BMW: The 1-Series Will Become the 2-Series

Friday, May 18th, 2012 at 4:45 pm  

Like its grand sister, the BMW 3-series that will become the 4-series within the next months, the BMW 1-series intends to be renamed 2-series when the next generation will arrive here. Indeed, it seems that the 2-door versions of the 1-series will change name here, in North America, as well as anywhere in the world. However, we don’t know yet if the 3 and 5-door versions will change name too, because they’re not available here.

There are two logical reasons behind this change. First of all, it is the logical following of what’s happening with the 3-series, and second of all, there’s no way that BMW could call the upcoming M M1. Due to the mythic M1 of the 70′s, BMW don’t want to call the M version of the 1-series M1. And in order to rename the 1-series, we learned that BMW officially purchased the rights concerning the M2 name.

We still don’t know which variants of the new generation 1-series (or 2-series) we’ll get, here in North America, but the European market will obtain 4 or 5 versions, including the 3 and 5-door hatchback versions, the cabriolet and the coupe. Also, BMW doesn’t deny that a possible sedan version of the 1-series will reach the market within a couple of years. We must say that Audi and Mercedes-Benz already released new concepts of compact cars, so BMW has to deal with the competition.

 

Luxury Car Magazine

Review: 2010 Jaguar XF Premium

Sunday, May 13th, 2012 at 11:35 am  

Hello everybody, today, we’re reviewing the 2010 jaguar XF, a car that is, in my opinion, full of surprises. We’ll show you a bunch of the features that are available in this car, as well as the performance sheet. And finally, we’ll take an in depth look at the commodity and the everyday-use aspects of the XF. So, let’s begin the review.

First of all, let’s start with the performance sheet. So, the standard XF comes with a 5.0-liter V8 engine, which produces 385hp at 6500 rpm and 380 lb-ft of torque at 3500 rpm. This engine propels the car from 0 to 60 mph in only 5.1 seconds, and this is pretty impressive for a car this big. Of course the 2012 XF is equipped with a RWD powertrain and a 6-speed automatic transmission. Mechanically, we had no problem with this Jaguar model, and it is important to mention this, because we know that, in the past, Jaguar had serious problems related to reliability.

Our tested model was equipped with the Premium package, so it had the heated and cooled front seats, in a very well-designed two-tone leather interior, exclusive to the Premium package. Everything in the 2010 XF is electronically controlled, from the gear-selector to the navigation. Indeed, when you turn on the car, a couple of knobs and buttons pop out of the dashboard, providing a great relief and a good driving experience. It is maybe really interesting for the eyes, but who says lot of electronic and electric systems also means lot of potential problems. Apart that, the general features of the car are excellent, making the Jaguar a little bit over the BMW 5-series and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, that are in the same category.

For the every-day-life aspect, the Jaguar XF Premium is a real pleasure to drive. Indeed, when we got the car to test drive it, there was snow outside. And before we drove it, we thought that a propulsion on a car of this size would not make the weight against snow. But, we were so wrong! Jaguar’s Winter Mode, available on the XK and XF lines since 2010, makes it very easier to drive on snow. And honestly, I had to get out of the car to make sure that it wasn’t and AWD, because it just felt like an all-wheel-drive vehicle.

And also, with its very large trunk, this car is perfect for a family. The only negative point that I would like to mention is the fuel consumption. I know that someone who gets a car with a 5.0-liter V8 engine in it might not care about the bewildering fuel consumption, but even though, I wanted to mention it. And again, for a four members family, even if the kids aren’t young, this car is perfect, especially because of the impressive legroom and headroom that you can find at the back. And because of that, rear passengers will enjoy long trip, as well as front occupants.

And if you want to have a more nasty ride, the Jaguar XF Premium is also your best friend, because with its 5.0-liter V8 engine, it gives enough performances for you to be entirely satisfied.

  • Backseat legroom and headroom
  • Performant Winter Mode
  • Impressive trunk space
  • Powerful engine

 
  • 6-speed automatic gearbox
  • Fuel consumption

 

Overall, The 2010 Jaguar XF Premium is a very fun to drive car, providing a very luxurious and comfortable ride when it’s time. The plenty of space for the rear occupants and the large trunk make the XF able to carry your family for long trips. Winter or summer, snow or sunshine, the Jaguar XF Premium makes no compromise about comfort and fineness.

Our global appreciation is: 9/10

Thank you for reading this review and see you next time for another review!

 

Luxury Car Magazine

Review: 2012 Acura TL SH-AWD Tech

Friday, May 4th, 2012 at 5:24 pm  

What an amazing car. There’s not that much to say about our today’s reviewed car, except all the good thing that you can find in it. The 2012 Acura TL SH-AWD Tech is simply one of the best cars that I’ve ever experienced. So, we’ll go through it in different sections, starting by the interior.

First of all, I have to admit that I wasn’t so sure about testing an Acura, essentially because I never drove one before this road test. And from now, I can definitely say that, when I’ll get a new car, I will seriously consider the new TL. So, for all the readers here who don’t think that Acura is a real luxurious brand, like I did before, you should get a road test by now, because you don’t know what you’re missing.

And to prove that the 2012 TL is a real jewel, let’s start with the interior. In the first look, you can easily observe the very well displayed and thought dashboard, as such as the infotainment central console. Just for you to know, I’m not paid by Acura, but this console is certainly one of the multiple strengths of the car. First, because it works amazingly, and second, because it is one of the most easy-to-use navigation systems that I have ever used. Also, the command buttons on the steering wheel, even if very numerous, are well positioned. And again, this feature is a plus in a luxury car. Another point to highlight about the interior of the 2012 TL is the leg room at the back. Honestly, I’m six feet tall and I had plenty of leg and head room when I was sitting at the back and I also had facility to get in the car, which is quite rare for the rear of a sedan. Plus, the seats, both at the front and at the back, are very comfortable. And at the front of the vehicle, lumbar supports are present in the seats, providing extra comfort. For these reasons, I think that the Acura TL would be a really good sedan for a family. And last but not least, the quality of assembly is way over all you could imagine, there’s just nothing to say about that.

The only negative points that I found for the interior of the 2012 Acura TL SH-AWD are the fact that the voice command system doesn’t recognize human voice at all (at least mine, because I tried several times and I never managed to make a call). Plus, the rear visibility is not good, but thanks again to technology, because the rear-view camera helps to park the car, so that’s not even a big problem.


For the performance sheet, we talk about a 3.5-liter VTECH V6 engine, that produces 280hp @ 6200 rpm, 246 lb-ft of torque @ 5000 rpm and makes the car go from 0 to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds. And honestly, you can feel the power of the engine, when you’re sitting behind the steering wheel, especially when you use the paddle-shifters. The TL that we tested was holding the road like if the tires were stuck to the asphalt and that’s a very good point, considering the weight of the car, that is 1695 kg. And another positive point that I’d like to mention about the mechanical aspects of the 2012 Acura TL would be the no-delay shifts. The shifts from gear to gear are phenomenal and there’s no delay at all. This is simply great. The TL is nothing less than a sports sedan, particularly with its rigid suspension that makes the car stick to the road in tight turns.Now, for the exterior, just have to take a look at the car and it talks. I mean, the lines are incredible, supported by the LED brake lamps and the xenon headlamps. In my opinion, it adds a little accent to the aggressive design of the car. However, I think that something is missing on the front grille of the car, but it’s a question of taste.

And now we come to the only negative aspect that I could found, which is the 6-speed automatic gearbox. The gearbox itself is good, but the fact that it is a 6-speed gearbox bugs me a little bit, because I would expect an 8-speed automatic gearbox out of a car in this price range. But, indeed, it is a minor aspect.

To conclude, let’s talk about the price, which is $43,990 (MSRP) for the model as tested and I personally think that it is totally worth it. There’s no way that someone couldn’t appreciate, not even a bit, this amazing car. And for me, it is considered as a bargain.

  • Navigation system
  • Quality of assembly
  • Rigid suspension
  • Well thought dashboard
  • Handling
  • 6-speed transmission
  • Rear visibility

 

Overall, the 2012 Acura TL SH-AWD Tech is an awesome car, that provides an amazing driving experience while letting you carry your family in a not compromised comfort.Continue your page here…

Our global appreciation is: 9.5/10

Thank you for reading this review and see you next time for another review!

 

Luxury Car Magazine

Mercedes-Benz: The World’s First AMG-Line-Exclusive Dealership

Sunday, April 29th, 2012 at 1:48 pm  

Yes, you read correctly. Last week, Mercedes-Benz of China officially opened its world’s first AMG-exclusive dealership. For some of you who don’t particularly know the Daimler’s division, we’ll go over the general details in a few seconds.

The AMG line, launched first in 1967 by a Mercedes engineer, is an official division of Mercedes since 1999, under the name of Mercedes-AMG. This is the world’s first company to have over 15 models that produce 500hp or more in its range. If you want to know more precisely what the AMG logo on a Mercedes-Benz means, it generally means that you get the comfort of a Mercedes, with an overpowered engine and a sport bodykit.

On today’s date, Mercedes-AMG’s range counts 11 models, that are the C 63 AMG, CL 63 AMG, CLS 63 AMG, E 63 AMG, G 55 AMG, ML 63 AMG, S 63 AMG, S 65 AMG, SL 63 AMG, SLK 55 AMG and finally, the SLS 63 AMG.

The main idea of having the AMG line sitting right next to the traditional and classic Mercedes’ range in the past was to attract clients that were shopping the traditional E-Class to the SL 63 AMG that was standing right beside. Marketing strategy would you say? Of course, yes.

So, thank you to the fast growing Asian market for bringing us an independent AMG dealership. Due to the high demand of these particular cars, Mercedes decided to open the AMG dealership in China, where the expectations are very high in terms of sales increases for the next ten years.

Then, Chinese people will be able to shop their classic Mercedes-Benz with peace of mind while the most thrill-seekers will purchase their performance cars. It is clearly the best of both worlds! Plus, the new AMG dealership was selected to present the unveiling of the 2013 G63 AMG (which doesn’t feature in the list of AMG models above, because it will go on sale only in a few months).

 

Luxury Car Magazine

BFGoodrich: AWESOMECROSS Sponsored Video

Thursday, April 19th, 2012 at 10:07 pm  

Hi everybody,

Today’s topic is BFGoodrich‘s all new video to promote the AWESOMECROSS. This is a fully responsive course designed to test the performance and fun of the g-Force™ Sport COMP-2™ tire.

The video is available just below, or on your right, on the sidebar.

We hope that you will enjoy this AMAZING video and we invite you to share it with your friends.

P.S.: Don’t hesitate to put it in fullscreen mode, the quality is way better.

 

*Disclaimer: This post has been sponsored by BFGoodrich, but all thoughts are my own.

Thank you very much, and enjoy!

 

Luxury Car Magazine

Fisker: Revealing The All New Atlantic

Monday, April 16th, 2012 at 8:54 pm  

Dear readers,

We are sorry for not posting since about three weeks. The main reason of that is that there were actually no very interesting news on the market during the last couple of weeks and our principal objective is to deliver a top quality content. If you have any questions, suggestions or any comments for us, pleas let us know by writing us an message in the Contact section. Thank you for your comprehension and thank you for being a supporter of LuxuryCarMagazine.com.

So, let’s talk about or today’s content. Indeed, as you read in the title of the post, today’s topic is the new Fisker Atlantic. To put you into the climax of the situation, 2012 occurs to be a very environmental year. It means that all-electric and hybrid cars will appear on the market in the current of the year. And our principal interest in electric cars market for today is, as you might have understand, a luxury car: the Fisker Atlantic.

Fisker’s new release will replace the actual Karma, which is an all-electric luxury sedan. Unfortunately, Fisker doesn’t have the funds to build the new manufacture for the production of the Atlantic. The brand says that it’s a question of time for the last details to be checked. Also, the manufacturer claimed that an official decision will be taken by the end of the summer.

For now, if the car takes the production, it is planned that a similar transmission to the Chevrolet Volt’s will be equipped on the Atlantic.

We will deliver more details on the electric sedan as soon as we can, but for the moment, remember that the Fisker Atlantic, such as the Karma, are both four-door electric sedans. Plus, the target buyers for these cars are young families with environmental preoccupations.

 

Luxury Car Magazine

Picture from: http://cdn.blogautomobile.fr/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/fisker-atlantic.2.jpg

Mercedes-Benz: Quick Look At The 2013 G-Class

Sunday, March 25th, 2012 at 5:17 pm  

Well, the actual Mercedes-Benz G-Class is, we need to say, whether we like it or not, it is an extremely well built SUV. And today, we’re talking about its 2013 version, which offers new elements while keeping the classic look of the G. The actual G-Class is an amount of straight lines and 90-degree angles, and for some people, this isn’t the definition of a Mercedes. For those people, a Benz is supposed to offer a round, classic shape and a soft interior. So, in my opinion, you love it, or you don’t. And personally, I am such a big fan of this car. So, let’s what the 2013 G-Class will offer to us!

The iconic SUV of Mercedes-Benz is about to live its 34th model year. First of all, the German manufacturer apparently brought an important face-lift to its G-Class. Like what everyone has to adapt to the trends of the day, including the automotive industry. The 2013 G might not be different than the past versions for general people, but for G fans, it’s another story. Indeed, the new G-Class is equipped with a new front grille, which is pretty much the same as on any new-generation Mercedes models. Plus, the SUV got new LED daytime running lights. Side mirrors were also updated and new two-tone wheels were brought to the 2013 version.

We didn’t get any information on about the engine compartment yet, so we don’t know if Mercedes’ new 4.6-liter, twin-turbo V8 engine will replace the 5.5-liter, 382hp V8 that we actually find into the G550. However, we saw pictures of the new G-Class and it will offer side mounted dual exhaust tips, which is an AMG signature feature, in the actual version. And the AMG version of the 2013 G-Class will likely be equipped with a 5.5-liter, twin-turbo V8 that generates over 500hp.

More details on the 2013 G-Class should be released in mid-April. I’m personally very excited to learn more about this car!

To conclude, I already said it but the G-Class is a car that most people don’t like, but I think that you just like it or not. Everyone can have his own taste and I think that the G-Class has so much to bring to Mercedes-Benz’s lineup. In my opinion, this car relates all the history of Mercedes into its unique traits and allows comfort and efficiency to meet in a unique vehicle.

 

Luxury Car Magazine

We’ve got this picture from: AutoMiddleEast

Mercedes-Benz: Developments On The New CLC

Thursday, March 22nd, 2012 at 6:23 pm  

As we mentioned in a previous post, the Mercedes-Benz CLC-Class is supposed to be ready for as soon as 2013. This new entry-level car will be, in our opinion, a prodigious success. Like the actual Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class, the CLC will be a four-door coupe. In fact, it is planned to be the little sister of the CLS. The new CLC will be built on the new A-Class chassis, so it will of course be the latest technology that we will get from Mercedes.

We just got details on the launching of this new four-door coupe. Indeed, the Stuttgart manufacturer doesn’t seem to be satisfied of the traditional auto shows. No, the brand prefers something more artistic, more original, so Mercedes will unveil its concept at the Los Angeles AV Club Festival. This particular exposition will take place at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Los Angeles.

The final version of the concept will be presented at the Paris Auto Show, in October. If everything goes well for the German automaker, production will begin in December and the car will be available for consumers at the beginning of 2013. And for Canada, nothing was released, but we hope to have details soon.

 

Luxury Car Magazine

Audi: Planning To Make A Minivan?

Wednesday, March 21st, 2012 at 6:00 pm  

Today, we heard that Audi is planning to produce a kind of minivan. Indeed, after BMW announced, a couple of weeks ago, that they’re planning to build an electric minivan, Audi announced today the coming of its new A4 Superavant.

In addition to the current A4 lineup, the Superavant that we can not qualified of MPV or minivan exactly, is more an oversized A4 wagon. Audi claims that this new crossover will offer the same driving feeling and the same characteristics than the straight A4. Mainly, three-row seating and a high roof will feature in the Superavant.

For the general look of the car, we will be able to observe Audi’s classic wide grille on the front, and the new-generation LED daytime running lights. As a comparative, the Mercedes-Benz R-Class will be the most important opponent to the Superavant. This will occur especially because both cars have significantly the same shape, size and have 4 full-size doors. Audi says that they attentively observed the R-Class while building the A4 Superavant, to make sure that the same mistakes made on the R-Class wouldn’t be made on their car.

An extended version of Volkswagen Group’s MLB platform will take place under the A4 Superavant. A 255hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine will be offered with this model, as well as a diesel-powered and 197hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Audi also claims that the possibility of an electric engine for this car isn’t excluded.

The production of the Superavant should start by 2015 – 2016.

 

Luxury Car Magazine

BMW: Ready To Launch The X1 In New York?

Tuesday, March 20th, 2012 at 5:58 pm  

Finally, the BMW X1 that we have in Canada for since almost a year is ready to be launched in United-States. Indeed, we heard that BMW’s smallest crossover might be ready to launch at the New York Auto Show, next month. Plus, the X1 should arrive in the U.S. dealers by the end of 2012, as a 2013 model.

However, the information wasn’t confirmed by BMW, but we are confidant that it will be done soon, taking in consideration that the New York Auto Show is coming in a couple of weeks. No major changes were brought to the 2013 version of the X1, only a few improvements. These improvements might be the following: mirror-integrated turn signals and a new engine configuration, which is a turbocharged 2.0-liter N20 inline-four-cylinder engine. But, this engine won’t be available into the American X1, according to BMW. This particular N20 engine can be found in the 328i, 528i and in the X3 xDrive28i.

The X1 is very popular in Europe, so much that the entire supply was taken up. BMW says that its small crossover was not planned to be a high volume seller, and that’s why the supplies are empty. This is one of the causes of the major delay for the U.S. X1′s production. The other cause is that BMW wanted to give a little breath to its new generation X3, which was launched a couple of months ago.

 

Luxury Car Magazine

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