2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder: Rear-Drive Gallardo Bows in L.A.

Next up in the never-ending proliferation of Lamborghini’s Gallardo lineup is the LP550-2 Spyder. (In just the past year, Lambo has introduced the Super Trofeo Stradale, the Spyder Performante, the rear-drive LP550-2, and the Bicolore and Tricolore.) The first rear-drive convertible from Lamborghini since the 1998 Diablo SV roadster, the LP550-2 Spyder is a rear-drive version of the LP560-4 ragtop for a bit less money: $211,995 (plus yet-undetermined gas-guzzler tax) versus $232,095.The one-year-only LP550-2 Valentino Balboni coupe started this rear-drive-Gallardo business. Then, Lamborghini...

Read more »

Volkswagen eT! Concept Theorizes a New Way to Haul the Mail

Unless you lived in Germany in the 1960s or ’70s—where it was omnipresent—or happened to read our coverage of this year’s Concours d’LeMons, chances are you’ve never seen an example of the Volkswagen “Fridolin.” The small commercial vanlet, which was based on the original VW Beetle, was developed with and for the Deutsche Bundespost, the formerly government-run postal service. The Type 147 (its official designation; Fridolin was its colloquial name) was practical, cheap, and virtually indestructible. It was produced from 1964 until 1974, but soldiered on for a few more years until it was replaced...

Read more »

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG: 415 HP, 5.5-Liter V-8, Glorious Soundtrack

Bless Mercedes-Benz. Bless that company a thousand times. The house that Gottlieb, Karl, and Wilhelm built may not be good at everything, but at the end of the day, it gets one important thing right: If you are going to build a high-performance car for public sale, then said car must sound bitchin'. Meet the 2012 SLK55 AMG. It sounds excessively bitchin'. Actually, that descriptor might be too modest—this is a machine loud and raucous enough to wake the undersea dead. The naturally aspirated, 5.5-liter, 415-hp V-8 under the SLK's hood is the kind of powerplant that gives Detroit nightmares:...

Read more »

2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco Priced from $25,995, Slightly Undercuts Hybrid Competitors

November 22, 2011 at 4:49pm by Alexander Stoklosa Chevrolet has announced that the 2013 Malibu Eco will start at $25,995—higher than most non-hybrid mid-size sedans, but lower than mid-size hybrid players such as the Ford Fusion and Toyota Camry. The Eco model will spearhead the new global 2013 Chevrolet Malibu’s launch in the U.S. in early 2012—the presumably cheaper gas-only model, powered by a new 2.5-liter four-cylinder, will arrive later.The Eco’s middle-of-the-road pricing makes sense: it’s a mild hybrid system—essentially the same as Buick’s eAssist—but unlike Toyota’s hybrid system, the...

Read more »

2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Black Series Driven: The Terrible Teuton Triumphant

AMG’s Tobias Moers is one wicked mother, and his cars aren’t far behind. Moers is head of vehicle development for AMG. A classic German performance engineer—stern, compact build—he likes his machinery loud and sideways. Shortly after driving the new C63 AMG Black Series at its Laguna Seca press launch—nine hot laps only, and street driving verboten—your author walked up to Moers and asked him his official title. He stared back blankly, as if I had just told him my name was Big Bird. “I’ve had different titles,” Moers said, arms crossed. “Frankenstein was one of them.” No smile.Witness the monster...

Read more »

Jeep Rules Out Diesel and SRT for Everything But Grand Cherokee, Nixes Hybrids Entirely

November 22, 2011 at 3:33pm by Justin Berkowitz Diesel enthusiasts sprayed each other with crude oil in celebration last month when the CEO of Chrysler and Fiat, Sergio Marchionne, announced that the Grand Cherokee would offer a diesel engine in the U.S. by 2013. That excitement has reached its limits, however, as Jeep boss Mike Manley told us that no other U.S.-market Jeeps will be available with diesel power in the foreseeable future.And at the other end of the efficiency/performance continuum, Manley said that the Grand Cherokee will continue to be the only Jeep product available...

Read more »

2012 Audi A1 Sportback: Audi’s Smallest Grows Up

Watch the Audi A1. Initially slow sales have prompted many a sarcastic remark by the press and competition, but the Polo-derived subcompact is gaining momentum. While the most interesting versions—including an S1—are still some time away, the lineup is expanding with a derivative that will sell in much higher volumes than those mentioned above. Add two doors and the A1 becomes the A1 Sportback. Unlike the other Audi Sportbacks, A5 and A7, the elongated A1 looks almost exactly like the car on which it’s based.That’s not to say it doesn’t look fresh. The rear window stands a bit more upright than...

Read more »

Lexus Introduces 2013 GS250 for U.K., Won’t Bring to U.S.

November 21, 2011 at 3:25pm by Alexander Stoklosa Lexus recently unveiled the 2013 GS sedan range, which here in the U.S. will include the GS350, GS350 F Sport, and GS450h hybrid. There’s now a fourth member of the GS lineup, the 250, that will go on sale in the U.K. Packing less displacement than other GS models, the 250 comes equipped similarly to the range-topping 450h.The GS250 is powered by the 206-hp, 2.5-liter V-6 engine that also can be found under the hood of the U.S.-market IS250, where it makes 204 hp. The small V-6 is backed by the same six-speed automatic as is used in our GS350....

Read more »

2013 Porsche Panamera GTS Announced: Like a Panamera Turbo Without the Turbo

PATRICK M. HOEY AND THE MANUFACTURER People who need to apex at max g while taking the kids to school will have another option next spring when Porsche brings forth the 2013 Panamera GTS. Basically a sportier version of the current Panamera 4S, the $110,875 GTS will be the third most expensive derivative of Porsche’s sedan, after the $137,675 Turbo and $174,175 Turbo S.Introduced at the Los Angeles auto show, the naturally aspirated GTS pulls its suspension and brake components from the Turbo—including the blown car’s larger front rotors—while its free-breathing 4.8-liter V-8 gets a revised...

Read more »

991 Variants, the Beginning: 2012 Porsche 911 Cabriolet

The first volleys of what will soon become a crushing salvo have landed. Following the introduction of the 2012 911 at the Frankfurt auto show, Porsche is starting the rollout of the full 991 family with the Carrera and Carrera S Cabriolets.Aside from the retractable fabric top, the cabriolet differs little from the 911 coupe. When raised, the softtop even mimics the hardtop’s roofline better than past 911 cabrios. To cut down on wind noise and help the cloth top maintain its shape, Porsche fitted a hard composite panel between the layers of cloth above the front seats. The new softtop may be...

Read more »