Mazda invited us to the Texas Hill Country near Austin to test drive the completely redesigned Mazda6. Everything about this vehicle is new, including the platform, engine and transmission, all designed from scratch from the ground up to work together. The engineers at Mazda even had to create all-new manufacturing processes to enable the scaling of the hardware for different models. The result is a vehicle that should do well in the super-competitive mid-sized sedan market.

Exterior

Check out the slideshow above, and you’ll see that the new Mazda6 is a beautiful vehicle from all angles. The front face of the vehicle is less pronounced than previous Mazda designs, helping to create a more refined look while retaining the aggressive feel of the Mazda brand. I particularly like how the chrome under the front grille extends out to follow the upper curves of the headlights, and the obligatory LED accents are perfectly placed to help create the image of speed and power.

The designers at Mazda had some clear goals as the re-imagined this vehicle. The Mazda6 currently captures a youthful, sporty image, and they wanted to reposition the 2014 model with “a more sporty, sophisticated and premium image.” They also wanted to position it as clear step-up from the youthful Mazda3.

The design theme of “Kodo – Soul of Motion” permeates every decision made with the new vehicle, with an emphasis on proportion, stance, brand signature and aerodynamics. The muscular but fluid lines make the Mazda6 look like it’s ready to run. Overall, this new design is a head-turner that should generate significant buzz for the vehicle and the brand.

Interior

The goal of creating a more premium image led to significant upgrades to the interior of the Mazda6. The all-new seats were very comfortable, and both the standard interiors and the leather option definitely had a more luxurious and elegant feel. The leather in particular offers a combination of hidden and contrast stitching that adds to the beauty of the interior. They reduced the size of steering wheel a bit to give more of a racing feel to the vehicle as well.

The designers avoided a bulky center stack in favor of a more horizontal design across the dashboard, and the controls are presented in a manner that makes them very easy to use. The screen and TomTom navigation tools were adequate, but they won’t blow you away as the screen isn’t very large. Still, the overall design and comfort level of the interior will definitely attract a wide variety of consumers.

Performance

Mazda is all about building cars that are fun to drive, and they achieved that goal with the 2014 Mazda6. The rolling hills near Austin provided a great testing environment with plenty of tight curves along with rapid inclines and declines. The thought that struck with me the most was how agile the Mazda6 felt. The steering, handling and braking were all very impressive.

The Mazda6 we tested featured the all-new SKYACTIV-G 2.5L four-cylinder engine that is available now with the launch of the vehicle, and Mazda will be providing a SKYACTIV-D 2.2L Clean Diesel Engine for the second half of 2013. This will replace the option of a six-cylinder engine which may disappoint some buyers but may also help lead to a resurgence of diesel in the US market. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Six-cylinders are becoming much rarer in this mid-sized market, disappointing those of us who crave power. Still, Mazda went to great lengths to push the limits of performance and efficiency with its new SKYACTIV engine technology, and the efforts produced solid performance for the new engine. The engine generates 184 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of torque and the 6-speed automatic version offers up impressive fuel mileage at 26 MPG city and 38 MPG highway (30 mpg combined).

Mazda has also added some impressive technological features that make the vehicle more competitive in this segment, with Mazda Radar Cruise Control, Front Obstruction Warning, Lane Departure Warning, High Beam Control, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Smart City Brake Support.

Overview

Mazda’s all-new flagship model will be priced competitively in this segment, with the Sport model starting at $20,880 and the Grand Touring version topping out at $29,495. Consumers can definitely save some money choosing the Mazda6 over much of the competition without sacrificing performance and styling. I suspect the eye-catching design will lure many consumers to give this vehicle a try, and like all Mazdas it’s fun to drive, so Mazda will likely have another hit on its hands.

Corvette enthusiasts and sports car fans all over the world have been waiting to see the new Corvette, and Chevrolet unveiled it this morning at the Detroit Auto Show. As you can see from the photos, the new design is stunning and we’re pretty confident that this will be a big hit for Chevy and GM. This sexy beast goes on sale in the third quarter of 2013.

The 2014 Corvette Stingray is the most powerful standard model ever, with an estimated 450 horsepower (335 kW) and 450 lb.-ft. of torque (610 Nm). It also accelerates from 0-60 in less than four seconds, and Chevy expects it to be the most fuel-efficient Corvette, exceeding the EPA-estimated 26 mpg of the current model.

Chevrolet decided to bring back the iconic Stingray name with this all-new corvette.

“Stingray is one of the hallowed names in automotive history,” said Ed Welburn, GM vice president of global design. “We knew we couldn’t use the Stingray name unless the new car truly lived up to the legacy. The result is a new Corvette Stingray that breaks from tradition, while remaining instantly recognizable as a Corvette the world over.”

Here’s a great photo of a classic Stingray in the background.

Here’s another great photo, with the all-new C7 with the prior 6 Corvette body types in the background.

The Corvette is one of the most iconic American nameplates, and frankly it’s very gratifying to see GM triumphantly introducing the newest version of this sports car that many of us have admired since we were kids. We can’t wait to drive one!

Cars are usually a thing of beauty. They have the sleek curves and futuristic designs that can stop anyone in their tracks. However, it does sometime goes wrong and some truly ghastly cars do hit the road. When this happens, both buyers and even the manufacturer turns their back at the showroom. Whether it’s from an outrageous design or just a combination of errors, it’s not easy to forget such monstrosities. However, which models are the ones that truly hit the headlines for the wrong reason.

5. Fiat Multipla

Fiat are known for making cars that many people think look cute or adorable. Unfortunately, the Multipla is kind of the opposite of this. The large minivan is based on a predecessor that had some success back in the 1950s but unfortunately it didn’t capture the same feeling. The biggest flaw is up front with a small rim underneath the windscreen ruining the front. The back isn’t much better where it’s just a giant rectangle with the same sickening bump bulging under the rear screen. This monstrosity was made for over a decade before the Italians woke up and stopped production of the model in 2010.

4. Aston Martin Lagonda (2nd series)

Aston Martin produces some of the most beautiful cars in the world. They represent luxury and elegance. Well 99% of the time. Back in the 1970’s, the British manufacturer made the Lagonda which was a major blip on the radar. Despite featuring many ground-breaking mechanical aspects such as computer electronics, the design department went on holiday and wrecked the car. It has a hideously long nose which would give Pinocchio a run for his money. On top of that, the pop up headlights looked clunky and out of place on the Lagonda. Still, it’s an Aston Martin and we’d still buy one even if it was in a back alley!

3. Pontiac Aztek

What was it that destroyed Pontiac? The recession? Probably. Environmental friendliness? Maybe. The Aztek? Definitely. It’s hard for one car to be hated by all yet the Aztek managed to somehow do this. The dislike was instant from the moment it was unveiled and it’s not hard to see why. There are all sorts of hideous designs on the car with out of place grills and strange lines and curves. Combined with a garish colour scheme such as fluorescent orange, nobody could miss the Pontiac Aztek when it was nearby. However, its production only lasted for 4 years which saved Pontiac from years of abuse. But it’s too little, too late for the classic American manufacturer whose last years will be forever remembered for this abomination rather than their timeless classics. What a waste…

2. DeLorean DMC 12

It’s one of the best known cars in the world but the DeLorean is far from legendary. It might have been able to travel back in time but that is the only good thing about the DMC-12. Hardly looking like the usual Hollywood star, the DMC obviously hung out with Frankenstein as it look likes all the square panels were just molded together from the scrapyard. As big as it was wide, the DeLorean really was an eyesore not to be missed. It didn’t sing well either with its 2.8 V6 engine always struggling to power such a wide and heavy car to it’s maximum. It really was a waste of great potential and DeLorean will always want to go back to the future and fix their wrong-doings.

1. BMW Isseta

It’s hardly a household name but the Isseta optimized everything that was wrong with the bubble car. Looking like it was crushed in all directions; the Isseta hardly takes any true shape – not even a circular dome to live up to its reputation. It only got worse as major manufacturers got involved. BMW invested heavily into Isseta which made even scarier cars such as the BMW Isseta 600 that looked like it was dragged off the torture rack. It was hardly practical either with 2 people getting squashed inside making the car and its owner a laughing stock. Unsurprisingly, the model has now grown a cult following and now replica kits can let people re-live one of the strangest cars ever made.

Post courtesy of www.PPCGB.com.
Source for all photos: Wikimedia

What does your dream car look like? Watch this video and you might have a new image to lust after.

I traveled out to wine country near San Francisco courtesy of Nissan to test drive the all-new 2013 Nissan Sentra. I was on hand in Dallas earlier this year when Nissan unveiled the redesigned Sentra and the new design looked impressive, but now I was getting a chance to drive it as well.

Exterior

The new Sentra features an elegant design that helps it stand out in the compact car category. Some competitors in the segment have gone with edgier designs, so the more refined look of the Sentra offers a nice alternative for consumers. The new Nissan front grille fits nicely on this vehicle and the rest of the design points flow naturally. Details like LED accented headlamps and tail lamps add to the overall look of the car. As you can see from the photos I took, the Sentra looks great from all angles.

Interior

The interior of the Sentra features upgraded soft-touch materials that set it apart from other options in the compact segment. The overall feel of the interior is stylish and upscale yet understated, so it fits well the exterior. It’s also very roomy for a smaller car. The overall comfort level in all of the seats was excellent.

Like the new Altima, the 2013 Sentra offers an all-new version of the Nissan Navigation system as an option with all sorts of features. NissanConnect with Navigation includes a Hands-Free Text Messaging Assistant that reads incoming text messages and allows drivers to reply without taking their hands off of the steering wheel. In addition, it also offers Pandora, 5.8-inch touch-screen display and Google Send-to-Car functions. Other tech options include RearView Monitor and Nissan Intelligent Key with illuminated push-button ignition switch and the Tire Pressure Monitoring System with Easy Fill Tire Alert feature.

Performance

The new Sentra is 150 pounds lighter than the previous model but also has slightly larger overall dimensions and more interior room. With a lighter vehicle Sentra also has an all-new and more fuel-efficient 1.8-liter engine with a generation Xtronic CVT. Fuel economy is rated at 30 miles per gallon city, 39 miles per gallon highway and a class-leading 34 miles per gallon combined.

The Sentra features both Sport and Eco mode options, which makes the driving experience much more enjoyable. In Sport mode the Sentra accelerates nicely and zips around curves no problem. It has solid acceleration and is fun to drive. The Eco mode is a great option for slow or casual city driving. The overall driving experience was impressive for a car of this size.

Overview

Overall, the new Sentra remains an excellent option in the compact car segment. It’s very competitive on features and gas mileage, and the look of the car will definitely attract a wide variety of buyers. Pricing for the Sentra starts at $15,990 with the fully equipped SL priced at $19,760.