Acura shifts focus to sensible Gen Y shoppers

Honda is ready to begin the makeover of its Acura premium brand this spring, and the timing could hardly be better. In addition to the new ILX small sedan and redesigned RDX compact crossover coming in spring, a tease of the redesigned RL flagship due this fall will be shown at the New York auto show in April. Then, the volume leading TL sedan and MDX mid-sized crossover are slated for 2013 redesigns.

Mercedes CLA employs a cat in new advert to demonstrate its aerodynamic shape (video)

It’s the Mercedes CLA sliding cat advert We’re not entirely sure that Mercedes has chosen to focus attention on a cat in a new advert for the CLA to dig at Jaguar’s mickey-take of its chicken advert for Magic Body Control, but it’s definitely the cat that’s front and centre, regardless of the motivation. With the new Mercedes CLA boasting exceptional aerodynamic credentials, Mercedes has employed a stunt cat to slide up and over the CLA to demonstrate just how slippery their new compact saloon is. Already shown on TV in the UK at the weekend (during the new series of Britain’s Got Talent), the moggie in question – William, apparently – glides effortlessly over the CLA’s slippery shape to a soundtrack playing Rossini’s Duetto buffo di due gatti (which you may not think you know, but you do).

Ferrari California Handling Speciale (2012) first pictures

This is Ferrari’s revised California, which will be unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March 2012. It’s got more power, weighs less, and can be optioned with a chassis-sharpening Handling Speciale package, all features scooped by CAR last year. The California caused quite a stir when it was launched, ushering in a whole host of firsts for Ferrari: it was the company’s first convertible with a folding metal roof; the first with a double-clutch gearbox, the first front-engined V8 Ferrari, and the first with direct-injection engine technology.