The all-new 2012 Buick Verano was not at all what we expected. Since it is a Buick, we predicted it would live up to Buick’s reputation of producing vehicles that have a “boaty” appearance and only appeal to the elderly. Sadly, most people have forgotten about Buicks muscle-car past, such as the Gran Sport, produced between 1965–1975. That classic muscle car is not your granny’s Buick and neither is the sleek and modern 2012 Buick Verano. We know how easy it is to brush off Buicks because of the misconception surrounding them, but the Verano has made us rethink what a Buick represents. We were pleasantly surprised by this new compact car, which offers competent power, capable handling, and a luxurious-feeling interior.

The 2012 Verano has three different trims to offer starting with the base ($22,585), convenience ($23,785), and leather group ($25,965). Unfortunately, there is only one engine option, the Ecotec 2.4-liter four-cylinder, which produces 180 hp and 171 lb-ft of torque. Its six-speed automatic transmission offers smooth shifting and helps the Verano deliver relatively good gas mileage of 31 mpg on the highway and 21 mpg in the city.

The handling was not as ideal as we would have liked, but it is definitely an improvement compared to the other much-larger Buicks. Still, its tires squealed in protest during even mundane cornering, providing a glimpse of how the car was designed to be driven.

The Verano has many amenities to offer depending on the trim. There are multiple add-on options if you want to spend the money, but in our opinion, you get a large selection of standard equipment. We also noticed how the quiet the cabin is; no matter what speed, we did not hear any whines, groans, or squeaks. However, we found a few niggles with the interior’s ergonomics: namely, the placement of the start-stop button, which was among the other buttons found on the center console, and reclining lever, which is way back where the seat back and seat cushion meet.

The Verano is based heavily on the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, and just as the Cruzes four-cylinder engine received boost in horsepower also in 2011, so will the Veranos. Following in its footstep, the 2013 Verano will borrow a detuned version of the Buick Regal’s 2.0-liter turbocharged motor. According to GM Inside News, the Verano Turbo will have 250 hp and generate 0–60 times of 6.5 seconds. Therefore, anyone looking for a little more performance out of his or her Verano may want to wait for the 2013 turbocharged edition.

Even though the 2012 car is not the most powerful vehicle around, it has a good price and offers a level of comfort and performance that isn’t normally associated with the Buick name.

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The rumors and theories surrounding the successor to the 599 GTB will soon be put to rest because we are closing in on the official unveiling of the Ferrari F620 GT. The newest addition to this notable Italian family will weigh less, be shorter, and noticeably lower than the 599. The new 2013 F620 GT will have an upgraded 6.3 liter V-12 engine, just as the FF has. Already, it seems this prancing pony will prove to be one hell of a looker if it truly looks anything like the photo. The appeal comes from the car’s curvaceous fenders, large, aggressive grille upfront, and its impressive motor that can produce 740 hp and 690 lb-ft of torque. With numbers like these, that means that this V-12 engine is one of the most powerful twelve cylinders ever made by Ferrari. As you can expect, the car’s performance numbers are impressive, accelerating to 60 mph in close to three seconds flat and to 100 mph in approximately eight seconds. Please note that the vehicle featured in the picture above is not an official Ferrari rendering and the car is set to make its official debut on February 29th, 2012. Check out the teaser video below:

[Photo via GT Spirit]

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The technology used in designing customized Mercedes Benz, Porsche and Land Rover vehicles has changed over the years and for this same reason, these car owners can rest assured that the Brabus, Techart, and Startech products they receive are of the highest quality. You are now able to get all these products and services from American Wheel and Tire. American Wheel and Tire is the new and exclusive Texas dealer of all their products. They have been in the business for the past 25 years and as such, they indeed understand the needs of the client and the entire market. All products are installed in-house, so the quality should be the least of your concerns.

At American Wheel and Tire you can choose from a wide selection of car products and tuning services that are affordable, effective and reliable. For many years, Brabus, Techart, and Startech have been giving car and SUV owners a chance to improve their Mercedes Benz, Porsche and Land Rover performance and appearance by tuning and remodeling them in order to meet customer’s demands. Therefore, it is important to learn how you can benefit from the products and car tuning services offered by these well-known brands.

Brabus is a company that is known worldwide for delivering high performing products and tuning services for the Mercedes Benz vehicles. They offer a variety of interior and exterior modification packages that will make your vehicle stand out. They have performance upgrade packages that are compatible with different types of Mercedes Benz models. Brabus employs experts that are concerned about one thing, performance for Mercedes Benz vehicles. They have been in the industry for many years. This has resulted in highly experienced and skilled professionals that have the ability to modify and tune any type of Mercedes Benz according to your preferences.

Techart is a company known for delivering high performing products and tuning services for Porsche vehicles. They are ranked as one of the top independent car manufacturers in the customization of Porsche cars, which come with unrivaled standards. Techart has performance upgrade packages and accessories that are compatible with different types of Porsche cars. These include a variety of interior and exterior improvements that will make them stand out. The customization of Porsche cars by Techart ensures that they are of great performance and have unrivaled aesthetic grandeur.



Startech is dedicated towards meeting the needs of different Jaguar and Land Rover owners. Startech modifications and tuning methods include body-kits, headlight conversion, re-spray, wheels, and other accessories. It is worth noting the fact that Startech does not let any car out of their shop unless it has some custom work done. There are a variety of Startech options to choose from, including; Range Rover, Evoque, and XJ, among others. Regardless of which model you settle with, you can rest assured that Startech products and services deliver the best quality.

High performance and reliability on their services are just some of the qualities that define Brabus, Techart and Startech, making them some of the best products you could investment in. For more information, visit: www.amercanwheelandtire.com

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Callaway Cars in collaboration with Chevrolet will celebrate the 25th-anniversary of the B2K Callaway Corvette by producing 25 uniquely prepared Corvette Grand Sports for 2012. For this occasion, Chevrolet has reinstated the Regular Production Option (RPO) B2K (nothing to do with the R&B group), which was originally offered between 1987–1991.

The B2K is notable because it features Callaway’s twin-turbo kit, which became a factory option on the ‘87 corvette. The twin-turbo system that was made for the 87–91 B2K Corvette is one of the main reasons Callaway has become a well-known Corvette tuner. The original B2K-optioned Corvette produced 345 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque, enabling it to reach a top speed of 178 mph but requiring more than $50,000 to purchase. Fortunately, during its time, the $50,000 Corvette’s performance was in the same category as Ferrari and Lamborghini vehicles costing nearly triple the price.

The 2012 25th-anniversary limited-edition Callaway Corvette RPO B2K will be built at Chevrolet’s Bowling Green, Kentucky, assembly plant in April of this year. After that, they will be shipped to one of Callaway’s facilities, where each vehicle will be equipped with a Callaway supercharger, exhaust system, suspension components, carbon-fiber body kit, Callaway wheels and tires, specific badges, and more.

The 2012 25th-anniversary limited-edition Callaway Corvette will be unveiled at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green on April 23, 2012.

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Street Legal Performance (SLP) will introduce a new generation of what is one of the rarest Camaros ever, the Panther, for 2012. Only 100 of these supercharged Panthers will be produced, coming in ZL560, ZL585, and ZL600 performance trims and available in coupe or convertible forms and with manual or automatic transmissions. SLP will limit the LS7-based 700-hp version, which could be the future arch nemesis of the 650-hp 2013 Ford Mustang GT500, to only 45 units. If the new 700-hp SLP Panther can destroy the 2013 GT500, it will live up to its predecessor’s reputation as a “Mustang killer.”

All of these supercharged V-8 Panthers will use a TVS 2300 supercharger and come equipped with a stainless-steel axle-back exhaust system and sportier suspension package. Each vehicle will share exterior features such as Panther badges, carbon-fiber graphics, a functional rear lip spoiler, and grille inserts. The ZL600 features an optional SLP front splitter and a new hood.

The 2012 SLP Panther will only be offered in black, like the infamous ‘67 Black Panther, and will provide the performance and head-turning styling true to its nameplate. It will be available through Chevrolet dealerships nationwide with a full powertrain warranty.

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Mercedes-Benz has released the official U.S. dollar figure for the 2012 C63 AMG Black Series, pricing it at $105,000, which is a $42,000-plus increase compared to the base 451-hp C63 AMG Coupe and not too far off from our original estimate of $102,000. The price disclosed by Mercedes does not include the destination charge, which has yet to be decided.

As you may recall, the most powerful C-Class ever features a naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V-8 producing 510 hp and 457 lb-ft of torque. That’s 29 more horsepower than the base C63 AMG Coupe when equipped with the AMG Performance Package and 96 more horsepower than the $60,000 BMW M3 Coupe. Mercedes-Benz also released that car’s estimated weight, which is around 3,700 pounds. The loss of 200 pounds compared to the base C63 AMG Coupe can be contributed to the deletion of the backseat, but for those that would rather forgo the weight savings in order to take carry four, a backseat incorporating individual chairs is optionally available.

The C63 AMG Coupe Black Series is the fourth offering in the ultra-high-performance Black Series line. The 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series follows the not-for-the-U.S. 2007 SLK55 AMG Black Series, $135,000 2008 CLK63 AMG Black Series, and $300,000 2009 SL65 AMG Black Series. All Black Series models have been offered in extremely limited numbers (100, 300, and 350, respectively, for the aforementioned cars), and we expect nothing different for its latest vehicle.

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It is rumored that Ferrari Enzo’s successor, codename F70, will have a 7.3-liter V-12, which will produce 800 hp according to Automobile. We hope that Ferrari sticks with this plan and doesn’t decide to downgrade to a turbocharged V-8 or something equivalent. We may even get to see this new beauty this upcoming fall.

There is an optional KERS package, which throws a 120-hp electric motor in the mix, resulting in a combined total of 920 hp. The best part of these rumors is that it is said that the F70’s weight will be close to the track-only FXX car, which weighs in at 2,546 pounds. This means that the next Ferrari supercar has the potential to be faster off the line than a Bugatti Veyron if these rumors are true, and we hope they are!

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Ferrari is expected to introduce the 599 GTB Fiorano successor at the 2012 International Geneva Motor Show, which will be held in a couple weeks. But, we will not have to wait until then to get a first glimpse of the F620 GT, as it has been dubbed by the motoring media. In eight short days, Ferrari will unveil images and details of the flagship Ferrari to all, and, to build hype for the upcoming event, Ferrari has released a video of a camouflaged version lapping Ferrari’s Fiorano test track. Cloaked in black, the snippet doesn’t provide many details about its form, but it does give us a nice little engine-derived soundtrack.

On the video, it is called the most powerful Ferrari ever. This would corroborate rumors that have the F620 GT producing 700 hp via a 6.2-liter V-12. That power is said to drive the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

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Da Viper is coming, and it doesn’t vant to vipe your vindows, either. Obscure G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero reference aside, Dodge SRT has been teasing us with vague images of the next-generation 2013 Viper as well as its new logo in preparation for the vehicle's launch in April at the 2012 New York International Auto Show.



The first image previewed its headlamps, hood scoop, and double-bubble roof; all of the visible parts resemble and obviously pay homage to the the Vipers of yore. The contents of the second image, which Dodge just released on its Facebook page, are much more ambiguous and up for debate. SRT has also previewed the car’s new emblem, which is labeled the “Stryker” badge.



Rumors have the Viper’s V-10 engine increasing from 8.4 to a whopping 8.7 liters. Traction control is standard, but we don’t know if even that will be enough to tame this wild beast.

[via Autoblog]

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