When Hyundai rolled the 2011 Sonata onto the stage at the Los Angeles Auto Show, my first thought was, "Good-bye, Lexus ES350." Hyundai is taking the new Sonata in a very different direction from the current car -- and not just in terms of styling and luxury, but also mechanicals. Hyundai has stated that they believe the V6-powered mid-size sedan will soon be a thing of the past, and instead of a V6 as a step-up to the Sonata's base engine (a 198 hp 2.4 liter four-cylinder), Hyundai will offer a turbocharged 2-liter four-cylinder -- a very similar engine lineup to the 2011 Buick Regal. (The idea that the V6 is nearing the end of its days has merits, although I'd be willing to bet the move is also a way to differentiate the slow-selling V6-powered Azera.) Take a closer look at the new Sonata in my 2011 Hyundai Sonata photo gallery. -- Aaron Gold
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Photo © Hyundai
I had a good feeling about the Ford Fusion Hybrid ever since I heard it was coming out. My good feeling dates back to a test drive of the 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid I did for About.com's SUVs site. At the time, I was convinced that Ford (Mercury's parent company) had the best hybrid system on the market -- better, even, than the one in the Toyota Prius. So did the Fusion Hybrid meet my expectations? Find out in my 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid test drive and review. -- Aaron Gold
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Photo © Aaron Gold
As a devoted wagon fan, I've been quite eager to get my hands on Cadillac's new CTS Sport Wagon. I had high hopes but a pessimistic heart, and as I drove the CTS wagon, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Did it? Find out in my 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon test drive. Want photos? I have a couple dozen new ones in my 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon photo gallery. -- Aaron Gold
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Photo © Aaron Gold
UPDATE: It ain't over yet. GM apparently received several inquiries about Saab over the weekend, and has apparently re-opened talks with Spyker. Watch this space for more news.
Previously reported: Potential deals to sell Saab to Swedish automaker Koenigsegg and Dutch automaker Spyker have fallen through, and General Motors has announced that Saab will go the way of Pontiac and Saturn -- the division will close. Parts will continue to be available and service will be provided through other General Motors dealerships.
This is really a shame -- after years of neglect, Saab looked like it might be starting to come into its own again. The latest version of the 9-3 -- I last tested one in 2007 -- was a wonderful car, and the new 9-5 looked promising. General Motors has sold some of the tooling and technology from the 9-3 and 9-5 to Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. Ltd. (which, among other things, was an unsuccessful bidder for both Opel and Volvo) -- so who knows, we may not have seen the last of those cars.
Meanwhile, if you'd like to buy a Saab, there's still time -- according to an article in Automotive News (registration/subscription required), Saab opened December with an inventory of about 2,100 unsold cars -- a 4-month supply.
The closing of the Saab division strikes an especially sad note for many of us in the auto-writing biz. Earlier this month, Jan-Willem Vester, Saab's long-time North American PR chief, passed away at the young age of 51. Jan left Saab last April and shortly thereafter was diagnosed with a brain tumor. We deal with a lot of great PR people, but Jan was among the best of a really good bunch -- and he was a true Saab enthusiast dating back to his boyhood in the Netherlands. Jan always seemed to have time to talk, no matter how busy things were, and on more than one occasion I called to get a quick answer to an obscure question and wound up in a lengthy and enjoyable conversation about the Saab brand and where it was going. Jan is survived by his wife, three children, and hundreds of journalists who were lucky enough to work with him. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is truly saddened by his loss. -- Aaron Gold
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