Honda Launches Civic Si Giveaway for College Students

Honda is launching the Civic “Study Break” promotion, which includes the chance to win a 2012 Civic Si coupe. The campaign is aimed at college students, though anyone can enter the contest by visiting the Honda Civic Facebook page.

Once there, visitors can find a link to enter the contest, which ends on May 31. The lucky winner will be announced shortly after. The rest of you who want your own Civic will, unfortunately, have to tack it on to your student debt (or beg mommy and daddy?).

The “Study Break” tour also includes visits to a handful of west coast college campuses where Honda will give students a chance to check out and learn more about the Civic. The tour starts on April 21 at the Arizona State University campus and will make its way through the University of Arizona (April 28), University of Southern California (May 3), University of California, Los Angeles (May 5), Stanford University (May 10), and University of California, Berkeley (May 12).

Audi Debuts A3 e-tron Plug-in Hybrid Concept in Shanghai

Audi joins the brace of planet-saving car debuts at the Shanghai Motor Show with the A3 e-tron concept, a plug-in hybrid wrapped in the crisp sheet metal of the next-generation A3 sedan. Like the Chevrolet Volt, the A3 e-tron can be charged at night so that drivers can travel moderate distances without using the gasoline engine.

The gasoline half of the powertrain is a 1.4-liter TFSI four-cylinder — direct-injected and turbocharged — rated 211 horsepower. It’s coupled to a 27-horsepower electric motor, with the charge stored in a 12 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack located behind the rear seats. Audi says the e-tron can travel up to 34 miles on electricity alone. The gasoline engine only kicks in to provide extra range or additional acceleration.

Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG to be Fitted with New Turbo V8

AMG’s new twin-turbo 5.5-liter engine may soon trickle down to the E63, according to a recent report by German magazine Auto Bild. Horsepower could be rated at 518, but an available performance package should increase that to 549 horsepower. The twin-turbo engine has been gradually replacing the 6.2-liter normally aspirated V-8 across the AMG lineup, and it appears the E63 is next in line.

These horsepower numbers are lower than the 2012 CLS63 AMG fitted with the new turbo eight that we tested earlier this year, which is rated at 525 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque; the performance package bumps it up to 557 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. Auto Bild’s report didn’t include torque numbers, but we estimated an increase of 51 lb-ft of torque on the base E63 AMG and up to 125 lb-ft on the E63 with a performance package, since the E63 has always closely mirrored the CLS63’s output.

2013 Infiniti JX Crossover Previewed by sketch

infiniti plans to expand its vehicle lineup with a
new three-row crossover called the JX.
Previewed by this sketch, it will go on sale in
spring 2012 as a 2013 model.
The JX was styled in keeping with Infiniti’s
current design language, which explains the
sinusoidal creases and bulging fenders seen in
the sketch. It has a swept-back, aerodynamic
profile, with darkened B- and C-pillars making
for a “floating roof” appearance. The D-pillar
bears the same reverse-kink shape that we saw
on the Essence and Etherea concept cars. We
also expect the JX’s front end will resemble
those concepts, with narrow headlights and a
small chrome-trimmed grille.

Droptop: Audi Releases 2011 R8 Spyder 4.2 Quattro Specifications

According to Audi, the R8 4.2 Spyder will do 0 to 62 mph in 4.8 seconds, 0.4 seconds behind the R8 4.2 coupe, thanks to the added weight of the folding roof mechanism. As with the coupe, the Spyder can be had with either a six-speed manual or six-speed, single-clutch R-tronic automatic transmission.

Audi's signature Quattro all-wheel-drive is standard and features a 15/85 front/rear torque split. A total of 30 percent of the R8's power can be sent to the front wheels, should the rear wheels lose traction. A locking rear differential further increases the car's handling prowess.


Hidden in the R8 4.2 Spyder's specifications is a revelation: Despite the added weight, it's actually more fuel-efficient than the coupe, thanks to the Spyder's standard regenerative braking. According to Audi, manual transmission Spyders return 16 U.S. mpg combined, and 17 U.S. mpg combined for the R-tronic, versus 15 U.S. mpg combined for both transmissions in the coupe.

Audi's new R8 Spyder 4.2 rolls into European showrooms in the third-quarter of 2010 at a price of €121,000 ($148,500), about €35,400 ($43,400) less than the 5.2 Spyder. U.S. on sale dates and pricing have yet to be announced.

Note: The pictures are of an Audi R8 Spyder 5.2, as 4.2 images have yet to be released. The largest differences are the wheels, and four round exhaust tips of the V-8 coupe, rather than the two ovals of the V-10 model.

Aston Martin Prices the Revised 2011 DB9, V8 Vantage N420 for the U.S.

Now that we've gotten a good look at Aston Martin's revised 2011 DB9 lineup and new race-inspired V8 Vantage N420, the automaker has released U.S. pricing for the two swanky models.

The 2011 DB9 coupe will start at $187,615, while the drop-top Volante will run $201,115. Exterior updates for the 2011 DB9 include a new front and rear fascia, headlamp bezels, a reshaped hood, clear taillights, and newly designed 20-inch wheels. Aluminum trim graces the inside, as does an upgraded Bluetooth system, and a Bang & Olufsen stereo is now an optional upgrade. The Adaptive Damping System, standard on the DBS and Rapide, is now standard on the DB9.

Pricing for the 2011 Vantage N420 came in much lower than estimated, with the coupe retailing for $132,000 and roadster starting at $145,000. Aston Martin's race-team-derived N420 pushes out the same power as the V8 Vantage it's based upon, but that's where the bulk of the similarities end. A sport suspension, new exhaust, and 59 pounds of weight savings comprise the performance-enhancing upgrades. Exterior upgrades include a carbon-fiber front splitter, ten-spoke wheels, and the option of race-inspired paint hues. On the inside, sill plates, carbon-fiber seats, graphite instruments, and a steering wheel covered in either leather or Alcantara are available.

Deliveries of the DB9 and Volante are scheduled to commence this fall, and the N420 will make its first U.S. appearance at next month's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, with deliveries scheduled to start late this year.