NEWS Digest 07 Feb 2014 | Automobile Magazine |

• 2014 Honda Civic Si From Forza Video Games Brought to Life at Chicago Auto Show
• 2014 Chicago Auto Show: Hits, Misses & Revelations
• Mopar Modifies 2015 Chrysler 200 At 2014 Chicago Auto Show
• 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stars in "Captain America" Sequel
• Recall Central: 2014 Ram ProMaster

2014 Honda Civic Si From Forza Video Games Brought to Life at Chicago Auto Show Posted: 07 Feb 2014 06:00 AM PST Honda is displaying a one-of-a-kind custom 2014 Honda Civic Si at the 2014 Chicago auto show, which it created based on a virtual design for the Forza Horizon video game. The red and black design scheme was selected as the winning entry in the Forza Motorsport Civic Si design content, contributed by Forza gamer Tiffany Labedz from Phoenix, Arizona. Labedz's design was chosen among almost 170 entries, paying tribute to the Honda and its popular VTEC engines with her expressive design. Labedz said today she loves driving Hondas in the Forza Horizon video game, and said she even used to customize her real-life Honda Civic. "At Honda, we love meeting our customers where their passion lies, and the racing and custom car design in Forza Motorsport is definitely a passion for so many Honda and Civic enthusiasts," said American Honda assistant vice president of advertising Tom Peyton, in a statement. "Taking an immersive gaming experience like Forza and bringing it to life here at the Chicago Auto Show will make for an exciting exhibition and a real-life demonstration of how cars and gaming are increasingly intertwined." Honda is one of a few other automakers which have tied in virtual cars with real-life versions, such as Mercedes-Benz and Toyota which feature the Toyota FT-1 concept and Mercedes-Benz Vision Gran Turismo concept in Gran Turismo 6. The custom 2014 Honda Civic Si will be included in a new Honda Legends Car Pack for Forza Motorsport 5, alongside a standard 2014 Civic Si coupe, 1994 Honda Prelude, and Honda's 1984 Mugen CRX. In real life, the 2014 Honda Civic Si coupe received a handful of changes for the new model year. Its 2.4-liter inline-four engine now produces 205 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque, increases of 4 hp and 4 lb-ft compared to the 2013 car, and all Civic coupes were visually refreshed for 2014. Check out the 2014 Chicago auto show to see the car in the flesh, or pick up a copy of Forza Motorsport 5 for Xbox One.

2014 Chicago Auto Show: Hits, Misses & Revelations Posted: 07 Feb 2014 05:00 AM PST CHICAGO – Temperatures hovering around zero Fahrenheit and a winter storm on travel day weren't enough to keep auto journalists from descending on McCormick Place for the 2014 Chicago auto show. There were no international journalists, save for a few reporters from Mexico, but the press day crowds were healthy enough in this sprawling convention center. One month after the manic schedule of press conferences at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, journalists welcome the opportunity to stroll calmly from stand to stand at McCormick. Here's what we found on our stroll … HIT: 2015 Subaru Legacy Opinions on the Subaru Legacy were mixed on the show floor, but I'm quite impressed. No, it isn't as stylish as a Mazda 6 or Ford Fusion, but the new Legacy is a smart, modern midsize sedan. Its interior materials and design are a big step up from other current Subarus like the Impreza and Forester, and the addition of new safety technology is important in this family-focused segment. My only disappointment is with the powertrains. Although the 2015 Subaru Legacy is slightly more efficient than the old car, I would have liked to see Subaru launch new, modern offerings, rather than simply reheating the current 2.5-liter and 3.6-liter Boxer engines. --Jake Holmes HIT: 2015 Subaru Legacy This is the only all-new car here. It's not a facelift or trim level or special edition. It's not a rebadged version of something else (see: the 2015 Chevrolet City Express, a badge-engineered Nissan NV200). Instead of trying to make it look sporty, the Legacy's designers went for a very Honda Accord-like profile (with a rather Ford-esque grille) to enhance front- and rear-seat comfort and capaciousness. They steeply raked the A-pillars and used high-strength steel in order to keep them as thin as possible and still meet rollover standards. Though the Subaru Legacy is about the same overall length as the outgoing model, it has more rear-seat and trunk space. Subaru says it's the roomiest interior in the class, larger than Accord or Volkswagen Passat. The carryover 175-hp H-4 and 256-hp H-6 don't bother me; instead, I'm disappointed that the only transmission that'll be offered when the car goes on sale this July will be a CVT. The big question, though, is whether an automaker that has achieved great success with vehicles outside the mainstream, like the Outback and Forester, can boost sales of its most conventional model. --Todd Lassa HIT: 2015 Kia Soul EV The funky, youth-oriented Kia Soul is a great vehicle to turn into an electric hatchback. The lithium-ion battery pack doesn't seem to have a major effect on interior or cargo room, and I actually like the special floating-roof look created by the blacked-out A- and B-pillars and the contrasting white roof. The official word is the car will go 80 to 100 miles on a battery charge (about on par with other EVs like the Nissan Leaf), but Kia says that some prototypes managed far more than 100 miles per charge. --J.H. MISS: 2015 Nissan Versa Note SR I have no problem with the standard Nissan Versa Note. Although bland and unexciting, the Note is sufficiently spacious, affordable, and fuel-efficient. How odd, though, that Nissan chose to create a "sporty" trim level for it. The changes are only cosmetic, and seem totally out of character for a cheap hatchback with a 109-hp engine and CVT. --J.H. HIT: Nissan Frontier Diesel Runner Nissan is testing consumer reaction to the idea of a Frontier -- its aged midsize pickup -- with a 2.8-liter Cummins turbodiesel four. Diesel could prove to be the panacea for Ford competitors trying to meet Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards while they work on their aluminum programs. --T.L. MISS: 2015 Lincoln Navigator A Lincoln marketer tells me that the Navigator is the brand's most recognized vehicle, with the most loyal followers, so the full-size SUV has a good future in the brand's thin lineup. (That's also why it still has a real name whereas other Lincolns switched to MK- badges.) The only compelling part of this update is the newly-available, fuel-efficient EcoBoost V-6 engine. Meanwhile, the new waterfall grille and full-width LED taillights don't fit with the boxy Navigator. Chicago is one of the Navigator's top sales markets, so it makes sense to show the warmed-over SUV here. --J.H. REVELATION: 2015 Lincoln Navigator That waterfall grille stands out like the monolith that disturbs the apes in the opening scene of "2001: A Space Odyssey." Rumors have been flying that Lincoln would move past this grille design. There's no better way to kill off an iconic design cue than to overdo it on your biggest vehicle. --T.L. HIT: Global Rallycross Volkswagen Beetle You know how some people call the Volkswagen Beetle a girly car? Show them the pair of 560-hp, all-wheel-drive Bugs that Volkswagen will enter in the Global Rallycross championship. --J.H. MISS: 2014 Dodge Journey Crossroad The fake brushbar on the lower front fascia of the Journey special trim edition is designed to make the crossover look "more butch." It reminds me of the fake helicopter hooks on the hood of the Hummer H2. --T.L. HIT: Toyota TRD Pro models Want proof Toyota is on the right track with these off-road-ready models? A fellow journalist who owns a Toyota 4Runner told me he wants these upgrade parts for his SUV. (Not because he goes off-roading, by the way, but because he uses the 4Runner to navigate deep snow.) The Tacoma, Tundra, and 4Runner are the sorts of vehicles that attract people who actually want to use them properly, and it makes sense for Toyota to provide parts for those enthusiasts. --J.H. HIT: Grille script on Toyota TRD Pro model A car company can recall its heritage without going full-on retro. --T.L. REVELATION: Chicago Truck Show Toyota used to launch new truck models here, and it's still a draw for premiers like the bi-fuel 2015 Chevy Silverado HD and others mentioned above. Trucks are the Chicago auto show's best chance for having a future as a media event. --T.L.

Mopar Modifies 2015 Chrysler 200 At 2014 Chicago Auto Show Posted: 07 Feb 2014 04:00 AM PST Scarcely a month after the standard car was introduced in Detroit, Mopar revealed a modified version of the 2015 Chrysler 200 at the 2014 Chicago auto show. The idea is to highlight the many add-on parts that Mopar offers through its showrooms specifically for Chrysler vehicles. The Mopar model is based on a 2015 Chrysler 200S, so it comes with a 295-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 engine. Mopar lowered the sedan and applied 19-inch bronze wheels, painted it Lunar White Pearl, and added various contrasting trim pieces. The roof and mirrors are painted gloss black, and Mopar also applied a gloss-black mesh grille, a new front lip, quad exhaust tips, and new side skirts. On the inside, the 2015 Chrysler 200S benefits from white leather seats with bronze stitching, white-suede door cards, black carpeted floor mats, and an inductive phone charging kit. While Mopar will not sell this modified 2015 Chrysler 200S in showrooms, owners will be able to purchase all the individual parts to upgrade their own car. Mopar says that by the end of this year, it will offer a total of 100 add-ons for the new 200 through Chrysler dealerships nationwide. Other accessories set to debut include bicycle racks, car covers, an electronic vehicle-tracking system, cargo organizers, and ambient cabin lighting.

2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stars in "Captain America" Sequel Posted: 07 Feb 2014 03:00 AM PST Reprising her role as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s sexy and stealthy Black Widow, Scarlett Johansson will drive a black-on-black 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray in the upcoming Marvel sequel "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." No doubt her enemies will hear the throaty 455-hp 6.2-liter V-8 before they see Black Widow and her Corvette Stingray coming. Scarlett Johansson made her first appearance as Natasha Romanova (aka Black Widow) in Iron Man 2 alongside the bad-boy genius Tony Stark, and also teamed up with Marvel's band of heroes for "The Avengers" in 2012. Iron Man is known for his taste in high-class automobiles, which include a supercar based on the new Acura NSX prototype, as well as an Audi R8, a Saleen S7, and a Tesla Roadster. This will be the first blockbuster movie stage for the brand new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, which was chosen as our 2014 Automobile of the Year. Chevrolet has featured its sports cars in blockbuster flicks in the past, with the yellow Chevrolet Camaro playing a significant role as the Autobot named Bumblebee in the "Transformers" series. Black Widow's blacked-out Chevrolet Corvette Stingray is on view at the 2014 Chicago auto show for those who want to see it in person. If the mean and muscled Corvette doesn't get your heart pounding, perhaps the addition of inevitable explosions and Scarlett Johansson can remedy that when "Captain America: The Winter Solider" hits theaters April 4.

Recall Central: 2014 Ram ProMaster Posted: 07 Feb 2014 02:30 AM PST The Problem: On 2014 Ram ProMaster cargo vans, If pressure is applied to the accelerator pedal at a certain angle, the throttle can stick in the wide-open position due to a problem with the pedal stop. Ram does note that every ProMaster vehicle is equipped with a brake-throttle override system, meaning that if the driver applies the brake it will override any throttle input at the same time. There are no injuries or accidents associated with this problem. The Fix: Ram will replace the pedal stop with a new component that has a more robust design. Chrysler says this new part also improves pedal feel at wide-open throttle. Number of Vehicles Potentially Affected: 9655 2014 Ram ProMaster full-size vans, half of which are at dealers already.