Cars

While most auto manufacturers are focusing their attention on the news and new models being revealed at the New York International Auto Show this week, BMW is setting its sights on the Beijing motor show, where it will debut the latest addition to the i family of vehicles.

The BMW i8 Concept Spyder is a topless two-seater version of the i8 coupe, and will make its first appearance at the Beijing motor show later this month. Slightly shorter than its 2+2 sibling, the Concept Spyder makes generous use of the carbon fiber reinforced plastic used in the LifeDrive architecture, … Read more

The New York auto show follows Frankfurt, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Geneva, making it the last of the big international shows of the season. This is the show for automakers that have been pulling their punches, waiting to make a splash against fewer new model launches. And this year sees some tantalizing details of new models from Nissan, BMW, and Subaru, and mystery cars from Acura and Toyota. … Read more

Pandora has become the app most widely integrated with cars, but while customized streaming-music channels are nice, navigation is much more useful. Chevy obliges by adding the GogoLink navigation app to its MyLink connectivity system.

GogoLink will be available late this year in Chevy Sonic and Spark models equipped with the MyLink option. Including it in these cars lets Chevy offer navigation at the bottom of its model lineup.… Read more

The inherent frugality of a hybrid car might make you think of a no-frills driving experience. But luxury automakers have learned the win-win nature of an electric-assisted power train.

Infiniti, Porsche, and BMW devised their own takes on the hybrid car, fitting these fuel-efficient systems into full-size sedans and SUVs. Lincoln borrowed a hybrid system from sister brand Ford for its own midsize sedan, the MKZ. And Lexus even transferred the Prius hybrid power train into a luxury hatchback.… Read more

If you're looking for a good price on a new car, you'll want to start your search on eBay this week. AutoNation will be selling 29 vehicles for half their retail price on the auction Web site.

AutoNation Direct is the online sales arm of the AutoNation national auto dealership group. Until Friday, the company will post four vehicles on eBay each day on sale for half the MSRP. The vehicles range from budget-friendly commuter cars, such as a 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid for only $16,385 to halo vehicles, including a the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro. The Camaro … Read more

During a day spent torture-testing Volkswagen performance models in the Santa Cruz mountains, I took a time out to drive the eGolf, the electrical vehicle based on the Golf hatchback. Volkswagen just kicked off a test program in the U.S. with 20 eGolfs spread around the country.

I got a look at the eGolf last month in Volkswagen's Electronics Research Laboratory (ERL). The car uses a 26.5 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack to give it an estimated 93 miles in range. … Read more

During a drive program in the Santa Cruz mountains, I had the chance to drive the 2012 Volkswagen Golf R and GTI, if not back-to-back, at least on the same day. The Golf R proved a speedy, sure-footed little hatchback, but ultimately I had more fun in the GTI.

On paper, the Golf R looks great: 256 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque from its turbocharged, direct-injection, 2-liter, four-cylinder engine, all-wheel drive for added cornering grip, and a six-speed manual, the only transmission available, setting the tone for driver engagement.

With 56 more horsepower than the GTI, I expected the Golf R to show a lot of lag from a larger turbo.… Read more

Those familiar with past 911s will notice something missing in the cabin of the 2012 911 Carrera S -- the emergency brake lever no longer sticks up from the console. Instead, a switch by your left knee activates an electronic parking brake.

The console now plays host to an array of buttons activating sport modes, active exhaust, and damper stiffening. In my opinion, these buttons are more accessible, and look much better, than the tiny plastic buttons that used to sit below the navigation screen.

Of greater loss to the traditionalists is hydraulic power steering, replaced by an electrically boosted … Read more

A few years ago, BMW debuted a new, smaller SUV in Europe, suggesting it would also export the car to the U.S. But the X1 never made it to our shores as demand for the car in its existing markets took up all of its production, and the dollar fell against the Euro.

Those unfortunate circumstances seem to have changed enough, as BMW will now be showing off the X1 at the 2012 New York International Auto Show. Bringing it to a major U.S. show means one thing: the X1 will hit U.S. dealers as a 2013 model near the end of this year.… Read more