The 2012 Hyundai Accent broke cover at the New York Auto Show on Tuesday, but Hyundai has previewed the car before, at both the Montreal and Toronto Auto Shows, with little fanfare or media coverage.

The previous Accent was the kind of car that you bought out of necessity rather than desire, but the newest subcompact Hyundai looks like it will find homes among many, thanks to handsome styling and 40 mpg capability without any special order option packages. Motivation comes from a direct-injection 138-hp 1.6-liter 4-cylinder that makes 123 ft-lbs of torque while returning 30 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmission will be offered, and automatic transmission models will feature a driver selectable Eco mode that is said to improve “real-world” fuel economy by as much as 7 percent.

Despite its diminutive exterior, Hyundai claims that interior space is so large that the car is classified as a compact. Items like stability control, ABS, and power steering are standard, while Bluetooth connectivity, an iPod connector and 16″ allow wheels are optional. The Accent will start at around $12,000 for a base model, bringing an end to the days where an Accent could be had brand new for under $10,000.

Gallery: 2012 Hyundai Accent

Mercedes-Benz today unveiled a new flagship model for its C-Class line of cars, announcing the C63 AMG Coupe at the New York Auto Show. Joining the C-Class, C-Class Coupe and C63 AMG Sedan it is powered by the same 6.2-liter V8 from the sedan, making 451-hp and a serious 443 lb-ft of torque and can hit 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds.

But if you’ve got an AMG-type personality, then the AMG Performance package is the way to go with a modified engine that delivers 481-hp. Other upgrades include even more capable AMG brakes (painted red), a carbon fiber trunk lid spoiler, and an AMG steering wheel coated in Alcantara. AMG Performance Package equipped models shave a tenth of a second off to 60 mph, and raise the top speed from 155-mph to 174.

All models get a wider track with a more aggressive aero package, an upgraded suspension package, more direct steering, plus big 18-inch alloy wheels coated in 235/40/18 tires up front and 255/35/18 tires in the rear.

Keeping those tires gripped to the road should be a challenge, and making smokey burnouts all the more easy to achieve is a three-stage Electronic Stability Program that can be shut completely off.

For all the New York Auto Show news, see our coverage page here.

GALLERY: Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe

Check out AutoGuide’s ‘First Look’ video of the C63 AMG Coupe from New York after the jump:

Continue Reading…

It wouldn’t be an American auto show without a new special edition Jeep model. Eclipsed in its debut by the new 2012 Grand Cherokee SRT8 today at the New York Auto Show, the Wrangler Mojave is one of the few custom Jeeps worthy of serious mention.

It’s hard not to love the sand-colored paint, inspired by the very desert itself. Based on the Sport model it gets a color-matched top as well as painted fender flares. Other additions include Sahara sidesteps and the real eye-catcher is the oversized Rubicon wheel and tire package.

Inside, the customization continues with dark saddle leather and an embossed lizard on the seats.

Get more news on all the New York Auto Show debuts here.

GALLERY: Jeep Wrangler Mojave

There used to be a time when an “R” badge on a Volvo meant it was very special, a time when a former Formula-One racing team by the name TWR, tweaked a humble Volvo sedan and wagon into an autobahn missile.

More recently though, Volvo had ditched the idea of a true performance model and instead decided to turn its “R” division from racing to just cosmetics.

Now it seems Volvo is about to once again inject a bit more racing into its R-design products. For 2012, you’ll be able to order your S60 sedan or XC60 SUV with an R-Design package, and it will offer more than just a new pair of shiny rims and ground effects body work. No, this R-design package will come with some extra punch. Volvo has tweaked its T6 motor to now produce 325-hp and 354 lb-ft of torque. That is an improvement of 9% over the standard model. That might not sound like much, but any improvement in performance is always a welcome one.

With the added performance comes some added exterior styling thanks to ground effects, a new exhaust and a rear spoiler. Unique R-Design exclusive five-spoke 18-inch diamond cut wheels also set it apart from the regular version.

The interior also gets a boost of style with sports seats, a sport steering wheel, sport shift knob, sport pedals and some blue dials which first showed up on the last generation S60 R.

The S60 R-Design will have a starting price of $42,275 and the XC60 R-Design will start at $43,150. So if you’ve been waiting for a sporty Volvo, these might just do the trick.

Calling it, “the most powerful and technologically advanced Jeep ever,” Jeep brand CEO Mike Manley today unveiled the new 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 at the New York Auto Show. And he isn’t kidding.

Transforming the capable off-roader to a serious street machine, the team at SRT revamped the entire package to deliver sports car statistics. Impressive numbers include a 0-60 mph time of 4.8 seconds and a quarter mile time in the mid 13 second range. And it’s not just a straight-line monster either, with a 0.9 G rating on the skidpad and a 60-0 braking distance of just 116 feet.

To achieve all that performance Jeep completely reworked the Grand Cherokee with a new 465-hp 6.4-liter V8, that makes an equally incredible 465 lb-ft of torque. Its been fitted under the hood of the GC chassis that’s been dropped one inch on new 20-inch wheels and features an adaptive suspension as well as the Quadra-trac AWD setup that can deliver up to 100 percent of the power to one rear wheel.

Adding plenty of style is an aggressive aero package, LED running lights, a sculpted hood with air vents. And inside there’s a custom interior with leather and Alcantara seats, a flat-bottom steering wheel and real carbon fiber trim.

Get more details on the new Jeep street machine here.

GALLERY: Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

See AutoGuide’s ‘First Look’ video from New York after the jump:

Continue Reading…

The 2013 Ford Taurus was a bit of a surprise for car fans, since the mid-cycle upgrade came early for the barely 3 year old car. Unveiled at the 2011 New York Auto Show, the new Taurus features a host of fairly substantial mechanical upgrades.

First on the list is a 2.0L Ecoboost 4-cylinder engine option, good for 237 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque. While performance is expected to be adequate, the real news is a 31 mpg highway rating, which Ford boldly boasted as being better than an Audi A6. Hardly anyone will cross-shop an Audi and a Taurus, but the big Ford should handle better with the addition of a torque-vectoring system, which acts like an ersatz-limited slip differential, using the brakes to control excessive front wheelspin.

MyFordTouch and SYNC, two in car entertainment systems that are likely too advanced for the 60-plus set that buys the car, will also be available. We expect that the 31 mpg rating will be the biggest selling point for Ford’s biggest sedan, with the fact that the Ecoboost is missing two cylinders also downplayed so as not to scare off buyers worried about sluggish performance.

Gallery: 2013 Ford Taurus

The RC in Nissan Leaf NISMO RC stands for “Race Competition.” It is not a RadioShack product. And the electric Leaf has been fettled by Nissan’s motorsport division NISMO to do battle on the track.

Doing battle against…we don’t know yet. The Leaf RC is an engineer’s lab experiment, a “rolling laboratory” for the mainstream development of electric vehicle technology, and a way to determine whether electric vehicles can splash in the same currents as gasoline vehicles in the world of motorsports. Nissan is examining the idea of a spec race series for the Leaf RC, and will be gauging reactions at motorsports events around the world.

On top of the regular Leaf, the RC gets a carbon-fiber chassis that shaves 40 percent off the stock weight, for a total of 2,068lbs. The dramatic coupe styling gets lengthened by 0.8 inches and widened by 6.7 inches, while being over a foot shorter. The electric motor produces 107 horsepower and an Earth-twisting 207 lb-ft of torque, with 80kw.

The result? A 0-60 time of 6.9 seconds. Nissan claims that the RC can be recharged up to 80% in just 30 minutes, and can run for 20 minutes at a time. It’s not a 30-second NASCAR pitstop, but the RCshows the Leaf’s potential to be more than a quiet commuter pod.

GALLERY: Nissan Leaf NISMO RC

Debuting the car at the New York Auto Show today, Mazda has just confirmed that the 2012 Mazda3 will match the Hyundai Elantra as the most fuel efficient compact car on the market with a 40-mpg highway rating.

The first vehicle to make use of the brand’s new SkyActiv fuel saving technologies, the 3 will be powered by a direct-injection 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. Engine power numbers have yet to be released.

“SKYACTIV is not just an engine; it is the next generation of advanced
vehicle performance and efficiency,” said Jim O’Sullivan, President and
CEO, Mazda North American Operations.  “SKYACTIV embodies Mazda’s
philosophy of engineering only vehicles that are fun to drive, satisfying
to own and environmentally responsible; and there is no better vehicle to start with than the Mazda3, one of the most exciting sport compact cars on
the road.”

See AutoGuide’s complete 2011 NY Auto Show coverage here.

The 2012 Honda Civic is a crucial product for Honda. As the competition gets better and better, Honda will have to fight to retain customers in the compact car segment, an area where they were the undisputed champions for decades. But with the new Chevrolet Cruze, Hyundai Elantra and Ford Focus nipping at its heels, Honda has been forced to double down its efforts and ensure that the Civic is a winner.

The lineups bread and butter will be the standard coupe and sedan models, which look visually similar to the outgoing car, but pack some interesting improvements beneath the skin. A new 1.8L four-cylinder with 140 horsepower will be the standard engine, with a 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmission on offer.

Fuel economy will be close to class leaders, with as much as 39 mpg available during the highway cycle. Buyers looking for even more miserly fuel consumption will have to step up to the HF model, which is available only with a 5-speed automatic transmission. The HF will get a unique spoiler, 15” wheels and underbody enhancements to help it achieve 41 mpg on the highway, 1 mpg higher than the Ford Focus or Hyundai Elantra.

Inside, features like a premium audio system, XM radio and a navigation system will be available. Honda expects the new Civic to get a 5-star crash test rating, in line with other cars in the segment, and while the car hasn’t been tested yet, we see no reason to doubt this. You can read our review of the 2012 Civic here and check out our New York Auto Show coverage for live photos of the car’s reveal.

Discuss the new 2012 Civic with the 9thGenCivic community.

Read AutoGuide’s 2012 Honda Civic Review here.

GALLERY: Honda Civic Sedan

GALLERY: Honda Civic Coupe

Discuss the 9th generation Civic at 9thGenCivic.com

Honda‘s Civic Si sports coupe is back for 2012, and while it may not have gained much in the horsepower stakes, the car’s one great performance shortcoming – a lack of torque – has been remedied with a new 2.4L engine that makes 31 more lb-ft of torque than the outgoing 2.0L motor.

The Civic Si now displaces 201 horsepower (a gain of 4 ponies) and 170 lb-ft of torque. Peak power is a lofty 7000 rpm, like any self-respecting Honda engine should produce, but peak torque comes at 4300 rpm, making it much more accessible in everyday situations. Returning are a 6-speed manual transmission and a mechanical limited slip differential, a combo beloved by everyone who drove the Civic Si around a racetrack.

ABS and stability control will be standard, as well a 360-watt sound system for bumping bass-heavy tunes. An XM sattelite receiver, iPod interface and Bluetooth capability will be standard as well – let’s face it, for many buyers, this aspect matters just as much as a limited-slip diff, and Honda is well aware of it. Those tech goodies come all wrapped up in a nifty new i-MID telematics system with a 5-inch screen in the dash and easy to use 5-way controller on the steering wheel. A navigation system with a 6.5″ display is optional.

The Civic Si will be available in both sedan and coupe body styles when it goes on sale priced from $22,205 for the Coupe and $22,405 for the sedan.

Unveiled today at the New York Auto Show, see live photos from the reveal here.

Read AutoGuide’s 2012 Honda Civic Si reveiw here.

GALLERY: 2012 Honda Civic Si

Discuss the 9th generation Civic Si at 9thGenCivic.com