2012 Kia Sorento SX

This 2012 Kia Sorento SX is strong. It looks good inside (but it could use a little color in there) and out, there's good pep from the responsive V6 along with decent mpg figures. And it's a pleasant driver. A passenger jumped in last night, looked around and said, "This is a Kia? Wow!"
All signs points to Kia being on a rapid ascent.
The Sorento rides well on the freeway, planted and secure with good steering weight. The ride is just a wee bit stiff around town but nothing off-putting. And I was happy with the six-cylinder's 276 hp. However, I would like to drive a four-cylinder version back-to-back to see how it stacks up.
Are there more engaging SUVs? Of course there are. Are there more engaging SUVs with seven seats? Probably, but this is a damn fine all-around package.

Ruf XL: A longer Porsche Panamera for the Chinese market

The Chinese love their rear-seat legroom. The workhorse of Shanghai taxi fleets is an extended-wheelbase Volkswagen called the Santana; think 1980s Quantum with longer rear doors. Audi's Chinese division designed and builds a long-wheelbase version of the last-generation A6. Rolls-Royce has made a full-court press into the Middle Kingdom with its Ghost EWB, launching the extended-wheelbase car at last year's Shanghai show.
So when Alois Ruf decided to take on China, he did it by following the path of least resistance--by creating a long-wheelbase version of the Porsche Panamera.
Famous for purchasing Porsche bodies-in-white, screwing on his own VIN plate and exacting gobsmacking levels of performance out of his erstwhile 911s, with the

2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1: Drive review

The new ZL1 is the ultimate factory Camaro--now and probably ever. It's certainly the most powerful, with 54 percent more horsepower than the infamous COPO-option, big-block 1969 Camaro ZL-1. Development engineers say one-third of the ZL1's parts are unique, compared with the current fifth-generation Camaro SS. All of those unique parts, save the ZL1's Alcantara dash insert, were upgraded to improve performance.
It starts under the hood with General Motors' supercharged, 6.2-liter LSA V8. Familiar from the Cadillac CTS-V, the LSA is similar but not identical to the LS9 small-block in the Corvette ZR1, and its distinctions go beyond a smaller Eaton twin-scroll supercharger. The ZL1 engine is assembled in Silao, Mexico, while the Corvette LS9 is hand-built at GM's Performance Build Center in Wixom, Mich., with titanium connecting rods and valves and dry-sump lubrication.

GM technology chief Tom Stephens to retire

Tom Stephens, GM's vice chairman, chief technology officer and former head of global product operations, will retire on April 1 after a 43-year career with the automaker.
His successor will be named later, GM said Sunday.
Stephens, 63, has served as GM's chief technology officer--a new position--since Feb. 1, 2011, with responsibility for the integration of advanced technology in GM cars and light trucks.
He served as vice chairman for global product development from April 2009 through February 2011. Stephens succeeded Bob Lutz as GM's top executive for global product development, a role now held by Mary Barra.
Prior to his post as GM's top product chief, Stephens was group vice president of GM's global powertrain operations from July 2001 to March 2008.

Auto-na Design Forum returns with style

Chevrolet
General Motors designer Clay Dean spoke at the Autoweek Design Forum about how his company is trying to reach younger buyers using concepts such as the Chevrolet Code 130R (shown).
Creating striking products for a new generation of consumers was a hot topic at the Autoweek Design Forum, which returned on Thursday with an A-list panel of designers from the car world and a man credited with the proliferation of the Apple iPod.
Heady company, and it resulted in interesting speeches and debates about design, technology and marketing--and making it all work together.
The annual event is held at the College for Creative Studies A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education in Detroit, a historic art deco building that once housed the General Motors design studios.
Enthusiasts traditionally flock to the event sandwiched between press days and public days of the Detroit auto show to discuss the latest in car design.

2013 Chevrolet Corvette offers 427 convertible collector's-edition model

The C6 Chevrolet Corvette is going out in style--and with plenty of performance.
Chevrolet confirmed on Thursday that the 2013 Corvette will be the final year for the sixth generation of its iconic sports car, which it will send off with a 427 convertible collector's edition and a 60th-anniversary package.
The cars will be shown in the flesh on Jan. 21 at the Barrett-Jackson auction ahead of their launch this summer. The first 427 convertible will be auctioned at the Las Vegas sale with the proceeds going to the Drive to End Hunger relief program.
As the name implies, the 427 edition has a 427-cubic-inch LS7 engine borrowed from the Z06, and it's rated at 505 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. Chevy says this is the most powerful production convertible in Corvette's history. This model will be offered only with a six-speed manual.

2012 Chevrolet Sonic LTZ Hatchback

I had the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic LTZ for a long weekend which included shopping, trips to see the family and hauling around leftovers.
From what I can see, it's a good little car that can do everything but haul a giant plasma screen television home, and that's only because it's not tall enough and the TV needs to stand up. Otherwise, the Sonic fit all of my gifts from shopping, extra clothes I ditched during the unseasonably warm day in Michigan and bag of extra stuff for a houseguest.
I wouldn't call the engine strong but it does a completely acceptable job of moving the five-door hatch around. I had no problem getting up to and maintaining expressway speeds, but I did have to downshift once or twice to get back up to cruising velocity after slowing down. The 1.4-liter turbo makes a nice racket when you're really pushing it but cruises quietly. Road noise and wind noise make more sound than the small four-banger.