Face-Lifted 2013 Lexus RX Crossover Revealed in Japanese Brochure

Face-Lifted 2013 Lexus RX Crossover Revealed in Japanese Brochure

Lexus should perhaps remake its lineup in the image of the RX; the crossover isn’t just the brand’s bestselling product in the U.S, it outsells its next-bestselling sibling (the ES) by more than 2:1. In a very superficial way, however, the reverse is happening: The 2013 RX soon will be more like the company’s newest vehicle, the GS sedan.
A Japanese brochure that was recently posted to a Japanese web site shows that the RX’s reworked front fascia will feature a chrome-drenched version of the company’s new “spindle” grille. (The 2013 LX570 has adopted the look, too.) An F Sport version also will be available to Japanese shoppers, but we’re not sure how a “sporty” RX would play here.
No Lexus spokesperson was available for confirmation at the time of writing, but we expect to see the face-lifted RX on sale in the U.S. this summer. We’ll bring you more information as it becomes available.

Dissected: A Deep Look at the 2013 Cadillac ATS

Dissected: A Deep Look at the 2013 Cadillac ATS

Walk into any BMW store, and you’ll encounter six different car lines encompassing 12 body styles. It’s a similar story at Audi and Mercedes-Benz retailers. At a Cadillac franchise, however, the only car available is theCTS, albeit in three body styles. And it’s a half size too large to compete directly against the Audi A4, the BMW 3-series, and the Mercedes C-class, which are the bestsellers for each of their respective brands.

Driven: 2012 VW Passat VR6 4Motion Euro-Spec: Should We Want What We Can’t Have?

Driven: 2012 VW Passat VR6 4Motion Euro-Spec: Should We Want What We Can’t Have?

Volkswagen has shifted a lot of its attention to the U.S. market, so much so that we now get a dedicated Passat. Should we be flattered, or should we lament the fact that we don’t get the European model?

Hyundai Prices 2013 Genesis Coupe From $25,125; 2012 Azera From $32,875; Increases For Both Cars

Hyundai Prices 2013 Genesis Coupe From $25,125; 2012 Azera From $32,875; Increases For Both Cars

Hyundai has released pricing info for both the refreshed 2013 Genesis coupe and 2012 Azera sedan. The Genesis coupe’s base price rises by $2000 to $25,125, and the Azera’s increases by a healthy $6605 to $32,875. Furthermore, prices for every 2013 Genesis trim level are between $2000 and $2250 higher than 2012. (For a full rundown of the cars’ changes, check out our stories on the 2013 Genesis coupe and 2012 Azera.) The details:
2013 Genesis Coupe

• 2.0T: $25,125 + $1250 for optional eight-speed automatic ($2000 increase over 2012)
• 2.0T R-Spec: $27,375 ($2000 increase over 2012)
• 2.0T Premium: $29,625 ($2000 increase over 2012)
• 3.8 R-Spec: $29,625 ($2000 increase over 2012)
• 3.8 Grand Touring: $32,875 ($2250 increase over 2012)
• 3.8 Track: $33,875 + $1250 for optional eight-speed automatic ($2250 increase over 2012)

2012 Hyundai Azera

• Single trim level: $32,875 + $4000 for optional Technology Package
• Standard equipment includes: keyless entry and push-button start, heated leather front and rear seats, touch-screen navigation system, backup camera, premium audio with subwoofer, dual-zone automatic climate control, 18-inch wheels
• Technology package adds: panoramic sunroof, xenon headlights, power rear sunshade, manual rear side sunshades, ventilated front seats, rear parking sensors, Infinity audio system, power-adjustable steering column, driver’s seat memory, mirror and steering column memory

The Genesis and Azera’s price increases make sense, after all, both cars are thoroughly reworked and, in the case of the Azera, there’s a lot more standard equipment than before. However, the Genesis coupe’s figures give us pause. First, a six-cylinder 2012 Ford Mustang starts at $23,105, more than $2000 less than the four-cylinder Genesis 2.0T while bringing 31 more hp to the party. Second, the Genesis 3.8, which is powered by a 348-hp V-6, is playing in the 412-hp 2012 Mustang GT’s sandbox when it comes to price if not performance. (And the 2013 Mustangs get even more power.) We will be driving both the new Genesis and Azera soon, when we’ll find out whether they are worthy of their premiums over last year’s models.

Jaguar Considering Track-Focused Special-Edition XKR-S Coupe

Jaguar Considering Track-Focused Special-Edition XKR-S Coupe

Jaguar is considering building a handful of special-edition XKR-S coupes—of course, with just 100 of the super coupes being built each of the next three years, the “non-special” car already will be a rare sight.
Frank Klaas, Jaguar’s global head of communications who describes the XKR-S as an “ambassador of the brand,” said that the proposed special-edition model would appeal to the guy who wants to drive to the track, lap or race to his heart’s content, and drive home. As such, the car might lose its rear seats and gain lighter stereo and HVAC units for the touch-screen-based systems, hard-core racing seats, a fire-suppression system, unique gauges, and track-focused aero addenda. A roll cage may or may not be part of the package, depending on the markets in which the car is sold. (If the examples of various track-ready Porsche 911s are anything to go by, ours would be one of the markets to do without the cage.)
As with the standard XKR-S, this variant—which could be named after the Nürburgring, where production-grade XKR-S models have allegedly posted sub-eight-minute lap times—would be built by Jaguar’s in-house Engineered To Order (ETO) group. (If the XKR-S is an ambassador for the brand, consider ETO the consulate. Klaas promises that the ETO team, which quietly fulfills requests for bespoke cars for high-value customers, will play a more prominent role in Jaguar marketing in the future.)
We weren’t told whether the special-edition coupes would add to the annual 100-car XKR-S allotment, but Klaas did say that a harder-core version of the convertible is not being considered at this point. Watch for a vehicle to be floated out to gauge interest at either next month’s Geneva auto show, or, more likely, the Paris auto show in the fall.

2013 Audi RS4 Avant Revealed: The Wild Wagon Packs a 450-Horse V8

2013 Audi RS4 Avant Revealed: The Wild Wagon Packs a 450-Horse V8

Audi’s high-performance wagons are icons. The mid-1980s saw the 100/200 Turbo Wagon, and things got really wild with the RS2 launched in 1994. It was an over-the-top variation of the Audi 80 Avant created with assistance from Porsche, powered by a 315-hp version of Audi’s 2.2-liter turbo five-cylinder and wearing wheels from the 964-gen Porsche 911. (Its side mirrors and front turn signals were from the 993, too.) The RS2 was followed in 1999 by the first RS4, which packed a 380-hp, 2.7-liter twin-turbo V-6. Audi launched the second-gen RS4 in 2005 with a naturally aspirated, extremely high-revving 4.2-liter V-8; this powerplant was engineered by Wolfgang Hatz, now head of Porsche R&D. For the first time, Audi offered a sedan and a convertible in addition to the station wagon. The previous-gen RS4 was sold until 2009. One year later, the RS5 coupe was launched on a platform shared with the current A4, as a sort of RS4 stand-in.

Indebted Pininfarina Seemingly on Verge of Being Sold, Future of Name Unknown

Indebted Pininfarina Seemingly on Verge of Being Sold, Future of Name Unknown

Pininfarina is broke and banks are on the verge of taking over a controlling stake in the company, we’re hearing in reports from Italy. The legendary Italian design firm has more than $99 million in debt; while General Motors had almost $173 billion in debt before it went bankrupt, $99 million is an insurmountable sum for an operation the size of Pininfarina. With a 77-percent stake set to go to the banks, the Pininfarina family will lose control of the company its patriarch, Battista “Pinin” Farina, started in 1930.
It’s hard to say what the banks plan to do with Pininfarina once they take their stake. The company is a loss-maker, having shifted from designing cars and consulting on engineering projects to actual manufacturing in the last two decades. Pininfarina builds several Ferrari models as well as the Maserati Quattroporte and GranTurismo. Owning and operating car factories is a brutal business and doing it on a small scale is very difficult, much less doing so profitably. Because of this, we think it’s unlikely Pininfarina will continue manufacturing vehicles; the facilities likely would be sold off to Ferrari and Maserati at a low price. As for the name and design operations, it could in theory be operated profitably; it’s possible that the group of banks will also offer these to Ferrari. If not, there’s likely no shortage of automakers who would like to add Pininfarina badges to their cars.
We spoke with Jim Glickenhaus, the American businessman who worked closely with Pininfarina to develop theP4/5 road car (above) and the  P4/5 Competizione over the past few years, and he said that he had proposed to reorganize the business back in 2007. Even then, Pininfarina was heavily indebted and the business wasn’t viable. Glickenhaus suggested to the family that it try to work a deal that would see the banks take most of Pininfarina’s assets and a 49-percent stake in a new, streamlined design consultancy. Glickenhaus would have funded the little operation. Unfortunately, chairman Andrea Pininfarina died in a traffic accident in 2008 and the proposal was never subsequently discussed.
We will continue to investigate the situation, and will publish any updates as soon as they’re available.