Subaru Recalls Forester SUV, Legacy Sedan, Outback Wagon and Tribeca SUV

Japanese automaker Subaru on Thursday announced that it was recalling 633,842 vehicles to check for a problem with a fuse in a puddle light that could short-circuit and lead to a fire.There have been no reports of accidents or injuries related to the issue, but there was one report of smoke, it said.

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The models being recalled are certain 2009 to 2012 Subaru Forester SUVs, the 2010 to 2011 Legacy sedan, the 2010 to 2011 Outback wagon and the 2006 to 2012 Tribeca SUV.

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on its website that Subaru will install an additional fuse at no cost to the owners. The recall is expected to begin in February. A spokesperson for the Tokyo-based company estimates that about 54,000 vehicles in total will actually require repairs.Subaru dealers will repair the problem free of charge

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Jaguar F Type

Jaguar has finally built a follow-up to the legendary E-type, the new F-type."It's just a tremendous challenge today to produce a beautiful car that meets all the world regulations," said Philip Porter, a Jaguar historian who has written a book about the E-Type. He hasn't driven the F-Type yet, but likes what he's seen so far. "It's a combination like the great Jaguars of the past of sculptural styling, great engineering and superb performance".And, he added, "it sounds like a sports car, which is essential."

There are two different supercharged engines: a 3-liter 6 cylinder with 340 horsepower for the normal F-type and 380 horsepower for the S; there's also a 5-liter V8 with 495 horsepower. Jaguar says the 0-60 time is 5.1 seconds for the normal F-type; 4.8 seconds for the S and 4.2 for the V-8. The car has an 8-speed transmission with automatic or manual modes.

The body is aluminum, and evokes the E-Type in details like the center hood bulge, the line of the body and the rear flare. But Jaguar is going out of its way not to do a retro E-Type.

The lines are clean on the inside, pared down considerably from many newer cars. Rather than now commonplace touch controls for everything, the heating and ventilation are old-fashioned rotary knobs.


Pricing starts at $69,875 for the 340-horsepower car, and ranges beyond $92,000 for an F-Type fitted with the V-8 engine.

“The F-Type isn’t designed to be like anyone else’s sports car,” Adrian Hallmark, the brand’s global director, said Wednesday. “It’s a Jaguar sports car: ultraprecise, powerful, sensual and, most of all, it feels alive”. Jaguar says the F-Type is an honest sports car.

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Lexus ES 350 - 2013

Lexus has definitely built something new for the 2013 model as they’ve already released the hints all over the news media. They have come with new sedan which is called as the 2013 Lexus ES 350,

It is a design statement born of conviction. From the new spindle grille to its lower and wider stance, it exudes progressive styling. Stretched across a longer wheelbase, the redesigned interior is more spacious and accommodating. Available ambient lighting accents the dash and doors, creating a contemporary vibe throughout the cabin. Contrasting stitching adds intrigue to its smooth, contoured surfaces. And its expansive rear-seating area offers thoughtful amenities like a power rear shade and manual side-window shades.


The new ES unmistakably bears the new face of Lexus with its distinctive, spindle grille. The LED daytime running lights and combination rear lamps reflect the “L” design motif. The ES 350’s rear bumper sports dual exhaust pipes, while the ES 300h hybrid features a distinctive rear design with hidden exhaust and an integrated spoiler. New exterior colors for the 2013 ES include Fire Agate Pearl and Silver Lining Metallic.


Greater rear seat legroom and knee room are the hallmark of the redesigned, more spacious cabin. Knee room is increased by 2.8 inches and legroom is increased by 4.1 inches. The new design also offers additional foot room below the front seats.

Available comfort and convenience features include manual door window shades, a power rear shade, and a one-touch power trunk closer. Optional ambient lighting, discretely placed under the wood trim, softly illuminates the surfaces of the instrument panel and all four doors.

The new ES will feature enhanced NuLuxe seating surfaces, developed to reduce environmental impact. Genuine leather is also available, as is semi-aniline leather for an even more refined look and feel. Interiors are available in Black, Light Gray, and Parchment. Trim colors and materials include Piano Black, Espresso Bird’s-eye Maple, and Bamboo.

The new ES features the next-generation Lexus Enform® system. Lexus Enform® provides seamless connectivity with Bing™ search, iHeartRadio, MovieTickets.com, OpenTable®, Pandora®, Yelp® and Facebook Places through compatible smart phones

There are many ways to take advantage of the impressive and efficient power of this luxury sedan's 3.5-liter V6 engine. You can impose your will on curves, putting its lightweight design, more rigid chassis and new, more dynamic suspension system to good use. You can also sit back and let the engine's new low-friction materials and more efficient transmission help you make the most of every drop of fuel. Or, to help the ES provide the ultimate in both respects, Drive Mode Select lets you opt for ECO, Normal or SPORT modes, modifying its performance characteristics to fit your mood.

The Basic Specifications:
Seating Capacity : 5
Overall Length (in.) : 192.7
Width (in.) : 71.7
Height (in.) : 57.1
Wheelbase (in.) : 111.0
Driven Wheels : Front Wheel Drive
Curb Weight (lbs.) : 3,549
Wheel size (front and rear):
17” x 7.0” (standard)
18” x 7.5” (optional)
Tires size :
215/55/17 (standard)
225/45/18 (optional)

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Cadillac Escalade - 2013

The Cadillac Escalade, with its bold, super-size look, has become an American luxury icon, a symbol of excess, chromed splendor, and high-end executive transport.


The 2013 Cadillac Escalade is huge and imposing from the outside, but that does pay off inside, translating to a roomy, comfortable interior that's also luxury-car plush and reasonably quiet. Just be aware that if you want cargo versatility and folding seats, this might not be the right pick.

Available as a 4x2 or 4x4 the Escalade is powered by a 403-hp 6.2-liter V8 with Active Fuel Management and E85 compatibility, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Standard equipment includes a power liftgate, stability control, remote start, Bluetooth compatibility, a rear-view camera and side curtain airbags. Some options are Magnetic Ride Control and 22-inch chrome wheels. The Platinum Edition takes style and innovation to a whole new level with standard equipment such as LED headlights, power running boards, and a rear seat entertainment system with two monitors.

The Escalade begins its assault on European buyers in September with an expected price of £55,000.

Basic Specifications:

• Engine 6.2L V-8 
• Power 403 @ 5,700 rpm 
• Transmission 6-spd auto w/OD 0-60 6.7 seconds 
• Seating 7 passengers 

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Audi S8

The biggest, baddest, fastest and lightest S8 yet has arrived - filling both the role of the top A8 model and top S model for the Audi luxury lineup. For the latest generation this full-size performance sedan puts a new, downsized and uprated V8 to task along with a lightweight aluminum body for optimal performance and economy.

The S8 is powered by an all-new engine in the Volkswagen family, a 4.0-liter twin-turbo TFSI V8 that turns out 520 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque (from 1,700 to 5,500 rpm).


The S8 features the Audi Space Frame (ASF) body which is made almost entirely of aluminum. As a result, despite its size and extensive list of luxury features, the S8 weighs in at a relatively low 4,354 lbs. The body itself contributes just shy of 510 lbs to that total, which is about 220 lbs less than a comparable steel-body.

Stylistic details include a single-frame grille in platinum gray with eight double bars coated in chrome. Audi also makes use of an aluminum-look blade to make the bumper design appear sharper, while high-gloss black slats and aluminum-look ribs in the side air intakes add touches of style.

Wrapping around to the sides, one will find door handles with strips of aluminum and aluminum-look mirror houses, as well as body color trim strips on the sills. Out back, the S8 features a diffuser insert with a two-layer aluminum-look finish that is offset by platinum gray and frames two oval dual exhaust tips finished in a chrome-look finish.


As one would expect from a flagship Audi sedan, the S8 comes complete with an impeccable fit and finish - says the automaker - featuring luxury bits with sport-minded driving at heart throughout. Seats come wrapped in leather, but are sporty in their shape and style, complete with multi-way, power adjustability and are exclusive to the S8 model. Stitching and piping come in steel gray for added contrast, while the instrument panel upper inlays and tiptronic gear selector lever are finished in Carbon Atlas.

The competitor to the S8:
- The Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG, which provides a similar mix of luxury and performance.
- The Jaguar XF equipped with the special order-only Supersport package and the V12-powered
- BMW 760Li serve up comparable power but otherwise lack the Audi's more overt sporting focus.

The Basic Specs:
Drivetrain All Wheel Drive
Curb Weight (lbs) 4641
City (MPG) TBD
Hwy (MPG) TBD
Horsepower 520@6000
Torque (lb-ft) 481@5500
Wheelbase 117.8
Length (in.) 202.2
Width (in.) 83.1
Height (in.) 57.5

Overall, The S8 has too much luxuries, too little sport. Good engine, though.

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Citroen DS3

The Citroen DS3 is a supermini, produced by French manufacturer Citroen from 2009. This is the first car in the new DS (pronounced déesse, which is French for goddess) range from Citroon. It was first hinted by the concept car Citroon DS Inside.This range of vehicle shares no common feature with, and is in no way the successor to, the Citroen DS.


Everything on DS3 is beautiful. Each detail has been meticulously worked out and gives DS3 a bijou finish. Citroen underlines DS3’s sporty and forward looking style with its mystic LED signature of six diodes located vertically on the front bumper. Citroen is proving once again its design through DS3’s unique floating roof underlined with a shark fin.

The interior has been designed with style and distinction in mind with chrome finish and a tailored upholstery to suit each specific design. It expresses the same fluidity. The horizontal dashboard is strengthened by a band that runs from end to end and provides a link between the two front passengers. The aim is to create an avalanche of emotions when getting into DS3. The chic atmosphere onboard the DS3 is enhanced by luxury materials. Each piece of fabric or high grade plastic charms the eye and feels good to the touch.The cabin space is identical to the hatchback's too, with a 60/40 split-folding rear bench, and the boot space has only had 40 litres chopped out of it (245-litre capacity). There's also a new rear taillight setup comprising 31 LEDs and semi-reflecting mirrors to create a 3D-type effect. Groovy.

DS3 is designed with an emphasis on robustness, strength and optimum safety to ensure protection for all passengers. For reassuring control in any driving situation, DS3 models feature as standard ESP, ABS with EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution) and EBA (Emergency Brake Assist) as well as six airbags and Isofix anchor points on the rear side seats. The comfort is ensured by small two-density wedges settled on the rear beam which absorbs small shocks when passing on minor obstacle.

The DS3 is a compact car which competes against the Mini, Alfa Romeo MiTo and Audi A1.

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Mazda CX 5

The Mazda CX-5 is a compact/small-family crossover SUV produced by Mazda starting in 2012 for the 2013 model year lineup. It is Mazda's first car featuring the new KODO - Soul of Motion Design language first shown in the Shinari concept vehicle in May 2010.It is also the first vehicle featuring the company's full Skyactiv Technology suite, featuring a rigid, lightweight platform, combined with a new series of efficient engines and transmissions resulting in reduced emissions and fuel consumption. The Skyactiv Engine and Transmission Technologies were released in the 2012 Mazda3 compact sedan and hatchback.


It's the comfort and refinement that are most obvious. Mazda has used a new insulation material in the construction, and it gives the CX-5 a similarly hushed, isolated cabin to the best German execs.

It just feels very mature to drive, and Mazda - matched only by Ford in the mainstream sector - does dynamics better than just about anyone else. The bigger-wheeled Sport is taut and agile around corners, steers nicely and maintains momentum. The ride might be a fraction stiffer, but all CX-5s have an easy-going, relaxed feel ideal for family life.

Performance is the main reason to choose the 2013 Mazda CX-5. The CX-5’s handling, which reviewers say runs a close second to the small and sporty Mazda MX-5 Miata, is as good as it gets in this class. The CX-5 earns praise for its neutral handling and great corner-hugging ability. Test drivers like the CX-5’s six-speed manual transmission just as much, saying it shifts smoothly and makes the CX-5 really engaging to drive. One thing reviewers crave is more power from the Mazda CX-5’s 155-horsepower four-cylinder engine because a boost would come in handy when traveling uphill.


The Mazda CX-5 has one primary competitor, and that’s the Volkswagen Tiguan. Like the CX-5, the Tiguan is one of the sportiest, most nimble compact SUVs, and it’s also more powerful than the CX-5, thanks to its 200-horsepower four-cylinder engine. Think twice before choosing the Tiguan if fuel efficiency and affordability are your main concerns because it has lower fuel economy ratings and costs several thousand dollars more than the Mazda CX-5.

This is a good car, a fine family SUV that will serve you well, if unremarkably. It's on sale from 18 May, and its arrival signals the phasing out of the larger CX-7, like the 2 supermini, one of Mazda's underrated, underappreciated cars. Let's hope the CX-5 avoids the same fate. It deserves to.

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