2012 Ford Focus ST

One of Alan Mulally’s objectives since becoming CEO at Ford in 2006 has been to develop products on a worldwide basis. This sounds familiar, if only because another Ford CEO, Alex Trotman, did the same thing back in the 1990s. This approach resulted in products such as the Contour (not a rip-roaring success) and the original Focus (which was).

In between the Focus going on sale in the U.S. as a 2000 model and Mulally  taking over, product development in Europe and North America took off in different directions. Hence, Europe was rewarded with a heavily reworked second-generation Focus in 2004. The next year, North America got a warmed-over version of the first-gen Focus sedan and hatchback.

Starting in early 2011, the Focus in both North America and Europe will be the same vehicle. This is to be applauded because there was a big gap between the European Focus and the machine sold here. The European car improved on the basic goodness of the original, with better interior quality and driving dynamics. The U.S. car essentially stayed put: The original Focus was good enough to be a C/D 10Best winner, but the competition moved on, leaving the current version dead last in a recent small-car comparo.

The 2012 Focus certainly looks terrific, especially in five-door form. The engineers and designers felt able to make the Focus sportier (by lowering its seating position and overall height) due to the upcoming C-Max—a tall-roof, five- or seven-seat derivative off this platform—that fulfills the family-car mission. Compared with the current U.S. Focus, the new car is 0.5 inch lower (at 58.1 inches tall) and 3.0 inches long­er (178.0 inches overall), and it has a 1.3-inch-longer wheelbase (104.2 inches). The 2012 model’s dimensions are close to the current Euro car’s, save for a wider track and lower stance.

2012 Fiat 500

At first glance, the 2012 Fiat 500 that goes on sale this month in dealerships across the United States looks rather like the European model that launched in mid-2007. That car, in turn, is a puffed up doppleganger of the original 500 – or Cinquecento, as its Italian owners prefer. The original 500 isn’t well known to most Americans, but it was solely responsible for getting destitute post-war Italy back on its, er, wheels beginning in the late 1950s.

But the 2012 model we tossed into every corner in California has been extensively modified for American consumers. Built in a Chrysler plant in Toluca, Mexico, it required some changes to meet U.S. safety standards, as well as some improvements to sound insulation and switchgear to keep “stepping down” Americans happy. In addition, Fiat reworked the car’s rear suspension for an improved ride and vastly increased torsional stiffness. Oh, and they tossed in an automatic transmission and a modified four-cylinder with Fiat’s innovative MultiAir technology.

Typically, we’d use this space to kvetch about how the Italians were forced to water down their icon for American roads, but Fiat tells us that CEO Sergio Marchionne took one ride in a U.S.-specification 500 and ordered the implementation of the improvements into the European car.

The 500 based on the pedestrian Fiat Panda, a whimsically-named five-door subcompact, and it also shares its architecture with the European-market Ford Ka. Of course, none of those matter much to most of us on this side of the pond unless we are handed the keys to one at the Hertz location at Leonardo da Vinci airport in Rome.

2012 Hummer Limo

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2012 Audi Q5

2011 Cadillac Sports

If you've spent any time on German roads, one thing you'll notice – right after the speed limit signs with a slash mark through them – is that station wagons are popular.

Nearly every manufacturer builds multiple models ranging from sub-compacts to near full-size behemoths. Mercedes-Benz E-Class and C-Class wagons are everywhere. Ditto for BMW 3 and 5 Series Tourings. Volkswagen, Fiat, Citroen, Seat, Skoda and Peugeot all sell lots of wagons. Perhaps it's a legacy of the Lamborghini Espada or the undeniable fact that the current M-B E63 AMG wagon is seriously cool, Europeans like wagons.

Americans, on the other hand, don't. Our country's collective notion of station wagons is stuck in Clark W. Griswold-land. Too bad. Most Americans have no idea what they're missing.

Continue reading...You know the Cadillac V-Series well, and what we think of the 2011 CTS-V Coupe. The V Wagon is simply the coupe with better visibility and room for water skis, snowboards, mountain bikes and more (thanks to the roof rack). Could performance come in a more practical package? (Subaru WRX hatchback drivers... you understand.)

Plus, the V Wagon is a sleeper in comparison to the V Coupe. The unexpected nature of a supercharged 556-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 wagon with the top speed of a Porsche 911 is stupendously brilliant. The irony of the four-second 0-60 mph time ain't bad, either.

From the A-pillar forward, all three V-Series body styles are visually identical – a good thing because the V's face has serious street presence. Unfortunately, the mesh grille is American pomposity in wire form – vaguely cliché in a JC Whitney kind of way. And Cadillac dealers installing look-a-like aftermarket grilles on non-V CTSs hasn't helped matters.

2011 Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon side view2011 Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon front view2011 Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon rear view

The balance of the wagon's styling makes up for the grille. The dramatic profile is like nothing else on the road. Few vehicles honestly enjoy that exclusivity. Taken in whole, the CTS is an exuberant American design. No European or Asian manufacturer would dare make a car that looks like this.

V-exclusive features over the standard CTS Sport Wagon include three-inch cannon exhaust tips, V-Series badging and handsome 19-inch rims (nine-inches wide in front, 9.5-inches rear). The standard rubber-band profile tires are summer-compound Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s measuring 255/40ZR19 (front) and 265/35ZR19 (rear). Due to our January-in-Michigan test schedule, Cadillac wisely fitted our test vehicle with M+S rated Pirellis of the same size.

The airy design of the wheels made for easy viewing of the massive 15-inch front rotors from Brembo. A serious engine requires equally serious brakes and the rear rotors are no slouches either at 14.7-inches.

2011 Audi R8

The 2011 Audi R8 is a two-seat exotic supercar available in 4.2 Coupe, 4.2 Spyder, 5.2 Coupe and 5.2 Spyder trim levels.

Standard equipment on the 4.2 Coupe includes 19-inch wheels, adaptive suspension dampers, cruise control, automatic xenon headlights, LED running lights, automatic climate control, heated eight-way power seats (with four-way power-adjustable lumbar), leather and faux suede upholstery, auto-dimming rearview mirror, Bluetooth and a seven-speaker sound system with six-CD changer, auxiliary audio jack and satellite radio. The Convenience package adds hill-start assist, front and rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, power-folding and auto-dimming mirrors and interior storage nets. Also optional is a fully leather-upholstered interior, a navigation system, iPod interface and a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system.

The 4.2 Spyder adds an electrically powered soft top and a retractable window that doubles as a wind deflector. The R8 5.2 Coupe and Spyder come with the 4.2's options mentioned above, plus a V10 engine, different suspension tuning, different wheels, LED headlights and slight differences in exterior details. A variety of carbon-fiber exterior and interior trim packages are available on all models, while the coupes can be equipped with alternate "side blade" finishes.
Powertrains and Performance

The 2011 Audi R8 4.2 is powered by a 4.2-liter V8 mounted behind the passenger compartment that sends 430 hp and 317 pound-feet of torque through an all-wheel-drive system. A six-speed manual transmission with a gated metal shifter is standard, while a six-speed single-clutch automated manual known as R tronic is optional. In Edmunds performance testing, the R8 4.2 with either transmission went from zero to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. EPA-estimated fuel economy for 2011 was not available at this writing, but last year's model achieved 12 mpg city/19 mpg highway and 15 mpg combined with the manual and 13/18/15 with R tronic.

The Audi R8 5.2 gets a 5.2-liter V10 that produces 525 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque. It has the same transmission choices. In Edmunds performance testing, the 5.2 Coupe with the manual went from zero to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, while the 5.2 Spyder with the manual did it in 3.9 seconds. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 12/19/14 with the manual and 13/19/15 with R tronic.

2011 Opel Astra

The styling of the GTC Paris Concept is largely guided by its five-door sibling, with sportier touches including more performance-oriented front and rear bumpers and a coupe-like roofline strongly reminiscent of the three-door variant of the previous-generation Astra H/C (the last Astra model to be sold in Australia).

    "We wanted to express the most emotional side of the Opel brand and we believe this vehicle creates an appropriate visual impact to reinforce our dynamic sporty character," Opel's Mark Adams said.

Power for the GTC Paris Concept comes courtesy of a turbo-charged and direct-injected 2.0 litre four-cylinder petrol engine, paired with a six-speed manual transmission.

Until now, specific power figures for the GTC Paris Concept were a tightly-held secret. Opel has today revealed that the hot hatch's turbocharged engine pumps out a huge 213kW, bringing it within spitting distance of the 225kW offered by its ultimate rival.

2011 Pontiac GTO

Purists won't rejoice, but The new 2011 Pontiac GTO is as close to a spiritual successor as GM can offer today. There's more speed, more safety, better handling, and a world-class power plant. It's rivaled only by Dodge's new Hemi in authentic V-8 rumble and roar, something no version of Ford's modular V-8s seems to capture. 
With 350 hp at 5200 rpm and 365 pound-feet of torque at 4000 rpm, nearly any gear in the standard six-speed manual is appropriate for sliding around SUVs and the like on two-laners; two-cog gear drops rocket you ahead of whole packs of slow-moving cars with dizzying pace. 
The four-speed automatic, though it sounds a little anachronistic, is even more fitting to the big two-door's personality and barely slower. Pontiac claims The 2011 Pontiac Gto will accelerate to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds in manual-equipped versions, a tick slower with the automatic. The manual will run through the quarter-mile in 13.8 seconds at 105 mph, in the same time but 3 mph faster than the automatic. Short of a Corvette, General Motors can't offer you much else that's faster or sleeker or V-8 powered.

2011 Lincoln MKZ

A hybridized Lincoln MKZ or a Lincoln-ized Ford Fusion hybrid—either would be an accurate description of the 2011 Lincoln MKZ hybrid. Indeed, if you know anything about Ford’s excellent Fusion hybrid (a 2010 10Best winner), very little about its new-for-’11 entry-luxury twin will present any surprises. The MKZ hybrid drives its front wheels only and is powered by the same combination of a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder and an electric motor, with a total system output of 191 hp. Likewise, it features the same CVT and achieves the same impressive EPA fuel-economy ratings of 41 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway.

The Lincoln’s dash mimics the Fusion’s nifty customizable instrument cluster, with its cool virtual plant growing leaves as a reward for economical driving—although the Lincoln version additionally sprouts up to five flowers. Each flower is progressively harder to cultivate, and they remain in the display until the fuel-economy monitor is reset or the car crashes into a VW New Beetle, at which point they will be transferred to the Beetle’s dash-mounted vase. Besides its distinct Lincoln styling, the MKZ hybrid comes standard with an array of luxury features including genuine wood and leather trim and Lincoln’s version of Sync (not the new MyLincoln Touch system, however).

2011 Hyundai Sonata

After the Genesis, which is a bold product draped in drab sheetmetal, and the Genesis Coupe, which looks good but also a bit too much like the underwhelming Tiburon, here, finally, is the Hyundai that really is going to stop people in their tracks. And it will wear the everyday Sonata badge.

While the actual design of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata largely appears to be a 3-D Xerox of the Volkswagen CC, Hyundai seems to have been peering over Mazda’s shoulder when it drafted the car’s stylistic philosophy of “fluidic sculpture,” which it says is inspired by nature and “tries to reflect sophistication and dynamism in the shape of the vehicle.” Regardless of cues, inspiration, or wholesale design theft, there is no arguing that the shape is dramatic, whether wearing a VW badge or the stylized Hyundai “H.” The surprising design continues inside, with a handsome, upscale blend of materials, colors, and swoopy, modern shapes.

High-Tech and High-Luxe

Hyundai promises a comprehensive technological roster, including standard stability control and hill-start assist—although we don’t understand why people need this when the standard transmission is a six-speed automatic—as well as a brake-assist system and adjustable dampers. Available luxury equipment will include a three-piece panoramic sunroof and heated seats front and rear.

Also new is the Sonata’s onboard telematics system—think Korean OnStar. Emergency-notification and anti-theft tracking functions are free for the first two years, but maintenance-monitoring and -alert capabilities are probably going to cost extra.