Small
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The flagging small car won't be imported into the U.S. although inventory should carry dealers through next year.
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Mercedes Claims Its CLA Is The World's Most Aerodynamic Production Car
Common car design wisdom says that a low coefficient of drag is desirable to increase fuel economy and allow for engine downsizing. At highway speeds, up to 60-percent of the power produced by the engine is used just to move the vehicle through the air. Modern production cars typically have drag...
Kurt Ernst -
Lexus To Debut New Compact Crossover In Tokyo: Report
Compact luxury crossovers are the new darlings of the automotive industry, as they give buyers the amenities they expect while delivering improved fuel economy (compared to their larger siblings) for their respective manufacturers. Land Rover has its Range Rover Evoque, BMW has its X1 and Audi will...
Kurt Ernst -
Fiat Starts Custom Shop For U.S. 500 Buyers
One of the keys to MINI’s success in the United States is the vast amount of customization available on its cars. While it’s theoretically possible to spec a MINI Cooper that’s identical to a car ordered by another buyer, we’d have to rate the chances on the same level as...
Kurt Ernst -
Will Lexus' Upcoming Compact Crossover Be Called The NX?
In September, prior to the Paris Auto Show, we caught word that Lexus was working on an all-new compact crossover. At the time, we expected the new grocery-getter model to debut in Paris, but instead, Lexus surprised us with the LF-CC concept. That doesn’t mean that a Lexus-badged compact...
Kurt Ernst -
2013 MINI Countryman Preview
MINI’s first offering with available all-wheel-drive, the Countryman crossover, enters its third year on the market in 2013. That means it’s time for a bit of a refresh, though those expecting significant differences between 2012 and 2013 models will likely be a bit disappointed. New...
Kurt Ernst -
If you’re planning on shopping for a compact crossover but think that luxury brands are out of your price range, think again. The 2013 Buick Encore will come well-equipped, yet starts at a remarkably reasonable $24,950, including a destination charge of $750. That buys you standard features like QuietTuning with Bose Active Noise Cancellation (since noise isolation has always been a trademark of the Buick brand), 18-inch wheels, a seven-inch infotainment display and a rear-view camera. Stepping up to an Encore with the Convenience Group gets you dual-zone climate control, a 120-volt...
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New Compact Dodge Won't Be Named Hornet: 2012 Detroit Auto Show
Dodge will almost certainly introduce a new compact model at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show, and we now know that it won't carry the Hornet name.
Kurt Ernst -
Buick Launches 2012 Verano Online Configurator
Buick has updated its website to include a configurator for the all-new Buick Verano compact sedan.
Kurt Ernst -
Lincoln C-Segment Vehicle Still Coming, Reports Of Cancellation False
Yesterday, a report emerged at FordInsideNews that Lincoln's plan to build a luxury C-segment vehicle rivaling the likes of the Audi A3 had been canceled. Today, we have official word from Lincoln communications manager Christian Bokich that that is not the case. In fact, Lincoln remains committed...
Nelson Ireson -
First Mercedes-Benz U.S. Compact Luxury Vehicle To Debut At 2012 New York Auto Show
With the new 2012 Mercedes-Benz B-Class freshly unveiled in Frankfurt, there's a lot of talk within the company about premium compacts. Unfortuately, there's been no solid word on the matter as yet for America--but we might not have too long to wait. Mercedes announced at an event this evening in...
Nelson Ireson -
2012 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Details, Images Released
Mercedes-Benz's new luxury hatchback could come to the U.S. for the first time. But will Americans be open to the idea of a compact luxury car?
Nelson Ireson -
The redesigned 2012 Subaru Impreza Sedan and Hatchback made their respective debuts this week at the 2011 New York Auto Show and we have to admit that despite initial fears the design of the new small car isn’t all bad. The Impreza is also 30 percent more fuel efficient than the model it replaces, making the new 2012 range the most fuel efficient all-wheel drive car on the market. It’s also the roomiest Impreza ever, as well as being lighter and quicker than its predecessor. The wheelbase grows to 104.1 inches compared to 103.2 in the outgoing model. Vehicle length and width...
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2012 Fiat 500 Prima Edizione Deliveries Begin This Week
Five hundred lucky, patient Fiat 500 enthusiasts will get a special delivery this week: the first Fiats to be sold in the U.S. since 1984, in the form of the Prima Edizione. Fiat enthusiasts were offered the chance to buy the cars as a reward for their loyalty in the brand's absence. Each Prima...
Nelson Ireson -
2011 Fiat 500 Coupe Zagato Concept Live Photos: 2011 Geneva Motor Show
You thought the Fiat 500 was small enough? Zagato disagrees, and has the hardware to prove it. The 500 Coupe Zagato does away with a healthy chunk of the standard 500's rear quarters, going instead with a sloping roof and spoiler to give it a more coupe-like profile. We say coupe-like because it's...
Nelson Ireson -
Ford B-Max Concept: 2011 Geneva Motor Show
Highlighting Ford's innovative vision for the small car market. That's how the Blue Oval is pitching its production-ready compact MPV concept, the B-Max, ahead of its official unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show. The production ready part is a certainty--this is no concept car. Ford says it previews...
Nelson Ireson -
Audi A1 Quattro Talk Revives In Detroit
Last October the Web was buzzing with talk of a quattro all-wheel-drive version of the Audi A1. With the 2011 Detroit Auto Show winding down today, talk of the quattro A1 has resurfaced, and with it, our hopes for a proper S1. The lack of quattro was a major factor in not giving the A1 1.4 TFSI the...
Nelson Ireson -
2011 Detroit Auto Show: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic Live Photos
Turbos are our friends. Whether we're after better fuel economy or more power, they get the job done in a way nothing else does. The 2012 Chevy Sonic is a perfect example. It's true that 1.4 liters doesn't sound like much displacement--and it's not. There's more volume in a bottle of Coke. But when...
Nelson Ireson -
The next iteration of the Mercedes-Benz B-Class is rumored to be U.S.-bound, and we already have a good idea of what it looks like, both inside and out, from spy shots during testing. But according to a new report out of the U.K., there's a whole new car hiding just beneath the surface. In fact, Mercedes thinks it's a whole new kind of car. The next B-Class, as well as a new model within the Audi A3 range, will be based on the MFA, or Mercedes Front-drive Architecture. The MFA platform is so unique, Mercedes is covering it with a patent. So what's new? It's essentially a new take on how to...
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BMW And Mercedes-Benz Compacts Coming To U.S. Within Next Few Years
Right now in the U.S. you can step into a brand new BMW for just under $30,000--for Mercedes-Benz the entry-point creeps a few thousand dollars higher--but in the next couple of years we should be seeing a range of more affordable models from both of the luxury stalwarts. That’s because both...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
GM Still Pushing For Performance Small Cars
Almost a year ago, we brought you word that GM insiders were anxious to see a return to fast, small cars, including a possible Chevrolet Cruze SS. Today we have more word that the push for performance compacts is alive and well, and once again the Cruze is the focal point. It's a natural choice for...
Nelson Ireson -
Ford Teams With Funkmaster Flex For Custom 2011 Fiesta
The collaboration continues a long-standing relationship between Ford and Flex.
Nelson Ireson -
2011 Mazda2 Interview With Design Director Derek Jenkins
Motor Authority interviews Mazda USA director of design Derek Jenkins.
Nelson Ireson -
Entry-Level SAAB 9-1 Back On The Table
With Lexus unveiling the new CT 200h and Infiniti bosses confirming plans for an all-electric compact car of their own, Saab is wary of becoming one of the only premium automakers without a model to compete in what’s quickly becoming a new frontier for the luxury marques: the premium compact...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran