The Cars World Blog

American Muscle’s 1st Charity Car Show

admin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:06:06 +0000

Most car shows involve an hour of frantic polishing, followed by an hour of aimlessly walking the lot to check out the competition, and then finally, a good nap. But with 150 of the sweetest ‘Stangs ever to hit the road stationed door to door and bumper to bumper on every corner of the lot surrounded by more than a dozen top Mustang brands, each ready and eager to talk parts and performance, the 1st Annual AmericanMuscle Car Show and Charity Event was already set to be something different.

Then add in a circling helicopter taking photos from 1,000 feet, a free dyno running from dawn ‘til dusk, free food and drink for all registered cars, more free stuff than you can carry in a mid-size sports coupe, and a slew of ber-hot AmericanMuscle Girls strolling the lot, showing off their own fox bodies. Now that’s a car show.

Of course the central point of the July 19th event was the Best in Show competition. AmericanMuscle judges walked the lot all day long meticulously examining every show candidate. In the end, it was Tony Massimano’s fully-custom ’69 Mach 1 that took top prize. Here’s a list of the rest of the winners:

Rick Bauman: President’s Choice Award: Torch Red ’05 GT
Tommy Lee: Best ’05 to 2010 Mustang: Black ’06 GT500 Convertible
Mike Baer: Best ’99 to ’04 Mustang: ’04 MystiChrome Cobra Convertible
Donnie Huth: Best ’94 to ’98 Mustang: ’97 Cobra
Rick Nagle: Best ’79 to ’93 Mustang: ’93 GT

In a day full of highlights, more than 1,000 showed up to walk and talk Mustangs, and show their support for Homes for Our Troops, a charity that buys or builds homes for disabled veterans. The goal for the day was to raise $5,000 for those that given more than we could ask while defending our freedom. But, when the day was done, and the money was counted, AmericanMuscle wrote a check for $8015 to its favorite charity. Adding to this number, the Garden State Region Mustang Club made an additional donation of $850, and an anonymous AmericanMuscle supplier also kicked in a check for $500, bringing the total donation to $9,365—a good day indeed.

For more information, plus lots of photos and video on the 1st Annual AmericanMuscle Car Show and Charity Event please visit: http://blog.americanmuscle.com/

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Corvette Guys - Parts and Accessories for Corvette’s Lover

admin — Fri, 08 May 2009 15:26:21 +0000

Despite their economic woes and cutbacks, GM announced in late April that the Corvette brand would be continue pushing the performance envelope with their 2010 models, including reviving the Grand Sport moniker and the introduction of a GT-R-esque launch control system. (That, if used, won’t void the manufacturer warranty - much to the approval of enthusiasts who thought the fact that using the launch control on the GT-R would do just that was simply stupid.)

The appearance of the Grand Sport and new technology shows that GM is still very much invested in furthering the development of the Corvette brand. That said, many current Corvette owners are either holding on to their current Corvettes - either holding out for the much-rumored C7 or just choosing not to add a new car payment to their checkbook. Some, perhaps, are Corvette enthusiasts or Corvette collectors that think demand for their particular model year will rise if GM keeps cutting production. And some are just taking advantage of dealer incentives and tax breaks to pick up the car of their dreams, and snatching up the remaining 2009 C6’s at unbelievable prices.

Whatever the reason, many owners are looking for ways to get more enjoyment out of their Corvette without breaking the bank. Gone are the days when Corvette owners would cheerfully fork over the cash many dealerships demanded for aftermarket parts - they’re shopping smarter, with an emphasis on value. And with all the speculation surrounding the future of GM and the Corvette brand, some owners are turning to online merchants as the answer, as they upgrade their current vehicle and look for alternative sources of affordable Corvette parts. Some online specialty merchants like CorvetteGuys offer convenient, one-stop shopping and free shipping and toll-free customer service 6 days a week - now try getting that kind of service from your dealer!

Many are looking for a way to protect the value of their investment through items such as a Corvette bra and car cover that prevents the need for expensive re-painting. Others are simply looking for a way to get more enjoyment out of their current car, or even are transitioning to having a Corvette as a daily driver, by adding little touches like a Corvette wind screen to make daily driving a little more luxurious. And some are adding a great-looking, aggressive-sounding Corvette exhaust - both for its performance and for the added gas economy. Whatever the reason, Corvette owners are becoming increasingly savvy shoppers by frequenting online merchants.

So whether you’ve got a Corvette in your garage that you’re holding onto until the C7 makes its appearance, or have a Corvette you’re looking to enjoy (even) more, the rise of online stores means that regardless of GM’s plans, you’ll still be supplied with affordable aftermarket parts. So even though it’s tough times, you can save some cash and can maximize your enjoyment from your current Corvette to hold out and see what GM’s got up their sleeve for the next generation of
Corvette.

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Test - 2010 Mazda 3 s Grand Touring

admin — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:02:41 +0000

BY AARON ROBINSON, PHOTOGRAPHY BY MORGAN SEGAL

Change! It was the hottest thing last year, and anyone selling it did good business in a soft market. Sure, the new Mazda 3 has more emotion, more refinement, and a bit more power, but otherwise it’s basically the same thrifty little corner darter as before. Summon the firing squad.

Hey, you said you want change. Cheat-grass-fueled flying landaulets—that’s change, brother. And while you’re waiting for the real change, watch as Mazda dares you to love nuanced change, change by inches.

The 3 is Mazda’s lifeline, representing about 42 percent of the brand’s sales. No other model comes close. A snap, unscientific, non-peer-reviewed poll of known automotive writers finds a healthy number (okay, two) owning the old Mazda 3. Yes, our own greenbacks, earned writing car porn. Expressive lines, deft handling, and a price that required just a little stretch sealed at least a couple of sales among the stupendously jaded.

Change? We wished the old 3 were quieter and had gauges that were more legible. Otherwise, we had no big objections.

Both the new sedan and wagon were to be sent to dealers in late March, with some increase to the base and option-pack prices for the standard 148-hp 2.0-liter and the upscale 167-hp 2.5. Entry should be in the mid-15s, with the extra-deluxe Grand Touring with the 2.5 like the one shown here starting at about $23,000. The GT comes with such delights as leather, rain-sensing wipers, 17-inch wheels, and swiveling xenon headlamps.

Load it up as we have here with the Moonroof & Bose package and the Technology package of navigation, alarm, satellite radio, and pushbutton start, and you basically have a mini Mazda 6 for about $26,000.

Oh, where art thou, change? Right up front, with the new wide-mouth-bass look. With its jaunty cheek ducts and teardrop eyes, this is basically the RX-8’s face projected in IMAX. We expect this sort of cartooning from France, where 1950s funnyman Fernandel and his gaping maw inspired the current generation of Peugeots. Indeed, Mazda’s chief designer, Laurens van den Acker, hails from Holland, which is practically indistinguishable from France on old Axis maps.

The former 3’s pleasing proportions are retained, down to the curt overhangs, chop-tail trunk, and tight-fitting wheels (designers call the unsightly empty space between tire and fender the “dead-cat zone”). But the slab sides are transformed, the new body churning with expansive front fenders and a steeply raked swage line spearing the door handles, plus a minuscule dead-cat zone. Silver-chrome pupils punctuate the red daggers of the taillights, which evoke Cat Woman more than Fernandel’s Don Camillo.

Sculpted, skinned, and trimmed with more bravura, the 3’s new dash envelops the driver more thoroughly, the center console sloped and shaped to bulge its radio and climate-control knobs closer to you. Turn the radio’s volume knob, and the surrounding blue-toned light strips blip in response, jukebox style. Other mood lights tinge the center console and footwells with blue light. Everything looks and feels more expensive than it is.

The gauges are simple: fuel and odo in the center, with twin tubes housing the tach and speedo. A digital readout, colored red, reports climate settings, radio status, and the outside temperature, and when equipped with navigation, a small, three-by-five-inch color screen peers like a clerestory over the upper dash, just inches below the forward sightlines.

The five buttons and single joystick controlling the nav cluster on the 3 o’clock steering-wheel spoke are an inspired piece of design efficiency. Compared with using a touch screen, entering addresses takes a few extra seconds of joystick thumbing as you scroll the alphabet, but the controls become friendly after only minutes and are intuitively operated while driving, if necessary. Plus, the scheme doesn’t require major dash reorganization if a nav system isn’t optioned.

Cavils are few. The red-and-blue gauges are sufficiently legible in the day, but the illumination lacks enough adjustment and was either blazing or too dark at night. It was a chin dribble in the previous car that somehow didn’t get fixed. Also, the slot for the SD (secure digital) card containing the map software is behind a highly visible door next to the nav screen, a blot on the otherwise seamlessly executed dash.

Utility definitely rates with buyers in this segment. Dimensionally, the passenger capsule is almost unchanged, putting it midpack, and the trunk, accessed through a lid that pivots up and forward on multi¬link hinges, stays the same at 12 cubic feet. The rear bench is snug and presses knees into the front seatbacks, as before, and the bench splits 70/30 and flops almost flat with a push of the seatback buttons. A center armrest with cup holders eases those long back-seat journeys you’ll never want to take.

The twin pipes out back are one way to distinguish the 2.5-liter model (the 2.0-liter has a single exhaust). The same port-injected, twin-cam 16-valve cast-aluminum engine as in the base Mazda 6 gains 0.2 liter and produces 167 horsepower, up 11. The old 3 was the scoot boy of its class; the new 3, surprisingly, not as much. We hit 60 mph in 7.7 seconds, 0.4 second slower than in our last Mazda 3 test [December 2006]. Here’s the thing: That car was 149 pounds lighter, and its five-speed manual delivered 60 mph with just a single upshift. Tighter ratio spacing in the new six-speed box means the stick moves twice en route to the all-important 60-mph benchmark. That always costs a few eye blinks.

Still, the 3 is now in a dead heat with the Honda Civic, and both are still on the fleet end of the compact-sedan herd. With plenty of torque in the midrange, the 3 can sprint like a wide receiver through traffic. The extra gearbox ratio helps hold the line on fuel economy, though the city rating drops 1 mpg to 21. We saw 26 mpg overall, also down one from our last test car and its smaller engine.

We expect steering that draws a bead and an athletic suspension from the Zoom-Zoom crew, especially since only detail changes have been made over the previous car. Sure, the 3 suffers a less yielding ride around town, with a certain resonant hollowness to the ka-blunk! the Yokohamas make over pavement seams. Though Mazda has cut into the cabin noise, the freeway roar is still louder than the 3’s competitors. If you want creamy, buy a Corolla.

The 3 pays off around on-ramps, when beating a yellow light through a right turn, and wherever else it can be run hard and squeal-free at a corner. The front grabs with 10 fingers, the back end pushes and tucks, pushes and tucks as you gas it. We throttle-steered it around the skidpad for a 0.85-g performance, equal to the previous car’s and above average for the class.

Except for a slightly heavy clutch, the controls do their business with a satisfying rightness to their feel. Even the shifter, lanky and loose in the previous 3, gets some tightening, though it occasionally stumbled on the path from fifth to sixth gear. The braking from 70 mph played out over a middling 176 feet, with a pedal that feels firm and trustworthy. Everything about the 3 feels solid and wellmade, especially for its price.

Folks with a BMW hankering and a Toyota budget are the ideal candidates for this chair. Go easy on the options, and you’re almost stealing it. The 3 still brooms away misgivings about front drive. This is change we can live with.

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Review - 2009 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione

admin — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:51:50 +0000

BY RAY HUTTON

There have been endless predictions that the famous and once-revered Alfa Romeo marque would return to the U.S., having departed in 1995. And later this year, it is really going to happen—with just 84 cars from a limited production run of 500. The $250,000 8C Competizione is a special-edition, two-seat sports coupe that will serve as a kind of ambassador for the line of Alfa cars that should follow.

The 8C, reviving the name of the magnificent supercharged eight-cylinder Alfa sports cars of the 1930s, has had its own on/off saga. It was first shown in 2003 as a concept car at the Frankfurt auto show and in production form at the 2006 Paris show. Its exciting retro styling is the work of Wolfgang Egger, who has since left Alfa for Audi.

The 8C has been dismissed by some as simply a rebodied Maserati, but it turns out to be rather more than that. There are elements from the Maserati Coupé in the structure, and the suspension is lifted from the GranTurismo, but everything above the waistline and all the outer body panels are carbon fiber. The result is a low, stiff structure and a claimed weight of 3500 pounds, hundreds lighter than any other Maserati.

Suspension elements are taken from the GranTurismo, and the engine is a wet-sump development of Maserati’s Ferrari-built V-8, enlarged to 4.7 liters and making 444 horsepower. The transmission is a rear-mounted, six-speed automated manual with paddle controls behind the steering wheel.

There have been rumors that Ferrari will make a similarly sized front-engined V-8 coupe, but the 8C is a completely separate project, engineered at the Fiat-Alfa technical center in Turin. “It was important that our car give a different experience from a Ferrari or Maserati,” said chief engineer Domenico Bagnasco.

And it does. The engine has a broader power band and a different note—an absolutely glorious bark when the butterfly valves in the exhaust are open beyond 4000 rpm. The electrohydraulic gearchanges are less brutal than a Ferrari’s but are accompanied by even more snap, crackle, and pop from the tailpipes. The suspension is tauter and the steering sharper than a Maserati’s.

So the 8C is noisy, agile, and fast—topping 180 mph and going from 0 to 60 mph in an estimated 4.2 seconds, quicker than the Maserati and not far behind a Ferrari F430.

Primarily, though, this is a fun car with which to flatter the ego of wealthy enthusiasts. The cabin is lined with carbon fiber; the bespoke lightweight seats are trimmed with the finest Poltrona Frau leather; the aluminum console and grab handles are machined from solid billet. Owners can, and will, buy specially tailored leather bags to fit on the shelf behind the seats. The only space behind the 23-gallon fuel tank at the rear accommodates a zipped case that is ideal for carrying five or six bottles of Barolo.

These 8Cs are being sold and serviced through Maserati in the U.S. a dedicated Alfa Romeo dealer network has yet to be established to handle the mainstream cars that are most likely to begin arriving in 2010. But between now and then, there will be another expensive special edition. The response to the 8C has encouraged Alfa to reverse an earlier decision and build a limited number of convertibles, starting in 2009.

2009 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione - Specs

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 3-door hatchback

ESTIMATED BASE PRICE: $250,000

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 286 cu in, 4691cc
Power (SAE net): 444 bhp @ 7000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 354 lb-ft @ 4750 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual with automated shifting and clutch

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 104.1 in Length: 172.5 in Width: 74.6 in Height: 52.8 in
Curb weight: 3500 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 4.2 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 9.5 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 12.7 sec
Top speed (drag limited): 181 mph

PROJECTED FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST):
EPA city driving: 12 mpg
EPA highway driving: 17 mpg

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Review - 2009 Ferrari California

admin — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:55:41 +0000

BY TONY SWAN

Are you ready for a Ferrari to drive to the office, the mall, the beach, the slopes—anywhere, everywhere? That’s the concept behind this revival of a name from Ferrari’s storied past—a fast GT that supplies style, panache, plenty of performance, and thanks to its folding hardtop and “two-plus” interior layout, an unusually high level of all-around usefulness.

At the core of this concept is the hope that the California will attract buyers new to the brand, a notion that raises our eyebrows a degree or two since (a) the waiting list for a new Ferrari averages about 16 months, (b) U.S. Ferrari dealers have habitually given precedence to previous owners, (c) this car has no cup holders, and (d) its pricing will start at “about $200,000” in this country, according to the carmaker.

But never mind. These are issues for prospective owners. So let’s take a look at what Ferrari, Pininfarina (design), and Scaglietti (assembly) hath wrought.

Fabulous Ferrari Firsts

The California embodies a number of Ferrari firsts. For example, it’s the first Ferrari with a V-8 engine mounted ahead of the cockpit. Previous V-8s have been bolted in amidships, behind the seats. The V-8 is a development of the 4.3-liter eight that propels the superb (and soon to be replaced) F430 series, distinguished by new cylinder heads with a direct-injection fuel system, also a Ferrari first. The engine’s mass rides behind the front axle center line and sends its substantial thrust (453 horsepower, 358 pound-feet of torque) to the rear wheels via a rear-mounted dual-clutch automated-manual transmission, another first for Ferrari. This layout, on a 105.1-inch wheelbase, yields a 47/53-percent front-to-rear weight distribution, contributing to excellent balance, and handling that’s both exhilarating and benign.

The two-piece folding hard top, of course, is yet another element new to a car from Maranello, giving the California a fresh-air dimension in the tradition of its distinguished spider ancestors, plus the quiet comfort of a coupe. Beyond that, there’s a space behind the front seats that can serve as a parcel shelf or, if the owner checks the option box, plus-two seating for one or two limber passengers, preferably of diminutive dimensions. Ferrari presented this element of the new car as “2+,” refraining from referring to it as a classic two-plus-two, since the space, smaller than the rear seat in a Porsche 911, seemed a little too claustrophobic for human beings.

But that was before Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo showed up, fresh from riding in the rear seat of a new California for “almost an hour,” and pronounced the space habitable. “I think it’s okay,” he said. “Probably not so good for three hours or so, but for short trips. It was a nice surprise.” How this will affect U.S. marketing communications remains to be seen—the California won’t be in North American showrooms until June—but after guiding Ferrari’s continuing success for 17 years, when Signor Montezemolo speaks, his staff takes heed.

The “2+” versus “two-plus-two” issue notwithstanding, the interior of this Ferrari is subdued but gorgeous, with handsome leather, supportive seats with a broad range of adjustability, and superb craftsmanship. It’s also surprisingly quiet in coupe mode. The V-8 raises its voice in a staccato tenor when stirred by the driver’s right foot, but wind noise is conspicuous by its absence, even at very high speed. (Ferrari forecasts over 192 mph; we have no reason to question this.)

With the top down—a configuration achieved in 14 seconds—the factory wind blocker, although somewhat flimsy, reduces cockpit turbulence to modest levels, and it’s possible to carry on a conversation at 100 mph. (To be fair, though, the decibels required for such a dialogue would get you kicked out of your local library in about two minutes.) When the top is stowed, there’s still room in the trunk for a little luggage, something Ferrari made a priority in the car’s development, and a key element in the design that emerged from Pininfarina. More on this later.

It’s Quick. Of Course.

In addition to fast, the California promises to be quick. Ferrari forecasts 0 to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds, and this too seems wholly plausible, despite the car’s size—bigger in every dimension than the F430—and hefty curb weight: 3850 pounds minimum. Testing the stoplight-getaway aspect of the car’s performance requires minimizing shift times in the seven-speed Getrag dual-clutch transmission, a pastime that is seriously habit-forming. In its most aggressive setting—there are three steering-wheel-mounted presets (comfort, sport, and CST) that also affect handling—the paddle shifters (in fixed position on the steering column) achieve down- or upshifts in milliseconds—whap, whap, whap. It’s hard to imagine anyone preferring a manual transmission to this brilliant gearbox (not an issue here since the Getrag dual-clutch is the only transmission offered at launch), and it’s just flat impossible for anyone to match the speed of those shifts with a standard stick and clutch. And as a bonus, the transmission is a very smooth operator in full automatic mode.

We mentioned handling. The California rides a traditional Ferrari unequal-length control-arm suspension setup in front, but there’s a new multilink arrangement at the rear. More significant, the new car offers the option of Delphi’s magnetorheological shock absorbers that provide instant damping reaction to changes in dynamic input. What this yields, in brief, are responses that should satisfy all but the most extreme demands.

In comfort mode, the California’s ride quality is creamy, even on rough pavement. In sport mode, the car is agile, with a reserve of compliance reminiscent of BMW’s ride-and-handling philosophy. And in CST mode, which disables the traction and stability control system, the driver can induce a little judicious sliding without the threat of snap oversteer and consequent excursion into the roadside scenery.

Thanks to the Bridgestone Potenza tires, 245/40-19 up front and 285/40-19 in the rear, grip is prodigious and the transition to slip is gradual. However, pretty much all of that information is delivered via the driver’s backside. The variable-assist power rack-and-pinion steering, though quick, is essentially numb.

Like the electromagnetic damping, the California’s brakes are high-tech, with carbon ceramic rotors at all four corners. Unlike the shocks, the system is standard, and its formidable performance is beyond fade and/or reproach.

Junk in the Trunk

If the California has a weak suit, it’s right out there for everyone to see. When it was unveiled at September’s Paris auto show, the new Ferrari’s styling drew mixed reviews, and even after a couple of hands-on days, it’s hard to perceive those bulbous hindquarters as beautiful.

There are reasons for that hefty hind end, of course. In addition to accommodating the longish folding top, the Pininfarina stylists had to make sure there would still be some luggage room beneath it when the top was snugged down under the rear decklid. And there’s structure to reinforce the rear-seat pass-through to the trunk. The new gearbox also lives down there, as does a lot of exhaust plumbing, and closer to the ground there’s a big aero diffuser, complementing a front splitter. All of this, plus a small spoiler at the rear of the decklid, adds up in the vertical dimension, and not in a positive way to our eyes.

On the other hand, it looks like a Ferrari, sounds like a Ferrari, and certainly feels like a Ferrari, albeit with a slightly softer persona, one that may well seduce those new, well-heeled buyers the company seeks. So far, according to Ferrari, the program seems to be working. The car is already on sale in Europe, and Ferrari marketing people say 60 percent of the orders are from customers new to the brand. Will that work in the U.S.? We’ll just have to wait and see.

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2009 Smart Fortwo Brabus Edition

admin — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:19:34 +0000

BY JON YANCA

They say opposites attract and the relationship between Smart and Brabus is further confirmation. Known for tuning Mercedes-Benz vehicles well into the 600-plus-horsepower range, Brabus announced at the L.A. auto show that it will offer a tuned Smart Fortwo in the U.S.

No, the Brabus Smart will not get a 1200-hp V-12 engine capable of doing a quarter-mile wheel stand like we would expect; instead it will get—gasp, a stock engine. Unlike the Brabus Smart available in Europe, our version will not receive any engine or power upgrades, which leaves us asking the question: why?

The stock three-cylinder engine retains its 70 horsepower and 68 lb-ft of torque, while the five-speed automated manual transmission gets a tune for improved shifting. A sport exhaust system, chassis and suspension tweaks, and a 10-millimeter body drop complete the mechanical upgrades needed to enter your local lawn-tractor races.

Available only in black or silver, the Brabus Fortwo exterior is upgraded with side skirts, a front fascia that reduces lift—assuming it can actually go fast enough to generate lift—a modified rear bumper to accommodate the dual chrome-plated tail pipes, and who could forget the striking double “B” on the fuel filler door. Most notably, the Fortwo will ride on Brabus Monoblock VII alloy wheels measuring 15 inches up front and 17 in the rear.

Inside the tiny cabin, buyers are treated to luxurious upgrades like brushed-aluminum pedals, velour floor mats with Brabus logos, heated leather seats, and the additional gauges that are optional on standard Smarts—look out, Maybach.

The limited run of Brabus Fortwos will be available in both coupe and cabriolet versions with a base price of $17,990 for the coupe and $20,990 for the cabrio, not including destination. The Brabus coupe brings a roughly $5755 premium over a standard Smart while the cabrio’s price represents a $3755 difference. If you aren’t looking to fork over that sort of cash but seek Brabus exclusivity, many of the accessories will be offered a la carte at Smart dealers beginning in 2009.

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Car News - 2010 Aston Martin Rapide

admin — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 12:17:01 +0000

BY STEVE SILER

Aston shows that it has little trouble doing what Porsche clearly can’t: build a beautiful four-door sports car.

While we still haven’t received official information on the upcoming Aston Martin Rapide super sedan, Aston Martin has released a pair of computer-generated images following two weeks during which leaked images found their way onto the sites of numerous online publications. And though they are not actual photographs, they are revealing enough to confirm that, unlike that of the Porsche Panamera, Aston Martin’s sex-a-licious form vocabulary is indeed scalable to four-door proportions.

Essentially a DB9 coupe with an extra foot or so of wheelbase and two additional doors, the Rapide shares much of its styling DNA—long nose, ducktail deck, and stacked grille—with its saucy two-door platformmate. The Rapide also incorporates a door crease like that of the V-8 Vantage, as well as smoother cheeks and a thin strip of chrome trim on the back.

Unique to the Rapide are One-77–style hood vents, nicely detailed headlamps with vertical LED running lights, and an all-glass roof (which, come to think of it, might be nice on the coupe, too). Inside, think DB9 with two rear bucket seats and perhaps a few unique touches and you won’t be far off.

Under the hood will be a variant of the DB9’s V-12 optimized to handle the Rapide’s additional mass, and the shifting will most likely be handled exclusively by the ZF six-speed Touchtronic automatic transmission. Considering that the updated DB9 has a claimed 0-to-60-mph time of 4.6 seconds, we imagine that the Rapide should be able to do the same trick in under five while enveloping the passengers in aural ecstasy. Not fast enough? Well, it shouldn’t take long for Aston Martin to develop an even quicker version of the Rapide incorporating some of the powertrain and material upgrades used in the DBS.

The car—expected to be built by Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria—will likely make its first official appearance early next year at an auto show that has yet to be confirmed, but since the million -dollar-plus One-77 is slated for Geneva in March, our money’s on a New York debut in April. Speaking of money, we’re not sure how much Aston Martin is going to ask for the Rapide, but we can’t imagine it coming in much lower than $250K.

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New For 2010 - Porsche 911 GT3

admin — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 15:49:58 +0000

BY JENS MEINERS

If the 911 is the quintessential Porsche, then the weight-optimized and more powerful—yet naturally aspirated—GT3 is the quintessential 911. But its aficionados needed patience; while the more humble versions of the 911 were updated last summer, the GT3 and Turbo have soldiered on without changes.

Now, Porsche has released pictures and information on the latest GT3, which debuts at the Geneva auto show in March. The Turbo will have to wait until the Frankfurt show in September, and then it may still be some time before the Turbo Cabriolet and the Turbo-based GT2 are updated. Porsche clearly intends to keep us busy.

Changes to the GT3’s exterior are subtle but clearly recognizable. Front LED daytime running lights and LED taillights are taken directly from the regular 911. The exterior mirrors have grown in size to conform to upcoming European regulations. We think the front has lost some of its aggressive edge. Two vertical strips in the lower central air intake are now painted black and thus seem to vanish; the small air intake just below the hood now is body colored to blend in more smoothly. The rear end, on the other hand, gets additional horizontal slits for ventilation. The provocative spoiler looks less stylized and more business-like, the GT3’s business being racing. The vertical slits on the extreme corners of the rear bumper are now uninterrupted—again, for a cleaner look.

The styling changes make sense insofar as they bring about aerodynamic improvements. Porsche says total downforce has been doubled. The wheels are now of the super-cool center-lock variety and weigh less than those they replace. Porsche’s active suspension remains standard.

Power output rises from 415 to 435 hp, achieved mainly by increasing displacement from 3.6 to 3.8 liters. The exhaust camshafts are now adjustable with Porsche’s VarioCam variable valve-timing system; previously, only the intake camshafts were so equipped. Porsche’s goal was to improve mid-range torque, but sheer performance figures have been improved as well: 0-to-62-mph times drop from 4.3 to 4.1 seconds, and 0–100 mph comes in 8.2 seconds, down from 8.7. Top speed climbs ever so slightly from 193 mph to 194 mph.

The GT3’s engine still has true dry-sump lubrication and is still related to the motor in the Turbo; this family is distinct from the series powering other naturally aspirated 911s.

Porsche has been savvy enough to recognize that the cool-looking GT3 is not bought exclusively by experts and racers. To make the GT3 safe even for clumsy drivers, the stability control system is available on this 911 version for the first time. Beware: Once it’s turned off, there is no safety net. Unlike with other 911 models, PSM does not reintroduce itself when you hit the brakes—unless you push the button again very quickly (not something we’d recommend trying mid-skid).

Porsche has come up with two more innovations that make sense to us: An active drivetrain mount—called PADM—recognizes racing conditions and stiffens the engine mounts, which are usually elastic to keep the GT3’s chassis comfortable in normal driving. And there is an optional lift, similar to the Lamborghini Gallardo’s system, that lets you raise the front end by 30 mm. It keeps your chin spoiler happy on poor roads or when encountering a steep bump. Porsche is considering offering the system on other 911 versions but wants to prove it on the low-volume GT3 first.

What the GT3 doesn’t get: A dual-clutch transmission, which would be out of place in this racer, and, surprisingly, the automaker’s direct-fuel-injection technology. Expect future GT3 models to switch to the fuel-saving technology.

Europe gets the new 911 GT3 in May, but we will have to wait until October.

It will be priced at $112,200 when it hits the States, a $4700 over the current model.

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Road Test - 2009 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4

admin — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:42:28 +0000

BY TONY QUIROGA, PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM DREW AND THE MANUFACTURER

Some might call it the “poster effect”—when you finally see a Lamborghini in person after years of only seeing them on posters, the effect is childlike giddiness. The jump from wall art to reality is mesmerizing, and the crazy origami spaceship with Lamborghini badges sitting in our parking lot doesn’t disappoint. Paint one metallic white—sorry, make that Bianco Monocerus, which literally means “white single-horned beast”—and it amplifies the folded-paper look of the latest Gallardo LP560-4.

The blitz on the senses and sensibility continues inside the white beast, where soft black leather stretches over everything but the floor. The cabin has a few reminders that Audi owns and runs Lamborghini, and these are the only concessions to the ordinary—the climate-control system has been lifted from the A8, and the stereo and navigation system are from a last-gen A4. Don’t fret. If the Italians were left to engineer such banalities, the interior would probably have wires hanging out of it and smell like an electric train set—let’s be honest, it wouldn’t work as reliably as the Audi-supplied hardware.

Turn the Audi-like switchblade key in the ignition, and the starter whirs, rousing the heavily revised V-10; it barks and coughs, then settles down to a warm rumble. Some minor styling changes have been made to the Gallardo for 2009, but the big news is the engine. Direct fuel injection, a higher compression ratio of 12.5:1, and a bump in displacement from 5.0 liters to 5.2 liters now provide 552 horsepower, 40 more than last year’s standard Gallardo and 29 more than the special-edition Gallardo Superleggera.

A new exhaust keeps the engine sounds subdued while cruising, but stomp on the throttle, and the engine’s throat opens to unleash the V-10’s race-car voice. A wailing Lamborghini underfoot should qualify as therapy: For a moment, we forget that we work under fluorescent lights in cubicles the color of gloom. There are times when we actually wish the Lambo was just a bit slower so we could revel in the music for longer than bursts lasting only a few seconds.

How quick is the new Lambo? First, we have to tell you about its transmission.

E-gear, the single-clutch automated manual that costs an extra $10,000, now shifts faster than before and works remarkably well around town, better in fact than BMW’s SMG. We’d probably save the $10,000 and shift gears ourselves were it not for the aptly named launch control that comes with E-gear. From a stop, launch control revs the engine to 5200 rpm and engages the clutch violently. Wondering what that feels like? It’s the automotive equivalent of the eruption of Krakatoa. All-wheel drive and sticky Pirelli rubber lose out to 552 horsepower—all four wheels immediately go up in smoke, four distinct skid marks are tattooed on the asphalt, and the Gallardo rockets to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds. A quarter-mile is gone in 11.2 seconds at 130 mph—you can count on one hand the street cars we’ve tested that are quicker than the LP560-4.

Despite the extra power, the smallest Lamborghini remains eminently civilized when the dial is set to delicate. The chassis is firm without being abusive, the driving position is comfortable, visibility is good in all directions, and freeway traffic parts ahead of you like some sort of vehicular Red Sea.

The only chink in the armor is the carbon-ceramic brake system that commands $15,600 over the standard brakes. As far as we can tell, the first few inches of brake-pedal travel has little effect on the brakes; meanwhile, the Lambo continues to hurtle toward Internet immortality on www.wrecked exotics.com. Keep pushing, and without warning, the brakes clamp down hard, and you’ve stopped well short of the stoplight. Passengers will wonder why you seem incapable of driving your Italian toy smoothly, you’ll regret spending Honda Civic money on a set of unsatisfying brakes, and you might just get rear-ended by a Toyota Corolla whose driver was trying to snap a picture of your car. The Gallardo Superleggera we tested in November 2007 had even worse brake feel. Feel aside, the brakes achieve an excellent 158-foot stop from 70 mph, but the all-or-nothing touchiness is inexcusable.

Prospective buyers can easily avoid the prickly brakes (and save $15,600) by not ordering them; we’ve previously tested Gallardos with the standard setup and found brake feel to be progressive and satisfying. With the exception of the optional brakes, this Lambo is so good that the Ferrari F430 may have just been toppled.

2009 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 - Specs

VEHICLE TYPE: mid-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe

PRICE AS TESTED: $254,765 (base price: $202,100)

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 40-valve V-10, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 318 cu in, 5204cc
Power (SAE net): 552 bhp @ 8000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 398 lb-ft @ 6500 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automated manual

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 100.8 in Length: 171.1 in Width: 74.8 in Height: 45.9 in
Curb weight: 3507 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 3.2 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 7.0 sec
Zero to 150 mph: 15.6 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 3.7 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 11.2 sec @ 130 mph
Top speed (redline limited, mfr’s est): 202 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 158 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.99 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 14/20 mpg
C/D observed: 12 mpg

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Review - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta Sedan and SportWagen

admin — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 08:52:26 +0000

The Jetta shares much of its underpinnings with the Rabbit/GTI hatchbacks. It sits between the Rabbit and Passat in Volkswagen’s lineup. The Jetta is the only nonluxury German small sedan and wagon for sale in the U.S., and it offers a stiff chassis, sporty handling, and clean styling inside and out. The Jetta SportWagen—that’s VW-speak for station wagon—is new this year.

Both body styles are available in S, SE, and SEL trims. All sedans and S and SE wagons use a 170-hp five-cylinder engine. All S and SE Jettas can be had with a five-speed manual or an optional six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode, and the SEL sedan is automatic only. The inline-five returns fuel economy of 20 mpg city/29 mpg highway with the automatic and 21/30 with the manual.

If you want more punch for your Jetta, step up to the 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline four-cylinder, which pumps out 200 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque. It’s a wonderfully responsive engine, and it’s available in the Jetta GLI—basically, a sedan version of the much loved, 10Best-winning GTI—and the SEL trim level of the SportWagen. Transmission options include a six-speed manual and an optional six-speed dual-clutch automated manual (called DSG) with launch control. The punchy turbo four is relatively economical, too, with fuel economy coming in at 21/31 in manual form and 22/29 with the DSG. In its most recent comparison test appearance, a Jetta GLI placed first in a pack of fun-to-drive, everyday sedans, beating the likes of the Acura TSX, Honda Accord, Mazdaspeed 6, and Pontiac G6. With a 0-to-60-mph time of 6.4 seconds, the GLI is easily the quickest of the Jettas, and its sporty suspension won our praise in the twisty bits.

Returning for 2009 is the diesel-fueled Jetta TDI, which is available as a sedan or wagon. The TDI packs a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that produces 140 hp and an impressive 236 lb-ft of torque. It can be mated to a six-speed manual or VW’s six-speed DSG. Perhaps most impressive, however, is the TDI’s ability to wring at least 40 miles out of every gallon of diesel on the highway. The EPA rates the Jetta TDI at 29/40 with the DSG and 30/41 with the manual. Sophisticated emissions-control devices allow the TDI to be sold in all 50 states.

Verdict

Although they share much of their chassis components and styling, the Jetta somehow looks bulbous, whereas the Rabbit and the hot-rod GTI have a muscular air about them. Unless driving a conventional sedan is a must for you, it’s difficult to justify the added cost of a Jetta sedan over a Rabbit hatch. If you have sporting intentions, the GLI is a good alternative to the GTI only if you’re married to the sedan format, and it costs $1000 more than the five-door GTI. The SportWagen offers even more practicality and cargo room than the Rabbit and GTI but isn’t offered with the GLI and GTI’s sporty suspension.

We often describe Volkswagen’s 2.5-liter five-cylinder as agricultural because of its rough sound and unrefined feel. It’s not a bad engine, but spring for a 2.0-liter engine—gas or diesel—if you can. Overall, the Jetta line offers a feeling of Euro solidness and some unique and truly Teutonic options, but it’s pricey against competitors like the Honda Civic, Chevy Cobalt, and Hyundai Elantra. Still, if you’re after European styling and a whiff of cheeky nonconformity—or a small station wagon—a Jetta fills the bill.

What’s New for 2009

The diesel TDI makes its triumphant return for 2009 after being regulated out of existence following the 2006 model year. Along with gobs of torque, the latest version carries impressive EPA fuel economy ratings of 29 to 30 mpg in the city and 40 to 41 mpg on the highway, depending on transmission, and the TDI is available as a sedan or wagon. Aside from the higher cost of diesel and a steeper entry fee (somewhat offset by a $1300 federal tax credit), the TDI has none of the commonly held diesel disadvantages. It’s quiet, powerful, and fun to drive—giving the GLI a run for its money—and it doesn’t even smell funny.

The SportWagen is also new and offers a maximum of 66.9 cubic feet of cargo room with the second-row seats folded. Stability control is now standard across the board. A cable-style iPod adapter replaces the awkward console-mounted dock.

Highlights and Recommendations

Pricing for the S starts below $18,000 for a sedan, which gets you the most basic features, including velour seats. Stepping up to the SE will cost an extra $2500 or so, adding faux-leather seating, a standard sunroof, chrome window trim, floor mats, alloy wheels, and Sirius satellite radio. The SE adds the notable option of a touch-screen navigation system. SEL sedans sticker for about $3000 more, which gets you 17-inch alloys, a useful trip computer with a large screen placed between the main gauges, a multifunction steering wheel to control said computer and the stereo, and not much else. The SportWagen adds approximately $1500 to the price of an S or SE sedan and $3200 to an SEL version.

The TDI is priced just below the SEL but is optioned most like the SE model, with the diesel engine accounting for the price difference. The GLI is the most expensive of the Jetta lineup, with a starting price of just over $25,000, which is $1000 more than the cost of a four-door GTI hatch. GLI models include a standard sporty appearance package, unique cloth seats, and cool 17-inch wheels (18s are an option).

Although it’s on the pricier end of the Jetta spectrum, we’d be tempted to choose the Jetta SportWagen TDI. The combination of the TDI powertrain and SportWagen body makes for a very appealing and useful vehicle with a definite European feel. And at this point, the Jetta is the only Volkswagen—and one of the few passenger cars—offering a diesel option, so if that’s what you want, the choice is made. The GLI is the obvious choice for the semi-well-off boy racer, and the three five-cylinder models are still sportier than most of their domestic and import competition.

Safety

A tire-pressure monitoring system, electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, and front seatbelt pretensioners are standard, as are front, front side, and curtain airbags. Rear side airbags and outboard seatbelt pretensioners are optional.