AUTO RED BOOK REVIEW: 2013 ACURA ILX

On The Cover Review: 2013 Acura ILX

With stringent federal fuel mileage requirements on the horizon, it stands to reason that luxury car buyers need to get used to the fact that their cars are going to be smaller and more fuel-efficient. Add to that the desire for these automakers to attract younger, less-affluent customers, and you get cars like the Honda Civic-based Acura ILX. With a starting price tag of less than $26,000, this is a car that someone might trade their Civic in on after they get that promotion. The base engine is a 2.0-liter four that generates 150-hp. For more punch, you can move up to a 2.0-liter engine good for 201-hp. Or be good for the environment and check the hybrid option, which includes a 1.5-liter gas engine paired with an electric motor and CVT transmission. The Acura ILX is styled quite a bit differently than a Civic, and it is considerably nicer inside. Plus, it obviously has a higher price tag. The question is, will this combination attract new buyers to Acura showrooms, or does it diminish the entire Acura brand? Whichever it is, it still predicts what luxury car buyers may come to expect in the future.

AUTO RED BOOK REVIEW: 2013 FORD F-150 HARLEY-DAVIDSON

On The Cover Review: 2013 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson

What do you get when you combine bad-to-the-bone motorcycles with a bad-to-the-bone pickup truck? The people at Ford hope you answer that question with the Harley-Davidson edition F-150. The 2012 model will be based off of the F-150 Super Crew 4X4, and comes in either black or white, with a big, silver scallop design on the side. It also features numerous Harley-Davidson badges inside and out, and snakeskin leather. That’s particularly apropos, because the Harley rider that they sell this truck to may very well be named “Snake.” Power comes from a 6.2-liter V8 that cranks out a healthy 411 horsepower and 434 lb/ft of torque and provides a maximum trailer towing capability of 7,500 pounds. The Harley-Davidson package doesn’t come cheap, but you get a lot for your money, including standard voice-activated navigation, power moon roof, and Ford’s SelectShift automatic transmission. It’s a combination that should appeal to every well-heeled road warrior. 

AUTO RED BOOK REVIEW: 2013 CORVETTE 427 CONVERTIBLE

On The Cover Review: 2013 Corvette 427 Convertible

Until now, the potent Z06 package has only been available on the Corvette coupe. That all changes in 2013, as the new Corvette 427 Convertible gets the fabled 7.0-liter LS7 V8 with a ludicrous 505-hp. And since the ZR1 package remains available only on the coupe, this becomes the most powerful factory Corvette drop top. Ever. Order the 60^th Anniversary Collector’s Edition, and you’ll also get a special white paint scheme with blue leather, and stripes that not only cover the nose, hood, and tail of the car, but are actually stitched into the canvas convertible top. This is without a doubt the ultimate Corvette convertible, and it should help out the folks who couldn’t decide between the power of the Z06 and the pizzazz of the convertible. It does weigh 156-lbs more than a Z06 coupe, so try not to line up against one of those. But if you want to race almost anything else, including any other Corvette convertible, this is the car to do it in.

AUTO RED BOOK REVIEW: 2013 FORD C-MAX

On The Cover Review: 2013 Ford C-Max

Small gasoline/electric hybrid cars are fine if you don’t have a lot of people or stuff to haul. But what if you need a little more utility, but still want to save at the pump? Enter the new Ford C-Max. This small crossover (almost a mini-minivan) can accommodate five people with ease, and still achieve as much as 47-mpg in the city. It does this with a 141-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired up with an electric motor that gets its power from a lithium-ion battery pack. Ford says this beats their closest competitor, the Toyota Prius-V, which “only” gets 44-mpg in the city with its hybrid setup. The C-Max is essentially a roided-up Focus, so fans of the well-equipped compact should be pretty familiar with the layout and function of this vehicle. Ford is initially bringing the C-Max to America with a traditional hybrid powertrain, but will also add a plug-in hybrid known as the Energi. A gasoline-only C-Max is not expected to come to market, although it is available overseas. For a company that is known for F-150 pickups and Shelby Mustangs, Ford is really getting serious about their fuel-efficient offerings. For those who want exceptional fuel mileage but still need the space, the C-May may be the answer.