Report: Ford adding SuperCrew to SVT Raptor lineup
Ford‘s desert-clobbering SVT Raptor is already off to a relatively good start, and things are only poised to get better now that the automaker has shoehorned its new 6.2-liter V8 under the truck’s hood. Adding to that, the folks at InsideLine report that a four-door SuperCrew version of the Raptor is also in the cards, possibly slated to debut later this year.
IL states that mules of what appear to be a SuperCrew Raptor have been spotted near Ford’s headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. When prompted for a response, a spokesperson for the automaker simply said, “We do not comment on future product.” (We’ve heard that one a thousand times before.) Still, we don’t dispute IL’s predictions, and having four-door functionality only boosts the Raptor’s attractiveness to potential consumers.
First Drive: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
Over a year ago, we sampled a Korean-built, Euro-spec Cruze and declared it the car that must save GM. Since then we’ve been bombarded with rhetoric about how THIS global compact will be different, conceived from the start as a world-beater that will sell in the U.S. as an aspirational compact (oxymoron alert!). We’ve been assured the proof of the pudding would be in the tasting, and today the chefs have called us into the kitchen to lick some beaters as the chefs add the final pinches of tuning calibration and dashes of refinement before the Cruze comes out of the oven this September.
On hand for our taste test were two competitive benchmark vehicles, the COTY-winning Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla (both 1.8-liters), and three 1.4-liter turbo Chevrolet Cruzes: a 2LT (upmarket trim on the chassis setup 70 percent of North American Cruzes will get), the fuel-economy-optimized Eco, and the top-shelf handling-optimized LTZ. Our drive was limited to a six-mile loop of mixed pavement surfaces on GM’s Milford Proving Grounds ride-evaluation loop.
Categories: Auto Review, Car Review, Chevrolet, GM Tags: Chevrolet
Review: 2010 Volkswagen Golf TDI delivers potent one-two punch of efficiency and entertainment
It’s time for American consumers to stop being scared of small diesel cars. Currently, we can’t think of a single automaker that isn’t shelling out bags of money to research and develop new hybrid powertrains – cars that are efficient first and fun-to-drive second (or third, or fourth). Diesel vehicles, on the other hand, offer a different sort of solution. Gobs of torque delivered at low revs and impressive fuel economy work together without sacrificing too much in the way of driving pleasure. Besides, does anyone really want to live in “One Nation Under Prius?”
Volkswagen introduced us to its new Jetta TDI a little over a year ago, proving that clean diesel technology offers a way forward for anyone who gives a hoot about driver involvement. Now, the automaker has fitted its well-received 2.0-liter diesel engine in the all-new sixth-generation Golf. Can this hatch prove to America that it’s possible to fuse efficiency and enthusiasm together in a high-quality package? Can you really have your cake and eat it, too?
Visually, the 2010 Volkswagen Golf is simple yet stylish. Gone is the chrome-heavy nose of the last-generation car, and while the overall shape hasn’t changed a whole lot, it’s important to note that the MkVI Golf doesn’t share a single piece of bodywork with the MkV Rabbit (yes, we’re glad the name has been changed back, too). What Volkswagen has done is something that’s really underappreciated – make a car that’s visually appealing while not being over the top. These days, it seems that some automakers put too much effort into creating bold design for little more than shock value, and it’s refreshing to see that Volkswagen stands by its core goal of attractive simplicity.
Categories: Auto Review, Car Review, Hatchbacks, Volkswagen Tags: Volkswagen
2010 Ferrari Challenge at MMP: Ferrari FXX is king of the track
We were pretty impressed after initially watching the Ferrari F430 Challenge cars turn laps at Miller Motorsports Park this past weekend. After all, each of the cars boasts a 490 horsepower V8 and is set up specifically for racing. You can imagine that they’re quite capable of turning insanely quick laps. Then a trio of FXXs took to the track and our definition of “fast” was altered forever.
Despite the fact that it will never turn a competitive lap, the Ferrari FXX is a brutally impressive racecar. The second generation Evoluzione version (pictured above), is Ferrari’s most advanced GT car ever built with an 860 horsepower V12, a sequential gearbox that can perform shifts in just 60 milliseconds and a curb weight of just over 2,500 pounds. We might have preferred the beauty of the Ferrari 599XX, but there was no doubt which car was the most capable of the lowest lap times.
In addition to our photos of the FXXs in the pit lane garages, we also came away from the weekend with plenty of shots of the cars on track.
Bring On the Dune Buggy: Mini production reportedly halted over lack of doors
Attention all workers at the Cowley Mini plant in Oxford, England: Do not report to work today unless you know how to repair a door press. According to the Witney Gazette, the historic Mini factory is currently on standby due to a dead door press that has all workers at home early for the Easter break, which lasts until Wednesday, April 7. While we’re sure workers are happy for the extra time off, they will have to use vacation time to make up for the lost production. We’re guessing that solution wouldn’t fly at United Auto Workers headquarters, but then again, union membership here in the States isn’t exactly flourishing.
The vehicle assembly plant doesn’t even make the door panels; that job falls on the Swindon body panel factory. There is no word at this time whether the unscheduled shutdown will affect Mini production long-term.
Report: Nissan offering 2010 “model version up” kit to older JDM GT-R owners
If you live in Japan, own a 2007-2009 Nissan GT-R and want all of the goodies the ’10 model boasts, you’re in luck. Select Nissan dealers in the Land of the Rising Sun will reportedly be more than happy to supply you with a “2010 Model Version Up Kit.” For a little scratch, you can get a reworked set of brake calipers, an upgraded navigation system and a Spec V spoiler to help your car keep pace with the new wave of Godzillas hitting the streets.
While the navigation system will get a software update, it will also feature new USB functionality to allow it to be compatible with the NISMO datalogging kit (sold separately). That’s cool and all, but not quite so slick as what’s going on with those stoppers.
The original equipment calipers were dipped in a gold paint that would turn brown after a few hard laps, and featured brake pad springs that would fatigue over time. The model version up kit will provide owners with a new coat of heat-resistant gold paint, complete with a prominent Brembo logo and a tougher pad spring.
2010 Chevrolet Camaro Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Limited Edition Announced
Chevrolet has unveiled the 2010 Camaro Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Limited Edition replica.
Based on the Camaro 2SS (with the RS appearance package), the car features an Inferno Orange paint job, White Pearl rally stripes, a ‘heritage’ grille, Indy 500 decals, and 20-inch aluminum wheels. Inside, the cabin is outfitted with leather upholstery, embroidered headrests, and Inferno Orange accents.
Power comes from a 6.2-liter V8 engine with 400 hp (298 kW / 406 PS) and 410 lb-ft (555 Nm) of torque. Ironically, it is connected to a six-speed automatic.
2011 Audi A3 Receives Minor Exterior and Interior Revisions
udi has freshened up the Audi A3 for the 2011 model year. The car, which was fully facelifted in 2008, will see changes to the entire line, including the Sportback and Cabrio.
New features on the car include the use of glossy black surfaces on B-pillars and grille, chrome touches at the air intakes, door handles, and side mirrors, and a redesigned rear diffuser. Taillights are also covered by a tinted lens on the three-door model.
Also featured are new exterior colors, like Amethyst Gray, Dakota Gray, Scuba Blue, and Volcano Red. New customers may also choose from two new 17-inch wheels, and a new 18-inch design. Inside, the driver will find a redesigned leather wheel and gear lever, black gloss trim elements, aluminum trim inserts, and instruments with a gray background.
2010 New York Auto Show Live:2011 Kia Optima introduced with DI, turbo and hybrid
At the New York Auto Show today, Kia officially introduced its new 2011 Optima mid-size sedan and, as we expected, it shares much with the recently launched Hyundai Sonata. In spite of the same wheelbase and almost identical dimensions, however, this is no case of badge engineering. The Optima has completely different styling from its corporate sibling with a crisp, modern look that is in keeping with other recent Kia introductions.
What it does share with the Hyundai is its complete powertrain lineup, including a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter Theta II inline-four, a turbocharged 2.0-liter version of the same engine and the new 2.4-liter hybrid powertrain. The latter two configurations were both announced by Hyundai yesterday for the Sonata. Each of the engines features direct injection and variable valve timing with the non-hybrids being rated at 200 and 274 horsepower, respectively. All the powertrains are mated to six-speed transmissions, with the base model being available with a manual and the others being all automatic.
Categories: Auto Show, Hybrid, Kia, New York Auto Show, Sedans/Saloons Tags:
2010 New York Auto Show Live:2011 Hyundai Equus arrives to take on the big guns
When the first Hyundai Excels rolled onto American roads in the late-1980s, it was hard to image the Korean automaker getting taken seriously as a builder of budget cars. Taking on the likes of Mercedes-Benz and BMW would have been an absurd thought. And yet later this year that is exactly what Hyundai is doing as the new Equus begins to arrive at American dealers.
Visually, the the Equus hasn’t changed much in its trip across the Pacific. For the U.S. market, the winged hood ornament had been discarded in favor of a flush mounted badge with the same logo that adorned the trunk lid of the Korean market model. The bars of the grille have been replaced with horizontal slats that make it look more like the Genesis sedan.
The Equus is equipped with all the techno-gimmickry one expects in a big luxury sedan today, including adaptive cruise control and navigation. The 4,376-pound is suspended on electronically controlled air springs and power comes from a 385 horsepower version of the 4.6-liter Tau V8 already seeing duty in the Genesis. The only thing the Equus lacks compared to a Lexus or Benz is an oversized sticker price. Hyundai says the Equus will be priced in the mid $50,000 range when it goes on sale later this year.
Categories: Auto Show, Hyundai, New York Auto Show, Sedans/Saloons Tags:
