2012 Audi S8 – of Grilles and Thrills

Luxury cars always seem to maintain their own class and despite the price tag they are never out of demand. However, to keep offering the best of the best, the luxury brand manufacturers keep on experimenting and incorporating performance and power in their luxury line-up. Same can be said about the Audi.

When it comes to luxury, Audi has only a few competitors. Yet, this luxury brand is facing challenges by the likes of BMW and Mercedes, who have found the formula for success in incorporating luxuries in their sporty cars. It seems like Audi has finally risen up to the challenge with their new 2012 Audi S8 by incorporating sports cars in their luxury line up.

Sneak Peak
From the pictures that were secretly and unofficially revealed on the internet, what seems most striking about the new 2012 Audi S8 is its grille. Some would say that Audi surely does need to tone it down a bit before they officially reveal it at Frankfurt, but we say it seems to be the perfect compliment for the rest of the aggressive makeover.

Looking at the pictures of the new S8, it is easy to tell that there are probably a few finishing touches and trimmings remaining. We are quite positive that it will all be done before the final showdown, but one thing is confirmed- we are expecting a sportier Audi next year.

Other aspects we know about the upcoming Audi’s look is a new integrated spoiler, four-outlet exhaust system and its large S wheels that distinctly set it apart from the A8 line up.

Engine Details
Too many speculations were around about the engine in the 2012 Audi S8 unless Audi went official with their announcement. Following the traits of its competitors, Audi also decided to kiss the V10 goodbye. Instead, they decided to go real sporty in terms of specification this time. Coming for sure now is a Bentley-sourced 4.0L twin turbo V8 that will be able to produce up to 520 hp.

No wonder Audi was aspiring to beat the competition, the BMW B7 Alpina and the Mercedes S63 AMG, in terms of power and performance. So, the V8 engine seems like the best choice they could have made. Talking about performance, one thing that really disappointed us in the past few models of the S8 was the torque. Producing 398 ft-lbs, the new V8 engine is said to have taken good care of that problem as well.

Mated with the V8 power will be an eight speed automatic transmission, but the rumors of seven speed double clutch S tronic are also around. In any case, what is needed here is anything that can enhance the performance of the 2012 Audi S8 up to the standards of much sportier brands.

Foreword
Since we haven’t had the chance of getting our hands on the 2012 S8, we cannot present any conclusion but just a foreword for the upcoming Audi S8. The reason why we haven’t talked much about the interior and features is not because nothing has been revealed, but because it’s Audi and we can’t expect anything less than perfection. While the performance of the last few Audis might have been a disappointment, it always did mange to lead the pack in terms of comfort, luxuries and amenities. If the 2012 Audi S8 does manages to deliver the performance that is anticipated, there is no reason why it shouldn’t be the best luxury car of 2012.

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2012 Grand Cherokee SRT8

While most of the auto-manufacturers are harping the same fuel-efficient SUV tune, they are doing nothing but reducing the performance and size of what we used to called the next big thing. No more do the new SUVs carry the same sense of action, adventure and power with them. Yet, those who still want the true essence of an SUV are not settling for anything they would call an SUV, and that is why all eyes are set on the all-new 2012 Grand Cherokee SRT8.

Grand Cherokee is essentially the very first vehicle that has so beautifully combined the roughness of an off-road vehicle with the smoothness of a highway car. If Jeep is the pride of Chrysler, Grand Cherokee is the pride of Jeep. However, one of the major reasons why the 2012 SRT8 is creating such hype already is that it will be the fastest Jeep ever. Essentially, it is not just the power of an off-road jeep we are waiting for; we are waiting for an upgraded performance jeep.

2012 Grand Cherokee SRT8 – A Jeep or an SUV
Taking a keen look at the future SRT8, we have come to a conclusion that this car combines the best of both worlds. It is as wild as a jeep and as tamed as an SUV.

However, cars have never been humble creatures. The more power you give them, the more aggressive they start to look. The same is the case with the 2012 SRT8. What you will see is an upgraded front and rear fascias and an addition of rear lift gate spoiler. This means, Jeep is working on its aerodynamics this time. What adds to the beauty of this Cherokee is a set of four 20 inch alloy-wheels perfectly complementing the overall exterior of this beast.

Really, the Fastest
So we have heard, but of course we cannot put our decisions on what we hear through the grapevine. So, we had to search on. What we found under the hood of the 2012 Cherokee SRT8 is a powerful 6.4L Hemi, and we really though Jeep won’t be able to find a replacement for its previous 6L V8. This is the same engine that debuts with Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger this year. So, the Hemi is mated with an eight-speed automatic tranny, and together they can boast up to 502 horsepower and 55 lb-ft of torque. Now, this is fast enough to make the future SRT8 the fastest jeep.

Is It Just About the Speed
Furthermore, we have heard that Jeep has really worked on the tranny to ensure smoother shifts and quicker acceleration for the car. And if you are curious to know more, let us tell you that this car will solely be an All-Wheel Drive. Moreover, the news of an enhanced suspension is also out. Now that the price hasn’t been decided yet, this time Jeep does claim better fuel-economy than the predecessors of the 2012 Grand Cherokee SRT8.

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Porsche Panamera S Hybrid – And You Think You Can’t Afford A Porsche!

Let’s face it, Porsche is one of those cars only the name of which can make anyone drool. We dream about a Porsche, everyone dreams about a Porsche, but how many of us ever thought that we can afford it? Here is a reality check, even if you do manage to rob a bank to buy a new Porsche, there is possibly no chance that you would be able to afford the fuel and maintenance of this baby.

Mark these words as we tell you that the convention is about to be broken. Porsche has announced their Porsche Panamera S Hybrid, the most affordable Porsche ever. Panemera S Hybrid is expected to hit the market by the mid or end of 2012. So, if you were saving money for an SUV or some other not-so-impressive car, save some more as you can now get a Porsche in your garage-one that you can afford to drive.

Panoramic View of Panamera Hybrid
To be honest, there is hardly any notable difference between the last Panamera and the upcoming Panamera Hybrid. But is it really a disappointment? Porsche, as we know it has never received many complaints and criticism on its design and exterior. So, let’s just say, they didn’t want to take chances with any experimentation on the outside.

To sum it up, let’s just say that it is still low and wide like a typical Porsche. Despite being a hybrid, the Porsche Panamera S maintains its sporty stance. The headlights this time are the Bi-Xenon with LED technology. Also, the Porsche Panamera Hybrid receives a set of new wheels offered in 18″ as standard and 20″ optional.

Porsche Panamera Performance
The catch here is Hybrid. So, everything you will see under the hood works together to offer better fuel economy rather than focusing just on the speed. So the hybrid Porsche gets a V6 engine and an electric motor powered by a nickel hydride battery NiMh. This battery stores the energy recovered from braking and driving.

The V6 in the Porsche Panamera S Hybrid is able to pump up to 333 HP while the motor delivers 34 Kw of power. You can drive this Porsche up to 1.24 miles at a top speed of 53mph before you will be required to switch to gas. Yet, one interesting fact is that you can drive the hybrid Porsche in three different modes; pure gasoline, pure electric or in conjunction with both of these.

The Bottom Line
With a fuel-economy of 39.79 mpg, Porsche Panamera S Hybrid might not be good enough to compete with many leading hybrids around, but given that it’s a Porsche, we can’t yet think of a better one.

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2013 Cadillac XTS – Luxury

As soon as Cadillac announced that they are going to replace Cadillac DTS and STS with a bigger and better 2013 Cadillac XTS, everyone is wondering if GM has really decided to compete with European luxury brands. Sounds like a big step to take right after they have just started to recover from the bankruptcy trauma. GM better come up with something as good as the legendary Eldorado and Rancher.

Before we start giving opinions on that, we must not forget that the good old Cady is one of the oldest luxury brands in America. It has a history of pioneering countless accessories in automobiles and is also the brand behind the all famous V8. Although being a luxury vehicle Cadillac has never been the fastest selling brand, the sales of DTS and STS were slower than ever. The future XTS seems like an attempt to reclaim the throne once again, but is this premium sedan really going to be the saving grace of Cady? Let’s find out.

2013 Cadillac XTS – Facts
Not much is known really! The future Cadillac XTS is expected to go into production by the end of 2011, so not much is reveled or perhaps decided yet. What we do know about the latest XTS is that it will share the platform with another GM luxury vehicle Buick LaCrosse. It will be based on the Epsilon II architecture. However, the car will be using a much larger variation of Epsilon II size.

More of what has been speculated so far is that the future XTS will offer both front-wheel and all-wheel drive power train options. One thing that we can assume pretty much correctly here is that this car will boast a V6 instead of a V8, as the latter is considered not so suitable for the architecture. We are quite sure about the engine, unless Cady once again tries to surprise us with its revolutionary innovations.

2013 Cadillac XTS – Expectations
From the outside, leaked photos have revealed that the future Cadillac car is quite a cross between CTs and La Crosse. However, if Cadillac really wants to compete with the European fleet of luxury vehicles, it better try an edgier and crisper outlook, something that combines sophistication and aggression. We also speculate that Cady will try to claim a better position in the luxury automobile industry by introducing a lot of advanced features and amenities.

Viewing the XTS as a large sized luxury vehicle, we are also expecting a better suspension and bigger breaks. Not to mention, no compromises will be made on handling and drive quality. Lacking in any of these departments will make it unable to match up with its contemporaries.

Verdict
Too early for passing a verdict yet, but from what is known and what has been speculated, we can easily assume that the car will be the new flagship sedan for the new and uprising GM. It will be an affordable yet worthy competitor for luxury brands such as Lexus. So here we are, fingers crossed, waiting for the American hallmark luxury brand to strike again and make an impact with this premium sedan, the 2013 Cadillac XTS.

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2012 Alfa Romeo 4C

Taking a look at the 2012 Alfa Romeo 4C, it seems like one of those concepts which everybody thinks is beautiful but nobody deems as possible or practical. While most of the auto-manufacturers were out there working on tried and tested formulas, somewhere in Europe, Alfa Romeo was busy making the impossible possible – and the beauty was revealed at the 81st Geneva Motor Show.

Although, we are already anticipating a couple of concept cars the coming year, Alfa Romeo 4C tops our list of the ultimate future car worth waiting for. It will be a two-seater, rear wheel drive with a mid-mounted engine.

Not only possible, it’s practical!
2012 Alfa Romeo 4C is a concept car that truly lives up to its ‘compact’ tag. Only measuring 4 meters in length and a wheel base of around 2.4 meters, you won’t have any problem finding the right parking spot for the super sports car.

The body is kept light weight by using carbon-fiber in most places. However, aluminum is also used at places such as the rear frame. This has reduced the weight/power ratio down to 4kg/HP. The idea is to enhance the agility of the car as well as its design.

Manufacturers have put every effort to make the 2012 4C concept a practical super car and that is why this concept is not just going to remain a concept. Alfa Romeo has announced that the car will go into production later this year.

What’s with the 4C
The C in future Alfa Romeo 4C is not from its carbon body, in fact the 4C reflects what inside this sporty supercar concept. Alfa Romeo 4C will have a centrally located 4 cylinder 1750 Direct-injection Turbo Petrol Engine. For those who already are aware of the cars such as GiuliettaQuadrifoglio Verde might be well aware of the astonishing performance of this 3 liter engine.

Alfa Romeo 4C concept also receives the new Alfa TCT twin dry clutch transmission. Together the engine and the tranny will enable the driver to get up to 200hp. The 2012 4C concept will easily reach 0 to 60 in 5 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h.

To improve the handling at higher speeds, the 4C concept is also blessed with a sophisticated suspension system. You can expect high quadrilateral at the front and MacPherson at the rear.

What we are waiting for
While Ferrari and Lamborghini lead the pack of iconic sports cars, the 2012 Alfa Romeo 4C will bring an affordable option that is built up to the true spirit of a super sports car. What sets it apart is the fact that it is truly a concept car, breaking all the conventions of what a practically possible car should look like. So, here we are waiting eagerly for this brilliantly designed light-weight monster.

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2013 Ford Focus Electric

Take some time to think about it and you will realize that it is only because of Ford that automobiles are not just limited to custom vehicles made for the elite class only. Economies of scale has always been one of the major focuses of Ford, and that focus is exactly what made Ford Focus one of the best selling cars in the world.

Keeping their commitment for making cars affordable and economical in the future, Ford announced that it will be launching a whole fleet of five all-electric vehicles-and the 2013 Ford Focus Electric leads the pack by being the first one to be revealed.

What are you looking at
It is not an Aston Martin! First revealed in the 2010 Geneva Auto show, the crowd was really awed by the idea of an all-American fuel free electric car. However, many did complain about the looks that pretty much resemble an Aston Martin. Seriously, we didn’t mind that. We liked the sporty futuristic look of 2013 Focus Electric plus the Aston Martin styled grille. Despite everything, the future Ford Focus Electric does maintain the looks that make it easily identifiable as a Ford.

The electric car gets all the mechanical system replaced with an electronic one. You will get a newer version of MyFord Touch Driver connect technology to connect your smart car with your smartphone. The car will also feature a split rear bench seat and voice activated navigation system.

An Inside Look at 2013 Ford Focus Electric
As we have mentioned before, the future Focus is an all-electric vehicle. Its powertrain will be connected to a single-speed transmission. Keeping in mind the success of the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf, both all-electric vehicles, Ford is definitely facing pressure to outperform both the cars with their first all-electric car.

Ford claims that the car will deliver double the mileage of Nissan Leaf while taking half the charging time of the Volt. The liquid cooled lithium battery packs will be able to produce 124 hp of power and 186 pound-feet of torque. Ford also claims that the future electric car will have a top speed of 84 mph. This battery will serve the engine for up to 100 miles.

The Future 2013 Ford Focus Electric
Many times in past, we have seen how Ford picks up an emerging concept and changes the course of automobile future around the globe. This time with its electric car, we are quite positive that Ford will play a major role in making the efficiency of all-electric recognized and utilized all over the world. So, clearly there are a lot of expectations attached to the car, but will it make it or break it? Only time will tell.

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2013 Chevrolet Cruze

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze was a hit in the world market, especially the diesel powered edition. The car was however sold with both petrol and diesel powered engines, except for North America where the diesel edition was not released.

General Motors have already informed the public on the progress of its successor, the Cruze 2013. The 2013 Chevrolet Cruze will also be available in North America with a diesel engine unlike its 2011 predecessor. Production is said to begin sometime in 2012, but prototype engines have been developed for safety and performance testing.

GM engineering sources have although confirmed that the Cruze engine is under development, both diesel and petrol engines. Although the Diesel engine is getting a lot of positive feedback nothing has been clearly said or reviewed about the petrol edition. Since the petrol edition disappointed in 2011, GM has encouraged development of the diesel powered model.

With a 2.0 diesel base engine, the 4 cylinder Chevy Cruze is looking like a good prospect. GM have also emphasized on the button ignition technology which will be a salient feature of the 2013 Cruze. The future Cruze would boasts 147 horsepower @ 4000 rpm with 6 speed automatic transmission. This means there are going to be some radical changes to the engine and the aerodynamics of the upcoming Cruze in terms of engine technology, speed, design and size.

The current Cruze lacks on its torque rating, while expectations for the 2013 Cruze are significantly high since it will have a 235 lb-ft torque @ 2000 rpm. The present Cruze certainly disappointed users on its torque and horsepower capabilities.

Power output and fuel economy figures are unclear at this time for the 2013 Chevy Cruze. However, GM has implemented prototypes of the Cruze 2013 diesel in Detroit for field testing. Mileage for the 2013 Cruze was determined by comparing it to the Australian version of the 2011 Cruze sold under the Holden brand. The Holden Cruze has a mileage of 34 mpg, and more or less the same is being anticipated for the future Chevrolet Cruze but there is still doubt if GM will install the same 2.0- liter engine in the 2013 model.

The future Cruze is also being engineered for better safety with new aesthetics added to the tire technology, braking, interior safety and pedestrian safety. There is the standard 4 wheel ABS, plus innovative features like 3 different types of front & rear airbag safety, child seat anchors, child safety locks, dusk sensing headlights, passenger airbag occupant sensing deactivation, stability & traction control and a post-collision safety system plus many more.

The future Chevrolet Cruze also comes with a technological add in for phones and telecommunication services. The in car entertainment includes the standard satellite radio, 6 speakers and CD/DVD/MP3 player. The interior is fully auto-powered and provides excellent safety & comfort.

This highly awaited car will be a definite hit if GM can improve on the lacking features of the 2011 Cruze.

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