After speaking with Matt Russell, BMW North America’s M Brand Manager and Thomas Schemera, Director of BMW M Marketing over a delicious smoothie, we were able to learn more about BMW’s M6 Coupe and its place in the lineup. Several key details were shared and they help to highlight why the M6 Coupe should be at the top of your Christmas wish list, and why, finally, you should impress Santa with your good boy or girl behavior through to December. What separates the M6 Coupe the most from its M5 and M6 Cabriolet siblings, is its dynamics. The whole focus of M cars is on dynamics, and thus, the fact that the new M6 will be the highest performing M car on sale is quite significant. For those wondering – the M6 could be considered a supercar at some level, at least that’s what BMW would have us believe. Consider this recently published editorial that digs deeper into the super car topic. BMW considers the Audio R8 V10, Porsche 911 Turbo, Maserati Granturismo, and Mercedes SL 63 AMG and SLS as competition to the new M6. We will have to compare performance figures and driving experiences before drawing any conclusions or awarding a victor, but the fact that such name plates are being spoken of in the same sentence as the letter M and number 6 bodes well for the new BMW performance car. With 560 hp churned out by the same power-plant as found in the F10 M5, the M6 will be able to take advantage of its decreased curb weight and lower center of gravity. A carbon fiber roof plays its part in this dynamic. The new M6 Coupe will sport a wheel base approximately 4.5 inches shorter than the M5, which will bestow upon it much more reactive, agile handling. The new carbon ceramic brake discs measure 16 inches in diameter (!) and are so big that the 20 inch wheel option must be ordered with the ceramic brake package to accommodate the rotors. The standard M compound brake system, standard on the M5 and M6 cars, is a 15.5″ rotor system. The carbon ceramic brake option – despite being larger in diameter – decreases total unsprung mass by 19.4 kg (42.8 lbs) – a significant weight reduction. The M6′ front splitter, flat underbody, roof contouring, and rear differential hint towards the advanced aero of the M6. In fact,...

‘NOW PLAYING ON THE SAME FIELD AS THE COMPETITION’ First introduced in 2011, the new 2012 Kia Sorento adds new high-tech features such as Kia’s new UVO powered by Microsoft voice-activated infotainment, and a new, high-tech, 2.4 liter, 191hp, GDI (gas-direct injected) 4-cylinder engine that returns an outstanding 31mpg/highway. I didn’t get a chance to test the new engine as my test model came with the 3.5, all-aluminum, V6 pumping out a class leading 276hp that gave me an excellent 20mpg/city and 26mpg/highway. The third engine in the lineup is the standard and more affordable, 2.4liter multi-port fuel injected, 4-cylinder engine that makes 175hp.  All three engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with Sportmatic shifting control.  You can order the Kia Sorento with either front-or-all-wheel drive configurations, the latter coming with a locking center differential to evenly distribute power to all wheels while operating the vehicle at low speeds during more severe weather or road conditions. The new Sorento presents crossover sport utility enthusiasts with a well-equipped, well-appointed CUV with impressive power, fuel efficiency and handling suited for the fun, dynamic and discerning driver, and offers a generous list of standard comfort and convenience features as well as an array of safety equipment.  The 2011 Sorrento was so well received in 2011 that it became the first Kia vehicle to surpass sales of 100,000 units in a single model year, and for good reason. Sorento employs a unibody design with the ability to comfortably seat up to seven passengers, and represents a modern compact CUV that is just the right size for today’s consumers with an overall length of 183.9in. and overall width of 74.2in.  Sorrento occupants a spacious yet comfortable ride in a relatively compact exterior size.  Prominently displaying the signature grille and wraparound headlamps exhibited on all new Kia models, Sorento SX offers an aggressive stance and sleek profile.  Sorrento features swept-back lines and dynamic presence with an angled window line, full wrap-around chrome strip, large flared-back headlamp clusters, prominent foglamps, and rounded nose, while the view from the rear offers the same forceful attitude with the rounded...

Humans are an imperfect species. People make mistakes. Unfortunately, other people sometimes have to drive those mistakes. These are Jalopnik readers’ picks for the ten worst car-design glitches. More » View original post here: The Ten Dumbest Automotive Design Mistakes [Answers Of The Day] Here is the original post:  The Ten Dumbest Automotive Design Mistakes [Answers Of The Day]

Hit play for an audio recording of a mystery car’s exhaust note, and then share your guesses or get a few hints from other visitors in the comments below. Be sure to check back on Thursday for the answer! See original here: Name That Exhaust Note, Episode 130 Original post: Name That Exhaust Note, Episode 130

It appears that The Tall One, The Loud One, the real Jeremy Clarkson, the host of Top Gear , the Jezza himself has broken down and signed up for Twitter. The account is @jcrclarksonesq and he’s accrued nearly 100,000 followers in just three days. More » See more here: Is The Real Jeremy Clarkson On Twitter? [Top Gear] Read the rest here:  Is The Real Jeremy Clarkson On Twitter? [Top Gear]

Nissan has priced its redesigned 2013 Altima sedan, which debuted at the New York auto show , from $22,280. That modest outlay buys you a base four-cylinder Altima 2.5; V-6–powered Altima 3.5 models start at a richer $26,140. While the 2013 2.5′s base price is now slightly higher than last year’s, the least-expensive V-6 model is a bit less expensive compared to a year ago. (For an in-depth look at the new Altima, you can read our story here .) Also, Nissan increased the number of trim levels from three to seven. Last year’s four-cylinder 2.5 and 2.5 S models are joined by the new 2.5 SV and 2.5 SL. (The SL previously existed as a package available on the 2012 Altima 2.5 S.) Last year’s six-cylinder 3.5 SR trim goes away and is replaced by a trio of new V-6 models: 3.5 S, 3.5 SV, and 3.5 SL. Complete pricing below: 2.5: $22,280 ($950 increase from last year) 2.5 S: $23,280 ($210 decrease from last year) 2.5 SV: $24,880 (new model) 2.5 SL: $28,830 ($1160 increase from last year’s 2.5 S with SL package) 3.5 S: $26,140 ($210 decrease from last year’s 3.5 SR V-6 model) 3.5 SV: $28,560 (new model) 3.5 SL: $30,860 (new model) The 2.5 S comes standard with a six-way power driver’s seat, automatic headlights, and keyless entry with pushbutton start; 3.5 S adds to that list 18-inch wheels and steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters for the CVT’s six faux “gears.” Altima 2.5 SV models get remote start, dual-zone climate control, a backup camera, NissanConnect service, and a five-inch color screen for the audio system. The V-6-powered SV models add a sunroof and fog lights as standard equipment.  Finally, regardless of engine choice, the SL trim comes with leather seats (heated in front), an eight-way power driver’s seat, a nine-speaker Bose audio system, a heated steering wheel, LED taillights, and a sunroof. Interestingly, the base Altima 2.5 is priced at the high end of the mid-size segment; entry-level versions of the Honda Accord, Kia Optima, and Mazda 6 can all be had for less money—and with a manual transmission, too. As always, Nissan will market the Altima as the sporty family sedan contender, despite the standard CVT. Thus, the new Altima’s biggest foe likely will be the attractive—and not yet...

NADAguides.com, the leading online provider of vehicle pricing and information, announces the 2012 Infiniti FX50 as the Featured Vehicle of the Month for April. With an array of comfort, technology and aesthetic options, very competitive performance numbers and pricing, as well as redesigned exterior elements, the 2012 Infiniti FX50 combines distinctive styling with exciting performance, utility, and versatility. Featuring a powerful 5.0 liter V8 engine that produces 390 horsepower, NADAguides.com analysts were impressed with how well the updated design for the 2012 Infiniti FX50 complemented its performance cues. The FX sports distinctive side air vents, which allow air to flow through the engine compartment and out of the side vehicle, reducing front end lift. In addition, the large LED taillights extend beyond the body to help create aerodynamic down force, while large dual exhaust outlets complete the performance look. NADAguides.com analysts took note of the advanced Rear Active Steer system available on the FX50. This system uses precise, electronic motor-driven control to turn the rear wheels up to one degree, helping generate a nimble steering response at low speeds and enhance handling feel at high speeds. Along with its performance capabilities and newly updated exterior, the 2012 Infiniti FX50’s updated interior offers a wide range of creature comforts not found on most of the competitors within the segment, including an 11 speaker Bose audio system, tire specific low tire pressure warning system, surround view parking sensors, and 21 inch wheels. The all wheel drive, heated seats and Vehicle Dynamic Control system make this Infiniti FX50 well equipped to maximize comfort and handling in any season. The 2012 Infiniti FX50 has a starting MSRP of $59,800 and goes up to $64,050 with the additional Sport Package. Key Quotes Troy Snyder, Director of Product Development at NADAguides.com : “The 2012 Infiniti FX50 continues to command attention with very unique styling, performance abilities and versatility, attracting several diverse market segments. Not only does the Infiniti FX50 represent luxury, but safety and very exciting performance are melded as well. Everything is present for you to have a very comfortable, relaxed and pampered ride and...

  While Subaru is a derivative of Japan’s Fiji Heavy Industries, two of the auto brand’s most popular vehicles for the United States are built in Indiana. In the 2011 calendar year, the Subaru Outback was the highest-selling product in the United Stats line-up for the Japanese branded auto company. The Outback and Legacy model sales together account for nearly 68 percent of the vehicles Subaru sold last year making the pair important to the company’s success in the North America. Set for a first revealing to the US public at the 2012 New York International Auto Show, the Legacy sedan and Outback wagon will be a drastically refined presentation of Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive. Two new look vehicle, the 2013 model year versions of the Legacy and Outback signifies an avenue of charge as Subaru continues to stride more as a premium vehicle brand in North America. New front-end styling on both cars incorporates a reorganized front end including a grille design derived from a Hybrid Tourer concept shown last year. In addition to the refreshments made to exterior, the 2013 Subaru Legacy and Outback models are equipped with a slew of high-technology enhancements. Powering the base level 2013 Legacy and Outback vehicles, Subaru replaces the previous single overhead cam 2.5 liter Boxer engine with a more efficient double overhead cam powerplant layout. Providing three extra horsepower over the previous engine, the new 2.5 liter boxer-style engine now produces 173 horsepower through a broader driving range. Fitted with the improved 2.5 liter Boxer engine, the 2013 Subaru Legacy, fuel economy is projected towards the 32 mile per gallon range through highway driving with an average travel of 27 miles on a gallon of gasoline. Combined city and highway fuel economy falls by only a single mile per gallon when included with the Outback model. The 2.5 liter engine on the Subaru Legacy and Outback models will be coupled to what is said to be the automaker’s second-generation Lineartronic CVT (continuously variable transmission). Providing a six-speed manual driving mode, Subaru’s new Lineartronic CVT should feature improved mechanical response.     A more powerful 3.6 liter 6-cylinder Boxer engine is a carryover from the previous model year allowing up to...

Three years after its launch in its German home market, BMW’s compact X1 crossover will be added to the brand’s North American lineup. At the same time, the X3′s little brother receives a slight face lift. The vehicle will compete with the Acura RDX, the Infiniti EX, the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, and an upcoming Mercedes-Benz crossover based on the A-class; it also directly targets the Audi Q3, which that company has promised will be offered in the U.S. as well. Keep Reading: 2013 BMW X1 – Official Photos and Info Go here to see the original: 2013 BMW X1 Finally Lands in the U.S. Excerpt from:  2013 BMW X1 Finally Lands in the U.S.

Mercedes-Benz boasts that its second-generation GL, which will be unveiled to the public at this week’s New York auto show, is “all-new.” Indeed, we have no reason to doubt any claims that this truck has little mechanically in common with its predecessor, the first GL. But with this truck looking rather like a longer version of its ML platform mate, “all-new” may be a case of quite literally stretching the truth. This wouldn’t be much of a big deal—the last M- and GL-classes also shared quite a bit underneath, after all, and we liked the previous GL just dandy. But the latest ML is a bit of a downer in the drive department, which has us a bit worried about this next version of one of our favorite luxury SUVs. Keep Reading: 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-class / GL350 BlueTec / GL450 / GL550 – Official Photos and Info Read more here: 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-class Photos and Info: Mercedes’ Largest SUV Is Bigger and More Powerful See the original post: 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-class Photos and Info: Mercedes’ Largest SUV Is Bigger and More Powerful

Fisker has released photos of its new Atlantic concept, which we spied last week , after photos began to leak earlier today. Previously referred to as the Nina, the Atlantic will slot into Fisker’s lineup as a more affordable option than the flagship Karma , which stickers at $103,000. The Atlantic will utilize BMW’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four as a range-extender to its electric-drive system. The Atlantic will make its public debut at an event tomorrow night in New York. Details on availability have yet to be confirmed by Fisker, but the Atlantic’s mother program—Project Nina— has been suspended after the manufacturer lost a portion of its $529 million loan from the Department of Energy. Check back tomorrow night for more photos and details on the Atlantic . See the original post here: Fisker Atlantic Photos Released Here is the original post: Fisker Atlantic Photos Released

Swedish freestyle skier Jon Olsson has got himself another four-wheel-drive supercar, but this time it’s not a Lamborghini. Or, well, not really Lamborghini. It’s a carbon fiber-widebody Audi R8 tuned by PPI with a look as black as Tara Reid’s lungs. And you thought your Subaru was the ultimate all-weather machine. More » Continued here: Jon Olsson’s New Ski Lift Is A Black-On-Black-On-Black Audi R8 [Jon Olsson] Here is the original:  Jon Olsson’s New Ski Lift Is A Black-On-Black-On-Black Audi R8 [Jon Olsson]

Upscale luxury sedans with the look of sporty coupes have become very fashionable in recent years. These pseudo-coupes are aimed at drivers wanting to combine the style of a two door with a more practical four-door body. Porsche expanded into this burgeoning niche, bringing its sports-car DNA into the realm of sedans, or actually, a hatchback. We recently purchased one to test. Traditionally based on existing models, the coupe-like sedan trend has been led by the Mercedes-Benz CLS and Volkswagen Passat CC, both of which have lower rooflines and racier looks than their more upright stable mates, at the cost of less passenger room, impaired visibility, and more difficult access. When Porsche decided to enter the four-door fray, the carmaker had no existing model to restyle. The result was the purpose-built Panamera, a large hatchback that looks vaguely like an inflated, elongated version of the 911 sports car. The design may arguably be less graceful than some competing models, namely the gorgeous Audi A7, but it does result in a usable two-person back seat with sufficient head- and leg-room for six footers. Available with rear or all-wheel drive, we chose a rear drive Panamera for testing, in part because that is the same configuration as our recently tested Jaguar XJ , its closest competitor, as well as the Fisker Karma , another highly styled, luxurious, and expensive four-door sedan. But where the gasoline-electric powered Fisker is marketed as a supercar for greenies –at least as much as any 5,395-pound, 16 and a half-foot-long car costing $107,850 can be described as green–our Panamera S makes no apologies for its mission. It is powered by a 400-hp, 4.8-liter V8 engine paired with a seven-speed automated manual transmission. Acceleration is blisteringly quick and smooth, much like our recently tested Porsche Cayenne SUV. The interior is awash with leather and brushed aluminum, and it is impeccably finished, even if some controls are complicated. Porsche’s token gesture to the green-car enthusiasts is the Panamera Hybrid, but that version accounts for a tiny portion of overall sales. Our $105,110 example is a relatively low-end version. Besides the Hybrid, other Panamera variants offer all-wheel drive, and turbocharged powertrains that can...

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched official investigations into engine fires involving 2010 Jeep Wrangler SUVs and 2011 Chevrolet Cruze sedans. The safety agency has received several reports of unexpected engine compartment fires completely destroying the vehicles made by Chrysler and General Motors, respectively. According to NHTSA, there have been two reported incidents in the last month of engine fires with the Chevrolet Cruze , one of the best-selling vehicles in GM’s line-up. No injuries or deaths have been reported, but both Chevy Cruze cars were totaled in the fires. In the case of Chrysler’s Jeep Wrangler SUVs, seven of the eight reported engine fire incidents allegedly occurred while being driven. NHTSA’s Office of Defect Investigation has already received some preliminary data related to the Cruze fires. However, it will continue to investigate with the manufacturers to determine the causes of the engine fires in the Cruze and Jeep Wrangler SUVs. If a recall for either of the vehicles are required, the alerts will be issued by NHTSA. Consumers affected by these and any other vehicle issue can file a vehicle safety complaint on the NHTSA website, www.SaferCar.gov . For more information, see: How to write a NHTSA complaint – and make it useful Jeep Grand Cherokee fire investigation shows how accident statistics are open to interpretation Fire deaths in Jeep Grand Cherokees continue to mount, safety group reaches out to Chrysler 2011 Chevrolet Cruze – Engine and cooling    Action #: PE12010 [NHTSA] 2010 Jeep Wrangler – Engine and cooling     Action #:PE12009 [NHTSA] See more here: NHTSA probes engine fires in 2010 Jeep Wrangler SUVs and 2011 Chevorlet Cruze sedans

When MINI released the Countryman in early 2010, some fans of the brand called foul. MINI producing a larger four-door seemed almost sacrilegious – it was the unthinkable – like Ferrari producing an all-wheel drive sports car (Achhem: the Ferrari FF). Apparently rules are meant to be broken. In the process of rule breaking, not only are sterotypes defeated, but sometimes great new products surface. I was among the first to drive MINI’s spicy new version of the Countryman – in fact, it was still in prototype form with swirly stickers over parts of the body work, but the mechanical details were near sign-off. While we were already content with the dynamics of the Countryman S model, the JCW takes back-road blasts to a whole new level. We expect the Countryman JCW edition to go on sale in the North American market in the second half of this year. Starting with the Countryman S as a baseline, the JCW version adds several technical modifications, starting with the suspension. The new JCW version sports a suspension lowered by 10 mm, with slightly stiffer spring rates and stiffer anti-roll bars, now measuring 22 mm and 17 mm front and rear. The standard wheel size will measure 17 inches, with larger wheels available as an option. The rear brakes have also grown by 16 mm to 296 mm (16″), which should reduce understeer while braking into a corner. The suspension is burdened with a 1,460 kg (3,220 lb) curb weight, a far cry from the original MINI’s 616 kg (1,360 lb), however the Countryman JCW serves up curvy-road moves that would suggest it carries less weight than the scales confirm. The Countryman JCW may weigh twice as much as its ancestral forefather, but it’s also more than twice its size, and at least 10 times more practical. The same 6 speed manual as found in the Countryman S model will be the stand-alone transmission featured in the JCW – the 6 speed manual being the weapon of choice for those who enjoy an engaging drive. The three pedal option was a joy to drive with precise engagement and short throws of the stick. Pedal placement was a bit tricky for heel-and-toe downshifting with the brake and gas pedals just a tick too far apart. A wider floor-hinged accelerator pedal would improve the situation, and considering...