Suzuki, Suzuki Kizashi Apex

Suzuki, Suzuki Kizashi Apex and EcoCharge Hybrid Concepts

Suzuki’s Kizashi line consists of, well, just the Kizashi sedan. One engine, front- or all-wheel drive, stick or CVT. We don’t mind—a fact attested to by the praise littering the logbook in our long-term test car—but Suzuki needs more flavors of Kizashi if it wants to be a player in the mid-size sedan segment. At the 2011 New York auto show, the company is previewing two directions in which it could expand the Kizashi line: the hybrid EcoCharge concept and the rather more invigorating turbocharged Apex concept.

Kizashi Apex Concept

Behind the Kizashi Apex’s aggressive fascia and superbike-inspired graphics is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder boosted to between 275 and 300 hp by a Garrett turbocharger and an air-to-liquid intercooler. (That’s about 100 hp more than the production car’s max of 185.) The Apex is equipped with a six-speed manual transmission. Suzuki implies that if it puts this car into production—and we think it will—a manual will be the only choice. We definitely approve.

Other cool features found on the Kizashi Apex are LED fog lights, 19-inch wheels in a finish Suzuki calls “burnt asphalt,” and an interior finished in an intense combination of black leather and blue Alcantara.

Kizashi EcoCharge Concept

At the other end of the spectrum is the kinder, gentler Kizashi EcoCharge hybrid concept. Combining a 2.0-liter inline-four producing 144 hp and 127 lb-ft of torque with a 20-hp electric motor and a six-speed automatic transmission, the pearl-white concept is said to achieve a 25-percent gain in highway fuel economy. That would take it from the 30 mpg of the current CVT Kizashi—with its 2.4-liter—to somewhere around 36 mpg. Since hybrids tend to offer greater benefits in the city than on the highway, its overall combined rating also could end up over 30 mpg.

As much as we dig the idea of a Kizashi with another 100 or so horsepower, variations with this sort of fringe appeal aren’t likely to get the Kizashi onto more shopping lists. Then again, they aren’t likely to knock it off anybody’s list, either. Bring 'em on.

Cherokee, 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

Cherokee, 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

It was at the New York auto show six years ago that Jeep introduced the first Grand Cherokee SRT8. When it debuted, any context for the truck was nearly nonexistent—although a bizarrely appropriate challenger appeared at that same show in the form of the Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS. Now, though, with 500-hp SUVs becoming more commonplace, things have changed. As soon as the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee was announced, the question on everybody’s lips was, “Will there be another SRT8?”

Regardless of competitive set, the vehicle still makes almost no sense, but we’re pleased to say that, yes, there will be another SRT8. All the necessary bits—lowered suspension, huge wheels, monochrome exterior, honking Hemi V-8—are in place. Sadly, though, the wonderfully single-minded center-mount exhaust of the first-gen Jeep SRT8 is no more, the tailpipes on the 2012 model being splayed to the edges of the rear end. (The previous exhaust setup was hugely impractical—Jeep had to engineer a custom hitch for people who wanted to tow with their SRT8s, and the truck’s capacity was still only 3500 pounds.)

First Things First

Don’t let the conventional exhaust get you down, though. The new SRT8’s Hemi has a little more displacement—365 more cubic centimeters, for a total of 6424—and a bit more blat than its predecessor: 465 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque, improvements of 45 in each category. Tied to that engine is the same five-speed automatic that served in the last SRT8, except this time around it gets paddle shifters mounted to the back of the steering wheel. Hopefully, it again is programmed for neck-snapping, nigh-self-destructive shifts. We ran a last-gen truck to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds and through the quarter in 13.2; the extra power in this one should offset the weight gain—the new truck carries an extra 350 pounds or so—and keep acceleration times about the same.

BMW, 2013 BMW 3-series Spy Photos

BMW, 2013 BMW 3-series Spy Photos

As we inch closer to the 2012 launch of the sixth-generation BMW 3-series, code-named F30, more details emerge—along with better spy shots. The photos seen here reveal a compact sedan that, visually, remains close to the current model: The proportions are virtually unchanged, and, with the tape-covered front and rear lights, it takes an expert to spot the differences.

Specifically, the lower body side gets a more-pronounced crease, which is picked up by the rear bumper. Somewhat surprisingly, one of the two cars captured here carries a regular sunroof, not a panoramic one, as has been BMW’s fashion of late. Prominent changes will be made to the front end, with the next 3er getting a less-convoluted headlight design. And inside, the dashboard will lose the bump above the optional navigation screen. The interior of this 3 will stay in the mold of the previous generations; there is none of the radical "layered" styling that was introduced with the Efficient Dynamics concept and which will trickle down to the series-production i8.

More interesting are the new 3’s technological changes. The next generation will remain rear-wheel drive with an optional all-wheel-drive system, but it will be powered by an entirely new family of engines, all of them turbocharged. BMW will offer four- and six-cylinder diesel and gasoline engines. This forced-induction mantra applies to the next M3 as well, which will receive a 400-plus-hp inline-six. Available transmissions across the lineup will include a manual, a torque-converter automatic, and a dual-clutch automatic.

BMW also is working on a three-cylinder engine, which could find its way into the 3-series. A hybrid 3-series is planned, too—but unlike the three-cylinder unit, it’s being created with the U.S. market in mind.

The four-door sedan will continue to be the most important model, but this time around, BMW is going after every possible niche with additional body variations. BMW will offer a station wagon, a "Gran Turismo" five-door hatchback, a two-door coupe, a folding-hardtop convertible and, at least according to rumor, a real softtop convertible as well.

The BMW 3-series is the company's core model and the benchmark for sports sedans around the world. BMW must try to stay ahead of the game in terms of handling, fit and finish, and sheer driving excitement. The mildly revised shape is a good sign—let’s just hope BMW doesn’t mess with the rest of the recipe too much.

Car Cadillac ATS-V On the Way

Car Cadillac ATS-V On the Way, Will Get Twin-Turbocharged V-6

With the CTS-V and its awesome, supercharged V-8, GM's finest brand has a vehicle on par with offerings from Audi's Quattro, BMW’s M, and Mercedes-Benz’s AMG. And when the next-generation CTS rolls out, it will share its Alpha platform with a softtop convertible and a smaller sedan, the ATS. Given the success of the CTS-V, Cadillac insiders tell us an ATS-V also is a sure thing.

Theoretically, the CTS-V’s LSA V-8 would fit into an ATS-V, but that could cannibalize sales from the CTS-V. Rather, the ATS-V will be aimed directly at the next-generation BMW M3, which is expected to have a turbocharged inline-six. That, our sources tell us, is why the ATS-V will be powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 that should make around 380 hp.

Six-speed manual and automatic transmissions will be offered. We expect outstanding performance, with 0–60 times below five seconds and a top speed in excess of 170 mph. We have to say, though, that we’d be a lot more comfortable with Cadillac using a V-8—the brand’s last experiment with turbocharged sixes didn’t go so well.

Using a six in the ATS-V also opens up another exciting possibility: a small run of über-ATS-Vs with the incredible LSA—think of it as Cadillac’s Black Series. While that seems unlikely, Chevrolet’s fitment of the engine in the Camaro ZL1 proves that forces within GM will still back overpowered, limited-interest, but boundlessly awesome products.

Opel Astra, Version of the Opel Astra GTC

Opel Astra, Buick Getting a Version of the Opel Astra GTC, May Get Astra-Based Convertible

We recently reported on the next Opel Astra GTC, a three-door Astra derivate that should compete with the Hyundai Veloster and the Europe-only Volkswagen Scirocco. You may recall that the GTC’s somewhat-pedestrian predecessor was sold in the U.S. as the Saturn Astra hatchback. The new car is wider and sleeker than that failed experiment, and we now have confirmation that it, too, will be sold here—as a Buick. The tri-shield brand may offer a convertible Astra on our shores, as well.

We’ve Seen this Movie Before

It must be the success of the Regal (a rebadged Opel Insignia) and interest in the new Verano (itself basically a sedan version of the Astra) that have convinced GM to bring the decidedly sporty GTC to the U.S. market as well. The new Buick will get a yet-to-be-disclosed model designation, and engine options are still being debated. In Europe, the GTC will be offered with a number of four-cylinder diesel and gasoline engines, with power ranging from around 100 hp to something like 300 hp for a high-powered, latecomer OPC derivative. For the U.S. market, the most likely propositions are the Verano's engines: a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter four with an estimated 177 hp and a turbocharged 2.0-liter four that makes around 220 hp. Six-speed automatic and manual transmissions are likely.

It is unlikely that Buick will repeat the mistakes that hampered the Saturn Astra’s success in the U.S.—specifically, the car’s poor ergonomics and its being offered only with a buzzy entry-level engine, the latter a decision made when GM realized that it would lose money on the imported econobox. The U.S.-market Astra did not come close to the refinement of the uplevel European versions. Under the Buick brand, GM can offer the level of power and equipment that was deemed over-the-top for Saturn.

A Droptop Baby Buick?

Beyond the GTC, which definitely will be offered in the States, Buick's lineup could be graced with another Opel model that is currently under development. Replacing the folding-hardtop Astra Twin Top in Europe will be a new model that won't be badged Astra, but will be based on the car’s Delta platform and remain close to the current model's dimensions. The new convertible will keep its pronounced trunk and shed its clumsy hardtop in favor of a softtop, which should increase luggage space and make for a far cleaner look. Opel believes the softtop will create a more premium image. The new convertible will be powered by the same engines that drive the GTC, excluding the ultra-high-performance OPC engines. The car’s European-market launch is planned for late 2012. Should Buick offer it, the brand could have a credible competitor to the Lexus IS convertible—albeit a front-drive one—and its first droptop since the Reatta.

If Buick is lucky, the convertible will get a better reception than the lukewarm one of the Reatta, and the GTC-based car will fare better than GM’s last U.S. Astra endeavor. Smaller, cheaper cars are one way to target a younger demographic, but it remains to be seen if the kids can get past the badge on the front.

Mercedes, 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster

Mercedes, 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster

Here’s a first: Mercedes-Benz’s release detailing the 2012 SLS AMG roadster begins by mentioning the development mules that are currently running around Stuttgart, the most recent spy shots of which we brought you a month ago. The press download doesn’t just acknowledge their existence, but explains precisely through which paces they’ve been put. And it’s accompanied by Benz “spy” photography. Forgive us if we feel as though we’ve been played.

Mercedes points out, and rightly so, that any enthusiast (hello!) will still recognize the shape of the AMG roadster, even with the three-pointed star and other badging under wraps. Anyone with some accounting acumen and a knowledge of recent—as well as not-so-recent—Benz history knew the addition of a (more expensive) droptop version of the SLS was only a matter of time. It’s no surprise, then, that the roadster was planned all along and developed alongside the SLS AMG coupe. Because of that, it will use the same 563-hp 6.2-liter V-8 and seven-speed transaxle. It won’t, for obvious reasons, get the funny doors.

A Gullwing-less Bird That’s Better for Bird-Watching

The info doesn’t provide much else beyond the test boasting, but solving this car’s equation involves few unknowns. AMG went for a cloth top to save weight, and added reinforcements front and rear—one spanning the width below the dashboard, and another between the top and the gas tank—to compensate for the lack of a fixed roof. There’s also a crossbar behind the seats that provides reinforcement, an attachment point for the roll hoops, and an enclosure for the Bang & Olufsen sound system’s subwoofer.

Weight gain for the body-in-white is minimal—536 pounds versus 531 for the Gullwing—but that doesn’t account for the convertible top and its mechanism. So plan on the droptop being heavier (than 3792 pounds) and therefore a bit slower (than 60 in 3.5 seconds) compared to the coupe, as is the convertible-conversion norm. The top can be displaced and replaced at speeds up to 31 mph.

Interesting side note: Mercedes’ two other (cheaper) roadsters use folding hardtops, while the SLS AMG gets a fabric roof. So don’t try to apply logic to German cars. As far as price, we expect a noticeable bump above the coupe’s base of $187,450.

Don’t Worry, It Won’t Take Flight

Mercedes and AMG were happy to regale us with what would normally be a boring story of testing and validation. We’re making sure it’s waterproof! You can drive it in all kinds of weather for a long time! The stereo will sound good, promise! Things won’t fly off when you put the top down and drive 197 mph! For this kind of money, and with that badge on the front (assumed, anyway), we’d expect nothing less.

But what are they doing still driving around in test cars? We assume it’s a decent perk of the job for an AMG engineer—check out the photos of one lucky fellow driving a car around the Official Mercedes-AMG Wall of Testing. Also, it’s near-free advertising. And AMG claims the cars are still in the final stages of validation. They’d better make sure the car is ready soon, as it will make its debut at the Frankfurt auto show in September and go on sale in the U.S. toward the end of the year—just in time for all of those climate tests to come in handy.

car, Jaguar C-X75 Hybrid Supercar Headed

car, Jaguar C-X75 Hybrid Supercar Headed for Production

It will be real: Jaguar has decided to put the C-X75 supercar, first shown as a concept at last year's Paris auto show, into production. It will be a joint project with Williams F1, and exactly 250 units will be produced. The announcement was made at a press conference in London, and the build run will start in late 2013 and last through late 2015.

Jaguar describes the car as the "fastest and the most efficient supercar on the market." When asked whether this includes the forthcoming Porsche 918, group engineering director Bob Joyce bluntly replied, "Yes." And he added this about the Porsche: "25 kilometers [16 miles] of electric range is good for the [fuel-economy test] cycle, but you are effectively driving with the internal combustion engine all the time." With this car, Jaguar envisions fuel economy of more than 55 mpg—although it didn’t specify if that figure is really mpge—with a pure-electric range of around 30 miles.

Yes, It Should Be Quick

More important for a hypercar, Jag says the car will hit 60 mph in less than three seconds, can achieve 100 mph in less than six, and won’t run into its speed limiter until passing 200 mph. There will be three driver-selectable modes of operation: all-electric, a hybrid mode called Dual, and a full-power Track setting. To refill the batteries, it will have typical regeneration abilities, as well as plug-in recharging capability.

The two-seater’s styling will stay very close to that of the Paris concept, and it will feature all-wheel drive with a small-displacement four-cylinder turbo engine and an "extremely powerful" electric motor at each axle. The power ratio between electric motors and internal-combustion engine is going to be 1:1. This Jaguar won't mark the return of the turbine car, as the micro-turbine technology used for range extension in the show vehicle won’t be ready for production in time. But the company "remains committed to the micro-turbine technology," says brand director Adrian Hallmark. In the long run, Jaguar intends to bring the tech to market in its series-production vehicles, although we’ll believe it when we see them in our office parking lot.

Weight is kept down with a sophisticated carbon-fiber chassis, and ceramic brakes are included. The body likely will have aluminum panels and a carbon-fiber roof.

A Silent Hunter

The C-X75 is clearly aimed at the Porsche 918, but it also will compete with the upcoming, fully electric Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-Cel and the Audi R8 e-tron. And it will be in a similar price range, between £700,000 and £900,000 according to Jaguar. A U.S. launch is pretty much a sure thing: “We strongly intend to go there," confirms Carl-Peter Forster, the CEO of Jaguar parent Tata Motors. Figure on a seven-figure window sticker when the car arrives here.

If you want one, Jaguar will take your "expression of interest" starting now, and you’ll get a chance to actually commit on September 1, which is also when full specs will be released. The car’s final name is undecided, and C-X75 is just the working name; we were told a "more appropriate" name will be chosen prior to the car’s launch. Further, Jaguar could go racing with this sports car, and while there are no concrete plans, Forster wouldn't rule out derivatives such as a convertible being introduced after the 250 coupes are sold out.

Even if the racing car and spin-offs never see the light of day, this is a huge step for Jaguar. Moving forward, it will be more important than ever that the premium brand be seen on the same technological plane as its primary European rivals. And you can consider us excited. While the excellent V-8 found across the brand’s current lineup proves Jag can roar and howl with the best of them, the C-X75 looks to show that it can build a silent hunter, too.