy, Coddling, Comfort: A German Perspective

So does anyone else think rear looks worse than the rear of the car it is replacing? The new Mercedes-Benz ML puts Mercedes in a strange position; the current ML is selling like hotcakes. They are replacing a car that arguably doesn't really need to be replaced yet. Not only that, but this thing's butt isn't really a work of art. The ML is a luxury vehicle through and through. It has a leather-swathed interior with wood galore. It is a vehicle that is quiet and soft enough to put a baby to sleep. This will probably go over well as a family hauler, but Mercedes has totally alienated buyers searching for something with at least a hint of personality or excitement. Unfortunately for this car, its as athletic as its hind is appealing.

New Images of the Honda CR-V Concept

Honda has released new images of its 2012 CR-V Concept. The production form of the vehicle will most likely be very similar to the concept, just dropping small things like the black tinted headlights. The concept looks more aggressive than the current generation CR-V, but is similar in size. It sports Honda's 3-bar grille and headlights that seem to be part of the sheet metal. The signature vertical taillights have been designed to be more "three-dimensional" and the rear end looks to be slightly more upright. The car will receive an all-new interior that will be shown at the LA Auto Show, along with the production design and powertrain information.

BMW Confirms X4

Norbert Reithofer, CEO of BMW has confirmed that BMW will produce an X4 SUV. Its styling will be similar to the X6 in that it will share a similar coupe-like profile, but it will be smaller, based on the X3 platform. BMW also plans to eventually make and X4 M. The vehicle will share the same engines and power train with the X3, and the M version will get a twin-turbo 6 cylinder engine.

Jag to Offer AWD in the XF and XJ

The Jaguar XF and XJ will soon be available with all-wheel-drive. After years of refusing to add AWD to its vehicles, it has finally caved in, seeing as a large number of potential customers live in areas that have less than ideal driving weather in the winter months. Jaguar feels that it has been losing sales to rivals like Audi who tout their AWD system. While it will take some retooling to fit AWD into cars that were never designed to utilize the system, and it will result in a higher manufacturing cost, Jaguar thinks they will make up for it with increased sales.

Volvo to Eliminate Engines Over Four Cylinder Engines

Volvo recently confirmed that it will abandon all engines over four cylinders and stick to three and four cylinder gasoline and diesel engines for all of its cars within the next ten years. This comes as a result of higher required fuel economy ratings on motor vehicles which Volvo needs to meet. Volvo's goal is for the future four cylinder power plants to match or exceed the performance of their current six cylinder engines, and exceed their current four cylinder engines in fuel economy.

Why Hyundai Created the Veloster

This is the new Hyundai Veloster. This has the exact same engine as the Hyundai Accent. This weighs 200 pounds more than the Accent. This has the same suspension as the Accent. This car is tuned for maximum fuel economy...just like the Accent. This has less cargo space than the Accent. This has less people space than the Accent. This costs $5000 more than the Accent. So why would Hyundai even make it if they knew it didn't stack up and sell. Really, it comes down to brand image. Hyundai is still in the process of convincing everybody that it makes really good cars (which it generally does). They have mainly used attractive styling to achieve this goal, along with improved quality and reliability. This car was made to show the world that Hyundai can make cars that are desirable and are competitive with offerings from Honda and Toyota. So while on paper it may not stack up, Hyundai isn't really going for a sales hog here. They are trying to improve their brand image. It worked.

Will Chrysler Successfully Remake Itself?

So, over the past year or two, Chrysler has been doing a complete redo of its entire lineup over all of its brands. It has redone the Chrysler 300 sedan, turned the Sebring into the Chrysler 200, changed the Dodge Avenger, Challenger, Charger, Journey, and Durango, as well as made major changes to the Jeep Compass, Grand Cherokee, and Wrangler. With that long list of essentially new models, and improved quality all around, the changes have already begun to pay off. The biggest reason that Chrysler will be able to keep this pace up, or even improve it is that their styling changes make their cars look sharper and more upscale, and the redone interiors add a big sense of quality. These two things will lure in many buyers and create lots of success for Chrysler.

Chevy Sonic Gets 40 mpg

Chevy has recently been bringing attention to its new Sonic which gets 40 mpg with the 1.4L turbo engine and 6-speed manual transmission. This is right on par with other fuel economy class leaders: the Ford Fiesta and Hyundai Accent, which also both get 40 mpg. If the Chevy can keep ties quality on par with the Ford and Hyundai, it could end up being a successful compact car from GM, which hasn't happened in a while.

Kia GT Concept Debutes at Frankfurt

For the Frankfurt Auto Show, Kia has a new concept, the GT. It's roofline resembles that of the Aston Martin Rapide in its coupe-like slope, and its "gills" at the front also appear to be borrowed from the Aston Martin One-77. With a few changes, a production version of this car would look spectacular. The concept features rear-wheel drive and a 390 horsepower V6. A production variant of this concept could conceivably do battle with cars like the Audi S7 and Mercedes-Benz CLS if it kept the engine, aggressive styling, and a luxurious interior.

Cadillac Ciel Concept Shown at Frankfurt

Today at the Frankfurt Auto Show, Cadillac showed off their new concept car that they originally debuted at Pebble Beach. It is a sedan convertible and is becoming their new styling halo car. Cadillac representatives have said that this vehicle will probably never make production, however its upright Rolls-Royce-esque styling could trickle down onto whatever car they launch to compete with cars like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the Audi A8.

Can Lexus be Sporty?

Today, Lexus debuted their new GS 450h. This prompted me to remember that Lexus' goal for the new GS is for it to take the company in a new, sportier, more fun direction. Based on Lexus' history with making sporty cars, I find it difficult to believe that they are capable of making a car that is as fun to drive as a BMW or Infiniti. Even the cars they make now that they claim to be "sporty" can't really stand up to the competition. The only legitimate fun car they make is the LFA which costs $375,000. I have a feeling that the new GS will be no different from all the cars they have marketed as "sporty" so far.

New Maserati SUV Leaked

This is a leaked photo of Maserati's new SUV that is set to debut at the upcoming Frankfurt Auto Show. It will do battle with Porsche's Cayenne and possibly the upcoming Bentley SUV, though little is known about that car. Hopefully the Maserati will drive as well as it looks because if it does, it could end up being a strong competitor with the Cayenne, particularly in the Turbo variant.

New Volkswagen Passat Made for the USA

Car and Driver recently tested the new Volkswagen Passat, which Volkswagen developed specifically for the US Market. It is significantly more spacious than the last iteration, as well as having suspension tuning geared toward the soft ride Americans prefer, and very conservative styling so as not to turn away anybody. Best of all, its price is now much lower, starting around $20,000. In the C&D comparison, the Passat beat out the Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata to win first place. I can't argue with this car's unbeatable comfort and its luxurious interior, but I can't help wishing that it would be more exciting.

New Ford Concept

This is Ford's new concept car called the Evos and it signals a new design direction being taken by Ford. If all Fords could have this styling, they would no doubt see a significant increase in sales. Some people argue that it looks too similar to the corporate face of Aston Martin, but it seems to be much more aggressive looking. This would make a great Mustang!

New 911 Set to Dominate

The new 911 seems like it will be a force to reckoned with. Considering how brilliant the last 911 was, this one can only be better. It's low price compared to the cars it competes with and legendary handling, combined with its more modern interior sharp exterior styling, and power increase seem to make it a winner.

GM Hires Back Bob Lutz

General Motors recently hired renowned car guy Bob Lutz out of retirement to take a counseling position for senior management. Lutz previously worked at GM in the early 60's in Europe, and also as vice chairman in the 2000's, and is considered to be a driving factor in GM's dramatic turnaround. GM probably made a good move here because Lutz will help keep a focus on the product at GM.