Hyundai i-oniq Concept: A Hatchback for Hyundai’s Future [Geneva Auto Show]

This is the Hyundai i-oniq concept, a hatchback that provides a possible glimpse into the Korean brand's stylistic and technological future. It's set to appear at the 2012 Geneva auto show. Keep Reading: Hyundai i-oniq Concept – Auto Shows from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

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Citroën DS3 Racing Limited Edition Honors Rally God Sébastien Loeb

The Citroën DS3 is one of our favorite Euro-market B-segment cars, and its Racing variant—powered by a 204-hp, 1.6-liter turbo four—is the ultimate DS3. Painted in white/gray or black/orange, the regular Racing cuts a jaunty, rally-themed figure. That makes sense, of course, as the DS3 competes in the World Rally Championship. The car's only real issue is that just 2000 examples have been built, and they are all spoken for. Until now. Citroën is adding another 200 units in the form of the DS3 Racing S. Loeb, named in honor of 38-year-old French rally driver Sébastien Loeb, the virtually unbeatable, eight-time defending champ who pilots a DS3 in the World Rally Championship. There are no changes to the mechanicals or the numbers: The DS3 Racing S. Loeb reaches 62 mph in 6.5 seconds and tops out at 146 mph. The matte-black paint; bright red roof, mirrors, and dashboard; and Loeb roof graphics are what distinguishes this version. There is no price yet. We wouldn't be surprised if Citroën adds further limited editions later; demand for the DS3 Racing has already exceeded supply to a remarkable extent. Will Americans ever see the DS3 in any form? There isn't even the faintest prayer. Citroën is light years away from re-entering the U.S. market, but we can get close to the DS3 Racing with the Mini John Cooper Works, which is powered by the same basic engine. The Citroën's character, however, is more resolutely modern—so much so that the car is advertised as the "anti-retro" choice in Europe. from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

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Audi Announces U.S. A3 e-tron Pilot Program; R8 e-tron Likely to Be a Limited Lease

Audi has initiated a U.S. pilot program for its electric A3 e-tron hatchback. Although the company recently confirmed an R8 e-tron will be available to the public later this year, an Audi representative tells us these electrified A3s will stay in-house; the rollout will be limited to Audi engineers, researchers, and other employees in Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. They'll get cars for 12 to 18 months. The end of the program's timeline matches up with what would be the late stages of development for a 2014 electric A3, which we expect would bow sometime in 2013. (The next-generation A3 will debut later this year with conventional powertrains as a 2013 model.) The A3 e-tron in the pilot program will be similar to the concept with the same name that was revealed last year. But back to Audi's validation approach—it differs greatly from recent efforts run by BMW for the Mini-E and the 1-series–based ActiveE. Those programs gathered or are gathering data from customer-leased cars; Audi says it doesn't involve its customers in research. So what does that mean for the R8 e-tron? We're told that the R8 likely will be available to an extremely limited number of customers with a closed-end lease. from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

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Swedish Film: Volvo V40 Official Photos and Video [Geneva Auto Show]

Just days ahead of an official reveal in Geneva, Volvo has gone public with photos, video, and a smattering of details regarding its new V40 hatchback. It's still not slated for sale in the U.S., which we think is a shame; with Saab's recent faceplant, Scandinavian options for American buyers are rapidly dwindling. Keep Reading: 2013 Volvo V40 – Official Photos and Info from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

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2013 Buick Enclave Headed to the Big Apple with Upgraded Interior [New York Auto Show]

This moody image previews the revised cabin that will grace the 2013 Buick Enclave crossover. Buick's Lambda-platform offering is expected to get some exterior revisions, similar to those already announced for its GMC Acadia sibling, as well. The new Enclave will make its public debut at the 2012 New York show. The image shows wraparound ambient lighting that mirrors the motif found in other new Buicks. We're glad to see that the Enclave keeps its extra-classy analog clock. There's some additional brightwork visible, including a new bezel for the center stack—that area houses a new infotainment system and fresh HVAC controls, both of which match those found on the 2013 Acadia. Enclaves have always had the most luxurious interiors of all the Lambdas, and we don't expect that to change with the refresh. Buick also promises "industry-exclusive" safety tech; all 2013 Lambda crossovers will use a new front center airbag, which keeps front-seat occupants from hitting each other in side-impact collisions. We'll see the rest of the Enclave—under brighter lights—at the beginning of April. from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

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Volkswagen Prices 2013 CC Sedan From $31,430, Top Trim Costs $42,240

Volkswagen has announced pricing for its 2013 CC sedan just ahead of the car's March on-sale date, and while the cost to bring one home has increased over last year, the car now includes additional standard equipment. The CC went under the refresh knife this year; the result is a car that, while still good-looking, isn't as pretty as before. (For the skinny on all the 2013 updates, read our story here.)  Prices for the 2013 CC span from $31,430 for the base 2.0T Sport all the way up to $42,240 for the VR6 4Motion Executive. For 2013, VW dropped the 2.0T Lux Plus and 2.0T Lux Limited, although it added new 2.0T Sport Plus and VR6 Lux trims. The sporty 2.0T R-Line will carry over to the 2013 CC lineup, but info and pricing will arrive at a later date. The details: 2.0T Sport: $31,430 + $1100 for optional six-speed dual-clutch automatic ($2095 increase over 2012; a base model without LED running lights and adaptive front lighting is available by special order for $360 less but will not be stocked by dealers) 2.0T Sport Plus: $33,670 (New trim level for 2013) 2.0T Lux: $36,175 ($3935 increase over 2012) VR6 Lux: $38,550 (New trim level for 2013, combines 2.0T Lux's features with V-6 engine) VR6 4Motion Executive: $42,240 ($1330 increase over 2012) All 2013 CCs get bi-xenon headlights and LED taillights as standard, and automatic climate control is now included even on the base 2.0T Sport. We find it a bit odd that 2.0T Sport models without the fancy front lighting won't be stocked on dealer lots, but the extra kit costs just $360 more. That's a good deal for LED running lights and adaptive front headlights. Besides the new styling and reshuffled trim levels, the biggest change to the 2013 CC is the adoption of a standard rear bench that provides seating for a fifth passenger; the previous four-place arrangement provided an air of sophistication but also likely cost VW more than a few sales. We will drive the car in the near future, so check back soon for our first-drive report. from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

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Nissan Leaf EV Available to Customers Nationwide in March

Nissan announced that its Leaf electric vehicle will be available nationwide beginning on March 1. To recap, the Leaf initially was available in just seven states; last summer Nissan announced plans to expand availability of the Leaf to customers in 29 states by the end of 2011. (The company also introduced a number of cold-weather-friendly modifications to offset the EV's performance loss in the Snow Belt.) The latest expansion begins with an invitation to initiate the ordering process sent exclusively to reservation holders in the newly serviced states. A week from now, anyone in the new markets will be able to order a Leaf.  For those interested, the 2012 Leaf starts at $36,050 before any tax incentives or rebates. Deliveries to the 21 new states will begin this summer. from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

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Cars.com Reviews the 2012 BMW 3 Series

The redesigned 2012 BMW 3 Series is roomier and more powerful for the model year, and it gets better gas mileage, too. There are a few minor glitches, however, with the new version, according to Cars.com Executive Editor Joe Wiesenfelder. The suspension allows more body motion and the auto start/stop system is somewhat intrusive, says Wiesenfelder, though the new standard four-cylinder is responsive off-the-line. 2012 BMW 3-Series Review from KickingTires http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/

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Volkswagen Looking To Overtake Honda In The United States

Fans of Volkswagen products who hoarded canned goods and ammunition in anticipation of the VWpocalypse – the launch of "Americanized" versions of the Jetta and Passat – may be unhappy with how their new product lineup is shaking out. But the market is responding favorably. The Volkswagen Jetta outsold the Hyundai Elantra in January (the two finished 11th and 10th in 2011 respectively) and the Passat spends half as much time on dealer lots compared to the industry average. The United States has long been the key to Volkswagen's goal of becoming the largest, most profitable automaker, due to its size and Europe's increasingly unstable future. Domestic production and the "prestige" associated with German vehicles is helping Volkswagen, but their strategy of unseating Honda, which seems to be predicated on the company continuing to falter, may be flawed; the 2012 Civic, which has been pilloried in the automotive press, outsold the Jetta by a 2:1 ratio in January. Both models have endured criticism from the automotive press, though consumers have yet to adjust their buying habits accordingly. Honda's poor showing in 2011 (with market share dropping from 11 to 8 percent in 2011) was attributable to disrupted production in Japan and Thailand, but those issues should sort themselves out in 2012. An Automotive News article on the topic suggests that one way VW may be able to make up some market share is through the sale of TDI diesels if gas prices hit $5/gallon. But with diesel market share resting comfortably at 0.5 percent in 2011, it looks like TDIs will have a negligible impact on VW's sales. from The Truth About Cars http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com

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Jaguar XF Gains Wagon Body Style at the 2012 Geneva Auto Show

Jaguar is expanding its lineup with a station wagon model, at least in Europe, according to the automaker. Dubbed the Jaguar XF Sportbrake, the new model is based off the revised 2012 Jaguar XF and will debut at the 2012 Geneva International Motor Show on Tuesday. Unlike the sedan, this model is slightly longer and features all-new sheet metal past the B-pillar, Jaguar says. The rear seats are redesigned with "more generous" seating for three, Jaguar says. Rear-seat passengers also get more headroom in the wagon. The rear seats feature remote levers in the cargo space, allowing the 60/40-split seats to fold down quickly. An integrated floor rail system in the cargo area features retaining bars to help keep cargo items secure. The XF Sportbrake comes with two diesel engines. Since there are no diesel engine offerings from Jaguar in the U.S., that doesn't bode well for this model's future here. However, Jaguar is currently working on three new models — a station wagon, a new entry-level roadster and a compact entry-level sedan, according to the CEO of Tata Motors, which owns Jaguar Land Rover — so maybe the Sportbrake could make its way to our shores, too. Continue below for more photos. from KickingTires http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/

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Name That Car Clock: Black Analog Quartz

Yesterday on Name That Car Clock, we went to Germany for a subdued '84 VW Golf timepiece. Today, we're going… well, that's for you to decide. Guess the year/make/model of this clock, than make the jump to see if you guessed correctly. 1988 Lincoln Town Car Yes, the obvious Ford part number on the face was a giveaway; I made it a bit more difficult by blacking out the Ford logo to the right of the part number. You can see that Ford was using better-quality but less-glitzy clocks in Lincolns by the late 1980s. What car did you think this clock came from? from The Truth About Cars http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com

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