Articles by Kurt Ernst

Though the Seoul Motor Show may not draw the same attention as the (simultaneous) New York Auto Show, it’s still an important home market event for Korean automaker Kia. The brand’s latest concept, the Kia Cub four-door coupe -- designed in Seoul under the watchful eye of Chief Design Officer Peter Schreyer -- is a concept aimed at ”trend-setting urban dwellers.” In keeping with this mission, the Cub is diminutive in size, measuring less than four metres (13 feet) from bumper to bumper yet offering up an “access all areas” luxury interior. To add to the cabin’s open feeling, the concept lacks traditional B-pillars. The Cub’s 2+2 seating gives a nod towards luxury, serving up black leather trim with yellow accents on the seats, armrests and steering wheel. The instrument panel design was inspired by the eyes of a wild animal, and controls respond to both touches and gestures. Outside, the Cub wears a yellow with white stripe paint scheme on its aerodynamically-enhanced skin. To optimise airflow, the windows are mounted flush, while mirrors are purposely shaped to reduce drag. Traditional door handles are also missing, as the Cub opens up with a simple touch of the door. Under hood, the Cub gets a twin-turbo 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, rated at 148 kilowatts and 264 Newton metres of torque.  In the larger and heavier Kia c’eed GT, the same engine gets the car from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.7 seconds, so we’d expect the smaller Cub to be even quicker. Kia says there are no current plans to put the Cub into production, but that can change if enough consumers say “build it.” www.motorauthority.com  

There’s no denying that its Soul “urban passenger vehicle” is a solid hit that seems to defy demographics. Though pitched at Millennial buyers, we’ve seen plenty of fifty-somethings behind the wheel, too. Drive a Soul and it’s easy to see why: the diminutive MPV is practical, affordable and nimble enough to provide some degree of entertainment value. For 2014, Kia has an all-new Soul to talk about, and it’s launching its funky people mover at this week’s New York AutoShow. Kia says the new Soul was born from the Track’ster concept, but the only similarities we see are the new Soul’s wider stance and updated front fascia. The 2014 Soul is longer, too, and blessed with a stiffened chassis to reduce noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). Though you may not feel it in urban cruising, the new platform’s 28.7 percent increase in torsional rigidity should help in the twisty bits, especially when you factor in the “significant suspension upgrades” Kia refers to. Up front, four subframe bushings help reduce ride harshness, the stabilizer bar has been moved rearward and the steering box has been moved forward; Kia claims the result is better on-center feel and improved handling. Out back, the rear shock absorbers have been reoriented and lengthened to boost ride comfort. The 2014 Soul gets the same multi-setting electric steering unveiled on the 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT. Drivers can choose between Comfort, Normal and Sport settings, but only the steering effort (and not the ratio) actually changes. Under hood, Base Souls get a direct-injected 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, rated at 97kW of power and 160Nm of torque and bolted to either a six-speed manual or optional six-speed automatic transmission. Stepping up to the Plus or Exclaim trims gets you a direct-injected 2.0 litre four-cylinder engine, good for 122kW and 205Nm of torque. Plus versions can be had with either six-speed gearbox, but the Exclaim comes only with Kia’s six-speed automatic. Base Soul models come with a sizable list of amenities, including Bluetooth connectivity; SiriusXM satellite radio; a six-speaker audio system; a telescoping steering wheel and power locks, windows and side mirrors. Choose the Soul Plus, and you’ll also get 17-inch alloy wheels; side mirror-embedded turn signals; auto on/off headlights; unique fender trim; a floor console storage box; Kia’s UVO eServices; a rearview camera and a rear center arm rest. Atop the range is the Soul Exclaim, which adds 18-inch alloy wheels; fog lights; unique bumpers; projector headlights; LED running lights; LED tail lights; a piano black center console; a cooled glove box; a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob; a 10-way power driver’s seat and an auto dimming rearview mirror. The 2014 Kia Soul will arrive in Australia early in 2014, with pricing and further details to be announced closer to launch. www.motorauthority.com  

When the operators of Germany’s storied Nürburgring filed for bankruptcy last July, no one knew what the future held in store for Germany’s “Green Hell.” Not only is the Nürburgring Nordschleife one of the most famous racing circuits in the world (and a mecca for driving enthusiasts), but the track is beloved by automakers for sports car development and testing. Simply put, no other track in the world can generate that much data per lap. While a sale of the facility seemed inevitable, most fans tried to block a future without club races and “tourist drives” from their minds. Now comes word from Autoweek that the track is indeed for sale, in the hands of a state-appointed liquidator. If that’s the bad news, here’s the good news: as Autocar reports, there are requirements behind the sale. First and foremost, the buyer must agree to maintain access to the general public, though it doesn’t necessarily mandate tourist drives. It’s possible, if not entirely likely, that access could be restricted to spectators. The intent of the requirements is to prohibit potential (wealthy) buyers from turning the ‘Ring into their own private playground or high-dollar motorsport country club. While club sport events reportedly don’t generate much income, tourist drives do, so any potential owner would be foolish to end this tradition. We’d expect automakers to have a say in the matter as well, since virtually all major brands do a serious amount of development work at the Nürburgring. Losing access to the track would present a significant obstacle to future sports car development and testing. The track’s asking price (not including hotels or amusement park) is said to be in the neighbourhood of $152 million, meaning that any potential buyer will soon seek ways to maximize their return on investment. Even in a best-case scenario, where the track remains as unrestricted as it is today, expect to see prices for all events go up. www.motorauthority.com  

If you’ve ever driven Colorado’s highway 6 across Loveland Pass, you know it can be a bit intimidating in the best of weather. With a maximum elevation of 11,990 feet, the road bears the distinction of being the highest mountain pass in the world to remain open year-round. Though the scenery is spectacular, the switchback corners and steep drops are more than a bit puckering for those unaccustomed to mountain driving. In short, it’s not a place to make an error behind the wheel, regardless of what you’re driving or when you’re driving it. When you add an icy road surface into the mix and want to film a race down the pass, pitting professional snowboarder (and Winter X Games medalist) Chanelle Sladics against the McLaren MP4-12C Spider, it’s best to hand the keys to someone with plenty of experience in mountain driving. Someone like Pikes Peak record holder Rhys Millen. For his part, Millen calls it "an honor" to drive the MP4-12C Spider in the video, especially in light of McLaren's 50th anniversary in 2013. Like the company's founder, the late Bruce McLaren, Rhys Millen is a native New Zealander with plenty of experience in hill climb competition. The stunt was filmed to promote the start of McLaren MP4-12C Spider deliveries in the United States. It also highlights the 12C Spider’s unique power-retractable hard top and superb handling balance, though we’d guess that Millen opted not to use the 12C Spider’s “Winter” driving mode for optimized traction on slippery surfaces. Even with all the electro-nannies turned on and winter tires mounted, piloting a mid-engine, rear-drive sports car with 616 horsepower on tap down an icy mountain pass requires a fair amount of skill and the driver’s complete attention. We'd have loved to give it a try, but our run wouldn't have been nearly as impressive as Millen's on video. www.motorauthority.com  

In case you’ve been living in a cave since 2002, devoid of all entertainment news, British actor Daniel Craig has replaced Pierce Brosnan as the new James Bond. We say that’s a good thing, especially since Craig manages to deliver a darker and far less politically-correct 007 than Brosnan’s watered-down version.After racking up three Bond films over the past seven years, Craig has apparently developed an affinity for James Bond’s ride of choice. Craig recently celebrated his 45th birthday by taking delivery of an Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster, though we doubt the car comes with the same “upgrades” as 007’s car.Even sans machine guns, rocket launchers and an ejection seat, the limited-edition V12 Vantage Roadster delivers formidable performance. Its 6.0-litre V-12 engine serves up 375 kilowatts and 569 Newton metres of torque, which is enough to get the luxury drop-top from 0-100km/h in under 4.5 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 306 km/h.It’s not clear if the V12 Vantage Roadster was a gift from Craig’s wife, actress Rachel Weisz, or a gift to himself for reaching the five-years-short-of-half-a-century mark. It may even be a gift from Aston Martin, since the luxury automaker offered him the car of his choice back in 2008, following the release of Quantum of Solace.In any case, we salute Craig’s properly British taste in automobiles, since we really can’t picture him behind the wheel of a Ferrari or a Lamborghini.www.motorauthority.com 

Honda Australia will maintain the eight-year warranty on the Civic Hybrid battery, despite the warranty on the same battery being extended to nine and -- in some models -- 11 years. A study by US publication Consumer Reports has found that Honda Civic Hybrid models may suffer from premature high-voltage battery pack failures. The April issue of Consumer Reports says that earlier model Honda Civic Hybrids, particularly the 2009 model, don’t measure up well against the competition. The report follows an extension of the Honda Civic Hybrid's battery warranty in the US after large numbers needed to be replaced. Over a 12-month survey period, nearly 20 per cent of 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid owners required a battery replacement, while the replacement rate on 2003, 2004 and 2010 Civic Hybrid models exceeded 10 per cent. For owners outside of warranty, the cost of replacing the battery that feeds the Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system can range from $2,000 ($1926 AUD) to $4,000 ($3853 AUD). That's a substantial expense for a non-luxury vehicle that’s less than a decade old. Though Honda has not issued an official statement on the matter, a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) published in late 2012 extends the warranty in the US on the IMA drive battery. Cars that were previously covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles (160,934 km) are now covered for 11 years or 137,000 miles (220,480 km), while cars originally sold with an eight-year, 80,000-mile (128,747 km) warranty are now covered for nine years or 96,000 miles (154,497 km). Customers who’ve already replaced the drive batteries are also extended a warranty, though only for three years or 36,000 miles (57,936 km). However Honda Australia says the warranty here will remain unchanged. "The warranty for hybrid batteries is set by Honda Motor Japan and is eight years from the date of sale," Honda spokesperson Melissa Cross says. "They have not instructed us to extend the warranty period on Civic Hybrid batteries." However Cross says there have been no reports of problems with the batteries in Australia. "We have not had a warranty or customer issue on Civic Hybrid batteries outside the eight-year warranty period," she says. www.greencarreports.com  

Henrik Fisker isn’t the only automotive executive who’s no longer in charge of the company that bears his name. Charles Morgan has been ousted as the managing director of the Morgan Motor Company, purveyor of timeless and quintessentially British roadsters and three-wheelers. Charles Morgan is the grandson of company founder H.F.S. Morgan, who began his cyclecar manufacturing business in 1910 and remained on as managing director until 1959. H.F.S. Morgan was succeeded by Peter Morgan (Charles’ father), who served as head of the company until 2003. Charles was late in entering the family business, spending the early part of his career as a television cameraman, then later working in publishing. He joined the Morgan Motor Company as a full-time employee in 1985, and was appointed to the role of managing director in 2006. Rumour had it that Morgan’s board of directors hadn’t been satisfied with Charles' performance in the role, but a company spokesperson stated that the move came on good terms for all involved. Morgan will be succeeded by Steve Morris, the automaker’s former operations director. As for Charles Morgan, he will remain with the company in a business development capacity. According to Morgan’s sales manager, Nick Baker, “Charles will remain the figurehead of Morgan. His role is now to focus on opening doors and creating the market.” www.motorauthority.com  

Mercedes-Benz already builds what may qualify as the most comprehensive line of civilian armoured vehicles available, with models in the S Class, E Class and G Class product lines awaiting delivery to high-profile consumers worldwide.Now you can add the Mercedes-Benz M Class crossover to the list of available Guard family vehicles, too. Like other Mercedes-Benz Guard vehicles, the M Class Guard is designed from the ground up as an armoured vehicle, so it delivers optimal protection while retaining the same level of luxury and ride comfort as the standard M-Class.Mercedes claims that the entire passenger cabin is protected, including elements like the roof frame, the door locks, the door gaps and even the external mirror mounts. More than anything else, this illustrates why building from the ground up results in a safer end product than retrofitting after assembly.The M Class Guard is constructed to deliver VR4 class protection, per Bullet Resistant Vehicles (BRV) 2009 standards. It can withstand assault from pistol calibres up to and including .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum, and can even shrug off a blast from a DM51 hand grenade (thankfully not the weapon of choice for any Australian carjacking so far).Even the wheels and tires are designed for occupant safety, as they can be driven without air at speeds up to 80km/h for a distance of 30km. That may not be enough to outrun pursuit, but it’s (hopefully) sufficient to get you out of immediate danger.Under-hood, the M Class Guard comes standard with a 3.0-litre V-6 turbodiesel, good for 190 kilowatts and 620 Newton metres of torque. If you want more thrust at the expense of range, the M Class Guard also comes in an ML 500 gasoline version, equipped with a 300 kilowatts V-8 engine.Mercedes says the new M Class Guard will be offered for sale worldwide. Pricing in Germany will start at 105,050 euros ($132,102 AUD) for the ML 350 BlueTEC Guard, rising to 118,650 euros ($149,204 AUD) for the ML 500 Guard.www.motorauthority.com 

Most manufacturer-produced automotive videos feature high-end cars in exotic locations, backed by either a classical, trance or techno music soundtrack. While that may be fine for most consumers, those of us with 5w30 in our veins much prefer to hear the engine’s song instead of canned elevator music. Audi has apparently heard our complaints, and its latest marketing video for the R8 V10 Plus fades the backing track when the driver mats the throttle. Better yet, the car is strapped to a dyno, so there’s no wind noise to distract from the glorious roar of the car’s 399 kilowatts, 5.2-litre V-10 engine as it surges to redline. The R8 V10 Plus is naked, too, stripped of its rear body work to show off the oily bits. Most of the exhaust system is missing as well, allowing us to see flame belching from the car’s sizable downpipes. As Audi porn goes, it doesn’t get much better than this. Audi also wants consumers to know that it’s partnered with image-recognition app Blippar to create an “augmented reality” multimedia experience. Point your Blippar-equipped smartphone at a print advertisement for the Audi R8 V10 Plus, and the app will automatically call up the video seen here (in the U.K., anyway). Kristian Dean, Audi UK’s national communications manager, sees such apps as the future of advertising, saying, “The use of Blippar technology allows people to interact immediately with the car, and get under its bonnet in a way they simply would not be able to do with a 2D advertisement alone.” We’re in agreement, so expect to see more of the same from automotive manufacturers in the coming years. www.motorauthority.com  

Lamborghini automobiles are not known for their subtlety. Everything about the Italian automaker's cars is bold, brash and in-your-face, from their sinister styling through their bright colours and loud exhausts. In that regard, the stretch Lamborghini Aventador limo proposed by UK luxury car hire company Cars For Stars fits right in. Not only does it boldly proclaim that you’re financially successful, it also kicks sand in the face of the Grey Poupon set, ensconced in their boring Rolls-Royce limousines. Cars For Stars hasn’t actually built the Lambo limo yet, and it’s actively seeking sponsorship for the project. In its own words, the car will transform the limo experience into “an explosion of luxury, style and glamour, making the Lamborghini Aventador limousine unlike any other existing limo concept.” Passengers will (theoretically) enjoy rich leather seating (embossed with the Cars For Stars logo), heated for winter comfort; rear plasma screen displays; surround sound audio with an iPod docking station and a champagne cooler to ensure that your blood alcohol level remains elevated from club to club. There’s no word on the car’s construction (since it really doesn’t exist yet), so we can’t tell you what materials are used in the body or chassis. We assume that the Aventador’s 507 kilowatts, 6.5-litre V-12 engine will be retained, but we’re not sure about the existing car’s all-wheel drive. If you’re interested in sponsoring the car’s construction, Cars For Stars is offering 12 months of free advertising, as well as finding a way to work your company’s name into the Lambo limo’s name. That may be a bit awkward, since we’re not sure that the “Plumtree’s Potted Meats Cars For Stars Lamborghini Aventador Limousine” rolls off the tongue with ease. We’d want to negotiate some free seat time as well if we were writing a check to build the car, since nothing will get your neighbour’s attention quite as much as rolling in a stretch Lambo limousine. www.motorauthority.com