2012 Honda Insight

Honda debuted a refreshed 2012 Insight hybrid for Europe at the Frankfurt auto show earlier this year, and now that car’s updates have made it to the U.S.-market car. Honda’s changes to the Insight include a handful of styling tweaks and minor interior improvements similar to the freshening the popular Fit subcompact also received for 2012, but the nip and tuck is definitely minor.

The biggest changes are to the Insight’s styling, which is toughened up by larger and more aggressive intakes on the front fascia, new head- and taillights, and new wheel designs. EX models are still the only Insights that ride on aluminum wheels, but all trim levels get a new grille with a blue stripe that Honda says is representative of the car’s “high-tech hybrid identity.” There’s also a thinner rear spoiler that affords more visibility through the split rear window. Functionally, the tweaks to the front and rear bumpers and underbody contribute to a 1-mpg boost in the Insight’s city, highway, and combined fuel-economy numbers. The final figures are 41 mpg in the city, 44 on the highway, and 42 mpg combined; those numbers are still well short of the Toyota Prius’s (51/48/50), but the Insight is a far more involving car to drive.

Honda improved the Insight where it needed to most: the interior. The company didn’t make any drastic changes, but it added thicker sound insulation, classed up the seating surface materials, and added an updated navigation system with an integrated backup camera. Those changes should address at least some of the complaints we levied against our recently departed long-term Insight; most of our barbs were reserved for the hybrid’s loud operation and dated nav unit. One of the things we did like on our long-termer was its seats, and Honda has added synthetic leather to the chairs’ bolsters on EX models and fancier cloth for the thrones in the LX. Honda also tweaked the rear-seat area and headliner to eke out a bit more room for back-seat passengers, and refreshed the look of the gauge cluster.

The 2012 Insight is powered by the same Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system as last year. IMA combines the efforts of an 88-hp, 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine and a 13-hp electric motor to move the car with no authority whatsoever (60 mph arrived in 10.9 seconds at the  beginning of our long-term test and a leisurely 12.0 seconds at the end).

A 2012 Insight will cost you marginally more dough than a 2011 model. The base Insight costs $150 more for a total of $19,120; mid-level LXs see a $225 increase to $20,895; and an EX is $325 dearer at $22,585. The Insight’s nav system may be new, but Honda has kept to the practice of making it a hugely expensive option that’s only available on the top EX model; an EX with navigation costs $24,310—$275 more than last year. The 2012 Insight should hit Honda dealerships soon.

Audi A2

I drove the Mercedes-Benz B-class last week—here’s some background: Mercedes-Benz is launching the third generation of its compacts—and this one marks a full departure from the previous A- and B-classes’ unique architecture. Previously, there was a sandwich-style, two-level floor, and the entry-level cars sported engines with a triangular cross section. The dual floor was designed to carry batteries, but alas, the expected EV breakthrough never materialized.

After two generations, the bean counters have had enough of it—the original architecture required unique engines and transmissions, severely curtailing economies of scale. The new A- and B-class ,plus derivatives, feature front-wheel architecture of the conventional kind. That makes sense, but it happens just as the world seems to be ready for electrics, and just as Audi is launching a second-gen A2 with an extremely space-efficient architecture. Oops.

Audi’s A2, of course, is happening, and it will be built on the MQB platform—which also will be used by Volkswagen—Audi development chief Michael Dick hints to me. Dick also concedes the demographics of buyers of the first-gen A2 were not quite as youthful as Audi would have liked them to be, and he expects a similar story this time. Easy ingress and egress seem to be the most important characteristic in this segment.

Powertrain Developments

I asked engineers if the supercharger has a future at Audi; the answer was underwhelming. The reason is not a lack of efficiency, but high cost. Audi’s remarks echoed what I heard at the Mercedes-Benz B-class launch last week. (Mercedes-Benz has used superchargers in both AMG and non-AMG engines in recent years.)

The fact that BMW is canceling the X6 hybrid in the U.S. is sending ripples through the industry. The line we Europeans have been fed went like this: We backwards folk prefer the diesel, but we need to build the hybrid for the U.S. market. Really? It will be interesting to see how Audi’s A6 and A8 perform. Audi’s approach is different; while BMW has engineered and commercialized the X6 hybrid as a high-power derivative, Audi is going for efficiency and low consumption. Privately, Audi executives admit they don’t expect outrageous sales numbers.

Opinions are diverging widely on the merit of three-cylinder engines. Jörg Prigl, who is in charge of Benz’s A- and B-classes, says that there is no real-life benefit in three-bangers. He won’t have them in his cars—except, perhaps, as a range extender for an electric version. “Noise, vibration, and harshness are still topics. And drivers need to rev them higher, which kills mileage.”

Audi’s engineers also don’t seem to be big fans of three-bangers, I gather from various conversations. Don’t hold your breath for three-cylinder engines in the A1, A2, or A3.

2013 Audi RS1

Beware, Mini: Audi is putting the European-market A1 hatchback on steroids. The smallest four-ringer, which shares its platform with the VW Polo, has just gone on sale, but the company is already testing performance variants.

The most powerful A1 in current production is powered by a 185-hp, super- and turbocharged 1.4-liter four. It’s equipped solely with a dual-clutch transmission and front-wheel drive. Before the end of the year, though, you’ll see a five-door version called the A1 Sportback, and Audi also plans to add an all-wheel-drive Quattro version of the three-door. The latter will pump out slightly more than 200 hp and be sold in limited numbers, but it won’t look much different from lesser A1 models.

That’s not to say there will be a dearth of aesthetically different A1s; we submit this new prototype, spotted at the Nürburgring, as proof. The test car sports wide rocker panels seemingly taken from Audi’s current “competition kit,” a massive roof spoiler, wide-set twin exhaust pipes, and a front bumper and air intake that look to be swiped from the Wörthersee Clubsport Quattro concept. (The Clubsport Quattro debuted at the Wörthersee, Austria, gathering of VW and Audi aficionados, and featured a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-five. Its six-speed manual and engine—rated at an incredible 503 hp and 487 lb-ft of torque—were modified from TT RS pieces.)

It’s not clear if the model spied here is an S1 (see previous spy photos of a mule here) or something more powerful. Audi executives have confirmed that an S1 Quattro model will be offered in 2013; it will be powered by the brand’s turbocharged 2.0-liter EA888 four and could easily produce 230 hp or more. Whether Audi will offer a range-topping RS1 is still undecided. If an RS1 were to be engineered, it could be powered by a further-tweaked EA888, as the engine can reliably produce up to 300 hp, or the 2.5-liter turbo five.

The Clubsport Quattro proves the latter would fit under the A1′s tiny hood, but the power and torque produced by the five require stronger transmissions and rear chassis components, such as those installed in the TT RS and the RS3. Similarly extensive revisions to the A1’s underpinnings would be cost prohibitive—and possibly require retesting to meet crash standards—so we believe that the high-powered four is the more likely option.

Conjecture shouldn’t be necessary for much longer. Given how far along this particular car appears to be, we should have details on at least one high-performance A1 soon.

2012 Porsche 911

Porsche’s New 911 Makes an American Debut at Rennsport Reunion
Porsche’s latest and ostensibly greatest 911 greeted throngs of fans at the Frankfurt auto show this past September, but made its first public appearance in the U.S. today, at the Porsche Rennsport Reunion event in Monterey, California. We’ll have lots of coverage of the event coming soon, which features hundreds of historic race and street Porsches from the past 60 years. In the meantime, enjoy these pics of Porsche’s newest take on its icon.

We probably shouldn’t get too far ahead of ourselves. Hyundai hasn’t even revealed the Veloster-like, face-lifted Genesis coupe yet, but the Hyundai Genesis Hurricane SC, which the company will show off at the SEMA show this November, might be a rare situation when a SEMA show car actually hints at a potentially awesome production vehicle. Why do we think it’s at all possible? Spy photographers have caught test vehicles out in the open, with hoods up and blowers peeking out.

But about not jumping to conclusions: The same thing happened prior to a supercharged V-8 Genesis sedan showing up at SEMA a few years back, and we still haven’t seen that car on any dealership lots. Maybe someone at Hyundai’s tech center in Michigan just really likes superchargers.

The engine in this car is a 3.8-liter V-6, developed collaboratively between HATCI (the aforementioned tech center) and Magnuson Products. Thanks to Magnuson’s supercharger, a liquid-to-air intercooler, and between six and seven pounds of boost,the engineers have managed to crank more than 450 hp out of Hyundai’s six-cylinder, a number that sounds more SEMA than SAE, but still, at least 400 seems totally possible for an engine that started its day with 306 hp.

Adding some credibility to the engine’s production chances, we have this statement from Hyundai senior engineer David Dutko: “The HATCI and Magnuson supercharger demonstrates the high-performance potential of the Genesis Coupe’s V-6 engine—the car was engineered to handle this kind of power. Our HATCI engineers have been working for years with Magnuson to ensure high engine output is available on future Hyundai vehicles.”

In addition to the screaming V-6, this show car benefits from an “IsoTorque” limited-slip differential from Torvec, Inc. It’s been tested at Hyundai’s proving ground and is said to deliver a second-per-lap improvement over the current Genesis V-6 production car. Beyond the impressive hardware, Rhys Millen Racing provides visual enhancements for the car, while additional partners have contributed wheels, exhaust, and other accessories.

Really, we’d let all the other things go (well, the differential would probably be useful) if Hyundai just green-lights the blown V-6,  which would make a great alternative to the oft-rumored, even more oft-denied V-8 coupe.

Leading Automotive Financing and Insurance Companies Put BillFloat in the Driver’s Seat to Deliver a New Payment Option for Their Customers

BillFloat, Inc., the nation’s only bill payment provider to give consumers more time to pay when they need it, announced today that more than 1 million consumers can choose to use BillFloat for their monthly car payment or auto insurance bill. Automotive insurance providers, The General® and Freeway Insurance, and an auto finance company, Mark One Holdings, added BillFloat as a payment option, so their customers can add up to 30 more days to pay their monthly bill if they need it.

Customers can access BillFloat as a payment option for their bill on the website of their auto insurer or finance company. Customer service representatives at these companies also recommend BillFloat to customers that need more time to pay. Companies, such as The General®, list BillFloat as a payment option alongside Visa and MasterCard. In addition, The General® and Freeway Insurance will proactively offer customers BillFloat as a payment option via text messages, email alerts and by distributing mailers.

“Many of our customers have been struggling due to the challenging economy, and we have been looking for ways to increase customer retention and improve their experience,” said Barry Dice, vice president of sales and marketing at The General®. “By extending the time to pay the bill, BillFloat gives our customers the time they need to pay and keep their car insured.”

BillFloat offers consumers more time to pay bills with more than 2,500 billers nationwide, including leading phone, cable, utility and insurance providers. The proceeds of a BillFloat loan are applied directly to the consumer’s account at the biller and repayable 30 days later, helping avoid late fees, service interruptions, overdraft fees and high-cost loans. Online enrollment is easy and open to all consumers with bank accounts and valid identification.

Leading billing organizations, including automotive finance companies, offer BillFloat as a payment option to their customers to retain customers and enjoy the benefits of accelerated cash flow and improved collections. Instead of penalty charges or service termination if a bill payment is late, BillFloat billers are able to take a responsive approach to meeting consumer’s needs.

“BillFloat gives people a positive choice to a challenging situation in their lives,” said Bruce Newmark, president of MarkOne Holdings. “We don’t want anyone to default on a loan, and by offering BillFloat as a payment option, we help our customers make their payments on time and invest in their future financial stability.”

“BillFloat has been a tremendous benefit to helping us collect potentially lost revenue, reduce time managing collections and retain customers by offering alternative financing,” said Edgar Torres, director of credit and collections at Freeway Insurance.

About BillFloat, Inc.

BillFloat was founded in 2009 by a team of experienced financial services entrepreneurs that are striving to empower consumers that have few credit alternatives to return to financial stability. BillFloat offers the first bill payment platform with a “more time to pay” option, helping consumers pay bills on time and avoid late fees, overdraft charges, service termination and high cost payday loans. Billers including utility providers, cable companies and insurers accelerate their cash flow through BillFloat’s easy to implement and secure system. The service is available on billers’ websites and through financial services partners, including prepaid and debit card issuers, payroll services, walk-in payment centers, and billfloat.com. BillFloat is based in San Francisco, California with investment and technology backing from First Round Capital, PayPal, and Venrock and angel investors.

Contact: Wes RobinsonPhone: 213-438-8722Email: wrobinson@golinharris.com

SOURCE BillFloat, Inc.

2012 Audi Q7 Review

2012 Audi Q7 is a full size SUV. 2012 Audi Q7 will definitely make you fell very happy with the impressive powerhouse resourcefulness and specification. The 2012 Audi Q7 is accessible in the American car market in the mid-2012. 2012 Audi Q7 is very resourceful. Audi give the 2012 Audi Q7 in twenty eight different interior configurations. Performance of the 2012 Audi Q7 powered by 4.2 liter V8 FSI engine that produces 350 horsepower. Car comes with the 3.6-liter FSI engine to churn out efficient 280 horsepower. The new 2012 Audi Q7 is very spacious and the 2012 Q7 has the room for 7 passengers very easily. This vehicle has got some excellent exterior and has the potential of Becoming smartest car sport utility at present. The car may also come with 18, 19 & 20inch sizes. Interior may include the bucket seats, the comfort seats and third row seating. In the United States, New 2012 Audi Q7 powered by 3.0 liter V6 that produces 295 horsepower with 325 pound feet of the torque. The new version of the Audi Q7 2012 may exclusively use 8speed developed ZF automatic transmission. The Audi plans on using this transmission on all the U.S. releases for the consistency. The new Audi Q7 will of 60 miles per hour run under six seconds. This European model, with the diesel engine, is livelier and road grabbing suspension finds the balance point being supple nice and stiff. The sport suspension, the which lowers the vehicle by one inch, is accessible for People who prefer the lower ride.

Audi A4 2012

Performance
With respect to performance, 2012 Audi A4 has overhauled its predecessors, especially for its exceptional handling and responsiveness. It is powered by an 8-speed auto transmission.

It’s superb in terms of reliability too, and it comes with 50,000-mile warranty along with the roadside assistance.
Close Competitors
Volkswagen CC is one of the surprisingly affordable yet top performing sedans that tops the comparable choices. Speaking with respect to comfortable ride, BMW 3 series will be the top contender to the new 2012 A4.

2011 Audi Urban Spyder Concept

The overall appearance of the 2011 Audi Urban Spyder Concept has a striking resemblance to that of the 2011 Audi Urban E-tron concept car. The similarities of both cars include the surrounding plates that sport the fascinating strips of LED lights, the free-standing 21-inch wheels, amongst other features. It didn’t take us a lot of time to find out that this is in fact the roofless version of Audi’s radical city car. That notwithstanding, the vehicles are not entirely similar! While the 2011 Audi Urban E-tron Concept incorporates a sliding roof and doors, the 2011 Audi Urban Spyder Concept has no roof at all. Instead, it sports a continuous, low window area with doors that diagonally open upward to the top.

Taking a look at the interior of the 2011 Audi Urban Spyder Concept, there isn’t so much difference between the two concept cars. You may wonder how the tiny two-seat car can accommodate two people. Well, they can comfortably fit in by sitting in the configured 1+1 tandem seating layout, the same way occupants sit in the Caparo T1. The seats made of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) deliver maximum sturdiness in a lightweight build-up.