2010 Nissan 370Z

When we reviewed the new Nissan 370Z Coupe last year, we applauded the company for doing a sports car model update right. Rather than bloating out the car, Nissan reduced size and weight, at the same time putting in a bigger engine. But the roadster version was still the 350Z, until now. The 2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster lets soft-top buyers get the same excellent sports car experience as coupe owners.
The 370Z, whether in roadster or coupe form, is a dedicated sports car, its two seats limiting passenger room. The short wheelbase makes for excellent rotation in the corners, aided by a tight suspension that keeps the body flat. With the Sport package, included on the 2010 370Z Roadster we tested, the car gets a feature called SynchroRev Match on its six-speed manual, along with 19-inch Rays alloy wheels and bigger brakes.

Easy interface
The car we reviewed lacked the optional navigation system, but we have seen this optional cabin tech in a different 370Z Roadster. The navigation system stores its maps on a hard drive, and features integrated live traffic and weather. There's a basic Bluetooth phone system, and integrated audio sources include Bluetooth streaming and iPod connectivity. CDs can be ripped to the hard drive, which has 9.3 gigabytes reserved for what Nissan calls the Jukebox.

The available cabin tech is the same gear we've seen in the latest Nissan Maxima, and in Infiniti models. The interface is easy to use and makes it quick to select letters and numbers from a virtual keyboard. What's most impressive is that Nissan makes the whole tech suite available in a small sports car.

As our car had the Touring trim, it came standard with a Bluetooth phone system and an eight-speaker Bose audio system, which includes two subwoofers. Audio sources were limited to an in-dash six-disc changer which reads MP3 CDs, an auxiliary input, and satellite radio. The Bose system puts out a strong sound but lacks refinement. It sounded especially dull with satellite radio and MP3 tracks, but there was an improvement with standard audio CDs.

The plastics over the dashboard may look slightly cheap, but the suede lining on the doors and other interior surfaces adds a touch of quality to the overall cabin feeling. The gauges are the same as in the coupe, with three pods on the dashboard facing the driver, showing oil temperature, voltage, and the time. The trip computer display sits to the left of the tachometer, with a fuel gauge above it. This fuel gauge is kind of annoying, as its simple line of amber lights gets washed out and unreadable in bright sunlight. Fortunately, the trip computer flashes a warning when range drops under 50 miles.

Cloth top
The 370Z Roadster uses a soft top, defying the rest of the industry's move toward retractable hard tops in an effort to keep the weight down. At up to 3 mph, the top can be raised or lowered with the touch of a button. Well, a long touch on that button, as it needs to be held down throughout the entire process. But it works easily, locking itself into position when put up, or stowing itself away when put down. Unlike the outgoing 350Z Roadster, which operated electrically, this one uses hydraulic power to do its disappearing trick.

But the 370Z Roadster has it all over its predecessor in style. First, the new top is cloth, which always looks good, and the rear window is glass. Then there's the profile; the rear makes a nice rake toward the back, rather than a quick drop-off, somewhat replicating the profile of the 370Z Coupe. Nissan mounted a rear wind deflector behind the seats, which limits turbulence in the cabin. However, at 60 or 70 mph, cabin noise makes conversation difficult. To account for more extreme weather conditions in the cabin, Nissan makes ventilated seats, with heating and cooling, available in the 370Z Roadster, a nicety not offered for the 370Z Coupe.

Sports car
The 370Z Roadster gets a direct-injection 3.7-liter V-6 under the hood, similar to that found in the bigger Infiniti G37. Putting out 332 horsepower, that engine makes the smallish 370Z Roadster really fly, getting to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds, according to other publications. Torque is 270 pound-feet, delivered to the rear wheels through a carbon fiber composite driveshaft, a nice component at the price of this car.

Fuel economy, according to EPA tests, is 18 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. With a mix of city, freeway, and mountain driving, we achieved 20.5 mpg, not a spectacular number, but not surprising for the size of this engine.

A seven-speed automatic is available, but we tested the six-speed manual, with its quick, short-throw shifter. Nissan throws a bit of unique tech into the mix here, SynchroRev Match, a feature that blips the throttle automatically between shifts, making sure the engine speed matches the new gear. In moderate driving, it effectively eliminates lurching, and in sport and track driving, it keeps the wheel speed even so the car maintains composure during crucial cornering. For those that don't want the help, SynchroRev Match is easily turned off at the push of a button.

Although the engine makes the 370Z Roadster fast in a straight line, it really excels in the corners. It feels as rigid as its coupe sibling, the suspension is screwed down tight, and the steering is precise. Through turn after turn, the 370Z Roadster showed tremendous grip and such ease of control that it absolutely encourages enthusiastic driving. When we pushed it beyond its grip, traction control let the back come out, but with the short wheel-base, the car felt as if it was pivoting on a single point, no long nose or tail hanging out to muscle around.

Third gear has a fairly wide power band, letting us push it through tight turns, and speed up on the ensuing straightaway without shifting. But as the rpms hit around 6,000, the engine makes a nasty racket, encouraging a shift up to fourth. Approaching a hairpin required a shift down to second, and the SynchroRev Match made the whole process smooth and eliminating torque drop as we put power to the wheels.

In sum
The 2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster stands out as a particularly good sports car, the drop top adding to the price but making for some nice open-air cruising. Impressively, it compares well with its hard-top sibling, providing similar performance. The power train and suspension tech isn't anything innovative, but Nissan does an excellent job refining it. A few features, such as the SynchroRev Match, push it up on the tech scale.

The available cabin tech in the 370Z Roadster is an impressive suite, providing many useful functions, such as traffic avoidance and iPod integration. For design, the 370Z Roadster really impresses. When equipped with the navigation system, the cabin tech interface is one of the best available, with a smartly built controller making inputs intuitive and easy. The convertible top doesn't look like a hack job on the original 370Z Coupe, and there's no mistaking the look. We're also impressed that the top doesn't compromise trunk space. Credit by:Wayne Cunningham

Toyota FT-86 Concept : Tokyo Motor Show 2009

Toyota presented at the Tokyo Motor Show, including a compact sports car study, which could fill the emotional gap with their design to the model range of the Japanese. fill. The 2 +2- seater with rear-wheel drive, there is a classic coupe with an elongated hood and a flat passenger cabin, which one is already used by athletes in Japan.

For a similar appearance of the athlete make angry-looking headlights and a large grille-throat. Takes care of the drive in the FT-86 Concept is a 200-hp, 2.0-liter boxer engine from Subaru.

When the Japanese will go exactly in this series is not known, but the end of 2011 is expected. With the Audi TT and Nissan 370Z have the FT-86, two worthy competitors in the race for market share in the compact sports.

Source: worldcarfans

Lotus Heads Back To F1

With teams dropping out of F1 faster than we can keep track of, the future of the sport isn’t looking too bright. Er, make that wasn’t looking too bright. Lotus has decided to jump back into the fray for the first time in 16 years.

Supposedly, the team will slide into BMW-Sauber’s vacant spot. Lotus says details on the company’s design and powerplant will be released in the coming days, but if any manufacturer can crank out a Brawn-GP toppling program in a hurry, our favorite Brits can do it.

Keep your ears on for more specs soon. [Source: Lotus]

Jaguar Working On A Diesel Hatch?

Huh. Didn’t see this one coming. There’s a pesky little rumor swirling around the Web saying Jaguar’s hard at work on a new creation.

A creation with three doors and an oil-burner under the hood. Now, we tend to put about as much faith in web-born rumors as we do promises of more horsepower from eBay trinkets like the intake vortex generator, but these particular whispers come straight from Edmunds.

Those Fiends say the big cat’s looking to get a piece of the premium compact segment, and as a result, the company is working on a successor to the R-D6 Concept called, fittingly enough, the RD7. Expect a chopped up version of the XF platform with power from a 2.7-liter oil-burning V6. Chances of seeing this thing in the states? Absolutely zero. [Source: Edmunds]

Volkswagen Golf R

As you probably know, we’re fans of the Volkswagen Golf—ill-advisedly called the Rabbit in its most recent generation here in the U.S.—for its fun-to-drive character, practical packaging, and high level of refinement. As you also probably know, we’re huge fans of the extreme Golf, the GTI, which takes the fun factor and cranks it to 10Best Cars–winning levels.

Well, meet the über-Golf, the new Golf R, unveiled at the Frankfurt auto show. It picks up where the old R32 left off. But instead of a 250-hp VR6, as in the R32, the Golf R packs an upgraded version of the popular 2.0-liter, turbocharged direct-injection four-cylinder that powers the GTI and a number of other VW Group cars. It is tuned to 270 hp in the Golf R, just a few ponies more than it makes in the Audi TTS, which is sold in the U.S., and in the Audi S3 and the front-wheel-drive Scirocco R, which aren’t available here.

The Golf R will again be all-wheel-drive, like both R32 models. The turbo four is lighter than the VR6—hopefully meaning this one will feel less nose-heavy—and the extra 20 hp likely will go a long way toward helping this Golf R justify its higher price point. Zero to 62 mph takes a claimed 5.7 seconds with the standard six-speed manual and just 5.5 seconds with the optional six-speed, dual-clutch gearbox. (Don’t expect U.S.-bound cars to be available with the manual; the last R32 left its stick behind in Europe and was automatic-only, as is also the case with the TTS.) But we saw the R32 run to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, so we’d expect this more powerful Golf R to probably top that time. Top speed is a governed 155 mph. Average fuel consumption is rated at 27.6 mpg in the European cycle, which, while an optimistic figure by U.S. EPA standards, likely means a significant jump over the 19 mpg we observed when testing the previous-gen R32. The Golf R makes 258 lb-ft of torque from 2500 to 5000 rpm.

Stylistically, the Golf R doesn’t really go for modesty. Huge air intakes in the front exhibit a somewhat Audi-inspired style and set the car apart visibly from lesser Golf models, including the GTI. The rear is dominated by two large exhaust pipes placed close to the vehicle center, like on the R32. The taillights are styled with LED elements similar to those found on the new Polo and some of VW's recent concept cars. Clearly, VW is aiming to have its cars be as recognizable at night as they are in daylight. The interior is distinguished by sporty accents specific to the R as well.

The Golf R is available with two or four doors; in Europe, it costs around €10,000 more than the GTI, which seems about right considering it offers all-wheel drive and a considerable performance advantage. The best news is that we’ll get it, too. Expect a similar price gap in dollars when it comes to America, with the car likely falling in the $32,000 to $35,000 range. We can’t wait.

Design of vehicles Singer has taken the classic Porsche 911

Singer Vehicle Design has taken the classic Porsche 911 and given it the bleeding guts out of a newer Stuttgart creation.

The team keeps the car’s roof line and everything from the windshield forward, but the engine bay goes through a little surgery to accommodate a few modifications. Singer says the company provides reinforcements all over, including stitch-welding all of the vehicle’s seams and adding a rigid backbone for support.

As cool as all that is, the new air-cooled 3.8-liter flat six with 425 horsepower and 340 lb-ft of torque makes this and old-school ride with new-school teeth. How expensive? Who knows, but we’d take one of these suckers over a new 911 any day of the week.

[Source: Autoblog]

Honda EV-N Concept !

It’s no secret I’m more of a fan of diesels than EVs when it comes to the green fight. Anyone’s who’s had some time behind the wheel of a newer oil-burner knows these things are heads and shoulders above the driving death featured in hybrids everywhere.

Then Honda goes and shows off this little sucker – the EV-N Concept. Swiping design cues straight from the ever lovable N600, this pint-size eco-fighter packs a battery-powered electric motor and storage for the somewhat confusing U3-X electric unicycle. Honda’s not saying a word about any of the important stuff – price, range, time to charge, etc – but we can expect more details as we get closer to the Tokyo Motor Show.

An EV with some soul? I’m sold.

[Source: Honda]

2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty

Less than two years after it completely revamped its popular F-150 pickup, Ford will introduce the freshened 2011 F-Series Super Duty, which features two new, more powerful engines and an even more brazen look than before.

Even More Macho
There are plenty of changes to talk about here, and the visual ones can probably be seen from space. On regular-Joe versions—versus the more work horse-y Joe-the-Plumber versions—pretty much the entire front end is chrome. (Grilles of harder-working models will be either black or body color.) The Ford oval is 13 inches across. The surface area of the headlights can be measured not in inches, but square feet. We’re not sure what the coefficient of drag is, but we’d put it somewhere between a mobile home and a parasail.

Otherwise, it’s pretty familiar-looking. The side vent has been streamlined, and if you get the big Power Stroke diesel V-8, you get a badge on the front door announcing your preference for the oil-burner. Wheels range from 17-inch steelies up to 20-inch polished hoops, depending on trim: XL, XLT, Lariat, and King Ranch.

Out back, Ford will offer Super Duty customers what it calls “Tough Bed,” a “military-grade” spray-in bed liner which Ford claims is lighter, smoother, more even, and better-looking than aftermarket bed liners, and won’t run or sag on the inside bed walls.

Mildly Freshened Interior, Handy New Info Display
Interior upgrades include new seats with an available 10-way adjustable driver’s seat, a heating/cooling feature, lumbar support, and lockable under-seat storage. A new console has what Ford claims is the most capacity in the class and more than 70 configuration possibilities, and makes room for two rear HVAC ducts as well as a 110-volt inverter and socket at the rear of the console.

A new instrument cluster contains six dial-type gauges plus an optional 4.2-inch center-mounted LCD screen displaying trailering and off-road-related information, as well as trip and fuel-economy stats. This latter feature is slick, and we fully expect it to be copied by the competition as soon as they can make room for it.

Also, like the just-released 2010 Ford Transit Connect MPV, the Super Duty will be offered with the innovative Ford Work Solutions technology that includes full-feature mobile computing and online access.

The Dirty Parts
More important to the hard-core truck buyers—the only ones left at this juncture—is what you can’t see. Ford says the revised chassis offers both higher payload and towing limits as well as improved ride quality and steering feel. Of course, improvements in the ride quality and steering feel of heavy-duty pickups can be hard to measure, so we’ll get back to you as to what extent Ford’s claims are noticeable. One thing is certain: maneuverability remains Peterbilt-like, with turning circles ranging from 46 to 58.5 feet.

Two new engines are said to make clear power gains over last year’s counterparts, which were hardly wimps to begin with. Exactly how much of a gain remains a mystery, as Ford did not release horsepower, torque, or fuel-economy figures for either the new 6.2-liter gasoline V-8 or its new 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel. However, PickupTrucks.com, which is typically accurate in these matters, is reporting that the gas engine will produce about 400 hp and 400 lb-ft, and the diesel may be good for as much as 390 hp and 720 lb-ft. An EcoBoost engine will also join the lineup later in 2010, likely a V-6 similar to the 350-hp version already seeing duty in several Ford and Lincoln cars.

A newly available six-speed transmission brings a segment-exclusive power take-off (PTO) to the new diesel—basically an output gear through the torque converter that links power from the crankshaft to ancillary equipment and devices like snowplows, tow-truck lifts, and cement mixers. If this feature proves to be a popular one, Dodge is waiting in the wings with a PTO transmission it offers on chassis-cabs, but not bedded Rams.

Overkill? Never
Is this the right time for a truck like this? Yes and no. No, because the fuel scare of 2008 prompted a mass exodus of lifestyle buyers from the heavy duty truck market while causing Toyota and Nissan to scuttle altogether their plans to enter it. But yes, because there will always be a market for these bad boys amongst tradesmen and the truly stubborn/delusional. Indeed, the introduction of the new super-er Super Duty, which will happen sometime in 2010 (Ford wouldn’t be any more specific) demonstrates that even in this era of eco-minded prudence and responsibility, the full-size truck world remains wedded to the idea that bigger is better, and that too much power will never be enough.

BY STEVE SILER , caranddriver.com

BMW M1 already 2012

If the BMW M1 already 2012 on the market?

On the last IAA 2009 in Frankfurt, the Vision EfficientDynamics Concept BMW was simply the eye-catcher and took care of enthusiasm among the visitors.

If you like to give the website AutoExpress faith, the new M1 is already in 2012, first in England to come to the market.

Driven to be the M1 then by a new hybrid system, which will consist of a three-cylinder 1.5-liter diesel engine and two additional electric motors.

In combination, the drive of the M1 in about 5 seconds to sprint to 100 kph and reach a top speed of around 250 cases.

Price of the M1 will be an Audi R8 at approximately the same and would therefore cost around 80,000 euros.

How much truth stuck behind the new message is not known, but it would be safe for many BMW fans to their taste if the M1 will go into production.

Source : autoblog.nl

BMW design study Lovos Concept!

The new design study called the BMW Concept Lovos Risiges is like a jigsaw puzzle of 260 identical high-tech chips, all of which are malleable and beside it also can store solar energy.

The result is the vehicle as a collaboration with the Pforzheim design student Anne Froschner and the BMW Group.

With the concept car you want insight into how cars could be cheaper and also cleaner. Instead of complicated shaped body parts that study a single recurring basic form uses the tokens.

During the journey can set up these plates and thus act as a brake. At the same time they store solar energy during parks and could thus be, for example the battery. Whether from the futuristic-looking vehicle ever become a reality, however, is still in the stars.

Source: worldcarfans

Subaru Hybrid

Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept

Skimming through the Subaru Hybrid Tourer concept press release, the second paragraph left us a little confused. “The original point of the ideal grand touring car is its interior design, featuring four independent and comfortably positioned seats. Passengers are enclosed within an atmosphere that provides a surpassing feeling of openness and stress-free reassurance, through the further pursuit of a human-centered philosophy, the essence of Subaru car design, and the incorporation of functions that are friendly to passengers.” Say what? After some head scratching, what we divined from reading that jargon is that this car has four seats and it’s about the essence of nothingness.

Who Moved my Dash?
Like the car’s mission statement, its cabin leaves us a bit confused. Subaru tells us “the top of the dashboard is moveable up and down for an optimal driving environment for the driver according to driving conditions.” That’s something we’ll need to see to understand. Also, the floor is flat in the rear and the concept’s windshield has a special anti-eyestrain coating.

The Subaru Take on Hybrid All-Wheel Drive
Nothing new to Subaru is the concept’s symmetrical all-wheel-drive system, here attached to a 2.0-liter turbocharged boxer-four that gets the direct-injection treatment. What is new is the way in which the four-wheel power is implemented along with hybrid technology. A lithium-ion battery supplies power to a motor/generator in the front and an additional motor in the rear that can operate by itself during low-speed maneuvers. Both motors can be deployed independently to assist the gas engine and retain Subaru’s trademark all-wheel drive. Under normal driving, the gasoline engine is the primary source of propulsion. It’s equipped with a start/stop function to conserve fuel at idle.

Another Concept with Gullwing Doors
The Hybrid Tourer concept’s styling has an overall sleek appearance that reminds us of a stretched Impreza hatch wearing Subaru’s new corporate grille. Gullwing doors are all the rage on design exercises these days, although we’d prefer they be used sparingly by the companies that actually intend to send them to a production line.

Subaru’s idea behind this concept was to display a “new proposal for the future of grand touring cars.” We’ve always preferred our GT cars with big power up front driving the rear wheels, so this concept may be a bit of a stretch of the term. That aside, it likely offers a glimpse of Subaru’s hybrid intentions, and we’re thankful those intentions appear to take into account driving enjoyment, another critical “point of the ideal grand touring car.”

Sources : caranddriver