Introducing the breathtaking Jaguar XK and XKR

Introducing the breathtaking XK and XKR, Jaguar´s latest, most muscled athletes. Shouldered and powerful as always, but sleeker now with aluminum bodyshell drawn taut across the chassis, these dramatic sports machines are purposefully trimmed and tuned for heart-pounding performance. Exhaust song, power, control and comfort await notice with bold assurance. Inside or out, coupe or convertible, there´s not an ounce of excess. But there is anticipation...because on the road, the XK commands.

Jaguar received the highest numerical score in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) StudySM. Study based on responses from 35,805 owners and lessees, measuring 36 manufacturers and measures satisfaction of new-vehicle buyers who purchased or leased their vehicles in May 2008. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of owners surveyed from August-September 2008. Your experiences may vary.For more visit http://www.blogger.com/www.jdpower.com

Jaguar XF

The XF is the first sporting sedan to deliver Jaguar´s stunning new design language. Its bold new face looks to the future, while reaffirming the marque´s sporting DNA. The styling is modern, underpinned by Jaguar´s strength of driver-focused engineering and the emotional power of its design and craftsmanship. With a profile that is both athletic and assertive, the dramatic lines of a coupe envelop a spacious cabin with four doors and seating for five adults. This is a sports car and a luxury sedan. The latest in a long line of beautiful, fast cars.

Jaguar received the highest numerical score in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) StudySM. Study based on responses from 35,805 owners and lessees, measuring 36 manufacturers and measures satisfaction of new-vehicle buyers who purchased or leased their vehicles in May 2008. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of owners surveyed from August-September 2008.

2010 Honda Insight

All-new hybrid gets good fuel economy.

Honda appears finally to have learned how to play in the hybrid game. Simply putting a hybrid powertrain in a regular car doesn't cut it. If a carmaker wants to be taken seriously, it had better deliver a hybrid that looks like what the market has said it wants a hybrid to look like. And that, apparently, given the sales numbers, is a Toyota Prius. Hence, the all-new, Honda Insight is virtually a carbon copy of that market leader.
Beyond that obvious surrender to a take-no-big-chances market, however, the 2010 Honda Insight does manage to march to a slightly different drummer. It's smaller than the Prius, for instance, which isn't necessarily a plus, as interior room suffers. But it's lighter, which is a plus, as less weight contributes to it's being a somewhat livelier driver.

Beyond this, it generally stays the course, with the common array of standard features plus an optional navigation system and Bluetooth capability. It also can be ordered with gimmicky paddle shifters that imposes an artificial construct of seven electronically created ratios on the continuously variable automatic transmission.

When the new Honda Insight is measured against the outgoing-generation 2009 Toyota Prius, it definitely hums a different tune. Put simply, the Insight's EPA-rated City/Highway 40/43 miles per gallon trails significantly the 48/45 mpg rating for the Prius. Honda appears to believe its faithful will willingly trade a few miles per gallon for a modestly quicker car.

Perhaps the most significant change Honda brings to the hybrid market is price competition. With the Insight, shoppers now have two similar cars from which to choose. The 2010 Honda Insight's $19,800 Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price just slightly undercuts the $21,000 MSRP of the all-new 2010 Toyota Prius. The first-generation 2009 Prius retailed for $23,375.

The 2010 Insight comes in one configuration: a four-door, five-passenger sedan. One powertrain is available: a combination of a 1.3-liter, 88-horsepower, inline four-cylinder gasoline engine and a 10-kilowatt, 13-hp, brushless, DC motor. Power goes only to the front wheels through a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). In the top two of the three models offered, steering wheel-mounted shift paddles manage a computer-generated seven-speed, simulated-manual gearbox. The base model uses a standard CVT that's efficient and highly competent.

by :Tom Lankard, NewCarTestDrive.com

HYUNDAI GENESIS NAMED 2009 NORTH AMERICAN CAR OF THE YEAR

DETROIT - After months of expert test-drives, critical acclaim and independent awards, the Hyundai Genesis took top honors in the most exclusive award in North America when it was named 2009 North American Car of the Year.
A jury of 50 independent automotive journalists evaluated all the new cars introduced last year and chose the 2009 Hyundai Genesis as the best new model. The award was announced at a news conference at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.


“Genesis represents everything we’ve learned, so far, about engineering great automobiles – and we’re delighted that the judges have recognized the good work of our R&D teams,” said John Krafcik, Hyundai Motor America acting president and chief executive officer. “And we’re not stopping here…Genesis will share company in Hyundai showrooms this spring with its rear-wheel drive platform-mate, the Genesis Coupe.”

This year the jurors considered more than 50 new vehicles before selecting the top three cars and top three trucks. The Volkswagen Jetta TDI and Ford Flex were the other finalists.

The North American Car of the Year award is decided by a jury of 50 independent, full-time automotive journalists from the United States and Canada. This is the 16th year of the awards, which were inspired by the prestigious European “Car of the Year.” They are administered by an organizing committee and are funded exclusively with dues paid by the jurors. Jurors judge the cars on a number of factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar.

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 780 dealerships nationwide.

Volkswagen Bluesport concept

When Volkswagen pulled the wraps off its Bluesport concept at last week’s Detroit Auto Show, it was quite apparent that the sporty drop top was more production-ready than any of VW’s past sports car concepts. Adding credence to the notion of the Bluesport making the leap from concept to production, two VW execs have indicated a road-going version of the Bluesport is on the way.

Speaking with Auto Motor und Sport, VW’s Ulrich Hackenberg indicated the Bluesport was headed to production, and even went so far as to quote pricing for the roadster – between €22,000 and €24,500, depending on engine options.


VW engineer Thomas Inglenath also supported Hackenberg’s claim, saying the Bluesport could be in showrooms as early as 2012.

Although the Bluesport concept was shown with a diesel powerplant, Hackenberg revealed the production car would be available with a wide range of engine options, including the company’s TSI powerplants. VW’s dual-clutch transmission would also be part of the mix.

Considering the Bluesport’s platform is expected to underpin a new-age Porsche 914 and Audi R4, it would seem to make sense – as far as economies of scale are concerned – that the VW version would get the nod for production. If the Blue sport ultimately does get the light, expect to see it in VW showrooms sometime between 2012 and 2014.

2010 Nissan GT-R Spec-V

Long anticipated by GT-R fans, Nissan’s new ‘SpecV’ variant of the popular sports car has finally made its debut. Although Nissan isn’t attending this year’s Detroit auto show, we’re happy to bring you 38 high-resolution photos of the SpecV for your viewing pleasure. The Japanese automaker says the enthusiast-targeted V model will deliver “race car-level performance in a street-legal vehicle.”


The GT-R Spec-V will be an extremely low-production car, with only 10 examples expected to roll off the assembly line each month. The Spec-V’s price tag will match its exclusivity, with prices expected to start in the six-figure range.

All-out performance fans will likely be disappointed with the GT-R Spec-V’s performance numbers. The Spec-V’s 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 merely matches the regular GT-R’s output of 478 horsepower, well short of its predicted 520-550 horsepower. However, a new overboost button does allow for more mid-range turbo boost.

Although the Spec-V’s engine bay has been largely ignored, Nissan engineers didn’t overlook the performance value of a lower curb weight. Therefore, many of the GT-R’s stock parts have been swapped out for carbon fiber units. Throw in an upgraded suspension and the GT-R Spec-V lapped the Sendai Highland Raceway two seconds faster than the series II GT-R.

The GT-R SpecV’s new exterior features include a carbon fiber rear spoiler, a carbon fiber grille, and carbon fiber brake ducts. The SpecV is available exclusively in Ultimate Black Opal (RP) body color. Inside, the SpecV’s two-seat interior offers Recaro carbon fiber bucket seats, while carbon fiber insets embellish the rear center storage box, instrument panel and other trim areas.

The aforementioned high gear boost control device momentarily increases boost of the engine’s twin turbochargers for greater torque in the intermediate-to-high speed ranges to provide stronger acceleration, while also allowing the engine to operate at a lower speed for improved fuel economy. Other modifications include a titanium-coated exhaust system and carbon-ceramic brakes that provide powerful stopping performance.

The GT-R SpecV is also equipped with lightweight, racing-style forged aluminum wheels that were developed for this model and have been sold by Nissan Motorsports International (NISMO) since September 2008.

2011 Chevrolet Volt

Chevrolet has released additional images of the well-traveled Chevrolet Volt show car. Considered a near-production prototype of the vehicle that GM hopes to have on sale for the 2011 model year, these latest photos reveal more sides of the Volt, including what’s underneath its aerodynamic sedan body.


Rick Wagoner, GM’s chairman and CEO, didn’t release many details about the Volt at the event. The Volt was driven onto the stage by GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz, who was joined by GM’s President and COO, Fritz Henderson.

Look beyond the GM executives in the PR photos, which we brought you last week ahead of the Volt’s launch, including Lutz, Frank Weber, Vehicle Line Executive for the Volt and Bob Boniface, Volt Design Director, and you’ll see the production-ready Volt.

The General hopes to have the Volt, which is based on GM’s Delta/Global Compact Car Architecture platform, on sale in late 2010 as a 2011MY model. However, that timing may depend on how well the Lithium Ion batteries development progresses. A task given to Continental Automotive Systems and A123 Systems. It could very well be a 2012MY car by the time Volt’s start rolling down the production line.

Pending government incentives, GM will build the Volt at the Hamtramck, Michigan, plant that currently builds the G-body Buick Lucerne and Cadillac DTS.

Price wise, GM was hoping for an MSRP of around $30,000. It now seems that number may be closer to $35,000, though we don’t expect to hear official numbers for quite some time.

Background

The Volt project is an ambitious one. The aim is to create a vehicle that can deliver the equivalent of over 100 miles per gallon, while offering a top speed of 120 mph, and a zero to sixty time of 8.5 seconds.

The so-called plug-in hybrid has a charge time of three hours, and a range of 40 miles on batteries alone. For many customers, this means that the daily commute would require no gasoline.

As with any hybrid, an onboard generator recharges the batteries when the gasoline motor is running. What makes the Volt unique is that’s the only thing the gas motor does — in other words, it never drives the wheels directly. Maximum range — with a full tank of gas and charged batteries — is an impressive 640 miles.

The biggest news on the Volt’s development thus far is that engineers have come up with an algorithm for testing the durability of the batteries that can simulate 10 years of use — 150,000 miles — in just over two years of testing. Tests using the new algorithm are now going on around the clock in Detroit and Germany.

In an interview with Leftlane, Volt director Tony Posawatz indicated that several variations of the Volt could be in store for the future. Not only is the Volt platform being engineered to accommodate a hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain in the future, but interchangeable bodies remain a real possibility. Since the hydrogen layout keeps every component in the same location, it makes it possible for GM to design different body styles — such as a sedan or van — that can be placed on the platform. This versatility means your Volt could be an SUV one day and a two-door coupe the next. From what we’ve gathered, GM intends to launch an entire line of Volt-badged vehicles offering varying forms and varying batteries to allow for a wide range of list prices.

Volt will measure 177 inches long, making it a little shorter than the current Cobalt. The electric drive unit (utilizing a 220-cell, 16 kWh lithium ion battery) will put out 150 horsepower and 273 lb-ft. of torque and will top out at 100 miles per hour. Chevy says the Volt is especially quiet to drive thanks to both the electric motor and extensive sound insulation.

GM estimates that the Volt will cost about two cents per mile driven under electric power, well under the 12 cents per mile when using a gasoline engine. Volt will plug into either a standard 120V household outlet or a 240V outlet. It takes about eight hours to charge the Volt on a 120V outlet and three on a 240V. GM estimates that charging will cost about 80 cents based on current energy costs, less than a household refrigerator or freezer.

GM says that the interior will also be a strong point for the Volt. A driver-configurable, liquid crystal instrument display, seven inch touch-screen vehicle information monitor and optional navigation system will all highlight GM’s technologies. Bluetooth for cell phones and USB/Bluetooth for music will be standard.

Below last week’s PR images, you’ll find Leftlane’s exclusive coverage of the Volt reveal at GM’s Centennial celebration, as well as official images of both the interior and exterior of the 2010 Volt.

Nissan NV2500 concept

Nissan North America today unveiled the NV2500 concept at its Technical Center headquarters in Michigan. The van concept provides a preview of Nissan's entry into the North American commercial market in 2010.


"The Nissan NV2500 is a rolling idea lab - bringing a new perspective to the commercial vehicle segment," said Bruce Campbell, vice president of design for Nissan Design America, which developed the concept.

Measuring in at 5946mm long, 2012mm wide and 2438mm tall, the exterior design is highlighted by a wide grille, pronounced wheelarches, stepped roofline and an integrated solar panel on the roof. The concept also features 'multi-use' doors with integrated lower window cutouts and storage compartments: king-cab style on the driver's side, a 90-degree opening vertical door directly behind the front passenger door, and vertical 60/40 split cargo 'barn' doors at the rear.

Inside, the NV2500 concept features a '3-Zone' interior with a 'wall-less' mobile office/workspace design that includes a computer workstation, fold-down conference table, numerous storage compartments and an awning-style side panel that opens to create a standing outside workshop table. The interior elements have been designed to be multi-functional and highly durable.

Mercedes Concept BlueZero

Mercedes-Benz has just released details and images of a new concept that taps into the German automaker's experience of sandwich floor packaging. Dubbed the Concept BlueZero and due to be unveiled at next month's NAIAS, the four-door hatchback is 4.22 meters long, seats five and is likely to form the basis of a new range of small eco cars slated for production in 2009.

The BlueZero's aerodynamic body borrows from the company's 2005 Bionic concept, featuring a monospace design with a closed front apron, converging character lines and rear fenders that partially cover the wheels. The DLO runs in a shallow arc from the steeply angled hood, tapering slightly at the sides and almost seamlessly (but for the roof spoiler) curving down to envelop a pair of high-tech-looking, inverted 'L'-shaped light clusters behind a transparent Lexan plastic screen/tailgate structure.

The car's modular, sandwich floor chassis layout - pioneered on the A-Class - has been designed to accommodate three drivetrain configurations. It can be propelled by a fuel cell, by pure electricity, or by a hybrid powerplant that combines the Smart's 1.0-liter combustion engine with an electric motor.

Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss

Mercedes-Benz and McLaren have released photos of the new limited-edition SLR Stirling Moss, which will be unveiled at the upcoming NAIAS. Only 75 models will be made available to current owners of the SLR supercar.

This limited-edition V8 coupe was developed to commemorate British motor racing legend Stirling Moss's many victories in the SLR racecars of the 1950s. Notable design features of this 2009 edition include an arrow-shaped form, a muscular rear end, and bespoke surfacing on the hood – which runs from the tip of the nose right down to the interior, thanks largely to the absence of a windshield.

Production of the €750,000 Stirling Moss edition will begin when the last of the regular SLRs rolls off the line at the end of May 2009, ending in December that year.

Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart

Having recently returned from the AA Energywise Rally, where dinner conversation focused on fuel economy, dropping into the local Mitsubishi dealer to pick up the Lancer Ralliart meant a polar shift in mindset from economy to performance.

The black Ralliart sitting in the dealers' driveway, with its 18" alloys, huge boot spoiler, air scoop on the bonnet and body kit, was more reminiscent of a WRC event than an economy run. Nevertheless we were thoroughly looking forward to experiencing the Ralliart. Slipping into the snug Recaro drivers' seat the cockpit only added to the enthusiasm, with features including alloy sport pedals, leather clad sport steering wheel and big alloy gearshift paddles.

Turning on the ignition revealed the previous driver had been testing out the Rockford Fosgate sound system with its 9 speakers, including subwoofer, putting out almost as much power as the 180kW turbo intercooled powerplant under the bonnet.

Buckling up and shifting the automated manual TC-SST (Twin Clutch, Sport Shift Transmission) gear lever into "D" revealed a transmission which shifts more positively than a traditional Automatic but just as user friendly in city traffic. If you feel like having a play, either the steering wheel paddles or the floor shift lever shift the cogs quicker and smoother than any traditional manual gearbox. This setup really does provide the best of both worlds.

Moving the console mounted switch from "Normal" to "Sport" provides an even more aggressive Automatic shift, holds onto gears for longer, gives a sporty downshift and sets the car up nicely for a swift getaway out of the corners.

Visually, the enthusiast will detect some minor differences between the Ralliart and the Evo X, but most people will find the two cars very similar in appearance. Sure, the Evo X has more trick gear. There's a twin scroll turbo as opposed to the Ralliarts' single scroll unit, more use of aluminium in the bodywork and suspension, 18" BBS instead of the Mitsubishis 18" Ralliart wheels and another 40kW of power. However both cars have 4 wheel drive leach-like road holding and 0-100km times within less than a half a second of each other.

So at $49,990 compared with the Evos' $67,990, is the Evo really $18,000 or 36% better?

One point to ponder is that Mitsubishi chose to build the Ralliart at all. That's not said in a negative way, we're delighted they did. However, this car is so close in feel and performance to their Exo X, we can't help but wonder if the Ralliart will steal some buyers away from the Evo X. Seat of the pants performance is almost on a par, and you'd walk away from the showroom with eighteen grand change in your pocket.

However, it's a sure bet the powers that be at Mitsubishi must have factored this in, with their main target being Fuji Heavy Industries and their Subaru WRX. At this point in time the Subaru has less power, less torque and a 5 speed manual transmission compared to the Mitsi's 6 Speed TC-SST. However, Subaru won't take the arrival of the Mitsi lying down and the next generation WRX will undoubtedly take up the gauntlet.

Bearing in mind we picked up the Ralliart in AA Energywise Rally mode with fuel economy still in mind, a check on the manufacturers' claim of 10l/100km was in order. A decent run with a mixture of twisty country roads, city driving and Auckland motorways revealed the computer readout was a smidgen under at 9.7l/100km.

It's fair to say the Ralliart encourages enthusiastic driving and it's unlikely you'll be driving it with economy in mind. In fact you may be tempted to bury the loud pedal on occasion, sending fuel consumption figures higher than Mitsis' claim. However, we have satisfied ourselves its possible.

Summary

Overall, the Ralliart is a well balanced drivers' car with more than adequate performance and road holding characteristics. On the practical side, its a 4 door saloon with ample boot space and a decent amount of leg room. The ride is firm with minimal body roll. It bridges the gap nicely between the Lancer VRX and the Evo X, being somewhat closer in spirit to the Evo.

It will appeal to the enthusiastic driver who appreciates balance, performance and a fair smattering of clever engineering with the TC-SST transmission. It won't tire you out shifting gears in traffic but can be enjoyed if you do feel like shifting cogs manually once you escape the city congestion. However, it's not a soft ride, so won't appeal to everyone.

Safety

The Ralliart has 7 airbags, including driver, passenger, 2 x side, 2 x curtain and driver's knee airbag. There are 3 point ELR seatbelts with front pretensioners and force limiters as well as Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution (RISE) body structure, which creates a protective shell around the occupants. Active safety features include ABS brakes, ASC (Active Stability Control) with ATC (Active Traction Control). The rest of the Lancer range boasts a 5 Star ANCAP rating. Although the Ralliart is awaiting ANCAP certification, Mitsubishi anticipate an equal rating.

Technical

4 wheel drive with 180kW single scroll turbo engine with 6 Speed TC-SST automated manual transmission. Active center differential with rear limited slip differential. 2 pot front 16 inch disc brakes.

Review by Andrew Bayliss 3 December 2008

Jaguar XF 3.0 V6

The Jaguar XF 3.0 V6 is a handsome car. Everything, yes even the grill at the front, contributes to the strong design. We drove the V8 variant recently, so read up on the sense of occasion that is driving a Jaguar XF V8.

The V6 variant is one of the two 'entry' level XFs, at around $115k. The other option at this end of the price range is the 2.7L TDV6 turbo diesel. At some $25k less than the V8, the petrol V6 is missing something, but does it add up to price the differential? Let's have a quick look at what you might be missing out on.

Externally there are few clues to tell it apart. This can be a good thing if you can't afford the V8, or a bad thing if you did and you want people to know that you did. On the V6 you do get subtly different alloys and being just one inch smaller than the V8s I'm not sure anyone will notice.

Enter the cabin and it's the same story really. The differences boil down to absences, like the lack of front parking aid, rear parking camera and premium sound system, which if you never had, you won't then miss. Okay so there's a slightly different colour/trim scheme for the V6 but it's still the well appointed interior you expect from Jaguar with a mix of wood (effect), leather and aluminium.

I guess the lack of two extra cylinders, 1,200cc, 44kW and 1.8sec on the dash to 100km/h are mostly responsible for the $25k saving over the V8. The V6 powerplant being smooth as opposed to the V8s lumpier warble, but both are quiet anyway.

On the road the six speed auto works equally well with the V6, providing adequate but not hurried performance. Whilst you could feel more connected to the road via the chassis and steering than Jaguar currently allows, it is a big cat after all and you are probably not supposed to. That would be like the Queen arriving in Nike trainers.

Summary

If you can live without the V8, then the V6 is the way to go, I don't think anyone will know except you. You still get a stunning looking luxury vehicle that will cosset you from A to B, and you can spend the $25k saving on something less ostentatious like a new watch. Alternatively, if you like open air motoring then you may want to wait for the recently announced XF Roadster.

Safety

Driver and passenger front and side airbags, side curtain airbags, pedestrian contact sensing & deployable bonnet system, front seat whiplash reduction system, Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) and Cornering Brake Control (CBC).

Technical

2,967cc V6 producing 175kW, 293Nm of torque at 4100 rpm, 8.3sec 0-100km/h, combined fuel economy of 10.5L/100km, 6-speed ZF electronic automatic transmission, speed sensitive power steering, electronic park brake, traction and stability control, Jaguar Sequential Shift with steering wheel mounted paddles, JaguarDrive Control - winter mode, auto Halogen headlights, rain sensing windscreen wipers, rear parking aid with touch screen.

Test Drive Top Tips:

Handbrake - The old 'analogue' handle has given way to a 'digital' switch. No more handbrake turns I guess.

Economy - With just 0.6L/100km (based on quoted combined figures) saving over the V8, tread lightly on the gas.

Handling - On the 'twisties' the chassis reminds you that, "Really dear, you should have got the V8. I would be much better balanced".

Review by Phil Clark 2 December 2008