Cars

Lexus Brings Autonomous Driving to CES

Autonomous – or driverless – cars have been making headlines over the past couple of years as we saw Google demonstrate a self-driving Prius and then Audi race autonomously at Pikes Peak last year. At CES this week, Lexus is demonstrating a modified 2013 LS 600h hybrid sedan that features many technologies the automaker is testing and says may someday advance transportation to a driverless platform. “In our pursuit of developing more advanced automated technologies, we believe the driver must be fully engaged,” said Mark Templin, Toyota group vice president and general manger of the Lexus Division. “For Toyota and…


2013 Lexus RX 350 F Sport in the Grinding Gears Garage

Lexus created the luxury crossover segment when it debuted its RX some 14 years ago. For 2013, RX gets a makeover, including the addition of the new “face” of Lexus and a sport model. The new signature spindle grille leads a list of revisions for the RX lineup for 2013, which also sees fresher, sportier styling along with upgraded interiors. The RX is offered in gas-only RX 350 and hybrid RX 450h models. The hybrid version now offers a sport mode, which includes: revised steering effort, throttle mapping, and gear shifting (should drivers become a little bored with the ECO…


Ford Offering Open Developer Platform for Mobile Apps

Ford is getting into the open-developer game at CES this week in addition to GM as they too announce a developer program to enhance future vehicles. Utilizing the SYNC connectivity system and AppLink application programming interface, Ford is launching an open developer program enabling software developers to directly interface with the vehicle and create apps that will enhance the driving experience. “The Ford Developer Program marks a dramatic shift in how we will innovate new features and add value to our vehicles throughout the ownership period,” said Hau Thai-Tang, vice president of Engineering, Ford Global Product Development. “Opening the car…


GM Opening Vehicle Framework for New Apps, Developers

In addition to the news that future Chevrolet Spark and Sonic subcompact models will offer greatly enhanced infotainment options, General Motors has announced this week at CES in Las Vegas it will offer a new flexible application framework allowing drivers to add apps and features to their vehicles after the initial purchase. Debuting in select 2014 models, system framework will include a catalog that will allow owners to choose from a menu of available infotainment-based apps specifically designed for the in-vehicle experience and this framework will also allow developers to create a new category of vehicle apps. “There will be…


Audi to Include Tegra-Powered Infotainment Systems in Select Vehicles This Year

If you are an Audi enthusiast and in the market for a new Audi, you are in for a treat. Audi today announced they would be including the MMX computing module based on the NVIDIA Tegra Visual Computing Module in select models starting in 2013. This latest iteration of the Audi MIB will enhance Audi connect, permitting the live updating of satellite imagery for both Google Earth and Google Map Street View.  Audi drivers with the new NVIDIA Tegra hardware will be able to see 360° street panoramas as well as pull up real-time gas prices, the latest weather forecasts…


We’ve Got You Covered on the Road

Over the course of the next two weeks there will be a plethora of news coming from foreign and domestic automakers and affiliated partners (in addition to all the other news we are releasing here). Two of the largest shows of the year are getting underway in the form of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that begins this week and the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next week. By now you know Gear Diary has a team on the ground covering CES all week, and a couple of us head to Motor City next week for…


GMC Sierra Denali 1500 AWD and Auld Lang Syne

“Out with the old, in with the new…” How many times have we heard that saying this week? In the test garage it is no different, as we say goodbye to the outgoing 2013 GMC Sierra Denali pickup on the heels of the automaker announcing the next-generation coming this year. Overall, GM light-duty (half-ton) pickups have changed little in recent years and continue to sell well, very well in fact as they are at the top of sales charts for respective divisions. One thing that eludes the General though is segment leadership as Ford continually outsells the Silverado and Sierra…


2013 Volvo S60 R-Design AWD

When looking back on cars I have driven this year there are a few that resonate driving enjoyment and would be nameplates I would like to see in my own driveway permanently. One of the biggest surprises was a Volvo – yes, I said Volvo. The S60 sedan, delivered to me in funky Rebel Blue R-Design form, stood out enough to best the likes of BMW 3-series’ and Infiniti G. And while delivering one of the best-looking products in quite a long time, safety does not take a back seat with the new model. As Volvo has slowly evolved its…


2013 Infiniti FX37 AWD in the Grinding Gears Garage

Most vehicles I have tested do little for my visual senses while sitting behind the wheel. Sure, many of them are appealing to my eye as I walk up to them, but once behind the wheel there is little more. The idea is to keep your eyes on the road, right? Well, Infiniti has this “Essence” design influence that finds its way into production vehicles, and the latest FX luxury crossover is no exception. After climbing behind the wheel of the FX37 we recently tested, my eyes were immediately drawn to the hoodlines laid out before me; to be perfectly…


Grinding Gears Garage welcomes 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Turbo

This past summer I reviewed the new Chevrolet Malibu Eco with the e-Assist start/stop technology. While I liked what the automaker did with the new Malibu overall I was not impressed with my experience with that powertrain. Fast forward to the release of the new Turbo model Malibu and all that changes. I love this new turbocharged direct-injected Ecotec 2.0-liter four-cylinder powerplant and all of its enjoyable 259 horsepower and 260 lb. ft. of torque. That’s quite a punch for a four in a midsize sedan and the new Malibu feels like it is at the top end of the…


First Drive of all-new 2013 Nissan Sentra

Our recent trip to California with Nissan was a two-part launch program. The first I already brought you in the form of the all-new, unibody-once-again, three-row Pathfinder. The second is the 2013 Sentra compact sedan. Nissan wants to be your sedan destination and part of that, a big part, is this seventh-generation model. The compact segment is now second in total vehicle sales overall, growing to more than 2 million units per year with much of the competition already launching new units or rolling them out soon. Nissan has sold more than 4.3 million Sentras over the past 30 years,…


Grinding Gears Garage and the MINI John Cooper Works Coupe, for When Cute Wants to Raise a Little Hell

The good thing about MINI cars is they don’t pretend to be anything they are not. The great thing about MINI cars is they deliver everything they promise. And the new MINI Cooper Coupe – specifically the MINI John Cooper Works Coupe – promises to be one of the funnest driving experiences on the road. One thing about MINI Coopers is they are deceptively roomy inside, but with this new Coupe — while seating area is aplenty — headroom is somewhat scarce; but what do you expect from an adult’s version of a go-kart? The Coupe is a two-seater version…


Over the River and Through the Woods – In the 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL350 BlueTec Luxury SUV

Forget for a second (if that’s possible) that this is one of the most opulent sport utes we’ve tested in a while, what with its Designo interior and host of Mercedes goodies. At the heart and soul of the 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL350, BlueTec is a solid, proven platform offering a well-controlled, confident on-road experience, and it was recently named SUV of the Year by Motor Trend. The GL comes with a choice of powertrains, and our recent tester arrived with the BlueTec turbodiesel 3.0-liter V-6 engine that generates 240hp and a whopping 455 lb. ft. of torque. Thanks to AdBlue…


Grinding Gears Garage welcomes the 2013 Porsche Boxster, Ambassador for the Middle-Aged Crisis

Lighter, faster, more agile, and, as if it really matters, more fuel-efficient. That is how Porsche describes its next-generation Boxster convertible sports car. The Boxster was a hit from the start and since initial launch Porsche has sought to improve on the initial package while not confusing the car with its bread-and-butter 911 line. The Boxster is a mid-engine two-seater and for 2013 is almost totally madeover. The new design has a longer wheelbase and wider tracks front and rear for better balance. It is surprisingly athletic and this car feels oh-so-good on the road. This is a car that…


Volvo Testing New Fast Charging System for EVs

Those of you disappointed with how long it takes to recharge your new electric or plug-in vehicle, relief may be right around the corner. The Volvo Car Corporation has announced it is testing a new “fast-charger” for electric cars that will significantly cut recharging times to a stunning 1.5 hours, some six times faster than units currently in use in EVs on the road today. The new charger is going to be installed and tested on a number of Volvo C30 electrics and utilizes a three-phase outlet with 32A to charge fully in the 90 minutes or deliver 80 km…


Grinding Gears Garage tests the 2013 GMC Terrain Denali

Crossover utility vehicles are to the new millennium what minivans were to the late ‘80s and early ‘90s – all the rage. It seems, however, that many of their designs blend together, especially when friends get together and try to describe one they don’t know the name or brand of. “It’s that one with the round face and kind of rounded roofline, you know, the one that looks like an over-inflated sport hatchback…” or something like that. GMC’s latest – the Terrain – sought to step apart from that confusing landscape. The GMC Terrain is another core ingredient to GM’s…


Back to the Future for the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder

Nissan has followed ranks of the likes of Ford and the Chrysler Group taking a risky move away from frame-based architecture to underpin its newest of sport utes, specifically Pathfinder from the Nissan folks. Nissan is taking Pathfinder back to a unibody chassis as it did for the second-generation vehicle in model year 1996. And, like then, Nissan is outfitting the truck with a 3.5-liter V-6. Unlike its predecessor, this fourth-gen vehicle has slimmed down while increasing in size and operates primarily in front-wheel drive with the rear wheels throwing in their two cents when driving conditions get a bit…


Fiat 500 Abarth an Italian ‘Hottie’

When I first reviewed the Fiat 500 last year I found the new little import to be fun and quirky but it lacked one important aspect – performance. Ladies and gentlemen, I now give you the Fiat 500 Abarth. Embodying the “small but wicked” spirit of namesake Karl Abarth’s hot little Fiats in the 1960s (something akin to John Cooper’s hotrodded Minis back in the day) the modern Abarth brings to the model line everything the base model is lacking for driving enthusiasts. Right off one sees the styling upgrades along with unique paint and logo applications that adorn not…


Chevy to Offer Real Hot Wheels Camaro

Hot Wheels fans who dream of driving some of their favorite miniature toys are getting their wishes as Chevrolet has announced it will offer a limited-edition run of the Kinetic Blue Camaro it debuted at SEMA in Las Vegas. “Millions of us grew up playing with Hot Wheels,” said Chris Perry, vice president of Chevrolet Marketing. “Offering a special production model of the Camaro Hot Wheels is an opportunity to bring those memories to life, for kids of all ages.” The unique model will be available for orders Nov. 1 and will be produced in the first quarter of 2013….


The Amazing American Cars of Cuba

I was in Havana last week with two dozen members of my community; we were there as part of a “religious mission”, which meant that we brought down supplies to share with the aging members of the Cuban Jewish Community and spent time learning about the history of Cuba, the Jewish community in Cuba, and even the architecture of Havana. That was the “serious stuff”. For fun, among other things, we spent time “car watching”. I couldn’t believe the American cars from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s that are still on the road. It was nothing short of impressive. Here’s…


Here’s Your Justification for Buying the 2014 Corvette

Have you been trying to justify the purchase of a new Corvette, but just couldn’t make it far past the “because I want one” stage? Here’s an argument that might hold a little bit more weight with your spouse: It will get 26+ miles to the gallon! While you might think that in order to get nearly 30 mpg, sacrifices would have to be made to engine size and performance, that doesn’t appear to be an issue. When the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette arrives late next year, it will be powered by a technologically advanced, race-proven, 6.2L V-8 that will deliver…