July 2010 Archives

CNET UK have published a review of the Aston Martin Rapide saloon. 'The Rapide's extra girth has presented Aston Martin with the opportunity to furnish the car with a smorgasbord of technology. Those sat in the back can busy themselves with the rear-seat entertainment package, which consists of a pair of 5-inch displays mounted on the headrests, an infrared remote control for independently controlling what's on each screen, and a pair of wireless headphones that allow your passengers to listen to a different soundtrack to the one being played over the car's loudspeakers.'

Auto Express have published a review of the Ferrari 458 Italia supercar. 'Slide down into the driver's seat and it's hard not to feel sorry for your passenger, as the beautifully crafted cabin is designed with everything angled towards the pilot. Even changing the volume on the stereo will require them to reach across the cabin. The driving position is perfect, and switches on either side of the wheel operate the functions displayed on corresponding screens flanking the central rev counter. The left-hand read-out shows the trip computer info and status of the chassis set-up. On the right is the screen for an entertainment system and optional sat-nav, which operates much like BMW's iDrive.'

Search Chicago have published a review of the BMW 750Li sedan. 'Getting comfortable in the new 7-Series is no problem. The 16-way power-adjustable front seats are heated and ventilated, and can be ordered with an optional massage function. Legroom for rear passengers is outstanding; heck, the rear seats recline. The heck with a limo, tell me you are taking me to the airport in this. The latest revision to the oft-panned iDrive system, which allows drivers to control most of the car's electronics through a single rotary knob, has gotten a really nice overhaul that makes it much more intuitive and deservedly commendable (for once).'

LeftLane have published their review of the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta. 'First impressions are positive. The 2011 Jetta looks great, taking away the bubbly look of the outgoing model and replacing it with a uniquely VW face. An elegantly detailed front fascia gives way to a sculpted, but simple side profile. We're less impressed with the tail, which possesses intricate tail lamps but somehow still manages an anonycar lack of distinct style. It's as though the design team ran out of ideas - neither ugly nor especially beautiful, the Jetta's tail is simply there.'

The Car Connection have published a review of the 2011 Hyundai Equus sedan. 'Interior room and luxury features at a value price are the killer app with the Equus, which rides more softly and looks a bit more formal than anything in the competitive field. There are no paddle shifters or a sport package--but the back seat's a pleasure palace, with available ventilated, reclining bucket seats that flank an 8-inch LCD screen and DVD player, and an available refrigerated compartment. The Equus also comes with one more killer app: ultimate customer service. Hyundai dealers will come to owners to service the car, fetching it rather than having them drop it off. They'll also deliver the new Equus with an Apple iPad that contains the owner's manual, and an application to set up service appointments.'

Inside Line have published their "test driven" review of the 2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS. 'It's interesting to consider that the 2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS now has more than twice the power of the first water-cooled 911 (the 300-hp 996-series car that appeared in 1997), and yet so fastidious has Porsche been that every single horsepower remains controllable. As a result the GT2 RS need not be an intimidating car to drive fast. Which is to say that so long as the road is dry and you don't go getting ideas about turning off the stability systems, you can drive it and enjoy almost all that it can do in fear of nothing more than a lengthy jail sentence in the unlikely event that the law ever manages to catch up with you.'

CNET have published a review of the 2011 Ford Shelby GT500. 'The 2011 Ford Shelby GT500 is a Mad Max kind of a car, its blower making a satisfying whine with the engine running above 5,000rpm. But you would have to be on a race track or a lone desert highway to hit that engine speed in any gear but second. With 550 horsepower, the GT500 is pure muscle. And with the SVT Performance package, you would have to be on a track to really enjoy this car. Stiffer springs and Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar G:2 tires combine to give the GT500 surprisingly good cornering capabilities. But drive over the often pitted pavement of public roads, and the car becomes a torture chamber, transferring every jolt to the passengers in the cabin.'

Car Magazine have published their review of the 2010 Kia Sportage 2.0 CRDi First Edition. 'Traction is peerless, thanks to Kia's new Intelligent All-Wheel Drive. The Sportage shares the architecture with Hyundai's iX35, but Kia has gone to Magna Steyr to develop this new 4wd that is said to have a much faster response than Hyundai's system. Having not tested the two back to back, we can't vouch for that yet. We can report that you won't get the wheels to slip in the dry, though, and Kia promises that CO2 and mpg are way better than before thanks to more frequent running in FWD model.'

Jalopnik have published their "test driven" review of the 2011 Impreza WRX and WRX STI cars. 'Both models have undergone a significant amount of evolution in the past decade, changing for reasons both obvious and subtle. The process is fairly simple: If Subaru releases a model that its customers like, it stays the same. If people don't, the company's engineers screw with it until they do. This is not the time or place to chart the WRX's changes, but suffice it to say that they are both numerous and market-specific. On that note, three main things are changed for 2011: The WRX now sports STI-like fender flares and a wider track; the STI boasts sharper, retuned suspension; and we are once again gifted with a four-door STI sedan.'

The Truth About Cars have published a review of the 2010 Mercedes C63 AMG. 'Starting off inside, for a $66,500 (as equipped) car, the cheap plastics and lack of features are startling. The same options - or lack thereof - that greet you in a base C300 rear their heads in the C63. If you don't opt for the $3,300 multimedia package, then you are stuck with a pointless microscopic screen tucked under a manually opening storage cubby. The screen shows a digital tuning dial for the radio and provides a display for the built-in Bluetooth, but it's so small that you might as well dial on your phone. When you opt for the $375 iPod integration kit, the screen becomes an oddly placed paperweight since the iPod can only be controlled via the steering wheel.'

A review of the 2010 Skoda Superb Wagon has been posted over at Car Advice. 'The roof rails and chrome window surrounds imbue a sense of expense, while there are other neat touches like the car's name embossed into the headlight surround. Finished in the Platin Grey paint of our test car, it's not exactly a show stopper, but it's not an optical assault, either. It sits somewhere in the middle - bland but safe. The interior fares slightly better, with neat, wood highlights which aren't over the top, but break up the masses of grey leather and black plastic. The steering wheel's chrome upside-down arc mimicking the chrome surround on the Superb's grille is a neat touch, while the wheel-mounted buttons and scroll-wheels make it cinch to navigate through stereo and vehicle functions.'

The Garage Blog have published a review of the Volvo C70 convertible. 'The C70 is offered in the US and Canada with one drivetrain only. A 2.5L turbocharged inline five delivers 227hp, coupled to a five-speed automatic. This is the same drivetrain in the Volvo C30 that The Garage reviewed earlier this year. While we were a bit underwhelmed with the C30, the drivetrain suits the C70′s personality perfectly. You have power available whenever you need it, but no one will mistake the C70 for a sports car. We enjoyed our C70 over a balmy Fourth of July weekend where I live in coastal Connecticut, and it was the perfect car for top down cruising and good fun.'

The Independent have published a review of the Renault Wind coupé-cabriolet. 'So the rump is short and pert. And any residual visual bulk dictated by roof stowage is cleverly made into a styling feature, specifically a pair of buttresses tapering rearwards and downwards from the back of the cabin. Then there's the roof itself, a construction of eureka-moment cleverness. It's a one-piece panel in lightweight black plastic and glass, which hinges at the base of its rear pillars so it can do a complete backflip over the boot space before the rear cover closes over it.'

A review of the 2010 Mazdaspeed3 has been posted over at SearchChicago. 'At first glance you may not appreciate the 2010 MS3's all-new "happy" face. I didn't have a problem with it, though, and I certainly didn't have a problem with the rest of the car. There isn't anything in this price range (starting price is $23,195) that delivers as much fun as the Mazdaspeed3. When talking about "best bang for the buck," the MS3 is at the top of the list. Under the hood of the 2010 MS3 is a powerful 2.3-liter turbocharged and intercooled four-cylinder engine that pounds out 263 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque.'

LeftLane have published a review of the 2010 Mazda Mazda3 s sport sedan. 'At times, you forget the Mazda3 is a front-wheel-drive sedan. It responds so predictably and so delightfully neutrally to inputs that it feels almost like all four wheels are moving. It doesn't offer the goofy slide-ready tossability of an all wheel drive car, but that's no bad thing. Instead, it rewards the driver with a positive, immediately enjoyable experience. It's a car that isn't hard to have fun with, even on the simplest on ramp or hint of a curve in the road. As for fuel economy - well, it's not a strong point. The Mazda3 s actually has a larger fuel tank than the i: 15.9 gallons rather than a paltry 14.5. But the bad news is that the s sips fuel at a rate of 21 mpg around town and 29 mpg on the highway - our testing roughly mirrored those figures.'

Car And Driver have published their "Short Take Road Test" of the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 coupe. 'Dimensionally, the E coupe is smaller than the E sedan; its wheelbase is clipped by 6.2 inches, and the car is almost seven inches shorter overall, losing about one-quarter of the four-door's rear-seat space. But despite the mildly less graceful ingress and egress (the car's pillarless-ness helps in this regard), you hardly feel the squeeze from the backseat, where head- and legroom are almost as gracious as the sedan's. The car feels far more luxurious overall than the CLK it replaces in the lineup, thanks to the rectilinear dash and interior theme from the E-class sedan. And the features list befits a car in this segment, too--burl wood trim, central info screen, 11 airbags, drowsiness warning, and leather as standard; plus the requisite high-end audio, sport package, and more leather and wood on the options list.'

CNET have published a review of the 2010 Lexus ES 350. 'The 2010 Lexus ES 350 may be built on the same platform as the Toyota Camry, but its cabin appointments and ride are pure Lexus. Lacking any sporting character, the ES 350 serves as luxury transportation. In classic Lexus style, it is effortless to drive, with a wheel that turns easily and a smooth-shifting transmission. Wood trim, leather, and soft plastics line the interior. Its luxury midsize sedan competition includes such cars as the Mercedes-Benz C-class and the Infiniti G37, but the front-wheel-drive ES 350 doesn't meet those cars' level of performance. A more suitable dance partner is the Lincoln MKZ.'

Motor Trend have published their "First drive" review of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-Cell Prototype. 'There's no gear-lever in this car. Instead, the transmission is controlled by P, R, and D buttons, much as you'd find in a contemporary Aston Martin. The heart of the E-Cell is its drive system. There are four electric motors close to each wheel to provide what is effectively four-wheel drive, and each is capable of revving to 12,000 rpm. There is one transmission on each axle (effectively a gearbox for each pair of electric motors).'

A review of the 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder roadster has been posted over at Bloomberg BusinessWeek. 'The Spyder starts at $62,150--that's $3,250 more than the Boxster S and an enormous $13,600 more than the regular Boxster. For the extra money you get numerous performance upgrades, including a locking rear differential, a lower and stiffer chassis, a fixed rear spoiler, lightweight aluminum doors, a sculpted aluminum rear hood, lightweight 10-spoke/19 in. alloy wheels, a different front fascia, and lightweight sport seats. In place of the Boxster S's conventional convertible top is a rudimentary removable ragtop that has to be rolled up and stowed in the trunk by hand. If an ultralow curb weight isn't your priority, you can add back the radio and cupholders to the Spyder free of charge, but air conditioning (which comes standard in the Boxster S) is a $1,760 option.'

Inside Line have published their "test driven" review of the 2011 Porsche Cayenne V6. 'The new-generation Cayenne looks far smaller than it did before, though this is mostly due to styling magic, notably a lower nose and a forward-raked C-pillar. In reality the Cayenne is actually fractionally longer, wider and taller than before and rides on a wheelbase that's been stretched to 114.0 inches, 1.6 inches longer. The 2011 Porsche Cayenne V6 drives with a laid-back demeanor. You'd never describe it as sporting, but it's impressive by SUV standards. The steering deserves praise for its linearity, making it easy to place this 4,475-pound vehicle on the road. Body roll is well contained and the Cayenne can be hustled along with something approaching gusto, helped by an all-wheel-drive system that delivers 60 percent of its thrust to the rear wheels in normal conditions.'

The National Post have published a "test driven"review of the 2010 Audi A4 Quattro. 'The engine is velvety in its operation, and even though its 211 horsepower isn't going to reduce BMW 3 Series owners to puddles of sweat, the 2.0 TFSI's 258 pound-feet of torque at a low 1,500 rpm ensures more than adequate acceleration. The 1,530-kilogram sedan will sprint to 100 kilometres an hour in seven seconds and cover the spread between 80 and 120 in 5.4 seconds. But, beyond acceleration, the turbo four's power at low revs imbues it with a flexibility that permits puttering about in traffic at low revs without fear of bogging.'

The Truth About Cars have published a review of the 2010 Acura TL SH-AWD. 'Acura continues to stake out a position between mainstream brands and true luxury brands with the quality of its interior materials. It's a clear step up from, say, a Nissan Maxima, but about even with Buick and no match for Lexus or the Germans. The TL's interior styling is somewhat sporty, with a "high tech" ambiance, but even with the faux wood on the center console it feels overwhelmingly plastic and lacking in warmth. One glaring oversight: sunlight often washes out the LCD display for the HVAC and audio systems.'

PaulTan have published their "test driven" review of the new Porsche Cayenne SUV. 'The immense size of the Cayenne may fool you into thinking that it drives like a boat with very noticeably body roll. But you will be proven wrong after spending a few seconds behind the wheel. The Turbo is motivated by a 4.8 liter V8 fitted with twin turbochargers and it makes 500hp and 699Nm of torque. Power delivery is good and very smooth but somehow I felt like I should have experienced more power. I felt like it offered 500Nm instead of 699Nm, but this could well be due to the 1,995-2,245 kilograms weight figure of the vehicle. Nevertheless the engine offers good response and power surged in almost instantaneously.'

A review of the Mercedes-Benz GLK350 4Matic SUV has been posted over at The Garage Blog. 'The GLK comes in one trim level-the GLK350, and one powertrain, a 3.5L V-6, rated at 268hp, coupled to a seven-speed automatic. Buyers can choose from rear or all-wheel drive. The Benz surprises again with a little bark on start up from its dual exhaust, just to let the neighbors know you treated yourself, but quickly settles into a near silent idle. The GLK's V-6 offers adequate power-not fast, but enough to keep you out of trouble when you need it. Shifting of the seven-speed automatic is seamless, with almost imperceptible upshifts.'

SearchChicago have published a review of the 2010 Subaru Impreza 2.5i Premium. 'On the road Subaru does pull it together to give the Impreza a decent balance of smooth ride, handling response, quietness and traction for everyday driving. I believe the ride and handling could have been firmed up a bit for times when you want to drive more aggressively. The WRX and WRX STI are more aggressive, but the price points are much higher. Subaru indicates it placed the Impreza's engine deeper in the chassis to help lower the center of gravity to bolster driving dynamics. This placement also helps to decrease road noise, providing a quieter cabin. The rest of the underpinnings include a double-wishbone rear suspension design.'

LeftLane have published their review of the 2011 Shelby GT350. 'Despite its white paint scheme with blue Le Mans stripes, the Larry Wood (of Hot Wheels fame)-penned 2011 GT350 doesn't look much like the original until you take in the details. The body kits on the two prototypes Leftlane sampled will lose their unsightly seam lines for production models, but the inset grille and classy flat black tail lamp surrounds will stay. Don't let the early press photos fool you; the GT350 is actually a substantial improvement over the standard Mustang in many ways, especially in the simple yet aggressive tail that sports a pair of center-mounted Borla exhaust pipes. Production GT350s will be delivered with the plastic triangle-shaped rear window covers in their trunks to allow buyers to make their own decision whether to use them.'

A review of the Vauxhall Ampera has been posted over at The Independent. 'The Ampera is technically a hybrid, but a hybrid of a sort so far not seen in production. It's a plug-in hybrid, which means that the battery that powers its electric motor can be charged from the mains as you would a pure electric car. Toyota has tentatively released a plug-in version of the Prius, but the Ampera goes a stage further in its electricalness. It is moved along purely by its 151bhp electric motor and not by an engine. It does have an engine - a 1.4-litre petrol engine. But this is never connected to the driving wheels - it's used purely to drive a generator. To paraphrase the nursery rhyme, this is the engine that drives the generator that charges the battery that powers the motor that moves the car that Vauxhall built.'

The USA Today have published a review of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. 'Grand Cherokee, arriving at dealers now and widely available in a few weeks, is bigger, more powerful, more fuel-efficient and lower-priced than the 2010 model it shoulders deftly aside. The preproduction test vehicles lacked only a hard-to-quantify enchantment, the melding of going, turning, stopping into a large sweet spot that makes you want to keep driving.Examples: The new Grand Cherokee was the first Chrysler Group product in memory in which the optional Hemi V-8 -- for no identifiable reason -- wasn't an attraction all by itself. The same engine in a Ram pickup imparts a smoothness, a nothing-can-stop-us feel mixed with a striking low-speed gentility that is nonpareil.'

Car Advice have published a review of the 2010 Nissan GT-R. 'Driving a Nissan GT-R is similar to driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution or Subaru WRX STI, except that it's powered by a 3.8-litre twin turbo V6 VR38DETT engine delivering (a ridiculous) 357kW and 588Nm of torque. That means it goes significantly faster than its cheaper Japanese rivals but also handles better (figure that one out). What really sets it apart is the 0-100km/h time of around the 3.5 second mark (can go down as low as 3.2 seconds with the risk of damaging the transmission) - this puts the GT-R in the same league as Ferraris, Lamborghinis and other European supercars worth considerably more coin.

The Garage Blog have published a review of the Mazda3i Touring. 'The interior of the Mazda3 carries the sporty theme, with a driver-focused cockpit. Seats are firm and supportive, and I had no trouble finding a comfortable driving position. The silver trim that is standard on the Touring model did a decent job of breaking up what was otherwise a dark interior. While the plastic steering wheel and shift knob reminded me I was in a lesser model, I actually preferred the simple white on black gauges as opposed to the electroluminescent gauges found on the Mazda3s and Mazdaspeed3. It goes to show because it costs more to make does not mean it is always better.'

A review of the Hamann BMW Tycoon Evo M has been posted over at GT Spirit. 'The Hamann body kit is a true matter of taste, but improves the rather boring and dull looking package of the standard X6 M up to a point that it now suites the recipe for irrelevance. It holds front and rear wing extensions made of light composite materials. The body expands by 60 millimeters. The designers enhanced the sides with the newly designed side skirts. The front apron has four or two striking LED daytime running lights depending on the country you life in. The air inlets in the front and the carbon bonnet allows an optimized air ventilation of the engine compartment. At the X6 M rear, Hamann replaced the original skirt and added new rear- and roof spoilers.'