For a limited time, Acura is now offering a couple of big incentives on the 2013 Acura TL mid-sized luxury sport sedan that can potentially save you thousands. Now through April 30, 2013, you’ll find low APR financing rates, plus a generous $1,500 cash incentive for returning Acura customers, or $1,500 for conquest buyers that are making the switch from other luxury brands.
The BMW M Performance division lineup continues to expand for the 2014 model year with the addition of one more heart-stopping model: the 2014 BMW M6 Gran Coupe. Based on the “four-door coupe” stretched wheelbase 6-Series Gran Coupe, this monster of a sedan has its sights set on the Porsche Panamera Turbo and Maserati Quattroporte.
Among the hundreds of cars gracing the show floor at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, the all-new 2014 Infiniti Q50 compact luxury sport sedan is making big waves. The Q50 will replace the current G Sedan, as part of Infiniti’s new Q and QX naming strategy, when it goes on sale in Summer 2013.
2014 Q50 Powertrains
At least at launch, the base engine will be a return of the G37′s 3.7-liter VQ37DE engine with minor updates, with power output ringing in at a thrilling 328 horsepower and 269 lb-ft. of torque thanks to Nissan/Infiniti’s Continuously Variable Valve Timing Control System (CVTCS) and Variable Valve Event & Lift (VVEL). A seven-speed automatic transmission with magnesium paddle shifters and automatic rev-matched downshifts will come standard.
Even more enticing is the new Q50 Hybrid model, which receives the same Infiniti Direct Response Hybrid system as the brand’s larger 2013 M35h hybrid (the Infiniti M will be renamed Q70 for 2014). Combining a 3.5-liter V6 engine with a 50-kW electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack, at peak the system outputs 354 horsepower. That could well make the Q50 Hybrid the quickest gas-electric on the market, and Infiniti ensures that driving dynamics won’t suffer.
Design
In the exterior design department, the Q50 gets a softer look when compared with the outgoing G37 sedan. With wavelike body lines extending from its “double arch” grille to its crescent-shaped C-pillars, the overall image is pleasing and cohesive, if a little bland. Others are raving about it, and you may too, though we were left wanting for a little more definition; a little more Cadillac ATS and a little less Nissan Altima in our luxury sport sedans, thank you.
Advanced Technology
Nissan’s luxury arm, perhaps more than any other automaker, has been going downright overboard lately with the introduction of advanced driving aid and safety technologies. The Q50 marks the world debut of all-electric steering on a production car. Using several redundant computing modules, the Direct Adaptive Steering system eliminates the mechanical linkage between the steering wheel and wheels – a mechanical steering system still exists as a back-up – allowing the Infiniti to independently control each front wheel, as well as automatically compensate for crosswinds and road imperfections with the addition of Active Lane Control with a front-facing camera. We’ll see how it feels behind the wheel.
Other new tech: the Infiniti Connected infotainment system now receives dual capacitive touchscreens, plus hand gesture recognition for even simpler operation. With smartphone-pairing in-car apps and Infiniti’s 24-hour personal concierge and emergency assistance telematics system, this is one of the more advanced interfaces on the market.
Pricing and Availability
The 2014 Infiniti Q50 will go on sale in Summer 2013 with six-cylinder and hybrid options. A four-cylinder model, to replace the G25, has not been announced but should be forthcoming. Pricing has not been released, but we expect the Q50 to start at around $36,000 – $38,000.
BMW will revive its 320i nameplate in the United States for the first time since the early-1980s E21-generation 3-Series with the introduction of the new entry-level 2014 BMW 320i.
The new 320i will feature a modified version of the same 2.0-liter TwinPower turbocharged four-cylinder engine found in the 328i Sedan. Power output rings in at 180 horsepower and 200 lb-ft. of torque – the 328i’s four-cylinder makes 240 horsepower and 255 lb-ft. Buyers will once again have the choice of either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic transmission. Zero to 60 mph will come in around 7.1 seconds, while top speed will stay the same as the 328i at an electronically limited 130 mph.
Strangely, fuel efficiency numbers will be identical to the current 2013 328i with its higher-output engine. Manual-transmission 320i models will see 22 city/34 highway mpg, while those with the automatic will return around 23 city/33 highway mpg. The AWD 320i xDrive, which will come exclusively with the automatic, will be good for 22 city/33 highway mpg, BMW says.
Still, even the 240-horse 328i may have more power than some BMW buyers will want or need, so getting into 3-Series quality and legendary driving dynamics for nearly $3,500 less sounds like a great deal to us. A few standard feature will likely be made optional on the new entry-level model in an effort to keep down costs.
The 2014 BMW 320i will go on sale this Spring of 2013 along with the rest of the 2014 3-Series lineup, priced from $33,445 including destination, or a full $3,405 less than the entry-level 2013 328i’s base MSRP.
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2013 North American Car of the Year winner is… the 2013 Cadillac ATS. Chosen by an independent panel of 50 U.S. and Canada auto journalists at the Detroit Auto Show, the win is a first for the Cadillac brand, as critics have fallen in love with GM’s new entry-level luxury sport sedan. The Cadillac ATS is a style maven’s dream come true, and recently put that accolade into the books by winning Esquire’s Car of the Year award.
In a field of finalists that also included the redesigned 2013 Ford Fusion and Honda Accord, the Cadillac has won over critics and new owners alike with its sports-car-level handling and eye-catching design. The ATS is available now, starting from around $34,000.
Check out our infographic on the the entire 2013 Entry-Level Sport Sedan Segment here.
To read more about the 2013 Cadillac ATS, click here.
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