 ? THE KINGSTON WHIG-STANDARDthewhigREVIEW2013 GENESIS COUPEHyundai keeping it fresh/2QUICK LOOK2014 JAGUAR F-TYPEBrand new model/2GADGETSULTIMATE LUXURYMustang and pool table in one/3FORD2013 TAURUS SHOHost of features available/9LUXURYLEXUS LS 460Thinks of everything/10WHO'S INSIDEREVELL FORD 3 COVER 4 MERCEDES-BENZ 5 KINGSTON DODGE 6 JACK CASSELMAN 7 AUTOHOUSE 8 KINGSTON HONDA 9 COVER 10 EDWARDS FORD 11 TAYLOR CADILLAC 12CMYKMercedesGLK has made its own reputation on and off road7COVER STORY:2012 Ford Focus ElectricThursday, June 28, 2012 Editor Jan Murphy * 613-544-5000 ext. 109 * jan.murphy@sunmedia.caBuick EncoreCompany hopes to repeat success8 Image courtesy FordFord amps up city drivingFord believes drivers should have the choice of the car that suits their needs best, that's why it is offering several different versions of its more popular models, including the new Ford Focus. BeforewekeyinonFocus,let's use the upcoming Fusion midsized sedan as the prime example - you can get the traditional front-wheel drive family sedan (which is remarkably handsome in its upcoming generation), you can get it as a Hybrid and you can also get it as an Energi (plugin hybrid) model. The idea is to offer potential buyers the traditional gasoline model and a hybrid for better economy without too much sacrifice required from the driver/ owner, and a plug-in for people who want even better mileage (especially in city traffic) with a little bit of effort - you have to plug it in, when you're planning on using it for a while. The only Joe DuarteFIRST DRIVEthing missing from the Fusion line-up is a dedicated electric vehicle. Focus, however, gets one of those. Focus comes as a normal hatchback and sedan, and a dedicated Electric hatchback. The hybrid versions are a bit more "grey area," with the C-Max (which is based off Focus and could be regarded as a Focus wagon - higher, but pretty much identical in length, wheelbase and width) getting the hybrid and Energi models. In effect, the two models together give perhaps the most complete line-up outside of maybe the Prius family of hybrids. Perhaps not by acci-FIRST DRIVE:2013 BMW 6 Series Gran CoupeWADE OZEROFF QMI Agency SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - If I had any regrets in life (and I'm just saying 'if'), it would be that that I didn't get the chance to entertain my driving partners with my good taste in tuneage, via the Bang & Olufsen stereo system that can be had with the 2013 6 Series Gran Coupe. A lot of automobile geeks have sort of 'benchmark' tracks that they use to assess the quality of stereo systems. Some use pieces like a remastered five-point-one channel recording of Dark Side of the Moon, or Mike Oldfield's 'Tubular Bells'. I know one guy who has the entire recording of Beethoven's Ninth, from start to finish, to judge sound reproduction. I, however, employ "You Want the Candy", by the Raveonettes as my audiophile tool; which I keep on my fruit-pod for situations just like this, and my cabin mates are all the poorer for not having experienced the wonders of Danish surf-punk through one of the finest sound systems you can find on any automobile. There just wasn't time, unfortunately - too many other things to look at in BMW's newest, fourdoor iteration of the 6 Series. Yes, the Gran Coupe is a fourdoor, but they're calling it a dent, that's the model in Focus' cross-hairs. Now the Focus Electric is indistinguishable from the real Focus, with the only difference being the round plug flap on the front driver's side fender instead of the rear passenger's side fuelfiller flap (nicely integrated with the right rear taillight). The guts between Focus and Focus Electric are completely different, but their integration is remarkably similar. The Electric hatchback is marginally larger overall and the cabin dimensions will go unnoticed by many, with the sole exception being a noticeable difference in leg room, especially in the rear where the regular Focus has a full ten inches on the Focus Electric (although up front, the Focus Electric has nearly two inches on the hatchback Focus), due to the location of the lithium-ion battery pack (which also impacts cargo area 'coupe' (a la Volkswagen, who pulled this trick with its Passat CC a few years back), though in my mind, once you add the extra entrances, a car is now a 'sedan'. Anyway, it doesn't matter what I think, apparently. Product Planners never consult me before they do anything - if they did, there would be a manual transmission available for the car when it goes on sale in Canada later this summer (it's eightspeed automatic only on this side of the border). That aside, the newest 6 retains everything that makes the original, two-door model so desirable: beauty, power and intelligence. visit RevellFordLincoln.com visit RevellFordLincoln.com by 263 litres or 9.3 cubic feet - that's a lot!) The Focus Electric battery charges in 20 hours using a standard outlet or in four hours with a 240V hook-up. The latter time is about half that of the Nissan Leaf (its prime competitor), which has slightly more storage capacity (24 kWh versus the Focus' 23). The main difference in the halved charge time lies in Focus' using a larger on-board charger (7 kW, versus the Leaf's 3.3). Because the size of the batteries are about the same, the Focus Electric range should be about the same as Leaf - about 160 km/h, though that depends on load and weather. The subject of the latter is addressed through heating and cooling of the battery, to keep it at optimum operating temperature. An online and mobile app allow the Focus Electric owner to switch on the heating and cool- Using the same displacement as the new, improved M6 monster, the Gran Coupe runs a 4.4 litre eight-cylinder powerplant that, while shy of the output of the M, still produces 445 horsepower and peak torque of 480 lb.-ft. More than adequate for just about any situation, you have to admit, and the Gran brings it on so effortlessly, so quiet and smooth throughout its range, that it easily climbs into speeding ticketville on the roads surrounding Santa Barbara. The car also sports regenerative braking, and one of my favourite features (and one I have only experienced on Porsche's Panamera) an engine- Toll Free 1-(888)-789-6239 Road 38, Verona, Ont. Mario Crevier Terry Gibson Dan Gibbs Jr. Bob Ungar John Greenwood Nathan Revell Rupert Storms Much of the Focus Electric's steering, handling and braking feel is shared Much with of the Focus gasoline-fuelled Electric's st five-door braking Focus model feel is shared upon which fuelled it's based, five-door leading whichFord it's bas to claim claimno no di discernible differenc driving differences between the two. ing while the car is plugged in, taking advantage of the electrical feed rather than the electricity stored in the battery pack (which can then be used for driving). As for driving, Ford claims the Focus Electric drives just like the regular hatchback, and it's tough to argue. It certainly accelerates as quickly (maybe even more quickly), thanks to 184 lb.-ft. of torque available almost immediately from shove-off (as opposed to the gasoline engine's 146 at 4,450 rpm), despite having to move an extra 352 kg (776 lbs.). The extra weight also gives it a nailed down feeling during more aggressive driving manoeuvres, but that isn't really what you want the Focus Electric to do. Rather, you want it to get you around the city efficiently and smoothly. And it does that quite well. joe.duarte@sunmedia.caBMW makes 6 Series coupe grandYear End Clearout- last chance to save on 2011 models!LEXUS OF KINGSTON lexusofkingston.ca * 1917 Bath Road, Kingston (613) 634-5555 * 1-888-313-9138 Open: Mon. to Thurs. 9am -7pm; Fri. 9am -5:30 pm NOW OPEN SATURDAYS SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 3 stop system that shuts off the engine when the car is idling. The only trim level coming to Canada will be the 650i, with xDrive AWD, which combines with the stiff chassis of the 6 for extremely good, sharp-cornering road holding ability. The suspension (front double wishbone, multi-link rear) can be further enhanced with an active roll stabilization option, to keep the body even flatter in the turns. Pricing is as yet unannounced for the Canadian market, but you can imagine that it will carry a premium-calibre sticker when it hits the lots. wade.ozeroff@sunmedia.caSALE$43,995SALE$36,995MSRP $48,700 + $1,995 freight & handling, +100 A/C tax, +$30.40 tire tax. Plus hst and license.2011IS 350 AWD2011IS 250 AWDIncludes moon roof and navigation package. #137plus tax & license plus tax & license MSRP $41,700 + $1,995 freight & handling, + $100 A/C tax, +$30.40 tire tax, Plus hst and licenseIncludes leather and moon roof package. #246
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