Indholdsfortegnelse for November 2012 i MotorTrend

HERE’S ONE LAST reminder of how crucial the common midsize sedan is to this year’s automotive market, before we test key new models for January’s Car of the Year award: The all-new Honda Accord you see here faces competition from a Ford Fusion on a new platform; the well-reviewed Nissan Altima just out; the new Chevrolet Malibu, a thorough update of the well-received 2008 model; a handsome new Mazda6 (for the 2014 model year); and, of course, the Volkswagen Passat, last year’s COTY. For all of them, the bogey remains the Toyota Camry, which was new for the 2012 model year. While the Accord was the last mainstream midsize sedan to add a V-6 option, it’s now among the brands retaining a V-6, while others, like the Ford Fusion and…

ALFA ROMEO’S rear-drive strategy is starting to come into focus. Chrysler is developing a RWD platform that’s smaller than the current LX architecture for its SRT Barracuda, a smaller replacement for the Dodge Challenger expected about the 2015 model year. British magazine Autocar has reported that the upcoming Giulia will be built on an evolution of Fiat’s C U.S. Wide platform now used for the Dodge Dart, and will be available with front or all-wheel drive. Meanwhile, Autocar says, Maserati will use the Chrysler 300/Dodge Charger/Challenger LX platform for its Levante, designed to compete with the BMW 5 Series, and a lengthened version of the platform for the next Quattroporte, which remains a 7 Series competitor. The shorter Barracuda platform will serve as the basis for a smaller 3 Series…

JAGUAR is building five C-X75 plug-in hybrid electric hypercars to validate its performance target. If they’re satisfactory, says Bob Joyce, Jaguar Land Rover’s group engineering director, the project will get the green light. Projected price is “£700-900,000 ($1.1-1.4 million) plus local taxes” on sale about 2014. The business case calls for 200 units sold. In contrast, Porsche is aiming for 918 examples of its 918 Spyder, at €645,000 ($800K) plus tax. Joyce says he isn’t especially worried about Jaguar meeting its targets. Ultra-wealthy collectors will buy one of each car that is credible. “The decision to go is defined not just by the competitors. These cars are defined by what they stand for.” The performance targets Joyce enumerates are eye-popping. Zero to 60 mph in under 3.0 seconds, and 0-100…

“YET, GIVEN THE VARIETY, 20.6 SECONDS IS ALL THAT SEPARATES THE FASTEST AND SLOWEST CARS AROUND THE FAMED 2.3-MILE TRACK.” IN THE FIVE YEARS we’ve been holding our “Best” events at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca—Best Handling Car in 2007 and ’08 and Best Driver’s Car in ’09, ’11, and ’12—we’ve acquired lap times on 50 of the planet’s ultimate performance cars, be they front, rear, or all-wheel drive; front, mid, or rear engine; coupe, sedan, or hatchback; cheap, moderate, or out-of-this-world pricey. Yet, given the variety, 20.6 seconds is all that separates the fastest and slowest cars around the famed 2.3-mile track. Interestingly, the slowest car had 30 more horsepower than the next slowest, while the fastest had 87 fewer horsepower than the next fastest. With that in mind, and…

OH, DEAR. I can already read the “For the third time in as many months, I’m cancelling my subscription!” hate mail as I type. But the fact is, the Lamborghini Aventador—the most expensive, powerful, fastest, and rad of the bunch—finished dead last this year. Before we get to the specifics, please know that we all love the fact that this car exists, how bloody fast it is (the fourth-fleetest vehicle we’ve taken around Laguna Seca), and the entire extreme package. Our only problem with the Aventador is the way it drives, and this is a Best Driver’s Car competition. Despite its heavy reliance on carbon fiber, the LP700-4 was the weightiest car of the test at 4109 pounds. That’s 15 pounds fatter than even the big-boned Camaro ZL1. And here’s…

IT’S SLOWER THAN THE SHELBY, makes less power, and turned in a worse lap time. Not only that, but we were in unanimous agreement that the Shelby, with its quicker turn-in, was more fun to drive. So how can we morons rank the Camaro ahead of the Mustang? Well, as stated before, Best Driver’s Car is not a numbers game. But, for the sake of argument, let’s take a look at the lap times. The Shelby was faster (1:38.69) by almost half a second than the ZL1 (1:39.18) around Laguna Seca. On its first lap. However, because of the Shelby’s less-than-good brakes, it ran 1:39.03 (losing about 3/10ths of a second) on lap two and ran 1:39.30 (again, about 3/10ths of a second) on lap three. Those numbers are even…

THE 2013 VERSION OF GODZILLA (one of our long-termers) shows up to this year’s dance packing more power and torque (up 15 each, to 545 hp and 463 lb-ft of torque), a retuned suspension, and a reprogrammed transmission. But the 2012 iteration finished in second place, while the new one comes in third. What gives? MacKenzie muses, “While familiarity hasn’t exactly bred contempt, it’s easy to take the Nissan’s extraordinary capabilities for granted.” One thing that’s been a continual sore spot for the GT-R is its flinty and rough ride. Lago puts it most cruelly: “The GT-R rides like a truck, sounds like a clothes dryer, and has the interior noise of a Cessna.” But beyond that two better cars showed up this year. Don’t worry, Godzilla is still amazing.…

FERRARI’S LEGENDARY 1.9-mile Fiorano test circuit hosts a smartly arranged series of turns that provide a clear picture of a vehicle’s handling. Or so I’m told. I remember little of my three laps there in the F12 Berlinetta other than the engine screaming into fifth gear, flat-out, on the barely half-mile straight. My shock wasn’t with the velocity itself—such speeds are routine with 731 horsepower—but with the ease and comfort with which it was attained. A lap around Fiorano is short. Ferrari says the F12’s best is 1 minute, 23 seconds, making it not only 3.5 seconds faster than the 599 it replaces, but the fastest road-going, prancing-horse-badged supercar ever—the Enzo included. Zero to 60 mph? The estimate is 3 seconds. Top speed? 211 mph, in seventh gear. Superlatives don’t…

Comparison 2013 Honda Fit EV 2012 Toyota RAV4 EV Honda Fit EV FOR REASONS that are completely tangential to this story, we recently had a pristine 1997 Acura NSX (yes, red) in our garage, and it sparked a conversation among us about Honda’s increasingly erratic direction since that car. What modern Honda, we puzzled, has the old NSX’s clarity of vision and sheer technical sparkle? After a moment, I said, “The Fit.” And following a minute of furrowed brows, we agreed that, indeed, it is the best example. So it isn’t surprising that the Fit’s EV version would be another flash of that masterful engineering. Walking into its technical presentation, I was expecting to find a Fit simply disemboweled of its combustion organs and crammed with batteries. Well, it is…

Service life / 4 mo/12,987 mi Avg CO2 / 0.97 lb/mi Energy cons / 169 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 Normal-wear cost / $0 “It deflates my luxury ego to pop the hood and see ‘FoMoCo’ written on the some of the engine-compartment parts.” EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 18/28/22 mpg Average Fuel Econ 19.9 mpg IT’S becoming more and more clear that the Evoque is hard to see out of. The high beltline and small panes of glass are stunning from most exterior angles, yet leave the driver with little to work with. The rear window is small, and when viewed through the rearview mirror, it’s reminiscent of a tank turret. But a backpacking trip awaited. I folded the seats down and tossed in our…

“Some minor DNA cross-pollination from the new Elantra GT would greatly improve the Elantra’s driving dynamics without any sacrifices.” Service Life / 11 mo/22,059 mi Avg CO2 / 0.73 lb/mi Energy Cons / 127 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $289.13 (2-oil change, tire rotation, inspection; 1-engine-air filter) Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 29/40/33 mpg Average Fuel Econ 26.6 mpg I RECENTLY spent a few days behind the wheel of a new 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT hatchback, which replaces the dated Elantra Touring. Despite the name, the Elantra GT—essentially the European-market i30—is a substantially different car. It has, among other elements, a different center stack, front fascia, a sportier suspension, and adjustable steering. The cosmetic differences are minor, but the chassis changes greatly improve…

ROLLS-ROYCE has its Phantom Drophead Coupe, and so Bentley must have its Mulsanne Convertible Concept. Bentley calls it the “world’s most elegant convertible,” and might name it Azure when it replaces the current car for 2014. The Mulsanne sedan launched last model year with its sleeker-than-Phantom lines and controversial headlamp treatment. The ’14 convertible will have a version of the sedan’s 505-horsepower, 752 lb-ft, 6 3/4-liter twin-turbo V-8. The Mulsanne starts just short of $300,000, so it’s fair to speculate the convertible’s base price will be north of that figure. Other Mulsanne features that will carry forth include a choice of 24 interior hide colors, the Mulliner customization program, and an optional Naim 2200-watt, 20-speaker hi-fi. Bentley says the Mulsanne convertible’s designers are “providing a glimpse into the potential future…

Shelby’s Legacy Great feature on Carroll Shelby! The cover and stories were a fitting tribute to a true American legend and automotive icon. As an active member of the International Chili Society, which Carroll started, I had the opportunity to meet and talk with Carroll on several occasions. I found him very approachable and personable. I really enjoyed discussing the Viper with him. My most prized possession is a 3-foot check for $25,000 signed by Carroll, my award for winning the 1997 World’s Chili Championship in Reno, Nevada. It hangs proudly in my trophy room! Again, super job on the Shelby feature. Steve FalkowskiHopewell Junction, New York I had the honor of meeting and talking with Carroll Shelby at a Trans-Am race at Circuit Mont-Tremblant in summer 1969. At the…

One lesson we learned during our first drag race was to hire a street sweeper to clear the runway prior to the event. A handful of cars had suffered rock chip damage during last year’s race, and we didn’t want that happening again. For extra protection, we enlisted Allegiance Aftermarket, distributors of PremiumShield and PremiumShield Elite clear film systems (www.alltpa.com). National manager Earl Mangune and his team installed thin clear film on the front fascias of each of our 2012 contenders. Every film system—prices range from $600 to $1000—was custom cut and took 2-3 hours to install. We had each windshield protected as well. There is minor blurriness after the film is applied to glass, but it proved well worth it. When we removed the film after our closed drag…

IF WE EVER HAVE a competition for Best Grand Touring Car, smart money could flow toward the Jaguar XKR-S. True, the SLS AMG or the Maserati GranTurismo might give this big cat a run. But the Jag’s 550-hp, supercharged 5.0-liter V-8, phenomenal ride quality and plush, leather-stuffed interior are all tip-top shelf. As is the sound emanating from its four exhaust tips. Says Evans, “Fantastic engine noise.” Adds Mr. Markus, “I like the unique and interesting engine note, which is distinctly different from most otherV-8s—even blown ones.” Mortara continues, “Makes sounds you don’t expect from a Jag.” But as Lago says, “It’s not the car’s fault, but Jaguar sent a Grand Touring car to a sports car competition.” One gripe with the XKR-S was the detachment between the steering wheel…

A FRIEND ASKED ME about the results of this year’s Best Driver’s Car competition. While I didn’t reveal the results, I did tell him, “Ninth, fifth, and first places are really going to piss people off.” With that in mind, I present to you this year’s fifth-place finisher, the McLaren MP4-12C. Yup, the latest product from the F1 wizards of Woking finished behind a $28K Subaru. I should tell you that Randy flung the MP4-12C around Mazda Raceway in 1:34.5, a time good enough to bring home the gold from this year’s event, and just one-tenth of a second slower than our all-time Best Driver’s Car champ, the Chevy Corvette Z06/Z07. And I should point out that this one wasn’t even a 2013 MP4 12C—that car gets a 24-hp bump…

TO THE OTHER BDC judges, the AMG Black Series was far and away the surprise of the competition. However, I wasn’t so surprised. I was the only person to have previously driven it, and I drove it on Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. I loved the car, and, at the time, stated that the Black “handles like a 500-horsepower Miata.” But, in the back of my mind, I was thinking, “But does it handle like a 4045-pound Miata?” And this is why we bother with comparison tests. You can’t say for sure how good a car is until you line it up with a member of its competitive set and run them down the same road. That’s my theory. As for the rest of the staff, I think they were shocked…

THE AUDI RS 5, with its exaggerated fender flares and air inlets, could’ve rolled right off the concept stand at the Frankfurt auto show. More accurately, make that shot. Both hugely fast (0-60 mph in 4.0 seconds) and capable (best figure-eight lap at 24.8 seconds), the striking coupe has the requisite fast Audi hardware: all-wheel drive, twin-clutch transmission, and torque-vectoring rear differential. The best bit? Its direct-injected, 8500-rpm 4.2-liter V-8. The 450 horsepower it makes 250 rpm before redline is a middle finger to the world of shrinking cylinder counts, forced induction, and torque-focused powertrains. While charging hard through the tachometer, valves open in the mufflers and blast the road around you with the unmistakable raspy snarl of a highly stressed V-8. (The $1000 Sports Exhaust is a must-have.) Tug…

Base price $36,615 Price as tested $40,315 EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ 19/27/22 mpg “It’s going to be interesting to see how performance and fuel efficiency are going to be affected with the RDX’s all-new drivetrain. WHEN the RDX launched in 2007, Acura was taking straight aim at buyers who wanted some sport along with their CUV. With its over-the-top styling, turbocharged 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engine, and Super Handling AWD system (SH-AWD), the Acura RDX was definitely sporty. But the vehicle got a mild reception, mostly because of its polarizing exterior styling. It didn’t take Acura long to figure out that the actual buyers of the RDX didn’t really care too much about sportiness. They just wanted a stylish, comfortable, affordable, safe, and fuel-efficient vehicle. Acura has responded with the all-new…

“Just informed by our VW dealership that from the tire wear, they suspect someone has been drifting our Passat. Our FWD Passat.” Service life / 6 mo/10,959 mi Avg CO2 / 0.82 lb/mi Energy cons / 143 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved problems / Squeaky seat Maintenance cost / $0 (oil change, rotate tires, inspection) Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 22/31/25 mpg Average Fuel Econ 23.6 mpg OUR five-pot Passat has recently turned 10,000 miles, and we have only a single and admittedly minor issue to report. A squeak is coming from the driver’s seat. The first service on the car also happened to fall on the 10,000-mile mark, so it was off to the dealer for an oil change, inspection, and hoped-for seat fix. But I got the…

EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 19/28/22 mpg Average Fuel Econ 21.6 MPG “If you’re in the market for a minivan, the Odyssey will not disappoint. No need to sacrifice comfort for versatility here!” Service life / 13 mo/27,764 mi Base price / $41,840 Options / Elite package ($2190: High-intensity discharge headlights; blind spot monitoring; Honda DVD rear entertainment system; 650-watt, 12-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system) Price as tested / $44,030 Problem areas / None Maintenance cost / $502.31 Normal-wear cost / $4.51 3-year residual value* / $21,880.95 Recalls / None *Automotive Lease Guide THE TIME has come to bid adieu to our beloved Honda Odyssey Touring Elite. We’ve racked up almost 28,000 miles over the past year, and are reluctant to give it back. Its combination of versatility, driveability, and luxury…

LAND ROVER didn’t mess much with the overall look of its iconic Range Rover design. This model has become the Indian-owned, British Jaguar Land Rover concern’s Porsche 911, with every body panel redesigned but made to look very familiar to fans. The big change is in what is used to make those new body panels. The 2013 Range Rover has an aluminum body and new aluminum front and rear chassis architecture. Land Rover says this shaves about 700 pounds off the current V-8 model in the U.S. market, and up to 926 pounds for European-spec SUVs. A reengineered four-corner air suspension sharpens hand- ling and agility, Land Rover says, while maintaining the current model’s comfortable, luxurious ride. A new Terrain Response 2 Auto system is fully automatic. The Range Rover’s…

Subaru is the car company Saab always wanted to be: a niche automaker with a loyal, growing following. It relies on horizontally opposed four- and six-cylinder engines and all-wheel drive, save for the new rear-drive BRZ sports car. Its deal with Toyota, which bought 8.7 percent of parent Fuji Heavy Industries after GM dumped its 20 percent, goes a long way toward Subaru’s sustained success in the U.S. and globally. Even before the BRZ was launched, Subaru was making a profit in all its regions. Local production helps. With the Japanese yen running at historic highs against the U.S. dollar ($1 = 78.32 yen at presstime, versus $1 = 146.25 yen on January 2, 1990), selling cars built in Japan is a costly business. Back in February, we asked, “How…

Words of Wisdom As this may be my last opportunity to do so, I would like to compliment Motor Trend for some exceptional articles in your August 2012 issue. The tributes to Carroll Shelby and the Cobra were well-researched and written, and “40 MPG Madness” is the most informational, comprehensive, and professionally presented piece that I’ve seen your magazine do in many years. These articles in just this one month’s issue have almost overcome my “automag malaise” with their pre-adult attitudes and lingo, writers with metaphor obsession, and with automotive critiques that are limited to how fast a vehicle can turn a corner, the musical exhaust sounds they make, or how many electronic playthings they offer. I often enjoy the writings of Kim Reynolds, for his more mature view of…

AT LAST YEAR’S BDC, the Boss 302 Laguna Seca came in fifth place, behind two excellent Porsches, the Nissan GT-R, and the Ferrari 458 Italia. But every person who drove it uttered some variation of “best Mustang ever!” While we all enjoyed the new and ridiculously overpowered 662-hp Shelby (the last Mustang Carroll Shelby ever had a hand in), I didn’t once hear anyone say it was the best Mustang ever. So, if you want the best-driving Mustang, buy the Boss. However, if you’re looking for a frenzied, sweaty-palmed, giant smile of a good time at a (relatively) low, low price, Ford has just the hammer you’re seeking. Lago writes, “This is the performance-car bargain of the decade if all you’re concerned about is horsepower, top speed, and quarter-mile acceleration.…

LET’S GET THE OBVIOUS bits out of the way. Compared with the other eight contenders, the 200-hp Subaru BRZ is woefully underpowered. As Lago pointed out several times in our BDC planning meetings, the BRZ shouldn’t even be in our epic nine-car drag race (youtube.com/motortrend). Going uphill from turn 5 to 6 on Laguna Seca felt like waiting to get to the top of a roller coaster. And the brakes really aren’t track-day material. But it’s a $28,000 car! There are going to be compromises. And overall, our hats are off to Subaru (and Toyota). With the exception of Mazda’s Miata, has any car ever punched above its weight like this? Mortara doesn’t think so. “If price were a factor, the BRZ would win this competition hands-down. This car, like…

YUP, THE PORSCHE. Ferry’s ageless squashed Beetle takes top honors in this year’s BDC. Don’t even bother to stop the presses. Porsche wins another one. This time, it’s the 991 version of the Carrera S, the current hottest version of the sixth-generation, rear-engined, “four”-seat luxury sport coupe. Yes, it’s larger than ever, with the rear engine scooched a bit more toward the middle. And the new 911 features the electrically assisted power steering system that has kept most of the Porsche-loving world up for months with the cold sweats. Why? Because of the possibility that an ounce of that precious 911 steering feel has been lost. So, yeah, that Porsche won it all. A much more interesting outcome to this story would have been if one of the hand-built exotics…

TO LEXUS, one thing is perfectly clear: The flagship luxury sedan market isn’t what it used to be. Lexus has witnessed shrinking sales in a segment it once dominated, finding somewhere on the order of 500 LS sedans a home for the better part of a year now. That’s a quarter of the volume it did before banking scandals helped send the U.S. economy into a tailspin. To make things worse, that segment has had an influx of new players—Porsche, Audi, and Hyundai included—each wanting a slice of an increasingly smaller pie. Lexus’ response is a new LS. Based on the previous-generation chassis, the 2013 LS features roughly 3000 new parts along with new sheetmetal that solves one of the largest issues we take with the current car: bland styling.…

Base price $26,795 Price as tested $30,095 EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ 22/31/25 mpg “It’s hard not to think about the ILX without conjuring up visions of the Civic, but I’m trying hard not to. I really am.@MT_Floyd ACURA’S slogan for its new ILX compact sedan on its consumer website is “Luxury Starts Here.” So we’ve decided to see for ourselves where exactly luxury starts. For us, it starts with a 2013 ILX six-speed manual with Premium Package we ordered for a year-long evaluation. It’s no surprise Acura has gone trolling for customers at the bottom rung of the luxury ladder. The goal for most mainstream automakers is to snare young, on-the-upswing types and keep pushing them up toward the halo cars once they start making big bank. As you’d…

“A truck may not be the first choice for the Motor Trend staff, but everyone who drives the F-150 loves it!”@TruckTrendAH Service life / 2 mo/7,245mi Avg CO2 / 1.36 lb/mi Energy Cons / 223 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 15/21/17 mpg Average Fuel Econ 14.3 mpg IT’S totally unfair to compare this truck with the Silverado HD I was in before this, but that’s human nature whenever anyone gets a different ride. And while the Silverado had the clear edge when it comes to towing and payload, it was criticized for its interior. Here, the F-150 definitely has the advantage. One of the most impressive things about the cabin is the rear-seat legroom, which is…

EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 19/25/21 mpg Avg fuel econ 21.8 MPG “I’m missing the X3. It was a reliable travel partner, always comfortable and ready for another 10 hours on the road.” Service life / 14 mo/35,029 mi Base price / $37,625 Options / Premium Package ($3450: panoramic moonroof, garage door opener, auto-dim mirrors, lumbar support, wood trim), Technology Package ($3200: rearview camera, park-distance control, navigation with traffic, BMW assist), Convenience Package ($1850: power tailgate, adaptive xenon headlights, keyless entry, cargo net, rear manual side window shades), Sports Activity Package ($1550: leather steering wheel, 18-in wheels, X-Line exterior trim, sports seats), Dynamic Handling Package ($1400: Dynamic Damper Control, variable steering), Premium hi-fi ($875), Vermillion Red metallic ($550), Satellite radio with 1-year subscription ($350) Price as tested / $50,850 Problem…