CHECK OUT THE NEW CAMARO:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Features/articleId=1294 46#
CHECK OUT THE NEW CAMARO:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Features/articleId=1294 46#2
Behold: The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro in all its full-on production glory.
What? Well yes, it looks like that Camaro Concept we saw more than two and a half years ago at the 2006 Detroit Auto Show. And it looks exactly as you knew it would from two years of spy shots of the car under development. And it will look exactly like this when it goes on sale in March of next year. You expected what? That it would look like a Corsica or a Mark VIII?
Enthusiasts would no more forgive Chevrolet for watering down the stunning 2006 Camaro concept than they would forgive General Motors if it decided a year from now to cancel the Volt program. The concept, with its steely, all-business color, dark-tinted glass, pavement-skimming raked stance and fang-shaped side mirrors, looked like a 1969 Camaro designed by the Lockheed Skunk Works.
Of course, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro production-specification cars pictured here — V6 models with 20-inch wheels that come as part of the RS trim package — don't get the slammed stance, chopped roof and black windows of the concept. Nor do they have the 22-inch rear and 21-inch front wheels of the concept.
The V8 model of the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro — called the SS — won't have that showcar ornamentation either. Chevy is holding back on revealing the SS for reasons that make sense only within the confines of GM's headquarters at the Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit, even though it looks very nearly identical to the V6 model with the RS package. (In case you were wondering, the SS will have the concept car's little mail-slot opening on the top of the front fascia. This particular aperture has no historical precedent in the world of Camaro and owes more to the Corvette Z06 or the Mini Cooper S.)
But we're still happy.
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LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PORSCHE 911 GT2:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTes
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PORSCHE 911 GT2:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articl eId=129447
For three days straight, we tried to beat the daylights out of the 2008 Porsche 911 GT2. In the end, this Guards Red missile shrugged off the experience and beat the tar out of us instead. All we had to show for our efforts were a bruised right palm, a $1,300 receipt for replacement rear tires and a permanent smile.
While selflessly obliging the lens-carrying members of our staff who asked if it'd be possible to get the 530-horsepower, rear-wheel-drive GT2 to do something interesting for the camera, we kicked this car's butt until we literally grew tired of the effort. And yet the 2008 Porsche 911 GT effectively replied, "Is that all you've got? Give me some more tires and I'm good to go."
And go it does.
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http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articl eId=129447?tid=edmunds.il.home
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articl eId=129447?tid=edmunds.il.home.photopanel..2.*#
For three days straight, we tried to beat the daylights out of the 2008 Porsche 911 GT2. In the end, this Guards Red missile shrugged off the experience and beat the tar out of us instead. All we had to show for our efforts were a bruised right palm, a $1,300 receipt for replacement rear tires and a permanent smile.
While selflessly obliging the lens-carrying members of our staff who asked if it'd be possible to get the 530-horsepower, rear-wheel-drive GT2 to do something interesting for the camera, we kicked this car's butt until we literally grew tired of the effort. And yet the 2008 Porsche 911 GT effectively replied, "Is that all you've got? Give me some more tires and I'm good to go."
And go it does.
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http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/GeneralFuture/articleId =128474?tid=edmunds.il.futurel
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/GeneralFuture/articleId =128474?tid=edmunds.il.futurelanding.latestnews..1.*
It wasn't in the initial product plans, but the 2010 Ford F-150 Raptor looks as though it has progressed into a full-scale production vehicle. Originally an under-the-radar project championed by a few dedicated engineers at Ford, the Raptor has already been shown to dealers and is expected to go on sale next year.
The existence of the Raptor has been a well-kept secret until Sean Holman, an editor at Four Wheeler magazine, spotted a prototype testing in the California desert last year. Since then, Holman has been tracking the development of the new truck, and now we can show you the first spy video of the Raptor trolling the streets of Dearborn.
A dedicated off-road truck, the Raptor will feature a fully customized suspension with unique wheels and tires, Holman says. Front-wheel travel is said to be increased by 4 inches thanks to Eibach springs and Fox remote-reservoir dampers. The tires appear to be 35-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/As mounted on 17-inch wheels, and an electronically controlled locking rear differential will come standard on the four-wheel-drive truck.
The engine that will power the F-150 Raptor is still unknown. The Raptor was originally scheduled to introduce the new Boss V8, but that program has been scaled back due to fuel-efficiency concerns. It's possible that the planned 6.2-liter V8 will still make its way into the Raptor, but a carryover engine from the current lineup is a more likely scenario.
Ford's 5.4-liter V8 is currently the biggest engine available in the F-150 and the most potent version is the supercharged motor in the Harley-Davidson edition. It uses a Saleen supercharger to make 450 horsepower, but the prototype in our video clearly pulls into a Roush facility. It shouldn't make much of a difference though, as the big V8 should make at least 400 hp regardless of which supercharger it uses.
Then again, all of this speculation could be rendered useless if Ford decides that plummeting truck sales will make the Raptor a tough sell. Sales of the redesigned 2009 Ford F-150 have already been pushed back by two months, and the Boss engine program could be cancelled altogether if fuel regulations continue to tighten. Let's hope this is not the case, as the Raptor is one of the coolest factory-built specials we've seen in a long time — at least in prototype form.
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LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NEW BMW M3:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/ar
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NEW BMW M3:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articl eId=129086
We're on final approach into a tight corner, and our left index finger stretches for the minus paddle behind the 2008 BMW M3 Convertible's small, fat-rimmed steering wheel. All we want is a quick, rev-matched, 3-2 downshift from the car's seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Our downshift arrives in a violent, noisy spasm, a come-on to every sport biker in the canyon. Yet it still feels like one of the most precise gearchanges we've ever been able to take credit for. It also makes the BMW M3's 4.0-liter V8 very happy. Back down in 2nd gear, the free-revving engine howls to the bikers, and even through gusts of wind and gnats, we hear it tell us how much it hates neutral throttle. If you're not working this V8, you're killing it softly.
Messy emotions are inevitable when you're driving a hardtop-convertible version of a legendary performance car, as the thrill of a sunburn on a summer day has a way of obscuring unfortunate realities like excess curb weight and reduced structural rigidity.
But there's nothing messy or emotional about BMW's new dual-clutch gearbox (abbreviated as M DCT, or M DKG if you're German), which is all business in all of its 11 shift modes. It's also such an effective replacement for the 2008 BMW M3's conventional manual transmission that we wonder if it's not a greater threat to M-division purists than a bulky retractable hardtop.
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FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE LOTUS EAGLE:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/GeneralFuture/a
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE LOTUS EAGLE:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/GeneralFuture/articleId =126898
It's less than two months away from its official introduction, so it's no surprise that we're finally seeing prototypes of the 2009 Lotus Eagle. It's another midengine sports car from the famed British car builder and it was caught testing recently on the Nürburgring under heavy camouflage.
The Lotus Eagle will be the first production vehicle to use the company's new Versatile Vehicle Architecture (VVA). Built to accommodate various body types, the VVA was first shown beneath the APX concept at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. That vehicle was a compact crossover, but the Eagle will be a midrange 2+2 coupe.
Judging by the photos of the prototype on the Nürburgring, the accommodations in back won't amount to anything more than miniscule jump seats. Although the VVA will allow Lotus to push the Eagle's wheelbase beyond the 90-inch mark found on the Elise, don't expect a significantly larger car.
Most of the extra room will go toward accommodating a V6 engine. Lotus CEO Mike Kimberley has said publicly that the Eagle will use a Toyota-built V6. Most speculation pins the power plant in the 3.0- to 3.5-liter range with roughly 230-260 horsepower. A six-speed manual is the most likely transmission, although Lotus might finally bow to customer concerns and offer an automatic as well.
The official unveiling of the 2009 Lotus Eagle is slated for the 2008 London Auto Show in late July. Production will begin later this year, with sales starting by early 2009.
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CHECK OUT THE SPORT COMPACT COMPARISON:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Compa
CHECK OUT THE SPORT COMPACT COMPARISON:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/article Id=128908?tid=edmunds.il.home.photopanel..1.*
Thanks to three turbochargers, 724 horsepower and five limited-slip differentials, comparing the 2008 Mazdaspeed 3, 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX and 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart should be more entertaining than a cage match between Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and New Kids on the Block. Imagine the fun! Donny and Danny hangin' tough from the walls of the cage while Joey, Jordan and Jonathan get tossed into the crowd.
The way we see it, our Rampage vs. New Kids bout is no different from pitting the Mazdaspeed 3 — the current champ of the sport compact world — against the Lancer Ralliart and Subaru WRX. On the track, an epic ass-kicking is bound to ensue.
But comparison tests aren't always won on the track. Since these cars all share a focus on real-world driving for enthusiasts, we weighted performance as 25 percent of this test's scoring total, leaving the remaining points to price (20 percent), feature content (20 percent), fuel economy (15 percent), our subjective evaluation (15 percent) and personal and recommended picks (5 percent).
So performance is important, but in the end, the most well-rounded car wins.
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http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/GeneralFuture/articleId =127892
Now that most of th
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/GeneralFuture/articleId =127892
Now that most of the camouflage has come off the 2009 BMW 7 Series, we can finally see some of the details. The verdict? Inconclusive, as it still looks a lot like the current 7 Series, judging by what we can see.
The overall greenhouse appears almost unchanged, while the front and rear ends show only minor revisions. A taller hood area is the most noticeable difference up front, most likely a consequence of European pedestrian crash test standards. You can see it in the taller, narrower grille and more prominent crease in the hood.
If you hate the distinctive trunk design that pioneered on the 2002 7 Series, you're still out of luck, as it appears intact on this prototype. We expect to see a new taillight design that will reduce the 7's bulky rear end, but anyone hoping for a wholesale redesign will be disappointed.
Like the current 7 Series, there will be the usual range of V8 and V12 engines. The twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 that debuted in the X6 will most likely power the standard version. With 400 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, the next 7 Series should be one of the faster V8 luxury sedans around, especially if BMW goes ahead with an eight-speed automatic transmission as the rumors suggest. A V12 version with even more power should follow shortly after.
Given BMW's participation in a hybrid development program with Daimler and General Motors, it's a good bet that the 7 Series will offer the option of a gas-electric hybrid drivetrain at some point, too. Diesel is another possible option, although BMW may want to wait and see how the 335d and X5 diesel fare in the U.S. before sending any oil-burning 7 Series our way.
Look for the official pics and information to arrive sometime this summer. An official auto show debut is expected at the Paris auto show in October, with European sales beginning later this year. Sales in the U.S. should start by the spring of 2009.
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FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE NEW 5 SERIES:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/GeneralFuture/
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE NEW 5 SERIES:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/GeneralFuture/articleId =127846?tid=edmunds.il.futurelanding.latestnews..3.*
We've seen test mules of the 2011 BMW 5 Series before, first on the streets of Germany and then in the snow of the Arctic Circle. Our latest spy video shows the next-generation 5 Series in the mountains of Austria and on the Nürburgring test track in Germany.
Like the prototypes seen earlier, these latest 5 Series mules are covered in heavy camouflage. It doesn't matter much, as this evolution isn't expected to change drastically from the current model. The overall size of this prototype doesn't appear substantially different, so we don't expect any major changes in terms of passenger room, either.
The real unknowns lie in the choices BMW will make when it comes time to put an engine under the new sheet metal. Given the somewhat higher sales volume of the 5 Series compared to the more expensive 7 Series, fuel economy will play a slightly more important role. The twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 that's expected to power the 7 Series might prove too thirsty, so BMW could opt for a more efficient V8 to keep overall fuel consumption down. Meanwhile, expect to see the continued use of BMW's inline-6s for base and midrange models.
On the tech side, this 5 Series will be the third car in the BMW lineup to use FlexRay for the vehicle's internal control systems. The electronic technology system is designed to allow much faster communications among all the various vehicle systems.
BMW first introduced FlexRay for the new-generation X5, although only the vehicle's electronic damping control system exploits the system's faster processing speed. The upcoming 2009 BMW 7 Series is expected to use FlexRay technology for at least a dozen systems, so the 5 Series will most likely go even further. Expect to see even more driver adjustability built into the car as well as additional integration among systems like Active Steering Control, Electronic Differential Control and the usual traction and stability control systems.
You can expect to see the official debut of the 2011 BMW 5 Series at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show, with U.S. sales beginning a year or so after.
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