Archive for March, 2010
2010 New York Auto Show: 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon Live Gallery
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin.
Mercedes-Benz is hitting the 2010 New York Auto Show hard with a barrage of updated and new (to the U.S., anyway) cars, including the E-Class Wagon, which makes its U.S. debut today. Available only in E350 4Matic trim, the new car offers a touch more utility without the sacrifice to style and compactness required of a crossover. With a 3.5-liter…
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2010 New York Auto Show: 2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Class Live Gallery
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin.
The Mercedes-Benz R-Class hits a different split for its crossover mixup: part SUV, part minivan, it’s not really either one. And until this latest facelift, it wasn’t really easy on the eyes, either. It’s still not as attractive as the rest of the Mercedes lineup, but it’s definitely much improved with a fresh facelift for the 2011 model year, as…
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2011 Mazda2 Starts at $13,980
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin.
Mazda unveiled pricing today for its new Mazda2 subcompact hatchback that goes on sale in July. Starting at $13,980, buyers will get into a Sport trim level with a five-speed manual and entry-level standard features such as 15-inch steel wheels with plastic covers, a four-speaker CD stereo, power windows, air conditioning, tilt steering wheel and stability control. A four-speed automatic transmission brings the starting price up to $14,780.
Move up to the Touring trim, and the price rises to $15,435 for the manual and $16,235 for the automatic. Added standard equipment includes 15-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, upgraded cloth seats, fog lights, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, six-speaker CD stereo and a rear spoiler.
Destination charges are an additional $750.
All Mazda2s come with a standard auxiliary audio jack, but no iPod or USB connectivity is offered, even as an accessory.
The Mazda2 will be offered in six colors: black, silver, green, red, blue (available in August) and a special white that will add an extra $200 to your MSRP.
For more on the Mazda2’s fuel economy and engine, check out our post here.
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2011 Mazda2: 100 Horsepower, 35 mpg Highway
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin.
When the 2011 Mazda2 goes on sale this July starting at $13,980, it will pack a small 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine teamed either to a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. Even with just 100 horsepower, the mileage Mazda estimates the small car will return is 28/35 mpg city/highway.
While this compares favorably to the Toyota Yaris at 29/36 mpg and others currently on the market, it’s not an earth-shattering number. Mazda promises a more engaging driving experience in the Mazda2, like it does in the Mazda3. Cars.com reviewers don’t argue this is the case, and the Mazda3’s fuel economy isn’t tops in its class, either. But for customers who will gladly sacrifice a few mpgs for driving enjoyment, even the Mazda2 might be a more alluring choice than the upcoming Chevy Aveo and even the similar Ford Fiesta.
For more on the Mazda2’s pricing, check out our post here.
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2011 Porsche Cayenne: Up Close
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin.
Porsche says the redesigned Cayenne is almost 2 inches longer than the 2010 but looks smaller, and they aren't kidding. Maybe it's the smoother lines and less exaggerated features; whatever it is, it's a more appealing vehicle that looks more like a Porsche than the original did. The spoiler on the trailing edge of the roof is cool. Its undulations recall the visor of a well-worn cap.
I'm most pleased with the interior quality, which is a step — make that three — above the previous generation's. Porsche's exclusivity, in performance and reputation, has allowed it to fall behind other luxury brands in this regard. The current Cayenne — and too many other models — have an overabundance of silver plastic that doesn't even come close to looking like metal. The 2011's plastic trim now looks like metal. The only aspect I'm not sold on is the shift buttons, which still feel plasticky and protrude awkwardly above the steering-wheel spokes.
The backseat now slides forward and back more than 6 inches, and it works well. With the front and rear seats positioned all the way back, there's plenty of legroom in back for tall folks. My knees didn't come near the driver's seat backrest, though the floor is high enough to raise one's knees a bit. This is no limousine.
Naturally, if you slide the seat forward you lose legroom but increase the cargo area. There appears to be one oversight, though: There's no apparent provision for covering the gap that opens up between the backseat and the cargo floor — whether the seat is folded flat or not. Something's sure to drop into that space, especially during the spirited driving all Porsches inspire.
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2010 New York Auto Show: 2011 Infiniti QX56 Live Gallery
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin.
Buick fender vents aside, there’s a lot of weird going on with the 2011 Infiniti QX, and the live photos do little to mitigate the ponderous proportions. Based on the Nissan Patrol SUV, the new QX56 is a big, real-deal SUV, but we have to wonder who’s going to find it attractive. Priced to start from $59,800 in four-wheel drive or $56,700 in…
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2011 Volkswagen Touareg Video
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin.
With three different drivetrain options, the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg has all its bases covered. In this video from the 2010 New York International Auto Show, Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays takes a look at the hybrid model, and in doing so finds that Volkswagen has made key improvements throughout the SUV.
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More Details on the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin.
On the eve of the New York International Auto Show, Volkswagen held a media event showcasing the redesigned 2011 Touareg. We’ve heard plenty about the European version so far, but we learned considerably more about what stateside VW shoppers will get.
This is the second-generation Touareg; the short-lived Touareg 2 was little more than a confusingly named face-lift on the first generation. It goes on sale internationally in April, but we won’t see it here until midfall, product specialist Ed Stammel said at the event.
Although it’s about 5 inches longer than before — most of the room benefits the backseat — the Touareg weighs about 500 pounds less than its predecessor, mostly because of lighter materials. Although it still has considerable off-road abilities, it also gives up hard-core equipment such as a low-speed transfer case. The previous generation’s self-leveling air suspension won’t be offered, either. The result is less complexity and weight, better gas mileage and, hopefully, improved reliability, Stammel said. (The current Touareg, per Consumer Reports and J.D. Power surveys, is about as reliable as a Brett Favre retirement pledge.)
Engines include a 225-horsepower diesel V-6, a 280-hp gasoline V-6 and a new V-6 hybrid drivetrain with a combined 374 hp. All three use an eight-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive is standard. The hybrid drivetrain is Volkswagen’s first, and it matches a gasoline V-6 to a separate electric motor. It can putter along at up to 31 mph on electric power with a “boost” mode that calls up all the troops for duty. With a combined 425 pounds-feet of torque between the engine and electric motor, we imagine it makes for a fair amount of grunt.
Although official EPA ratings are pending, combined city/highway mileage for the diesel should end up “in the mid-20s,” Stammel said. That puts the Touareg Hybrid between the Mercedes ML450 Hybrid (about 22 mpg) and the Lexus RX 450h (30 mpg) in combined ratings, but we suspect anyone shopping $50,000 luxury SUVs, even hybrids, isn’t fretting pump figures at the gas station.
Volkswagen hasn’t announced pricing yet, but Stammel said he doesn’t expect prices to stray a great deal from the current Touareg’s $40,850 starting figure. We assume the hybrid will top off the range – both the ML450 and RX 450h hybrids slot above their V-6 counterparts – but you’ll likely be able to knock some of that off via a federal tax credit.
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Mopar to Sell Raptor Fighting Suspension Kits for Ram 1500
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin.
Photo Courtesy of Four Wheeler Magazine (see more pics!)
Chrysler's Mopar parts division plans to sell bolt-on long-travel suspension kits to Ram 1500 off-road enthusiasts later this year, according to company representatives attending the annual Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah.
A prototype of the aggressive dampening kit is making its debut in Moab on Mopar's Ram Runner project vehicle. It transforms the half-ton Ram into a competitor with the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor and even uses shocks from the same manufacturer (Fox) that the Raptor uses.
The Ram 1500 may have an advantage or two over the Raptor. It's unique four-link coil-spring rear suspension, instead of leaf springs, should help give the truck extra stability off-road.
The Ram Runner project uses 3.0 Fox shocks at all four corners of the truck. Billet aluminum upper A-arms and chromoly steel lower control arms support a massive 14-inches of wheel travel.
Mopar tapped veteran off-road racer Kent Kroeker to help develop the setup. Kroeker is a Baja legend. In 2004, he built and raced a 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 4×4 in the SCORE “Stock Full” class to a top three finish in the Baja 1000 and drove the same truck home the next day. Since then, Kroeker has built his company, KORE, into a well-known provider of aftermarket lift kits and suspensions for Dodge trucks. If anyone knows the ins and outs of building a race-ready Ram for the desert, it’s Kroeker.
Pricing and a firm sales date for the suspension kit have not been announced.
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2011 Nissan Juke: Up Close
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin.
Taking in the Juke is kind of like watching a game of cricket: There's a lot going on that I don't understand, but I like it nonetheless. The Juke is different without being dreadful-looking, appealing but not conventional. For small-crossover shoppers who want a car that stands out, the Juke has become the one to beat.
The Juke is nearly 2 feet shorter than a Nissan Rogue, and its small size is apparent when framed by the rest of Nissan's lineup, like it was on the floor of the New York auto show. More than anything, its size reminded me of a small hatchback — with a lift kit.
Nissan had a right-hand-drive Juke on the show floor, and the interior seemed pretty average for something that's supposed to start around $20,000. It's nice, but not exceptionally so. The cloth front bucket seats have modest side bolsters and offer a range of adjustability that makes the driver's seat comfortable for taller people.
How's the backseat? Not so good. Even by compact car standards, it's tight. You have to wedge your knees past the back of the front seats to get in, and once you're there, the seat doesn't offer a lot of thigh support. Like the Mini Cooper, the Juke is suited to carry full-size passengers in back only when there's absolutely no other alternative.
The cargo area is on the small side, but if you don't plan on using the small backseat, you can fold it flat to open up more space, which is probably what a lot of singles and couples who buy the Juke will do. There's a sizable bin under the cargo floor that can keep valuables out of sight.
