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Archive for July, 2011

What Is It?

It’s Kia’s largest crossover with the optional 276-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 engine. For 2011, Kia replaced the body-on-frame Sorento with this new unibody machine. The SX model, following Kia convention, is the sportiest Sorento in the land—and the most expensive. This all-wheel-drive example is as loaded as a Sorento gets from the factory, and that’s reflected in its 4126-pound curb weight. Two rows of seating are standard, with a third row optional.

How Does It Drive?

Like —a front-wheel-drive four-cylinder EX model—this one impresses with its dynamic behavior. The steering has heft and feel, the brake pedal is firm, and there’s limited body roll for a ute of this size. The SX sits 0.4 inch lower and on stiffer springs than the rest of the Sorento lineup. It uses dual-flow dampers to remove some of the harshness from the stiff springs, a welcome change that almost makes the SX’s stiffness acceptable, but we contend that the base setup is plenty tied down. (Since we first tested a 2011 model, Kia has begun fitting the dual-flow dampers to

all Sorentos as a result of customer and media feedback about the clunky ride.)

The performance-oriented SX comes exclusively with the V-6; a base Sorento gets a 175-hp four-cylinder; and LX and EX trims are available with either engine. With the 101-hp advantage and all-wheel drive helping lay down the V-6’s 248 lb-ft of torque, this SX reached the 60-mph mark in 6.9 seconds, 2.1 seconds more swiftly than the front-drive four-cylinder we tested. The quarter-mile time of 15.3 seconds beats it by 1.6, reaching 92 mph at that point versus 82.

How Does It Stack Up?

The Sorento is almost nine inches longer than its sibling, the Sportage crossover. Its extra length allows for the third row, putting it on par with the passenger-hauling capability of bigger cute utes like the Toyota RAV4, in addition to vehicles like the new Ford Explorer. The Sorento is more enjoyable to drive than either. Customers looking for a sporty three-row sport-ute could look to the larger Mazda CX-9 or Dodge Durango (the latter offers a V-8 option). Sorentos of all kinds, especially the fully loaded SX, include competitive levels of equipment.

What’s the Cost?

This brings us to the bottom line. A V-6 Sorento LX can be had for as little as $26,190; all-wheel drive costs $1700 on that model. The SX includes almost everything the factory offers—features such as navigation, dual-zone auto climate control, keyless start, leather seats (heated up front), and a third row—except for a $1200 panoramic sunroof, with which this example was equipped, and a rear-seat entertainment package, which is only available on the EX. The extra $4800 required to move up from the EX to the SX is accounted for by the unique suspension and a pile of standard features that are otherwise optional on the EX. Basically, you have to really want the stiff suspension to choose the SX, so we say skip it and keep the kids entertained instead.

Article source: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/11q2/2011_kia_sorento_sx_awd-short_take_road_test

Let’s get one thing straight, right here at the top: The “R” in the model designation does not stand for race.

The new Outback, generation four dating to 1994, is not a ride that’s likely to stimulate your inner racer. This is family transportation, and 15 minutes behind the wheel will be enough to convince you that whatever sport you might associate with the vehicle is the equipment you loaded on the roof rack or into the rubber-floored cargo well at the back.

But neither does “R” stand for retardo — Spanish for “slow as hell,” or something like that. Not with the optional 3.6-liter flat-six providing propulsion. The 3.0-liter H-6 option in the previous Outback 3.0R made forward progress an exercise in patience. It’s a different story here.

Although the latest Outback is bigger in every dimension but length, the development team has done an excellent job of keeping weight in check. Our test subject, a top-of-the-line Limited model, scaled in at 3651 pounds. As with all Subies, that curb weight includes standard all-wheel drive. For contrast, consider the mass of two five-passenger competitors with similar dimensions: An all-wheel-drive Mazda CX-7 weighs in at about 3900 pounds, with a Chevrolet Equinox coming in at more than 3700 with only front-wheel drive.

More Muscle to Move the Modest Mass Introduced with the Tribeca, Subaru’s three-row crossover SUV, the 3.6-liter flat-six doesn’t make much more horsepower than the 3.0—256 versus 245—but it’s much more of a torque generator: 247 lb-ft compared with 215. Better yet, the torque curve has a profile similar to the airport butte in St. George, Utah—long and flat. Subaru claims 225 lb-ft are on tap from 2000 to 6000 rpm, and we believe it.

With a five-speed automatic sending power to the all-wheel-drive system—the torque split is 45 percent front, 55 rear in normal operation—the 3.6R hit 60 mph in 7.4 seconds and covered the quarter-mile in 15.7 at 90 mph.

There’s obviously no danger of nosebleeds or acceleration g-load brownouts with numbers like that, but this is a much livelier pace than the 3.0R was capable of producing. And passing performance, something that required careful planning with the previous flat-six, is much more carefree and spontaneous. The transmission kicks down readily, and the Outback surges forward with a will.

Transmission Omission?

Ah, yes, the transmission. Subaru actually offers three transmissions for the Outback. Buyers who settle on the 2.5i model can choose between a six-speed manual (standard) or an optional new chain-driven continuously variable transmission, a first for an all-wheel-drive application.

Outbacks equipped with the new H-6 are limited to the five-speed automatic. It’s a smoothie in ordinary operation, but the manual function using the wheel-mounted paddle shifters isn’t particularly satisfying. Shifts are a little soggy, and the transmission upshifts on its own a couple hundred rpm before the 6500-rpm redline. Considering this vehicle’s family-oriented mission and the uninspiring performance of the paddle-shift system, Subaru could well have saved some money by omitting such frivolities from the inventory. And we’d gladly swap the paddles for a sixth gear, something the CX-7 and the Equinox include in their auto-only drivetrains.

Dynamic Certainty As we said, no one is likely to consider this Subaru to be racy, but it’s unlikely to provoke dismay with any handling quirks. There’s a fair amount of body roll—the trade-off for supple ride quality on all but the gnarliest surfaces—and the variable-assist rack-and-pinion steering is a little slow at 3.2 turns lock-to-lock.

Even so, the Outback recovers well in quick transitions and is absolutely devoid of surprises. Inevitably, there’s progressive understeer, and it’s not difficult to provoke squeals of protest from the 60-series tires (225/60-17), a taller profile selected for ride-quality benefits.

But there is never an instant of uncertainty in this vehicle’s responses, and anyone who plants an Outback among the roadside greenery—overcoming an effective (and not completely defeatable) stability control—has done so by a Darwin Award level of incompetence.

Capacious, Quiet Cabin

Whereas the 3.6R delivers a respectable level of performance—and decent fuel economy (an EPA-rated 18 city/25 highway mpg) burning regular fuel (the 3.0 required premium)—the Outback’s greatest strengths are quiet operation and the expanded space in its handsomely appointed cabin.

Although we noted a nasty chassis buzz on washboard stretches of graded road, as well as an occasional shudder through the unibody on some of the bigger bumps, the Outback’s basic pavement deportment is almost beyond reproach.

The civilized dynamics are augmented by the voluminous interior. The Outback’s overall length is actually slightly diminished, but the wheelbase, the width, and the height have all increased, yielding rear leg- and headroom capable of a strong comfort rating from all but the tallest of the current NBA tribe, as well as a good-size cargo hold.

Our test subject was a top-of-the-line Limited model that rang in at $34,685 with navigation and a power sunroof. Its base price is $31,690. You can get into a new Outback for considerably less—the base 3.6R starts at $28,690, and a 2.5i is $23,690—but it’s worth noting that the base price for the 3.6R Limited is actually a little less than for the outgoing 3.0R Limited, and it’s also less than the top version of the Mazda and only about $1000 more than the highest-spec Equinox.

It may not be a thrill-a-minute ride, but the vehicle Subaru characterizes as the progenitor of the crossover phenomenon remains one of the key players in that rapidly expanding game.

Article source: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/09q3/2010_subaru_outback_3.6r-short_take_road_test

Generally speaking, the more highly anticipated the car, the more difficult it is to get any advanced information on it—let alone pictures. However, our well-placed spies and informants have nabbed one of the hottest properties in all of automobiledom: the upcoming BMW Z9.

Though the body panels on this prototype probably have some small German village wondering what happened to all of its trash cans, there is much we can deduce about the successor to the limited production Z8 (below right), thought by many to be one of the most beautiful cars in BMW’s illustrious history.

For starters, obviously, this is a two-seat convertible. But rumor is that a folding hardtop will be an option, and we have on relatively good authority that the Z9 will be offered as a curvy coupe, too (the better to go after the Ferrari 599GTB with, we surmise). We imagine both cars will share the B-pillarless windows—which include the trademark "Hoffmeister Kink" in the C-pillar area. It appears that the vehicle is a bit less than 180 inches in length, while weight estimates put it in the same league as the Chevrolet Corvette.

The long nose further suggests that, like the Z8, the engine will be front-mid-mounted, with rear-wheel drive. The portholes on the side indicate that it will be yet another vehicle to feature trendy fender vents, although at least BMW can claim to have been doing them ever since the legendary late-50s 507 roadster (the car which itself provided the inspiration for the Z8 and thus the Z9).

As for what’s lurking beneath what’s certain to be a more lovingly sculpted hood than the one we see here, we estimate that base Euro-market models could get the 335i’s turbocharged, 300-hp 3.0-liter inline-six, while U.S. models would get the upcoming M3′s V-8 delivering over 400 horsepower to start, with the M5/M6′s splendid 5.0-liter 500-hp V-10 and possibly a 6.3-liter V-12 with more than 600 horsepower available as upgrades. BMW’s SMG is certain to be offered, but whether BMW will give us a traditional manual transmission is unclear at this point.

One of our sources has suggested that BMW would like to build some 15,000 units per year of the new Z9, making it far less exclusive than the Z8, which only tallied 5703 sales in the short time it was on the market. We think that’s a bit ambitious, particularly considering that the competitive set will have swollen by the time the Z9 hits—probably in about two years—to include the Audi R8, Lexus LF-A, and possibly the new Acura NSX and mid-engine Mercedes-Benz Gullwing. Thus, we don’t think BMW could get away with charging much more than $100K for the base models, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see V-12 versions approach $200K.

Article source: http://www.caranddriver.com/news/spied/07q1/2010_bmw_z9-spied

The letter “x” can signify a negative, like a strike in baseball or the incorrect answer on

Family Feud .

If treasure hunting is your game, then “x” marks the spot. “X” can also represent the sights trained on the BMW 3-series by Infiniti’s excellent

. Now more than ever, the G is hot on the heels of the benchmark 3, thanks in large part to the lineup’s wider adoption of all-wheel drive, which is denoted by—you guessed it—an “x.”

Slushy Box, but Still a Great Powertrain

New for 2009, the all-wheel-drive G37x coupe is only available with a seven-speed automatic transmission equipped with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. We found the gearbox to be smart about selecting gears under normal driving conditions, but when pushed, it can slur shifts a bit and is slow to grab demanded ratios, but we’re really splitting hairs here.

With its 3.7-liter V-6 engine pumping 330 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque, the G37 offers BMW 335i performance for 328i money. The all-wheel-drive coupe weighs roughly 200 more pounds than its rear-drive sibling, but the two cars turn in equal 0-to-60-mph (5.3 seconds) and quarter-mile (13.9 seconds at 102 mph) times. The extra heft is offset by better traction at launch, and the additional poundage doesn’t affect the G’s sharp handling. What it does affect is braking, with the all-wheel-drive car turning in a 175-foot 70-to-0-mph braking distance, 11 feet longer than the rear-drive coupe.

On the skidpad, the G37x pulled a respectable 0.83 g, which is good, considering its optional 18-inch wheels were shod in 225/50 all-season rubber. The rear-drive G37 Sport registered 0.89 g wearing summer performance tires. Perhaps most impressive was that the understeer commonly associated with all-wheel-drive cars was pretty moderate by comparison in the G. Body control also is superbly managed, and the ride is firm but not overly harsh. The steering has a slight touch of on-center numbness but is otherwise, in true G fashion, sharp and communicative.

Not Much for Passengers or Cargo Naturally, the G37x has the same delightful interior we’ve praised in the line’s other variants. The brushed, Japanese-paper-influenced trim on the center stack still impresses, and most surfaces feel quite good to the touch. The front seats are comfy for lengthy journeys, but the rears—as you might expect in a sleek two-door—are tight for real-size people; they really just amount to extra storage space. That’s a good thing, since the oddly shaped trunk can swallow only about seven cubic feet of cargo.

It’s a Bargain The G37 is certainly inching closer to its 3-series rival in terms of dynamics and driving satisfaction but not in cost of entry. With a base price of $39,565, the G37x coupe undercuts a BMW 335i xDrive coupe by a substantial $5269. Optional packages can add up quickly with both cars, but considering the G’s $5200 advantage, you can load up your G37 with the Premium package (a sunroof, an upgraded stereo with iPod interface, Bluetooth, and more) and Navigation package for the cost of a base two-door 335i xDrive. That kind of value combined with the G’s high level of performance makes signing your name near another “x”—the one before a dotted line—an enticing proposition, indeed.

Article source: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/09q3/2009_infiniti_g37x_coupe-short_take_road_test

2009 Infiniti G37 Coupe AWD review by cnet.com

Some freed slaves after the Civil War were given 40 acres and a mule. Beleaguered auto writers are sent every November to Las Vegas to slog through 46 acres of sensory-popping

terrain. They’d kill for a mule.

As the annual gathering of about 2000 of the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s member companies in the automotive-aftermarket industry approaches, whining is rampant among the media. It isn’t SEMA’s fault. The show is by all measurements a huge success—even in an off year such as 2008, which drew 1971 exhibitors and 104,000 attendees by SEMA’s count, down about 15 percent from 2007.

If it can be screwed, glued, wired, or riveted to a car or a

or a after it leaves the factory, you can find it at SEMA, often being fondled by booth nymphs clad in black vinyl hot pants. Our dread—paradoxical, it must seem—is born from eight-hour days spent trudging up and down aisles lined with chromed carburetors, polished wheels, plastic wings, and electronic doodads of every conceivable purpose and mega pixel count, looking for elusive morsels of news. It has an annoying resemblance to real work.

See, SEMA isn’t about news. It’s about bringing makers of aftermarket equipment together with wholesale buyers, and since the first official show in 1967, it’s done a fine job. Yet, though items such as a twin-blade windshield wiper called the “Scrublade” may be steamy stuff to a Pep Boys buyer, do you want to read 34 detailed paragraphs about it?

We did find some interesting things and had a few engaging conversations. Diesel guru Gale Banks of Banks Power showed a Top Fuel–style rail dragster with a 402-cubic-inch Duramax diesel onboard making 1200 horsepower and 1200 pound-feet of torque. It’ll rip a 7.7-second quarter-mile on pump diesel, according to Banks, if there’s ever a sanctioned class to run in. “Diesel hot-rodding is already huge,” says Banks. We had no idea.

While admiring a perfectly replicated vintage steering wheel and a re-popped Chevelle dashboard pad in a booth full of such items, we learned that India is catching China as the place to have restoration parts replicated for American mail-order catalogs.

Labor costs are cheaper, says an undoubtedly biased Vivek Datta, JCBL India’s head of international marketing, and the quality is better. “In China, they play around with tolerances. We don’t play around.” JCBL’s main business is making bus bodies, but the 2000-worker company does replica parts “more or less as a hobby,” Datta says. Asked what car an elegant black bumper cap with chrome filigree is for, Datta shrugs. “They don’t tell us the car or the year; they just send us the part or a drawing.”

Not that China, which deserves much of the credit for growing SEMA into the behemoth it is, has closed for business. Two years ago, the first high-quality Chinese-made wheels appeared at SEMA, says Matt Edmonds, vice-president of tire and wheel retailer Tire Rack. Now, “almost everybody’s wheels are made in China because the European wheels are too expensive.”

Article source: http://www.caranddriver.com/features/09q1/2008_sema_show-feature

GM 2010 Camaro Restores Confidence in The Auto Bailout

The BMW 3-series is without question one of our favorite cars, reigning on our yearly 10Best Cars list for the past 16 years. The current and much-praised, fifth-generation E90 version is no doubt the best, and is among the most rewarding cars to drive at any price. For 2008, and to no one’s surprise, BMW is adding a convertible version, just as the company has for the past 20 years.

But, this is BMW’s first foray into the expanding, hardtop-convertible parade. Other notable features are a much-improved, rapid-shifting six-speed automatic; special reflective leather to keep the seats cool (up to 30 degrees cooler than conventional leather) when the top is down; and, of course, the spectacular 300-hp twin-turbo inline-six that was introduced in last year’s 335i coupe. In the U.S., the convertible will be offered as the aforementioned 300-hp 335i—the model we got an early drive in—as well as a 230-hp 328i when it goes on-sale at the end of March. Pricing isn’t yet finalized, but the convertible premium will likely not change much from the outgoing model’s, so expect to pay about $7000 more than comparable coupes; roughly $43,000 for the 328i and $48,000 for the 335i.

Changes from convertible to coupe in 23 seconds Hardtop convertibles offer numerous advantages over their soft-top competitors, including coupe-like quietness and excellent visibility when the top is up. BMW reports that the rear side windows have grown 30 percent in the new 3-series convertible, while overall visibility is up 38 percent. To our eyes, visibility out of the convertible is essentially equivalent to that of the coupe.

Looks-wise, you probably won’t spot the new convertible by its 3-series-coupe-like front-end, but rather from the rear, where the coupe’s flowing roofline is replaced by a distinct line where the convertible’s roof meets the trunk.

BMW’s new top is a three-piece unit and, at the push of a center-console button or the key fob, stacks the front panel on top of the center panel, then the rear panel on top of both of those before disappearing into the trunk in 22 seconds. It takes a second longer to reverse the process, which is about seven seconds quicker than its closest competitor, the Volvo C70.

The downside of folding hardtops is that they’re heavy and that the top can hog most of the trunk space when down. In the 3-series’ case, the top itself adds 300 pounds, while the extra chassis reinforcements pack on another 150, so expect a 335i convertible to weigh about 4000 pounds. To BMW’s credit, however, the convertible retains a 50-50 weight distribution and is claimed to have 50-percent stiffer torsional rigidity than the previous 3-series convertible. From the driver’s seat, we can tell you that the new 3-series is among the stiffest in its class, with almost no perceptible quivers felt through either the seat or steering wheel.

The convertible’s 12-cubic-foot trunk is actually one cube larger than the coupe’s, but shrinks to 7 with the top down; still leaving usable space beneath the panels. That also compares favorably with the Volvo C70′s 13 cubic feet top-up and 6 top-down. However, the Volvo has a nifty loading feature that electronically motors the roof panels out of the way for easier access to the trunk space with the top down. On the BMW, that feature is optional (part of the $500 Comfort Access, which also includes keyless unlocking/locking and starting) and doesn’t work as well as there’s no button (instead you must click the key fob twice), and even then doesn’t make loading as easy as the Volvo does. However, the 3-series has a folding rear seat and a 16-inch-wide trunk pass through to accommodate the must-have set of golf clubs under the folded roof.

Article source: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/07q1/2008_bmw_335i_convertible-first_drive_review

BMW 3-series Facelift Promo Video

We’ve already sung the praises of Audi’s chic Q7 several times. Most recently, the Q7 placed an impressive second (behind the Mercedes-Benz GL450) in a recent comparison between five brand-new seven-passenger luxo-utes. The Q7 4.2 is a welcome addition to a field already crowded with leather-lined land yachts, but far from exceeding its capacity for those with the kind of performance and style that characterize the Q7.

Thing is, at $50K to start, the 4.2 is expensive. Indeed, the example we tested cost well above $60K. Furthermore, the 4.2′s not-so-great fuel economy (14/19 mpg city/hwy) prompted some around here to speculate that the newly released, Q7 3.6, with its 280-hp V-6 and 20-percent-lower base price ($40,620) would actually be the better choice for most buyers. Now that we’ve driven it both around the winding desert roads in northern Arizona as well as urban and suburban Montreal, Quebec, we know it is.

Brilliant engine As we’ve found in other models, Audi’s recently introduced direct-injection V-6 and V-8 engines are prolific and engaging. Compared with the 4.2-liter V-8, the 3.6 produces 20-percent less horsepower (280 hp @ 6200 rpm) and 18-percent less torque (266 lb-ft @ 2750 rpm), resulting in a predicted 0-to-60-mph time of 8.2 seconds (compared with 7.5 for the 4.2 that we tested), but worth an extra mile or two per gallon (16/20 mpg city/hwy).

While numbers never lie, in this case, just as important as actual performance numbers is the character with which this power is delivered. Thanks in no small part to the precise injection of fuel within each cylinder, throttle response for the narrow-angle V-6 is just as impressive and immediate as that of the V-8. Both engines are remarkably quiet and smooth at cruising speeds; only when pushed hard does one miss the extra power of the V-8, and at that, only if one has actually experienced the difference. And that’s a difference that wanes in significance especially if one knows what he’s doing on a twisty two-laner with the six-speed Tiptronic automatic in manual mode.

Unchanged from the 4.2 are the standard quattro all-wheel drive system, big four-wheel disc brakes and the standard steel suspension. A sophisticated air suspension is optional on the 3.6 Premium, as it is on all 4.2 models. The 3.6 is shod with 18- or optional 19-inch wheels—one inch smaller in diameter than those of the 4.2. More significantly, the tires of the 3.6 are between 10 and 20 mm narrower than those of its pricier brother, though we did not find the 3.6 to be sliding around inordinately on the skinnier rubber. Again, the performance benefits of the 4.2 exist only in the margins.

Article source: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/06q4/2007_audi_q7_3.6-first_drive_review

2007 Audi Q7 #030494R in Jacksonville St. Augustine, FL

A crossover isn’t quite the same thing as a cross-dresser, but even so there are a lot of them around these days, and Isuzu is about to expand the category again.

Crossover vehicles are those neither/nor creations that don’t quite fit the sport-utility-vehicle category but aren’t likely to be confused with passenger cars, either. The Pontiac Aztek is a crossover vehicle, although not an ideal example since the Aztek cannot be confused with anything. So let’s point to the Audi Allroad and the Lexus RX300, since both are singled out by Isuzu as competitors to its new Axiom. And they also help to illustrate our next point.

Aside from its singular styling, the Axiom brings one other distinction to the expanding world of crossovers: It’s the only body-on-frame design in the hunt; all the others are unit-body vehicles based on the bones of front-drive passenger cars or minivans. The Axiom, in contrast, is essentially a truck — body and frame are mated late in the final assembly process.

There are lots of excellent reasons for going the unit-body route in this realm of sport-utilities that are unlikely to see hard off-road service — having a higher chassis rigidity and a lower curb weight are foremost among them. So why, you may ask, is Isuzu swimming upstream? Simple. Isuzu is a truck specialist. It’s been eight years since the company offered a passenger car in the U.S., which means it had no car-parts bin to reach into. Thus, the Axiom’s eye-catching epidermis is wrapped around Rodeo bones — the same box-section ladder-type frame, with the same 106.4-inch wheelbase and the same track: 59.6 inches front and 59.8 inches rear. The suspension layout is basically the same — independent up front with unequal-length control arms and torsion bars; a five-link, coil-sprung live-axle setup at the rear; and anti-roll bars at each end — although Isuzu has updated its Intelligent Suspension Control (ISC) system for this application. Like other so-called semiactive suspension systems, ISC is governed by a computer that monitors vehicle speed, engine rpm, cornering force, shock-absorber loading, and brake operation to provide real-time adjustments through a range of 17 different damping levels in two different modes — comfort and sport. Although sport is the stiffer of the two, the distinctions are subtle. As a colleague observed, "It’s hard to tell, but there seems to be more sport in the sport setting than comfort in the comfort mode."

Other shared Rodeo hardware includes the variable-assist (variability determined by engine rpm) rack-and-pinion steering system, and the brakes — front disc and rear drum in two-wheel-drive editions, all disc in four-wheel-drivers, with anti-lock brakes standard. Also shared is the optional Torque-on-Demand (TOD) four-wheel-drive system, first introduced in 1998 on the Isuzu Trooper. Like some other systems — the one used in the Ford Explorer, for example — Isuzu’s TOD is an automatic system that transfers up to 50 percent of the engine’s torque to the front wheels when wheelspin is detected at the rear. Unlike the all-wheel-drive systems common to crossovers such as the Allroad and the RX300, Isuzu’s TOD includes a two-speed transfer case, with a low range for creepy-crawly work.

Article source: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/01q1/2002_isuzu_axiom-first_drive_review