First Drive: 2013 Audi S5 Coupe [Review]

When introduced five years ago, the Audi S5 and its comparatively meek and milder A5 brother were instantly at the top of the list of sexy two-door coupes and cabriolets.

Have the ensuing five years, along with all the recently arrived competitors, dimmed the luster of this hot rod? We hit the winding canyon roads and wide-open plains outside of the Mile High City to find out if a new powertrain breathes new life into Audi’s relatively attainable design icon.

New heart for the tin man
At the heart of the S5 is a new-for-the-coupe mill, a 3.0-liter supercharged V6. In this application, it produces 333 horsepower at 5,500 rpm, while its 325 lb-ft of torque checks in at a mid-range 2,900 rpm. Best of all, it’s faster, and more economical than the 4.2-liter V8 it replaces.

If you’ve been paying attention, you probably realize that this engine has, confusingly, been standard in the S5 convertible since 2010. 

2013 SRT Viper

The fire-breathing Viper sports car is back for a fifth generation, although this time around it ditches the Dodge nameplate and is instead marketed as an SRT model. While it gains a more refined interior and a number of technology and safety features in order to appeal to a larger audience, the latest Viper still possesses the arresting styling, supercar performance and wild character of the original.

Under the hood is the hand-built, all-aluminum 8.4-liter V10 that Viper owners have come to know, love and fear in their SRT-powered snakes. In its latest form it delivers 640 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque, giving it the most torque of any naturally aspirated production car engine in the world. Improvements to make those numbers possible include a new, ultra-high flow and lightweight composite intake manifold, high-strength forged pistons, sodium-filled exhaust valves, new catalysts to reduce back pressure and an aluminum flywheel that reduces reciprocating losses.

Despite all of the upgrades to the engine, SRT engineers actually managed to shed over 25 lbs of weight - just from the engine. In terms of the entire vehicle, roughly 100 lbs have been dropped, partially due to the all-new aluminum and carbon fiber body. Returning to the powertrain, the 8.4-liter V10 is mated to a Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual transmission with an improved short-throw shifter and final gear ratios that have been tightened from 3.07 to 3.55.

2013 Nissan GT-R

The Nissan GT-R just gets better and better every year and 2013 will be no exception. The original version launched back at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show delivered a total of 473 HP; the most recent model - Model Year 2012 - went up to an impressive 530 HP; and things aren’t slowing down for the Japanese automaker. The new version (2012 in Japan, 2013 in USA) has made its official debut at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, and Nissan has delivered the kind of performance the GTR is known for, but not what we expected.

The bad news from this reveal is that, despite previous rumors, the 2013 GT-R will not deliver 560 HP. Its output has been increased indeed, but "only" to 542 HP - an increase of 12 HP over the current model. The most impressive part however is that the 466 lb-ft of torque will be delivered from 3,200 rpm all the way up to 5,800 rpm.

For 2013, the GT-R will also offer a new "For Track Pack" special edition that adds new high-friction seats, a stiffer suspension, and lighter wheels.

UPDATE 01/20/2012: Nissan has just announced prices for the 2013 Nissan GT-R, which is on sale now at Nissan dealers nationwide. The model will be offered in two versions: the GT-R Premium at a starting price of $96,820 and the GT-R Black Edition priced at $106,320. An optional Special Paint-Super Silver will add another $3,000 to the car’s price.

UPDATE 06/20/2012: Nissan has unveiled a pretty cool video featuring the 2013 GT-R taking some laps on a race track at the Monticello Motor Club, North America’s Premier Automotive Resort and Private Race Track, located just 90 miles from Manhattan.

Hit the jump to read more about the 2012/2013 Nissan GT-R.

2013 Nissan Altima Sedan

Nissan has redesigned its popular Altima midsize sedan for the latest model year, adding new high-tech features, a quieter interior and a more stylish look. What really makes the new Altima stand out from its competitors, however, is its fuel economy – Nissan expects the volume-selling four-cylinder model to hit 38 mpg on the highway, a figure previously reserved for compact cars.

The last-generation Altima was consistently one of the best-selling cars in its class, so Nissan chose to evolve the new model with subtle, incremental improvements instead of completely starting from scratch. The wheelbase carries over unchanged, while overall length is up by an inch and width increases by 1.3 inches. The suspension continues to feature struts in front and a multilink setup at the rear, although the latter was revised for more nimble handling.

Despite the dearth of dimensional changes, the Altima is lighter than the outgoing model by about 80 pounds thanks to the increased use of high strength steel, which allowed lighter materials to be used elsewhere. 

2013 Toyota Venza

The Venza is a midsize five-passenger vehicle that Toyota refers to as a "crossover sedan," which seems to be a synonym for "short station wagon." For the latest model year, the Venza received a minor refresh that includes updated exterior styling and more standard equipment for all trim levels.
The Venza was designed specifically with the North American market in mind. Sold here exclusively, it was engineered at the Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The exterior was penned at the Toyota's Calty design studios in Newport Beach.
Rather than styling the Venza to look like an SUV, Toyota says it designed the vehicle with a "sleek sedan concept" in mind. Changes for the latest model include a new front fascia with a revised grille and restyled foglamps in addition to new 19-inch wheels and taillamps.
Styling aside, the Venza features a spacious interior providing room for five passengers and abundant cargo space behind the second row of seats. Levers, one on each side of the rear cargo area, allow the 60/40 split rear seats to fold flat, providing additional storage space for extra long items. For added passenger comfort, the rear seats recline up to 14 degrees.
Power is generated either by an available 3.5-liter V6 that produces 268 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 246 pound-feet of torque at 4,700 rpm with a towing capability of 3,500 pounds, or by the standard (on LE and XLE) 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 182 horsepower and 182 lb-ft of torque.
The V6 returns 19 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway, while the thriftier four pot sips fuel at the rate of 21/27 mpg.
All models can also be had in either front- or all-wheel drive, though the latter will sap fuel economy by 1-2 mpg depending on the model.

2013 BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe

The 6-Series Gran Coupe is a sleek sedan with a coupe-like roofline that slots between the more formally styled 5-Series and 7-Series models in BMW’s lineup. Closely related to two-door 6-Series Coupe, the Gran Coupe offers a pair of potent turbocharged engines, the latest luxury and tech features and a choice of rear- or all-wheel-drive.
Visually, the Gran Coupe is essentially a normal 6-Series Coupe with an extra set of doors – and that’s no bad thing. The major details, such as the flowing hood creases that converge on the BMW badge, the wide kidney grille and the sinking character line aft of each front wheel, all work harmoniously together to create a look that is at once athletic and elegant.