The Torque Report

VIDEO: Chevy Silverado Survives the End of the World

2012-02-03T16:37:38Z

Chevy has released its Super Bowl commercial that will air during the first quarter of Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday.

The spot, named "2012", shows the Silverado navigating the devastation and destruction predicted to occur this year by the Mayan calendar. A group of friends, who are Silverado owners, makes its way to the designated meeting spot but notice one of their buddies is missing. The missing friend, unfortunately, drives a Ford and doesn't appear to have made it to the meeting point. Ouch!

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2012 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG Starts at $95,865

2012-02-03T15:00:21Z

The all-new 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG will arrive in the U.S. next month with a starting price at $95,865.

The 2012 ML63 AMG is powered by a 5.5L biturbo V8 engine with 518 horsepower and 516 lb-ft. of torque, which is 15-hp and 44 lb-ft. over its predecessor. The V8 is mated to a 7-speed transmission and a permanent all-wheel-drive system. An estimated combined fuel economy rating of 16 mpg is also a 33 percent improvement over the last model. The ML63 AMG will reach 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds and has a top speed of 155 mph. If you want even more power the available AMG Performance package boosts the V8 engine's power output to 550 hp and its maximum torque to 560 lb-ft.

The 2012 ML63 AMG comes standard with AMG stainless steel sports pedals, illuminated door sills, COMAND system with hard-drive navigation & Sirius real-time traffic & weather, a harman/kardon Logic 7 surround sound system, Bluetooth and Heated & active ventilated front seats.

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2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition Debuts in Chicago

2012-02-02T23:55:35Z

Next week Mazda is going to unveil a special edition version of the 2012 MX-5 Miata at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show.

The 2012 MX-5 Miata Special Edition features a black-only hard top, which is the first time a non-body-colored hard top is available in North America. It also gets two new exterior colors (Crystal White or Velocity Red), new 17-inch black gunmetal alloy wheels, black exterior accents, black heated leather seats and piano black interior finishes.

The special edition MX-5 Miata is based off the Grand Touring model is available with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. Both Premium and Suspension packages will be standard on the MX-5 Miata Special Edition and include features such as Bluetooth, Sirius Satellite Radio, Bilstein shocks and a sport-tuned suspension.

Mazda is limited production to just 450 units.

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2013 VW Beetle TDI Officially Unveiled Ahead of Chicago Debut

2012-02-02T21:10:48Z

Following the release of the 2012 Beetle 2.5L and Turbo models, VW has now taken the wraps off the 2013 Beetle TDI with its 2.0L diesel engine.

The 2013 Beetle TDI is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged, direct-injection clean diesel engine that makes 140 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. The diesel engine can be mated to either a six-speed manual transmission or a dual-clutch DSG six-speed automatic. VW estimates that the Beetle TDI will get 39 mpg on the highway and 29 mpg in the city.

The Beetle TDI will be offered in three trim lines when it goes on sale this summer: TDI; TDI with Sunroof; and TDI with Sunroof, Sound, and Navigation.

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2012 Audi R8 GT Spyder Starts at $210,000, Only 50 Headed to the U.S.

2012-02-02T15:48:27Z

Audi has announced the pricing for the limited-production 2012 Audi R8 GT Spyder, which starts at $210,000.

The Audi R8 GT Spyder is an open-top version of the R8 GT and is powered by a 560 horsepower 5.2L V10. It reaches 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds and has a top speed of 197 mph.

The final weight of the R8 GT Spyder has been reduced by 187 lbs thanks to its magnesium engine frame and carbon fiber side panels. It also gets a fixed rear spoiler thats made of carbon fiber. Compared to the R8 V10 Spyder, the R8 GT Spyder's suspension is stiffer and lowers the model by 10 millimeters.

The sad thing is that only 50 units are headed to the U.S.

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2013 Fiat 500L Unveiled Ahead of its Debut in Geneva

2012-02-02T15:44:09Z

Fiat has decided to unveil the 2013 Fiat 500L ahead of its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month. The 500L is a larger version of the 500, with the L standing for "Large."

Although the 500L is being labeled as a larger version of the small 500, the 500L shares its platform with the Fiat Punto. The five-door model has room for up to 5 passengers and is 23-inches longer than the three-door 500.

The Fiat 500L will be produced at the Fiat's plant in Kragujevac, Serbia and will arrive in the U.S. in early 2013.

]]> The 2013 Fiat 500L will officially debut on March 6th.

Kia Track'ster Concept to Debut in Chicago

2012-02-02T15:11:55Z

Kia has released a teaser photo of the Track'ster concept that it is going to debut at the Chicago Auto Show, next week.

The Track'ster is a three-door hatchback, which was designed by Kia's design studio in California. The Track'ster concept is based on the Kia Soul, but places more emphasis on "performance," with its aggressive bodykit and lower profile.

The Track'ster could be a preview of a sportier Soul, which is one of Kia's best-selling models.

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VIDEO: The VW Beetle Inspires a Dog to Get in Shape in VW's Super Bowl Spot

2012-02-01T15:25:00Z

Volkswagen has revealed the extended version of its new Super Bowl commerical. The extended 75-second spot "The Dog Strikes Back," features an overweight dog named Bolt who is inspired to whip himself into shape by the power and performance of the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle. When Bolt is unable to fit through the doggie door to chase after the Beetle, he decides to get himself in shape by working out.

"We believe this spot underscores the Volkswagen brand's unmatched advertising legacy. It manages to highlight the redesign and performance of the Beetle with the lighthearted touches that viewers expect from the VW brand," said Mike Sheldon, CEO, Deutsch LA, Volkswagen's creative Agency of Record.

The end of the spot recalls VW's Star Wars commercial from last year's game, "The Force."

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2013 Acura ILX and RDX Models to Debut in Chicago

2012-02-01T00:33:04Z

Acura has announced that the production versions of the 2013 ILX compact sedan and RDX crossover will debut next week at the Chicago Auto Show.

The ILX concept and RDX prototype debuted at the Detroit Auto Show in January and both models that we saw are pretty close to what we expect to see unveiled in Chicago. According to Acura, the 2013 ILX sedan, which shares its platform with the Honda Civic, will be positioned as the gateway model to the Acura brand. It will be offered with three different powertrain options, including a hybrid.

The 2013 RDX has more passenger room and cargo volume than the outgoing model. The 2013 RDX also ditches the existing turbocharged four-cylinder for a 273-hp 3.5L V6. Although the new RDX will now be powered by a V6, Acura claims that it will offer the best fuel economy of any gasoline-powered luxury SUV in its class. Acura expects front-wheel-drive models to get 20/28 mpg.

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VIDEO: Lexus Unveils its First Ever Super Bowl Commercial "The Beast"

2012-01-31T19:29:59Z

Lexus has released its commercial, "The Beast" for Super Bowl XLVI. This marks the first time ever that Lexus will air a spot during the big game.

The :30 second commercial features the all-new 2013 GS as it breaks free from containment, illustrating the company's move in a new design direction for the brand. The spot also hints at the new vehicles Lexus will unveil later this year, which are waiting in the wings for their turn to burst onto the scene.

"The all-new Lexus GS is showcased in this ad because it's the first model to feature the new look of Lexus and it's also the first of nine new or updated models we'll launch this year," said Brian Smith, Lexus vice president of marketing. "This spot looks very different than anything Lexus has done before and demonstrates to the 50-million-strong Super Bowl audience that 2012 will be a breakthrough year for Lexus."

The :30 second commercial is scheduled to air at the end of the first quarter of Super Bowl XLVI.

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2014 Dodge Dart SRT4 to Pack Close to 300-HP

2012-01-31T16:42:14Z

The 2013 Dodge Dart is way better than that old Dodge Caliber that it replaced. Even though the 2013 Dart will be available with three different engines, the most powerful engine only packs 184 horsepower. Want even more power from the Dart, well Chrysler's SRT team that is unveiling a new Viper in April, is also reportedly working on a SRT4 performance variant of the Dart.

Details have not been released for the 2014 Dart SRT4, but the guys over at Motor Trend seem to have an idea of what we can expect. The 2013 Dart borrows its platform from the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, so you can expect the Dart SRT4 to get a version of the Giulietta's dual-clutch, six-speed transmission. There are two possible options for the engine, a turbocharged version of the Dart's Tigershark 2.0L four-cylinder or Alfa Romeo's new 1.8L four-cylinder turbo. The Dart SRT4 is likely to get the turbocharged version of the Tigershark instead of the Alfa Romeo's engine, due to the added cost of Alfa Romeo's engine. Either way expect the Dart SRT4 to pack more power than the 285-hp Caliber SRT4.

The Dart SRT4 will also get a more aggressive body kit, an upgraded suspension and larger wheels with stickier tires.

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Chrysler Celebrates Mopar's 75th Anniversary with Four Custom Models

2012-01-31T16:00:48Z

Chrysler is celebrating Mopar's 75th anniversary with four custom vehicles, the Mopar '12 300, 2013 Dodge Dart "GTS 210 Tribute", 2012 Fiat 500 "Stinger" and the 2012 Mopar Jeep Compass "True North."

"Customization is king," said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC's service, parts and customer-care brand. "These head-turning 'Moparized' vehicles show how we can go to the next level of personalization. With our best-in-class offerings of parts and accessories, we give our customers every opportunity to further enhance the appearance and performance of their vehicles."

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The all-new 2013 Dodge Dart is going to be offered with more than 150 Mopar accessories. The 2013 Dodge Dart "GTS 210 Tribute" gets an appearance package that adds matte-black trim pieces to the exterior, which includes a lower chin spoiler, side sills, rear spoiler and rear-diffuser panel. The package also adds a carbon-fiber hood with a large air scoop and 18-inch, 10-spoke forged alloy titanium-colored wheels. The red and black exterior is carried into the interior with its Ruby Red Katzkin leather seats. Black accent stitching is also used on the seats and Piano Black trim is used on the shifter bezel, cup holder bezel and the dash-vent bezels.

The stage 2 performance package for the Dodge Dart GTS 210 Tribute adds a cold air intake and cat back-pressure exhaust to achieve 210 horsepower up from the 2.4L engine's standard 184 horsepower.

The Mopar '12 300 is powered by the 363 horsepower 5.7L V8 mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. The horsepower remains the same as the standard 300C, but its final drive ratio has been boosted from 3.06:1 to a 3.91:1, which enables the Mopar '12 300 to reach 0-60 mph in the low 5-second range. The Mopar '12 300 aso gets a performance tuned suspension with with 42 percent stiffer front and 23 percent stiffer rear spring rates compared to the Chrysler 300 models with touring-tuned suspension.

The exterior of the Mopar '12 300 gets a blacked-out appearance with a Mopar Black Chrome seven-bar grille and black headlamp bezels. It also rides on 20-inch Gloss Black aluminum wheels. Inside the Mopar 12' 300 gets a monotone black interior with blue accents. Chrysler is only going to produce 500 units of the Mopar '12 300 with a starting price at $49,700. It will arrive this summer.

The 2012 Mopar Jeep Compass "True North" model features a matte black finish on the roof, wheel flares, lower fascia, door cladding and black grille with body color inserts. It also gets matte black 16-inch alloy wheels and a a 2-inch lift kit from Rocky Road Suspensions. The interior gets an audio system by Kicker and a custom center stack gauge pod that houses pitch and roll inclinometer gauges.

The 2012 Fiat 500 "Stinger" gets two Mopar stage kits that add more power and style to the 500 Sport. The Stage 1 kit adds a more aggressive appearance with its Giallo (yellow) paint and 17-inch Abarth Hyper Black aluminum wheels. The exterior's yellow and black theme also continues on the inside. The Stage 2 kit adds a cold-air intake and cat-back exhaust to give the 1.4L engine even more power and torque. The Fiat 500 Stinger also gets performance brakes with cross-drilled rotors.

VIDEO: 2013 Cadillac ATS Hits the Track for the Super Bowl

2012-01-31T14:33:11Z

Cadillac's all-new 2013 ATS is the subject of its Super Bowl commercial that is going to air during the game this Sunday. The on-road performance of the ATS is the subject of the 30-second spot.

"The ad showcases what will make ATS a serious new challenger against the world's best compact luxury cars," said General Motors Global Chief Marketing Officer Joel Ewanick. "It's an opportunity to reach a big audience with the message that Cadillac is expanding into new territory."

The 2013 ATS is set to go head to head with models like the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class when it is released this summer.

"The car is the total focus of the ad, with actual testing footage of the ATS," Ewanick said. "Competing head-to-head in an elite class requires authentic performance."

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2013 SRT Viper Teased Ahead of New York Debut

2012-01-31T05:14:51Z

This April, Chrysler is going to take the wraps off the 2013 SRT Viper (note that the Dodge name will no longer be applied to the Viper). Although April is still 2 months away, SRT has released the first teaser photo of the Viper on its Facebook page.

The next-generation Viper will be powered by a new V10 and will be released by the end of the year as a 2013 model.

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VIDEO: Acura's Super Bowl Spot Stars Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno and the NSX

2012-01-30T22:12:53Z

The Super Bowl is only a few days away, but automakers have started giving us previews of its commercials that will air during the show. Today we've seen previews of Honda's spot with Ferris Bueller and Toyota's commercial for the 2012 Camry. For the first time ever Acura is going to air a commercial during the big game.

During the third quarter of the game, Acura's commercial is going to air that features Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno coupled with the NSX concept that was unveiled in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show earlier this month.

"Acura has a specific plan in place across all communication channels to build off of the first round of product news announced at the North American International Auto Show. The response to the ILX, RDX and NSX supercar concept has been extremely positive," said Susie Rossick, Acura Brand Manager. "Our Super Bowl strategies are simple--build upon the buzz created in Detroit and leverage the excitement for the future return of the legendary NSX to the Acura lineup."

This commercial, "Transactions," depicts two actual top car collectors, Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno, in an unrelenting bid to be the first in line to take delivery on the first Acura NSX.

"The goal is to present a commercial that not only clearly positions the NSX as the ultimate 'must have' sports car, but does it in a way that is memorable, entertaining and aligned with Acura's brand position," said John Hage, EVP/executive creative director at RPA, Acura's advertising agency of record.

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