NYIAS 2011: Best Of The Rest, Pt.2

Continuing along with the rest of the new stuff at NYIAS this year, welcome to Part 2 of our "best of the rest" coverage, a sort of all-at-once splurt of information to keep you up to date on the latest developments, without boring you to death with new paint colors for the Kia Optima.  Here we go.

2012 Subaru Impreza Sedan/Hatchback

Subaru has finally come to their senses with the Impreza.  While it's always been a relatively fun-to-drive car even in non-turbocharged form, it hasn't really experienced great sales in the economy-car market compared to more conventional rivals.  The biggest reason would be the big-car fuel economy in a small, unrefined package.  The current Impreza 2.5i makes a fairly impressive 173bhp from it's single-cam 2.5L horizontally opposed four, but the EPA ratings of 20/27 for a 2.5i sedan are just... well, bad.  It makes it a hard purchase to justify - Imprezas are thirsty machines, even if they're really quite capable.

For 2012, the Impreza is getting a significant rethink, not just an update.  It's lighter, has a smaller engine, it's more efficient, but it has more interior space.  The wheelbase is stretched an inch, but the overhangs have been clipped to give it a more solid stance and increased interior room and better visibility.  It's been given a conservative styling job, with well-defined lines and a look of "miniature legacy" about it.  Despite the increased interior dimensions, it's also lighter than the car it replaces.

Which is good, because it's got less power.  Gone is the venerable EJ25, a 2.5L SOHC flat-four that had been continually updated and refined since the early 90's.  The new Impreza gets a 2.0L variant of Subaru's new flat-four engine family, which debuted in 2.5L form in the recently updated Forester.  Advancements over the old engine include a switch to twin-cam heads for both banks, equipped with variable cam timing on the intake and exhaust to broaden the power curve and increase responsiveness.  The stroke of the engine relative to the bore is longer than the old EJ25, boosting low-end torque - a good thing considering the drop in displacement.  Power output is listed at 148bhp and 145lb-ft of torque, which is a significant drop from the previous mode.  Transmission choices (for now) are a 5-speed manual, or a second-generation Lineartronic CVT mated exclusively to electronic AWD.  The benefit of the engine downsizing?  The new Impreza will be the most fuel-efficient AWD car in America, taking the title from the relatively obsure Suzuki SX4 Sportback.  36mpg in CVT form is a huge jump from the previous model.  The question is, will it be worth it?  The previous non-turbo Impreza was a pretty punchy car, way more fun to drive than smaller-engined rivals like the Civic and Corolla, and close to the 2.5L Jetta/Rabbit for fuel efficiency but offering better handling.  The new one will likely feel a bit pokey in comparison, but these days compact sales live and die by the MPG sticker.  We'll see.

Nissan Nismo LEAF RC

Really?  A NISMO racing version of Nissan's Leaf electric car?  It's not April 1st.  Come on guys.

Porsche Panamera Turbo S

Maybe I can learn to hate the Panamera less, when it blasts from 0-60 in a twin-turbocharged, AWD-enhanced 3.6 seconds.  Damn!  The extra oomph over the "regular" (500 horsepower) Panamera Turbo comes from new turbochargers (with titanium-aluminum turbines!) and an ECU remap on the 4.8L direct-injected V8, which boosts power from 500bhp to 550bhp, and torque jumps from 516lb-ft to 553lb-ft.  In "Sport" or "Sport+" mode, the engine enters "Overboost" mode (one of my favorite cool-sounding if someone stupid terms), which delivers increased peak torque of 800nM (or 590lb-ft), as well as during transmission kickdown.

Other enhancements include Turbo-S specific 20" split-five spoke alloys, a wider rear axle, Turbo S badges, Porsche Exclusive side skirts, and two-two leather inside.  The fastest of Panamera's is about on par with a GT3 RS from 0-60mph, which is nuts - of course, that 3.6s 0-60 time is possible thanks to permanent 4WD and the launch-control function of Porsche's 7-speed twin clutch gearbox.  The Turbo S will also top out at 191mpg, which I will remind you is not far short of the iconic 959's top end.  All this can be yours for the entirely reasonable price tag of $173,00... before options, as usual with Porsches.  And as always with the Panamera, the whole "fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down" comes standard as well.  At least it's nice-looking inside!  You'll also be able to get this upgraded engine in the Cayenne soon, too.

2012 Kia Rio

The Kia Rio, Kia's smallest offering in the US, gets a full redesign along with it's brother the Hyundai Accent, for 2012.  The styling is a welcome depart from the frumpy old Rio, which was a decent low-end car but about as interesting as watching C-SPAN on Valium.  The new one promises more features, more room, more power, and better fuel economy (a mantra that's become quite familiar these days.)  The Peter Schreyer styling carries Kia's latest corporate "face" to good effect, and as usual it'll be available in a 4-door sedan or a 5-door hatchback for the US market.  Power comes from the new 1.6L GDI 16v I4 that's spreading across the Kia/Hyundai lineup (it's also under the hood of the upcoming Veloster), with 138bhp going through a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.  Engine stop/start technology will be available on the new Rio as well, which helps it achieve it's EPA ratings of 30 city/ 40 highway.

The biggest step forward has got to be that interior, though.  I mean, whoa.  This is a Kia Rio?  What's the world coming to?

Suzuki Kizashi Concepts - Apex and EcoCharge

I like the Suzuki Kizashi.  It's got some sporting genes, it's a nice size in between Civic and Camry, you can get it with a 6-speed stick, it looks nice, and the price is reasonable.  What it needs, though, is a lot more horsepower.  (What doesn't need a lot more horsepower?)  To rectify this, Suzuki has boosted the 2.4L I4 under the Kizashi's hood.  With a Garrett GT2871R turbocharger (one of my personal favorites for 1.8-2.8L I4/I6 engines), an air-to-water intercooler, electronic boost control, and other supporting modifications the Kizashi should make between 275-300bhp on only 8.5 pounds of boost.

The Apex concept is wrapped in livery inspired by Suzuki's racing superbikes, to draw a closer connection between their four-and-two wheeled creations - something they've been trying to due for a while.  The Apex concept rides on 19" wheels shod with super-sticky 245/35/19 Yokohama s.Drive tires.  This obviously isn't a production model, but considering how many turbocharged Kizashi concepts they've thrown out there (remember the red one built by Road Race Engineering?), it seems likely - especially considering all the in-house development done on this engine.

The other Kizashi concept is the EcoCharge hybrid, which is less interesting but likely a lot more relevant.  The EcoCharge combines a 2.0L gas engine with a 6-speed automatic and a 15kW electric motor fed by a 115v air-cooled Li-Ion battery, which should be good for a 25% improvement over the regular Kizashi's 30mpg highway rating.  The EcoCharge also has regenerative braking, start-stop engine technology, and low resistance tires for added economy.  No word on production intent, but this is all existing technology, so I'd recommend they hit the "go" button on both of these.  I'll take an Apex, please.

And finally, the...

Mercedes-Benz A-Class Concept

Rounding out our coverage of this year's NYIAS is Mercedes' striking A-class concept car, which previews the upcoming next-generation A-class, to be sold here in the US, finally.  Gone is the upright, staid styling of the previous A-class, replaced with a more fluid, dynamic appearance intended to lure in younger buyers.

Being a concept car, one shouldn't expect the production version to look just like this - probably not the huge wheels, the trippy grille material, or the super-low stance, but this is the general shape.  Powering the A-class concept is a 2.0L turbocharged I4 delivering 210bhp to the front wheels through a twin-clutch automatic - a variation of an engine family we should be seeing a lot more of in the near future.

Fiat 500C Convertible

The 500C is not news to our European readers, who have been enjoying it for a while now.  For the US-market, though, it's the next variation on Fiat/Chrysler's 500 microcar.  The 500C is the "convertible" version of the 500, although that's a loose term: it has a full-length canvas roof mounted on sliding panels that folds back and down to give you a more open-air experience.  it still retains the roof rails for structural rigidity, unlike competitors such as the Mini Cooper Convertible or the Beetle Cabriolet.  Otherwise, it's the same thing as the regular 500 - a 1.4L Multiair 16v I4 with 101bhp, mated to a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic.

The 500C is arriving this spring in either Pop (base model) or Lounge (swanky model) trims - no Sport model with the stiffer suspension and larger wheel/tire package.  Rumor has it that we're also getting a soft-topped 500 Abarth in the US, so maybe that will take care of it.  The 500C arrives at Fiat Studios in the US this spring, so we should be seeing them soon.