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

Hyundai Sonata Launching 2010-2011

Story by : KSSN

- Hyundai’s sixth-generation Sonata encompasses new `fluidic sculpture’ design philosophy

- Features 2.0 Theta II MPi engine, 6-speed automatic transmission

(Note: All specifications and details in this release are based on the Korean domestic model Hyundai Sonata Launching 2010-2011)

(Seoul, Korea) Hyundai Motor Company’s all-new Sonata, being introduced today, is expected to shake up the world’s mid-size sedan market with its daring design.

The 2010 Sonata adopts Hyundais new “fluidic sculpture” design language, boasts outstanding performance with the segment-leading safety features and fuel efficiency. Incorporating state-of-the-art technologies, the new Sonata will further elevate the Hyundai brand.

“The Sonata will set a new standard for world class mid-size sedans with state-of-the-art technology, superior build quality and emotional design,” Euisun Chung, Hyundai’s Vice Chairman said at the launching ceremony for the car today in Seoul. “The new Sonata will raise Hyundai’s brand values.

”The ceremony, held at a trendy riverside cafe, was attended by more than 200 VIPs, company executives and media members.

Sonata has been the perennial best-seller in Korea since the first generation model was launched in 1985. The sixth-generation Sonata will continue this successful tradition with impeccable quality seen today in other Hyundai premium models, such as the Genesis and EQUUS.

Hyundai began developing the new Sonata in 2005 under the codename YF (Note: The car may be launched under a different name in some regions). The project took 4 years and 450 billion won (US$ 372 million*) to go from concept to customer.

Although it is a completely new vehicle, Hyundai is retaining the Sonata name as the mid-size car has been Korea’s most popular sedan. Applying a new design aesthetic of “fluidic sculpture,” the 2010 Sonata pursues a younger and sensuous image in its interior and exterior profiles. Inspired by nature, the “fluidic sculpture” tries to reflect sophistication and dynamism in the shape of the vehicle and will serve as the core of Hyundai’s future design identity.

The outer design of the new Sonata exudes a voluminous look that creates character through the refined and harmonized lines. The interior has a dynamic look that matches the exterior while not compromising comfort or convenience. The Sonata is available in nine exterior colors, from Remington Red to Blue Black to Espresso, satisfying the diverse tastes of younger customers.

The new Sonata delivers powerful performance through its 2-liter Theta II MPi gasoline engine (Max output 165ps, Max torque of 20.2?·m). Delivering the highest fuel economy in its segment at 12.8 kilometers per liter, fuel economy is more than 11% improved compared with today’s Sonata. Furthermore, all engines are offered with a new six-speed automatic transmission for heightened performance.

To meet the most stringent automotive safety and crash requirements, the Sonata is built with hot-stamped ultra high-strength steel while featuring six standard airbags.

In addition, safety has been upgraded with standard Vehicle Dynamic Control including Hill-start Assist Control and Brake Assist System functions?an industry first in this competitive segment.

The new Sonata comes with a three-piece panoramic sunroof, giving a sense of openness and freedom as well as a stylish look. The Parking Guide System (PGS) allows drivers to avoid obstacles during parallel parking or when driving in reverse. The Dimension premium sound system offers high-quality sound in three types of modes to satisfy customers’ wide-ranging musical tastes.

The Mozen system, a telematics service that debuted in 2003 in Korea, has evolved to become more sophisticated, offering more diverse and upgraded multi-media and IT functions.

The newly applied Mozen Premium Wide Navigation system provides drivers with a faster communication service through the third-generation WCDMA wireless network. For two years, it also offers free safety services such as an SOS and anti-theft tracking service.

The audio-visual functions have been upgraded with the 8-inch wide screen and JBL Premium Sound system.

In the new Sonata, Hyundai offers a wireless vehicle monitoring service?another industry first– through the Mozen Autocare service, linking the vehicle’s electronic control systems to a monitoring center. The center checks various components for errors, informs the driver of the analysis, and provides directions to nearby service centers, saving time for drivers.

Hyundai revealed it aims to sell 60.000 units of the 2011 Sonata sedan in its home, Korean market by the end of this year, while next year, Hyundai plans to double that number.

Hyundai will continue to produce Sonata at both of its overseas manufacturing plants, located in Alabama, US and China. Production of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata for the US market will begin early next year, while production in China will commence in the beginning of 2011. From that year, combined Korean and overseas production of new Sonata is expected to reach 450.000 units annually!

Pricing for the US-market Sonata will be revealed closer to its official US debut, scheduled for NAIAS 2010. In Korea, Sonata will be priced from 21.3 million Won (US$17.600) for a base 2.0L model and top out at 25.95 million Won (US$21,450) for a fully-loaded 2.0L model. Read more!

Game Forza Motorsport 3

Forza Motorsport 3 is a racing simulator video game by Turn 10 Studios. The game is due for release in October 27, 2009 for the Xbox 360. It is the sequel to Forza Motorsport 2 and the third installment in the Forza Motorsport series. The demo for the game was released to the Xbox Live Marketplace on September 24, 2009 as an Xbox Live Gold Member exclusive. It will be available to those with silver membership one week later.

Forza Motorsport 3 is a realistic racing simulator on the Xbox 360, the sequel to Forza Motorsport (Xbox) and Forza Motorsport 2 (Xbox 360). The game will include over 400 fully customizable cars from 50 manufacturers and over 100 tracks.[4] Every car in the game has been built with more than 10 times the amount of polygons as Forza Motorsport 2.

Dan Greenawalt unveiling Forza Motorsport 3 at E3 2009

Gameplay

New additions to the game include an in-car driving view, one button assisted driving, vehicle rollover, and for the first time in the series, trucks and SUVs, as well as the ability to paint race cars (the previous game in the series allowed only production and tuner cars to be painted). Also included will be the ability to create in-game videos and upload them to the Forza Motorsport website. Forza Motorsport 3 will be shipped on two discs, but can be played completely off the first; the second disc serves as the "installation disc," which will contain some additional cars and tracks.

A new single-player season mode will put the player through a completely personalized racing calendar that includes more than 200 different events, including circuit, oval, drag, drift, and timed events; no two calendars will be the same. Also, Turn 10 Studios have confirmed that Circuit de la Sarthe (which is used for the Le Mans 24 Hour Race) shall be included.[5]
In addition, the online multiplayer mode gains an all-new game rules editor. New Xbox Live scoreboards will display not only the greatest racers but also the most prolific car tuners and painters in the community.

A new single-player season mode will put the player through a completely personalized racing calendar that includes more than 200 different events, including circuit, oval, drag, drift, and timed events; no two calendars will be the same. Also, Turn 10 Studios have confirmed that Circuit de la Sarthe (which is used for the Le Mans 24 Hour Race) shall be included.[5]
In addition, the online multiplayer mode gains an all-new game rules editor. New Xbox Live scoreboards will display not only the greatest racers but also the most prolific car tuners and painters in the community.

At the E3 2009 Microsoft Press Conference, Turn 10 mentioned a rewind feature (much like the "flashback" feature on Dirt 2), but did not say exactly what it did. It was later revealed at E3 2009 coverage conciel that the rewind feature will allow players to turn back time to fix previous mistakes made on the track. The rewind feature has no limit on how many times it can be done or time between rewinds.[6] It is one of the many assists that are optional.

During another interview at E3 2009, game director Dan Greenawalt revealed that the updated physics engine will include tire deformation, and the ability to flip your car over. He also included that there will be a "pressure" system in which the AI, depending on how the difficulty is set, will actually make mistakes when under pressure[7]. In addition to improvements to the A.I. and physics, the new graphics engine features ten times more polygons in each car model, bump mapping, and texture resolutions four times higher than before. Also, it is confirmed that the game will run at 60 frames per second.[8] The interview also revealed that there will be several scoreboards ranging from driver scoreboards to painting and tuner leaderboards. There will be a video editor feature available. Dan Greenawalt stated that Project Blackjack, the team that made an E3 trailer[9], used capture cards to make their videos. The video editor would grant players more possibilities. Players would also be able to create their own race rules.

Save 10Best Test:2010 Fit Honda.

I love the fact that Honda doesn’t hold back on the goodness that makes driving enjoyable, even for those that only spend $16,000 on a new car.

The Fit’s light and accurate shifter and clutch, along with properly weighted and precise steering (it even tilts and telescopes) that wouldn’t be out of place on a car costing two or three times as much set this spacious hatch apart from the other economobiles that are far more mundane.

Combine that dollop of fun with amazing utility—vast cargo hold, various seat-folding options, storage cubbies galore, and a back seat that’s more accommodating than a Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon’s that I also drove today—and it’s easy to see why the Fit is a 10Best repeater.

2009 Honda Fit Sport Automatic

When people ask us for car-buying advice, we invariably throw our most recent January issue at them and point to the 10Best Cars list. There may be an annoyed grunt thrown in there somewhere. This reaction comes not because we don’t like talking to people about cars, but instead because they likely won’t listen to us anyway, and the one week we spend each year selecting these cars is enough work without later having to explain the results to friends and family who have inexplicably failed to subscribe to our magazine or read our interweb bleating.
We mention this as we’re preparing to once again head back to the back roads to reselect our qualified top-10 roster. For three years running, the cheapest vehicle on our list has been the Honda Fit, and so it follows that it is the best cheap car. But does it still satisfy when made slower and slightly more expensive by way of an automatic transmission?

How Much Slower, You Ask?
When we got the acceleration test results, they were all positive. That’s positive in a bad way, as in “We’re sorry, Mr. Gluckman, but the test came back positive.” With the Sport automatic, the sprint to 60 took an extra 1.4 seconds (9.9 vs. 8.5) and the quarter-mile was accomplished 1.0 second slower (17.6 vs. 16.6) at a lower speed (79 mph vs. 83). Skidpad grip and braking performance from 70 mph were basically unchanged.
Quantifiables aside, the Fit Sport’s auto is as good a unit as anyone could expect from a car of such economical purpose, with crisp shifts when the lever is in D as well as S (for Sport) mode. The Sport’s wheel-mounted paddles allow full manual operation and the ability to hold a cog right up to the 6800-rpm redline; D and S will shift at 6500 rpm, just shy of the power peak. Unlike some other manufacturers’ sporty shift modes, this transmission’s will stay way down in third when fifth would be Drive’s choice. It will also accept multiple shift requests in succession, while even some of Mercedes’ AMG transmissions require a beat between paddle thwaps. The auto’s loss of gusto isn’t unnoticeable, but the engaging qualities of this slushbox manage to retain most of the funky Fit’s fun nature.

Two Kinds of Economy
Interestingly, the Fit Sport auto is rated at the same 27 mpg city/33 highway as are manual Fits, while the plain, non-Sport auto is rated at 28/35, so there’s a small sacrifice for the fun and control of the Sport’s shift mapping. We managed 28 mpg with this example, and have previously milked 31 mpg out of a manual model.
As for the reduction in cheapness, the basic auto tacks $850 onto the bill, but to get the S mode and manual paddles you have to opt for the Sport trim, itself an additional $1560 expenditure. (Sport also adds such necessities as keyless entry, cruise control, two more speakers for the stereo, and a USB audio interface, plus aesthetic niceties like a hatch spoiler, body kit, and chrome exhaust tip; the chef recommends.) Our top-spec model also bundled navigation with stability and traction control—the only way to get that safety tech is to get nav—for an additional $1850. Even once it’s all summed up, you still can’t order a Fit from the factory for more than $20K, although dealer accessories like floor mats (all models come bereft of them) and wheels can take you past that mark.
We’d certainly recommend the manual Fit first, for the obvious enthusiast reasons. But as far as cheap cars go, the Fit Sport automatic offers the best manual substitute for commuters or the clutch-averse. So if you’re one of our friends and want new-car advice, there it is—just try not to be offended if we throw a magazine at you.

BY DAVID GLUCKMAN, PHOTOGRAPHY BY PATRICK M. HOEY www.caranddriver.com

2010 Chevrolet Equinox

Alternately titled: Signs of Life. I’ll be the first to admit I was more than a little skeptical of General Motors success post-chapter 11. After all, the company held onto many of the same execs who led the once mighty Detroit automaker straight into craptastic product hell. Fuel that fire with consumer base loathsome of any government hand outs and you’ve got a recipe for continued mediocrity. If you’re looking for evidence to the contrary, set your eyes on the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox. GM’s sturdy little crossover has gone under the knife in a big way, and much to my surprise, it came out damn fine. Hop the jump for a look at my impressions.



To really understand why I’m in such awe of a decidedly unfiendish vehicle, we need to take a look at the first generation Equinox. The definition of meh, the 2004-2009 crossover rocked some seriously uninspired styling outside. An Aztec-esque hood/fender line, goofy front grille and instantly-forgettable side profile didn’t do the ute any favors. Things weren’t much better inside, as a sea of black-grey materials and boring gauges prompted the NHTSA to issue a recall for a bore-to-death hazard. I’m kidding, of course, but just barely.


It’s somewhat fitting the Equinox would get GM’s first real redesign since the fall – kind of like stitching up major arteries before taking care of nicks and bruises. The changes start small with a redesigned key fob. Heavier and more solid-feeling than the plasticy-unit standard with the first generation vehicle, the fob uses a VW-style switch-blade key, and a textured Bow Tie is emblazoned on the back. This may not seem like a huge deal, but the quality and attention to detail isn’t something we’ve seen a whole lot of from General Motors in recent months. The theme continues throughout the rest of the vehicle.

Outside, the Equinox shirks its ho-hum looks for a little flair. The dopey front face has been replaced with the large, double-frame grille found on the Malibu, and high-intensity lamps make the crossover look more pricey than it actually is. Both sides rock serious fender arches and plenty of chrome in all the right places. Side-view mirrors, window frames and roof rails all get the shiny treatment, and sizeable 17-inch wheels are pretty snappy for a crossover. The rear of the Equinox rocks a much cleaner design over the outgoing model. The large plastic bumpers are nowhere to be found, replaced by chromed-accents and hefty exhaust tips.

All of that’s cool as can be, but pales in comparison to the crossover’s interior. Chevrolet’s stepped its game up in a huge way when it comes to materials and color options, and the Equinox is available with sweet two-tone leather seats with slick red-stitching. A newly-designed four-spoke steering wheel replaces the clunky parts-bin unit we’re used to seeing on nearly every GM product, and the center stack is handsome and well-sorted. The preponderance of buttons may be disorienting at first, but it’s better than slogging through multiple MMI tiers. Subtle LED lighting behind the center stack, in the foot wells and door handles also add a smidge of class. The Equinox is also available with a super-sharp LCD infotainment touch-screen display miles ahead of nearly every other unit we’ve seen out there.

Source. : autofiends

Video: Hairy Lotus Elise One-Make Schoolin’

The good folk at Autoblog have dug up this gem from way back in 2005. It’s a clip of Australian auto journo Dean Evans showing in the Lotus Elise one-make race. Evans starts at the back of the pack – 16th – and manages to needle his way through the entire pack in a single lap without making serious contact. What’s more, he took the checkers by fourteen seconds. Fourteen. According to the tale, the track was wet and greasy and his car wasn’t even the quickest on track. Sure as hell looks like it to us. Check it out after the jump. Fiendish.

[Source: YouTube via Autoblog]

Canyon Climbing in a Twin-Charged Lotus Exige

You’ve gotta love the American way. Where something is good, more of that something will always be better. Need proof? Have a look at Specialty Car Craft’s latest creation – a widebody Lotus Exige with the stock supercharger and a turbo. Combined effect is around 500 horsepower, and the serious meat at the rear makes sure just about all of that gusto makes it to the pavement. Think the SCC guys are tampering with perfection? Hop the jump for a look at the car clawing its way up the side of a canyon.

[Source: JONSIBAL]

The 2010 Camaro Rules the ¼ Mile Race

2010 SS Camaro My Review

The 2010 SS Camaro Rules the ¼ Mile Race

When testing the new SS Camaro, of course you have to test it against the Mustang, and the Dodge Challenger, and be able to beat them both at their own game, if you dig in to the facts, you’ll certainly find that the new 2010 SS Camaro has done just that.

Tests may very in times that the cars run between the different people who test them, my numbers will be coming from Edmund’s web site, Edmund’s tested the hottest SS Camaro that is available to the public, and it proved just hot hot it is.

My usual forte is the old muscle cars, but I just could not refuse to do an article about the new 2010 SS Camaro, since of the big three, the Camaro has always been my favorite car, the basic setup on the Edmund’s test car is as follows.

The Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual as the gearbox of choice, you get an LS3 6.2-liter V8 in the deal, which is rated at 426 HP @ 5900 RPM, and 420 FTLB of torque @ 4600 RPM, the stats certainly stack up to the Camaro of yesteryear.

This package would have a 3.45:1 rear ration installed in the car, this is a great combination for a 0-60 blast off of 4.7 seconds, not to bad if I do say so myself, it’s a 6.2 liter engine, which is rated at 22 MPG on the freeway, not bad for a hot rod.

When Edmund’s tested this car it ran a 13 second ¼ mile @ 110.9 MPH in factory street dressing, this is pretty good when compared to the Challenger R/T’s of 5.5 second 0-60 time, and it’s 13,9 second ¼ mile @ 103.2 MPH, right in front of it comes the Ford Mustang GT.

The Ford Mustang GT did a much better job then the Challenger R/T did, with a 0-60 time of 5.2 seconds, and a standing ¼ mile time of 13.5 seconds @ 102.9 MPH, but in the it’s not enough to take out the SS Camaro, Chevrolet has done a great job building this car.

Once again my pick for top new muscle car id the 2010 Camaro SS, if your looking for a car that does all of the things that a muscle car is supposed to do, right out of the box, this is without a doubt the muscle car you should look at.

Technorati Tags: 2010 Camaro Review

Who says the BMW 323i isn't a real BMW?

I do. Rather, I did. Yes, I've always been aware that the 323i shared the mandatory BMW virtures such a smooth running engine, near 50/50 weight distribution and a well tuned suspension but there was a period where I viewed the 323i as the poor man's BMW.

Perhaps that's why BMW offers a badge-delete option.

But after comparing a 2009 BMW 323i to the top-dog 328i of 10 years ago I no longer indulge in this automotive snobbery.

BMW fans will remember that BMW offered a 323i in 1999 but let's see how the current 323i compares to the top-of-the-line 3-series sedan FROM 1999.

Here are the vitals for a 1999 BMW 328i:

1999 BMW 328i
Engine: DOHC 2.5L I6
Horsepower: 190hp @ 5500rpm
Torque: 206lb/ft. @ 3500rpm
Transmission: 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic
Standard Wheels: 16" alumunum
Starting price (in 1999 dollars): $44,900

Now a look at a 2009 BMW 323i:

2009 BMW 323i
Engine: DOHC 2.5L I6
Horsepower: 200hp @ 6000rpm
Torque: 180 @ 4000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual (opt. 6-speed auto)
Standard Wheels: 16" alumunum
Starting price: $34,900 And the BMW 323i also comes standard with dual zone automatic climate control (not available in the 1999 328i) and the usual advancements in technology, safety, and comfort.
So what say you about the 323i?

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