The New Lamborghini Urus

So it is turning out to be an interesting week for the SUV market following the Macan news the other day. For those of you following my Facebook and Twitter feeds, I posted yesterday that Lamborghini was naming its new SUV the Urus. Today we have some advanced pictures that have been leaked about the Urus which will be officially unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show. This car looks similar to many previous renderings but with a sleeker, low slung appearance. The car sort of has a raised Panamera shape to it from the front angle. From the side it almost looks like a fine tuned Range Rover Evoque. Whatever it resembles, I do feel this is a good looking vehicle especially in contrast to the soon to be released Bentley SUV currently named the EXP 9 F (the Bentley also competes in the fax machine market).

It is expected that the Urus will share its platform with the next Porsche Cayenne, Audi Q7, and the forthcoming Bentley SUV. However, the Urus is expected to weight in about 200 pounds lighter than any of those. Power expectations are said to be a 5.2L V10 power-plant producing a monstrous 584hp. No word on price just yet but lets just say it will not be competing with the new Rav-4 I posted last week...

Upcoming Porsche Macan getting 370hp Turbo?

The folks at Autocar are reporting that Porsche may produce a performance version of the soon-to-be-released Macan. The supposed Macan Turbo could produce as much as 370hp with a new V6 engine. The article hints at a 3.0L borrowing many parts from the 3.6L out of the Panamera and Cayenne. Rumored torque output would be around 400 lb-ft.

Autocar also speculated that the Macan would be available in both automatic and manual flavors both with seven gears. This means that Porsche may be putting their newly released seven gear box in an SUV which is interesting. I would assume it would be decently modified to work with the all-wheel drive system of the Macan after being taken from the rear drive 911.

It is hard to predict the specs for this car. We barely know what it looks like with only a drawing at the moment. However, look for the Macan to release in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway

This weekend's Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas saw many events and problems for the 43 Sprint Cup drivers. One of the biggest problems for the race were winds topping over 30mph. This cause many drivers to be more cautious with their driving habits. As a result, there were only two cautions during the race. One of those cautions was for debris with the other for a cap blowing around the track. This resulted in the final 234 being run under the green flag (112 laps more than the previous record).

One of the biggest topics from Saturday night was Jimmie Johnson who seemed to be on the edge of capturing Hendrick Motorsports' 200th win. Johnson led 156 of the 334 laps but was run down by Greg Biffle who led seven times for 90 laps. After Biffle passed him for the last time with 30 to go, Johnson tried everything to regain the lead causing him to smack into the wall. Johnson managed to hold on for second.

The win marks the first for Biffle in 49 attempts and also provided Jack Roush with his ninth victory in 23 races at Texas. The win also marked Biffle's 17th victory. His last win came at Kansas (where the series heads next week) in 2010. After a decade since his last championship (in the nationwide series), Biffle seems to be on the track to finally obtaining the trifecta of championships in NASCAR's top three series. He would be the first to do so.

Other notes: Kasey Kahne found his first top ten of the season. He looks to turn around the streak of bad luck he has had lately. Dale Earnhardt Jr continues his impressive season with three top 5's and five top 10's in seven races after finishing 10th at Texas. Matt Kenseth obtained his 14th top 10 finish at Texas with his fifth place finish.

The Sprint Cup Series heads to Kansas next week for the STP 400 on Sunday.

The top 5:
1. Greg Biffle #16 3M Ford
2. Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe's Chevrolet
3. Mark Martin #55 Aaron's Rent A Center Toyota
4. Jeff Gordon #24 DuPont Chevrolet
5. Matt Kenseth #17 Best Buy Ford

Notables:
6. Martin Truex Jr #56 Nappa Toyota
7. Kasey Kahne #5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet
8. Carl Edwards #99 Fastenal Ford
9. Kevin Harvick #29 Budweiser Chevrolet
10. Dale Earnhardt Jr #88 Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet
36. Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Lite Dodge

Standings:
1. Greg Biffle #16 Ford 273 points
2. Matt Kenseth #17 Ford -19
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr #88 Chevrolet -19
4. Martin Truex Jr #56 Toyota -20
5. Kevin Harvick #29 Chevrolet -24

The 2012 Volkswagon Beetle Review

Owned by VW

This past weekend I took the opportunity to visit my local Volkswagon dealership to take a look at the new Passat (which I will review soon) and the new Beetle. The model I tested was a new 200HP 2.0L turbo engine sporting the six speed DSG transmission found in many other VW and Audi automobiles. The car had an as-tested price of over $30,000 dollars ringing it at $30,300 or in other words a Beetle that is more expensive than a decently loaded V6 Mustang or most Toyota models. However, because its German they feel they can charge an obscene amount of money for this car.


The Styling:

This is a much improved section of the car from the last generation. While the "New Beetle" catered mostly to females 40+, this new beetle combines some of the best styling features of the New Beetle with the design of the original Beetle and even some styling cues from elsewhere in the VW AG family (Porsche 911 like roofline anyone?) I must admit that I could not be happier that the flower vase was dumped for the new model. Any chance of targeting the male population in that car was automatically killed off by the flower.

Owned by VW. Shows manual transmission and other features.

On the inside, my tester was well equipped with satellite navigation and sunroof in addition to the DSG gear box. My personal favorite was the lap timer on the dashboard that has no reason for being in his car. It was also disappointing that my VW rep was not even sure what the timer was. This showed great knowledge of the car for someone who has been with VW for many years (and was of German heritage).

There are some negatives with this car. For being a $30,000+ car, it lacked some features such as steering wheel controls and automated climate controls. Also the cheap plastic trim that is designed to match the exterior color looks like it does not fit with the dashboard. The use of cheap hard plastics is heavy on this particular car and make me continue to question the price tag of this car. The Beetle also uses a lot of bin parts from other VW's and older Beetles including a glovebox that looks like its straight out of the 60's Beetle.

The trunk also leaves much to be desired. I figured that the "lets try to copy the 911" roofline might result in increased trunk space. I was dead wrong. Even putting the rear seats down, fitting golf clubs or suitcases will be difficult. I also dislike the trunk latch where you life the VW logo on the back. My main reason for this is because the you can hear it de-latch multiple times before you can open the tailgate enough to let go of the handle. I feel this may be an issue down the line from added wear and tear.

The Drive:

Many may confuse this for a puffy version of the GTI, however, the car has replaced the rear torsion beam for a multilink setup. This new rear end has not improved driving style what-so-ever. The car feels very uncoordinated when driven hard. There is a lot of understeer entering a corner and unsmooth surfaces provide the feeling that the tail will come around on you. Otherwise the ride is smooth and comfortable in a straight line but does not feel as planted as a GTI.

The DSG gearbox, which is fantastic in other cars, is hurt here by a wider spread between the gear ratios. The box constantly searched for higher gears even in the manual shifting mode. Unfortunately there were no manual models available for test but supposedly the row-it-yourself box is a lot smoother. To get from 0-60 the best way is to just mash the gas. this leads to a time of 6.3 seconds which slots in between the GTI and a Jetta GLI (as it should given the weight changes between the three cars).

Conclusion:

While this is an interesting car and has some nice features, you would be better off buying a GTI which would come in a couple hundred dollars cheaper than the Beetle. If you choose to go outside of VW, you could find a well equipped Mustang for about $1500 cheaper. The options elsewhere place this car low in the consideration column even within the VW family.

Are You the New Toyota Rav-4

Photo property of Autoblog.com/AOL Auto.

Since the last significant redesign to the Rav-4 happened in 2006, there is a good chance that this is the new Rav-4. If you are not familiar with the new Toyota styling, this car will follow the latest Camry and Avalon designs in an attempt to retain its control in this increasingly competitive segment.

Look for the new Rav-4 to enter production in fall of 2012 with the possibility of multiple engines including four and six cylinder options and maybe even a hybrid.

2012 Dodge Charger Pentastar V6 Review

Photo Property of Dodge

The 2012 Dodge Charger is a massive leap forward for Dodge. Gone are the Cerebus days of cheap, low quality interiors. The new Charger is an all-new car for 2012 with new retro design queues (yes I know it is an oxymoron), new engines, and a new transmission (for the V6 anyway).

I was presented with the opportunity to drive the new Charger with the fresh Pentastar V6 engine mated to an eight speed gear box. The model was a base SE rear drive V6 with only the additional gears ($1000) and the Uconnect system for Bluetooth connection. This car had a sticker of $28,495.


Features:

This car was limited on the features side. As I mentioned, the only things checked on this tester were the additional gears and the Uconnect system. This did not include navigation. My first complaint with the V6 SE model is the inability to put the bigger 8.4" screen in it. This leaves those looking for more entry level Chargers with the iPhone like 4.3" screen. This can be quite frustrating to some as you are left with this large gap below the screen. It can take some getting use to. Jumping up to the SXT does change the screen option.

Another issue for me are the behind-the-steering-wheel radio control buttons. I felt these could have been placed on the front of the wheel dumping the computer control buttons to maybe a single button on the wiper stalk in a BMW-like fashion.

My last major complaint is the quality of the interior and the use of hard plastics. This is not limited to just Dodge but it is showing up all over the automotive market. In a car like this reaching almost $30,000 in price, you would expect the materials to be more luxurious and of higher quality. What you receive is the exact opposite replicating almost a low end car. Everywhere you look, you will find hard plastics and cheap looking grey trim. Also the knobs and buttons (especially the climate control unit) feel flimsy and close to falling off at the lightest touch. You'd be better off using the touch screen even with its diminutive size.

Dodge Charger Interior. Photo Property of Zach's Auto Review

The Drive:

Getting into this car almost feels like a second home. The cabin is roomy and comfortable but, as I have mentioned, a little too much use of hard plastic for my taste. Starting this car incorporates Dodge's push button start system. My reason for mentioning this is my concern with the range of the key away from the vehicle to start the car. From what I was told, the system runs on Bluetooth and the range to start the vehicle is pretty large. Walking out of the vehicle with the key netted about 20-25 feet before the computer realized the key was leaving. This leaves me concerned about the possibilities this system could compromise car security. The feature only seems helpful if you are playing a practical joke on the owner by moving their car while they sit at a restaurant.

After putting the new eight speed gear box into drive (the model I drove did not have automated manual shifting or paddles), I headed towards the highway to test the acceleration and how the car drove at highway speeds. With the powerful (3.6L, 292hp, and 260 lb-ft torque) Pentastar V6 under the hood, I found myself at 60mph in about 6.7 seconds. One of the first things you notice is the way the new transmission shifts. I had many complaints with the old five speed transmission and this one, which is similar to the transmission out of the Audi A8, shakes some of those complaints. However, only one more ratio is added under 100mph so shifts now happen at 45, 65, and 100. However, on the A8 you find shifts around 35, 55, 85, and 105 which would help with acceleration and fuel economy (the Charger only nets 31mpg highway with this gear set up and could be better). Some might question why I am comparing this to the Audi A8. If you look at the transmission, they are essentially similar. The only main difference is the gearing ratios.

As a result of the new transmission, green light readiness is improved but could be better. One way to solve this would be the option for a manual transmission which is missing from the line-up. To add to the transmission issues, when the car goes to shift with a wide-open throttle, you feel like you are going to fly through the windshield because of the harsh gear changes. I have also heard complaints that the paddle shifts can begin ignoring commands to shift. I did not experience this as my model did not have paddles.

The driving style is rather agile for the size of this car. You do feel like you are driving a larger car (which you are) but it is very agile for its size. However, there is a lot of understeer at speeds over 50mph. On my usual test route, I have no problem hitting this one L-shaped corner at full highway speeds of 70mph (70mph is the limit for this area) and getting through in anything from a Corolla to a full size F-350 without dramatic speed loss. This car, however, had to be slowed down to about 45 or it would have gone straight off into the woods. While I did enjoy the smooth ride, this inability to turn took away my confidence in the car. Now I know some readers will think, "its a muscle car, it is not meant to turn." My response for that, if Dodge wants to target people who otherwise might buy a Taurus or Avalon or even the German competition, they need to have a car that can handle. In addition, this car is used for police fleets nationwide. Imagine, in the middle of a pursuit, that you cannot catch the next OJ because your car understeers into the woods.

Conclusion:

Overall, this is a very nice vehicle minus my stated complaints. It may not be as exciting as the Charger but I enjoy the quality, ride, and overall experience of the Ford Taurus a bit more. If you choose to pick one of these, go with at least the SXT line or higher and opt for the eight speed transmission. While the Hemi is nice, the V6 will suit your needs should you have a heavy foot or choose to avoid a higher insurance cost in addition to the higher sticker. Speaking of sticker, This car starts at $25,495 for the V6 placing it between the full size cars of other brands and entry level luxury cars. If you are looking to pick up the 472HP Hemi, prepare to shell out at least $47,295.

Stay tuned for more car reviews in the near future including the new Porsche 911, the Jaguar XF, and the Camero 2SS.

Ferdinand Alexander Porsche dead at the age of 76

I am very sad to report the death of Ferdinand Alexander Porsche who passed away at the age of 76 from unknown causes. F.A. Porsche is the grandson of Ferdinand Porsche.


For those of you not familiar with F.A. Porsche, he derived his fame from designing the iconic 911. His iconic design, which debuted at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1963, has not evolved much in almost fifty years. This is a testament to F.A. Porsche's ability as a designer. Concerning design, Porsche was once quoted saying, “Design must be functional and functionality must be translated into visual aesthetics, without any reliance on gimmicks that have to be explained."


Although the 911 is his most important design, it was not all he was known for. Porsche was also recognized for designing the iconic 904 Carrera GTS, considered to be one of the most stunning racing cars ever. Porsche also started the Porsche Design Studio in 1972 and ran the Porsche AG Supervisory Board as President from 1990-1993 leading the company through a major economic turnaround. Porsche stepped down from the Board in 2005 passing his seat to his son, Oliver (although he remained the Honorary President of the Supervisory Board).


Full PR Text:




Ferdinand Alexander Porsche Dies

Stuttgart

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is mourning Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. The Honorary President of the Supervisory Board died on 5 April 2012 in Salzburg, aged 76. Matthias Müller, President and Chief Executive Officer of Porsche AG, paid tribute to Ferdinand Alexander Porsche's services to the sports car manufacturer: "We mourn the death of our partner, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. As the creator of the Porsche 911, he established a design culture in our company that has shaped our sports cars to this very day. His philosophy of good design is a legacy to us that we will honour for all time."

Ferdinand Alexander Porsche was born in Stuttgart on 11 December 1935, the oldest son of Dorothea and Ferry Porsche. Even his childhood was shaped by cars, and he spent much of his time in the engineering offices and development workshops of his grandfather Ferdinand Porsche. In 1943 the family accompanied the Porsche company's move to Austria, where he went to school in Zell am See. After returning to Stuttgart in 1950, he attended the private Waldorf school. After leaving school, he enrolled at the prestigious Ulm School of Design.

In 1958, F.A. Porsche, as he was known by his colleagues, joined the engineering office of what was then Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche KG. He soon proved his great talent for design by sculpting the first model of a successor to the 356 model line out of plasticine. In 1962 he took over as head of the Porsche design studio, creating a worldwide furore one year later with the Porsche 901 (or 911). With the Porsche 911, F.A. Porsche created a sports car icon whose timeless and classical form survives to this very day in what is now the seventh 911 generation. However, in addition to passenger cars, F.A. Porsche also concerned himself with designing the sports cars of the 1960s. His best-known designs include the Type 804 Formula One racing car or the Porsche 904 Carrera GTS, now considered to be one of the most beautiful racing cars ever.

In the course of the conversion of Porsche KG into a joint-stock corporation in 1971/72, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, along with all the other family members, stood down from the company's front-line business operations. In 1972 he founded the "Porsche Design Studio" in Stuttgart, the head office of which was relocated to Zell am See in Austria in 1974. In the decades that followed, he designed numerous classic gentlemen's accessories such as watches, spectacles and writing implements that achieved global recognition under the "Porsche Design" brand. In parallel, with his team, he designed a plethora of industrial products, household appliances and consumer durables for internationally renowned clients under the brand "Design by F.A. Porsche". A strong and clear design concept typifies all product designs created in his design studio to date. The credo of his design work was: "Design must be functional and functionality has to be translated visually into aesthetics, without gags that have to be explained first." F.A. Porsche: "A coherently designed product requires no adornment; it should be enhanced by its form alone." The design's appearance should be readily comprehensible and not detract from the product and its function. His conviction was: "Good design should be honest."

Ferdinand Alexander Porsche received numerous honours and awards both for his work as a designer as well as for individual designs. For example, in 1968 the "Comité Internationale de Promotion et de Prestige" honoured him for the outstanding aesthetic design of the Porsche 911 while the Industrial Forum Design Hannover (iF) voted him "Prizewinner of the Year" in 1992. In 1999, the President of Austria bestowed on him the title of Professor.

Ferdinand Alexander Porsche retained a close lifelong association with Porsche AG as a partner and member of the Supervisory Board. For example, even after stepping down from front-line business operations, he contributed to the design of Porsche's sports cars over many decades and repeatedly steered the company in the right direction. This was especially the case for the difficult period Porsche experienced at the beginning of the 1990s. From 1990 to 1993, F.A. Porsche served as President of the company's Supervisory Board, thus playing a major role in Porsche A.G's economic turnaround. In 2005, he stood down from his Supervisory Board role in favour of his son Oliver and assumed the mantle of Honorary President of the Supervisory Board.

Ferdinand Alexander Porsche will be buried in the family grave at Schüttgut in Zell am See, attended by his immediate family. An official funeral service will be held in Stuttgart at a later date.

Recall Round-Up

Sorry for skipping my usual tradition of posting recalls. I have been occupied with school work.

Investigation: NHTSA is looking into the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze and 2010 Jeep Wranger for engine fire issues with two complaints for the compact car and eight complaints for the small SUV.

Honda: Yet another recall for the struggling company. This one is for 554,000 2002-2004 CR-V and 2003 Pilot crossovers to repair an issue with the low beam headlights concerning faulty switch wiring that can prevent the headlights from coming on. This is obviously a hazard.  If you are not sure why, you should not be reading this blog.

GM: Recalling select full size SUV's over steering issues. This recall is for one of GM's best selling categories, the large SUV. The recall concerns the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban and Express and the GMC Savana and Yukon XL. The pitman shafts were not hardened properly leading to fracture and loss of steering control. There are a total of 6,159 vehicles in the recall.

BMW: This falls under the category of minor recall as BMW announces a recall of over 1.3 million 5 and 6 series vehicles from 2003-2010. Only about 368,000 are in the United States. The recall is for the cars battery cable covers which could have been improperly mounted. It isa slight error and an easy fix but failure to do so could cause failure to start or fires. Check that one out at your local BMW dealer during your next service.

Porsche: This recall concerns the 2012 911 Carrera S over a possible fuel leak. 1,232 cars are being recalled because the routing of a cooling line which could interfere with the fuel line causing the later to become disconnected. This could lead to stalling or fire so this one is an emergency check.

Hyundai: This recall concerns seatbelts in the December 2, 2010 through March 7, 2012 production span where the rear center seatbelt does not meet safety standards.

Goody's Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Wrap-Up

Whenever the Sprint Cup series hits a short track, it seems that tempers become short as well. This weekends race at Martinsville is a perfect example of this short temper rule.

With just two laps to go and a great race brewing for first between Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, David Reutimann in the #10 car decided stop on the front stretch because of a broken tie rod. He was determined to finish to maintain a top 35 position for the #10 which he shares with Danica Patrick. So with the caution out and Jeff Gordon declared the leader, the field behind Gordon and Johnson decided to pit and get some fresh rubber and a splash of fuel. This left Gordon and Johnson as sitting ducks in the front of the pack trying to save fuel and running on old tires with over 100 laps on them.

Come time for the restart, the 24 and 48 both had trouble getting the power to the ground and were slow to the line. The cars behind them, however, were faster and a bottleneck effect began to show. Entering turn one, Newman had a lot of speed and ended up bumping the 15 of Clint Bowyer who slowed to avoid hitting the two Hendrick cars up front. This shot propelled bowyer into Gordon and Johnson who both sustained heavy damage. Boywer and Earnhardt Jr were also involved. Now out of the three cars for Hendrick in the front, all that remained was Earnhardt Jr (after Kasey Kahne blew his motor earlier after starting on the pole).

The damage on Johnson, Bowyer, and Gordon relegated them back to 10th for Bowyer, 12th for Johnson, and 14th for Gordon. In addition, Reutimann, who was trying to stay in the top 35, lost that battle and is not out of the top 35 by just 1 point.

On brighter notes, the late rate caution allowed Ryan Newman to rack up his first win of the year making it three total for Stewart Haas racing this season. Dale Earnhardt also managed to finish third with his damaged race car continuing an impressive run this season.

The top 5:
1. Ryan Newman 39 Outback Chevrolet
2. A. J. Allmendinger #22 Shell Dodge
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Amp Energy Chevrolet
4. Matt Kenseth #17 Tunnel to Towers Foundation Ford
5. Martin Truex Jr. #56 Napa Toyota.

Notable:
7. Tony Stewart #14 Office Depot Chevrolet
10. Clint Bowyer #15 5-Hour Energy Toyota
12. Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe's Chevrolet
14. Jeff Gordon #24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet
33. Kurt Busch #51 Phoenix Construction Chevrolet
36. Kyle Busch #18 M&M's Toyota
38. Kasey Kahne #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet

Next week we are at Texas for the Samsung Mobile 500.