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It's that time of year when Consumer Reports announces the results of their brand report cards and for the most part, the results aren't surprising. The top ten were mostly dominated by Japanese automakers with Lexus being on top, followed by Mazda and Toyota. But if you look a little further down the list, you'll find a domestic automaker making the ten. Buick took the number seven spot on their annual reliability survey with the publication giving it an overall score of 69 and recommending 83 percent of their lineup. Buick has a reputation for large, cushy cars, and they’ve really invented themselves pretty quickly. They’re making reliable vehicles, and they’re making cars that score very well. In many ways, they’re like the new Lexus, but also sporty to drive,” said Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports’ director of automotive testing to Automotive News. Alongside Buick, two other automakers cracked the top ten. Porsche took sixth, while Kia was ninth. However for some automakers, the report cards weren't pretty. Most of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles lineup were towards the bottom with Fiat having the lowest score of 32. Mercedes-Benz dropped 12 places to 21st thanks mostly in part to the CLA, while Acura dropped 9 places to 11th due to the RLX. Consumer Reports didn't rank Ram, Jaguar, Land Rover, Maserati, Mitsubishi, Smart, and Tesla because it had driven too few vehicles from these brands recently. Along with their report card announcement, Consumer Reports announced their top picks. The Tesla Model S kept the best overall title for the second year running. Here are other picks. Large car: Chevrolet Impala ($39,110) Midsize sedan: Subaru Legacy ($24,837) Compact car: Subaru Impreza (sedan, $21,345) Sports sedan: Buick Regal ($34,485) Green car: Toyota Prius ($29,230) Luxury car: Audi A6 ($56,295) Small SUV: Subaru Forester ($26,814) Midsize SUV: Toyota Highlander ($38,941) Minivan: Honda Odyssey ($38,055) Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Consumer Reports Press Release is on Page 2 Buick Is First Domestic to Earn A Top 10 Spot In Consumer Reports Annual Car Brand Report Cards Rankings find Kia rising, while Acura, Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz plummet YONKERS, NY—With improved reliability scores for its lineup, Buick has become the first domestic brand to earn a place among the top 10 in Consumer Reports Annual Car Brand Report Cards since its inception three years ago. The findings were presented today before the Washington Automotive Press Association at the National Press Club. Sitting firmly at seventh on a list that has historically been dominated by the likes of Lexus and other Japanese brands, Buick takes top honors among all domestics for the second year in a row, and leapfrogs over Honda and BMW in the rankings for the first time. Currently, 83 percent of Buick vehicles are Consumer Reports’ Recommended. “For years domestic automakers built lower-priced and lower-quality alternatives to imports, but those days are behind us,” said Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports director of automotive testing. “Today many domestic models can go toe-to-toe with the best imports.” To take a full measure of how the brands stack up, Consumer Reports calculates each report card score using an equally weighted composite of its road-test scores and reliability scores for each model that the organization has tested, and for which its subscribers have provided reliability data in its Annual Auto Reliability Survey. To be included in the Brand Report Card, Consumer Reports must have test and reliability data for at least two models. For the third consecutive year, Lexus is still king of all brands—earning the highest score overall (78) by a clear margin. Next up was Mazda, which improved from sixth place the year before—with a solid lineup of cars that are reliable, fun-to-drive, and deliver impressive fuel economy. The other brands rounding out the top five were Toyota, Audi and Subaru. Scores for all 28 brands included in Consumer Reports 2015 Car Brand Report Cards are available in the Annual Auto issue of Consumer Reports or by visiting Consumer Reports 2015 Autos Spotlight on ConsumerReports.org/AutosSpotlight. With 78 percent of its vehicles CR Recommended, Kia further distanced itself in the rankings from its Korean counterpart Hyundai by breaking into the top 10 at number nine just a head of BMW. Consumer Reports Reliability Survey has shown redesigned models can often come with a number of teething pains. As was reflected in this year’s Brand Report Card scores for Mercedes-Benz, Acura, and Infiniti. Mercedes-Benz was the biggest loser this year, dropping from the top 10 to 21st, due to a decline in reliability from several of its models and the low-scoring, unreliable new CLA. Acura’s once-stellar reliability had dropped in recent years and the unimpressive RLX fell short in Consumer Reports’ tests. The brand fell from its high perch at number two last year, landing outside the top 10 for the first time. Infiniti’s score was an example of how one low-scoring and unreliable new model can hurt a carmaker with a small lineup. Largely based on the poorly performing new Q50, Infiniti also falls out of the top 10 and lands at 17, just above Nissan. Currently Consumer Reports only recommends 29 percent of Infiniti models—significantly less than it did two years ago when it recommended 75 percent. Despite Buick’s leap and the slight improvements seen in Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC. The bottom of the rankings included a number of domestic brands. Ford showed some incremental improvement and its infotainment systems have shown to have fewer reliability problems, but only 19 percent of its models are CR Recommended. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Fiat brands all scored near the bottom rankings, the result of poor reliability and a variety of new or redesigned models with low road-test scores. Historically, reliability issues have plagued most models from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). And though Consumer Reports road-test ratings of FCA products have improved in the past two years, much of the competition continues to raise the bar. Only two models, both from Dodge, are currently CR Recommended. This year, Consumer Reports doesn’t have Brand Report Cards for RAM, Jaguar, Land Rover, Maserati, Mitsubishi, Smart, and Tesla because either the organization has too few currently tested models from those makes or it lacked sufficient reliability data. Ratings on individual models from those makers are available at www.ConsumerReports.org. The complete report and scores for all 28 brands in Consumer Reports Car Brand Report Cards for 2015 is available in the Annual Auto Issue of Consumer Reports and at the 2015 Autos Spotlight on www.ConsumerReports.org starting February 24, 2015. Updated daily, ConsumerReports.org is the go-to Website for the latest auto reviews, product news, blogs on breaking news and car buying information. Check out CR’s ongoing Twitter feed at @CRCars. -
It's that time of year when Consumer Reports announces the results of their brand report cards and for the most part, the results aren't surprising. The top ten were mostly dominated by Japanese automakers with Lexus being on top, followed by Mazda and Toyota. But if you look a little further down the list, you'll find a domestic automaker making the ten. Buick took the number seven spot on their annual reliability survey with the publication giving it an overall score of 69 and recommending 83 percent of their lineup. Buick has a reputation for large, cushy cars, and they’ve really invented themselves pretty quickly. They’re making reliable vehicles, and they’re making cars that score very well. In many ways, they’re like the new Lexus, but also sporty to drive,” said Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports’ director of automotive testing to Automotive News. Alongside Buick, two other automakers cracked the top ten. Porsche took sixth, while Kia was ninth. However for some automakers, the report cards weren't pretty. Most of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles lineup were towards the bottom with Fiat having the lowest score of 32. Mercedes-Benz dropped 12 places to 21st thanks mostly in part to the CLA, while Acura dropped 9 places to 11th due to the RLX. Consumer Reports didn't rank Ram, Jaguar, Land Rover, Maserati, Mitsubishi, Smart, and Tesla because it had driven too few vehicles from these brands recently. Along with their report card announcement, Consumer Reports announced their top picks. The Tesla Model S kept the best overall title for the second year running. Here are other picks. Large car: Chevrolet Impala ($39,110) Midsize sedan: Subaru Legacy ($24,837) Compact car: Subaru Impreza (sedan, $21,345) Sports sedan: Buick Regal ($34,485) Green car: Toyota Prius ($29,230) Luxury car: Audi A6 ($56,295) Small SUV: Subaru Forester ($26,814) Midsize SUV: Toyota Highlander ($38,941) Minivan: Honda Odyssey ($38,055) Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Consumer Reports Press Release is on Page 2 Buick Is First Domestic to Earn A Top 10 Spot In Consumer Reports Annual Car Brand Report Cards Rankings find Kia rising, while Acura, Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz plummet YONKERS, NY—With improved reliability scores for its lineup, Buick has become the first domestic brand to earn a place among the top 10 in Consumer Reports Annual Car Brand Report Cards since its inception three years ago. The findings were presented today before the Washington Automotive Press Association at the National Press Club. Sitting firmly at seventh on a list that has historically been dominated by the likes of Lexus and other Japanese brands, Buick takes top honors among all domestics for the second year in a row, and leapfrogs over Honda and BMW in the rankings for the first time. Currently, 83 percent of Buick vehicles are Consumer Reports’ Recommended. “For years domestic automakers built lower-priced and lower-quality alternatives to imports, but those days are behind us,” said Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports director of automotive testing. “Today many domestic models can go toe-to-toe with the best imports.” To take a full measure of how the brands stack up, Consumer Reports calculates each report card score using an equally weighted composite of its road-test scores and reliability scores for each model that the organization has tested, and for which its subscribers have provided reliability data in its Annual Auto Reliability Survey. To be included in the Brand Report Card, Consumer Reports must have test and reliability data for at least two models. For the third consecutive year, Lexus is still king of all brands—earning the highest score overall (78) by a clear margin. Next up was Mazda, which improved from sixth place the year before—with a solid lineup of cars that are reliable, fun-to-drive, and deliver impressive fuel economy. The other brands rounding out the top five were Toyota, Audi and Subaru. Scores for all 28 brands included in Consumer Reports 2015 Car Brand Report Cards are available in the Annual Auto issue of Consumer Reports or by visiting Consumer Reports 2015 Autos Spotlight on ConsumerReports.org/AutosSpotlight. With 78 percent of its vehicles CR Recommended, Kia further distanced itself in the rankings from its Korean counterpart Hyundai by breaking into the top 10 at number nine just a head of BMW. Consumer Reports Reliability Survey has shown redesigned models can often come with a number of teething pains. As was reflected in this year’s Brand Report Card scores for Mercedes-Benz, Acura, and Infiniti. Mercedes-Benz was the biggest loser this year, dropping from the top 10 to 21st, due to a decline in reliability from several of its models and the low-scoring, unreliable new CLA. Acura’s once-stellar reliability had dropped in recent years and the unimpressive RLX fell short in Consumer Reports’ tests. The brand fell from its high perch at number two last year, landing outside the top 10 for the first time. Infiniti’s score was an example of how one low-scoring and unreliable new model can hurt a carmaker with a small lineup. Largely based on the poorly performing new Q50, Infiniti also falls out of the top 10 and lands at 17, just above Nissan. Currently Consumer Reports only recommends 29 percent of Infiniti models—significantly less than it did two years ago when it recommended 75 percent. Despite Buick’s leap and the slight improvements seen in Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC. The bottom of the rankings included a number of domestic brands. Ford showed some incremental improvement and its infotainment systems have shown to have fewer reliability problems, but only 19 percent of its models are CR Recommended. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Fiat brands all scored near the bottom rankings, the result of poor reliability and a variety of new or redesigned models with low road-test scores. Historically, reliability issues have plagued most models from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). And though Consumer Reports road-test ratings of FCA products have improved in the past two years, much of the competition continues to raise the bar. Only two models, both from Dodge, are currently CR Recommended. This year, Consumer Reports doesn’t have Brand Report Cards for RAM, Jaguar, Land Rover, Maserati, Mitsubishi, Smart, and Tesla because either the organization has too few currently tested models from those makes or it lacked sufficient reliability data. Ratings on individual models from those makers are available at www.ConsumerReports.org. The complete report and scores for all 28 brands in Consumer Reports Car Brand Report Cards for 2015 is available in the Annual Auto Issue of Consumer Reports and at the 2015 Autos Spotlight on www.ConsumerReports.org starting February 24, 2015. Updated daily, ConsumerReports.org is the go-to Website for the latest auto reviews, product news, blogs on breaking news and car buying information. Check out CR’s ongoing Twitter feed at @CRCars. View full article
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Five months after Chevrolet revealed to the world the 2015 Corvette Z06, the brand has announced the final performance numbers and they are impressive to say in the least. When the model was revealed at the Detroit Auto Show, Chevrolet said the Z06 was producing 'at least 625 horsepower', but they needed to do final testing to get the ratings. Well, the Z06's supercharged 6.2L V8 has been SAE-certified and is rated at 650 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. Not only is this the most powerful production Corvette, it also happens to be the most powerful production model ever built by GM. To put those numbers in perspective, the Z06 is bested by models such as, Ferrari LaFerrari McLaren P1 Porsche 918 Spyder Ferrari F12 Berlinetta Lamborghini Aventador Ferrari FF More impressive is the stats for torque. At idle, Chevrolet claims that 457 pound-feet of torque is available, and that 96 percent of peak torque arrives by 2,800 rpm. “The LT4 small block sets a new benchmark for power and torque at GM,” said Steve Kiefer, vice president, GM Powertrain Engineering. “The engine also puts the new Corvette Z06 on par with the most powerful supercars offered in America, while delivering performance with impeccable manners that make it suitable for daily driving.” Source: Chevrolet William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. Press Release is on Page 2 2015 Corvette Z06 Rated at 650 Horsepower Supercharged LT4 V-8 engine is the most powerful ever from Chevrolet DETROIT – The all-new 2015 Corvette Z06 is the most powerful production car ever from General Motors and one of a few production cars available in the United States that delivers more than 600 horsepower. The Z06's LT4 supercharged 6.2L V-8 engine is SAE-certified at 650 horsepower (485 kW) at 6,400 rpm and 650 lb-ft of torque (881 Nm) at 3,600 rpm. "The LT4 Small Block sets a new benchmark for power and torque at GM," said Steve Kiefer, vice president, GM Powertrain Engineering. "The engine also puts the new Corvette Z06 on par with the most powerful supercars offered in America, while delivering performance with impeccable manners that make it suitable for daily driving." Compared with other supercar engines, the LT4 is a veritable fountain of low-end torque, producing 457 lb-ft (619 Nm) just off idle and 625 lb-ft (847 Nm) by only 2,800 rpm. The V-12-powered Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, for example, produces about 28 percent less torque than the Z06, despite offering about 12 percent more horsepower – and its peak torque isn't achieved until 6,000 rpm. The LT4 maintains 90 percent of its peak torque, or 592 lb-ft (802 Nm), from 2,500 to 5,400 rpm. The new LT4 engine eclipses the Porsche 911 Turbo S engine's peak power levels by 90 horsepower (67 kW) and 134 lb-ft of torque (182 Nm). "Torque is the pulling power of an engine and the LT4's abundance of it at every rpm in the engine's speed range helps the 2015 Corvette Z06 accelerate quicker and respond nearly instantaneously," said Jordan Lee, chief engineer for Small Block engines. "It's the very definition of power on demand." The new Z06 engine produces 40 percent more peak torque (180 lb-ft / 244 Nm) than the previous-generation's 7.0L LS7 engine – and 7.5 percent more than the supercharged 2013 Corvette ZR1's 604 lb-ft (819 Nm). At 3,200 rpm, the new LT4 surpasses the LS7 by 208 lb-ft of torque (252 Nm). On the horsepower side of the graph, the LT4's 650-hp rating is 29 percent greater than the LS7's 505 horsepower (376 kW), and 12 horses more than the ZR1's LS9 engine. "The new LT4 engine builds on the design strengths of our previous supercharged engine and leverages the technologies introduced on the Corvette Stingray – direct injection, cylinder deactivation and continuously variable valve timing – to take Corvette performance to an all-new plateau," said Lee. "Our new, very compact supercharger also helps the engine make power more quickly, and perhaps more importantly, it helps produce more torque earlier in the rpm band." "It's also worth mentioning that the LT4's supercar performance numbers are achieved with an engine that is nearly the same size as the very compact LT1 engine introduced in the 2014 Corvette Stingray," Lee said. "The power density of the LT4 makes it one of the smallest and lightest 650-hp engines in the industry." LT4 details The new LT4 engine is based on the same Gen 5 small block foundation as the Corvette Stingray's LT1 6.2L naturally aspirated engine, incorporating several unique features designed to support its higher output and the greater cylinder pressures created by forced induction, including: • Rotocast A356T6 aluminum cylinder heads that are stronger and handle heat better than conventional aluminum heads • Lightweight titanium intake valves • Machined, forged powder metal steel connecting rods for reduced reciprocating mass • High 10.0:1 compression ratio – for a forced-induction engine – enhances performance and efficiency and is enabled by direct injection • Forged aluminum pistons with unique, stronger structure to ensure strength under high cylinder pressures • Stainless steel exhaust manifolds and an aluminum balancer that are lighter than their LT1 counterparts • Standard dry-sump oiling system with a dual-pressure-control oil pump. A new 1.7L supercharger spins at up to 20,000 rpm – 5,000 rpm more than the supercharger on the Corvette ZR1's engine. The rotors are smaller in diameter, which contributes to their higher-rpm capability – and enables them to produce power-enhancing boost earlier in the rpm band. That boost is achieved more efficiently via a more direct discharge port that creates less turbulence, reducing heat and speeding airflow into the engine. "The Small Block's cam-in-block design heritage has always enabled very high performance and responsiveness in a small, compact package – an attribute amplified by the performance of our new supercharger's design," said Lee. The LT4 is assembled at the new Performance Build Center at GM's Bowling Green Assembly Plant and at GM's Tonawanda engine plant in New York. It is matched with a standard seven-speed manual transmission or an all-new, paddle-shift eight-speed automatic transmission built in Toledo, Ohio. Designed to deliver shift responses on par with the world's best dual-clutch transmissions, it is the first automatic offered in a Z06. It also makes the Z06 one of the few cars this powerful to offer the choice of a conventional manual transmission or an eight-speed automatic. The 2015 Corvette Z06 goes on sale in early 2015. -
Five months after Chevrolet revealed to the world the 2015 Corvette Z06, the brand has announced the final performance numbers and they are impressive to say in the least. When the model was revealed at the Detroit Auto Show, Chevrolet said the Z06 was producing 'at least 625 horsepower', but they needed to do final testing to get the ratings. Well, the Z06's supercharged 6.2L V8 has been SAE-certified and is rated at 650 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. Not only is this the most powerful production Corvette, it also happens to be the most powerful production model ever built by GM. To put those numbers in perspective, the Z06 is bested by models such as, Ferrari LaFerrari McLaren P1 Porsche 918 Spyder Ferrari F12 Berlinetta Lamborghini Aventador Ferrari FF More impressive is the stats for torque. At idle, Chevrolet claims that 457 pound-feet of torque is available, and that 96 percent of peak torque arrives by 2,800 rpm. “The LT4 small block sets a new benchmark for power and torque at GM,” said Steve Kiefer, vice president, GM Powertrain Engineering. “The engine also puts the new Corvette Z06 on par with the most powerful supercars offered in America, while delivering performance with impeccable manners that make it suitable for daily driving.” Source: Chevrolet William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. Press Release is on Page 2 2015 Corvette Z06 Rated at 650 Horsepower Supercharged LT4 V-8 engine is the most powerful ever from Chevrolet DETROIT – The all-new 2015 Corvette Z06 is the most powerful production car ever from General Motors and one of a few production cars available in the United States that delivers more than 600 horsepower. The Z06's LT4 supercharged 6.2L V-8 engine is SAE-certified at 650 horsepower (485 kW) at 6,400 rpm and 650 lb-ft of torque (881 Nm) at 3,600 rpm. "The LT4 Small Block sets a new benchmark for power and torque at GM," said Steve Kiefer, vice president, GM Powertrain Engineering. "The engine also puts the new Corvette Z06 on par with the most powerful supercars offered in America, while delivering performance with impeccable manners that make it suitable for daily driving." Compared with other supercar engines, the LT4 is a veritable fountain of low-end torque, producing 457 lb-ft (619 Nm) just off idle and 625 lb-ft (847 Nm) by only 2,800 rpm. The V-12-powered Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, for example, produces about 28 percent less torque than the Z06, despite offering about 12 percent more horsepower – and its peak torque isn't achieved until 6,000 rpm. The LT4 maintains 90 percent of its peak torque, or 592 lb-ft (802 Nm), from 2,500 to 5,400 rpm. The new LT4 engine eclipses the Porsche 911 Turbo S engine's peak power levels by 90 horsepower (67 kW) and 134 lb-ft of torque (182 Nm). "Torque is the pulling power of an engine and the LT4's abundance of it at every rpm in the engine's speed range helps the 2015 Corvette Z06 accelerate quicker and respond nearly instantaneously," said Jordan Lee, chief engineer for Small Block engines. "It's the very definition of power on demand." The new Z06 engine produces 40 percent more peak torque (180 lb-ft / 244 Nm) than the previous-generation's 7.0L LS7 engine – and 7.5 percent more than the supercharged 2013 Corvette ZR1's 604 lb-ft (819 Nm). At 3,200 rpm, the new LT4 surpasses the LS7 by 208 lb-ft of torque (252 Nm). On the horsepower side of the graph, the LT4's 650-hp rating is 29 percent greater than the LS7's 505 horsepower (376 kW), and 12 horses more than the ZR1's LS9 engine. "The new LT4 engine builds on the design strengths of our previous supercharged engine and leverages the technologies introduced on the Corvette Stingray – direct injection, cylinder deactivation and continuously variable valve timing – to take Corvette performance to an all-new plateau," said Lee. "Our new, very compact supercharger also helps the engine make power more quickly, and perhaps more importantly, it helps produce more torque earlier in the rpm band." "It's also worth mentioning that the LT4's supercar performance numbers are achieved with an engine that is nearly the same size as the very compact LT1 engine introduced in the 2014 Corvette Stingray," Lee said. "The power density of the LT4 makes it one of the smallest and lightest 650-hp engines in the industry." LT4 details The new LT4 engine is based on the same Gen 5 small block foundation as the Corvette Stingray's LT1 6.2L naturally aspirated engine, incorporating several unique features designed to support its higher output and the greater cylinder pressures created by forced induction, including: • Rotocast A356T6 aluminum cylinder heads that are stronger and handle heat better than conventional aluminum heads • Lightweight titanium intake valves • Machined, forged powder metal steel connecting rods for reduced reciprocating mass • High 10.0:1 compression ratio – for a forced-induction engine – enhances performance and efficiency and is enabled by direct injection • Forged aluminum pistons with unique, stronger structure to ensure strength under high cylinder pressures • Stainless steel exhaust manifolds and an aluminum balancer that are lighter than their LT1 counterparts • Standard dry-sump oiling system with a dual-pressure-control oil pump. A new 1.7L supercharger spins at up to 20,000 rpm – 5,000 rpm more than the supercharger on the Corvette ZR1's engine. The rotors are smaller in diameter, which contributes to their higher-rpm capability – and enables them to produce power-enhancing boost earlier in the rpm band. That boost is achieved more efficiently via a more direct discharge port that creates less turbulence, reducing heat and speeding airflow into the engine. "The Small Block's cam-in-block design heritage has always enabled very high performance and responsiveness in a small, compact package – an attribute amplified by the performance of our new supercharger's design," said Lee. The LT4 is assembled at the new Performance Build Center at GM's Bowling Green Assembly Plant and at GM's Tonawanda engine plant in New York. It is matched with a standard seven-speed manual transmission or an all-new, paddle-shift eight-speed automatic transmission built in Toledo, Ohio. Designed to deliver shift responses on par with the world's best dual-clutch transmissions, it is the first automatic offered in a Z06. It also makes the Z06 one of the few cars this powerful to offer the choice of a conventional manual transmission or an eight-speed automatic. The 2015 Corvette Z06 goes on sale in early 2015. View full article
