Information About New Models of 2008-2009 Cars

2009 nissan murano

2008-02-13T15:33:00.000+05:00

Five years ago, when we first drove the Infiniti FX45, its twenty-inch wheels looked so huge and otherworldly that people stopped, stared, and pointed at them. Now, Nissan's new second-generation Murano is available with footwear just as large. It's a measure of how commonplace such plus-size rubber has become that I drove the Murano for 600 miles over the four-day Thanksgiving weekend and didn't notice just how big its wheels were until afterward, when I did a walkaround. Even before the turkey went into the oven, though, I had noticed the Infiniti trickle-down effect in the Murano's cabin, where the handsome center stack looks as if it's straight out of an Infiniti M45. The plastics, the fabrics, and the primary gauges are all a step above the old Murano's as well, even if you'll want to throw the poorly designed cargo cover into a dumpster the first time you try to use it.
In general, the new Murano is not a radical departure from the old one, which was a phenomenal success for Nissan. As before, the Murano is based on the Altima platform, which itself was reworked just last year. There's still no third-row seat, which is fine, because the Murano is for people who really want a five-passenger luxury crossover - not a minivan substitute - but who don't want to spend Infiniti or Lexus money. With spiffy new options like heated, power-folding rear seats; a power liftgate; an extra-large glass moonroof; and a 9.3-gig music hard drive, it's not like Murano buyers will feel deprived.

Unless, that is, they are hoping for a measure of sportiness - that's what the Infiniti FX and new EX35 are for. The Murano has decent body control, but it can feel a bit floaty. As for the light steering, the main message it communicates is that it would prefer you drive in a straight line. The brakes are strong, though, ride quality is fine, and the familiar VQ-series V-6 and Nissan's second-generation Xtronic continuously variable transmission ought to get Murano owners to the Nordstrom clearance sale in plenty of time. Yes, that slightly odd CVT thrum reverberates through the vehicle as you mash the accelerator, but the power delivery is smooth, consistent, and very strong. Maybe too strong: we averaged only 19 mpg in mostly freeway driving in our all-wheel-drive test car.
Nissan design chief Shiro Nakamura admits that the new Murano is an evolutionary design; given the popularity of the original, its replacement had to be instantly recognizable. Nakamura-san, describing the new Murano's front end as having "a high-technology feeling," points out the projector-beam headlights - four beams on each side - and the "angle strap" center grille that's similar to the Rogue's. He neglects to mention the crooked chrome teeth surrounding the grille, the truncated greenhouse, the loss of the first-generation vehicle's clean lines, the bulbous bumpers, and the ridiculously oversize badging: the overall effect is not pretty. Dubs aside, it seems the Infiniti trickle-down didn't quite reach the Murano design studio

2008 porche 911 gt2

2008-02-13T15:32:00.000+05:00

In the case of the latest Porsche 911, the GT suffix stands for anything but Gran Turismo. Guaranteed Trauma is more like it, at least when the beast is not treated with due competence and caution. The new 911 GT2 combines elements of the GT3 (lightweight components, rear-wheel drive) and the Turbo (turbocharged engine, stability control), resulting in the fastest roadgoing Porsche ever.
The GT2 looks about as subtle as a smiling Count Dracula. The front end combines 911 Turbo overtones such as the bright LED turn signals with new extralarge air intakes that are required to cool the brakes and the heat exchangers. The side view features beefed-up sills, ground-hugging aprons, and a set of prominent intake and brake-cooling inlets. But the most butch view is, without a doubt, the rear, which boasts more vertical slats, a pair of large-diameter exhausts, and a fixed biplane wing. The latter increases the downforce at high speeds and incorporates two circular ram-air induction scoops.

On the autobahn, the GT2 sports as much overtaking prestige as police, fire department, and paramedic vehicles combined--with lights flashing and sirens wailing. When lesser cars step aside, the GT2 can reach 204 mph. But you want the tarmac to be dry, reasonably smooth, and--ideally--arrow-straight. And you'd better get used to the car's high-speed potential in installments. In this Porsche, even 150 mph feels mind-bogglingly fast. The noise level is intense, the chassis copies every detail of the road surface, the steering is a live wire covered with gray Alcantara, and directional stability is a challenge even when the wind speed is zero.
But like every 911, this car knows what it's doing, and it requires surprisingly little assistance to maintain the chosen flight path. Trouble is, it takes the driver days, if not weeks, to build up the confidence this car requires. There is so much information available to the eyes, ears, palms, fingers, legs, feet, and seat of the pants that the senses are soon overloaded. Velocity is a drug, and like every drug, it clouds and clarifies at the same time. In the GT2, one needs to learn a fresh set of responses, because, unlike the Turbo, this 200-mph 911 has only two driven wheels. The lighter GT2 turns in with more vigor, decelerates with enhanced determination, and corners with added sharpness. Most important, rear-wheel drive will never pull you out of trouble. And we all know that pushing out of trouble seldom works.

Further narrowing the increasingly slim line between drama and trauma are the semislick Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires. On dry blacktop, this footwear might make sense for rich amateur racers who don't mind buying a new set of rear tires every two months. Even in the rain, the 325/30YR-19 rear rubber is OK--until there are wall-to-wall puddles on the road. Then the GT2 suddenly starts water skiing, even at speeds as low as 60 mph. Would it not be a good idea to offer at least the option of less extreme tires?
So we didn't see 200 mph. But we out-accelerated just about every mechanical device that crossed our route. Over the first fifty yards or so, the 530-hp, 3175-pound GT2 is actually not quite as quick as the 480-hp, 3572-pound 911 Turbo Tiptronic. From 0 to 62 mph, it's a dead heat at 3.7 seconds each. From 0 to 124 mph, however, the rear-wheel-drive GT2 will beat the four-wheel-drive Turbo, clocking 11.2 seconds against 12.2 seconds. And by the time these autobahn guerrillas pass the 185-mph mark, the GT2 will have carved out an impressive advantage. On damp ground, the GT2 will spin its wheels in first and second gear, especially between 2200 and 4500 rpm, when maximum torque of 502 lb-ft comes in. The closely related 3.6-liter 911 Turbo engine can deliver just as much torque, but it's available only for about ten seconds in over-boost mode.

2008 nissan GT-r

2008-02-13T15:30:00.002+05:00

What do the Acura NSX, Mitsubishi 3000 GT VR4, Toyota Supra Turbo, third-generation Mazda RX-7, and the Nissan 300ZX Twin-Turbo all have in common? Each car offers staggering performance, each has a cult following, and none of them have a modern successor since they left the marketplace. With the exception of the NSX (the mid-engine car stuck around a bit longer than the others), it wasn't until early 2001 that Japan showed America it still cared about high performance with the arrival of the Subaru WRX. Shortly after that, Mitsubishi surprised the land of SUVs with its own rally car for the street, the EVO. We then carried on for a while, enjoying Japan's EVO vs. WRX version of the pony car wars - but there was still a certain model that American enthusiasts pined for: the Skyline. This force-fed, all-wheel-drive beast was a car we all wanted to see in places like LA and on Woodward Avenue. Now, after many years of waiting, Nissan fulfills our dream with the launch of the GT-R, due at U.S. dealers this summer.
We've already driven a prototype GT-R on in Germany on the Autobahn and on the modern Nurburgring circuit. But, earlier this week, we had the opportunity to sample a production, right-hand-drive GT-R in Japan. While we aren't able to tell you how the car will feel on U.S. roads, we were able to drive the super Nissan on some excellent twisty, challenging public roads around Sendai Hi-Land Raceway as well as on the circuit itself. But before we get to that, let's look at the impressive attention to detail put into the most important and promising Japanese sportscar since the Acura NSX.

When you see the Nissan coupe in the flesh, you are quickly aware that it isn't just a hopped up version of a pedestrian model like an EVO or WRX. The twenty-inch, seven-spoke wheels look spectacular and fit over fifteen-inch floating brake rotors clamped by large six-piston Brembo calipers. The Aston Martin-style recessed door handles are also a nice touch. While you wouldn't call the overall design beautiful, it carries a perfectly befitting, aggressive Japanese design.
Nissan has gone to great lengths in regards to the build process of each GT-R. Every 480-hp, VR38 twin-turbo V-6 engine is hand assembled in a clean, dust-free room by one of twenty highly skilled technicians at Nissan's engine plant in Yokohama. The facility turns out twenty-seven GT-R engines per day, each taking three hours and twenty minutes to build. This production number will double once a second shift starts before the end of the year. Once completed, the engines are run through both a zero and full load dyno test before shipment to the Tochigi assembly plant for installation. At that plant, the GT-R rolls down the same line as the Infiniti G35 and G37 but, once finished, it is put through a unique, eight-lap shakedown by one of ten trained drivers on a test track situated next to the factory.

According to Nissan, the goal of this procedure is to "ensure circuit driving high performance upon delivery to the customer." Brake pads and rotors are bedded in and the dual-clutch transmission is put through a process to refine the clutch plate surfaces to ensure shift times of 0.2 seconds. Finally, once completed, the chassis alignment of each GT-R is rechecked to assure a perfect setup.

2008 Toyota land cruiser

2008-02-13T15:30:00.001+05:00

About as often as federal bureaucrats are stricken by conscience or the map of Europe is redrawn, Toyota subjects the Land Cruiser to vigorous gym workouts and charm-school sessions and again sends it forth into the world. And a world vehicle it is, sold in 130 countries, among which, as far as we can tell, Vanuatu is included, if not Kyrgyzstan.
The U.S. market gets only the top-of-the-line version, now equipped with Toyota's wonderful 5.7-liter V-8 that utilizes variable valve timing to emit 381 hp and 401 lb-ft of torque. An imperturbable six-speed automatic manages this output. With an independent front suspension and variable-ratio rack-and-pinion steering, highway performance is superb.

The new rig--Toyota has offered the Land Cruiser since the company launched stateside in 1958--is an expensive, heavy, comfortable, highly capable vehicle that many people will acquire as a status symbol and let go after a couple of years, surrendering theirs to savvy enthusiasts who would never pay full ticket for something to punish on the rocks.
Those enthusiasts will likely feel ambivalent, though, recognizing 2008 as the year when the Land Cruiser thumbed its nose, not only at them but at all humanoid drivers. We refer to the Crawl Control system that essentially is cruise control in cahoots with traction control for low-range off-road conditions. Crawl's rotary selector offers the choice of three speed settings, from a very slow walk to a modest canter. Once you,'ve dialed in, the system takes over operation of the Cruiser, requiring only that you steer: it indefatigably sets off, as though proving a point to the Mars Rover. Rarely does a wheel spin or an occupant,'s noggin bob as Crawl Control guides this Highlander look-alike over daunting obstacles. Individual brakes are applied as necessary and clatter away self-importantly, interchanging with judicious commands from the engine control module. Only the very best driver could emulate such fine inputs and the smoothness that results, and this is at once cause for wonder and dismay.

The rest of the Land Cruiser is equally overdone. Chief engineer Toshihiko Kanai really ought to be flagged for piling on. A four-zone climate system with twenty-eight air vents? Couldn't we Americans have done with just twenty-six? A 605-watt, fourteen-speaker JBL audio system when all we Yanks listen to is fife-and-drum music? Ten air bags? Where will this ever end? In fact, it won't end, and much trickle-down will occur throughout the Toyota lineup, even to the RAV4.
Don't like it? Kyrgyzstan beckons.

2008 Ferrari 430 Scuderia

2008-02-13T15:27:00.000+05:00

The last time I drove a Ferrari F430, I came to the conclusion that there wasn't much wrong with it. Little did I know, that seemingly near-perfect car was a tad heavy, a bit underpowered, and--most surprising of all--lacking in electronic driver aids. So while the world at large seemed quite happy with the F430, Ferrari was coldly dismantling the car on a part-by-part basis and examining it, literally down to each lug nut, to figure out how it might get the machine to go just a little bit faster. Ferrari, it seems, has been hard at work addressing all the concerns you didn't know you had.
The result is the 430 Scuderia, a car that looks like an F430 and goes like an Enzo. You may recall that the Enzo was Ferrari's masterwork just a few years back, a V-12-powered showcase of everything Ferrari knew about building road cars. The Enzo would get around the company's Fiorano test track in 1 minute and 25 seconds, currently the record for a street-legal machine. The F430, for all its considerable wiles, does the Fiorano deed in 1 minute and27 seconds--respectfully behind the big dog. But the 430 Scuderia reclaims those two seconds for the V-8 berlinetta camp, going wheel-to-wheel with Ferrari's all-time hero car. That's insane. That's also why I'm at Fiorano, to find out for myself how Ferrari wrings V-12 supercar performance out of its V-8 coupe.

I know what you're saying: if the differences between the F430 and the 430 Scuderia exist in those margins where professional drivers earn their paychecks, where tenths of a second here and there add up to the difference between an F430 and an Enzo, then how am I, Thumbs McGee, going to exploit that performance? Well, Ferrari has that problem covered, too, because one of the most practical Scuderia improvements is the addition of Ferrari's F1-Trac traction control system, which is integrated with the E-Diff electronically controlled differential.
F1-Trac allows the nonprofessional driver to explore the limits of the 430's performance by automating one of the trickiest aspects of ten-tenths driving in a high-powered car: throttle modulation on corner exit. With F1-Trac engaged, you merely point the nose toward the track-out point, floor the throttle, and let the electronics dole out as much power as conditions allow. "That's how you drive an F1 car," says Ferrari Formula 1 test driver Marc Gen. "If I'm driving at my best, I can lap a half-second quicker with the electronics off, but this system allows a regular driver to get very close to my lap time."

I'm eager to find out if that's the case, but before my turn can come, brooding thunderheads roll in and promptly douse the track. I bide my time hoping for sunshine by milling about the paddock and contemplating the various 430 Scuderias parked hither and thither. Ferrari-spotters will immediately recognize this model by its revised bodywork, but few of the performance changes are visible to the naked eye. If you peer down through the new Lexan engine cover, you'll see that the intake-plenum chambers and air-filter housings are rendered in carbon fiber, part of a diet that cuts 220 pounds from the F430's bulk and drops curb weight to 2975 pounds. (Ferrari lists "dry weight" as 2775 pounds, but quoting a car's weight minus all the essential fluids seems a bit like me saying "I weigh 150 pounds, not including my head.") Other weight-saving measures include titanium springs for the suspension, standard carbon-ceramic brakes, titanium lug nuts, and that time-honored favorite of speed-seekers everywhere, good ol' content deletion. You want a stereo, go to Best Buy, because you're not getting one in the 430 Scuderia. (Unless, of course, you ask. Ferrari so hates to say no to its clienti.)
The weight loss is accompanied by more power, as improved breathing and ignition strategies net 24 additional horsepower, bringing the total to 503 hp. Part of that gain comes from a very high 11.9:1 compression ratio (up from the F430's 11.3), made possible by an ignition system that controls detonation by using a dedicated CPU to monitor each spark event in each cylinder. Zero-to-60-mph acceleration drops from the F430's 4.1 seconds down to what Ferrari claims is "less than 3.6 seconds." I enjoy that vagueness. It's as if Ferrari is saying that the 430 Scuderia is so fast, they can't even get a clock on it.

More power is always nice, but you're not catching an Enzo at Fiorano without paying attention to the corners as well. So the suspension is about half an inch lower, the springs more than 30 percent stiffer, and the brake rotors 0.7 inch bigger up front. The Pirelli PZero Corsa tires are so sticky that they've got a mere 60 tread-wear rating, which is similar to that of hot fudge. Revised aerodynamics generate more downforce with no increase in drag, partly through something called the "base bleed effect," which sounds like a medieval interrogation method but actually involves venting the rear fenderwells out the back bumper. And the F1-Superfast sequential manual gearbox, with its 150-millisecond shift times, is kicked to the curb in favor of the new F1-Superfast2, which rips through the gears with a mere 60 milliseconds between shifts.

2008 Chevrolet Malibu

2008-02-13T15:25:00.000+05:00

Chevrolet resurrected the Malibu nameplate in 1997 for its Corsica replacement, but the car was destined for rental fleets from the moment it rolled off the assembly line. Would Toyota Camry and Honda Accord buyers have cross-shopped the Malibu? That was about as likely as GM vice-chairman Bob Lutz cross-dressing for a press conference.
The all-new Malibu is competitive enough that Lutz should consider fancy dress to celebrate his achievement. After all, in the six years that Lutz has been at General Motors, one of his main missions has been to unleash the company's design and engineering ranks so that they could produce decent cars, not just competitive trucks and SUVs. In the case of the Malibu, Lutz's goals have mostly been met.

If there's one thing GM has really baked into its new-car development this decade, it's how to stiffen its cars. We've seen this characteristic from Cadillac to Chevy. The Malibu, which--like its corporate twin the Saturn Aura--is based on the global Epsilon platform, has a solid, flex-free unibody. The ride is firm and controlled, and the hydraulically assisted rack-and-pinion steering on V-6 models is communicative and free of slop. Over a stretch of chatter bumps (small, high-frequency ridges in the tarmac) at GM's proving ground, the Malibu's steering rack remained rigid and planted, whereas a Camry on hand for comparison suffered from serious kickback through the steering column. Unfortunately, the electric power assist fitted to four-cylinder Malibus is not as satisfying as the hydraulic setup, as it is too light, has little on-center feel, and lightens even more when you apply power. There is nothing wrong with electric power steering, as Volkswagen has proved with the new GTI, but GM can't seem to perfect it.
Aside from that, the Malibu's properly tuned front-strut, rear-multilink suspension and long, 112-inch wheelbase help it ride better than the softer, floatier Camry. The Chevy soaks up dips in the road fluidly, with little secondary jiggle, and the brake pedal feels firm, with progressive movement. The LTZ model gets eighteen-inch tires, the LT has seventeens, and the base LS has sixteens.

GM's 2.4-liter Ecotec four-cylinder is on duty, with a 252-hp, 3.6-liter DOHC V-6 optional on the LT and LTZ models. For most of the model year, the four will be mated to a four-speed automatic, but a six-speed auto will gradually come on-stream. The V-6 gets the six-speed automatic at launch and, naturally, is all the better for it, although that engine's tonal quality is still not quite as refined as the Camry's silky V-6. The same hybrid powertrain that's available in the Aura is also offered.
The Malibu is three inches longer than the car it replaces, but it seems even bigger, thanks to a wheelbase that was stretched six inches. It's not sexy, but the Malibu is handsome and well-proportioned, looks substantial, and has real road presence. The cabin is roomy and cleanly designed, and the optional two-tone leather trim for the LTZ edition is downright rich. We're still not fans of the tactile quality of the plastics, though, and the interior ambience in the midlevel LT model seen here hovers at rental-car levels.

Still, the Malibu is fully competitive, something you could never say in the past, and it's certainly worthy of consideration. But true enthusiasts will have to wait for Chevy's version of the upcoming, rear-wheel-drive Pontiac G8 before there will be a bow-tie-badged sedan worth crowing about. We have high hopes for that car, which promises to be so good, Lutz might want to don a formal gown for its debutante ball.

2008 Volkswagen Tiguan

2008-02-13T15:24:00.000+05:00

Twelve years after the Toyota RAV4 rolled onto our shores, VW is finally introducing a small, car-based SUV, the Tiguan. A lot is riding on its sculpted shoulders. The small-crossover segment is growing exponentially, and VW has to grab its share of that pie if it is ever to rival Honda and Toyota as a true mainstream automaker.
When it arrives in America next spring, the Tiguan will be powered by VW's familiar 200-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, mated either to a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox. Tiguans thus equipped were not available at the international press launch, so we spent most of our time in one with a 2.0-liter direct-injection turbo-diesel (TDI) with a manual gearbox. This was not a senseless exercise, since this is the same TDI that will be offered in the Jetta sedan and wagon this April. It's a gem of an engine, one that should not only enchant VW's core group of oil-burner fanatics but also draw many diesel skeptics into the fold. Aside from a subdued clatter at start-up, you can barely tell that it's a diesel, and there is plenty of torque for squirting through gaps in rush-hour traffic, merging onto freeways, and passing on two-lane roads. More to the point, this engine will most likely be offered in U.S.-bound Tiguans by late 2008 or early 2009. Diesel Tiguans could push past the 30-mpg mark, perhaps even achieving close to 40 mpg on the highway, which would really be something worth writing a postcard from Budapest about.

When you ask the Tiguan to dance its own Hungarian Rhapsody, it's evident that, dynamically, it falls somewhere between the sporty BMW X3 and the everyman's Honda CR-V, which is exactly where it should be. Blasting along roads that snake through heavily forested, hilly terrain just outside Budapest, our all-wheel-drive Tiguan gripped very well, thanks partially to its Goodyear Eagle F1 tires. If you toss the Tiguan into a tight corner, though, the understeer, body roll, and loss of steering precision remind you that this is a crossover, not a GTI. The manual shifter is a little soggy, too, but the clutch action is clean. Ride quality is certainly far better than that of the stiffly sprung X3, and the Tiguan is very good at smoothing out large road impacts.

2009 Honda FCX Clarity

2008-02-13T15:22:00.000+05:00

News flash from the green frontier: The car of the future - or at least one vision of the future-drives a lot like the car of the present.
This summer, Honda plans to start leasing its FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle to a limited number of scrupulously vetted Southern Californians. The car embodies scads of leading-edge technology and countless billions in R&D yen. Yet the most striking aspect of the car is how, well, normal it feels - a conventional four-door sedan with zoomy styling, interior fabrics made from plants, and the spiffiest instrument panel this side of an F-22. Or Reventón.

The heart of the Clarity is a 148-pound fuel-cell stack powering the electric motor that drives the car. When necessary, additional power is provided by lithium-ion batteries. By shrinking these components, Honda was able to maintain the sleek shape of the concept car shown at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2005 - a vast improvement over the dumpier first-generation FCX introduced in 2002. Power delivery is turbine-like and full-throttle acceleration is brisk, although the effect is undermined by compressor whine more reminiscent of Disneyland than Daytona.
The FCX handles like a well-composed family car. But easily distracted drivers might be mesmerized by the multi-color power meter gauge in the center of the dashboard, especially a ball that grows alarmingly and changes color as fuel mileage dwindles. (Note to self: See if mashing the throttle down long enough will cause the ball - and the car - to self-destruct to prevent further environmental irresponsibility.) Driven properly, the FCX is expected to deliver the equivalent of 68 mpg and zero tailpipe emissions.

Three-year leases are being priced at $600 a month. Honda won't say how many cars it plans to build. Not many, probably; range is a marginal 270 miles, and there are only five hydrogen stations accessible to consumers in the Los Angeles area. Still, if its fuel stack turns out to be durable enough for real-world use, the FCX could make a case for developing the hydrogen infrastructure required to make fuel cells an integral piece of the cars of the future.

2008 Lamborghini Reventon

2008-02-13T15:21:00.002+05:00

So what about that price? The million-dollar-yes, million-premium over a standard Murciélago buys you new carbon-fiber outer bodywork, new forged aluminum eighteen-inch wheels, new seats, new interior trim, and a new-from-the-ground-up digital instrument cluster. Not to mention exclusivity: Only twenty customer Reventóns will be built, regardless of demand, and all of them are already spoken for. (Our test car was labeled number zero of twenty; it also saw duty as the primary exhibit on Lamborghini's Frankfurt motor show stand.) The whole car was designed to look like a landed fighter jet, and the theme carries over into everything from the instrument cluster font (white military-look stencil) and trim (camo brown suede) to the paint (matte stealth-look diamond black).
In person, the Reventón isn't necessarily pretty-from some angles, it's just a mass of polygons and whack-your-knees-off sharp edges-and it's initially difficult to get your head around. The car seems entirely too one-off absurd, as if some rich customer came to pick up his Murciélago and, pinky to his lip, became a scheming Dr. Evil. ("Yes, yes, it's very nice. But can you make it . . . pointy?") Certain pieces of the Reventón's design are definitely very cool, and yet others look as if someone took a brush and a can of paint to someone else's finished work of art. All things considered, the ordinary Murciélago is a good-looking Mona Lisa of a car, and it probably didn't need fuzzy eyebrows and a Dick Dastardly moustache.
Still, cars are meant to be driven as much as stared at, and in that respect, the Reventón latest doesn't disappoint: Like the Murciélago that lives under its skin, the Reventón is an angry, unruly beast that feels barely tamed. Heavy steering, a jud-jud-juddering clutch takeup, torture-chamber unadjustable seats, and a driveline that winds up in tight corners all conspire to make you want out, and yet you keep driving. Like most Lambos, the Reventón succeeds in spite of itself-it kicks your ass six ways from Sunday, but the noise and the pain and the sheer drama of it all keep you glued to the wheel.
In the end, that's really all a million-dollar Lamborghini has to do. And as we pull back into the parking lot in Sant' Agata, a tour bus locks up its rear wheels and grinds to a halt in our path. Even in seen-it-all Lambo Land, mere feet from the factory's door, the Reventón has stopping power. Maybe that, in itself, is all those twenty soon-to-be-owners want. Much handling for the tour bus, indeed.
Like most Italians, Moreno Conti is a man prone to hand gestures. "Yesterday," he says, his hands swooping toward my face, "parking in the Via Internationale in Bologna, all of Bologna, it was like this." He raises his arms again, elbows dancing, and brings both fists down toward his belt buckle. I have no idea what this movement means, but it's followed immediately by more gestures, most of them too quick to decipher. He quickly realizes he's losing me and wraps things up: "Much handling," he says, hands on his hips, "for the tour bus."
Conti is trying to tell me what happens when you take the $1.4 million Lamborghini Reventón out into traffic. (As far as I can tell, tour buses make illegal U-turns, intersections grind to a halt, and the delicate fabric of society rips itself a new one.) He should know. Conti is the man in charge of Lamborghini's demonstration fleet and the Reventón's de facto chaperone, and as such, he's probably done more miles in the car than anyone else.

And so I am waiting in the courtyard in front of Lamborghini's headquarters, standing next to the irreplaceable, only-one-of-its-kind Lamborghini Reventón and wondering if my brain is going to implode when I turn the key. I climb into the car, stab the brake pedal, and fire things up. My brain doesn't collapse at the sound, the Earth continues to spin on its axis, and Paris Hilton is still alive and well. I am, I admit, somewhat disappointed.
To be a little disappointed in the Reventón, however, is to know the Reventón well. Lamborghini hawks the car as an all-new, world-beating model-one befitting a sticker price that's more than triple that of any other production Lamborghini-but in reality, it's little more than a tweaked and rebodied Murciélago LP640. The Reventón's 6.5-liter V-12 is standard-issue Murcié stuff, as are the car's all-wheel-drive system, paddle-shifted E-gear transmission, and basic body structure. It might look expensive, and it might be expensive, but it's ultimately not as get-your-hopes-up ridiculous as its price would make you think.

2008 Porsche Cayenne GTS

2008-02-13T15:21:00.001+05:00

Six years after the debut of the 5000-pound Cayenne SUV - Porsche's "cash cow," in the ironic words of company official Stefan Marschall - the truck has helped propel Porsche to record sales and profits. With the upcoming launches of its four-door Panamera in 2009 and its Cayenne Hybrid by 2010, Porsche will soon step even further from its traditional role as a sports car builder.
Meanwhile, the new GTS is the freshest derivation of Porsche's people carrier, slotting between Cayennes S and Turbo and boasting a standard six-speed manual transmission - the first time a V-8/manual Cayenne has been offered stateside. Any hopes we had that the manual might magically transform the Cayenne into a true sports car were dashed by its long throws and truck-ish nature. Nonetheless, a GTS with a manual transmission is more fun to drive than one with an automatic, and it's pretty cool that Porsche will offer Americans a manual at all.

An upgraded intake system not only helps boost power by 20 hp over the S, it also makes the V-8 engine sound extra ferocious. The GTS gets a fancier interior with lots of Alcantara and aluminum trim, and it borrows its LED parking lights and front and rear fascias from the Cayenne Turbo. With extra power; a lower, stiffer suspension; sportier looks; and a manual gearbox, the GTS is almost worth the $11,400 premium over the Cayenne S.

2008 Infiniti EX35

2008-02-13T15:19:00.000+05:00

One spouse prefers SUVs; the other craves classic sport-sedan driving delights. While satisfying both prerogatives sounds like a job for Dr. Phil, walking the perilous line between sport and utility is precisely what the Infiniti EX35 accomplishes.
Infiniti has staked out a microscopic site of unclaimed turf in the gridlocked crossover segment. Sizewise, the new EX is a low-riding BMW X3. Stylewise, it's an Infiniti G35 sedan with a bobbed tail and a hatch. Philosophically, it's a machine with the uncanny ability to maintain garage goodwill.
Mechanically, this is another shuffle of the Nissan/Infiniti FM-platform components deck. Take a front suspension from the G, bolt on a rear suspension from the FX, stir in a fourth-generation 3.5-liter V-6, and add a smart five-speed manu-matic. Keep the curb weight below two tons, whip the energy supply toward 300 hp, and avoid the severe FX suspension settings that intimidate the weak of spirit. Season liberally with electronic goodies for the gadget-afflicted.

Tidy dimensions keep the EX35 from being the jack of all SUV skills. There is no macho off-road pretense. The back seat is roomy enough for two, although adult-size shoes must be twisted to clear the narrow door openings. While power-folding rear seats make the most of the cargo hold, the 16.8 cubic feet available (with all seats in use) falls short of a sprawling family's needs. This is an SUV for two camps: those wishing to curb a supersize habit and car folks dipping a toe in crossover waters.
Utility sacrifices are well-rewarded. The EX's speed-sensitive steering maintains a truthful dialogue with the road, especially when the optional all-wheel drive is eschewed. Thanks to a reasonably low center of gravity, firm dampers, and ample roll resistance, the body never flops like a fish out of water. The automatic transmission offers well-spaced ratios, crisp shifts, an authoritative sport mode, and rev matching on downshifts. The engine loves every unbridled run to its 7500-rpm redline. Driving the optional eighteen-inch, V-rated Dunlop SP Sport tires through their grip limit, it's easy to forget that you're wearing crossover attire.

Four interior hues are available with black-lacquered plastic and textured aluminum or real maple trim. The optional navigation system includes a 9.3-gigabyte hard drive for music storage. An eleven-speaker Bose sound system offers iPod connectivity via a USB port. Two innovations are an Around View Monitor that mixes four video-camera feeds into one bird's-eye look at your immediate surroundings and a Lane Departure Prevention system that nudges the brakes to curtail unintended lane changes.
With the long-running sport versus utility dispute solved by Infiniti's EX35, modern couples may now focus their energy on other pressing issues, such as who's actually responsible for the laundry.

2008 Bentley Continental GT Speed

2008-02-13T15:18:00.001+05:00

The standard Bentley Continental GT can do 198 mph, which usually is fast enough, even when you're running late for the airport. Nonetheless, Bentley now has added another model, the GT Speed, whose chief bragging point is that it reaches the magic 200-mph mark, maxing out at 203 mph, to be exact. But the extra 5 mph strikes us as not worth the price.
There's the literal price of course, an extra $24,000. But that hardly seems of consequence when a regular Continental GT already goes for $182,285. In addition to the greater speed--largely due to the fact that the engine's output has increased to 600 hp (rather than 552 hp) and 553 lb-ft of torque (as opposed to 479 lb-ft)--the extra cash also buys Bentley's Mulliner Driving Specification interior upgrade (quilted leather upholstery, a choice of engine-turned aluminum or wood trim, and drilled pedals), unique twenty-inch wheels, revised steering, and a retuned chassis with a lower ride height.
The idea is to turn the Continental GT into a more hard-edged machine, but it's not a direction the big Bentley coupe really wants to go. With a twin-turbocharged W-12 engine hanging out ahead of the front axle, all-wheel drive, and a curb weight north of 5000 pounds, the fact that the standard Continental GT drives so well is already a triumph of engineering over physics. Asking it to be more of a sports car is asking a lot.

Yes, the GT Speed is a bit quicker: 0.3 second faster to 60 mph (at a factory-estimated 4.3 seconds) and 0.8 second more swift to 100 mph (10.3 seconds), but that's hardly transformational stuff. The air spring/damper units are 22 percent stiffer, but the standard car already offers four damper settings, and with that flexibility, we don't see the value of giving up any further ride comfort. The firmer GT Speed setup really doesn't turn this big, heavy coupe into a plaything through the twisties, and any gains there may be are sabotaged by the changes to the steering, which actually has been lightened for GT Speed duty. It's too light and too quick, effects exaggerated by the GT Speed's smaller-diameter steering wheel.
Optional carbon-ceramic brakes (available on the regular Continental GT as well) feature rotors "the size of a family pizza," in the words of chief engineer Ulrich Eichhorn. At 16.5 inches in front, they're the biggest in the business. For your extra $16,500, they provide fade-free performance with no squealing, less brake dust, and pads that should last the life of the car. They work fine when you're decelerating from triple-digit speeds, but in mellower driving, they aren't quite as easy to modulate as the standard iron-rotor stoppers.
Like a dutiful salesman, the Continental GT Speed makes its number. But we can't help preferring the standard car. Yeah, it goes only 198 mph, so you just have to leave your house a little earlier.

2009 Audi A4

2008-02-13T15:17:00.001+05:00

The gentleman's agreement separating the three German marques' entry-luxury lines has all but come undone. BMW used to be a synonym for sportiness, Mercedes-Benz ranked comfort above all other values, and Audi was known for special engineering attributes such as Quattro all-wheel drive. Not so anymore. As the 2008 model year dawns, all three German premium brands want to be everybody's darling. We have yet to conduct the ultimate three-car showdown starring the BMW 335i, the Mercedes-Benz C350, and the new Audi A4 3.2 FSI, but subjectively at least, that battle looks as if it could be a dead heat. Depending on engine, transmission, number of driven wheels, and detail specification, the outcome could easily swing in any of the three directions.
The new A4 sedan will go on sale in the United States in September 2008, followed by the A4 Avant wagon. The final verdict is still out on the other two body styles that will be offered in Europe, the A4 Allroad and the A4 Sportback, but if Audi wants to double its U.S. sales--and Volkswagen/ Audi's new North American supremo, Stefan Jacoby, recently expressed just such a goal--then it can't be stingy in sending over additional body styles.

Although the A4's base engine is again a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, the211-hp TFSI unit has nothing in common with the outgoing car's heavier and thirstier 200-hp edition. The engine is paired with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic in Quattro models; the front-wheel-drive cars will be available with the continuously variable Multitronic transmission. The most potent engine at launch will be a 3.2-liter FSI V-6 that delivers 265 hp and is mated to a six-speed automatic. In 2009, the next S4 will abandon V-8 power in favor of a more frugal and lighter twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 rated at 333 hp and matched with Audi's dual-clutch automatic transmission. A 240-hp, 3.0-liter TDI V-6 is also due to go on sale here in early 2011.
Significantly longer and wider than the 3-series and the C-class, the A4 also provides a more expansive stretch between the axles, with a 110.6-inch wheelbase versus 108.7 inches for its closest competitors. This translates into a roomy interior, to which Audi adds a generous trunk. The cockpit of the new A4 is definitely more high-end than middle-class, and we're not just talking about materials and finish. There's also more space for long legs, broad shoulders, and tall heads than before, and the overall layout--with the navigation monitor mounted high--is much more practical. But these are fringe factors compared with truly decisive qualities such as ride, handling, and roadholding. In these disciplines, the A5 has delivered a promise that the A4 must keep. And it does, although with some variation in style, substance, and sharpness.

The 3.2 FSI Quattro automatic is the priciest, most potent, and most sophisticated version of the new model range at launch--especially when it is fitted, as was our test car, with high-tech options such as Drive Select, dynamic steering, switchable dampers, lane assist (departure warning), side assist (rearview blind spot detection), adaptive cruise control, adaptive headlights (swiveling xenons), and eighteen-inch wheels shod with 245/40YR-18 Michelin Pilot Sport tires.
Drive Select is a kind of personal onboard tuning service that allows the driver to dial in personal preferences by changing the calibration of the steering, chassis, throttle response, and automatic transmission. In addition to the three basic modes--comfort, auto, and dynamic--it's possible to mix and match individual parameters via the optional MMI system, for example quick steering plus soft dampers plus normal throttle action. For cost reasons, Audi opted for adaptive conventional dampers and not for magnetic ride management, as in the TT.
Depending on vehicle speed and Drive Select orders, the dynamic steering varies its ratio by up to 100 percent. In town, it's light and direct but not quite as extreme as its lightning-fast counterpart from Munich. Through switchbacks, it feels meatier but still doesn't require a change of grip on the steering wheel. On the highway, it's relaxed, thanks to a languid four turns lock-to-lock. What makes this system special is the dialogue between the steering and the stability control. Lift-off oversteer, for instance, is automatically corrected by a small dose of momentary opposite lock. Understeer is mellowed by a brief modulation of steering angle that reinstates grip--and confidence. In most situations, supplementary brake and throttle intervention isn't even necessary.
The chassis DNA of the new A4 follows that established for the A5. The redesigned multilink front suspension makes room for a more precise steering rack, which is mounted low and close to the wheels. By having the clutch and the differential (or the torque converter and the differential, in cars equipped with an automatic transmission) swap positions, there was a gain of a precious six inches in length, which was devoted to pedestrian protection, crash performance, and wheelbase extension.

The four-link independent rear suspension was largely derived from components fitted to the A6 and the A8. Front and rear subframes ensure optimum rigidity and precision. Quattro all-wheel drive splits the torque between the axles unevenly at 40/60 percent front to rear, but if need be, up to 90 percent can be directed to the front wheels. Even power oversteer is no longer a foreign concept, thanks to a revised center differential that can also dispatch 90 percent of momentum to the rear wheels. Switch off ASR (traction control) but keep ESP (stability control) on duty for the best mix of slides, smiles, and safety.
The new V-6 consumes ten percent less fuel than the outgoing version, and it clips 0.5 second off the 0-to-62-mph acceleration time (which is now 6.2 seconds, according to Audi). High-tech innovations include a dual-stage intake valve-lift system, a substantial reduction of frictional losses, and a lightweight, low-noise chain drive. The diesels boast common-rail injection for reduced noise and AdBlue (similar to Mercedes-Benz's Bluetec) cleansing for reduced emissions. The 3.0-liter V-6 rated at 240 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque is heralded by Audi "as the cleanest diesel in the world," since it even meets tough California emissions standards. Also in the works are two extra-frugal A4 TDI/TFSI models featuring aerodynamic modifications, a longer-legged transmission, and special low-rolling-resistance tires, but don't look for these models to come to the States.

We drove the new A4 on the Italian island of Sardinia, which is famous for its beaches and mega-expensive resorts but sadly not for the quality of its second-gear back roads. On predominantly washboard tarmac, the difference in ride between the comfort and the dynamic settings was as stark as the difference in visibility between a lunar eclipse and a power failure in a coal mine. The standard sixteen-inch wheels might have been a little more spine-friendly, but for maximum cushiness you definitely don't want to specify the lowered and tightened sport suspension fitted to our test car. At least our A4's continuous damper control offers a wider range of damping settings than the TT's magnetic ride control.

The biggest single surprise was the new dynamic steering, which works much better than the black-and-white active steering offered by BMW. Audi chose a totally homogenous calibration, and it's neither too quick in town nor too heavy and slow on the autostrada. More to the point, the transition between two-finger easy and two-hands firm is progressive and unobtrusive.

2008 Hummer H3 Alpha

2008-02-13T15:16:00.001+05:00

Arguably, most Hummer owners have no idea what their vehicle is really capable of. It's no big secret that many buyers of these squared-off suburban tanks do so for one primary reason: status. The Hummer's status-symbol status no doubt comes from its off-road ability, but you can bet the majority of them have no plans to ever leave the smooth pavement to go rough-riding in the hills. The truth is, it just feels cool to tool around town behind the wheel of one of these things. After all, a Hummer is pretty much as exotic as an SUV gets.
Nonetheless, it would be a kick to see the look on the faces of these urban cowboys (and girls) if they did indeed venture out into the wild. They would be more than pleasantly surprised... they would be flat-out impressed. We certainly were we when we took to the mountainous rock gardens of northern New Mexico with Hummer's smallest offering, the 2008 H3 Alpha.

Not since the original (and now discontinued) H1 Alpha roamed the earth has another Hummer been given the honor of wearing the performance Alpha designation. It denotes a certain level of power and presence. The vehicle aside, the Alpha badging itself broods a definitive super-hero quality. You can easily imagine the design stamped across the chest of some caped character with disproportionately large biceps.
But there's nothing disproportionate about this Alpha package. As a matter a fact, its newfound upshot of power is a perfect fit. Its heartblood is pumped by a GM 5.3-liter small block V-8. Boasting 300 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque, the H3 Alpha is a quick sprinter and can tow up to 6000 pounds of boat.
And off-road it really shines. We powered over rocks and up inclines that seemed impossible to tread. Just throw it into low, lock the diff, and prepare to accomplish the unreasonable. There's 9.1 inches of ground clearance with max approach and departure angles of thirty-nine and thirty-seven degrees, respectively. This Alpha just digs in and goes, crossing the most formidable of impasses.

The new engine's capabilities are even more impressive when you look at the standard H3's barely adequate inline five-cylinder engine, which has been known to frustrate drivers on long ascents and highway on-ramps.
Designing the new V-8 powertrain to Hummer specs did however require some purposeful modifications. The rear axle ratio was changed from 4.56:1 to 4.10:1, and the front differential case is now a tougher cast iron. Even a unique oil pan has been utilized to ensure constant lubrication even on steep grades.
Like all Hummers past and present, the H3 Alpha's V-8 will be criticized for its combined government fuel economy rating of 14 mpg. But there is a bright side; all that extra power comes with only a 1 mpg penalty compared to the significantly weaker in-line five.

2008 Maserati GranTurismo

2008-02-13T14:35:00.000+05:00

Even in the Dolomite Mountains, where tall peaks tickle the clouds, the sight of the new Maserati coupe triggers the same subconscious reflexes as that of a bikini-clad beauty on the Italian Riviera. The proportions! Compared with the Quattroporte sedan from which it's derived, the wheelbase has been cut by 4.8 inches, but the sheetmetal stretches even more voluptuously over the wheels. What a body! It is Coke-bottle slim around the waist, with a neatly detailed, curvaceous rear end complemented by a sculptured front with trademark portholes and a big-mouth grille that recalls Maserati's 1957 3500GT. In terms of head-turning ability, the long, low, and wide GranTurismo gives away nothing to the Ferrari 599GTB.
Although the GranTurismo tips the scales at more than 4100 pounds, Maserati's parent company, Fiat, saddled it with the smallest-displacement, 4.2-liter version of the corporate V-8. It delivers 405 hp, a paltry 5 hp more than in the Quattroporte. Thus, the GranTurismo is a brisk performer but no road rocket. According to Maserati, acceleration from 0 to 60 mph takes 5.1 seconds, which is perfectly acceptable, if slightly slower than the outgoing GranSport coupe. The 177-mph top speed sets the Maserati apart from many of its German rivals, which are often limited to 155 mph. All in all, however, an extra kick in the butt would definitely be appreciated.

At 340 lb-ft, the Maserati's torque summit, too, is overshadowed by the competition's. That's the bad news. The good news is the shape of the torque curve, which looks more like a high plateau than like the pointed peaks of the Alps. Even at 1000 rpm, more than 220 lb-ft are on tap, and between 3750 and 7200 rpm, the driver's right foot is in command of 295 lb-ft or more. Despite the V-8's willingness to rev, there's no need to take it to the redline unless you want to chase the big fish. The engine is coupled to the six-speed ZF automatic introduced earlier this year on the Quattroporte. (The unloved DuoSelect paddle-shift manu-matic is not available.) The automatic's two shift paddles invite you to interfere at will, but unless the lever is pushed into manual mode, the chips will resume control after somewhere between six and twenty-five seconds, depending on driving style and speed. Even in M, the gearbox promptly responds to kickdown orders, but it will upshift before the engine runs out of revs. For an extra dash of urgency, push the Sport button and relish the quicker throttle response, the more brisk gearchanges, and the aggressive shift pattern.
Maserati's adjustable Skyhook suspension, which offers two different damper calibrations and better yaw, roll, dive, and squat compensation, is optional. Dial in Sport, and the suspension will instantly change from mellow to firm. But even when all systems operate in macho mode, the Maserati retains the cool demeanor of a classic GT. Acoustically, it's almost too cool. Unlike a Ferrari, which can crack plaster when you goose the throttle, the civilized Maserati is more interested in virtuoso tonalities than in raw, unbridled noise.

The rack-and-pinion steering isn't surgically precise, but it is prompt and responsive. The car goes where you point it, and it only takes a couple of corners to learn that input and output share the same wavelength. If one were to name the dominating trait of the new Maserati, it would probably be the car's admirable harmony of motion. The extremely well-sorted chassis makes the GranTurismo agile in corners and easy to drive fast.
Maserati engineers are particularly proud of the fact that the GranTurismo needs only 115 feet to stop from 62 mph, but pedal feel is nonetheless rather wooden, initial response is comparatively toothless, and pedal effort is too high.
Tall drivers will wish for more legroom and a better-contoured seat, the 9.2-cubic-foot trunk is too small, access to the rear passenger compartment is difficult, and the rear-three-quarter view is one big blind spot. But these drawbacks are peanuts in the grand scheme of things. The GranTurismo, a modern GT with plenty of old-time flair, puts Maserati firmly back on the map. It's sporty and luxurious, it's a hoot to drive fast, it blends poise and presence, and it's classy and competent enough to be on every connoisseur's wish list.

2008 Honda Accord Coupe

2008-02-13T14:33:00.000+05:00

The traditional knock on Hondas - especially Accords - is that they're characterless appliances, overrefined transport modules that recall wheeled versions of Asimo, own humanoid robot. But in the past few years, it seems that Honda has begun to let out the reins and allow its talented engineers to infuse their designs with something that was heretofore in short supply: personality.
Just look at the new, way-attitudinal Accord coupe. Where Accord styling used to err on the side of apologetic - "Hello, I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm the Accord" - the 2008 Accord coupe, with its raked side glass and chunky, aggressive front end, gets in your face right away with some Samuel L. Jackson swagger. It is not a polite car. And, I say, it's about time.
Viewed in profile, the Accord coupe looks like it has too much front overhang, but from any other angle it looks pretty fantastic, an impression bolstered by the unexpected amount of attention this car garnered. I mean, I know it's a new model, but I didn't expect an Accord to attract so many curious onlookers--and compliments.

Incidentally, Honda introduced the Accord not in Maui or the French Riviera but in Boston, a place with some attitude of its own. This also happens to be my stomping grounds, so in lieu of Honda's organized drive down to Cape Cod, I veered into my own Southie hood, which boasts some of the nastiest roads this side of Baja. Without a bit of exaggeration, there's one stretch of road near my house that's made entirely of patched potholes, a frightening tarmac collage of ragged bumps. The Accord coupe sailed over this mess with only a distant symphony of thuds from the tires and very little motion from the body. This is a solid vehicle. So solid, it seems as if they could cut off the roof and make a very handsome convertible while maintaining a reasonably stiff structure. C'mon, Honda - don't tell me you haven't taken the measure of the Sebrings of the world and thought about that one.
The coupe is designed to recruit younger buyers into the Accord fold, and it's aiming at that crowd with a mix of high-tech features and performance that's up to the sprightly standard. For instance, the Accord coupe offers eighteen-inch wheels, which will never earn it the cover of DUB magazine but are the biggest wheels ever fitted to a production Honda. There's a variable-ratio steering rack that offers nuanced responses just off-center (say, during a lane change) but quickens the ratio near the ends of steering lock, to help you swing into parking spaces a bit quicker. That's the kind of elegant Honda engineering we know and love. Another Accord first that fairly booms Honda's quest for younger customers: an available subwoofer.

But while the subwoofer and the wheels make their case for a Gen Y buyer, the Accord coupe drives like a much more mature car. Thanks to a standard strut-tower brace and reasonably stiff suspension, this car doesn't mind corners, but it's not begging to find the nearest autocross course, either. Instead, refinement is the name of the game, and once you close that surprisingly heavy door and settle behind the three-spoke wheel, you tend to forget the sporty exterior and sink into the soothing embrace of the Accord cocoon.
All tactile sensations are supremely satisfying. and could learn a thing or two from the Accord's shifter. It's light, yet it snicks definitively into each gear, which is unfortunately a rare combination--most gear levers with such delicate action commensurately lack feel. Also, unlike recent four-cylinder Hondas, the V-6 Accord doesn't artificially hang onto revs between gears--they drop off naturally, and thus the Accord is far easier to drive smoothly than is, say, a Civic Si.
The Accord powertrain hierarchy starts with a 180-hp four-cylinder and works up to a200-hp engine that assumes the crown of "most powerful four-banger ever sold in the States," but the new 273-hpV-6 is the power champ by a wide margin. Mash the throttle in first gear, and the traction-control light blinks until you're hooked up in second, but the only aural notice of your kinetic drama is a distant growl from the exhaust. If Honda can do active noise cancellation, how about an active exhaust, so that, at 6000 rpm, the V-6 doesn't sound like it's in the next town over?

I guess complaining about overrefinement is missing the point, though. Obviously, Honda knows exactly how to build a raw car--the S2000 is proof of that - but in this case it chose a different direction. What Honda has arrived at should please Accord loyalists while luring new buyers. I suspect that dealers are the only people who will seriously dislike the new Accord--when there's only a 17-hp gap between the everyman Accord and the nearly $50,000, you're beginning to run into a branding problem.
Overall, the Accord coupe brings to mind a recent morning news segment I saw about "glamping," wherein wealthy vacationers travel to the wilderness and stay in tents that look all Oregon Trail and minimalist on the outside but replicate a posh hotel once you step inside the flap. There's a similar schism going on with the Accord - the styling screams that you're roughing it sports car-style, with attendant cabin noise and focus on speed over luxuries, but once you're behind the wheel, it's five-star all the way.

2008 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG

2008-02-13T14:32:00.000+05:00

Waiting for us on the cobblestone center court of AMG headquarters in the Stuttgart suburb of Affalterbach is a gunmetal gray Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG. Like its two direct competitors, the Audi RS4 and the BMW M3, the new top-of-the-line C-class is powered by a V-8. And like the formula favored by those cars, the latest DOHC four-valve is a high-revving, normally aspirated engine: it is redlined at 7200 rpm and delivers 451 hp at 6800 rpm. The smaller V-8 fitted to the 2008 M3 (page 64) can muster an extra 1200 revs, but it maxes out at 414 hp. Where the C63 has its biggest advantage, however, is in torque. Its bigger engine distances the pack with 443 lb-ft at 5000 rpm, followed by the RS4 with 317 lb-ft and the BMW with 295 lb-ft.
The C63 AMG is fitted with a seven-speed automatic, coined Speedshift Plus, that offers three different driving modes. C stands for comfort, and S indicates sport. The sport mode cuts shift times by 30 percent, triggers automatic downshifts on the approach to corners and descents, and blips the throttle, Ferrari-style. The purist should dial M for manual. In this position, gear changes are executed--wham, bang, go!--50 percent faster than in comfort mode. As you flick the steering-wheel-mounted paddles from one ratio to the next, you're aware that this is one of the quickest automatics on earth. The impending redline is reflected not only by the increasingly thunderous engine note but also by the digital display that changes color from amber to bright red. For the first time, AMG has developed a unique front suspension for the high-performance C-class. The new triple-link system is 1.4 inches wider. Wheel hubs and mounting points have been redesigned, torsional rigidity doubles, and steering accuracy and response are greatly improved. Stiffer springs, sport-tuned dampers, and a larger antiroll bar helped AMG engineers optimize braking performance, lateral acceleration, and stability. The steering rack was repositioned for more direct action, and a quicker ratio enhances turn-in and feedback. The brakes do without composite discs, but they boast extra-large rotors clamped by six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers.
From all angles, the C63 AMG looks decidedly more like a gung ho street fighter than a subtle stealth sedan. Changes from the stock C-class include a new front bumper with three large air intakes and a pair of foglamps, a hood with two power bulges, painted and polished eighteen-inch five-spoke wheels shod with 235/40 and 255/35 tires, a restyled rear apron with three diffuser fins, four chrome tailpipes, and a small spoiler mounted on the trailing edge of the trunk lid.
Inside, the C63 sports excellent bucket seats with integrated head restraints and adjustable side bolsters. A special AMG submenu in the instrument cluster can be set to display oil and water temperatures, the current ESP setting (on/off/sport), or the race timer. It's a functional and well put together driver's environment, but the materials still lack that special touch of class.
While both the BMW and the Audi engines are handicapped by their relatively modest displacements, the 6.2-liter AMG engine actually had to be detuned for the hot C-class, where it delivers 451 hp instead of 507 hp in the E63 and 518 hp in the S63. The extra power it musters over the RS4 and the M3 yields an acceleration advantage that is particularly obvious above 100 mph. Here, drag challenges every single horsepower, and the Merc benefits from its close-ratio, seven-speed transmission and its richer seam of torque, which helps to keep up the momentum. Mercedes says that the C63 AMG has been timed at 4.5 seconds in the run to 62 mph --quicker than both the BMW and the Audi.

With ESP set on sport, every empty on-ramp triggers a smile. With ESP off, the C63 AMG qualifies as a hooligan's delight, but this doesn't mean that it's constantly struggling for traction and composure. How does it differ from the M3 and the RS4? In the Audi, you need to have courage to do sideways stints in the dry. In the BMW, power oversteer is still very much part of the DNA, but the transition from hang-on to let-go is not as creamy as it used to be. The Mercedes, however, further elevates the level of adhesion, and when it senses that the driver wants to play, it plays along. Earlier AMG models were initially less forthcoming, but when they did throw in the towel, the rear tires typically went up in smoke. The C63 has new ESP software that reduces wheel spin without deflating the expressive cornering attitude.
The 3814-pound C63 AMG decelerates extremely well. Everything about these brakes is spot-on: the initial feedback, the relentless energy-squashing bite when you put your foot down hard, and the ability to quickly scrub off triple-digit speeds, again and again.
There is really only one area where potential owners should be prepared to make compromises, and that's ride comfort. Most AMG products this side of the CLK Black Series have surprisingly compliant suspensions, but the C63 AMG does not. It employs firm dampers and very firm springs, so expect to feel every surface detail. Even the M3 rides better than the C63.
Overall, the C63 has impressive attributes that you don't expect from a Mercedes--agility, driving pleasure, balance, chassis, steering, transmission, performance, value for money. With this new C-class on steroids, the gentlemen from Affalterbach have created a very convincing automobile. We put the car through its paces for eight hours and 250 miles, during which the C63 soared from underdog to overachiever

Cayman S

2008-02-13T14:31:00.000+05:00

Having just driven the Boxster S a few months back, I was head over heels (or vice versa) in love with the superb dynamics of the poor man’s Porsche, revelling in the superb craftsmanship of virtually everything associated with the vehicle. The thought and detailing that went into each aspect of the vehicle was apparent as was the DNA of the car which is present in every Porsche - everything meant to appease the enthusiast, everything meant to excite him and a few things that he could only find in a Porsche.The shape of the car for instance - unmistakably Porsche, unmistakably exhilarating. With the Boxster having been labelled as it was, and the huge gap between the pricing of the roadster and the true blue sports coupe, the rear engined 911, there existed the place for another car to be positioned, something that the Cayman S owes its existence to.
The Cayman S takes its place in a classic Porsche line-up without a hint of difficulty as even at the very first sight it can be seen boasting classic design features reminiscent of the Porsche 550 Coupé introduced way back in 1953 and the Porsche 904 Carrera GTS Coupé. While the two large oval headlights and three symmetrically arranged large cooling air intake scoops create the typical Porsche face, uniqueness is added by the fog lamps with their positioning lights integrated via horizontal bars in the outer air intake scoops. Even though the Cayman S is based on the Boxster platform, its looks are far removed even though the front end of the car is just as characteristic as the side-line with air intake scoops in the front of the rear axle, the strong curvature of the roof and the rear end slowly tapering down to the bumper at the back - all classic Porsche design elements.
The overall effect is that of any even more muscular car than the Boxster could pretend to be. The chunkiness also comes a bit from its size and dimensions. Positioned between the two sports car offerings the Cayman S is longer than the Boxster but shorter than the 911, slightly higher than the Boxster but has the same width.
In keeping with Porsche’s classical drive concepts, the latest Porsche is powered by a horizontally opposed six-cylinder unit which is based on that of the Boxster S with the cylinder heads entirely from the 911 Carrera, a six-speed manual or tiptronic gearbox and rear wheel drive. The all aluminium dohc 24-valve engine features variable valve timing (Vario Cam Plus), hydraulic valve play compensation, switchable intake manifolds and two start up and two main catalysts and churns out a maximum of 295PS of power at 6250rpm and a whopping 340Nm of torque that is available from 4400rpm right through till 6000rpm. What amazed me most as I cranked up the engine was its eagerness to rev right up to its redline of 7300rpm. This has been made possible by incorporating the extremely short stroke of the Boxster S and combining it with the bore of the 911 Carrera. Thus the oversquare engine features cylinders with a bore diameter of 96mm combined with a stroke of 78mm. The VarioCam Plus system has three operating modes - idle, half load and full load. Idle speed is optimised by switching the intake valve lift on a small 3.6-millimetre cam and retarding valve timing to minimise valve overlap. In order to reduce the throttle effect in the engine and cut back fuel consumption accordingly, it is ideal to run the engine under part load with a large share of residual exhaust gas in the combustion chambers. To achieve this effect, camshaft adjustment is advanced with the valve lift being kept to a minimum to provide a large overlap area, exhaust gas from the exhaust gas manifold thus being able to flow back into the chambers, with an appropriate reduction of fuel consumption under everyday driving conditions.
Under full load high torque and engine output are ensured, first, by minimising losses in the cylinder charge cycle and, second, by using appropriate cam contours without any compromises. In practice, these effects are ensured by the maximum intake valve lift of 11mm and appropriately modified opening and closing times of the valve opening points for the valve opening period. Porsche’s VarioCam Plus system is made up of two main components: The parameters serving to control the operation of VarioCam Plus, in turn, are engine speed, the amount of fresh air drawn in, the position of the gas pedal, engine oil and coolant temperature, as well as recognition of the gear (both on Tiptronic S and the manual gearbox) currently in mesh.
The high torque on the other hand is made available through a 1600rpm band as well as very low rpm is made possible by a variable geometry intake system with a double-chamber distributor pipe leading directly to a distributor butterfly. Once the butterfly is connected, the two rows of cylinders draw in combustion air separately of one another, the engine thus running like a double three-cylinder. This effect significantly boosts torque at low engine speeds, thus providing a significant increase in power and momentum from just 1500rpm.
The distributor butterfly is opened for an optimum flow of air as of 3500rpm and closes again at 4900rpm, while the resonance butterfly in the second connection pipe opens at the same time to generate more power through the resonance charge effect. Both butterflies are then opened at speeds above 5200rpm to provide maximum air throughput.
The gearbox is taken from the Boxster S with some modifications to the ratios (first and second being shorter) and is fun and engaging to operate with an extremely short throw and a precision shift. This is achieved by using three syncromeshes on the first three gears and two on the next three. The Tiptronic, though great to use because one does not need to remove hands from the steering wheel, is not as much fun because of the lag and it took me quite a while to time the button pressings right to get the gearshift at the correct place.
Our drive in Oman was from the centre of the capital Muscat to an oasis about 150km away. While the roar of the engine or the sheer nervous excitement that accompanies the Cayman S is nothing like what accompanies the Corvette, it is huge adrenaline rush stuff. The minute one slots it into first, begins a drive of discovery. Discovery of the fact that try as hard as you might, you just do not seem to find the limit to which this car can be pushed. If the Boxster was good in this respect, then the Cayman S is better, much better. Keeping it all so tight are the 19-inch Carrera style wheels (standard is 18-inch though) which are suspended from the car by MacPherson struts all around like in the Boxster S but further tuned to sporty handling and agility. Harder springs combined with a softer anti-roll bar make the Cayman S more sure footed and less prone to knee-jerk reactions.made it a joy to drive on the sharp twisty roads of the Omani countryside was the precise steering featuring variable assist which weighted up the steering adequately at high speeds to ensure not just overall stability in a straight line but also nimble footedness and agility as and when required.Detailing the safety features and the six airbags, would just take up too much space, so I will skip it for now and focus on the huge space in the car with both the single front and twin rear spaces combining up to 410 litres which is much larger than what many of our sedans have.
The interiors are quite Boxster-ish with the Sports Chrono package as an optional for even more dynamic performance that seems to turn even the most significant of curves into a straight line.
If you are thinking of the thrills that are usually associated with the Porsche name then you need to look at one of their rear-engined cars even though those have been somewhat tamed as well especially with the 997. However what I discovered with the Cayman was that it gives you the freedom to explore the limits of your capability in a package that is ultimately forgiving and superbly balanced so that you won’t be caught out by the quirks of the car. The savage deserts of Oman with beautifully paved roads were an ideal ground for us to unleash the power of the Cayman. After a little getting used to the Cayman S was on song, blasting through the rugged countryscape at speeds getting closed to the top speed and though I did give it a try, 260-odd was all I could manage. But the real joy of the car was on the twisty sections where try as hard as i might have, i was unable to shake its surefootedness.
The Cayman S will be available in India later on in the month and is expected to be priced between the 911 Carrera and the Boxster S, and that should translate into a starting price of about Rs 60 lakh.

2008 Honda Accord Sedan

2008-01-15T20:08:00.000+05:00

2008 Honda Accord Sedan Summary

The 2008 Accord Sedan is a 4-door, 5-passenger family sedan, available in 13 trims, ranging from the LX 5-Spd MT to the EX-L V-6 5-Spd AT w/ Navigation System.

Upon introduction, the LX 5-Spd MT is equipped with a standard 2.4-liter, I4, 177-horsepower engine that achieves 22-mpg in the city and 31-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard. The EX-L V-6 5-Spd AT w/ Navigation System is equipped with a standard 3.5-liter, V6, 268-horsepower engine that achieves 19-mpg in the city and 29-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard.

The 2008 Accord Sedan is redesigned for 2008.

2008 Toyota Corolla

2008-01-15T20:00:00.000+05:00

2008 Toyota Corolla Summary

The 2008 Corolla is a 4-door, 5-passenger family sedan, available in 3 trims, ranging from the CE to the LE.

Upon introduction, both trims are equipped with a standard 1.8-liter, I4, 126-horsepower engine that achieves 28-mpg in the city and 37-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard, and a 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional.

The 2008 Corolla is a carryover from 2007.

2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid 4-Door Sedan

2008-01-15T19:54:00.000+05:00

2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid Summary

The 2008 Camry Hybrid is a 4-door, 5-passenger family sedan, available in one trim only, the 4-Door Sedan.

Upon introduction, the Camry Hybrid is equipped with a standard 2.4-liter, I4 , 192-horsepower, hybrid engine that achieves 33-mpg in the city and 34-mpg on the highway. A variable speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard.

The 2008 Camry Hybrid is a carryover from 2007.