Lancia brings rebadged Chrysler models to join facelifted Delta in Geneva

Once upon a time, it used to be that an automaker would debut one, maybe two new products at a car show. Then Lotus came along and blew ‘em all out of the water with five new concept cars. Now Lancia is preparing to roll across the Alps and into Geneva with – how many? – six new debuts. Is the quasi-premium Italian automaker following the path set out by Lotus? Well, not quite.

In addition to the new Ypsilon – a genuinely new vehicle debut – Lancia is also lifting the veil on a subtly refreshed version of the Delta. But that’s not the end of it – they’ve also got the new Thema, Flavia, Flavia Cabrio and Grand Voyager. In case that last bit (or the title) didn’t tip you off, these four are little more thanChrysler models we already know (and in some cases love), albeit with Lancia grilles and badges.

The Flavia and Flavia Cabrio are Lancia-ized versions of the Chrysler 200 sedan and convertible, and are officially dubbed as “concepts” – a little backwards from how the usual path concept cars take to production, but globalization occasionally does strange things. The Thema is the Lancia version of the Chrysler 300sedan. And the Grand Voyager, well…we hope we don’t have to fill in the blanks on that bit.

2012 McLaren MP4-12C

Let’s see now. You’ve got your Ferrari 458 Italia, your Porsche 911 GT2 RS and 911 Turbo S and Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera 570-4. After all, if we’re setting the scene properly on the most important supersports car inauguration in quite some time – the 2012 McLaren MP4-12C – we should, in this first privileged go, at least be keeping our minds on sub-12-cylinder mid- and rear-engine road beasts. For now, that is. So if anyone brings up the 2012 Nissan GT-R or Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR, that’ll be us snapping your back side with a wet towel at the health club. You’ve been warned.

Before we’ve dropped into the Recaro support-o-rama seats of the MP4-12C, one of the Queen’s lairds of the realm announces, “Be prepared to drive the best handling sports car in history.” What do you say to Sir Ron Dennis, boss of the newly formed McLaren Automotive Company (a.k.a. the MAC daddy), when he puts pressure on like that? It’s like Bill Gates looking at us and asking enthusiastically, “So, don’t you just love that Windows 7?” What happens if you don’t?

But as luck would have it, the 2012 McLaren MP4-12C is quite possibly the best handling supersports road and weekend track car in history. Yes, this will certainly take some ‘splainin’, but bear with us. We’re just pleased that no royal beheadings will now be called for, as Sir Ron is not renowned for his merciful treatment of dissenters.

Infiniti Etherea Concept bows ahead of Geneva debut

Infiniti has released the first few images of its new Etherea entry-level concept that’s set to debut at theGeneva Motor Show in March. The automaker says that the Etherea’s design “blends elements of coupe, sedan, hatchback and even crossover in one highly sculptural, near-mono volume form,” though we find the end result to be a bit awkward from some angles.

There’s plenty of throwback to the company’s showstopping Essence concept in the Etherea’s visuals, notably the wavy C-pillar design. At only 173.2 inches long, the concept is about four inches longer than aNissan Versa hatchback, and because of this, many of the styling cues – specifically the headlamps and that rearmost pillar – seem like they would be more at home on a much larger car. Still, we’ll withold judgment until we see the car in person on March 1 live in Geneva. In the meantime, click through our high-res gallery below to see a few shots of the new Etherea, and follow the jump for Infiniti’s official press release.

Kia Sportage tops small CUVs in Consumer Reports test

The 2011 Kia Sportage beat out both the Nissan Juke and Mitsubishi Outlander Sport in a recent CUV shootout conducted by Consumer Reports. According to CR, Kia has managed to more effectively straddle the line between a full-on SUV and a more civil hatchback with its offering. That’s thanks largely to the fact that the Sportage serves up plenty of interior room without falling on its face in the fun-to-drive department. While the Juke delivers unique styling and plenty of performance, buyers are forced to make major sacrifices in the cargo room department.

Meanwhile, Consumer Reports found the Outlander Sport to share too much DNA with the standard Outlander to take the title.

Everything wasn’t all roses and sunshine with the Sportage, however. CR noted that the vehicle has a planted highway ride, but that acceleration was “leisurely.” Additionally, the Korean CUV has a stiff ride and plenty of road noise at speed. The tester for this particular competition carried a $23,790 MSRP and the company’s 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 176 horsepower. CR says that the vehicle managed 22 combined miles per gallon in its testing. Hit the jump for the press release.

Pentastar V6 models first to get ZF eight-speed autos at Chrysler

Chrysler’s LX platform cars will pick up a new eight-speed automatic transmission made by ZF for the 2012 model year. The Dodge Charger, Challenger and Chrysler 300 will benefit mightily from the new transmission that will eventually replace the older five-speed unit that’s currently available.

Allpar reports that a reliable source within Chrysler has disclosed that the new transmission will first become available in 2012 Dodge Charger and 2012 Chryler 300 models powered by the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6. 2012Dodge Challenger SE models hang on to the five-speed for a little longer still.

Source:Autoblog

2012 Nissan GT-R Egoist

The 2012 Nissan GT-R is already out destroying pavement and causing saliva stains on the t-shirts of slack-jawed enthusiasts. The engine produces 530 horsepower, the launch control system propels the car forward like a runaway bullet train and the styling continues to polarize those who stare at its lines. Now Nissan has prepared a more luxurious GT-R for the people and it’s called the Egoist.

All the details surrounding the GT-R Egoist have not yet materialized, but a plethora of pictures has made its way to the web. We know the interior will feature upgraded leather and carbon fiber materials and that a multitude of additional color choices will be available. No word yet on the cost for this super luxury coupe.

If you’re a potential buyer of the Nissan GT-R Egoist, stop staring at yourself in your Rinceaux full-length mirror and check out the gallery of your future ride. If you can’t find the scratch for the 2012 Nissan GT-R Egoist, you can still click through the gallery and enjoy the opulence.

 

Source:Autoblog

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 details emerge

The last Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 was one heck of a muscle truck, but it was somewhat encumbered by being based on the last Grand Cherokee. The new model, however, is a different beast entirely, billed as the kind of vehicle that could help turn Chrysler’s fortunes around. So what’s next? The new Grand Cherokee SRT8, of course. And rumormill reports of its specifications are beginning to pour in.

According to insiders, the new GC SRT8 will bow at the upcoming New York Auto Show in April. And when it does, it is expected to pack the new 6.4-liter Hemi V8 with around 470 horsepower and just as much torque. That’ll be mated, according to the rumors, to a five-speed automatic equipped with paddle shifters – an SRT first. Couple that to a new adaptive damping suspension, 14-inch Brembo brakes and 20-inch alloys wearing Pirelli rubber and you can start to see where Chrysler’s Italian cousins are starting to pitch in. Heck, Chrysler is even said to be working on boosting the towing capacity, so the next SRT8 should be a more well-rounded vehicle to live with, as well.

 

Source:Autoblog

NHTSA investigation into 100,000 VW and Audi diesels intensifies

According to The Detroit News, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is turning up the heat on its investigation into faulty Volkswagen fuel pumps. The administration has announced that it is currently looking into 97,272 diesel Volkswagen and Audi vehicles after receiving a total of 160 complaints about the issue. NHTSA says that in roughly half of those complaints, the bad pumps resulted in an engine stall on the highway or in traffic that prevented the engine from being restarted. Even so, no major accidents have been attributed to the faulty pumps, though one minor fender-bender has been reported as a result of the issue.

The investigation covers 2010 Golf hatchbacks, 2009-2010 Jetta sedans and certain 2010 Audi A3 models as well.

Volkswagen says that the fuel pump issues that it has encountered have resulted from diesel fuel that has been contaminated with gasoline. The company says that even a small amount of gas mixed in with diesel fuel can cause the pumps to shut down. Unfortunately for thusly affected owners, fuel system damage due to using the wrong fuel won’t be covered under warranty.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen has informed NHTSA about 120 separate fuel slip-ups, some of which came courtesy of dealers and service personnel using the wrong fuel.

Source:Autoblog

Lexus to finally debut LFA with exclusive Nürburgring package in Geneva

 

Typically, when an automaker launches a new car, or even a variant on an existing one, we get a chance to see it up close at a major auto show within a matter of months at most. But it will have been the better part of a year by the time we see the Lexus LFA with the Nürburgring package in the flesh.

The track-focused version of the Toyota luxury division’s supercar was released all the way back in May 2010, but Lexus has only now announced that it will make its public debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March of this year. For a quick refresher, the ‘Ring edition LFA upgrades the 4.8-liter V10 by ten horses to 562 and drops the shift times down by 50 miliseconds to 150. It also gets an upgraded aero package, all for a $70,000 premium over the “stock” LFA’s $375k sticker price.

With only 50 of the total run of 500 offered with the package, this could be one of our only chances to see the track-prep’d LFA in the flesh, so watch this space in a few weeks’ time for live shots from the Geneva Palexpo show floor.

 

Source:Autoblog

Ford touting Focus Electric’s lack of maintenance

The Ford Focus Electric, like other EVs on the way to market, will give owners the ability to travel without ever visiting a gas station. That’s a very compelling reason to go green, and Ford tells us that its upcoming EV has a lot more going for it than just its lack of petrol. For example, when does an electric car need an oil change? Never, and you’ll also never have to give another thought to oil, fuel or air filters.

Another typical service expense is the tune up, but without spark plugs, plug wires, a radiator or power steering fluid, there won’t be a lot to replace, flush or fill. You’ll also never have to worry about a muffler, water pump, serpentine belt or starter.

Hit the jump to look over Ford’s list of the top 25 things you won’t have to service in a new Focus Electric. The list includes “battery” as one of the items you won’t have to service or replace during the first 150,000 miles of life. Talk about your low-cost service experience… as long as the big and expensive lithium ion battery works as advertised.

Source:Autoblog