Acura TL, 2012 Makeover

Now it its 17th year, the 2012 Acura TL continues the middle-age brand's legacy while addressing the concerns of the high-end Honda line's discerning fans. Acura owners are loyal, but they often complain about the awkward front end grille described by one reviewer as reminiscent of a giant bottle opener.


This year, the front grille features a smaller insert that flows better with the overall design of the car.


2012 Acura TL

Alfa Romeo MiTO gears up for 2012

Alfa Romeo MiTO gears up for 2012


The Alfa Romeo MiTo has emerged as an attractive proposition among South African motorists thanks to its clever combination of looks and performance, Italian style and technical excellence aimed at maximizing driving satisfaction in total safety. The Alfa Romeo MiTo range has been enhanced for 2012, the new Series 1 range coming with a number of feature upgrades ensuring even greater value for money.


“The MiTo has always been praised for its high levels of specification and exceptional safety credentials,” says Oscar Rivoli, Managing Director of Fiat Group Automobiles South Africa. “For 2012 we are able to continue to strengthen that value-for-money proposition by realigning the MiTo line-up with increased specification levels and a new flagship model in the form of the Quadrifoglio Verde Sport.”

The 2013 Chevrolet Spark mini car

The 2013 Chevrolet Spark mini car, revealed Wednesday, November 16th at the Los Angeles International Auto Show, is the only car in its segment to offer a seven-inch colour touch screen radio capable of displaying smart phone-based navigation, media and contacts for hands-free calling.


A sporty four-passenger, five-door hatch updated for United States and Canadian consumers, Spark is designed to excite first-time buyers and city dwellers with its bold styling and colours, affordability, the safety of 10 standard air bags, fuel efficiency and maneuverability.


Though compact, Spark offers more passenger and cargo room than other mini cars such as the Fiat 500, Smartfortwo and the Scion iQ. Equipped with the 1.2L four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission, Spark will offer competitive fuel efficiency.

Chevrolet 2012 Corvette Daytona Prototype

Although it wasn't the unveiling of the long-anticipated C7 Corvette, Chevrolet did make a newsworthy Corvette move this week — it unwrapped the 2012 Corvette Daytona Prototype.

Chevrolet, Pratt & Miller, Riley, Coyote and Dallara all worked together to create this prototype, which will race in the Grand-Am series. Although it isn't directly related to the production Corvette, the Chevy sports car clearly influenced the racing prototype with its similar hood design, checkered-flag logo, split rear window, headlights and the familiar round taillights.

2013 Cadillac XTS: New Luxury Sedan

With the debut of the 2013 Cadillac XTS large luxury sedan at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, General Motors executives may now have one more product to compete against BMW.

At least, that’s what GM President Mark Reuss has said in recent media interviews from the show floor.


The XTS, though similar in size to the rear-wheel drive BMW 7-Series, is not likely to appeal to the same type of luxury car customer, since the XTS will be offered in front- or all-wheel drive configurations. Mr. Reuss indicated that GM would have a more direct competitor to the 7-Series in the future, as the company is currently working to develop one.


And, unseating BMW for the crown of top-selling luxury brand won’t be easy either, since BMW currently sells nearly twice as many vehicles as Cadillac.

Buick LaCrosse GL Concept

Buick LaCrosse GL Concept are build When are the established designers to capture the essence of the concept car’s luxury GL Buick LaCrosse, fine cuisine and enjoy elements relic clients of brand experiences. The design of the study is on display at the Los Angeles Auto show, 2011.


Buick colour and trim designer works in a palette of cabernet red, black, Brown caramel cocoa and chocochino. Shiny metal inspired ancient jewelry, guitars vintage patina shaded boxes and covers of souvenir, designers of overturning of the leather seats sewn in premium French GL, provides for the formal elegance of the Club Presidents and contours of sand dunes, blown by the wind. And use regular Sweden the garrison was designed to invite its touch like a favorite pair of gloves.


“The concept of LaCrosse GL mankind clearly expresses luxury Buick, which is like cordially invite because it is elegant and refined,” said David Lyon, Executive Director of the project. “The design guides that already distinguished the production of padded leather seats as LaCrosse, environment lighting quality glacier blue and soft-touch surfaces are amplified in GL and serve as a source of inspiration for future models Buick.”


Buick LaCrosse GL Concept

Subaru BRZ Concept

Subaru enthusiasts around the world are going bonkers over Subaru’s BRZ, a rear wheel drive sports coupe developed with Toyota. Toyota has presented concepts of its version as the FT-86 whereas Subaru has till date shown to the public only the skeleton, at the Frankfurt Motor Show. This car has grabbed everybody’s attention to the extent that stories have been posted on a number of auto websites about just the logo – BRZ. The car has also birthed a new word – Toyabaru, for all things that include this Toyota Subaru collaboration.

Subaru, for the first time gave us a glimpse of what the production BRZ would look like with this Subaru BRZ Concept – STI unveiled at the LA Auto Show. STI is Subaru’s performance brand.

Subaru BRZ Concept

Next-Gen Subaru WRX And STI

2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, Subaru officials confirmed that the next-generation WRX and WRX STI will stick with turbo power but adopt a smaller 2.0-liter engine. The officials also revealed that curb weights will come down.

Importantly, while weight is said to be going down, power should be going the opposite direction. The reason for this is the recent launch of Subaru’s latest “FB” four-cylinder boxer engine.

In naturally aspirated trim, this engine’s peak output stands at a relatively unexciting 146 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. However, with a turbocharger attached, and most likely direct injection technology as well, peak output should easily exceed the respective 265 and 305 horsepower outputs of the current WRX and WRX STI models.

2013 Nissan GT-R

2013 Nissan GT-R

2013 Nissan GT-R

Audi R8 TC Concept

TC Concepts has come up with an extreme body kit for the Audi R8, turning it into something strange.

The kit is apparently designed to make the car look like an Audi TT RS, which is a cheaper, slower, smaller car. Now why would you want that?! This aggressive front fascia is of course the signature look of Audi’s RS line, but then again, it doesn’t fit somehow on the R8.

Audi updates A1 range

Headlining the updates is a new 2.0-litre diesel engine. Developing 141bhp, it offers a 37bhp power advantage over the only other diesel, the 1.6-litre TDI.

The new engine will get the Audi A1 from 0-62mph in 8.2 seconds and on to a maximum speed of 135mph. Despite the increased performance, claimed fuel economy remains commendably high at 68.9mpg, while CO2 emissions of 108g/km mean the car sits in VED band B (£20 a year car tax).


The 2.0-litre engine is the fifth in the A1 line-up. The most frugal unit is still the 1.6-litre TDI, which returns 74.3mpg (claimed) and is VED exempt, emitting just 99g/km of CO2. At the other end of the scale, the most powerful engine is the 182bhp, 1.4-litre TFSI petrol engine, which returns 47.9mpg and emits 139g/km CO2.


The A1 2.0 TDI starts from £17,495, and is available in Sport, S-line Black and Contrast trim levels.