2013 Honda Fit EV: Production Model Debuts in L.A.

Introduced at the Los Angeles auto show, the Honda Fit EV joins the Scion iQ, Fiat 500, and Chevy Spark in the tiny-cars-that-have-been-converted-to-run-on-batteries brigade. But the Fit EV's rollout, set to begin next summer, will be small and contained: Honda expects to produce and distribute only about 1100 of the cars over the next three years, first in California and Oregon, and then in six to-be-announced East Coast markets.

The production model shown at the Los Angeles auto show is, as expected, very similar to the concept that debuted one year ago at the same show. Contrary to our predictions, the glowing charge port remains, as do EV-specific decals, although the latter's size and garishness have been reduced. The aerodynamic rear spoiler and unique rocker panels remain as well, while the front fascia has been modified slightly to incorporate a chrome smiley face and less-obvious cooling apertures. The car will be offered only in the color seen here: Reflection Blue Pearl.

I Can See Clarity Now

The Fit EV is powered by a 123-hp electric motor that's based on the one in Honda's FCX Clarity fuel-cell electric sedan, and is fed juice by a 20-kWh lithium-ion battery. Honda claims the onboard 6.6-kW, 32-amp charger can top off the pack in less than three hours on 240-volt power. That's slightly better than the claimed time for Ford's Focus Electric, which should need a little longer to charge its slightly higher-capacity battery. (Both should beat the Nissan Leaf's charge times.) Honda projects a 123-mile city range and a combined-driving total of 76 miles on a full charge.

Like Honda's hybrids, the Fit EV will have three driving modes-Normal, Sport, and Econ-that govern the behavior of the accelerator pedal and other systems. A full telematics suite (not unlike the one Nissan packages with the Leaf) will allow monitoring of the vehicle's state of charge, charge scheduling, and climate-control pre-conditioning via smartphone or computer. Honda also will include a remote control that can display charge and climate-control status, initiate and terminate charging, and switch on the A/C. It only works within a 100-foot range of the vehicle, though, so its usefulness will mostly be limited to saving the driver trips out to the garage when the car is parked at home.

While most changes to the interior are minimal-bio-fabrics used on the seats, colored gauge illumination to match the driving mode-stuffing the batteries under the floor necessitated a couple of big changes. The Fit's trick flat-folding rear seat is gone; now the back cushion folds, but the bottom is fixed. And the floor is two to three inches higher in the EV than in conventional Fits, which raises the H-point—how high off the ground the driver's hips are—and reduces headroom. Luckily, the Fit is well-endowed in that measure.

Leash for Lease

The decrease in headroom might keep some tree-like EV aficionados from getting comfortable inside, but Honda shouldn't have too much trouble finding 1100 right-size persons to take the Fit EV up on its offer of electric mobility. The company plans to lease the vehicle in limited markets at a cost of $399 a month for 36 months. Curiously, Honda also quotes an MSRP of $36,625 (before destination), even though it only plans to lease its new electric car.

As several other automakers have done or are planning to do, Honda will use the EV program to study how consumers use electric cars. Honda calls the slightly less practical, slightly less roomy Fit a commuter electric vehicle; our experience with the similarly sized Nissan Leaf confirmed around-town use as the EV's strong suit, and we expect the same to be true of Honda's competitor.

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2012 Jaguar XKR-S Convertible Debuts: Just 25 Will Come to the U.S.

With its 550-hp supercharged V-8, snarling exhaust note, and no-ordinary-housecat body mods, the 2012 Jaguar XKR-S coupe is a serious performance machine. But for every coupe fan, there is another person—often the coupe fan’s spouse—that would prefer a droptop. Allow us to present the 2012 Jaguar XKR-S convertible.

While Jaguar waited until a week before the L.A. auto show to acknowledge the XKR-S convertible’s existence, this is a car we all saw coming—literally, thanks to spy photos of the superfast ragtop we published back in June. Equally unsurprising is the suite of performance enhancements that turn the XKR convertible into an XKR-S, since most of them are found on the XKR-S coupe.

The Least Beautiful Jaguar in Years

Like the XKR-S coupe, there is nothing subtle about the XKR-S convertible’s aesthetics, although there’s not much beauty in them either, especially without the coupe’s flowing roofline. The elegant face of the standard XK becomes purposeful and aero-optimized, with slits and holes all over the hood; a low, carbon-fiber chin spoiler; and large gashes on each side of the fascia designed to control airflow around the vehicle sides. Rocker-panel extensions and lightweight, 20-inch wheels beef up the XKR-S’s profile, while the rear end gets a stand-up rear spoiler with a carbon-fiber inlay and a bumper contoured with a de rigueur diffuser. Four fat exhaust tips handle the engine’s exhalations. Jaguar claims that the alterations reduce overall lift by 26 percent, which a driver is certain to appreciate when traveling anywhere near the XKR-S’s 186-mph top speed.

The XKR-S convertible also rides 0.4 inch lower, and chassis revisions include a new steering knuckle that increases camber stiffness by 23 percent. Spring rates front and rear have been increased by 28 percent, and the programming for the electronic active dampers is unique to this car. Finally, the brakes are upsized to 15 inches up front and 14 at the back.

Jaguar’s Quickest Convertible Ever

The XKR-S convertible’s most noteworthy feature is its supercharged, direct-injected 5.0-liter V-8 churning out 550 hp and 502 lb-ft of torque, up 40 ponies and 41 lb-ft of torque from the already prodigious XKR. A six-speed automatic is the only transmission offered (as with all XKs), and an electronically controlled rear differential is also part of the package. As with the other XK droptops, the motorized top mechanisms and added structure should push this car’s weight up to the tune of about 100 pounds. Nonetheless, Jaguar claims the XKR-S convertible can rocket from 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds, with 100 mph arriving in just 8.7 (Jag estimates the same numbers for the coupe). We may be able to knock a few tenths from those estimates, though, since we piloted an XKR coupe to 60 mph in four seconds flat.

That said, we don’t think too many XKR-S convertible drivers will be splitting such hairs, especially with the engine’s glorious exhaust note direct-dialing their ears with the top down. Both XKR-S models feature unique “carbon-leather” performance seats with 16-way adjustability, integrated headrests, cutouts for racing harnesses, and increased side bolstering. Dark-finished aluminum trim is standard, while piano black is optional.

The 2012 XKR-S convertible is not only Jaguar’s quickest convertible ever, but with a price of $138,850, it’s also the most expensive. But just 25 of them will be sent to the U.S. next year, likely ensuring a high collector value. (Incidentally, the 2012 XKR-S coupe is sold out). Will it drive with the same spectacular acuity as the coupe? We intend to find out very soon.

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Giddy-Update: 2013 Ford Mustang Debuts at L.A. Auto Show

PATRICK M. HOEY AND THE MANUFACTURER

A new volume knob on the radio represents big news to Mustang loyalists, and so we are preparing for a virtual meltdown in the online Mustang community. Ford is debuting the 2013 model at the Los Angeles auto show this week before the car hits dealerships in early 2012, and it has undergone some significant changes.

Most important for aesthetes, the Mustang gets a nose job. There's a more-prominent grille, an aggressive front splitter, new headlights with outboard LED light pipes, and a new hood with functional heat extractors. The rocker panels are now body color, and out back, the signature sequential taillamps also are ringed in LED light "ropes," with the lenses themselves tinted. A gloss-black panel spans the width of the rear and encircles both taillights. Also look for new wheel designs in 17-, 18-, and 19-inch sizes, including mean-looking gloss-black 19s only available on the GT. Two new paint colors join the lineup for 2013: Deep Impact Blue and Gotta Have It Green, and those with the itch for kitsch will be thrilled with the inclusion of "pony projection lights" that cast the Mustang logo on the ground below the mirrors when the doors are unlocked.

Proper Priorities: Recaros and Track Apps, but No MyFord Touch

Inside, the Recaro front seats currently found inside the GT500 and the Boss 302 are available on the rest of the lineup, too, with either cloth or leather upholstery. Thankfully-and unlike most recently refreshed Ford products-the Mustang does not adopt Ford's maligned MyFord Touch controls. Its infotainment system does incorporate a version of Ford's Sync system, however, which is operated via steering-wheel controls and spoken commands. Two new sound-system upgrades also are available for 2013.

Even bigger news is the addition of a new Track Apps option for versions of the V-6, GT, and Boss 302 that are equipped with the Premium package. Like the Performance pages offered on Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep SRT8s but with richer presentation, Track Apps shows various performance data on a digital display tucked in the IP. Specific screens present acceleration times, lateral-acceleration information, and braking performance.

And of Course, More Power

Ford claims that lessons learned during the development of the Boss 302 allowed engineers to squeeze a few more ponies out of the GT's 5.0-liter V-8. The new total: 420, up from 412. Buyers who option their Mustangs with automatic transmissions can now shift gears manually, but we don't know why they would. Shifts are actuated with a button on the shifter, rather than by slapping the shifter around or pulling on paddles behind the steering wheel. In manual mode, the automatic won't upshift at redline, but we hardly care, given that the manumatic function as a whole seems utterly unsatisfying.

Mustang GT customers have the option of a new Track package. Available on manual GTs with the 3.73:1 rear axle, it includes an oil cooler, the upgraded radiator from the Boss 302, high-performance brake pads, and the same Torsen rear differential as is available on the Boss. It also includes the contents of the current model's Brembo Brake package that brings 14-inch front rotors, 19-inch wheels, and summer tires. (The Brembo package is available as a standalone option on 2013 GTs as well.)

The current generation is perhaps the best Mustang ever. (We voted it to our 10Best list for 2011.) While we wouldn't get too geeked over tweaked radio controls, Ford's updates for 2013 should only strengthen what is already its best car.

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160-hp 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth Debuts at L.A. Auto Show

Just one year ago at the Los Angeles auto show, Fiat announced its official reentry into our country with the debut of the U.S.-spec 500. Since then, the brand has added the pseudo convertible 500C, but sales of all Cinquecentos have failed to impress. You might say they could use a little boost, so what better time to introduce a hotter turbocharged variant to our shores? Conveniently, Fiat is pulling the wraps off the U.S.-spec 500 Abarth at this week's Los Angeles auto show. It will go on sale in March.

For those not familiar with the current-gen 500 Abarth, it’s not new. First introduced to Europe in 2008, the 500 Abarth is an absolute hoot to drive. European Abarths have 133 hp in basic tune or 170 in the Esseesse version—say “SS” as an Italian would; it stands for “supersport.” Here, though, we get a turbocharged version of the regular 500’s wimpy 101-hp, 1.4-liter MultiAir four-cylinder that will make about 160 hp. (The Abarths currently available in Europe don’t have MultiAir variable valve-lift; to read more about the technology, click here.) Torque is a healthy 170 lb-ft starting at 2500 rpm. Unfortunately, Fiat is sticking with a five-speed manual transmission—beefed-up for service in the Abarth—rather than fitting a six-cog unit. Sure, we understand the concept of cost control, but a little shrimp of a car with a small engine (think less sound deadening plus engine noise) might want a sixth gear for highway cruising.

The Rest of the Racing Kit

In Europe, Abarth is considered a separate brand—one with substantial racing heritage. The 500 Abarth benefits from this connection with a suspension that has been substantially revised from the normal car's. New front springs are 40 percent stiffer than the regular 500’s, while the rears are 20 percent stiffer. Koni shocks go up front, the car sits 0.6 inch lower than a normal 500, and there's more negative camber now. The Abarth’s steering is quicker, and the front brakes grow an inch in diameter to 11.1 inches. The standard wheels are 16s, and 17s are an option.

To complement the fiercer hardware, the cutie-pie face of the 500 gets more aggressive. The Abarth’s front fascia has a larger intake opening, accented by a subtle chin spoiler. There are new rocker extensions and the rear bumper hosts a diffuser with dual exhaust pipes. Other unique exterior items include a roof-mounted spoiler, red brake calipers and mirror caps, and Abarth’s signature scorpion logos and decals. Inside the 500 Abarth, you'll find a very serious little place. There's a flat-bottomed leather-wrapped steering wheel, a boost gauge, and bolstered seats with integrated headrests. Cloth is standard in either black or a black/red combo; leather is available in the same schemes.

Overall, Fiat promises that the 500 Abarth stays true to the Continental version, saying that, “every piece of hardware and every mile of development tuning has been thoroughly examined to ensure the European model’s DNA is delivered to North American driving enthusiasts.” We know a lot of changes were required, both to fit the U.S customers and to fit our regulations, so we hope this statement is more than just an empty promise. We'll find out for sure when we drive the U.S.-spec Abarth in the coming months.

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It Only Took 12 Years: 2013 Ford Escape Debuts at L.A. Auto Show

Remember this day, because this is when we at Car and Driver admit that we were anticipating a small crossover. Ever since we saw the Vertrek concept, which Ford showed in Detroit last year to preview the new Escape, we’ve genuinely been looking forward to the production vehicle. Why else would we have posted three separate sets of spy photos ? The Vertrek was a stunner, and it looked awfully showroom-ready. At the 2011 Los Angeles auto show, we finally get to see just how close it was to reality—and we’re a little bummed that it wasn’t closer.

Lots o’ Four-Cylinders, Couple o’ Turbos

The Vertrek was a very faithful predictor of the Escape in terms of one of the latter’s three available engines. In addition to the 1.6-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder it shares with the concept (173 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque in production trim), the Escape will offer a 2.0-liter EcoBoost four with 237 hp and 250 lb-ft. The base engine will be Ford’s old 2.5-liter inline-four, which also served as the base engine in the outgoing Escape and can’t be accused of ever thrilling anyone. Its 168 hp and 167 lb-ft only barely trail the 1.6’s, but don’t consider the certain turbo upcharge money for nothing. The smaller motor will no doubt boast a much higher level of refinement and have higher fuel-economy ratings—which might even be possible in the real world if you stay out of the boost. As we previously reported, the hybrid and V-6 Escapes are dead, because EcoBoost can do it all. (Pancakes, anyone? It’s got a fresh batch coming up!)

All engines will be mated to a six-speed automatic—the only option now that the five-speed manual is no longer offered on the base Escape. While the same basic automatic gearbox was used in last year’s Escape, it has a revised ratio spread for 2013, as well as a new torque converter said to provide smoother shifts. There’s now a rocker switch on the side of the shifter with which the driver (or sneaky passengers) can order manual shifts, but we refuse to consider this any sort of sporty manumatic function. It’s more of a way to limit upshifts when towing—properly equipped, the Escape is rated to pull up to 3500 pounds, a figure others in the compact-ute class refuse to surpass.

Ford says that the new engine lineup will contribute to increases of as much as 5 mpg over the EPA fuel-economy ratings of the outgoing Escape, but projections of the EPA’s projections are not yet available. With the inline-four, the old car was good for a best of 21 mpg in the city and 28 on the highway with the automatic, and it slugged gas at a rate of 18/23 mpg with the 3.0-liter V-6 and all-wheel drive. Ford says it has improved the aerodynamics of the Escape by nearly 10 percent, and active grille shutters that close to reduce drag at higher cruising speeds are standard with the 1.6 and 2.5. As is front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is available and includes what Ford claims is torque vectoring but is really just a function of stability control. But now that stability control is essentially required on all new vehicles sold in the U.S., it’s become useless in advertising.

Not Available: High-Speed Noodle Cannon, Bowing Lessons

The Escape should have plenty of horns to toot in advertising regardless. Ford boasts that its new compact ute has “eleven features no other small SUV offers.” Sadly, none of the eleven is a noodle cannon that fires raw pasta from the barrel at such a speed that it heats up and cooks itself instantly in the moisture of the air. The features the Escape does include, however, might be more useful in some situations—like loading that pasta and the rest of your groceries into your miniature truck. Like the Grand C-Max Ford sells in Europe, 2013 Escapes equipped with keyless entry and start get a hands-free power hatch that automatically opens when the driver waves a foot under the rear bumper. We first encountered this feature on the European Volkswagen Passat, and we’ll put our Next Big Thing money on it now.

Not all of the other 10 features are worth individual mention—two are Sync and MyFord Touch—but Active Park Assist is. Ford is the leading wizard in the self-parking arena, and while everybody who can drive a car should also be able to park one, it takes an outstanding parallel parker to best this system as fitted in the Focus. Ford says the Escape will tuck into a space barely more than three feet longer than itself, and having experienced firsthand the speed and fluidity with which the Focus slots itself into tight quarters, we’ll just say this: Bow to your sensei.

The Focus influence is clear inside, too, where occupants will find an upsized version of Ford’s new small-car interior. Not that there’s anything wrong with that—the bold, modern design has far more personality than those of most other small utes. In a class that usually has us searching for new synonyms for “boring,” the Escape’s interior decorations are downright daring. For that added upscale touch, the dash, armrests, and upper-door panels are all crafted from soft-touch material.

Downsizing: Not Just For Engines. For Bodies and Enthusiasm, Too

Attractive as the environs may be, they are slightly smaller than before—not surprising, considering the fact that the previous Escape was basically a refrigerator box with wheels. There’s a touch less headroom front and rear, but while front-row passengers lose 1.2 inches of legroom, all of that went to rear-seat passengers, who see an extra 1.2 inches. Overall volumeis now 52 cubic feet up front (down three from the outgoing Escape) and 46 cubes in back (up two). Cargo space with the seats up is a generous 34 cubic feet; fold the seats and you’ll be looking at 68 cubes of pea-gravel potential—increases of 3 and 1, respectively. Both measures trail the most capacious boots in the segment, but only just.

Based on bones similar to those beneath the fantastic new Focus, the Escape holds much more dynamic promise than its predecessor and uses four times as much high-strength steel. But it’s the sheetmetal that got us so excited about the Vertrek, and the same that disappoints us when it comes to the new Escape. Of course the wheels have to be smaller—the concept wore 21s. But the lower altitude of the production car makes it look a lot less tough. Combine the less-aggressive stance with a flatter roofline than the concept’s menacing rake—again, an understandable development—and you end up with a far-less-thrilling shape. And c’mon, Ford, fender vents? Why not a landau roof and T-tops while you’re at it?

From many angles, this Ford looks an awful lot like the new Honda CR-V, and we see a lot of Subaru in the rear view. The Escape looks okay from some angles, but doesn’t look as good as the Vertrek from any. There’s a lesson here: Concept vehicles should be exciting, but not so close to the production vehicle that people end up disappointed. Still, here’s hoping that feeling is tempered—or even eradicated—by the driving experience.

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2012 Hyundai Azera Gets Complete Makeover, Debuts at L.A. Auto Show

With Hyundai’s Accent, Elantra, and Sonata all benefiting from extroverted redesigns within the last year, the Azera looked especially out of place—even more than it normally does, what with being wedged uncomfortably between the trendy Sonata and the well-appointed Genesis sedan. Introduced at the Los Angeles auto show, the revamped Azera has much to celebrate, and looks perfectly at home in Hyundai’s lineup. Its name, front-drive layout, and the engine basics are about the only things that carry over from the previous model.

Riding on a completely different platform than before, the Azera has 2.6 inches of additional wheelbase now, for a total of 112. Overall length stays the same, at 193.3 inches, and width increases 0.4 inch. Underneath the hood of every Azera is a revised 3.3-liter V-6 that now includes direct fuel injection. With the higher compression ratio (11.5:1 compared to 10.4:1) enabled by DI, the 3.3 produces 293 hp and 255 lb-ft of torque—increases of 33 and 22, and 10 hp more than last year’s 3.8-liter V-6—while achieving a projected 20 mpg city and 29 mpg highway (the former is the same, the latter is a 1-mpg increase). A six-speed automatic transmission is standard.

It wouldn’t be a modern Hyundai if the list of other standard equipment didn’t include a few items that raise the brow. Base models roll on 18-inch wheels and include nine airbags, navigation, a rearview camera, leather seats that are heated in the front and outboard rear, two-zone automatic climate control, a cooled glove box, Hyundai’s Blue Link telematics system, and an abundance of safety tech. The optional Technology package adds 19-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, and a 12-speaker, 550-watt Infinity sound system, among other bits.

While all of the standard features make for easy marketing, the Azera’s striking new sheetmetal and interior should be enough to lure customers into the showroom. Beginning with a grille that is said to be inspired by “great wings,” the car’s aggressive nose is now as sleek as any other Hyundai’s. Its greenhouse has a sportback-like slope, while the sharp crease sprouting from the rear door creates a defined shoulder that flows back into the peak of the decklid. LED taillights and the integrated dual exhaust finishers give the Azera’s rump a clean and refined look.

Inside, you’ll find the now-familiar Hyundai design, with a dash layout that swoops in from the door panels and down the center stack. The show car we sat in had leather of vastly superior quality than the old Azera’s, and the skin will be available in three colors including Camel, Graphite Black, and Chestnut Brown. Buyers will have the choice of eight exterior colors, including pearl and metallic finishes.

The Azera will go on sale in the first quarter of 2012; pricing has yet to be disclosed. If Hyundai continues with its current strategy, you can bet that we won’t see too much of an increase from the previous car’s $26,270 entry-level sticker. Now, if only the Genesis and Equus didn’t look so dowdy.

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Chevrorysler S-310 Debuts at 2011 SEMA Show; Insane Is a Good Word

Like the origin of the word “broke,” the total square footage of glass used in constructing the average hotel, and the likelihood that an otherwise normal person would exchange money for sex, what you’d get if you crossed a Chrysler 300 with a Chevrolet S-10 pickup was something we’d never pondered before this week. An S-310? The Cadillac Escalade EXT’s only direct competitor now that the Lincoln Mark LT is gone?

If you take this SEMA attendee as the answer, you get something that looks like a full-size Crash Test Dummies toy engineered to explode again and again. Of course, that’s less because of it being an S-310 and more because of the zig-zag bed cover and hood and the suicide, scissor, and… well, whatever you’d call how that right-rear door opens. Or pivots, as it doesn’t really make much of an opening.

The best part of all? This truck (if we have to be honest, we’re not sure it isn’t a GMC Sonoma) isn’t quite finished inside. That means we might get to see it at SEMA again next year. Hot dog.

Tags: 2011 SEMA show, Chevrolet S-10, Chrysler 300, custom, GMC Sonoma, pickup |

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