Redesigned Camry, Sonata debut as competition heats up

The battle for buyers of family sedans — already the most competitive U.S. auto segment — will heat up this fall when Toyota and Hyundai launch dramatically restyled versions of their respective offerings, the Camry and the Sonata.

A decade ago, the default choices in this biggest slice of the auto market were the Camry and Honda's Accord, but the competition has grown fierce in the past five years. Automakers can't afford a misstep with a new model, and they can't fall behind with a dated model.

That's why Toyota and Hyundai debuted redesigns of their flagship sedans at the New York International Auto Show last week — even though the current version of the Camry is just 2 years old and the current Sonata launched as a 2011 model. Car companies typically wait five years between redesigns.

"The market is evolving faster, and consumer patience for vehicles that have not changed is dropping," said Karl Brauer, an analyst with auto information company Kelley Blue Book.

The Camry has been the nation's bestselling passenger car for a dozen years, but its lead over competitors is narrowing. Through the first three months of this year, Toyota sold about 94,000 Camrys. That leads the Nissan Altima by about 5,000 sales and the Honda Accord by about 15,000 sales.

But the Accord's market share is growing. When commercial sales to rental car companies and other fleet customers are subtracted, the Honda actually beat the Toyota last year, Brauer said.

That has prompted Toyota to ratchet up the discounts. Through the first three months of this year, Camry sales incentives averaged just over $3,200, almost $500 more than the industry average for the midsize sedan segment, according to ALG, a consulting firm that estimates used-car values for the leasing business. The Camry's average transaction price was $24,039, about $800 less than the segment average, ALG said.

Although Toyota sold more than 400,000 Camrys last year — about 16 percent of the midsize sedan market — consumers have requested improvements, said Bill Fay, general manager of Toyota's U.S. sales division.

"They wanted a more emotional styling and a better interior," Fay said.

Buyers also are looking for Toyota to continue to make improvements in ride, handling, technology and safety, he said. Often criticized for producing boring cars, Toyota challenged that notion with the Camry's new design.

The automaker's designers and engineers re-imagined nearly every exterior surface of the car, Fay said.

"Only the roof remains unchanged," he said.

With its new look, Toyota's designers worked to make the previously pedestrian Camry far more muscular.

The hood has four sculpted lines that trace back to the windshield and provide a sense that the car is in motion. Lines on each side of the Camry convey the same effect. The aggressive front bumper features a wider and more prominent trapezoidal grille shape, making the car look more securely planted on the road.

"You expect to have some sort of minor freshening at the three-year mark, where the Camry is now, but I was surprised to see such a substantial change. That has not been in the playbook for Toyota," said Jake Fisher, automotive director of Consumer Reports. "They are feeling the competition."

He likes the new styling and believes it will resonate with consumers.

To improve driving dynamics, Toyota bolstered the chassis and body structure with additional spot welds to improve rigidity and ride quality. It also retuned the suspension to give the Camry's handling a sportier feel.

Toyota engineers improved the window and door seals to reduce wind and road noise. The Camry's interior is upgraded with more soft-touch materials.

Because Toyota has led this segment for so long, other automakers "know they have to beat Camry at its own game" if they want to make inroads, said Tom Libby, an IHS Automotive analyst. "That drives incredible product redesigns and is great for the consumer."

That's exactly what Hyundai is doing with the redesign of its Sonata sedan.

"It feels more substantial and more luxurious," said Brauer of Kelley Blue Book. "The look of the interior components is great. The car is really well done."

The new version continues Hyundai's value strategy of packing the vehicle with features and pricing it below major competitors such as the Camry and Accord, he said.

Although Hyundai studied the ride and steering of Volkswagen's Passat sedan, its benchmark for this segment is the Accord.

The Honda "has set the segment ablaze and is leading in retail sales," said John Shon, manager of product planning for the Sonata.

Designers wanted to give the car a premium ride quality with improved steering response and reduced cabin noise, he said.

The Hyundai sedan follows the same "Fluidic Sculpture" design language that the South Korean automaker introduced with the outgoing Sonata five years ago. But the new version has a more refined, gentler look that gives the Sonata a statelier stance. Hyundai is clearly leaning toward luxury over sport with the new look.

For shoppers looking for expressive over conservative, the automaker will offer a Sonata Sport version with a more aggressive front grille and bumper, side rocker extensions and side chrome molding.

Hyundai is packing the frame of the new model with advanced high-strength steel — a move the automaker said improves ride quality and crash test performance.

Like the previous generation, the Sonata will come equipped only with four-cylinder engines. The main power plant is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 185 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque. There's also a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine option that produces 245 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque.

The automaker has redesigned the inside of the cabin to give the Sonata more room than most of its competitors. The car will qualify as a "large" vehicle rather than a midsize sedan under the Environmental Protection Agency classification.

On the technology front, Hyundai is putting Apple's CarPlay system into the Sonata. The system will give iPhone users access to car-safe apps on the 8-inch touch screen in the dashboard. Users of the iPhone 5 and above will be able to make calls, use maps, listen to music and access messages through their device.

Toyota and Hyundai expect their sedans will be their bestselling vehicles this year. Fay said the new version of the Camry will enable it to repeat as the nation's top-selling passenger car for a 13th consecutive year.

"Toyota will remain under pressure to keep that car at the top of the sales chart," Brauer said. "They will have to utilize sales incentives and fleet sales, but that is going to hurt the resale value of the Camry, which has been one of Toyota's traditional strengths."

Other automakers won't sit still, said Shon, the Sonata product planner. "Everyone brings their A game into this segment."

———

©2014 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by MCT Information Services

Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com

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Auto review: Jaguar F-Type a worthy heir to fabled E

Fifty-three years ago, in the afterglow of its 1961 debut, Enzo Ferrari described the Jaguar E-Type as "the most beautiful car ever made." That's right, Mr. Ferrari.

Today, 50 years after I lusted after this sleek and unique Jag, 50 years after Jan and Dean sang of the duel between the XKE and a Corvette Stingray on Sunset Boulevard's "Dead Man's Curve," comes the 2014 Jaguar F-Type.

Amazingly, it is the legendary British company's first new two-seat sports car since the famous E-Type. One can only imagine the smile on Enzo's face somewhere along that racetrack in the heavens.

It is wonderfully sculpted with headlamps that sweep up and over the fenders and a sleek profile with wheel wells that tightly surround the 20-inch wheels.

And while Jaguar folks say the F-Type isn't meant to be a celebration of the E, there are some hints of the old DNA in the rear. Check out the uplifted quad tailpipes, the rounded body panels and the accents on the circular taillights. Eh, Enzo?

Make no mistake, though, the E-Type and F-Type are from different eons. As one might expect with the benefit of today's technology, the F-Type would embarrass the old E with its raw speed and handling.

It is fast and fun — with a reminder from its growling exhaust — and yet it is well behaved on the road for commutes, too.

Even the base F has a supercharged V-6 that puts out 340 horses with 332 pound-feet of torque. The F-Type S bumps up the power to 380 horsepower and gets you to 60 mph under 5 seconds.

But the big bruiser is the F-Type V-8: a 5.0-liter supercharged machine that cranks out 495 ponies and 460 pound-feet of torque. That's sufficient to fly you to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds, Jaguar says.

To let everyone know how many horses you are riding, the engine snorts and belches like a dragon — and that's on the regular setting. Push a little button on the console (the icon looks like a pair of eyeglasses but they're exhausts) and it really gets crazy. The wife doesn't like the racket, so for her, it was a turnoff. But for most, it will elicit a grin and a nod.

An 8-speed automatic is standard on all F-Types, sending the power smoothly and efficiently to the rear wheels. While a manual is not available, the automatic does come with manual levers to take more control, but it's hardly worth it. The automatic is right-on in its decisions.

Out on the road the F-Type is a rewarding experience. Acceleration is brisk, as the numbers indicate, but it also feels tight and true. Shifts are lightning-quick, especially when you turn the dial to the "dynamic" mode. There's also a racing mode for track-like sprints, and the more practical rain/snow mode.

Steering is nicely weighted and offers decent feedback, and the F-Type's cornering is reasonably flat and balanced — perhaps not by Porsche standards, but the Porsche is smaller and notoriously nimble. The Jag, even with its aluminum body, weighs nearly two tons.

This Jag feels tight, too, especially for a roadster, which can be prone to creaks and rattles. The soft top comes down in just 12 seconds and can be accomplished while on the move — up to 30 mph. That's handy for those who live in rainy-season regions, where a shower can come on quick and unexpected.

Inside, adjustable bolsters on the sport seats tuck you in as snugly for the twisty roads. Leather seats are soft and supple, too. Black seats are complemented by bold, red stitching.

Headroom is good; legroom is OK. At 6-foot-1, I was comfortable. Anyone taller might require a fitting before closing the deal.

Ambient lighting, neatly concealed under the door and center console, adds a classy touch. And materials are clearly upscale and rich-feeling.

Unusual — and cool — features include the start button that pulsates red, seemingly showing the cat's impatience to hit the road, and the AC vents that rise from the dash when the engine starts.

A handle flanks the center console so the passenger can hang on with both hands while gasping through the countryside en route to the bed and breakfast.

Oh, better pack light for those weekenders: 6.9 cubic feet of trunk space doesn't go far. Small suitcases maybe, or duffle bags even better due to the odd, angular shape.

Protecting occupants are side air bags and rollover bars — although stability and traction control systems are in place to avoid the need for those rollover bars.

Options include parking sensors with rear cross-traffic warning, blind-spot monitor and adaptive headlights.

The F-Type comes in three trims, and the base is well equipped with bi-xenon headlights, leather and suede upholstery, full power accessories and a manually-deployable rear spoiler.

F-Type S adds a more powerful six-cylinder engine, 19-inch wheels instead of 18-inch, adaptive suspension and selectable driving modes that control throttle, steering and tranny responses.

The top-of-the-line F-Type S gets the V-8 engine, 20-inch wheels, high-performance brakes and 12-way adjustable seats.

Add to all that several premium option packages plus an available performance package that includes the active exhaust control button, top-line brakes and a 14-speaker Meridian audio system.

How well this sports car compares to the likes of Mercedes SL63 or the Porsche 911 is one for the testing teams at the major magazines and websites. But I can tell you can't have more fun than in the F-Sport.

It will draw grins and compliments and thumbs-up. And, yes, I expect Enzo Ferrari would be giving his nod of approval from above.

———

2014 JAGUAR F-TYPE V-8 S:

—Base price, excluding destination charge: $69,000

—Price as tested: $92,895

———

©2014 The Miami Herald. Distributed by MCT Information Services

Visit The Miami Herald at www.miamiherald.com

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The Ticker

Data of 8,830 Tufts plan members stolen

The names and Social Security numbers of 8,830 former and current Tufts Health Plan members has been stolen, Tufts said yesterday.

The health plan said federal officials discovered the theft during an investigation. Tufts did not say how the information was stolen except that it was not through an electronic breach, IT vulnerability or hacking.

The people affected, all current or former members of the Tufts Medicare Preferred plan, will be notified, Tufts said.

"As soon as we learned of this situation we took immediate action, conducting our own investigations while working very closely and in full cooperation with federal investigators," the company said in a statement.

GM makes profit amid recall crisis

General Motors eked out a better-than-expected first-quarter profit in the face of a recall crisis that has so far cost $1.3 billion and been linked with 32 crashes and 13 deaths.

But an initially strong market reaction cooled after the company indicated it may reduce its profit forecasts for the rest of the year. GM shares slipped 22 cents to $34.17. The automaker reported net income of $125 million, down 86 percent from a year earlier, avoiding what could have been its first loss in nearly five years and marking the company's 17th straight profitable quarter.

Fishery council to fund by catch study

The New England Fishery Management Council, which manages fishery resources off the coasts of the five coastal New England states, will spend $800,000 to research new methods to prevent the bycatch — or unintentional catching — of groundfish such as cod and flounder.

The research program will seek to find new ways to increase the catch of haddock without affecting cod, yellowtail flounder and windowpane flounder.

FCC pushes back on 'fast lanes'

The Federal Communications Commission yesterday sought to tame an outcry over its plan to allow "fast lanes" for some content on the Internet, insisting that the agency will monitor and punish broadband providers that treat Web traffic "unreasonably."

Consumer advocates assailed the proposal from FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, saying it would let certain content providers pay for access to fast lanes and discourage consumers from going to competitors' sites where videos or other content may load more slowly by comparison.

THE SHUFFLE

Lori Espino has been named president of the Waltham-based Greater New England Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Espino first joined the society in 2002 as director of information technology. Prior to that, Espino was the director of information services for ServiSense.com.

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Boston needs new condos in a hurry

With huge numbers of would-be buyers, Boston needs more condos right now. But it's going to be a while before there's a big uptick in supply.

The average price for a downtown condo is now running at almost $1 million, as an inventory shortage is driving up prices. Millennium Place sold out its 256 units in record time and some are being quickly flipped for huge profits.

At the same time, thousands of luxury apartments have hit the Hub market because lenders started backing rental complexes, but now some are fearing an apartment glut.

With the demand for condos too hard to ignore, the developer of the Ink Block apartment complex under construction in the South End has already turned one building branded Sepia into 83 condos, and the builder of 45 First Ave. in the Charlestown Navy Yard wants to change its 54-unit project from apartments to condos.

Construction of two ­super high-end condo projects is underway. There will be 118 condos at 22 Liberty Drive on Fan Pier, and 450 condos are slated for the Millennium Tower downtown, but these projects won't be completed until 2016. Other large high-end condo projects are even further down the line.

"It always takes a while for the supply to catch up because condo financing lags the market," said Dom Lange, co-owner of Broadway Village Real Estate.

Lange said that South Boston condo development is accelerating, with three sites along West Broadway expected to be developed into condos — the Cornerstone bar, where about 50 units are being permitted, as well as the Mike's Auto Repair and Liberty Bell sites, which will add another 30-40 condos each. Another 24 units are already before the Boston Redevelopment Authority on the site of an old garage at 39 A St.

The recently approved St. Augustine's Church development will house 29 condos, there are 45 under construction at 401 West 1st St. and 18 units have just been OK'd at 728 East Broadway.

But condo prices are soaring in Southie, putting many out of reach for the middle class. And this goes for neighborhoods such as Charlestown as well, with the proposed development of 42 condos at the former armory on Bunker Hill Street.

Creating condos that the middle class can afford is tricky. Developers in the downtown areas are seeking between $650 a square foot up to almost $2,000 a square foot on the super high-end, but there's a big need for units in the $350-to-$450 per square foot range.

Construction will begin soon on a $14 million project at 248 Meridian St. in East Boston, which will house 66 moderately priced condos.

And Boston developer Urbanica plans to build 50-60 market-rate townhouses on Parcel U, MBTA land along Hyde Park Avenue near Forest Hills Station in Jamaica Plain that will sell for around $400 a square foot. Urbanica also is about to break ground on eight three-bedroom condo units at 74 Highland St. in Roxbury's Fort Hill, which the company plans to sell for about $350 a square foot.

"Construction costs are high wherever you build in the city so building condos affordable to the middle class makes the most sense in places such as Roxbury, Dorchester and parts of JP where land costs less and there's some room to build," said Kamran Zahedi, principal of Urbanica.

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Dunkin’ says winter chilled its earnings

Americans weren't running as much on Dunkin' this past winter — at least those battling the cold and snow in the chain's prime Northeast territory.

Dunkin' Brands yesterday blamed extreme weather for lower-than-expected quarterly earnings that fell 
3.5 percent to $23 million.

Sales at U.S. Dunkin' Donuts open at least 54 weeks — a key retail measure — climbed just 1.2 percent, below analyst expectations, while revenue increased 6.2 percent to $171.9 million.

CEO Nigel Travis acknowledged disappointment with the results, which prompted a 1.89 percent drop in shares for the Canton owner of the Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins chains to $46.69.

"When our guests' normal morning routine gets disrupted by things such as school closings and office closings ... we lose their visit on that particular day, and that visit in most cases is not recoverable," he said.

But the company stuck to its full-year forecast for growth and said its first traditional Dunkin' would open in California by year's end, ahead of schedule.

"We're very positive about the fact that, given our national awareness through all our advertising, people are just waiting for us to come to California," Travis said. "I think we're going to do really well."

Analysts remained confident in Dunkin' Brands' outlook. "We continue to like shares, given industry-leading margins, strong domestic growth prospects and relatively stable underlying ... trends at Dunkin' Donuts U.S.," William Blair analyst Sharon Zackfia said.

Dunkin debuted its "DD Perks Rewards" program Jan. 27, allowing customers to earn points for purchases. It, so far, has 750,000-plus members, with a target of 2.5 million by the end of the year.

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GOP eyes accounting of Health Connector costs

House Republicans are pushing for a full accounting of how much the state's Obamacare website fiasco will cost taxpayers, suggesting outgoing Gov. Deval Patrick may leave the next administration holding the bag.

"The reality is we're going to have a new governor in January, so some of these costs associated with this could still crop up," said House Minority Leader Bradley Jones (R-North Reading). "Let's have some more public data."

Jones filed an amendment to the House budget — where debate is set to begin Monday — that would force the Patrick administration to compile a cost study of the entire website mess, including the price tag for temporary health insurance coverage, by July 31.

The Health Connector website has been a complete disaster for the Patrick administration, creating long delays in signing up Bay Staters for health insurance plans. Patrick eventually hired a web czar, Blue Cross/Blue Shield executive Sarah Iselin, to repair the site and ease a massive backlog of enrollees.

The state fired web developer CGI earlier this year amid finger-pointing over the execution of a 
$69 million contract to build the website.

It's unclear whether Democrats will sign on to Jones' budget amendment, but the chairman of the Joint Committee on Public Health suggested the GOP is trying to politicize the website fiasco and maintained a cost study isn't necessary.

"There are 50 million amendments from the Republicans relative to cost and analyzing how much we're spending," said state Rep. Jeffrey Sanchez (D-Jamaica Plain). "How this fits in, I'm not sure, but at the end of the day, we do want to make sure the Connector is doing everything it needs to do to make sure people are covered, and at the same time, we will know how much it costs, because eventually data will get out there."

In a statement, Secretary of Administration & Finance Glen Shor said he already detailed some of the costs during testimony at a State House hearing earlier this month and that the total price tag of temporary coverage will be ready by July.

"During the hearing, administration officials committed to fulfilling the committee's request of providing additional financial information related to transitional coverage and other financial elements going forward," said Shor.

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Auto review: McLaren 650S a step below P1, but who will know?

The envy one feels toward an exclusive $1.15 million super car is usually from the buyer's perspective. But with the 2015 McLaren 650S, it's the British sports car maker that seems to be lusting after its own, more premium creation, the P1.

Designed as a track car that's civilized enough for the street and, with its Spider version, versatile enough to allow tanning at Mach speed, the 204-mph 650S Spider is what you get when you take an MP4-12C and give it a face-lift with 25 percent new parts to make it look like the limited-production, plug-in hybrid sports car BMW i8 buyers can only covet.

A bargain, at least comparatively, the $280,225 650S Spider aspires to the P1's glamor through a front end that is literally a carbon (fiber) copy, with serpentine headlights that subliminally suggest its most appropriate terrain. While most of the body panels are the same as the 12C it's replacing, the back and sides have had their share of plastic surgery, and the results are even better than Joan Rivers.

Gone is the glass fastback of the 12C, replaced with more angular lines, a taillight assembly that flows into its shapely backside and cavernous side scoops to shove even more air into its mid-mounted engine. With the 650S, McLaren finally makes use of the tiny hole it left in the 12C's rear bumper. It now has a rear-view camera to see whatever hasn't voluntarily cleared itself upon hearing the menacing blurp and gurgle of its exhaust.

Named for its European horsepower rating, the 650S makes a less numerically marketable 641 horses, by U.S. standards. That's 25 more than the 12C, but it costs roughly 1 grand for every 1 horsepower gain from its twin-turbocharged and intercooled 3.8-liter V-8. Like the 12C — and the Ferrari 458 it's gunning for — the engine is displayed in a peekaboo rear window to show it off like the high-performance art piece it is.

From the cockpit, I was able to control the beast to the extent possible with the help of a pair of knobs that adjust the performance and suspension as independent entities. The performance knob is operated in normal, sport or track modes, each of which activates different shift points on the smooth seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission that I heard more than felt. The handling is separately adjustable in the same trio of choices.

Unique to McLaren, the handling settings operate hydraulically interlinked dampers that increase or reduce pressure as needed to affect the stiffness of the suspension and negate the need for sway bars. A Z bar on the rear end acts like a spring, working with the air brake to keep the back end planted. The air brake automatically flies up from the car's hindquarters whenever the brake pedal is stomped at speeds above 62 mph and is such a cool feature, I was tempted to drive like an idiot just to watch it move.

McLaren Newport Beach let me take the 650S Spider for a morning drive last week, My favorite combination of settings was track for the power train, to maximize grunt on takeoff, and sport for handling, so I wouldn't negate the traction and stability controls when driving the 650S the way it wants — with giddy abandon, regardless of consequence.

Fortunately, the only consequences I experienced were stares, smiles, screams, even a salute from strangers who were responding to the spectacle of a middle-aged woman driving a flaming-orange super car with the top down on an especially moneyed stretch of Southern California real estate. I couldn't have felt more like a cougar if I had spots.

The 650S is constructed form the same carbon fiber MonoCell its sister company, McLaren Racing, has used in Formula One since 1981. Isolated by an aluminum crush structure, the molded carbon cockpit is lightweight yet rigid for high-speed flogging — and muscular enough that it negates the need for the usual chassis reinforcements required when jettisoning a fixed roof for a drop-top variant.

It takes 17 seconds for the electronically operated retractable hardtop to fully lift or lower into a tonneau cover that is color-matched to the body, which, on my test car, was a shade of orange so fiery it looked combustible. The roof can be operated at speeds up to 19 mph — a split second for the 650S Spider, which accelerates all the way to 60 in 2.9 seconds.

Entering the two-seater through its dihedral doors is an exercise in contortion. Its steeply raked windshield creates a sharp angle that interferes with easy access to a car that was so low-slung I developed an appreciation for hub caps and bumpers.

Early in my drive, I happened upon a dead possum that, in a taller car, I would have straddled with my wheels. Doing so with the 650S, however, that possum would have been along for the ride. Luckily, the 650S is an F1 racer in street clothing, so dodging the carcass was a breeze.

Everything about the 650S is decisive as an Eton schoolmarm. Even the performance and handling knobs turn with a firm touch. The steering feels heavy, the carbon ceramic brakes heavy duty, though they aren't grabby so much as progressive.

Hailing from the land of Benny Hill, there are aspects of the 650S that seem different solely for the sake of being different, such as the seat controls, which required some groping, since they're located at the seats' fronts, not their sides. Buttons for the climate controls are, oddly, on the driver-side door — most likely because they don't fit in a slim center stack housing the fun buttons 650S drivers will want to toy with.

The 650S may be the poor man's P1, but the good news is that the financial ability to buy one means you're still quite rich — not only with money but the wealth of experience McLaren so ably provides.

———

2015 MCLAREN 650S SPIDER:

—Powertrain: Rear/mid-mounted, twin-turbocharged, port fuel-injected, 3.8-liter, V-8, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, dual-clutch seven-speed transmission

—Horsepower: 641 at 7,250 rpm

—Torque: 443 pound-feet at 3,000-7,000 rpm

—Curb weight: 3,250 pounds

—Maximum speed: 204 mph

—0 to 60 mph: 2.9 seconds

—EPA-estimated fuel economy (mpg): 16 city, 22 highway, 18 combined

—Base price: $280,225

—Price as tested (Spider version with various options): $327,945

———

ABOUT THE WRITER

Susan Carpenter writes for the Orange County Register. She may be reached at scarpenter@ocregister.com.

———

©2014 The Orange County Register. Distributed by MCT Information Services

Visit The Orange County Register at www.ocregister.com

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Auto review: New Cadillac ELR is more flash than dash

Sky-high fins clung to old Cadillacs with swaying, raucous grace.

Brash and a bit obnoxious, they gave the big, cushy cruisers the sort of strut and flash usually found in a French Quarter parade.

I remember.

As a sweaty gomer on a faded red Schwinn in the '60s, I would stop every time some sugar daddy's Caddy blew by, just hoping for a cooling whoosh from its fins.

You won't find any such excesses on the 2014 Cadillac ELR, a taut, radical new coupe full of the 21st century.

The ELR's edgy rear fenders, for instance, wear high, flat ridges on their tops, looking as if Cadillac's young skinny-tie designers just pruned the fins away.

And in effect, they did.

What we get with the ELR is a super-slinky coupe that's stylish in ways similar to the fabulously fashionable cruisers of the '50s.

But the ELR is also so self-consciously contemporary that you might one day find some pale space alien in sports coat and sunglasses behind its leather-covered wheel.

Welcome — again — to 2014.

As you probably know, the feds continue to squeeze all automakers for better fuel economy, with an astounding 54.5 mile-per-gallon requirement looming in 2025.

Consequently, Cadillac's most striking, traffic-stopping car is — hold on to your Stetson — an extended-range electric vehicle.

Does that get your heart racing or what?

As such, the ELR can run in all-electric mode for a modest 37 miles or so before needing a recharge back at the garage.

Or you can just keep driving.

When the electricity runs out, the ELR's computers seamlessly fire up a 1.4-liter gas engine that acts mostly as a generator, supplying electricity for another 300 miles or so.

Under hard acceleration, the gas engine also provides some power to the wheels, functioning then like a hybrid.

If that sounds familiar, General Motors pioneered the approach with the Chevrolet Volt, and much of the ELR's powertrain is Volt-derived — a fact likely to prove pretty controversial in the $81,000 ELR.

Few will criticize its looks, though.

Thin, vertical headlamps cut high into the front fenders of the dark red ELR I had recently, flanking a huge silver grille with a big Caddy emblem in the center.

Short overhangs front and rear emphasized the car's relatively long wheelbase, and seven-spoke 20-inch wheels wearing 245-40 tires filled the fender wells on mine.

Though the carved body looked a bit thick to my hick eyes, it was topped by a sloping, cut-down roof that gave the car good visual balance.

Best of all in back, tall, vertical tail lamps wrapped onto those flat-top fenders, vaguely evoking the fins and taillights of the past.

Although the ELR's powertrain is based on the one in the $34,000 Chevy Volt, Cadillac says the ELR gets some software tweaks that bring its total horsepower up to 217 with torque of 295 pound-feet.

Like all electric vehicles and many hybrids, the ELR starts in total silence — if it's operating in electric mode.

Mine was also fitted with an odd but effective automatic transmission that had fixed and variable-ratio modes.

With the instant torque of an electric motor, the ELR felt quicker than it was, accelerating smoothly and vigorously without any noticeable gear shifts.

In fact, though, it would struggle to out-accelerate a four-cylinder Honda Accord, getting to 60 mph in an unremarkable 8.1 seconds, according to Car and Driver. (In all-electric mode it's even slower, requiring 9 seconds to hit 60.)

Around town, in "sport" mode, the ELR felt adequate — and looked great.

The ride tended toward stiff, but it was controlled and well-damped.

But like Cadillacs of old, the 4,000-pound ELR, bulked up by its lithium-ion battery pack, preferred straight lines to curves.

Though equipped with a better suspension than the one under the Volt, the ELR was still essentially an overweight front-wheel-drive coupe.

If pushed hard, it would start to understeer, feeling twitchy in fast, sweeping curves as its front wheels threatened to let go.

Also, the regenerative brakes could be abrupt, particularly in traffic. They seemed slow to respond to initial presses on the brake pedal, but then grabbed hard.

That was unfortunate because, like most modern Caddies, the ELR had decent steering — light and quick with fairly good road feel.

Just drive it slowly. Electric cars typically have no vibration or noise and whisper down the road like the regal land yachts of the past.

Or you could pause to admire its fine interior.

The rich tan interior in mine was not marred by a single piece of black plastic.

Beginning with the padded, stitched geometric-shaped dash, the inside of the ELR was a sea of tans and browns.

Stuck in the middle of that dash was a large center stack with an eight-inch touch screen and Cadillac's controversial CUE climate and audio controls.

CUE uses various horizontal bars to "control" items such as fan speed and stereo volume.

You're supposed to gently slide your finger across them to change a setting. But they are so overly sensitive that you often get full-blast or nothing.

Give me buttons and knobs any day.

Still, the smooth light tan seats looked sumptuous with sectioned centers and decent bolsters.

Likewise, the door panels were stitched in tan velour on top with wood trim beneath that and a padded, light tan center panel and armrest.

A fairly broad console ran all the way back into the rear seats, splitting them into two finely stitched buckets.

Just ignore them. Positioned at a slight incline to compensate for the sloping rear window, the seats are difficult to squeeze into and offer tight leg- and headroom once you finally get in.

Actually, all of that seemed appropriate. Let's be honest here: The ELR looks like a million bucks and functions at something less than $80,000.

If you prefer to run on strictly electric and live in the suburbs, plan on recharging the ELR every night or two, a process that will take at least 12 hours using a standard 120-volt household outlet.

And if you're OK with allowing the on-board engine-generator to supply the electric motor, you will get about 33 miles per gallon, which these days is middling at best.

But you can be sure of this: Almost nothing on the road, regardless of cost, will look better.

And what is that worth in style-conscious Dallas?

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2014 CADILLAC ELR:

—Type of vehicle: Four-passenger, front-wheel-drive extended-range electric coupe

—Fuel economy: Equivalent of 82 miles per gallon in electric range; 33 mpg with the gas generator running

—Weight: 4,054 pounds

—Engine/motor: AC permanent-magnet synchronous electric-drive motor working with a 1.4-liter four-cylinder gas engine for a combined 217 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque

—Transmission: Automatic with fixed- and variable-ratio modes

—Performance: 0 to 60 mph in 8.1 seconds in combined electric/gas mode; 9 seconds in electric only

—Base price, excluding destination charge: $75,000

—Price as tested: $80,680

SOURCES: Cadillac division of General Motors; Car and Driver

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ABOUT THE WRITER

Terry Box writes for the Dallas Morning News. He may be reached at tbox@dallasnews.com.

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©2014 The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by MCT Information Services

Visit The Dallas Morning News at www.dallasnews.com

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Ford's profit falls 39 percent in first quarter

DEARBORN, Mich. — Ford Motor Co.'s worldwide sales rose in the first quarter, propelled by growing strength in Asia and Europe. But weakness in North America dragged down the company's profit.

Its earnings missed Wall Street's expectations, while revenue beat. Ford shares fell 3 percent in premarket trading.

Ford's first-quarter net income fell 39 percent to $989 million, or 24 cents per share, down from $1.64 billion, or 41 cents per share, in the January-March period a year ago.

Excluding a one-time charge of $122 million for plant closings in Europe, Ford earned 25 cents. That was far short of Wall Street's expectations. Analysts polled by FactSet forecast earnings of 31 cents per share.

Revenue rose slightly to $35.9 billion, beating analysts' expectations for $34.2 billion. Worldwide sales were up 6 percent to nearly 1.6 million.

Ford's U.S. sales fell 3 percent to 580,260 in the January-March period, the victim of bad weather and low buyer interest in smaller, fuel efficient cars like the Focus and C-Max hybrid. While the F-Series pickup continued to see gains, sales of other key vehicles like the Fusion sedan and Escape SUV were down.

Ford's Chief Financial Officer Bob Shanks said Ford had forecast lower sales in North America this year as it launches 16 new vehicles in the region.

But Ford made up for those losses elsewhere. In China, first-quarter sales soared 45 percent to 271,321 vehicles. And European sales, long a sore point for Ford as Europe went through a recession, rose 11 percent to 326,000.

Ford's Asia Pacific operations continued to thrive under the company's ambitious expansion plans, but Ford sputtered in North America and lost money in South America and Europe. A newly created Middle East and Africa region was profitable.

North American pretax profit fell 37 percent to $1.5 billion. Ford said its North American operations were hit with $100 million in weather-related charges during the brutal winter, including increased costs for parts shipments.

The company also took a $400 million charge for warranty reserves and repair costs. Shanks said Ford regularly forecasts what its future warranty and recall costs will be and sets aside money for them. The company said those costs have been rising, so it decided to add $340 million to its reserves this quarter for vehicles from the 2008 through 2013 model years. Ford said the decision wasn't related to the spate of first-quarter recalls at rival General Motors Co.

Ford also spent $60 million on two recalls this quarter. The company had to repair 370,000 Ford Crown Victoria sedans for potential corrosion in the steering shaft and 161,000 Escape SUVs for oil leaks.

Revenue in the company's most profitable region fell 5 percent to $20.4 billion.

Ford's Asia Pacific region posted a record $291 million pretax profit, reversing a $28 million loss from a year ago. Revenue jumped 18 percent to $2.6 billion. The new Middle East and Africa region reported a $54 million profit.

The company cut its European losses by more than half, but it continued to struggle in South America. Ford lost $194 million in Europe as costs fell and overall sales improved. In South America, the loss more than doubled to $510 million as industry sales dropped and Ford accounted for the effects of unfavorable currency exchange rates.

Dearborn, Mich.-based Ford enjoyed one of the best years in its history in 2013, with a pretax profit of $8.56 billion. But it had warned that this year would be leaner as it launches a record 23 vehicles worldwide and seven plants, including four in China. It anticipates 13 weeks of expensive down time — up from five in 2013 — at its two U.S. pickup truck plants to prepare for the launch of a new aluminum-clad F-150. The truck goes on sale later this year.

Ford says it still expects a full-year pretax profit between $7 billion and $8 billion.

Its shares fell 51 cents, or 3.1 percent, to $15.81 in premarket trading about 90 minutes before the market open.

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Auto review: Nissan adds economy to practicality in Pathfinder Hybrid

Take one of the best family-size crossover utility vehicles on the market, and add a gasoline-electric hybrid drive system to it, and you'll have the best of both worlds: versatility and efficiency.

That's the theory behind the all-new 2014 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, a great people hauler that also offers decent fuel economy: up to 26 mpg combined city/highway. That's for a vehicle that can carry up to seven adults in comfort, with no compromises.

Prices begin at $35,300 for the entry-level SV front-wheel-drive version.

It's the first in a line of new hybrid models on the way from Nissan. Also planned are hybrid versions of the redesigned Rogue compact crossover, as well as the redesigned 2015 Murano midsize crossover and the Altima sedan, which plays in the same class as the Accord, Camry, Fusion, Sonata and Optima hybrids.

Nissan's crossover product planner, Scott Pak, confirmed that the new Murano, unveiled at the New York auto show, will get a hybrid version, although when it will arrive has not yet been determined.

Likewise for the Rogue and Altima, although the Rogue model probably is closer to launch. Nissan introduced the second generation of the Rogue last fall, and began production of it in the Nissan plant in Tennessee, which also makes the Pathfinder (including the hybrid) on the same assembly line. That plant also makes the Leaf electric car, and the lithium-ion batteries for it.

The Pathfinder got a complete redesign last year that turned it into a roomy, full-size crossover. It took another big leap this year with the addition of the hybrid version.

Under the hood of the hybrid is a supercharged 2.5-liter gasoline engine coupled with a 15-kilowatt electric motor, which gets its power from a compact lithium-ion battery.

Together, they provide nearly the same power as the gasoline-only Pathfinder's 3.5-liter V-6. The hybrid has a total of 250 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque, compared with 260 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque for the 3.5-liter.

I've tested both vehicles, and the power of the hybrid feels quite similar to that of the gasoline model, although there seemed to be more pep on take-off with the hybrid. That's because the electric motor kicks in with all of its torque right away.

At highway speeds, the hybrid has plenty of power left in reserve for passing, also thanks to the boost provided by the electric motor.

EPA ratings for the front-drive hybrid are 25 mpg city/28 highway/26 combined, compared with 20 city/26 highway/22 combined for the two-wheel drive gas model. With four-wheel drive, the hybrid gets 25/27/26, compared with 19/25/21 for the four-wheel drive gas model.

Nissan targeted the Toyota Highlander Hybrid with the design of the Pathfinder Hybrid, Nissan said. The hybrid is priced just $3,000 more than a similarly equipped gasoline-only Pathfinder, while Toyota charges a $7,000 premium for the Highlander hybrid.

Regular Pathfinder prices for 2014 begin at $28,850 for the base S version with two-wheel drive, and run as high as $41,350 for the top Platinum model with four-wheel drive.

Pathfinder hybrids have the same interior space as the gasoline versions, including ample legroom, and cargo capacity. We packed six adults into our test vehicle — including two in the third row — and everyone acknowledged having decent leg and knee room.

New for 2014 is a technology package that adds a 13-speaker Bose premium audio system with navigation, voice recognition, XM NavTraffic and NavWeather capability, Zagat Survey restaurant guide, Bluetooth streaming audio and an 8-inch color touch screen.

Our tester was the Platinum four-wheel-drive hybrid with a Platinum Package that brought a rear entertainment system. It also had roof cargo cross bars, carpeted floor mats and illuminated kick plates.

The newest Pathfinder has a unibody-style design, rather than the traditional body-on-frame arrangement of the model it replaced. It's now a top competitor in its class, which includes such stalwarts as the Highlander and Honda Pilot, thanks to its best-in-class passenger space, fuel economy and standard towing capacity.

Other competitors include the big crossovers from General Motors: the Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia; and both the Ford Explorer and Ford Flex.

Riding on the same architecture as the new Infiniti QX60 (formerly JX) crossover, the Pathfinder has the same passenger capacity and a similar drivetrain as the Infiniti. The main differences between the two are the styling and the levels of standard equipment. The QX60 also got a hybrid version for 2014.

There are now five crossovers in the Nissan lineup: the subcompact Cube and Juke, compact Rogue, midsize Murano and full-size Pathfinder. All but the Pathfinder and new Rogue have five-passenger capacity. Nissan also is continuing to sell the previous generation of the Rogue for 2014, renamed the Rogue Select, starting at just over $20,000.

Our Pathfinder's optional dual panoramic moon roof extended all the way to the third row, and would have been great for viewing the recent lunar eclipse — if it hadn't been raining at the time.

Standard on our Platinum version were leather upholstery; heated and cooled front seats and heated second-row seats; heated steering wheel; power tilt-and-telescopic steering column; and keyless entry with pushbutton start.

All seating positions are suitable for adults, unlike many crossovers whose third row is intended for children or very small adults. Getting into and out of the rear and middle seats was made easier by the large rear door openings and the EZ Flex seating system, which allows the second-row seat to slide forward up to 5.5 inches, and to tilt, as well, for access to the third row.

The middle seat had a 60/40 split feature that allows a child-safety seat to remain in place on the curb side while the other side is moved forward to let the rear passengers in or out. With the third seat in place, there is 16 cubic feet of cargo space behind it. It has a 50/50 split-folding design, so either side, or both sides, can be folded down to increase cargo capacity.

Second- and third-row seats can be folded to create a completely flat load floor from the tailgate to the back of the front seats, giving the vehicle nearly 80 cubic feet of cargo space.

The tailgate flips up in one piece, and on the Platinum model, it's power-operated. A small storage area under the rear cargo floor provides a good place to hide valuables when the vehicle is parked.

Also included on our tester was the Nissan AroundView monitor, which shows up on the nav screen next to the rearview-camera display. Around View gives the driver a 360-degree bird's-eye view around the vehicle, using front, rear and side mini-cameras.

Pathfinders also come with a tire-pressure monitoring system with Nissan's Easy Fill Tire Alert, which beeps the horn when a tire being filled with air reaches its proper inflation level.

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2014 NISSAN PATHFINDER HYBRID:

—Type of vehicle: Large, five-door, seven-passenger, four-cylinder gasoline-electric hybrid, front- or all-wheel-drive crossover utility vehicle.

—Rating: 9.3 (of a possible 10).

—Highlights: Completely redesigned for 2013, the Pathfinder adds a hybrid version for 2014. With last year's makeover, the vehicle evolved into a crossover, with three rows of seats. It has plenty of power — hybrid or gasoline only — and lots of standard and optional features.

—Negatives: Can get pricey when options packages are added.

—Engine: 2.5-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder with electric motor

—Transmission: Continuously variable automatic

—Power/torque: 250 horsepower/243 pound-feet (hybrid, total)

—Length: 196.9 inches

—Curb weight range: 4,417-4,714 pounds

—Brakes, front/rear: Disc/disc, antilock

—Cargo volume: 16 cubic feet (behind third seat); 79.8 cubic feet (second and third row seats folded down)

—Towing capacity: 3,500 pounds

—Side air bags: Front seat-mounted; roof-mounted side-curtain for all rows

—Electronic stability control: Standard

—Fuel capacity/type: 19.5 gallons, unleaded regular

—EPA fuel economy, city/highway/combined: 25/28/26 (front drive); 25/27/26 (AWD)

—Base price: $35,300

—Price as tested, including destination charge: $48,285

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ABOUT THE WRITER

G. Chambers Williams III has been an automotive columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram since 1994. He can be reached at chambers@star-telegram.com.

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©2014 Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Visit Fort Worth Star-Telegram at www.star-telegram.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services

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PHOTOS (from MCT Photo Service, 202-383-6099): AUTO-NISSANPATHFINDERH-REVIEW

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Topics: t000047405,t000047103,t000002537,t000002676,t000018190,t000018196,t000003086

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