2012 Fiat 500c

2012 Fiat 500cFiat just can't wait for spring. We wouldn't want to wait either if we were behind the wheel of Fiat's latest 500 variant: the 500c convertible. Fiat chose this week's New York auto show to debut the 500c for America.The cute-as-a-button design from the hard-top 500 is carried over, swapping out the roof panel for an electrically folding soft top. The new roof is not a traditional convertible, though -- the A-, B-, and C-pillars remain intact along with the roof rails. What that means is that even with the top lowered, passengers will not get a full open-air experience; a good or a bad thing depending on how much you value your...

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2012 Dodge Avenger RT

2012 Dodge Avenger RTGiven its muddied history, we'll forgive you for brushing off Dodge's latest batch of R/T models. Although the R/T badge once signified a vehicle designed to tease, excite, and appease the enthusiast, in recent years, the nameplate was haphazardly applied to almost every Dodge, many of which drove no better than their conventional cousins.The R/T range has been renewed and expanded for 2011, but its original purpose is on the way to being restored. Dodge brand CEO Ralph Gilles has promised all future R/T models will offer a "higher level of dynamic capability" -- and that appears to hold true for the 2012 Avenger R/T, which...

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2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i

2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28iIt's no secret that BMW's been plotting to return a four-cylinder engine to its U.S. lineup post-haste, and we've finally seen the first result as BMW debuted the Z4 sDrive28i at the New York auto show today. Though the engine hood release was disabled on the display car, within that yellow snout should reside an all-new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine.While you might guess that the new four-cylinder Z4 would slot underneath the current naturally-aspirated inline-six in the lineup as a bargain-priced, entry-level model, but we're wagering that's not the case. With 240 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, the...

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2012 Audi A7 Sportback

2012 Audi A7 SportbackAudi claims that one small strip (1.2 inches wide, 0.08 inch thick) of the high-strength, lightweight, hot-shaped steel used in much of the new A7 Sportback's body is so strong that it could suspend five A7s, each one roughly 4000 pounds. That's one strong bookmark. Arguably more noteworthy than the super steel is the fact that feathery aluminum makes up nearly 20 percent of the Sportback's bod, including the hood, hatch, doors, and front fenders, resulting in a relatively light curb weight. A BMW 535i xDrive GT, in comparison, tips the scales with about 700 extra pounds.But what really makes Audi's new blend of coupe, sedan,...

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