Poll: Subaru BRZ Premium or Ford Mustang Fastback V6?

Poll: Subaru BRZ Premium or Ford Mustang Fastback V6?
The Audi RS1 is Yet Another Hot Hatch Not Heading to the US
Certain Toyota RAV4, Lexus HS250h Models Recalled for the Third Time
Elio 3-Wheel Car Priced at $7,300, But There’s a Catch
2017 BMW X2 Crossover Concept to Debut in Late September
AutoGuide Answers: What We Love About Our Daily Drivers

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The Subaru BRZ and Ford Mustang are both stylish and sporty coupes but is one of these models a better choice for enthusiasts than the other? YOU DECIDE!

Both of these cars feature sporty rear-wheel-drive architectures, offer manual transmissions and are available with just two doors, similarities that make them logical rivals, though there are plenty of differences between them.

Starting with the BRZ, it features a 2.0-liter boxer four-cylinder engine that's good for up to 205 horsepower and 156 lb-ft of twist (when equipped with a six-speed stick, that is), and that's it. Only one propulsion unit is offered in this car.

Fortunately, thanks to the engine's horizontally opposed configuration this Subaru has a very low center of gravity and overall weight, tipping the scales at less than 2,800 pounds, making it minuscule by 21^st century standards. Really, the BRZ is more precision instrument than jackhammer, especially when equipped with the new Performance Package, which adds Brembo brakes and Sachs shock absorbers.

Focusing on the Ford, it's quite different from the Subaru. For starters, it offers a multitude of engines, from an EcoBoost four-cylinder to a duet of high-strung V8s to a base V6. And that latter option is what we're focusing on here, the most cost-effective offering (read: cheapest).

Aside from being a larger car, the Mustang is also heavier, tipping the scales at around 3,526 pounds with a V6 and manual transmission, some 741 more than the BRZ. But partially offsetting this mass disadvantage is more power. This car is endowed with 300 horses and 280 lb-ft of twist from a 3.7-liter engine. A manual or automatic transmission are offered, both with six forward speeds.

As for pricing, out the door this Ford starts at a few bucks less than $25,600. On the other hand, Subaru's offering kicks off at around $26,200, including destination fees.

Which of these cars do YOU prefer? Compare them directly right here and please, make sure to vote in our poll!

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The Audi RS1 is Yet Another Hot Hatch Not Heading to the US

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After years of rumors and speculation, the Audi RS1 has reportedly been approved.

Sporting 280 horsepower and four-wheel drive, the Audi RS1 will compete with the MINI John Cooper Works models as well as the Ford Fiesta ST. It will also serve as a farewell bow for the current-generation A1, as the next-generation model is expected to arrive by 2018. Given the timing, Autocar reports that the RS1 will go on sale in Europe next year and has reportedly been extensively benchmarked against the MINI JCW.

Expect the Audi RS1 to be powered by the Volkswagen Group's popular EA888 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine generating around 280 horsepower. That would give it more than 50 additional ponies over the S1 that has 228 hp. Transmission choices will likely include a standard six-speed manual and a newly developed seven-speed dual-clutch unit.

Like the S1, the RS1 should be offered in three- and five-door body styles, but don't expect it to be heading to the U.S. anytime soon, considering the A1 isn't sold in North America. Yet again, Audi is offering another high-performance product that only Europeans get to enjoy.

[Source: Autocar]

Discuss this story on our Audi Forum

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Certain Toyota RAV4, Lexus HS250h Models Recalled for the Third Time

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Toyota is recalling 337,000 vehicles to address an issue with their suspension.

This is actually the third recall for the affected vehicles, which include the 2006-2011 Toyota RAV4 and 2010 Lexus HS250h. The cars were first recalled in 2012 because of an issue with their rear suspension being wobbly. The Japanese automaker recalled them again in 2013 because the nuts used to adjust the rear wheel alignment weren't tightened properly. Now, the vehicles are being recalled because Toyota has discovered rust can form on the suspension arm threads if the nuts for the rear wheel alignment weren't tightened properly.

SEE ALSO: 2016 Toyota RAV4 SE Review

If rust forms, it can become problematic and cause the suspension arm to separate from the vehicle, potentially causing the driver to lose control. The company will contact affected owners and replace both rear suspension arm assemblies free of charge.

Discuss this story on our Toyota RAV4 Forum

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Elio 3-Wheel Car Priced at $7,300, But There’s a Catch

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Elio motors might be offering the most affordable car in the U.S.

The company has announced official pricing for its three-wheeled vehicle, running a cool $7,300. The announcement was made in an email sent by company founder Paul Elio, which also said that the company has gone public and has planned out the option ordering system for the car. If you are willing to pay for the car in its entirety, it will cost just $7,000 instead of $7,300. But there's a catch.

Elio hasn't delivered a single car yet to a customer, and it needs loans to start production. The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) is willing to offer the company support if they meet certain guidelines. You see, Elio currently has 56,000 reservations, but the DoE isn't content with refundable customer reservations.

SEE ALSO: Elio P4 Review

So the catch is, you can pay $7,000 outright to purchase an Elio three-wheeled car, but that payment is non-refundable. You also run the risk that the company will go bankrupt before you even get the car, rendering your $7,000 a complete waste. To make matters more complicated, the company doesn't have a production start date or delivery date set, which means even if the car makes it into production, it could be years before you even see it.

[Source: Jalopnik]

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2017 BMW X2 Crossover Concept to Debut in Late September

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BMW will preview its next compact crossover at the 2016 Paris Motor Show.

The 2017 BMW X2 will debut as a concept, but it is expected to closely resemble the production model. Serving as a sportier version of the X1, the X2 will ride on the German automaker's UKL platform that also underpins the upcoming second-generation MINI Countryman. The new Countryman is also scheduled to debut at the 2016 Paris Motor Show.

Designed to rival the Range Rover Evoque, the 2017 BMW X2 will go on sale in the second half of 2017, targeting buyers that have traditionally opted for a hatchback but wants the versatility and functionality an SUV provides. Essentially, the X2 plays the same role as the X4 and X6 models, "coupe" versions of the X3 and X5, respectively.

Spy photographers have caught the BMW X2 testing, looking like a compact SUV with a significantly lower roofline to give it a sportier profile. On the inside, the BMW X2 will share much with the X1, but it will have less storage and headroom due to its low roof. It will also be more expensive than the X1 despite being less practical.

Expect powerplants to mirror the BMW X1, which includes a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder offering.

[Source: Autocar]

Discuss this story on our BMW Forum

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AutoGuide Answers: What We Love About Our Daily Drivers

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Whenever we're not testing new cars or covering the latest auto shows, the team here at AutoGuide.com is stuck commuting in their ho-hum daily drivers, just like normal people! But that doesn't mean the staff is sad to be in their daily drivers; they actually like driving their own cars. Here's why:

Dan Ilika, Road Test Editor:

Dan describes his Kia Forte5 as an appliance, but a reliable and well-priced one. He seems to be the only one on our team struggling to say the 'L' word when describing his daily driver, but you can tell by the way he talks about his Korean compact hatchback that he has some real affection for the little guy.

Jodi Lai, Managing Editor:

I love the fact that my steering wheel has no buttons. My 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit has a simple steering wheel, and I love the fact that not one single button can be found on it. It only has one purpose, which is to steer; not change the volume, activate cruise control, find a radio station or make a call. The material is also getting patchy in some places, with little bits fading where I hold the steering wheel the most. I find this comforting because it's not perfect, but it feels like home.

Also, have a little disco ball hanging from my rear view mirror that's pretty sweet.

Jonathan Yarkony, Editor in Chief:

Continental ControlContact Sport

For me it's not a little something, it's the very essence of the car. It's a manual station wagon. I am an automotive enthusiast cliché. I love clichés. I love being a cliché. Oh, and did I mention it's a wagon? With a manual transmission?

Sami Haj-Assaad, Features Editor:

My daily driver, a 2013 Scion FR-S, has a lot to love. Sure it's a little slow by sports cars standards, and the paint on it is flimsier than whatever Google's social media platform is these days, but it's a blast to drive every single time. It's my palate cleanser. I can get out of a 400-hp test car and back in my Toyobaru and still feel things in it that I just don't feel in modern cars. Specifically, I love the steering of this thing. It's well weighted and provides excellent feedback for an electric power-assisted setup.

Oh, and I also love that both windows are automatic up/down, and you can operate them while the car is off like, say, when you park and turn the car off, but then realize you didn't close the window all the way.

Craig Cole, Associate Editor:

My daily driver is a rattle-trap 2002 Ford Focus ZX3. My favorite thing about this old beater is its simplicity. I hit the lock button and *gasp* the doors lock, there's zero ambiguity. When I push a radio preset button and it changes the station, I stick the key into the ignition and twist it to start the engine; shutdown is the opposite. Everything is so clear-cut and simple with this car, I love it! With modern infotainment systems, you sometimes don't know what does what, ditto for secondary controls. With my old Focus this is not an issue. Oh, and I also love that it's a five-speed…

Stephen Elmer, News Editor:

There's never enough space for me to cram all my junk in most cars. Unless I'm in my Honda Fit. Up front there are two cupholders, a double glove box and two small cupholder-lookalike storage cubbies that I absolutely crave when I don't have them. Whether it's my wallet, phone or loose change, the amount of at-hand storage in the 2010 Fit is second to none. With so much interior storage and clever use of space, the pint-sized Fit feels like a much larger car than it really is, especially with the Magic Seats.

For a guy who is constantly hauling a Sea-Doo, a snowmobile or a drum kit, having all that space goes a long way. Who needs a truck, any way?

Jason Siu, News Editor:

Despite what others might say, there's plenty to love about the Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG as a daily driver. It's the perfect balance between luxury and sportiness, while having good enough space in the back seats to comfortably seat four. But having grown up in the age of modifying Honda Civics and being completely infatuated with turbocharged four-cylinder engines, it's the powerplant I love the most in the CLA 45 AMG. Like the rest of the car, it's a nice balance between performance and fuel economy and who doesn't like having the world's most powerful four-cylinder engine at their disposal? What's even better is that last year, Mercedes and AMG announced that the CLA45 would get a nice boost in performance to 375 horsepower from 355, and now the German automaker is stepping it up even more, pushing that figure to 400. If there's something that I would love even more is having 400 hp under the hood rather than "just" 355.

Sebastien Bell, News Editor at VWVortex

Volkswagen-New_Beetle_USA_Version-1998-1024-04

I drive around in a 2001 New Beetle, so naturally my favorite thing about it is the OEM flower vase. When I'm not preoccupied by botany, though, my favorite part is definitely the airy cabin. With the sunroof, the big windshield, the enormous side windows, and a large rear window the car is like a greenhouse. Perfect for growing flowers in my OEM flower vase.

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Car Reviews

Saturday, 13 August 2016