Upon introduction, both trims are equipped with a standard 4.7-liter, V8, 420-horsepower engine that achieves 13-mpg in the city and 19-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard.
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Upon introduction, both trims are equipped with a standard 4.7-liter, V8, 420-horsepower engine that achieves 13-mpg in the city and 19-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard.
Aston Martin Rapide
The 2011 Rapide is a 4-door, 4-passenger affluence sports sedan, accessible in two trims, the Coupe and the Luxe.... apprehend more
Upon introduction, both trims are able with a accepted 6.0-liter, V12, 470-horsepower engine. A 6-speed automated manual with overdrive is standard.
Aston Martin DBS
The 2011 DBS is a 2-door, up to 4-passenger affluence sports car, or convertible sports car, accessible in two... apprehend added trims, the Coupe and the Volante.
Upon introduction, both trims are able with a accepted 6.0-liter, V12, 510-horsepower agent that achieves 11-mpg in the burghal and 17-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed chiral manual with overdrive is standard, and a 6-speed automated manual with overdrive is optional.
BMW Alpina B7
Try as it might, the BMW M3 Auto can't lose the Alpina B7. The two of us are an absurd automotive pair, arena cat-and-mouse on one continued alley to boilerplate abysmal in the alcove of an unincorporated breadth of the California littoral mountains. The air is air-conditioned and the canyons are mostly quiet. Only the complete of two bawl V8s break the silence.
While the M3 dives into the corners with confidence, the B7 launches out with barbaric conviction. The M3 pulls agilely on the abbreviate straights, but the B7 puts its ability bottomward with boldness and steadily reels the abate auto aback in. Even mid-corner, back the M3 is in absolute step, the B7 clenches a hardly added band but still holds its ground.
BMW pulls out of World Touring Car Championship
If you were aghast with BMW's accommodation to leave Formula One at the end of aftermost year, authority on to your hats as the Bavarian automaker is added ascent aback its antagonism programs, advertisement the cessation of its factory-backed World Touring Car Championship accomplishment for abutting season.
The move follows a change in administration at BMW Motorsport in which longtime administrator Mario Theissen is authoritative way for admission bang-up Jens Marquardt. Aftermost year, afterwards affairs out of the Sauber F1 team, BMW appear it was downsizing its WTCC works accomplishment from three factory-backed teams to aloof one. But afterward its accommodation to attempt adjoin Audi and Mercedes-Benz in the civic DTM series, it has clearly autonomous to shut bottomward that distinct WTCC aggregation as well.
BMW will, however, abide bartering its afresh reworked 320 TC to absolute teams in the WTCC, afterward the aforementioned aisle artificial by SEAT in its abandonment from the alternation afterwards claiming the championship aftermost year. The move leaves Chevrolet and Volvo (which enters the alternation in a bound accommodation abutting year afterwards assertive the Swedish Touring Car Series) as the alone works teams in the series. Official advertisement afterwards the jump.
2012 BMW 6 Series Convertible
To say that the second-generation BMW 6 Series acquired a bit of a arena back it hit the apple date in 2003 would be to abbreviate its shock value. The Dingolfing, Germany-built auto and convertible's administration seemed to win admirers and cockle traditionalists' accoutrement in according measure, but behindhand of how you feel about its aesthetics, the 6's continued archetypal run has been a success, consistent in about 118,000 units sold.
Despite this achievement (and admitting what BMW admiral acquaint us), there has been a bright bit of architecture accedence in the halls of Bavaria, as Chris Bangle's arguable surfacing treatments and aerial block curve accept been smoothed out in newer models in favor of beneath polarizing designs throughout the BMW empire.
So it is with the 2012 6 Series range, which launches with the 650i convertible archetypal apparent here, a archetypal that's due to hit showrooms this April (just in time for top-down season). With North America constant a algid winter, it was alone adapted that we arch to added abstemious climates for some affection top-down running. BMW clearly had the aforementioned thought, so they beatific us to Cape Town, South Africa. Famous for its finned and pointy-teethed citizenry coursing offshore, we couldn't anticipate of a added adapted atom to sample the 6 Series' reborn bluff adenoids look.
BMW, PSA accomplish hooking up on hybrids official
BMW and PSA Peugeot Citroen accept clearly hopped into bed calm to coact on all of the systems and accouterments that goes into crafting a amalgam drivetrain, and the two accept been so affectionate as to let us all in on what they're planning. It's no shock that the two companies will accomplice up on aggregate from array packs and generators tocomputer application and chargers, but BMW has appear that the capital ambition of the accumulated tie up is to body an accessible European amalgam belvedere to advice accord all Euro automakers a little bit of anatomy and an bend in the looming electrified fray.
The collective adventure is accepted to get beneath way in the additional division of 2011 barring no hiccups from legislators, and BMW says that the aboriginal articles to accomplish use of the technology developed by the affiliation are acceptable to hit the alley in 2014 at the earliest. According to Motoring File, the actual aboriginal cartage to backpack the new-age amalgam accessory beneath its awning will acceptable be the Mini Countryman or a Countryman-based model. Hit the jump for the abounding columnist release.
BMW planning 1 Series GT?
BMW is austere about its genre-bending multi-purpose vehicles. Proof of such can be apparent in cartage such as the X6 and 5 Series Gran Turismo, both of which were advised to action article that fits in amid a accepted wagon and addition carbon-copy crossover.
It appears BMW may be cerebration of downsizing the trend with a not-a-wagon, not-an-X1 adaptation of its 1 Series that would aperture in beneath the accepted 3 Series GT. For those befitting track, such a action agency that BMW could potentially action its 1, 3 and 5 Series nameplates in sedan, wagon (or hatchback), crossover (X-series) and Gran Turismo styles, not to acknowledgment a ambit of coupes. And don't balloon that BMW is additionally affective its Mini cast up in admeasurement a few notches, best afresh with the Countryman.
The 1 Series GT (which may or may not be pictured above, an angel that reportedly came from an alien UK magazine...) would about absolutely be front-wheel drive, as the German automaker is accepted to be alive on such an architectonics for its smallest, entry-level models and it would action the best able use of space. All-wheel drive could potentially be offered as an option, as the belvedere is accepted to abutment such an arrangement.
Yes, BMW's accounted calendar acutely leaves lots of allowance to action article for aloof about any – and we do beggarly any – abeyant buyer.
Hyundai confirms Elantra Coupe, redesigned Azera for U.S.
Hyundai is on a big-time roll right now, as evidenced by hot-selling new product like the Sonata & Elantra. The Korean automaker could likely take a fast product development nap & wake up with a still-fresh lineup, but apparently that is not in the designs.
As expected, the Azera will even be fitted for new duds by next January with all-new sheetmetal as well as a revised 3.3-liter V6 able to at least 260 horsepower. Hyundai expects the redesign of the Azera to lead to much higher sales, from only 3,051 in 2010 to up to 20,000 for 2012.
Acura TL teased ahead of Chicago debut
What we're most curious about, however, is the 2012 TL's front fascia. Acura's new corporate face wasn't well-received by members of the media when it debuted on the 2009 TL, & we're curious to see if the angular lines have been smoothed out for the new model year.
Additionally, we'd expect that the sedan's powertrain options currently a pair of 3.5- & 3.7-liter V6s have been refined ever so slightly. We'll have the full details in the coursework of this week's Chicago Auto Show festivities, so stay tuned.
Subaru Impreza could debut in New York
Like the current model, the 2012 Impreza will be offered in both sedan and five-door hatchback body styles, powered by the automaker's revised 2.5-liter Boxer flat-four that debuted in the 2011 Forester. We hope that Subaru keeps plenty of of the Impreza Concept's lines intact for the production automobile, since we drool at the thought of what the STI-fettled version will look like.
Buick Regal eAssist live in the Windy City
They received the first details about Buick's new Regal eAssist earlier today, but we have returned from seeing the automobile in person before the Chicago Auto Show officially kicks off tomorrow. Visually, the more fuel-efficient Regal looks no different than the standard automobile, save the addition of eco-friendly 17-inch alloy wheels and low-rolling-resistance tires.
Buick's new eAssist technique first debuted on the larger LaCrosse sedan, where it will serve as the base powertrain for 2012 model year vehicles. With the Regal, however, the eAssist model will slot above the base 2.4-liter automobile and below the Regal Turbo, which makes use of the automaker's 220-horsepower 2.0-liter Ecotec inline-four. Pricing will be announced closer to the eAssist's official launch later this year.
Volkswagen debuts turbocharged 2012 Jetta GLI, priced from $23,495
Think of the Jetta GLI as a bigger, fatter GTI. like in the smaller hatchback, the 2.0-liter turbo-four produces 200 horsepower & 207 pound-feet of torque, mated to either a six-speed manual transmission or VW's DSG automatic. The Jetta GLI uses the same XDS cross differential system that debuted in the GTI, which assists in controlling wheel spin & understeer during cornering.
The Jetta GLI is available in five trim levels GLI, GLI Autobahn & GLI Autobahn Navigation priced from $23,495, $25,545 & $26,445, respectively. The base GLI comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, smoked taillights as well as a revised front fascia, not to mention enhanced suspension geometry for better engagement out on the road. The GLI Autobahn ups the ante with a set of 18-inch alloys, dual-zone climate control, heated leatherette seats as well as a new Fender premium audio system. The top-trim GLI Autobahn Navigation adds, well, navigation, as well as push-button start.
Look for the 2012 Jetta GLI to hit dealerships in the approaching months. For the full details, follow the jump for Volkswagen's press release, & stay tuned for live impressions direct from the Chicago show floor.
2011 Honda CR-Z EX
Since Honda began selling the Insight the first hybrid vehicle in North America way back in the concluding month of the 20th century, it's struggled to discover a winning formula for the carbon-conscious hybrid crowd. That first odd-looking, all-aluminum Insight was a fuel-economy champ, but it offered small room for property and one additional chair, forcing most would-be buyers to wait seven long months for the more practical Toyota Prius.
The 2003 Civic hybrid didn't capture hybrid buyers apparent desire for something that looked different, that made a statement. The same can be said of the 2005 Honda Accord hybrid and that V-6 powered sedan didn't produce as giant a bump in fuel economy as did the Civic.
2011 Chevrolet Volt Full Test
Mass-produced electric cars are finally here. And, this time around, it appears they're here to stay.
But beyond the commonality of large battery packs, the Volt sets itself apart from the Nissan Leaf and the forthcoming EV crowd: It also has a gas engine that can step in to extend the Volt's range when the battery's energy is depleted.
2011 Saab 9-5 Aero XWD
Saab's 11th-hour rescue at the hands of Spyker recalls one of our favourite tales of redemption. Although few would call GM's stewardship of Saab excellent, it was definitely an adventure, and the parallels to the 1989 cinematic masterpiece Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure are strong. The heroes in both tales coasted for 20 years or so before being saved from the brink of catastrophe: Bill and Ted by a time-traveling rock groupie from 700 years in the future, Saab by an equally unlikely Dutch supercar maker. And forecasts for Saab's future under Spyker are dubious' Bogus Journeys may turn out to be as apt a descriptor for the follow-up to Saab's GM interlude as it was for the Bill and Ted sequel. Spyker scooped up the gasping Saab for a $74-million song, and $326 million in shares of the newly formed Saab Spyker Automobiles.
2011 Volvo S60 T6 AWD
Volvo's last new huge sedan, the S80, didn't exactly wow us. They might have said actually, they did say'that the S80 had all the flavor of Wasa crispbread. That automobile left us worried that the wacky engineering folks who created the 150-mph turbocharged bricks of the 1990s had left the company, or perhaps were hit with a debilitating depression after hearing that the hoped-for ABBA reunion would never materialize.
But they don't let the vehicles of the past cloud our new-car judgments. We are prepared for surprises, nice or bad, and occasionally the Swedes offer up shockers like the fleet-footed XC60, the chuckable C30, and transgender surgical procedure. They weren't immediately surprised by the new S60 because nothing about it stands out. It doesn't have the overtly sports-car feel of its rear-drive peers. With a transverse-engine layout, a serious front-weight bias (61.7 percent of the 3896-pound curb weight rests on the front tires), and a standard all-wheel-drive method that is 95 percent front-drive most of the time, the S60 can't pretend to be a sports automobile.
2011 Chevrolet Cruze LTZ
So, no, we won�t celebrate the Cruze as the Great American Small Automobile. It can�t be, having been blended by Daewoo in Korea & by Opel in Italy. We will, however, celebrate it for removing from our lives forever the Pontiac G5 & the entry-level Chevy Cobalt�two Ohio-built passenger pigeons that mark a milestone, representing, as we certainly do, the last small cars that an all-Yankee GM squad will ever generate. Is that a bad thing? Probably not. Is that a tragic thing? You bet. Let�s all say it out loud: �America can�t engineer small cars.� See? That wasn�t so hard.
Since the 1970 debut of the mechanically vermin-infested Vega, GM�s grim experience building econosedans has no doubt been made unhappier by the media, who, on each debut, ask, �Is this the Great American Small Automobile?� As the Chevette & an onslaught of Cavaliers would demonstrate, the answer is �no,� has always been �no,� & we all know that it�s �no.� Yet we keep asking, even when the American small automobile in question is not credibly American�as in the Toyota-built Nova, the Isuzu- & Suzuki-built Geos, &, eventually, every single Saturn sedan, whose tag line, �A different kind of automobile company,� ought to have been, �A actual familiar kind of automobile you rented a couple years ago in Europe.�
Ferrari California
Of coursework, that didn’t cease the Ferrari from getting stares in every Bavarian village they blew through. Even the least elegant Ferrari attracts camera-phone photographers, it seems. and those gawkers missed the view under the hood, where two giant inlet tubes run up to the red valve covers. Everything but the engine is covered, and it’s a visual treat.
there is one giant issue with the Ferrari new york, and it starts at the rear. The tall tail was necessary to provide room for all the hardware needed for the folding top, and this gives a classically stunning shape to the new york in side profile. The trouble begins when you look head-on at the car’s butt. The round taillights are placed well inboard of the fenders, and the swaths of sheetmetal extending to the edges increase the visual width of the rear. and, they serve small function: The braking and turn-signal lights are in a triangular cluster closer to the bumper. The stacked rear tailpipes, like those of the Lexus IS F, are purely cosmetic and have no physical attachment to the ordinary exhaust pipes they conceal.
Mercedes-Benz GLK350 4MATIC
If comparison tests were decided on the basis of styling, this spunky tiny Benz rolling on Pirelli 20-inchers might have won here. But low-profile tires are noisy, and they often make the steering vague on-center; both complaints echoed and reechoed throughout our drive. All the other vehicles wore 55 and 60 profiles and elicited no squawks. Surprisingly, given the tires, the Benz’s ride was comparatively smooth, better than the BMW’s.
The GLK350 looks sharp inside and out, with chunky expanses of neatly twisted and brushed metal punctuating the black interior. The dash, and the tool cluster with its crisp markings, seems clean and contemporary. they like the firmly stuffed driver’s seat, pronouncing it right for all-day journeys.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
