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Dodge Viper and Jaguar XK revival | Autoblog Podcast #543

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Green Editor John Beltz Snyder and Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. We talk the possible rebirth of the Dodge Viper and Jaguar XK, as well as the recent goings-on at Tesla. Then we share some of our experiences driving in Europe. We also discuss the cars we've been driving, and help spend another listener's hard-earned dough in this week's "Spend My Money" segment. Autoblog Podcast #543 Your browser does not support the audio element. Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Dodge Viper and Jaguar XK to make a return? Tesla Model 3 braking issues and Elon Musk vs. media Driving in Europe Cars we've been driving: Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo, Infiniti QX50, Range Rover Velar Spend my money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: Auto News Green Podcasts Dodge Infiniti Jaguar Land Rover Porsche Tesla Car Buying Used Car Buying Driving Safety Performance jaguar xk infiniti qx50

Updated J.D. Power APEAL study shines on VW Group, Chevy

J.D. Power has just revealed the results of its 2013 APEAL Study, which looks at which brands have the most appealing cars based on sales figures, dealer inventory, brand loyalty, transaction and trade-in prices. The study was revamped for 2013, and places a larger focus on the new tech and infotainment options available to customers. All told, study participants gauged their vehicles on 77 different attributes, delivering a score out of a 1,000 points.
The Volkswagen Group had the greatest success of any corporation, topping the APEAL rankings with the Audi Allroad, Porsche Boxster, Porsche Cayenne, VW GTI and Passat. Chevrolet had the highest number of awards for a single brand, though, with the Avalanche, Sonic and Volt all taking home a prize.
The best brand overall was Porsche, which scored 884 out of a possible 1,000 points. The top Japanese brand was Lexus with a score of 847, while the top American brand was Cadillac, at 841. The best mainstream brand was Ram, which received a very respectable 817. The industry average for this year's study was 795, with 16 brands, all of which were mainstream, falling below the average.

Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid has 462 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque

Hybrids are for more than saving fuel, according to Porsche. To wit, the German automaker's upcoming 2018 Panamera 4 E-Hybrid boasts 462 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque courtesy of its 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 (330 hp and 331 lb-ft) and electric motor (136 hp and 295 lb-ft). All that power is sent to all four wheels through an eight-speed PDK transmission, resulting in a 4.4-second 0-60 run and a top speed of 172 miles per hour. For those keeping track at home, those performance stats put the E-Hybrid a few ticks behind the 2017 Panamera 4S, which uses a more powerful version of the twin-turbo V6 engine to hit 60 in 4.0 seconds (with the optional Sport Chrono package). The payoff, though, is in efficiency. There's a maximum electric range of 31 miles with a fully charged battery, and the engine isn't needed until speeds top 86 mph. That means the majority of drivers won't need to use a drop of gas for most daily driving chores. The E-Hybrid ought to be pretty fun to drive, too. In the previous Panamera Hybrid, the accelerator pedal had to be pressed at least 80 percent of the way down to get maximum electric motivation. For the new version, every electric horse is available at all times. Coupled with the nature of turbocharged engines, we'd imagine there's going to be a lovely wave of torque at around-town speeds and on highway on-ramps. A liquid-cooled, 14.1-kWh, lithium-ion battery is located under the floor of the cargo area. It takes 12 hours to charge on a standard outlet, or as little as 3 hours with an optional high-speed charger. As with other Panamera models, most of the interior buttons have been replaced with touch-sensitive panels. E-Hybrid models get unique programming for the dual 7-inch displays in the dash and the 12.3-inch touchscreen atop the center stack that shows various power meters and driving tips to increase efficiency. Porsche's Sport Chrono Package comes standard on the Panamera E-Hybrid. In addition to the Sport and Sport Plus modes of the steering-wheel-mounted mode switch, there's an E-Power mode that relies solely on electricity, a Hybrid Auto mode for maximum gas/electric efficiency, an E-Hold setting that switches the car into gas-only mode to preserve the battery, and an E-Charge mode that forces the gas engine to keep the battery fully charged. If you want maximum performance, you'll want to keep the switch in Sport Plus. Expect the 2018 Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid to hit US showrooms this summer.