by Import RPM on May 22, 2013
Earning a place on Automobile Magazine’s annual All-Star list is no easy feat. However, Honda has made it seem incredibly easy. The Accord has yet again earned this coveted award, showing that the latest generation is just as competitive as ever.
Honda has made it on to Automobile’s All-Star list 18 times since the awards inception in 1986. For 2013, the magazine’s Editors were enamored with the latest model, which made its introduction last fall. The 2013 Accord has already racked up plenty of awards since it hit showrooms, including Car and Driver Magazine’s 10Best, Ward’s 10 Best Engines and it was even named a North American Car of the Year Finalist. [click to continue…]
by Import RPM on May 9, 2013
Dutch sports car maker Spyker is apparently alive and well despite its rocky acquisition of Saab. Although Saab has gone the way of the Dodo, Spkyer is still looking to do anything and everything necessary to survive and become a viable business again.
In addition to securing short-term funding to ensure continuation of operations, Spyker’s founder and CEO Victor Muller announced that the company is ready to move forward with its latest concept car. The Spyker B6 Venator Concept, shown alongside the Spyker C8 Aileron at the 83rd Geneva International Auto Show in March 2013, showed that the brand was ready for resurgence. Muller promised that the car was just the beginning of a new era for the brand, one that will include a significant increase in production. [click to continue…]
by Import RPM on April 20, 2013
Kia is looking to move up-market. Like Hyundai, the brand is looking to do that with an all-new luxury sedan. With a base price just under the $40,000 mark, it’s a far cry from the economy brand we’ve become familiar with.
The new Cadenza is Kia’s first full-size sedan in the U.S. It’s aimed at going to head-to-head with economy full-size models like the Chevrolet Impala, Ford Taurus, and Toyota Avalon, as well as luxury and near luxury models like the Buick LaCrosse, Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Lexus ES 350, and Nissan Maxima. [click to continue…]
by Import RPM on April 9, 2013
As urban environments continue to grow and become more impacted, automakers are considering new ways for people to move from one place to another. At the recent Seoul Motor Show, Hyundai was among the latest automakers to explore what might become the future of personal urban mobility.
Hyundai’s E4U is an egg-shaped, Segway-like vehicle that’s just big enough for one. It’s all-electric and can reach speeds of nearly 20 miles per hour. Power comes from a 24V battery attached to a 500W electric motor. [click to continue…]
by Import RPM on April 8, 2013
With winter coming to an end, Japan’s Super GT racing season is about to begin. Nissan’s NISMO division has already begun preparing its cars, drivers, and engineers for the challenges ahead.
But while hard work is crucial, they realize that a bit of luck is also necessary to be successful in racing. That’s why NISMO invoke the spirt of the samurai to help guide their impending campaign. They perform the same rituals that were performed long ago when warriors would head into battle. [click to continue…]
by Import RPM on April 5, 2013
Hybrids are increasingly making their way onto the racetrack so it’s no surprise that more road-going sports cars are likely to get electric propulsion in the coming years. The Nissan GT-R is the latest car rumored to get a hybrid powertrain when the next-generation debuts.
The current generation won’t be going anywhere soon, to the delight of many. It will stick around at least until 2015, and even possibly as late as 2017. With each passing year, Nissan has been content to tweak and improve Godzilla, helping it making blast through Germany’s famed Nurburgring and the like faster and faster. [click to continue…]
by Import RPM on April 2, 2013
Toyota has a solid reputation being eco-friendly, thanks to its ever-expanding Prius family and its range of hybrid offerings. But the automaker is experimenting with other eco-friendly vehicles that utilize fewer than four wheels.
The automaker’s all-new i-ROAD made a big splash at the recent Geneva Motor Show. This three-wheeled concept is designed to easily maneuver through urban environments, but don’t call it a motor cycle just yet–Toyota called it a Personal Mobility Vehicle. [click to continue…]
by Import RPM on April 1, 2013
Hyundai brought a revamped Equus sedan to recent New York Auto Show, signaling that the brand is quite comfortable wooing luxury buyers. The brand clearly intends to continue its move upmarket as well, as evidenced by the HND-9 Genesis concept.
Making its debut at this week’s Seoul Motor Show, the HND-9 Genesis is a preview of the brand’s next-generation luxury sports coupe. Although Hyundai was tight-lipped regarding specifics, the HND-9 will most certainly influence numerous models in Hyundai’s future lineup, including any successor to the Genesis Coupe. [click to continue…]
by Import RPM on March 29, 2013
In a relatively short amount of time, Nissan has made a name for itself in the commercial vehicle segment with the introduction of two new vans. One is the full-size NV2500. The second van is the NV200, which has already been named the “taxi of the tomorrow” due to its upcoming role as the official taxi cab in the Big Apple.
Fittingly, Nissan decided to show off fresh applications of its NV200 at this week’s New York Auto Show. The Gibson NV200 Mobile Repair & Restoration Van was the result of a partnership with legendary guitar manufacturer Gibson. The van is intend to be used by an authorized Gibson rep to make guitar repairs or restorations on the road. [click to continue…]
by Import RPM on March 28, 2013
The first four-cylinder diesel engine that BMW will be selling in America will be available in the 2014 BMW 328d. The new model was on hand at this week’s New York Auto Show, although some details remain vague, including pricing and official fuel economy estimates.
According to the New York Times, the new 328d delivers 45 mpg on the highway and is likely to hit the mid-30s in the city. That’s thanks to a 2.0-liter TwinPower turbocharged and direct injected engine producing 180 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. Power is routed through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Naturally, BMW promises that the new engine will balance performance and fuel economy equally. [click to continue…]
