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Can Cadillac and Lincoln take on the Mercedes S?

3/31/2015

Continental concept (Photo: Lincoln)

As we write this, Cadillac is unveiling its full-sized CT6 sedan in trendy Brooklyn and Lincoln has already announced a Continental concept four-door that is surely destined for production. Both will take center stage at the New York International Auto Show beginning later this week, but can either grab the spotlight from their clear target: the vaunted Mercedes S550?

We have driven the Mercedes and have been overwhelmed by the quality of its ride, the interior ambiance (including the variable mood lighting and available scents), and its driverless-car qualities that are fed by gobs of technology. It has vaulted so far ahead of its competition, including such rarified brands as Rolls-Royce and Bentley, that at an MSRP of $94,400, it is widely considered to be a bargain.

It's clear that the engineers and marketers in Stuttgart sat around a table and pondered the next generation of super-sedan. They had to. The competition from Lexus, Audi, BMW, and even Hyundai and Kia, was obviously catching up to the old S. It was time for Mercedes to come up with a breakthrough ride and the 2015 version has more than delivered.

Will we see the same from Cadillac and Lincoln? Cadillac has risen like a phoenix, delivering small and mid-sized sedans that, in some cases, have dethroned BMW from its top spots in the hearts of auto writers. Lincoln is another story. It's a brand that was near death and has no place to go but up. It's unclear at this point whether the Bentley-esque Continental concept can even be a success on its own, much less compete against the big Merc.

Right now, our money is on Cadillac to come close, if not meet, the new standard that has been set by the S. More to come on this as we get a closer look at both new cars. In the meantime, visit our home page to enjoy an early video view of the new CT6 cruising the streets of lower Manhattan.

Seven Jeep Concepts: A New Way to Celebrate Easter

3/20/2015

Staff Car Concept (Photo: FCA)

With Easter on the horizon, most people think of colored eggs, baskets of candy, roast lamb or lilies. But diehard off-road fans can now add Jeep® to the mix. The Fiat Chrysler division is introducing seven concept vehicles with a host of Mopar and Jeep Performance Parts and they are doing so at the Moab, Utah 49th annual Easter Jeep Safari, taking place March 28-April 5. The setting contains some of the country's most rugged and recognizable trails, so thousands of off-roaders are expected to attend.

The seven new concept vehicles built for Moab this year were created by a small team of engineers, designers and fabricators that have been customizing production vehicles since 2002, and have introduced more than 50 concept vehicles for the enthusiasts who attend the popular Easter Jeep Safari.

Here are the seven featured vehicles:

Jeep Chief -- A tribute to the classic 1970s era full-size Jeep Cherokee, this Wrangler-based concept vehicle evokes the West Coast surfer lifestyle of sun and fun with a nod to nostalgic beach rides. Custom exterior design cues include a vintage "Ocean Blue" exterior color scheme with a white, "French Bread" roof; a custom modified razor grille that the original Wagoneer made famous; halogen headlamps; removable sides for an open-air feel and flexible hauling; chrome front and rear bumpers and classic, 17-inch slotted mag wheels for a true '70s vibe.

Jeep Staff Car -- The Jeep Staff Car was built as a salute to legendary Jeep military service vehicles. The open-air Wrangler four-door-based concept vehicle looks historic and authentic, but is all new. The function over form of the original Jeep military service vehicles is evident in the Staff Car. Basic steel wheels, minimalist fender flares, "hungry horse" stretched canvas roof and bench seats all echo the original military Jeep vehicles.

Jeep Wrangler Africa -- The Africa is the ultimate Jeep Wrangler for back-country and overland expeditions, with room for extra gear and auxiliary fuel tanks. It sports a Desert Tan exterior paint, a high-clearance steel front bumper with winch, power step rock rails, power dome vented hood and an extended rear body and high-top roof. Powered by a 2.8-liter diesel engine mated to an automatic transmission, the Wrangler Africa also features fender-mounted auxiliary fuel cans. The Africa sports 17-inch body color steel wheels with 35-inch BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tires.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Overlander -- The Overlander concept vehicle represents the rough-and-tumble side of Grand Cherokee, a rugged and dependable vehicle customized for the enthusiast interested in overland expeditions where they travel and camp out of their vehicle. It sports Sage Green exterior paint. Custom features include a one-off front fascia, integrated front winch, tow hooks, larger wheel flares, SRT taillamps and hood, off-road rock rails, front and rear skid plates and 18-inch milled wheels with BF Goodrich All-terrain T/A tires.

Jeep Renegade Desert Hawk -- The newest addition to the Jeep lineup, the Jeep Renegade, is the basis for the Desert Hawk concept vehicle, and is equipped with a selection of Mopar and Jeep Performance Parts. The "Desert Tan" exterior features a Jeep Performance Parts body decal, a topographical hood decal that depicts the "Fins and Things" Moab trail, off-road rock rails and a skid plate kit. Also featured are Mopar's trailer hitch receiver and roof rack.

Jeep Cherokee Canyon Trail -- The Canyon Trail concept vehicle is developed from the Jeep Cherokee, Four Wheeler Magazine's "2015 Four Wheeler of the Year." In the spirit of that award, the Canyon Trail ups the Cherokee's capability with specifically designed Mopar and Jeep Performance Parts. The Canyon Trail's "Desert Tan" exterior paint is accented with a "Satin Black" hood that includes a topographical hood decal showcasing Hell's Revenge, a renowned off-road trail in Moab. The exterior also displays Jeep Performance Parts body decal, "Satin Black" roof accent colors and the 2015 "Four Wheeler of the Year" decal.

Jeep Wrangler Red Rock Responder -- The Red Rock Responder is a support vehicle purpose-built to traverse the world's harshest terrain with premium off-road equipment to respond to any vehicle emergency, with spare parts and tools stored in the cargo box's built-in drawers and compartments. With a "Vibrance Responder Red" exterior paint, Jeep Performance Parts body decal, 10th Anniversary hood with hydraulic hood props, high-top fender flares and 17-inch beadlock wheels with body color beadlock ring, the Red Rock Responder stands out. The vehicle also sports LED headlamps and foglamps, LED A-pillar and off-road lamps. (See a photo of this vehicle on our home page.)

"The most enthusiastic off-roaders travel to Moab each year for this premier event, making Easter Jeep Safari the perfect place to showcase Jeep Performance Parts," said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO – Mopar Brand Service, Parts and Customer Care. "Jeep owners are passionate about their vehicles and Mopar, with Jeep Authentic Accessories and Jeep Performance Parts, offers a full-line of products for them to express this passion through customization, making sure there is no other vehicle like theirs on the road."

Hagerty 'Hot List': 10 New Cars with Collector Potential

3/9/2015

The collectible MINI

How many times have you knocked yourself in the side of the head and muttered, "Gee, I wish I had bought (insert name of high-value collectible car here)?" Many of us can recall those missed opportunities to purchase a '60s Ferrari for a song or that new Yenko Camaro right off the showroom floor.

Well, now, Hagerty, the classic car insurer, is doing the work for you and identifying its top 10 new cars that you must buy today and put away in that heated garage. They call it the "Hagerty Hot List" containing collectible vehicles which must be produced within the 2015 model year and have an MSRP of less than $100,000.

"We hear a lot of chatter about how cars made today are boring," says McKeel Hagerty, the company's CEO. "The cars that made this list prove there are still cars to be excited about. They are true drivers' cars that are definitely enjoyable now, but each one that made the list has that special something that will make it a collectible in the years to come."

Below are the new cars that Hagerty says will stand out as collectibles within the next 25 years. See how they match up with your selections.

Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition ($69,685) – Alfa Romeo returns to America after a twenty-year absence with a junior supercar that boasts an impressive 0-60 time of 4.1 seconds and a carbon fiber chassis. It oozes Italianness from every single carbon fiber, making it perhaps the hottest car on a very hot "Hot List"
BMW M4 Convertible ($73,450) – The M3 and M5 have been the go-to cars for BMW Motorsports junkies since the late 1980s. The M4 offers those fans the silky torque of a twin turbo, inline-six engine, but, perhaps more importantly, it's the only M-car, other than the pricey M6, that can be had as a convertible.
Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 ($75,000) - The ultimate road-course-ready Camaro. Boasting a weight loss of 300 pounds and the LS7 V8 with 505 horsepower and 481 pound feet of torque, Chevrolet let the engineers out to play and they created a monster. Anyone who isn't aware that we're living in a new golden age of automotive performance has been clogging up the left lane for too long.
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 ($78,995) - Bang for your buck is an understatement for the supercharged Z06, which may well be the all-time performance-for-the-dollar champion. The Corvette has now entered supercar territory at a fraction of the price of the competition from Germany and Italy.
Dodge Challenger Hellcat ($58,295) – It feels like the 1960s again. The Cold War is back and so are the muscle car horsepower wars. Dodge just exercised the nuclear option with this beast. Limited production and 707 horsepower means that the Hellcat earns its name. Clearly the Challenger Hellcat is here to turn fuel into noise and rubber into dust and little else.
Ford Mustang GT Performance Package ($37,125) – Although the 50th anniversary edition will be produced in far less numbers, Hagerty thinks the GT performance package is the true driver's car. Ford had a tough job following up the 2005-14 Mustang, but they've done it very well (better perhaps than in 1967 when the Mustang was redesigned for the first time). Here's to another 50 years.
Mazda MX-5 Miata 25th Anniversary Edition ($33,000) – The popularity of Japanese collector cars is on the rise and the Miata has established itself as the quintessential modern roadster. With this special edition also the last of its generation, it is already sealed as a collectible with only 100 models making the trip to North America.
MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop ($24,950) – New for 2015, the two-door hardtop John Cooper Works MINI is the most powerful version ever produced. The performance specs are impressive, but what will have collectors drooling in the future is the attention paid to the MINI's design concept.
Subaru WRX STI Launch Edition ($38,190) – With a stiffer body, advanced suspension and a turbocharged Boxer four-cylinder, the STI is quite literally a factory-built rally car that you can drive off the showroom floor. The smile-inducing acceleration is simply intoxicating, and the very limited release Launch Edition will be loved by collectors and rally fans for years to come.
Volkswagen Golf R ($36,595) – "4Motion" all-wheel drive, 292 horsepower, 0-60 miles per hour in 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph make the all new VW Golf the most powerful VW hatchback to date. With a two-liter turbocharged inline four, this VW is bound to excite collectors now and in the future. It's the Golf that GTI fan boys and girls have been begging VW to build.

(Our thanks to the manufacturers for providing photos here and on the home page.)

MINI Superleggera Vision: The next Miata fighter?

3/2/2015

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With the focus on Mazda's Monterey, California debut of the 2016 MX-5 Miata last August, many gearheads may not have noticed MINI's June European promotion of a stunning, Italian-designed electric concept roadster, the Superleggera (TM) Vision. But you can bet that it raised eyebrows at Mazda headquarters. And the MINI's classic Milanese coachwork may have even ruffled a few feathers in the halls of Fiat Chrysler, where executives are still noodling whether to launch the Miata's sister Alfa Romeo roadster (possibly as a Fiat) or to simply let next year's more upscale Alfa 4C Spider lead the brand in the ragtop department.

BMW Group debuted the Vision at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2014 in Cernobbio, Italy. Says the company: "This exclusive interpretation of an open-top two-seater was created by MINI and Touring Superleggera, the tradition-steeped design and coach building house based in Milan. The MINI Superleggera™ Vision is, on the one hand, a classic roadster, a compact and agile two-seater, expressing the most minimalist and emotional style of motoring; and on the other hand, its electric drivetrain gives the car distinctly modern driving dynamics. In collaboration with MINI, Touring Superleggera™ has designed and built an elaborately crafted, unique model which blends the tradition of classic coachwork construction with the MINI’s authentic British styling to create timeless aesthetic appeal."

Much of the press material on the Vision focuses on the various intricate design elements (we especially like the Union Jack taillights), but we believe the photo gallery below, courtesy of BMW Group, gives you a good idea of why such a roadster could give the Miata a run for its money on looks alone. Couple that with a smooth, powerful electric drivetrain and MINI's always stellar and solid handling, and you have a sweet formula for sales success that could draw MX-5 fans out of the fold (assuming the price is right).

We have asked BMW Group officials for more information on the possible launch of such a roadster, especially in the U.S., and we've also requested the specs on the drivetrain if they are available. We'll update you when we hear more.

In the meantime, please enjoy the photo gallery: