New Acura RLX FWD -2014

Why was the old Acura RL so decisively nailed to dealership floors, with just 379 vend last year? That’s simple: It was too little. Its back seat was so tight that rear condition could practically adjust the stereo, could perhaps even drink from the front cup owner with a long-enough straw. Too in thrall to Honda’s minor-key qualities of economy and modesty, the RL couldn’t struggle with the chest-thumping, lane-filling champions of the mid-size luxury-car section.

It was because it was approximately Civic-sized in reverse, and not because it had a six-cylinder engine or was bottom on a front-drive chassis. In fact, you could quarrel that the rest of the luxury-car fleet has lastly caught up with the Acura flagship. Amid increasing fuel-economy standards, six-cylinder luxury sedans no longer appear like a tin Rolex. Furthermore, all-wheel drive is at present the de rigueur luxury-car format, and Audi has still sold front-drive A6s and A8s with a straight face.

The RLX over recompense for the old car’s biggest failing. It’s full-figured, with a 2.0-inch-longer wheelbase and 1.7-inch-wide body than the friendly RL’s. The cabin is far airier and roomier than before, with lots of permission for occupants’ fringe. It’s also wonderfully finished in muted tones, but its two-screen radio and nav interface is puzzling; you never rather remember which of the screens and knobs will deliver the purpose you want. Also, the seat bottoms are too short for even the reasonably lanky.

Engine-downsizing feel the RLX, but only by 0.2 liter. The obviously aspirated, direct-injected 3.5-liter V-6 feeds the front wheels 310 horsepower and 272 lb-ft of torque, up 10 and 1, correspondingly, from the old 3.7 liter. Fuel competence should be very aggressive in the class, at 20 city/31 highway, figures we’re likely to trust as they’re derivative from a obviously aspirated engine.

Interestingly, Acura’s fuel-sipping policy doesn’t rely on a tiny engine or listless gear ratios to attain its result. Its final drive is really 14 percent shorter than the RL’s preserve the high-revving, coltish nature of the power train chiefly via careful management of its variable-valve-timing and cylinder-deactivation systems. The car preserves the high-rpm urgency and natural linearity—abetted by a psychic transmission—that’s missing from the turbocharged set.

Audi Launches Q3 Turbo Petrol Engine in India

The battle of the Teutons, that’s what the whole begin blitzkrieg by the German luxury car makers is rotating out to be, thousands of miles away from Germany, right here in India. Even as BMW India is all set to commence the face lifted version of its best promotion comfort crossover, the 2013 X1, Audi India has completed its bit to steal some of BMW’s magnificence.

Audi has just launched the turbo petrol engined alternative of the 2013 Q3 crossover, just a day before BMW introduction the X1 facelift. The Audi Q3 2.0 TFSI is the third variation of this intersects to be sold in India and is priced at INR 27.37 lakhs ex-showroom Maharashtra.

The 2013 Audi Q3 crossover in petrol engine appearance is powered by the 2 Liter TFSI motor, an engine that’s extensively used across Volkswagen and Audi cars. The 2 Liter TFSI turbo petrol motor features direct inoculation and produces 211 Bhp-350 Nm. These figures give the petrol engine Audi Q3 some very energetic performance.

The crossover sprints from languish to 100 Kph in a very quick 6.9 seconds. Keep your left foot fasten and you’ll hit the 230 Kph mark, which is the top speed that the Q3 Petrol is proficient of. This concert makes the Audi Q3 the best performing entry level comfort crossover in India.

The Audi Q3 comes with a 7 speed dual clutch automatic gearbox and the famous Quattro all wheel drive system as typical. The crossover is also accessible in two other variants, both powered by the 2 Liter TDI turbo diesel engine good for 170 Bhp-250 Nm. The turbo diesel engine Q3 models approach in entry level and top end spec.

Audi India has begun accumulate the Q3 crossover in India, at its Aurangabad gathering unit in Maharashtra during the completely knocked kit (CKD) route. In India, the Audi Q3 competes with the similar of the BMW X1, the Mercedes Benz B-Class and the soon-to-be-launched Volvo V40 Cross Country, in conditions of price and location.

In India, Audi and BMW are neck and neck in conditions of car sales in the luxury segment. BMW supervise to fend off Audi last year by selling about 300 more cars than its German arch competitor. The competition has just moved into 2013 and Audi’s previously made the first big move by initiation the petrol powered Q3 alternative. BMW India will respond in less than 24 hours with the BMW facelifted X1 crossover, a car that has a grouping riding on it. Tomorrow, Team ICB will convey you all the particulars, right from the launch venue.

New Volvo S60 - High for Safety

The Volvo S60 T6 AWD is a five-seater luxury car with an all-new external and interior design. It also features a new 3.0-L turbo-charged 6-cylinder engine with all wheel drive, creating 300 hp and 325 lb-ft torque at 5,600 rpm. Competitors contain the Cadillac CTS, Infinite G37 and Acura TL.

With ratings as well as good, acceptable, marginal, or poor, the IIHS gave the S60 a good rating for inhabitant defense in at least four of five evaluations, with no less than satisfactory in the fifth test. Categories like rollover, rear impact, and frontal collide were enclosed in the tests. The S60 was one of only two mid-sized luxury vehicles that receive the top rating. Items like unibody high-strength steel passenger confine, inflatable drape in side-impact head defense system, and driver and front passenger dual stage supplemental control systems (airbags) helped donate to winning the safety award.

The normal S60 T6 is existing in three trims: Premier, Premier Plus, and Platinum. The Platinum I drove varies from the other trims due to its stylish navigation system with Real Time Traffic, the Volvo Premium Sound System and rear park assist camera. The Platinum orderly also features a climate control package with heated seats, interior air excellence system and heated windshield washer needle. Besides the normal T6 line, there is also a T6 R-Design line which presents more sport-oriented features.

Interior of the Car:

The S60 has Volvo Sensus infotainment system with included 7-inch color LCD monitor, power glass moon roof, and dual Xenon headlamps with active meandering lights. The driver and passenger front seats are envelop in quality leather. They are contented with 8-way power adjustment, 3-position memory (driver), adaptable lumbar sustain, and seat-back pockets.

The S60 is prepared with an intellectual key fob called Keyless Drive with Personal Car Communication (PCC). This fob allows the owner to check the safety status of the vehicle from a distance, and mechanically unlocks doors with a clutch of the handle. And of course, it has standard purpose such as trunk release and fright alarm.

The seats sit tall enough to permit the driver an easy command of all controls, whether it’s the dual-zone electronic climate control, the auto-dimming within rear view reflect with compass, or the Bluetooth hands-free phone line with auto streaming. The body of the S60 I drove was covered with Rebel Blue Metallic paint, sitting atop 18” alloy wheels with all period tires. Standard headlight washers, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and dual polished fatigue pipes additional add to the finished look.

The optional price for the base S60 T6 $40,650, and the Platinum orderly level adds one more $3,850. The S60 standards 21 mpg, with 25 mpg on the highway. Volvo has a 48-month/50,000 mile inadequate warranty coverage and 144 month decay protection.

Volkswagen CrossBlue Concept Electrified Diesel

Volkswagen announced their incursion into the passionately contested midsize SUV market this month with the expose of the Cross Blue concept. Should it reach production the seven passenger plug-in diesel hybrid would bring VW one step closer to their eventual goal of complete world domination.

It’s no accident the Cross Blue bears more than a passing similarity to the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and is arrogant to achieve a projected 89 miles per gallon electric. Regardless of whether or not the thought really makes it to showrooms VW is using it to make their intentions clear.

Futuristic as a diesel-electric hybrid might sound the combination makes a entire lot of sense coming from Volkswagen. Their clean diesel engines are usually about 30-35% more competent than gasoline-powered counterparts. That could be one of the only motive we haven’t seen a diesel-hybrid from Volkswagen earlier; their TDI diesels can already contend with the fuel-economy of many gas-powered fusion.

The Cross Blue concept doubles down on competence using VW’s 190hp 2-liter EA288 TDI diesel engine to power the front wheels beside with a 54hp electric motor that’s occupied as needed. A second 114hp electric motor drives the rear wheels for an entire output of 305 horsepower. Volkswagen anticipates the Blue will make it from 0-60mph in 7.2 seconds.

Besides fuel-economy the real luxury of the diesel-electric combo is a torque-gasmic festivity of low-end power that both electric motors and diesel engines are best at create. Working in accord the TDI engine and electric motor pair unite to make a whopping 516 lb-ft of torque.

From looks of the Cross Blue concept we can be sure the dub brand has each meaning of getting up in our SUV business. Knowing what we do of their world-wide game plan anything vehicle they choose to produce for the market will be predictable to create quite a stir.

The New BMW 3-Series 2014 Gran Turismo

BMW's schedule once laser-focused and now far-ranging has us feeling rather vague. To pick two extremes: We are big fans of the BMW 3-series sports sedan, which we view as the standard of its class; on the other hand, we have never temperate to the 5-series Gran Turismo, a invention of customer research and maybe one of the strangest-looking cars on the road today.

Unlike its 5-series-based big brother, the 3-series GT—internally called F34— split a lot of its sheet metal and neat with the F30 3-series car and F31 Sports Wagon. But my, has it grown: Taller by 3.2 inches, longer by 7.9 inches, and with a wheelbase extended by 4.3 inches, the Gran Turismo surpass both the sedan and the Sports Wagon.

The rear end is conquered by an oblique fastback that houses a large hatch. BMW's styling section has done its best to mask the blown-up size with attributes such as larger headlights, a larger lattice, a more softly contoured front hood, and an electrically lift rear spoiler. And thanks to all of that, it is distant easier on the eye than is the 5-series GT.

There is clear remuneration to the new shape. The trunk carries 18.4 cubic feet; the position of the split rear seat can be familiar through a range of 15 separate inclines, and when fully crease down, it carries up to 56.5 cubic feet of cargo. That's 3.5 cubic feet additional than the 3-series Sports Wagon, despite the Gran Turismo's fastback intend. The passengers travel in ease: They sit 2.3 inches taller than in the sedan and Sports Wagon, the back seat ahead 2.8 inches of legroom. And the windows are frameless, which is a lovable touch.

 

The higher center of significance and the longer wheelbase are harmful to the handling uniqueness, and the Gran Turismo is somewhat porky: It is more than 150 pounds heavier than the Sports Wagon and offset the sedan by more than 300 pounds. Not astonishingly, BMW highlight the new car is partial "slightly towards directional firmness and long-distance comfort." But we believe it will still be one of the most agile cars in its class, thanks to its big wheels and a suspension mainly carried over from the favorite sedan and Sports Wagon.