Autos

Let’s be honest, the factory Honda CR-Z doesn’t have much of a ‘wow’ factor. It’s a bit on the boring side, and I’d much rather be driving the new Hyundai Veloster, which has more power and is also more fuel efficient. But the CR-Z is about to get a little face lift thanks to Mugen’s European arm.

Honda has confirmed that a modified version of the CR-Z (known as the CR-Z iCF) will go on sale in Britain in the spring of 2012. The modifications done to the 1.5-liter hybrid engine by Mugen include the addition of a supercharger, upgraded inter-cooler, and

Porsche recently updated their 911 line of cars and now they’ve focused their attention on the Boxster.  The 2013 Porsche Boxster is code named 981 and will be available in April 2012.  In typical Porsche fashion the 981 Boxster’s design is more of an evolution of the previous generation rather than an all-new design.  A quick glance at the picture above, the 2013 Boxster reminds me of the Toyota MR-S for a second. 

We got our first look at the all-new 2013 Mercedes SL Roadster late last year; to say we were disappointed with the car’s styling would be understatement of the year.  Now we get our first look at the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG and unfortunately this one is as hideous as its less powerful sibling.  I guess the SL is one of those cars that are beautiful on the inside.

And by “beautiful on the inside” I don’t mean just the interior but also the engine that motivates this beast.  The 2013 SL65 AMG is powered by a 6.0 liter turbocharged V12 engine that pumps out 621 horsepower and a diesel truck-like

Some of my favorite cars in the past have come from the Datsun, Nissan, and Infinity family and that continues to be the case to date with vehicles such as the Maxima, 370Z, G Series, M Series, and Infiniti FX Series. Just yesterday, Infinity and Austrian manufacturer, Magna Steyr, announced the details of a new Infiniti premium compact model.

The new entry-level Infinity is to hit the showrooms in 2014 and will be available in key markets around the world including Western Europe. No word yet on whether it will be available in North America but I would consider this part of the world as a ‘key market’.

A couple of months ago, Mercedes introduced the Viano Vision Diamond – a luxurious van for the traveling business person. Now, it appears that Volkswagen is jumping on the bandwagon and trying to capture a piece of the action. The VW ‘Caravelle Business’ is designed to be a mobile conference room featuring things such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity.

Although the exterior may be bland looking, all the action is happening in the interior of the vehicle starting with Nappa leather upholstery and burr wood trim throughout the van. The Caravelle Business van provides seating for six people including the driver and the rear compartment of the van features a “sociable rear lounge area” with four seats and an adjustable table.

Nissan’s competition should really be the ones taking Notes. The newly designed Nissan Note made its world debut at the Osanbashi venue in Yokohama, Japan. The previous Nissan Note resembled that of a small MPV but its successor is designed to fit more into the small hatchback category. The car is designed to have a more spacious feel thanks to the taller roof which Nissan describes as an “air cabin” and apparently, it can’t be found on any other vehicle in this class.

Not only does the Nissan Note look a lot sexier than the previous generation, the Note is also extremely fuel efficient. The Japanese variant will come in two engine options, a 1.2-liter three-cylinder gasoline engines in naturally aspirate and supercharged. Both engines will feature the next-generation XTRONIC CVT with IDS (Idling Stop System).

Okay, the picture you see above is what everybody was hoping for when Mazda released the final details on their 2014 Mazda6. The vehicle pictured above is the 2011 Takeri concept which the Mazda6 is based on. Although the 2014 Mazda6 is certainly inspired by the concept, I think people were hoping for something…..more?

The 2014 production model of the Mazda6 may not be as aggressive as we were expecting, it is still considerably more handsome than the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord in my opinion. Improvements have been made throughout the vehicle including exterior, interior, and new technologies to reduce fuel consumption. In Europe, the 2014 Mazda6 will also be available as a station wagon.