Filed under: Motorsports, Classics

Last year, the Monterey Motorsports Reunion announced that the Shelby Cobra would be the featured marque for 2012 in honor of the company's 50th anniversary. It's shaping up to be quite the celebration. Earlier this month it was announced that no fewer than 45 competition Cobras will be racing on the track come August, with owners from across the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Canada in attendance. In fact, demand to participate was so high that several entrants actually had to be turned away.



Shelby Cobras won't just be on the track, though. The event expects at least 200 Cobras, real and replica, to gather in the infield car corral. Shelby and Ford Motor Company will also bring a collection of historic Cobras to display in the paddock. In other words, if you're a Shelby Cobra fan then start making plans to attend right away.



You can read the official announcement from the Monterey Motorsports Reunion below.

Continue reading Record number of Shelby Cobras to take part in Monterey Motorsports Reunion

Record number of Shelby Cobras to take part in Monterey Motorsports Reunion originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 20 May 2012 10:01:00 EST.  Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Sedan, Nissan

Nissan has released a passel of official photosd of the 2013 Nissan Altima, the sedan it "would like to make #1 if customers agree." While the new styling might take getting used to, the other changes are all welcomed: it's lighter, has a revised transmission, will return 38 miles per gallon if equipped with the four-cylinder, and starts at $21,500 before the $760 destination charge.



Now that the Altima and Toyota Camry are known quantities, the pending reveal of the Honda Accord will fill out the field and then we'll have a better idea of the fight to come. Until then, have a closer look at the new Altima in the photo gallery above.

New pics show 2013 Nissan Altima from all the angles originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 May 2012 20:01:00 EST.  Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, BMW, Motorcycle, Racing

It takes a fast and agile car to keep pace with MotoGP racing bikes. Fortunately the BMW M division is up to the task, providing safety cars (or what we'd call pace cars on this side of the Atlantic) to the race organizers of the top-level motorcycle racing series.



The most recent vehicles to perform the duties have been the 1 Series M Coupe and the X6 M crossover, but now BMW is introducing a the new M6 coupe to the mix. It'll debut in safety car guise as pictured above at the Nürburgring this weekend.



While it's unclear whether any modifications have been made to the 552-horsepower twin-turbo V8, the M6 MotoGP safety car has been upgraded with new spoilers front and rear, special lighting equipment and BMW's traditional blue, blue and red striping on a white body. And if we were betting men, we'd put our money on some upgrades to the brakes, suspension and tires, too.

BMW rolls out new M6 safety car for MotoGP originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 May 2012 18:03:00 EST.  Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Toyota

Toyota's Huntsville, Alabama production facility, which makes the company's four-cylinder, V6 and V8 engines, is getting a couple of big boosts: $80 million and roughly 125 new jobs. When the spending and hiring is complete, the enlarged factory and the plant's 1,150 workers will raise engine-production capacity to more than 700,000 units, with V6 production more than doubled from 146,000 engines per year to 362,000.



Toyota's been spending and hiring all this year, with $645 million invested in growth and 1,100 jobs added to the rolls. "This V6 line addition," said a company EVP, "continues to reflect our growing optimism for an improving North American market." Toyota's press release is posted below.

Continue reading Toyota boosting V6 production in Alabama, adding 125 jobs

Toyota boosting V6 production in Alabama, adding 125 jobs originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 May 2012 16:03:00 EST.  Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, Wagon, Mercedes-Benz

If you need to haul some stuff in a big hurry, you could do a lot worse than the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate wagon. It offers all the power of its coupe and sedan siblings, only with the added cargo space that so many European customers prefer over the betrunked versions. But if the stock 457 horsepower isn't enough, the good folks over at Edo Competition are glad to help out with an upgrade of their own.



That upgrade, it turns out, is anything but negligible, pumping output up by nearly 150 horsepower to a stonking 600. Torque has also been boosted from 442 lb-ft stock to 501, where that extra single measure of twist makes all the difference.



The boost comes courtesy of new exhaust, headers, cats and filters, supplemented by 19-inch modular alloys riding on suitably low-profile Michelin rubber, with a slew of interior enhancements to make the Edo C63 feel all the more special.



The exterior, however, remains decidedly low-key - all the better for messing with the head of Porsche drivers on the Autobahn while hauling the whole family and all their gear. Check it out in the press release below and the high-res image gallery above.

Continue reading Edo Competition squeezes 600 HP into Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate

Edo Competition squeezes 600 HP into Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 May 2012 14:04:00 EST.  Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

If you've got the cash to place on the hood (or nose cone, as it were), most any Formula One team will sell you one of their old race cars. After all, they're not using them anymore, and it's a good way to raise funds to develop next year's car. But not McLaren. The team from Woking - one of the most successful in the series - doesn't sell its old cars, though with 176 grand prix victories, twelve drivers' championships and eight constructors' titles, you can bet they'd fetch a pretty penny. Instead, it keeps them all warehoused at a facility, location undisclosed, simply called Unit 2.



The warehouse contains some 75 grand prix cars, an untold number of the team's sports cars from other racing series (like Le Mans, Can-Am and Indy), and various road cars it's produced over the years, like the legendary McLaren F1, the SLR it built for Mercedes-Benz, and the new MP4-12C. But while none of these cars are for sale, Unit 2 will soon be depleted of much of its stock.



Their destinations? The 35 global dealerships that McLaren Automotive has opened or will open by year's end, like the one pictured above in Düsseldorf. Each showroom is to get a racing car to display alongside the road cars it has for sale, and many of them will be location-specific. The dealer in Monte Carlo, for example, will display the 1993 MP4-8 that Ayrton Senna drove to victory at the Monaco Grand Prix. The dealer in Brussels will reportedly display the 2004 MP4-19 with which Kimi Raikkonen won the 2004 Belgian Grand Prix. And the Philadelphia showroom will display the 1976 M26 that James Hunt piloted to victory at the US Grand Prix that year.



So if you want to see a piece of McLaren racing history, better call up your nearest dealership and find out when their show car is due to arrive. Just don't go looking for Unit 2, because even if you can find it, chances are they won't let you in.

McLaren dispersing top-secret Unit 2 collection to showrooms originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 May 2012 12:02:00 EST.  Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Truck, Work, Off-Road, MISC

If you're in the market and mood for a 6.5-ton cab-over truck that also offers power to all its wheels, Fuso would like you to have a look at its new Canter 4x4. With the addition of selectable four-wheel drive, Fuso is hoping to expand the 4x2 Canter's traditional market into unpaved uses like construction and municipal services.



Power comes from a 3.0-liter, four-cylinder turbodiesel with 175 horsepower and 317 pound-feet  of torque. A stop/start system is also used to improve efficiency. Standard features include a locking rear differential, exhaust brake, approach and departure angles that are nearly doubled over the 4x2 model, and a 40,000-kilometer maintenance interval. Options are plentiful, including single or crew-cab bodies, two wheelbase choices, payload up to 3,725 kilograms, 320 millimeters of ground clearance and 100 plain, metallic and pearl-finish paint colors.



For truck fans, there's a press release below and a high-res gallery of the Canter 4x4 in all kinds of poses.

Continue reading New Fuso Canter can canter in selectable 4x4 mode

New Fuso Canter can canter in selectable 4x4 mode originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 May 2012 10:01:00 EST.  Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Videos, Renault, Racing

We don't need to tell you why rally racing - though awesome - is incredibly dangerous. As much as we love to watch turbocharged, all-wheel-drive Euro hatches being flung around on dirt, gravel, snow and tarmac, the fact that many of these races go through small towns and wooded trails leaves plenty of room for disaster.



Case in point: This Renault Clio racer went off course during the 2012 Mazowiecki Rally, leaving driver Patrick Osowiecki and navigator Maciej Wrona trapped upside-down in a lake. According to CarScoop, no race officials were near the scene of the accident, but some selfless spectators rushed in to attempt to free Osowiecki and Wrona from their racecar. Scroll down to watch the action unfold.

Continue reading Watch spectators rush to save lives of rally drivers trapped in capsized Renault

Watch spectators rush to save lives of rally drivers trapped in capsized Renault originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 19:45:00 EST.  Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: China, Crossover, Aston Martin, Luxury

Automakers are usually pretty decisive. They either build a car or they don't. But Aston Martin has embarked down a bumpier road with Lagonda.



Aston bought the Lagonda marque way back in 1947, but after operating it as a separate brand for a few years, it let the brand peter out in the 1950s and 60s. The moniker was revived as a nameplate on a handful of Aston Martin sedans beginning in the 1970s, but that was pretty much the last we saw of it until the 2009 Geneva Motor Show.



That's when the British automaker unveiled the rather unusual concept vehicle (pictured above) to revive the Lagonda name once again as a separate brand. It was meant to test the waters, and the response was not favorable. So it had appeared that AML was dropping the L from its initials and the entire project along with it. But as a stand-alone niche automaker looking to stay afloat in a rapidly amalgamating industry, Aston needs to produce more than front-engined, rear-drive, two-door GTs. And the Rapide sedan apparently isn't going to be enough, so it looks as if that the Lagonda project could be back on the table.



According to Autocar, the real impetus, however, could be coming from emerging markets in Asia - particularly China, but also the Middle East and Russia. The timing for a high-end luxury crossover built by a company known for its exotic sports cars, however, could prove to be good timing or poor: Maserati, Lamborghini and Bentley are all entering the segment in the coming years, so if Aston wants to get a slice of that lucrative pie pioneered by Porsche, it had better get those wheels in motion.

Chinese demand could prompt Aston Martin to press on with Lagonda revival originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 19:01:00 EST.  Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Car Buying, Ford, GM, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Earnings/Financials

The annual "Car Wars" report by Merrill Lynch analyst John Murphy predicts that, despite their seizing of U.S. market share over the last few tumultuous years, Korean brands Hyundai and Kia will give it all back and then some to companies like Ford, General Motors and Toyota by 2016.



Murphy bases his predictions not on tea leaves or crystal balls, but rather the rate at which automakers launch new products. Ford will replace 26 percent of its product line over the next four years, a number that represents 46 percent of its volume, while General Motors will replace 25 percent and Toyota 24 percent. On account of these new product launches, Murphy says Ford can expect to add 0.8 percentage points of market share, General Motors will recover 0.5 points and Toyota will add another 0.3 points.



Other automakers that won't be so aggressive in turning over their lineups with new models include Chrysler, Honda, Nissan and the European brands, which Murphy surmises will all remain flat in terms of market share.



Hyundai and Kia, meanwhile, will be introducing fewer new models than the rest and therefore, Murphy predicts, will see a 0.5 decline in U.S. market share.



Of course, these are all just predictions and can be blown to bits with the next unforeseen economic crisis or natural disaster, just like the last three years were. And there are other factors that might affect market share for each automaker during the next three years, including the availability of raw materials, exchange rates, union contracts, recalls and a million another minor things that might grow to become big things, not the least of which is consumers deciding they actually like all those new products being launched.

Car Wars report predicts Hyundai, Kia will lose market share originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 18:14:00 EST.  Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Toys/Games

Forza Horizon coming this fall with hot Viper action on the open road originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 17:30:00 EST.  Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Tokyo Motor Show, Hatchback, Subaru

There was nary a peep of discontent about the looks of the Subaru Advanced Tourer concept revealed at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. But when everyone was clamoring for Scooby to transfer the Advanced Tourer's looks to a production vehicle, never once did people ask for that transfer to be foisted on the WRX. A report in Motor Trend, though, says that's what's happening: the concept "was actually an early look at the next-generation Subaru WRX."



MT's sources said the front end Advanced Tourer's front end will go onto the WRX, with other aspects of the concept made more aggressive to suit the personality of Subaru's rally-ready racer. And if the concept also presages the next WRX's dimensions, then you can expect the next-generation sedan and hatchback to be larger (though in truth we don't anticipate a big gain in footprint).



Notice the name "Impreza" hasn't appeared anywhere in our discussion yet. Subaru is reportedly dropping the name in an attempt to get more 'Likes' for the WRX by making it more approachable, so the next model will relinquish its association with the Impreza line and be more performanced focused even as it is receives a better interior and is morphed into a "more-mature sporty grand tourer." Engine choices are still being debated for the car due in 2015; the rumored options include 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinders and a hybrid version of the 1.6-liter.

Next Subaru WRX previewed by Advanced Tourer concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 16:45:00 EST.  Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Sedan, Europe, Crossover, Chrysler, Dodge, Lancia, Fiat

Fiat, in an attempt to make its purchase of Chrysler more profitable, has been marketing rebadged Dodge and Chrysler models in Europe with mixed results.



Europeans apparently love the Fiat Freemont, known as a Dodge Journey here in the States. Fiat sold almost 6,500 of the crossovers over there in the first quarter and hopes to move 30,000 by year's end. Sales were helped by Fiat's large European dealer network as well as an MSRP lower than the model it replaced. Since the Journey is built in Mexico, it can be imported into Europe tariff-free, which helps keep the sticker price lower.



On the other hand, sales of the Lancia Thema (Chrysler 300) and Lancia Voyager (Dodge Grand Caravan) are not doing so well due to several factors. One is the limited reach of the Lancia brand outside Italy. Then there's the 10 percent import tariff since they're both built in Canada, a yearly 500 euro luxury tax (about $630 USD) on the Thema, and a limited advertising budget for the two cars.



Only 1,342 Voyagers were sold in Europe in the first quarter of this year, which means the 11,000 unit goal for the year will probably be missed. Lancia sold only 480 Themas during the same period, well short of the 2,500 Fiat had hoped to sell.

Rebadged Dodge, Chrysler model sales a mixed bag in Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 15:58:00 EST.  Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Europe, Videos, MISC

You don't hear too much about the Henrik Fisker-designed Artega GT, but its occasional appearances are always welcome. In this episode of Where's Artega Now?, the folks at eGarage worked with Germany's Christopher Kippenberger, who make a quadrocopter designed for capturing aerial footage.



A day was spent at Germany's Blister Berg Drive Resort, essentially a German version's of Spain's Ascari Race Resort. One slight difference: Blister Ber's track isn't finished, so the Artega was left to drift it out over the construction site threading around haulers and front-end loaders.



Kippenberger's quadrocopter is of his company's design, meant to bring both Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and helicopter shots into the range of the enthusiast video shooter. At $5,000, it's not cheap, but that's a steal compared to other UAVs - and just pennies compared to a helicopter - and each unit is built-to-order.



But enough reading. Have a look at what it and the Artega GT can do in the video below.

Continue reading Watch this Artega GT blast around an unfinished track filmed with a quadrocopter

Watch this Artega GT blast around an unfinished track filmed with a quadrocopter originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 15:15:00 EST.  Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Performance, Chrysler, Dodge

On Thursday night's Autoline After Hours, SRT boss Ralph Gilles sat down with show hosts John McElroy and Peter DeLorenzo, along with Autoblog and AOL Autos staffers to talk all things Viper. Among the interesting tidbits disclosed about the 640-horsepower supercar are plans for a new dealer certification process designed to encourage the sort of purchasing, service and ownership experience that buyers of six-digit cars have come to expect.



According to Gilles:

   

      "It's going to be a qualified dealer situation... The ones who do the dealer training in terms of the tech. I want a tech. I want a display car. I want all these things. There's going to be a list. It's not going to be impossible, it's just that someone has to put in the extra effort and say 'I'm an SRT dealer.'"

Off the air, Gilles told Autoblog that Chrysler officials have already approached a number of dealers with a strong record of Viper and SRT sales to discuss how the certification process will work, gaining valuable feedback in the process. A document outlining the new certification program will go out to Dodge dealers next month.



Chrysler has yet to announce official pricing and the Viper won't go on sale until sometime in the fourth quarter of the year, but that hasn't stopped a queue of customer deposits from piling up. According to Gilles, one particularly strong Viper dealer already has around 90 such deposits in-hand. Considering that Viper sales averaged about 1,600 units in past years, that's a substantial figure.



In other news, Chrysler officials have been making a big point of talking about the 2013 Viper's newfound refinements, from reduced NVH to nicer interior materials and improved drivability thanks to the institution of technologies like stability control and traction control. Gilles says that great care has been taken to ensure the model's core personality still shines through, but given that much of the Viper's mystique is centered on its raw, leg-burning, hairy-knuckled persona, we couldn't help but wonder aloud if the new model's refinements have left room for a stripped-out hardcore version for Viper purists and racers. With raised eyebrows, arms gesturing wildly and stifling a smile, Gilles wryly said: "I love how you think. Next subject!"



To watch the Autoline After Hours episode in its entirety, scroll down.

Continue reading 2013 SRT Viper to require dealer certification; hardcore model planned? [w/video]

2013 SRT Viper to require dealer certification; hardcore model planned? [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 14:30:00 EST.  Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Motorsports, Motorcycle

Reigning MotoGP champion Casey Stoner is just 26 years old, but has been riding in the FIM series since 2001 when he joined the 125cc ranks. Five years later, the Australian was in the headlining formula series with Honda, the year after that, in 2007, he won the title astride a Ducati. Last year, Stoner won it again with Honda, and even battling an issue with his arm this year, he's atop the standings and leading his rivals in practice sessions for this weekend's French GP at Le Mans.



But Stoner used yesterday's GP press conference to announce his retirement at the end of this year. The Australian says the sport had gone in a direction that doesn't interest him and that he simply isn't enjoying it enough to continue the sacrifices necessary to be competitive at the top level. Speculation is that he wants to spend time with his wife and daughter, and perhaps that he plans to drive in the Australian V8 Supercar series.



Fellow Aussie and MotoGP legen Mick Doohan said he doesn't believe just yet that Stoner will actually ride off into farm life. Even so, the fact that the current World Champion is unhappy enough to publicly announce the end of his career is a shock to the MotoGP world. Have a look below for a video news report on Stoner's announcement.

Continue reading MotoGP champ Casey Stoner stuns with retirement announcement [w/video]

MotoGP champ Casey Stoner stuns with retirement announcement [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 13:44:00 EST.  Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Motorsports, Mitsubishi, Electric, Racing

No, that's not a Mitsubishi i-MiEV in a fat suit, it's the automaker's brand-new all-electric race car, and it's set to take on the 2012 Pike's Peak International Hill Climb in July. This isn't the first time we've seen an EV enter the Pike's Peak challenge - Nissan commissioned a Leaf for battle last year, a car that set the bar for all future electric racers.



Mitsubishi says that its race car, dubbed i-MiEV Evolution, uses the same motor, drive battery and other major components as the standard, bean-shaped electric car that we haven't quite grown to love. Aside from the additional bodywork, the chassis has clearly been lengthened and widened, and the race car now uses an all-wheel-drive configuration rather than the rear-wheel drive of the standard i-MiEV.



To give you an idea of just how big the racer is, a quick glance of Mitsubishi's specs show that the i-MiEV Evolution's dimensions are within a few inches of the stock Lancer Evolution. We wouldn't be surprised if the all-wheel-drive system was sourced from the Lancer, as well.



Mitsubishi will also be bringing two more of its EVs to the Pike's Peak event, including an i that has been updated with a more aerodynamic front bumper and new safety equipment, as well as a bone stock model. Scroll down for the official press blast.

Continue reading Mitsubishi previews bonkers i-MiEV Evolution for Pikes Peak

Mitsubishi previews bonkers i-MiEV Evolution for Pikes Peak originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 13:01:00 EST.  Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: SUV, Etc., Videos, Land Rover, Toys/Games, Off-Road

It's official. You really can build anything from Lego blocks. Behold a fully-functional 1:8.5 scale version of a Land Rover Defender 110. This radio-controlled machine features a five-speed transmission with reverse, a two-speed transfer case that offers both four-wheel and two-wheel drive modes and functional disc brakes on all four corners. It's cool. We'll wait while you pick your jaw up off the floor. The machine was also built with fully functional steering that uses the same number of turns-to-lock as the real deal. All told, there are nearly 2,800 parts in the build, including seven motors.



There's a full solid-axle suspension underneath with long-travel springs. Top speed is around 2.5 mph. What's more, the whole body can be removed with just four pins to see the workings underneath.



If that's not cool enough, the machine has been picked up over at Lego CUUSOO. If it gets 10,000 votes, Lego will produce a kit based off of this creation. That's right - this masterwork isn't a kit - an independent Lego maniac by the name of Sheepo came up with it. Head over to the site for more information, and be sure to scroll down to check out a video of the machine.

Continue reading Lego Land Rover Defender 110 is plasticized perfection [w/video]

Lego Land Rover Defender 110 is plasticized perfection [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 12:13:00 EST.  Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Motorsports, SUV, Bentley, Off-Road, Racing

Bentley is an automaker not without its own racing pedigree, but the bulk of that is anchored in the 1920s and at Le Mans, to which it returned in winning form in the earlier part of the new millennium with the Speed 8. The latest development could, however, see the Flying B marque enter into another class of motorsport competition altogether.



That opposite end of the endurance racing spectrum is the torturous Dakar rally. We first published rumors of Crewe's consideration of the possibility back in November, but according to CAR Magazine, those rumors are apparently kicking into high gear.



That much is owed largely to the emergence of the above-pictured EXP 9 F program, Bentley's concept SUV currently under development. Well, sorta. Bentley's parent company Volkswagen recently withdrew from the Dakar rally after winning it three times in a row - ostensibly to focus on its new World Rally Championship effort, but spurring rumors all the same of it transferring the team to another brand.



Given that the EXP 9 F is based (or would be, anyway) on an architecture related to the Touareg - the race model of which is what the VW team used to dominate the event - the facilitation of Bentley's take-over of the program could prove even more straight-forward than the manner in which Audi successfully supported Bentley's Le Mans team.



To wit, the boys from Crewe are said to be in the process of buying back all the Race Touareg rigs - complete with their 2.5-liter twin-turbo diesels producing 300 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque - that Volkswagen sold to privateer teams upon its departure, suggesting rather poor planning and perhaps only a passing resemblance to the eventual production EXP 9 F (which, incidentally, isn't expected to look like the concept above).

Bentley plotting Dakar effort with used VW Touareg racers? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 11:31:00 EST.  Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Sedan, Volkswagen, Design/Style

There was a lot of built-up excitement surrounding the larger and less costly 2011 Volkswagen Jetta, but the anticipation deflated among critics when the model's less-than-impressive interior was revealed to the world. Critics chided the cheapened cabin, and quite a few negative reviews followed.



It's tough to argue that in the process of its upsizing, the Jetta's interior wasn't downgraded with lesser plastics and trim. The 2012 Passat does a much better job in this regard, but even then there are some areas where it feels like cost has been taken out of the cabin. But none of that is apparently enough to stop designer Jae Min from taking issue with these characterizations. Ward's Automotive reports that VW's chief U.S. designer claims that the Jetta and Passat interiors were not the victims of cost-cutting. Min claims that the money was simply re-purposed, with money shifting "from here to there." The designer went on to add that the automaker was able to lower the starting price of both vehicles in part because of more flexible vehicle architectures and shifting production from Germany to the States.



While Min sounds convinced that no pennies were pinched, we're not so sure - unless when he says money was shifted "from here to there" he means "from where you can see and feel to where you can't." Regardless of what we think, one statistic is impossible to argue: Jetta sales have shot up 43.9 percent this year and Passat sales have skyrocketed by 80.9 percent. That, ladies and gentlemen, is letting the numbers do the talking.

Volkswagen designer claims no cost was taken out of Jetta, Passat interiors originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 10:45:00 EST.  Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments