Handy Auto Guide

The Independent have published a review of the Mini John Cooper Works BMW-created Mini. 'For a small firm to develop a manufacturer-approved tuning kit in the modern world ofregulation and liability was a heart-warming ember of past fast-car freedoms, but it couldn’t last. This new JCW is one in name only: it’s an entirely BMW-engineered, German developed creation. t is, however, still Minishaped. But it weighs 1205kg, which is twice the weight of an original Mini Cooper, and it’s not really small at all. (Nor is the price, a startling £20,995 which is £4,995 more than a Cooper S.) Even next to my Peugeot 205 GTI, a larger-than average supermini in its day, the JCW looks enormous despite having a boot approximately half as capacious. Crash-safety regulations have ruined today’s cars, and for those who make a point of driving in a way which avoids crashes, that’s a great shame.'

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The Truth About Cars have published a review of the 2009 Honda Pilot EX-L SUV. 'The Pilot might not have turned out exactly as Honda's chief designer Dave Marek intended, but the look certainly projects greater solidity and presence than it's predecessor. Stylistically, the new Pilot harks back to a simpler time, when real men (and their wives) drove SUVs [kidding-ish]. If you think that the new Toyota Highlander looks like a contemporary example of Japanese design running awry of American taste, and that futuristic CUV's such as the Ford Edge and Mazda CX-9 look more at home on the cover of a Journey album than rolling around U.S. highways, they you'll find Pilot's masculine simplicity a step in the right direction. If not, not.

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A review of the 2009 MAZDA CX-7 Touring has been posted over at SearchChicago.com. 'Powering the CX-7 is a turbocharged, intercooled 2.3-liter dual-overhead-camshaft four-cylinder with 244 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Towing capacity is 2,000 pounds. Performance of the smooth direct-injection, 16-valve engine is lively in town and decent on highways, with a good 65-75 mph passing time. The 0-60 mph time of 7.9 seconds isn't neck-snapping but is OK -- considering the CX-7 weighs a hefty 3,710 pounds with front-wheel drive and 3,929 pounds with all-wheel drive, which isn't meant for off-road use. A responsive six-speed automatic transmission has an easily used manual-shift feature.'

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CNET have published their review of the 2009 Nissan Murano SL SUV. 'The 2009 Nissan Murano we tested came equipped with the Premium Package, which adds a nine speaker and two subwoofer Bose audio upgrade to the standard six-disc in-dash CD changer (that reads MP3/WMA CDs). The Bose system sounded great in the Murano's exceptionally quiet cabin. Stereo separation was clear and the addition of the dual subwoofers really filled the cabin with a rich, but not too boomy, sound. At higher volumes, some bass distortion and a few rattles could be heard, but with so little road/engine noise, there's really no reason to crank the system to the max.

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Car Advice have published a review of the 2008 Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo sedan. 'Just $45,000 will see you behind the wheel of an entry model manual XR6T and when all things are considered, you’re really getting a lot of car for the coin. Not only does the new FG series have to be one of the best looking Falcons yet, it’s also the most refined in terms of power delivery and handling that I’m yet to drive, not a bad feat for a locally built sub $50K car.

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Inside Line have published their review of the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X M marque. 'The 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is available in two trims, the base GSR and the top-shelf MR. The racer in us screamed for the lighter, faster, cheaper GSR with its five-speed manual transmission. But valid reasons kept bringing the MR back into the picture.
To begin with, the Evo MR's base price is close to that of our long-term 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI. The MR also posted a faster lap time around the Streets of Willow than both the GSR and the STI during our recent comparison test, which the MR ultimately won. Most of all, a long-term, one-year, 20,000-mile relationship with the Evo X MR gives us an excellent opportunity to put some hard miles on Mitsubishi's newest technological gizmo, the TC-SST (Twin Clutch Sporttronic Shift Transmission).

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A review of the 2008 Audi A8 L W12 sedan has been posted over at ZDNet. 'The 2008 Audi A8 L W12 rests in a premier echelon of cars that combine extreme luxury with exceptional driving performance, cars that make it difficult to decide whether you'd rather be reclining in the back seat while a chauffeur drives or up there where the action is, with your hands on the wheel. The back seats tempt with a DVD entertainment system, power adjustment, and a refrigerator. The driver's seat offers control over the 6-liter 12-cylinder engine and superb all-wheel-drive handling for such a large car. All seats get treated to stellar sound from the Bang & Olufsen audio system

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The Automo Blog have published a review of the 2009 Toyota Camry LE sedan. 'The Toyota Camry was redesigned back in 2007 and drastic measures were taken inside and out, most of them for the good. The new Camry received all-new sheet metal that was given a lot more visual appeal than the older models. Gone are the frumpy headlamps and boring grill. It their place is a more pronounced snout, with a bolder grill treatment. The headlights are smaller, and more rectangle, giving the front-end a slightly more aggressive look. In the rear, the unappealing and large taillights and non-descript rear end now has a more pronounced trunk lid and shorter, squared-off taillamps. In addition, a newly incorporated crease at the bottom of the bumper has added additional style. Along the side, it is still the same, but Toyota has removed the side moldings and created a crease from the front fender all the way to the rear door.'

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PaulTan.org have published a review of the BMW 320i Sports sedan. 'The 320i Sports model has quite a number of differences as compared to the standard 320i SE (base model). The most noticeable difference would be the M Aerodynamics kit which is made part of a front air dam with bigger air inlets and an integrated rear diffuser. The Sports version also features a 17 inch Dual Spoke M Light Alloy wheels, fitted with run flat tyres. Another distinctive exterior feature of the Sports to help complement its looks is the Shadow Line high gloss black window recesses and mirror frame. The 320i Sports is also lower than its base model, with a total height reduction of 15 millimeters.

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The Truth About Cars have published a review of the 2009 Nissan Maxima. 'With 19" rims, doors the size of stainless-steel refrigerators, and a new wider track and shorter length, the Maxima offers pure, broad-shouldered aggression. Overall, the new, downsized– yes, downsized– Maxima looks like some antediluvian antecedent to the G37 coupe just got dredged up from the Marianas trench. And then ate four people. Nissan may be eating Subaru's lunch when it comes to performance, but the two brands are in a race to the bottom when it comes to interior quality. Even the mighty Nissan GT-R suffers from a cheapish-feeling interior. The Maxima's cabin is as rubbery as Chrysler's plastics are hard. If Nissan wants people to think their cars are built to last, they're going to have understand that first impressions last.'

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