Not surprisingly, the fifth-gen Espace borrows a sizable amount of design cues from the Initiale Paris concept that was presented last year at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Although the concept’s boxy overall shape has been carried over to the production car, it has predictably lost its rear suicide doors and gained a taller roof line.

Interior pictures are not available but expect the next Espace to feature with a well-appointed, high-tech cockpit in order to follow Renault’s upmarket move. Upscale trim levels will come with premium features such as full leather upholstery, a touch screen-based infotainment system with voice command and wood trim on the dashboard.

Power will come from small-displacement gasoline- and diesel-burning engines ranging from approximately 1.4- to 2.0-liters. Entry-level models will be equipped with a six-speed manual transmission, while more expensive variants will gain an automatic unit. Front-wheel drive will be the only configuration available.

More details about the fifth-gen Renault Espace will emerge over the coming months. Though it will initially launch as a five-seater, a long-wheelbase seven-seater model will join the lineup later in the production run.

More details have surfaced regarding Infiniti’s development of a flagship sedan styled after the stunning Essence concept and slated to go head to head against the likes of the Porsche Panamera and Maserati Quattroporte.

The new range topper will dethrone the Q70 (formerly M56) as king of the Infiniti lineup, possibly as the Q80 or Q90, both of which Nissan has trademarked. The new Infiniti flagship will offer performance “that will take the challenge right up to the likes of Panamera and beyond” in the same way the Nissan GT-R offers performance that allows it to “cream” the Porsche 911, an unnamed company insider told Motoring.com.au.

To do so, Infiniti will offer two powertrain options, both twin-turbo hybrid-electrics. The lesser of the two will mate a 3.0-liter direct-injection turbo V6 to a hybrid drivetrain. It will be able to run in purely electric mode for short distances and generate a Panamera Turbo-like 550hp.

For the top-of-the-line option, engineers are working on a new, twin-turbo 3.7-liter V6 hybrid capable of 700hp. Though this might sound suspiciously similar to recent revelations about the next-generation Nissan GT-R, the source says Godzilla’s hand-built 3.8-liter motor is not mass-produceable. The flagship will, however, use the GT-R’s ATTESA all-wheel-drive system, providing it with class-leading performance in the form of a four-second-ish 0-62 time and a top speed in excess of 186 mph.

Officially, Infiniti head honcho Johann de Nysschen has stated he’d “like to see commercialization of the Essence concept towards the back half of the decade,” while Nissan executive vice president Andy Palmer has said, “We won’t do a Merc S-Class or that type of car. We have had that before. We want a flagship car that’s appealing and different.”

This falls in line with Infiniti’s stated goal of being the top luxury performance marque from Asia, rivaling the best Europe has to offer. The flagship sedan is expected to go on sale in 2017 or 2018.

Japanese automakers are raising workers’ wages in their home country for the first time since the global financial crisis in 2008.

The move was prompted by union pleas and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s efforts to battle over 15 years of deflation. According to the Detroit Free Press, the 50,000-plus members of the Toyota Motor Workers’ Union will receive a $26 per month bump in base pay. Factoring in pay increases based on seniority and promotions, Toyota says the average bump will be 2.9 percent per worker. In addition, average bonuses will rise to $24,093, or the equivalent of 6.8 months’ salary.

Nissan, for its part, will raise base pay for its union workers by $35 with bonuses equal to 5.6 months’ salary. Honda will hike wages by $22 and did not comment on bonuses.

Abe has been on an aggressive campaign to weaken the Japanese yen in order to gain a trade advantage, but many of Japan’s trading partners, including the US, are doing the same to their respective currencies. So far, his plan appears to have worked, with the best yen-to-dollar exchange rate since 2009, but which is still below pre-2008 rates. Still, the strategy has helped Toyota add $1.9 billion to its already substantial cash pile.

The wage increase will also help workers offset Japan’s first increase of its national sales tax in 17 years.

Weikinger, the owner of a major solar panel manufacturing company, says he reached the milestone in September of 2009 while driving home from a business trip in Poland but he did not talk to the press about it until recently. He brought a camera on the trip for the sole purpose of taking a picture of the odometer rolling over but he was disappointed to find out the 62 S stayed stuck at 999,999 for the remainder of the drive. The odometer was later reset to zero by his local dealership.

The car was religiously maintained by the Mercedes dealership that sold it new, and service records show the most extensive work performed was replacing the original 6.0-liter V12 engine at 372,000 miles and installing a new transmission shortly after. Weikinger’s own meticulously-kept records reveal he pumped approximately 44,000 gallons of fuel, indicating the limousine returned a rough average of 14 mpg.

Weikinger explains he put an astronomical amount of miles on his car because he would rather drive than fly.

BMW is keeping official details about its next droptop under wraps until its official debut but a lone low-resolution screen shot of a sales brochure leaked a few weeks ago gave us a good idea of what to expect from it.

The car pictured wears all of the telltale signs of BMW’s next generation M-badged compacts: Beefy tires, large alloy wheels, aggressive bumpers and four exhaust tips integrated into an air diffuser. BMW has likely gone to great lengths to shave as much weight as possible from the regular 4-Series Convertible‘s three-piece retractable hard top.

As expected, the M4 Convertible will use the same twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six found in the engine bay of the M4 and the M3. Expect the six-cylinder mill to send 425 horsepower and 405 lb-ft. of torque to the rear wheels either a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed automatic unit. All models regardless of gearbox type will come with a limited-slip differential designed by BMW’s M division.

The M4 convertible will land in showrooms across the United States shortly after greeting the show-going public in the Big Apple. Full details will emerge in the coming weeks.

You’ve seen him before. That guy in the back of the office, the one who doesn’t speak up much but almost always stays late to get all of the paperwork done.

Unassuming and unflashy, yet thoroughly capable, the Subaru Forester is the compact crossover equivalent of that coworker. It never really registers in the forefront of your consciousness until you take a moment to reflect on how it managed to somehow carry two months worth of groceries home from Costco, in the middle of a snowstorm, while averaging nearly 30 mpg.

Thrilling stuff? No. Seriously useful? You bet. Sometimes it’s good to have the quiet, hard-working guy on your side.

What is it?

Now in its second year on the market, the fourth-generation Forester was born of Subaru’s desire to move towards the mainstream while still retaining the quirky virtues that have long set the automaker apart.

As such, there are a few concessions to mass-market appeal, chief among them a “standard-issue appliance” interior design that’s as ergonomically impeccable as it is bland. But Subaru’s core brand qualities – standard all-wheel-drive, a longitudinally mounted boxer four-cylinder, and a feeling of whole-grainy goodness – are all part of the package.

Most Foresters will leave dealer lots equipped like our tester, which was fitted with the standard 2.5-liter boxer four and a CVT. Although not overly powerful – the mill produces 170 horsepower and 174 lb-ft of torque – it is fuel-thrifty with the CVT, returning 24 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.

A six-speed manual is standard on lower trim levels. It hastens acceleration and knocks a good chunk off the MSRP, but dings efficiency to 22/29 mpg.

Those in a hurry can also opt for a turbocharged 2.0-liter boxer four that pairs exclusively with the CVT and cranks out 250 horsepower along with 258 lb-ft of torque. Essentially a forced-induction version of the BRZ sports car’s motor, it’s good for 23/28 mpg.

The Forester is available in six different trim levels, ranging from the entry-level 2.5i to the decked-out 2.0XT Touring. Ours was a step-above-base 2.5i Premium, which starts at $25,820 with the CVT and includes niceties like a panoramic moonroof, a backup camera and a 4.3-inch info display mounted atop the dash.

It was further optioned with the $1,600 All Weather Package (heated seats, heated side mirrors and windshield wiper de-icer) + Navigation System bundle.

What’s it up against?

One of the quickest-growing and most hotly-contested segments in the market, the compact crossover class has no shortage of accomplished alternatives to the Forester. If you’re shopping for a cute-ute, the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Mazda CX-5 and Chevrolet should all be on your list.

Those willing to give up some interior space and put up with polarizing styling in order to attain genuine off-roading capability can also consider the Jeep Cherokee.

What’s it look like?

Essentially the opposite of the bizzaro, love-it-or-loathe-it Cherokee, the Forester plays things safe in the styling department. That’s not to say it’s bad-looking; touches like a chrome grille strip that aligns with the upswept headlights provide a cohesiveness that’s attractive in a understated way.

On the debit side, there’s little character to be found around back, and the extra-tall greenhouse seems slightly out of proportion to the rest of the body. We’ll happily live with the later, as the tradeoff is superb visibility that, in this troubled age of high beltlines and pillbox windows, is increasingly rare.

And on the inside?

The Forester’s interior – which is lifted from the Impreza compact – has a distinct “designed by committee” feel. There’s precious little risk taking evident in the dashboard’s simple, sober lines, although styling is of course subjective and we’re sure some will find the conservative look to their taste.

On the other hand, we think that all buyers will appreciate the care Subaru took in getting the cabin layout right. The instrument panel, HVAC controls and useful dashtop trip computer/info screen – all are conveniently located and quite user-friendly.

The one ergonomic downfall is the optional navigation system, which has a low-rent, aftermarket appearance and can be difficult to use due to its touchscreen display’s tiny, oddly-arranged digital buttons. Redundant conventional controls would be a big help, but frankly the entire setup could use a rethink.

We’d judge material quality as being right at or slightly above the class average, and that’s no slight to the Forester given the industry-wide strides in interior quality that have taken place in recent years.

In keeping with the crossover’s utilitarian focus, space is a decided strong suite. Passenger real estate is generous, and rear-seat dwellers in particular will be impressed with the acreage at their disposal. The cargo area is similarly commodious, offering 33.5 cubic feet of room, and stowing the 60/40 split-folding rear seats boosts capacity to a capacious 68.3 cubes.

But does it go?

Safe, predictable and comfortable are the key words for describing the Forester’s driving experience. After long hours at the office, its benign, vice-free dynamics and complaint suspension – which remains composed even over deeply cratered roads – provide a welcome respite from the day’s toils.

Though it doesn’t encourage spirited driving, the 2.5-liter delivers adequate power in most driving situations, and the CVT is largely invisible. We mean that in the best possible way – whereas earlier infinite-ratio transmissions drew the wrong kind of attention to themselves through a “rubber band” delay when the driver summoned more power, this unit is admirably linear in its operation.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the Forester’s throttle response from a dead stop. Do anything more than breathe on the gas pedal, and the crossover leaps forward with head-jerking haste. With some practice and an especially light right foot, it’s possible to set off at a moderate pace, but overall this is definitely an area where there’s room for improvement.

Possessing a sizable 8.7 inches of ground clearance and a sure-footed all-wheel-drive system, it comes as little surprise that the Forester was more than equal to the task of riding out a serious late-winter snowstorm that occurred during its stay at Leftlane’s New England bureau. Light, accurate steering kept the Forester on course through weather foul and fair, but there was precious little feedback from the electric assist system – although, to be honest, that’s a complaint that could be lodged against the vast majority of new vehicles these days.

Leftlane’s bottom line

A subpar navigation system and touchy throttle aren’t enough to outweigh our respect for the Forester’s well-balanced blend of efficiency, practicality and all-weather capability.

For those who need a solid, hard-working crossover that, like that stoic coworker, will quietly go the extra mile, the Forester deserves a serious look.

2014 Subaru Forester 2.5i Premium base price, $23,495. As tested, $27,420.

CVT, $1,500; All Weather Package + Navigation System, $1,600. Destination, $825.

Photos by Nat Shirley.

Apple wowed the automotive world when it launched its latest CarPlay infotainment system at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, but owners of older vehicles might not as impressed. In order to get a Ferrari or Volvo with CarPlay, you’ll need to plunk down the cash for a new model.

“The new system CarPlay is available only on new range cars and cannot be installed on older ones,” Ferrari said in an emailed statement to AppleToolbox.

Volvo’s stance on retrofitting older cars isn’t as definitive, but the outlook still looks bleak for current owners.

“We have not announced any plans for an aftermarket solution for Apple CarPlay. While I cannot reveal any potential future products, I can say that there are major roadblocks for this, both from a technical as well as from a usability point-of-view,” a spokesperson for Volvo said.

Mercedes-Benz, meanwhile, is working toward a CarPlay solution for older vehicles. However, the German automaker hasn’t announced when such an upgrade might be available.

The Eau Rouge was initially unveiled at the Detroit auto show, however the company waited until February to tease the GT-R powerplant ahead of an official confirmation earlier this month in Geneva.

“We could have chosen other Infiniti engines — the 5.0- and 5.6-liter V8 engines for instance — or one from our Alliance partners,” Infiniti senior communications manager Kyle Bazemore told Autoblog.

Engineers and product-planning teams are said to have considered an even wider range of potential options, including a “high-power sports diesel” and a hybrid system with “uprated” electrical components to serve as an “electric supercharger.”

On paper the Eau Rouge engine is a bit different than that of the GT-R, with 560 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque — up 15 ponies and down 20 lb-ft of twist compared to the Nissan. Bazemore suggests the new engine was remapped for a large sports sedan and “to feel like an Infiniti.”

The Eau Rouge is viewed as a conceptual competitor to the BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, however Infiniti cautions that it is still just a concept.