First, let’s review Moore’s Law: It is the observation that over the history of computing hardware, the number of transistors on integrated circuits doubles approximately every two years. It also describes a driving force of technological and social change in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
In this context, “democratization” can be defined as the spread or diffusion of technology throughout the things we use in our everyday lives from a refrigerator to an automobile.
So how does Moore’ Law and the democratization of technology apply to the modern automobile?
Technology has been in trickling down from expensive to entry level automobiles since they were first invented. Headlights, electronic starters, windshield wipers and automatic transmissions were all once considered high tech that became democratized.
Early Examples
Remember when power windows, like these on a vintage Cadillac Seville, were really special and cool? Now, it’s so common, you don’t even think about it.
Just a few decades ago, commonplace conveniences like power windows, power door locks or a day-night rear view mirror were luxuries. As a kid in the 1960s and 1970s, I used to marvel at power windows. They were just so damn awesome and fun! Given a chance, I could play with the window switches until the battery died. Okay, it happened and the adults were none too thrilled about it; however, today, it’s taken for granted that all but the very cheapest cars have these features as standard equipment.
Air conditioning used to be a big deal too. We used to fight to be in the front seat near the AC vents as the rest of the station wagon didn’t cool very well. Now almost every vehicle has it as standard equipment and it doesn’t overheat the car.
Digital Media and Communications Technology Merging with Automobiles
iTunes, Apple’s digital music store, opened in April 2003 and seemingly overnight, the entire music business model was upended and it is still trying to cope with the fallout. Almost all record store chains have vanished and sales of physical CDs have been in freefall ever since. No one carries a CD or cassette player. If you see anyone – of any age – listening to music outside their home or car, it’s almost always with a digital music player and earphones. Boomboxes? Those are so 1990s.
Various generations of Apple’s iPod
Various generations of Apple’s iPod Nano
It was only five short years ago that Apple’s iPhone revolutionized the smartphone market. From nearly zero market share in 2007, smartphones now account for than 50% of all mobile phones in the U.S market.
Apple’s co-founder Steve Jobs holding the original iPhone in 2007
And today, almost every single in-car infotainment system, even a very basic one, has a way to integrate a smartphone or digital music player (like an iPod), even if it’s only an auxiliary line-in jack. Manufacturers are tripping over each other finding ways to integrate smartphones, apps and touch-screen technology into in-dash infotainment systems. The way smartphone technology is integrated into your car’s interface has become a major selling point for any car sold today.
Cadillac’s new CUE (Cadillac User Experience) infotainment system looks very much like an iPhone or iPad with its beautiful color touch-screen interface and various functions that look like apps.
Recent Examples of the Speed of Democratization
In 2006, for the 2007 model year, Lexus introduced a new generation of its flagship LS sedan. One of it’s “dazzle me” features was its Automated Parallel Parking system that used sensors to to steer the car into a preselected parking space. It was the first time this feature was offered on any vehicle in the U.S.
A 2007 Lexus LS460, introduced in 2006.
Lexus’s original automated system, part of a $4,315 option package, needed a large berth to perform its magical moves in what seemed like slow motion. On the mean streets of LA, if you actually found a streetside parking space big enough for the land yacht, you risked a road rage incident because of how long you’d be blocking an entire lane of traffic.
Today that same feature, Active Park Assist, is available on a 2013 Ford Focus for $395 (it was first made available in 2011 on the 2012 Focus). And for that price, you get a rear view camera, front parking sensors, and ultrasonic sensors. Ford claims the car will park itself, with very little driver input, in as little as 24 seconds.
2013 Ford Focus Sedan Titanium
That same year, the 2007 Lexus LS was fitted with the first production 8-speed automatic transmission. Today, every BMW (except for the M-cars) has an 8-speed automatic transmission either as standard or optional kit. The same ZF 8-speed automatic (BMW doesn’t make its own transmissions) is available in most Audis as well as Chrysler Group products with rear- or all-wheel drive.
Do you remember, decades ago, when Cadillac offered a “Twilight Sentinel” that essentially automated the headlights? That feature used to be a big deal only available on top-line luxury cars. Today, you can get that feature on Kia Forte.
Not so long ago, Dual-Zone Digital Automatic Climate control was a feature only offered on some big, expensive luxo-cruisers. In less just a few years, every Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima offered the same digital dual-zone automatic climate control systems. The technology to do this has become very inexpensive.
Let’s compare some pricing. The 2013 Hyundai Elantra Limited is very well equipped, including freight, at $21,720. The only option package is the Technology package that costs $2,350 — and you get a lot for your money: A GPS Navigation system with a 7” full color screen, a rear view camera, a 360 watt premium audio system, dual zone automatic climate control, automatic headlights and keyless entry and with a push button start.
2013 Hyundai Elantra Limited Sedan
Now let’s compare this to the all-new 2012 BMW 328i, with a base price, including freight, of $37,395. Automatic headlights are standard on all BMWs as is dual-zone automatic climate control. First, let’s add the Premium Package for $3,100: Leather seating surfaces, lumbar adjustment, a moonroof, satellite radio with a 1-year subscription and keyless entry and ignition. Leather seating surfaces, a moonroof and satellite radio are standard on the compact Elantra Limited.
To match the lowly Elantra’s kit, the 328i needs to add navigation – $2,150; heated seats – $500; rear view camera – $400; and an upgraded Harmon Kardon Surround System, $875.
2012 BMW 328i Sedan
In total, you’d have to add $7,025 in options to the base BMW (a whopping $44,420) just to match the technology on the $24,070 Hyundai.
This is what has happened and is continuing to happen with all sorts of features that used to be reserved for expensive luxury cars that are now affordable and available on humble mass-market cars – from subcompact hatchbacks to full-size sedans and SUVs.
I’ll be the first to tell you that the tech in the BMW is probably better and more advanced than that in that in the Hyundai or that BMW’s leather seats are far superior to the much cheaper ones inside the Elantra. But the point is that the technology and materials like leather, soft-touch plastics and LED lighting has democratized its way to entry-level cars and consumers can feel like they aren’t missing too much by not paying so much more for a more prestigious brand.
Consumers are the winners in the democratization of technology on cars. With the technology trump cards being taken away from the likes of Mercedes, BMW, Audi and Infiniti, the luxury car makers must find new, more novel high-tech ways to distinguish their cars from the more mundane, entry level, mass-market offerings of companies like Hyundai/Kia, Toyota, Chrysler, Chevrolet or Ford.
Of course stellar drivetrains, high performance models, LED lighting, sophisticated chassis and suspension systems, high quality materials, design and build quality are still distinguishing factors in such legendary brands as Porsche, Mercedes and BMW. But even those advantages are constantly under assault as technological advances in manufacturing allow all carmakers to make higher-quality, safer vehicles with better fit and finish, upgraded plastics and beautiful paint jobs.
The New Poster Child for Tech Democratization: The 2013 Ford Fusion
Ford is upping the ante again this fall as the 2013 Fusion comes to market. Ford marketing says the new Fusion is “America’s Smartest Midsize Sedan” and that it can “see what the driver can’t.” It can be equipped with front and rear cameras, front and side radar, and front, rear and side ultrasonic sensors to accomplish the task.
2013 Ford Fusion
The 2013 Ford Fusion is available with a dizzying array of cameras, radar and ultrasound sensors.
The web of cameras and sensors are all networked together with high-speed processing chips and millions of lines of software code. Ford’s Driver-Assist Technology for the 2013 Fusion includes a rearview camera to assist the driver when backing up, a Blind-Spot Indicator System that warns the driver of cars in lanes on either side and a Cross-Traffic Alert assist in locating traffic to the rear and sides when backing out of a parking space or driveway.
Driver-Assist Technologies available on the 2013 Ford Fusion
Pull-Drift Compensation and a Lane-Keeping System nudge you back into the lane with a bit of torque applied to the electric power steering if the car senses it is going outside the lane without driver input. Active Park Assist parallel parks the car for the driver – like the system introduced in 2011 on the 2012 Focus. Driver Alert System provides a visual (flashing lights) and audio (beeping) alert if it senses you falling asleep.
The radar-based Adaptive Cruise Control adjusts the speed to follow the car in front of you if that car is going slower than your set speed. The system will also brake the car to a complete stop if traffic grinds to a stand still. Using the same radar, Forward Collision Warning loudly alerts you to a pending frontal crash.
So what does all this set you back? The 2013 Fusion Titanium (top trim level) starts at $30,995. The total cost of all the Driver Assist gizmos I described above is $2,790 for a fully-loaded MSRP of $33,785. That’s $3,610 less than the stripped-down entry level BMW 328i sedan. Active Cruise Control alone is a $2,400 option on the Beemer.
The interior of the 2013 Ford Fusion looks like a very nice place to spend time. I think it will be a very popular midsize sedan and proves that American can compete with the Japanese and Koreans. The era when import brands have an advantage over the domestic manufacturers is officially over.
In short, the 2013 Ford Fusion takes the democratization of automotive technology to a whole new level and makes the Fusion stand out from the crowded pack that includes: the all-new 2013 Honda Accord, the all-new 2013 Nissan Altima, the one year old Toyota Camry and the two-year old Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima. Even the all-new 2013 Chevy Malibu is at least in the running here. The Fusion, however, sets the bar higher.
To the driving enthusiast like me, assuming price wasn’t an obstacle, I’d go for the rear-drive Ultimate Driving Machine any day over the front-drive cushy family hauler from Ford.
But the vast majority of buyers look at the value of a “common” brand like Ford and see that they can drive a sharp-looking, high-tech near-luxury car with a different badge for just a fraction of the price of a similarly-equipped luxury brand car. In other words, Ford gives you much more value for your money.
Conclusion
In keeping with Moore’s Law, we can only expect to see more advanced technology features to appear on less-expensive cars as costs continue to fall, processing speeds increase and technology advances. Everyone will benefit from this democratization of technology.
Acura: How do you get people back into your showrooms if you’re the neglected quasi-luxury brand of Honda? Acura thinks the first step is to offer a luxury version of the Honda Civic and remake it’s flagship RL that could only find 38 buyers last month.
The 2013 Acura ILX is coming to showrooms in the 2nd quarter of 2012 – so soon. It will have three powertrain choices: A 2.0L 4-cylinder engine with a 5-speed automatic (Civic); a 2.4L 4-cylinder with a 6-speed manual transmission (Civic Si) and a 1.5L 4-cylinder engine with a hybrid electric motor and an automatic (CVT) transmission (Civic Hybrid). The styling and interior design far surpasses the current un-loved Civic.
2013 Acura ILX interior - much better than the Civic!
2013 Acura ILX - Front
2013 Acura ILX - Rear
Once again, Honda/Acura has rejected the idea of a proper rear-drive luxury flagship for Acura. The current RL has been languishing on the market, mostly unchanged, since 2005. No one bought the $50,000+ RL in 2005 because the TL, Acura’s version of the Honda Accord, is about the same size, equally well-equipped and is $10 – $15,000 LESS. Sales of the RL for all of 2011 were only 1,096 units. And Acura dealers probably had to give those away at steep discounts.
At the New York show, Acura previewed the new RLX in concept form. There aren’t many details, but it will continue to be a front-drive/AWD car with a V6 engine and the possibility of a hybrid drivetrain.
The RLX Concept seems to be a very conservative sedan with an Acura grille. It's nice, but as a flagship statement and as the material expression of Honda's engineering prowess, I'm not impressed.
The RLX Concept is very Japanese, but not very distinguishable in the very crowded near-luxury field. You know, the 2013 Toyota Avalon looks like this too.
BMW: BMW has finally decided to bring the X1, it’s small SUV to the United States. The X1 is nearly identical in size to the outgoing 3-series wagon because it’s made on the same platform in the same factory in Germany. It weighs only 3,527 pounds, a whopping 585 pounds lighter and 6.5 inches shorter than the X3. It’s main competition will be the Mercedes-Benz GLK.
The X1 sDrive28i will be the entry-level rear-drive model with the company’s new 2.0L dual turbo 240 hp engine, starting at $31,545. BMW will also offer the X1 with its excellent 3.0L inline dual-turbo six with 300 hp, starting at $39,345. Missing, as usual, is a 4-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. The X1 hasn’t yet been officially rated by the EPA, but BMW hints that in base rear-drive form, it should get around 23 mpg in the city and an impressive 34 mpg on the highway.
Given its more compact size, low entry level price, American’s never-ending love for SUVs and impressive fuel economy, I think the little X1 will be a hit.
2013 BMW X1. It looks like the X3, but with a little less cargo space. I'm thankful that you can still buy it without BMW's xDrive AWD system.
The interior of the 2013 X1 is very BMW-familiar. Since the X1 is much more closely-related to the 2011 3-series, it lacks the austere interior of the current 1-series coupe/convertible.
Buick: Oh, General Motors, I know you’re trying to get us to like Buick. You’ve put out some interesting products. The new LaCrosse is competent, as is the Regal and the all-new Verano. Sales for the first quarter of 2012 are down about 16.5% from the same period last year, so there are high hopes that the Verano and the newly-refreshed 2013 Enclave will spice up sales.
The large Enclave SUV is based on GM’s Lambda platform that underpins corporate cousins the Chevy Traverse and GMC Acadia. Here are some pictures, see if you can see if you can spot the changes (hint, they are hard to see).
The 2013 Buick Enclave has only subtle styling changes. Nothing radical. The headlight array is different, giving the front a more aggressive look.
The center stack on the dash has an upgraded infotainment system and I'm told that the wood surrounding it is real, even if it looks fake.
Chevrolet: It’s happened, Chevrolet has made an Impala that may find a home outside its natural habitat – corporate rental fleets. Based on the same platform as the Buick LaCrosse and the upcoming Cadillac XTS temporary flagship, the handsome new Impala leaps into showrooms early in 2013 as a 2014 model.
The base engine is a 2.5L 4-cylinder engine making 195 hp and 187 lb-ft of torque. Optional will be the same 2.4 liter four with GM’s eAssist mild hybrid technology. The top engine is the ubiquitous 3.6 liter V6 making 303 hp and 264 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed automatic is standard on models.
The upgraded interior materials look good and are soft to the touch. French stitching abounds over the dashtop, the instrument panel cowel and the center control panel. Another feature is the same active noise cancellation system also found in the LaCrosse.
The good news is that the Impala is finally competitive. The bad news is that its direct competitor is the Buick LaCrosse. GM’s eating its own children, again.
The handsome new 2014 Chevy Impala is a Buick LaCrosse with less bling.
Another nice picture of the 2014 Chevy Impala. Cool house too. It looks like the photo shoot was in Palm Springs.
The 2014 Impala has the aura of a near-luxury car. Good for Chevy, but not so good for corporate sister Buick. Why pay for a Buick when you can get essentially the same thing for thousands less with a Chevy badge?
The detailing and materials for the interior have advanced at least two generations over the ancient rental fleet Impala currently on-sale. The Chevy MyLink infotainment system, including native apps and touch-screen navigation look pretty cool here.
Fisker: The Fisker Karma is the flashy king of hybrids, but it’s also the price king. As part of Fisker’s plan to expand its line up and create a volume nameplate, Fisker had planned on purchasing and re-purposing an old GM plant in Delaware with a Department of Energy loan. The project car was code named Nina.
In a rapidly changing environment for hybrids and electric cars, Fisker is now waffling on the Delaware plant and the DOE loan has been suspended. Fisker says it has secured private funding for the new car. But to tease us all, Fisker has released pictures of Project Nina, now renamed the Atlantic.
It has strong design ties to the Karma, but this “affordable” plug-in hybrid – an extended range electric vehicle – is supposed to have a price tag in the $45,000 range (half the price of the Karma). It ditches the 2.0L GM EcoTec engine in the Karma in favor of a BMW-sourced 2.0L inline 4 cylinder engine. A123 systems is still scheduled to supply the battery pack, but after the problems with the battery pack on the Karma, that could change too.
Behold the Karma Atlantic:
Henrik Fisker certainly has a flair for design. There are no bad angles on this 2014 (?) Atlantic ErEV.
There will be no confusion that this is a Fisker. Style is abundant.
The Atlantic design prototype’s glass roof shows off a ridged ‘spider’ structure. According to Fisker, this incredibly strong construction also allows the Atlantic to offer a remarkable amount of rear headroom for a car with its sleek, coupe-like stance.
Hyundai: While Hyundai didn’t wow us with a flashy show car or a zippy variant like the Veloster, we did get to see the 2013 Santa Fe, which is a key crossover in Hyundai’s portfolio. The big news, besides the fresh, “Fluidic Sculpture” sheet metal and upgraded interior, was that the Santa Fe would be available in normal and long-wheel base versions. This sets the stage for the exit of the Hyundai’s large crossover, the Veracruz, which found only 622 homes last month. In other words, everyone forgot it existed.
The two row Santa Fe Sport has a base 2.4L direct-inject 4-cylinder engine good for 190 hp. A 2.0L direct-inject turbo four making 264 hp is optional. The three row Santa Fe’s only engine is a 3.3L direct-inject V6 good for 290 hp. All versions have a standard in-house sourced six-speed automatic and are available in both front and all-wheel drive. The base Sport with front drive is good up to 33 mpg. The Sport Turbo is only slightly less at 31 mpg.
As a sign of a new automotive trend, the 2013 Santa Fe Sport is 266 pounds less than the outgoing model. Less weight = more efficient. Prices haven’t been released, but the base Santa Fe Sport shouldn’t be much more than the outgoing base Santa Fe which is $23,225.
2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport has a more aggressive trapezoidal grille.
The 2013 Santa Fe's smaller "D" pillar should help side visibility.
The interior of the 2013 Santa Fe looks rich and handsome. I like the new big navigation screen.
Infiniti: Nissan’s electric branch grew a new Leaf and this time it’s called the LE. Wow, Infiniti, Nissan’s luxury division, couldn’t come up with a better name than that? While the Nissan Leaf can charitably be described as “geek chic,” the Infiniti LE got all the designer duds and more LED bobbles than Lady Gaga at a rave.
The Infiniti LE Concept is around the size of the Leaf, but it has a trunk, not a hatchback and bears more than a passing resemblance to the Hyundai Elantra. Hyundai calls it “Fluidic Sculpture” while Infiniti calls it “Hamon” (ripple) design. Based on the Leaf’s platform, the LE packs a 24 kWh lithium-ion battery pack good for a claimed 100 miles. Nissan claimed the same thing for the Leaf, but 70 miles was more realistic in normal driving in So Cal warm weather.
The headline technology is the wireless inductive energy flow charging system. A pad would be installed on your garage floor, connected to the electricity source. Park your EV over the pad and a receptor at the bottom of the car siphons electrons through microwaves. Nissan says the LE could be in showrooms in two years; however it’s unclear which will be ready first: the car or the charging system.
Infiniti isn’t talking price, but the Leaf SL starts at $37,250. Figure the Infiniti has to be at least $10,000 more.
The Infiniti LE Concept EV. It shimmers in the electric blue LEDs.
The Infiniti LE Concept reminds me of the Hyundai Elantra. That's both good and bad. I think the Elantra sports a modern, flowing design; but an Infiniti is supposed to be an expensive luxury car, not an entry-level subcompact.
Inductive charging is a cool idea that can't be here fast enough.
The interior of the Infiniti LE Concept. Infiniti can't get enough of those blue LEDs. It does make for a futuristic vibe.
Lexus: With the new Toyota Camry introduced last year, it was only a matter of time before a new Lexus ES rolled out. The 2013 Lexus ES350 is a welcome change to its dowdy predecessor. The new ES sports modern fluidic styling favored by Asian manufacturers, along with the slightly risky “spindle” face first introduced earlier this year on the larger rear-drive GS350. Power will come from an updated version of Toyota’s 3.5L direct-inject V6. In the Camry, the non-direct injection engine makes 268 hp and in the GS the direct inject engine is rated at 306 hp.
However for me, the real “excitement” (if that word can be applied to a Lexus) is that the new ES gets a much needed, sweeping revision of its interior. Banished to history is the ugly center stack tombstone in favor of the handsome horizontal dash lines first seen in the GS.
Lexus didn't take much risk with the 2013 ES350; however, it certainly is modern and some think the spindle grille makes it a bit aggressive. It just looks like a hooked fish to me.
The sweeping horizontal lines of the 2013 ES interior is a complete 180 from its predecessor. The optional bamboo wood looks rich and it's real.
For others, though, the big news was that there will be an ES300h hybrid for the first time. Naturally, it will be based on the 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid, so it won’t be saddled with the unpopular wildebeest-look of the hybrid-only Lexus HS250h. The Camry Hybrid has a combined fuel economy of 40 mpg, so I’d expect the heavier Lexus to be slightly less.
2013 Lexus ES Hybrid
An interior detail of the 2013 Lexus ES Hybrid.
Lincoln: Can Ford’s renaissance spread to Lincoln? Ford’s only remaining “luxury” brand is Lincoln. The venerable luxury brand, once famous for such amazing products as the 1938 Lincoln-Zephyr or the 1963 Continental “slab side” “suicide door” convertible (think Kennedy assignation), has been used and abused for decades and is in the hospital on life support.
Every current Lincoln is a rebadged Ford and Lincoln has been starved of a proper flagship rear-drive sedan for decades. It’s going to take time and money, lots of money, to revive Lincoln and find new customers. The last of Lincoln’s old-school customers were abandon when Ford threw the last shovel of dirt over the long-dug grave of the venerable rear-drive Town Car/Crown Victoria. Somehow, a rebadged Taurus – the MKS – was supposed to take its place. It didn’t.
The first step for the new, new Lincoln is the 2013 MKZ. Still saddled with the ridiculous three letter meaningless nameplate, the MKZ is, once again, a rebadged Ford Fusion. However, this time, Ford thinks that there is enough sheet metal, interior and engine distinction to quell the critics and be the platform for another “relaunch” of the brand.
The new MKZ’s base engine will be Ford’s excellent 2.0L direct-inject EcoBoost good for 240 hp. While the Fusion doesn’t get a V6 this time around, the Lincoln MKZ will be available with a 300 hp 3.7L direct-inject V6. The MKZ hybrid will have the same system in the Fusion Hybrid that Ford says will be good for 41 mpg in the city/36 highway.
Lincoln also promises all the latest in electronic safety wizardry, active noise cancellation and, for the first time, “world-class customer service,” all-new showrooms and a staff trained at the (groan) Lincoln Academy. In short, Lincoln is going after a Lexus customer experience. Hum… we will see how that works out.
Overall, I love the new MKZ, but its Fusion sister is also sensational. At least this time around, you can’t go wrong with either product.
The 2013 Lincoln MKZ. This is the new face of Lincoln. It's high style, but it does nothing for me. It just looks derivative. The sheet metal is well rendered and provides style lines and V-shaped hood stamping provides visual interest. The LED running lights are nice, but almost a must-have cliche these days.
The coupe-like styling of the 2013 MKZ is in vogue, but the integrated real spoiler and full-width horizontal taillights are quite handsome, sporty and a cool touch.
Lincoln thinks that this gigantic, optional 15.2 square foot panoramic glass sliding roof panel will be a defining feature of the new MKZ. This spectacular overhead shot should be everywhere because it really makes the car special.
The handsome, futuristic new interior of the 2013 Lincoln MKZ may be hard for older customers to live with. Everything is by touch screen or touch panel. Note that even the traditional transmission shifter is gone in favor of push-button controls on the left side of the center console.
The 10.1" full-color navigation and control screen is lovely and at the proper height. Notice the transmission selection buttons to the right of the steering wheel, on the center panel.
Mercedes-Benz: Mercedes is revamping its SUV line up. First was the ML, followed by the GLK (to better compete with the BMW X1 and now the full-size GL). I’ve always liked the GL because it seems to wear its angular styling like a beautiful Hugo Boss suit. The styling for 2013 continues the previous angular styling language, but with rounded edges and a more prominent nose similar to what we first saw on the 2012 ML.
The three-row, seven seat 2013 GL comes with three engine choices, as before, but with some new hardware. The GL350 BlueTec diesel is powered by a revised 3.5L V6 common-rail injection turbo-diesel good for 240 hp and an intoxicating 455 lb-ft of towing torque. As you’d expect, the diesel will be the fuel economy leader. The GL450 has a 4.7L V8, as before, but this time it’s part of Mercedes’ all-new architecture that uses direct injection and twin turbos to pump out 362 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. The top-line GL550 ditches the naturally-aspirated 5.5L V8 in favor of the same 4.7L V8 twin-turbo in the GL450, except the output is up to a whopping 429 hp with a gut-wrenching 516 lb-ft of torque, surpassing the diesel (but much more thirsty). All engines are mated to Mercedes’ latest 7-speed automatic transmission with 4-Matic all-wheel drive as standard equipment.
As usual, Mercedes-Benz promises the very latest in advanced safety technology, including a slew of airbags and air curtains, optional blind-spot detection, lane keeping assistance, cross-wind stabilization and Pre-Safe Braking that will stop the car for you if it senses an eminent crash.
My favorite new option, however, is the optional Designo quilted seats. Expect them to be expensive.
These Designo quilted seats on the 2013 Mercedes GL look divine and I'm sure the price will choke a horse.
The GL is assembled at Mercedes’ Tuscolusa, Alabama plant for the worldwide market. Expect the GL350 diesel to start around $63,000, the volume leader GL450 to start at $64,000 and the mighty GL550 to start in the $87,000 range.
This 2013 GL350 BlueTec (diesel) as well as the V8 models are fitted with a full array of LEDs. If there is a contest between Mercedes and Audi as to how many LEDs can adorn the front of a car, I think the new GL may win.
The GL is basically a large, boxy wagon. Sort of like the German version of the long-gone but glorious Jeep Wagoneer.
The interior of the new GL is beautifully appointed with rich materials and pleasing, horizontal lines. Of course, the latest version of Mercedes' infotainment system, COMAND, is at the driver's eye level to reduce distraction.
Nissan: Nissan is rolling out five new or refreshed models in the next 15 months. First up is the company’s volume leader, the Altima. The Altima is an all-important vehicle for Nissan as it accounts for roughly one third of its total U.S. sales. Last year, Nissan sold 268,981 Altimas.
The refreshed styling looks much more like Nissan’s flagship sedan, the Maxima. That’s a bit odd because the Maxima is getting a bit tired and in need of its own refresh. The 2013 Altima comes standard with a new 2.5L inline four with variable valve timing, but no direct injection. It pushes output up to 182 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque. Mated to another continuously variable transmission (CVT), Nissan says the Altima will return 27 mpg city/38 mpg highway – a marked increase over the outgoing model. Nissan’s 3.5L V6 carries over and with the CVT, it has improved fuel economy of 22/30.
The Altima also went on a diet and lost 79 pounds while increasing the use of high-strength steel leading to a claimed 30% increase in structural rigidity. A sophisticated multi-link rear suspension is good news for both ride and handling. NissanConnect is standard, and with Bluetooth 2.0, makes fast and easy connection with smartphones. The base Altima comes in at $21,500, just $1,000 more than the last generation base model – but you do get more kit and a better car for the money.
I think it’s a good, safe refresh and it will continue to be a volume leader for Nissan.
2013 Nissan Altima
The interior of the 2013 Nissan Altima shows a more mature, rich design. The seats are supposedly specially designed to reduce fatigue.
The new NissanConnect infotainment system should make using your smartphone easier. The controls are a combination of old-fashion knobs and a modern touch-screen. It's nice to have a rear view camera and dual-zone automatic climate control. It all looks upscale.
SRT: Street and Racing Technology. Historically, SRT was the in-house tuning brand applied to all Chrysler Group brands. However, about a year ago, Ralph Gilles, the talented designer of the original Chrysler 300 and the Senior Vice President of Design for the Chrysler Group, was asked to lead SRT into its own brand identity. Gilles is now President and CEO of SRT in addition to his VP of Design duties. Lucky man.
Rumors were flying that the new Viper would be built on an Alfa Romeo 8C platform, but that was all a smoke screen. The Viper has updated the outgoing chassis and upgraded the Viper’s signature V10 engine. Here are the numbers: The all aluminum 8.4 liter V10 engine packs 640 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque. All that power is sent to the rear wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission. At launch, no automatic or dual-clutch automated manual is available. Yet.
For the first time, the Viper will get stability control; however, there is an off switch. It also gets a much more civilized and handsome interior. It weighs approximately 3,350 pounds and balances the weight at nearly a 50/50 ratio, front to back. SRT says the Viper should top out at 206 mph. Prices haven’t been announced, but Car and Driver estimates a price tag in the $120,000 range. Get in line, they will all sell.
The 2013 SRT Viper is stunning at every angle.
The 2013 SRT Viper. I love the taillights, all LEDs, of course. Red seems a very fitting color for the new snake.
The Viper's V10 engine is a thing of beauty under those fantastic cross-braces. SRT says the cross-braces help increase structural rigidity by 50 percent!
The new interior of the Viper GTS is just stunning with the red and black Nappa leather. The thin-shell seats are sourced from the same vendor used by corporate cousin, Ferrari.
Wow - a fully functional center stack with real amenities including the excellent, easy-to-use corporate infotainment system found in other Chrysler products. The contrasting French stitching is a nice touch. The interior finally catches up to the boy-racer greasy bits underneath.
Subaru: Last year, Subaru introduced an all-new Impreza, its volume sedan and hatchback. Variants inevitably follow any new Impreza and first up is the 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek. It’s basically an Impreza Sport (a 4-door hatchback) that’s raised 9 inches with a black-cladded sill, cool new wheels and roof rails.
The XV Crosstrek has the same 2.0L 148 hp, 145 lb-ft of torque boxer engine found in the Impreza. Transmission choices are a 6-speed manual or Subaru’s Lineartronic CVT. Of course, the company’s symmetrical all-wheel drive is standard. No matter how you slice it, you won’t be breaking any speed records and climbing steep grades will tax the engine. The XV is a “active lifestyle” vehicle, ready to carry a surfboard or bicycle, go camping or skiing. Cargo is good at 52 cubic feet with the rear seats folded flat.
Subaru says the XV Crosstrek is good for 25 mpg in the city and 33 mph on the highway. It should start around $23,000.
There is no question that the 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek will be a hit with the Subaru faithful. The Impreza Sport is always in short stock, many selling even before they are delivered to the dealer. The XV will enjoy the same high demand.
The 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek. Love the orange paint and black-painted wheels.
The extra 8.7 inches of ground clearance give the driver of the XV Crosstrek a commanding view of the road without being a mammoth SUV.
The 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek has a large hatch and the back seats fold flat for ease of loading and unloading cargo.
The cockpit of the XV is 100 percent lifted from the Impreza.
Toyota: Toyota surprised everyone in New York with the redesigned Avalon. The Grand Dowager of Toyota has traditionally been a Buick for customers who gave up on Buick. Large, spacious, cushy and semi-plush defined the interior while deadly boring styling clad the exterior. Well, no more.
The 2013 Toyota Avalon is a complete re-imagining of the Toyota flagship. While the styling is derivative – I see a Camry nose on top of the new Fusion’s trapezoidal grille and from the rear it looks like the all-new Hyundai Azera. The sweeping headlights have the look of the new Lincoln MKZ. All this is a good thing, because it makes the Avalon competitive in this larger near-luxury sedan category that includes the redesigned 2013 Hyundai Azera, the 2012 Buick LaCrosse, the Chrysler 300 and the 2013 Lincoln MKZ.
Toyota was short on specifics, but since the Avalon is built on the Camry platform, it’s likely to have at least the corporate 3.5 liter V6 engine, which in the Camry, has 268 hp and 248 lb-foot of torque. A six-speed automatic is the only transmission.
From the pictures, you can see that the new interior is about as close to a Lexus as a Lexus. The current base Avalon is $33,195 and I’d expect the new Avalon available late this year to be in the same price range.
The 2013 Toyota Avalon. Who knew Toyota could design and produce such a sleek vehicle? It will be built in Toyota's Georgetown, Kentucky plant alongside the Camry.
The new Avalon takes its styling cues from the four-door coupe school. The C-pillar sweeps into the trunk at a rakish angle giving the illusion of a coupe. The Mercedes CLS started the trend and it's been picked up by many different manufacturers including on the Volkswagen CC and the Audi A7.
The 2013 Toyota Avalon's dash has real style now and Lexus quality.
Todd Bianco's ACarIsNotARefrigerator.com Blog 