2012 Chevrolet Cruze

Chevrolet's Cruze is a fine family car that's economical with gas, provides room for four adults and, in the LTZ, delivers some oomph you might not expect.

Earlier this year I tested the base LS model and found it a delight, everything that GM and Chevy had been trying to do in a small entry-level sedan for decades. It was economical, well-built with first-rate ride and handling. Ah, but it wasn't zippy.
That base model comes with a fine 1.8-liter engine, and it delivers 136 horsepower. But the LTZ, which is pricier, deposits a 1.4-liter engine with a turbocharger under Cruze's hood.

The result is sportier acceleration. The turbo model produces 138 horsepower, so it's not a monster. But the torque is much stronger as you press the accelerator. Power is smooth and steady, with little noticeable turbo engagement.

The six-speed automatic worked flawlessly in the test model. It was balky in the LS, which was tested in midwinter.

Beyond the engine, you'll find only moderate performance differences between this model and the LS. Braking was fine on the LS, with discs up front and drums in back. The LTZ adds discs in back, so these grip better and are very consistent. Traction and stability control systems are standard on all Cruze models.

Handling is precise and the ride is well-controlled in both models, a credit to the suspension tuning and the car's 105.7-inch wheelbase. The ride is pleasant, not too soft or too stiff. The LTZ adds 18-inch five-spoke alloy wheels and all-season tires, up from 16-inchers on the LS. That seemed to firm up the ride.
2012 Chevrolet Cruze

New Chevrolet Cruze is a fine family car that's economical with gas

Naturally, you'll pay more for the LTZ and its acceleration and better gas mileage. The list price is $23,110. An LS starts at $17,275 with delivery charges and a manual transmission, while an automatic LS goes for $18,200. The test car added a pricey navigation system and monitor for $995 and stereo upgrade for $445 to hit $25,300. That's getting a little pricey, although it includes some nice extras.

The LTZ comes standard with automatic climate control, heated power outside mirrors, rear park assist, a self-dimming rear view mirror, fancier interior trim and instrument cluster, and lighted vanity mirrors.

Other items that come when you move up to the 1LT and 2 LT models just below the LTZ, are cruise control, floor mats, power body-color mirrors, USB port, steering wheel audio controls, Bluetooth, remote start, leather heated front power driver's seat and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.

The interior is extremely quiet and well laid out, as in the lower-end model. Everything feels high quality, from the low road noise level to the solid feel and sound of the doors and trunk when they close. Speaking of trunks, this one is large at 15.0 cubic feet.
You can seat four adults in the Cruze comfortably, with good head and legroom front and rear. The seats are well formed, with moderate contouring, and the leather looks and feels good too. Three-speed heated seats are standard up front. My only complaint is that the seat's bottom cushions are hard. I didn't have that problem in the LS model.

There's a tilt/telescope steering wheel and a great dash layout, possibly Chevy's finest.

Other standard features include power windows and door locks, automatic lights, split folding rear seats, a rear defroster and keyless entry. Overhead lighting is good and fades out after the doors are shut, giving you a few seconds to find controls and the seat belt at night.

Cruze is among the best choices in the small sedan segment from a pricing, economy and quality standpoint. Moving up to the higher priced models cuts into its value, but the car itself remains a winner. Better yet, there is a model to fit nearly any budget.

Chevrolet Cruze

2011 Jaguar Sport Cars Bertone Race Car B99 Concept

2011 Jaguar Sport Cars Bertone Race Car B99 Concept

Bertone will present not only the Luxury Sport Sedan in Geneva but also a full GT2 race version, maintaining the exceptional "double soul" tradition of the Jaguar brand, adding high speed aerodynamic appendages and aggressive graphics for continued success on the race track. Bertone will also present a full-race GT2 variant of the 2011 Jaguar Sport Cars Bertone Race Car B99 Concept at the 2011 Geneva show. The name B99 stands for B as in Bertone and 99 for the company near 100 year anniversary in 2012, one of the oldest design companies in the world. The concept projects Jaguar's classic style into the future with refined Bertone elegance, exploring a fascinating new form language with a "dynamic imbalance" between parallel lines and leaping forms.

2011 Jaguar Sport Cars Bertone Race Car B99 Concept

In terms of technological innovation, the 2011 Jaguar Sport Cars Bertone Race Car B99 Concept uses a full hybrid long range power system tuned by Bertone Energy (the newest Bertone division dedicated to renewable energy research). Bertone has been studying alternative powertrains for the past twenty years, with many examples including full electric "extreme" concept cars like the 1992 Blitz or 1994 Zer record car, which was the first full electric car to break the 300 km/h speed barrier in the world.

2011 Jaguar Sport Cars Bertone Race Car B99 Concept

With the 2011 Jaguar Sport Cars Bertone Race Car B99 Concept, Bertone establishes a new record in its 99 year history as the only Italian designer to have created five different Jaguars. The previous models are the 1957 XK 150, produced in a limited edition of four copies, the 1966 Jaguar FT concept car, the 1967 Jaguar Pirana, and 1977Jaguar Ascot.

2011 Jaguar Sport Cars Bertone Race Car B99 Concept

As for all the techie goodness, among the additions found on the interior of the B99 are trumpet gauges wrapped in aluminum and suspended between the wing and the dashboard, a discrete multi-media screen, “Ebony Macasar African Wood, and air vents that are partly hidden just behind the car’s wrap-around wing. On top of that, there’s also an infotainment controller that rises from the 2011 Jaguar Sport Cars Bertone Race Car B99 Concept’s center console.

2011 Jaguar Sport Cars Bertone Race Car B99 Concept

Just like with a lot of high-grade cars these days, the 2011 Jaguar Sport Cars Bertone Race Car B99 Concept comes with its own powertrain in the form of a 1.4-liter gas engine with 168 horsepower that goes together with two 150 kW motors - each motor has 201 horsepower apiece - rounding out the total output to around 570 horsepower while only emitting 30g/km of CO2.

2011 Jaguar Sport Cars Bertone Race Car B99 Concept

Bertone didn’t divulge any pricing information on the 2011 Jaguar Sport Cars Bertone Race Car B99 Concept so your guess is as good as ours. Jaguar and Bertone are pegging the car as a future luxury car so we expect the price tag attached to this baby to hit somewhere around $70,000 to $80,000.

2011 Jaguar Sport Cars Bertone Race Car B99 Concept

Looking since this is a concept, the 2011 Jaguar Sport Cars Bertone Race Car B99 Concept still offers a ways to go prior to it is delivered the green light for production. But from what we have looked of the car so quick, we wouldn’t be shocked if this mysterious concept discovers its way past a dream of pipe and into production lines real immediately.