Showing posts with label Cars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cars. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Subaru Driver Ken Block In Madness .... He is Cool... this is how people drive
believe me, you wont want to miss out this video
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Superchips Volkswagen Golf GTi Mk VI ECU Remap Adds 44bhp
Story 1
British tuner Superchips has a Volkswagen Golf GTI tuning package that rivals the Volkswagen Golf R.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR Log (Press Release) – Dec 02, 2009 – British tuner Superchips has a Volkswagen Golf GTI tuning package that rivals the Volkswagen Golf R.
The ECU tuning being done is about more than just amping up the horsepower ratings. Superchips wants to create a more responsive engine that can make the Volkswagen Golf GTI improve its performance capability to a finer, more measurable degree.
Peak power is boosted by 25 bhp and 47 lb-ft of torque. But the power across the rev band is doled out to optimize flexibility, with Superchips' Bluefin ECU system adding 44 bhp at 4737 rpm and 53 lb-ft of torque at 4450 rpm.
The Buckingham-based tuner claims that a Superchips Golf GTI weighing in at 1271 kg with a power output of 233 bhp and 253 lb-ft comes close to matching the performance of the 1475 kg Volkswagen Golf R with 267 bhp and 258lb-ft.
Story 2
Long established vehicle remapping specialist Superchips Ltd is pleased to unveil a new, warrantied performance ECU upgrade for the MkVI Golf GTi featuring the 2.0-litre, 16-valve, turbocharged TSI powerplant.
Thorough analysis of the engine management parameters by Superchip's in-house technicians pinpointed a number of performance compromises within the Golf GTi's MED17 ECU. This enabled theBuckingham based electronics experts to create a new, optimised calibration for the GTi's engine management system , which was validated using the firm's in house chassis dynomometer and extensive road testing.
The result of Superchip's work is an ECU map that improves the Golf's response and provides a sharper, more rewarding and enjoyable drive. In outright terms, Superchip's work increases the MkVI Golf GTI's power by 25bhp at peak, while torque jumps 47lb.ft.
However larger performance gains are realized throughout the rev range, with the Superchip's Bluefin upgrade picking up 44bhp at 4737rpm and 53lb.ft @ 4450rpm, greatly improving the flexibility and response of the converted Golf GTi MKVI.
Volkswagen quotes 210PS (208bhp) and 206lb.ft for the standard MkVI Golf GTi (although dyno runs have proven that this is a conservative claim,) meaning that in practice a Superchip's upgraded car will boast no less than 233bhp and 253lb.ft.
For comparison, the new £28,930 Golf R boasts 267bhp and 258lb.ft, meaning the Superchip's MKVI Golf GTi comes close to matching the ‘R' in terms of torque output.
Crucially the MKVI Golf GTi weighs in at 1271kilos, whereas the Golf R is reported to weigh 1475 kilos, equating to a power to weight ratio of 183bhp per ton for the Superchip's upgraded car, versus 181bhp per ton for the ‘R.'
On the road this will enable the £23,015 MkVI Golf GTi to worry the four wheel drive Golf R for a mere £435.00 including VAT and what's more, Superchip's Volkswagen Bluefin remap is designed to deliver this performance using regular 95 octane petrol.
The new Superchips Golf MK VI GTi ECU remap is available in two formats for customers. Firstly, they have the option of visiting one of approximately 100 Superchips dealerships in the UK who will install the upgrade.
Secondly, they can purchase the product and self upload it in minutes using the innovative, market leading Bluefin handset. No technical skills are required as customers simply plug in the Bluefin handset to the Golf GTi's ECU OBDII diagnostics port, follow the on screen instructions and in a few minutes the Superchips program upload is complete.
As part of this process the original factory Golf GTi ECU map is stored on the Bluefin handset for future use and converting the car back to standard is a swift and simple ‘plug ‘n' go' task.
Superchip's customers can also be assured that the conversion is covered by a full Customer Service Guarantee and an industry leading warranty.
Suitable for both manual and DSG gearbox equipped variants of the MKVI Golf GTi, the Bluefin ECU remap is available now directly from Superchips and its UK dealer network, priced at £435.00 including VAT.
British tuner Superchips has a Volkswagen Golf GTI tuning package that rivals the Volkswagen Golf R.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR Log (Press Release) – Dec 02, 2009 – British tuner Superchips has a Volkswagen Golf GTI tuning package that rivals the Volkswagen Golf R.
The ECU tuning being done is about more than just amping up the horsepower ratings. Superchips wants to create a more responsive engine that can make the Volkswagen Golf GTI improve its performance capability to a finer, more measurable degree.
Peak power is boosted by 25 bhp and 47 lb-ft of torque. But the power across the rev band is doled out to optimize flexibility, with Superchips' Bluefin ECU system adding 44 bhp at 4737 rpm and 53 lb-ft of torque at 4450 rpm.
The Buckingham-based tuner claims that a Superchips Golf GTI weighing in at 1271 kg with a power output of 233 bhp and 253 lb-ft comes close to matching the performance of the 1475 kg Volkswagen Golf R with 267 bhp and 258lb-ft.
Story 2
Long established vehicle remapping specialist Superchips Ltd is pleased to unveil a new, warrantied performance ECU upgrade for the MkVI Golf GTi featuring the 2.0-litre, 16-valve, turbocharged TSI powerplant. Thorough analysis of the engine management parameters by Superchip's in-house technicians pinpointed a number of performance compromises within the Golf GTi's MED17 ECU. This enabled the
The result of Superchip's work is an ECU map that improves the Golf's response and provides a sharper, more rewarding and enjoyable drive. In outright terms, Superchip's work increases the MkVI Golf GTI's power by 25bhp at peak, while torque jumps 47lb.ft.
However larger performance gains are realized throughout the rev range, with the Superchip's Bluefin upgrade picking up 44bhp at 4737rpm and 53lb.ft @ 4450rpm, greatly improving the flexibility and response of the converted Golf GTi MKVI.
For comparison, the new £28,930 Golf R boasts 267bhp and 258lb.ft, meaning the Superchip's MKVI Golf GTi comes close to matching the ‘R' in terms of torque output.
Crucially the MKVI Golf GTi weighs in at 1271kilos, whereas the Golf R is reported to weigh 1475 kilos, equating to a power to weight ratio of 183bhp per ton for the Superchip's upgraded car, versus 181bhp per ton for the ‘R.'
The new Superchips Golf MK VI GTi ECU remap is available in two formats for customers. Firstly, they have the option of visiting one of approximately 100 Superchips dealerships in the UK who will install the upgrade.
Secondly, they can purchase the product and self upload it in minutes using the innovative, market leading Bluefin handset. No technical skills are required as customers simply plug in the Bluefin handset to the Golf GTi's ECU OBDII diagnostics port, follow the on screen instructions and in a few minutes the Superchips program upload is complete.
As part of this process the original factory Golf GTi ECU map is stored on the Bluefin handset for future use and converting the car back to standard is a swift and simple ‘plug ‘n' go' task.
Superchip's customers can also be assured that the conversion is covered by a full Customer Service Guarantee and an industry leading warranty.
Suitable for both manual and DSG gearbox equipped variants of the MKVI Golf GTi, the Bluefin ECU remap is available now directly from Superchips and its UK dealer network, priced at £435.00 including VAT.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Suzuki Kizashi 2.4i with CVT
Review: 2010 Suzuki Kizashi GTS is up for the Challenge
2010 Suzuki Kizashi GTS – Click above for high-res image gallery
The 2010 Kizashi will change the way you look at Suzuki. To put it bluntly, the Kizashi is the strongest evidence yet that Suzuki's automotive division is no longer operating on autopilot in the States. And what's more, the brand is showing serious confidence. Consider the vehicles against which the automaker wants you to cross shop its Kizashi: the Acura TSX and Audi A4.
Suzuki has launched a promotion called the Kizashi Test Drive Challenge that will pay $100 to anyone who test drives a Kizashi and still decides to buy the more expensive TSX or A4. After spending some quality time with the model, we don't envy those potential Acura and Audi customers who are unprepared for how difficult their decision is going to be.
For the longest time, Suzuki subsisted in the U.S. market by selling mostly rebadged versions of other automakers' vehicles, all of them forgettable and none exceptional. Historically, the brand has been wedded to General Motors through products like the three-row XL7 that is built atop GM's ubiquitous Theta platform, to say nothing of the Forenza and Reno, versions of models developed and built by GM's South Korean subsidiary, GM Daewoo. More recently there's the Suzuki Equator mid-size pickup, a refaced Nissan Frontier introduced in 2008 that doesn't even appear on the company's U.S. website anymore.
Excluded from this group is the SX4, which is the brand's last new product before the Kizashi. This well regarded small sedan/hatchback combo is fun to drive and available with lots of upscale equipment, like all-wheel drive and navigation, for under $18,000.
The Kizashi is the largest car that Suzuki has developed for U.S. consumption since the Verona, another rebadged version of a GM Daewoo product that was discontinued due to poor sales.
What's more, the Kizashi's styling isn't the result of rebadging another company's car. In fact, Suzuki designers have been working on its look for years. During that time, three consecutive Kizashi concepts were introduced. Suzuki surprised us first with a wagon concept at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show. The second concept, a CUV, debuted at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, and the third and final concept, a sedan, was a sexy silver bullet that got our attention at the 2008 New York Auto Show.
It's too bad the production Kizashi doesn't bear a closer resemblance to that third and final concept, which truly had us drooling in the Big Apple back in 2008. What Suzuki is selling today clearly shares styling cues with that car, but also carries the burden of meeting federal safety requirements and fitting on the Epsilon II platform. As such, much of the concept's organic beauty has been sacrificed for the privilege of being a modern car on sale in the U.S.
But hold on, because that doesn't mean the Kizashi is a dog. Suzuki will be happy to hear that we received a number of unsolicited comments comparing its new design to an Audi. These came from people who aren't enthusiasts but know that Audi is a premium brand, which confirmed our own experience that the Kizashi gives an expensive-looking first impression, in this case, aided by our GTS model's rich-looking grey metallic paint.
If anything, the Kizashi is at least Suzuki's own design. While we initially panned the car's shape during our First Drive for being derivative, a closer inspection and the passage of time has eroded our criticism. We originally said the hood look lifted from a Chrysler PT Cruiser, but have grown to really like the lines that come down from the bottom of each A-pillar and curve across the hood toward the inside of each headlight. They look like arched eyebrows over the angry squint of each projector beam lamp. The Kizashi's face looks straight-up evil, with nothing but the grille's slight upward bend into a malevolent smile to soften things up.
There are subtle styling elements like this all over the Kizashi. The broad shoulder line beneath the side windows artfully flows forward into each headlight and down into the surprisingly flared front fenders. The subtle duck bill rear spoiler that seems to disappear when not viewing the car in profile. The exhaust pipes that exit through a pair of chrome surrounds integrated into the rear bumper. Something new caught our eye every time we approached the Kizashi during its week in our keep, which suggests to us that the design will age nicely for owners and not need tweaking to stay fresh in a model year or two.
The Kizashi's interior, meanwhile, beats the low bar set by past Suzuki models but lands mid-pack compared to the current competition. Considering that Ford has packed the inside of even its low cost models with soft touch materials, there's no excuse for an interior aimed at the likes of Audi and Acura to be covered in hard plastics from door to door. The cloth seats in our GTS tester ("leather-appointed" thrones are available) were comfortable and feature semi-firm bolsters that kept our keisters planted, but we had trouble finding a comfortable driving position, even with 10-way power adjustability and the standard tilting and telescoping steering wheel.
Infotainment-wise, the Kizashi offers almost everything you'd want if cross-shopping a more expensive entry level luxury sport sedan. Our GTS model came standard with a 425-watt Rockford Fosgate system plus integrated USB port in the dash and available wireless Bluetooth audio for hooking up an iPhone, iPod Touch or other BT digital music player. Bluetooth hands-free calling can be had as well, though set up is a decidedly frustrating affair that can only be achieved by patiently listening to audible prompts and doing what the female voice says quickly before you forget.
The Kizashi's dual-zone climate control, keyless push-button start, available heated front seats and integrated steering wheel controls are the same top shelf features you'll find in those more expensive German and Japanese cars. Conspicuously absent, however, is a navigation system. Dealers will have a hard time explaining to customers why an item that comes standard in certain trims of the less expensive SX4 and can't be had at all in the Kizashi.
UPDATE: Suzuki informs us that a nav system is a port-installed option at launch, while a fully integrated unit will be available for the 2011 model year. We're trying to get a hold of some images from Suzuki of what each looks like, so stay tuned.
Forgetting the hard plastics and lack of nav, the Kizashi remains a comfortable sedan for four people. The roof extends far back over the rear passengers before plunging down to meet a high trunk lid, which provides both excellent rear headroom as well as a couple extra cubic feet of cargo space. The rear seats can also be folded forward, which comes in handy when trying to fit awkwardly sized items in the trunk thanks to the rear suspension's intrusion on either side.
So far, we've said nothing about the Kizashi that would make us want to buy one over an Acura TSX and Audi A4. That's because we've yet to talk about what lies beneath the styling and behind the interior. Underhood is a 2.4-liter DOHC four-cylinder producing 185 horsepower and 170 lb-feet of torque. That's the only engine (for now), but from there you've got choices: front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD) and a six-speed manual or continuously variable transmission (CVT), with or without paddle shifters.
First off, if you opt for AWD then you're locked into a CVT transmission. With FWD, the infinitely variable ratios of the CVT transmission do get better gas mileage than the manual's six cogs can muster (23/31 mpg versus 20/29 mpg), but any fuel savings is lost if you go with AWD. Our recommendation? Go FWD with the six-speed manual. You'll be saving both weight (200 pounds versus the AWD/CVT model) and money, not to mention that CVT-equipped Kizashis lose five horsepower. This is our how our GTS model came equipped and it's the one that may ruin your plans to liberate $100 from Suzuki's wallet.
Let's talk engines. The Kizashi's is slightly more powerful than other four-cylinders used by the competition in their base models. But whereas most of the competition also offers a V6 engine, the 2.4-liter four-cylinder is the only powerplant available in the Kizashi, so it better be good. And it is. Very good.
This 2.4-liter doesn't act like its in the same class as other base engines. Rather, it acts like a premium mill, the kind of four-cylinder that's offered in addition to a V6, not below it. Suzuki has set its redline at 6,500 RPM, and go there it will with little provocation. Power delivery is always smooth and there's a noticeable reserve to tap above 3,500 RPM.
While we recommend the six-speed manual transmission over the CVT, that's not to say it's the best rowing machine ever made. The clutch pedal is light and won't cause fatigue, but the shifter's throws are long and loose. It's the only drivetrain component that feels outclassed here, and Suzuki should spend some dollars to get it right.
The Kizashi will reach 60 mph from a standstill in 7.5 seconds before its Akebono brakes haul it down. That's not remarkably quick, but straight lines aren't what the Kizashi does best. The suspension is comprised of MacPherson struts up front and a five-point multilink setup in the rear with KYB dampers at all four corners. Combined with an extremely rigid frame, the relatively soft suspension makes cruising comfortable yet feels confident in corners. Put another way, the suspension's got range and will serve its master well whether a motion sick-prone mother-in-law or hard-to-impress Audi owner is sitting shotgun.
The real ace up the Kizashi's sleeve, though, is its steering. An often overlooked fact is that fun-to-drive vehicles don't have to be quick. A host of other aspects can pick up the performance slack, and steering is a big one. Inputs entered via the Kizashi's compact, thick-rimmed steering wheel got delivered to the road quickly through our GTS tester's 18-inch alloys wrapped in 235/45R18 all-season rubber. From there, we were rewarded with actual feedback from the road that wasn't obscured by numbness from the power steering. It's a terrific system that's accurate without being twitchy and effortless without being over-boosted.
By the end of our time with the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi GTS, we were totally on board with comparing this car to the Acura TSX and Audi A4. Then we started comparing prices. A base Kizashi S starts at $18,999, and while we wouldn't put anything but the GTS model up against an Acura or Audi, it's worth noting that every Kizashi model comes very well equipped and the same engine, transmissions, steering and brakes are used in the base S, SE and most expensive SLS model.
The Kizashi GTS starts at $22,499 with little available in the way of options. The Acura TSX 2.4 starts at $29,310 and the Audi A4 2.0T at $31,450. Granted, both competitors feature more powerful four-cylinder engines – considerably so in the case of the turbocharged Audi – but as we said, a fun to drive car isn't necessarily the quickest one to the next stop light. The question is, how much is a second of acceleration worth to you? Suzuki is willing to bet a Ben Franklin that it's not much.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
All About Kia Sorento 2010 , it could be the best SUV among all SUV
47 Responses to “2010 Kia Sorento makes an official world debut”
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Subaru Legacy 2010 at a dash... II ( More Information )
Subaru of
The 2010 Subaru Legacy is built on a new platform that increases room and comfort while preserving the agility and fun-to-drive spirit of the previous model. New powertrains and new suspension design combine with proven Subaru safety technology to deliver a unique offering in the midsize segment. As are all Subaru models, every Subaru Legacy is equipped as standard with Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, an invaluable performance- and safety-enhancing system that sets Subaru Legacy apart among midsize sedans. All-wheel drive is rare in the midsize segment, and only Subaru Legacy makes it standard.
The Subaru Legacy line for 2010 will offer three levels of performance. Legacy 2.5i models -- 2.5i, 2.5i Premium and 2.5i Limited -- are powered by a revised 170-hp 2.5-liter 4-cylinder
The Subaru Legacy 2.5GT models make a leap in performance for 2010. Both the 2.5GT Premium and 2.5GT Limited models are powered by a new 265-hp turbocharged / intercooled Boxer engine. The new engine features a unique turbocharger that is mounted below the engine. This new location not only contributes to smooth turbocharger response and improved emissions, but also lowers the car's center of gravity. In the Legacy 2.5GT models, this high-performance engine is mated with a new 6-speed manual transmission. Designed for the discerning enthusiast, the Subaru Legacy 2.5GT models are equipped to challenge some of the best names in the sport sedan field.
Three new Subaru Legacy 3.6R models - the 3.6R, 3.6R Premium and 3.6R Limited - offer a sophisticated blend of performance and comfort. All are powered by a new 256-hp 3.6-liter 6-cylinder Boxer engine matched to a 5-speed electronic automatic transmission. Compared to the 3.0-liter 6-cylinder engine it replaces, the more powerful 3.6 has the same external size and uses regular-grade fuel, rather than premium as the 3.0 required.
Bold Design Statement in the Midsize Arena
The 2010 Legacy, while rivaling midsize segment leaders in roominess, stands apart with a bold, high-tech look. The Subaru badge centers the new grille, which features a squared off lower edge. Character lines arc from the grille and form power bulges on the hood and taper off into the A-pillar. The sleek silhouette incorporates a larger greenhouse, and a shorter deck gives the vehicle a sporty look. Powerful wheel arches echo the power running through the Symmetrical AWD System. A range of new wheel cover- and alloy-wheel designs also debut on the 2010 Legacy, with the 2.5GT models featuring 18-in. alloy wheels and low-profile tires. A functional hood scoop directs air to the engine-mounted intercooler.
Besting Midsize Benchmarks
Built on an all-new platform, the 2010 Subaru Legacy offers roominess comparable to mainstream midsize sedans, with a focus on usable space and long-distance driving comfort. The wheelbase grows to 108.3-in., a 3.2-in. increase over the previous Subaru Legacy. The 2010 Legacy provides nearly four inches of additional rear legroom, which is enhanced by the scalloped back design of the new front seats.
The new Subaru Legacy is 3.2-in. higher and 3.6-in. wider than the previous model, yielding gains in head, shoulder and hip room. The 2010 Legacy offers more total passenger room (103 cu. ft.) than many competitors. The new-generation Subaru Legacy also offers one of the largest trunks (14.7 cu. ft.) in the segment - a significant achievement considering that the car's design requires packaging a rear differential and drive axles. Overall vehicle length is up by just 1.4-in. (now 186.4 in.), but overhang dimensions are reduced compared with the previous model.
The 2010 Subaru Legacy interior is not only more spacious than before, but takes another step up in refinement from an already-praised design in the previous model. The sporty four-dial instrument panel is augmented in all Subaru Legacy models by a multi-information display with trip computer located in the center of the dashboard. Richer looking appointments and details abound, including a sporty 3-spoke steering wheel (leather-wrapped in all but the base 2.5i). A new electronic parking brake - with an electronic Hill Holder System -- eliminates the traditional parking brake handle, freeing up space in the center console.
Confident, Agile Handling and Safety for any Road ... or any Weather
The new
All Subaru Legacy models for 2010 are equipped as standard with
MacPherson-type strut front suspension is mounted to a new engine cradle, and the engine is attached to the cradle using new hydraulic mounts. The new cradle uses high-strength steel and is designed to also enhance frontal crash protection. A new double-wishbone rear suspension, mounted to a sub frame, replaces the previous multi-link configuration to provide improved ride, stability and handling. The enhancement of body rigidity and the new suspension design help to reduce levels of noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH). Increased wheel travel and optimized suspension geometry also contribute to improved ride comfort.
New Level of Comfort and Convenience in All Models
Standard comfort and available amenities are increased across the Subaru Legacy line for 2010. The base 2.5i model, for example, features standard steering wheel audio and cruise control buttons, a 60/40 split fold-down rear seat, new electronic parking brake, automatic lights-on function, ambient overhead console lighting and an available iPod jack. The all-new electronic Hill Holder System holds the vehicle in place until the driver applies the throttle to pull away from a stop. Previous versions of this system only held the car for a few seconds.
Subaru Legacy Premium models add more amenities, including an 8-way power driver's seat with power lumbar support adjustment and driver's auto up/down window. The Premium models also offer additional comfort and convenience options, including a harman-kardon® audio system, a power moonroof, and the All-Weather Package that adds heated front seats and mirrors and a windshield wiper de-icer.
The Subaru Legacy Limited models feature leather upholstery, dual zone automatic climate control and a 4-way power front passenger seat. The Limited models exclusively offer an available voice-activated GPS navigation system with an 8-in. LCD display and rear-view backup camera, hands-free Bluetooth® connectivity and streaming Bluetooth audio.
Revised 2.5-liter
The 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5i models are powered by a revised 2.5-liter 4-cylinder Boxer engine, teamed for the first time to a new 6-speed manual transmission or the available new Lineartronic™ CVT. The CVT is standard in the Legacy 2.5i Limited, where it is also equipped with a manual mode and steering wheel paddle shifters.
The 2.5-liter engine, which is available as PZEV-certified, is modified for 2010 to improve performance, responsiveness, and economy. The engine delivers 170 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm and 170 lb.-ft. of peak torque @ 4,000 rpm. The i-Active Valve Lift System (AVLS) ensures a broad torque curve and smooth response at all engine speeds, while also helping to improve fuel efficiency. All Subaru Legacy models for 2010 feature a larger fuel tank, now 18.5 gallons vs. 16.9 gallons in the previous model, to extend driving range.
Whether teamed to the new 6-speed manual transmission or the Lineartronic™ CVT, the roomier 2010 Legacy provides quicker acceleration and lower fuel consumption than comparable 2009 Subaru Legacy models. Either transmission helps make the Subaru Legacy more responsive in everyday driving.
Subaru has adopted a chain-type CVT, the world's first longitudinally mounted CVT system for AWD production vehicles. It employs smaller pulley cores, which helps make the unit compact and can help provide better
Because a CVT does not shift gears, the driver enjoys smoother performance in all driving situations. The selectable manual mode of the Lineartronic™ CVT uses six pre-selected steps to allow the driver to "shift" manually using steering wheel paddle controls.
Subaru Legacy 2.5GT: 265 Turbocharged Horses
The new-generation Legacy 2.5GT models get a significant boost in performance from the revised 2.5-liter turbocharged / intercooled engine (based on the Impreza WRX engine) teamed to a new standard 6-speed manual transmission. Notably, the new 6-speed is more than 50 pounds lighter than the 6-speed unit used in the 2009 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT spec.B.
A larger turbocharger increases boost, and a new exhaust uses a low-density catalyst for reduced backpressure. To improve weight distribution and help lower the
3.6-liter H6 Engine: Premium Performance with Regular-Grade Fuel
The new 3.6-liter H6 engine replaces the previous 3.0-liter H6, yet features the same external dimensions thanks primarily to a unique shortened connecting rod design. As a result, this larger-displacement and more powerful engine maintains its excellent low center of gravity. The 3.6 Boxer engine produces 256 horsepower and 247 lb.-ft. of peak torque, compared to 245 hp and 215 lb.-ft. of torque for the previous 3.0-liter engine. Active Valve
Not only does the 3.6 engine offer greater performance than the previous 3.0-liter unit, but does so using regular-grade fuel compared to premium required in the 3.0. The specially tuned five-speed automatic transmission, combined with the greater torque output of the new engine, helps make the
Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive A Key To Brand Identity
Subaru Legacy 2.5i models equipped with the Lineartronic™ CVT use an electronically managed continuously variable transfer clutch to actively control power distribution in response to driving conditions.
Subaru Legacy 3.6R models exclusively feature advanced Variable Torque Distribution (VTD) All-Wheel Drive with a 5-speed automatic transmission. A planetary center differential works with an electronically controlled continuously variable hydraulic transfer clutch to manage power distribution. The VTD system normally sends more power to the rear wheels to enhance handling agility, and it continuously adjusts power distribution in response to driving and road conditions.
The Subaru Safety Story
The Subaru Legacy, like all Subaru models, has consistently earned top scores in government and insurance industry crash tests. The 2010 Legacy is designed to further raise the safety quotient. Subaru's Ring-Shaped Reinforcement Frame safety structure, proven over a decade in all Subaru models, again forms the foundation for crash protection and occupant safety in the new-generation 2010 Subaru Legacy. A new engine cradle design improves front impact safety, and the 2010 Legacy features greater use of high-strength steel.
The 2010 Subaru Legacy models include as standard equipment front seat side impact air bags and side curtain air bags that offer additional head protection for front and rear occupants. Intelligent dual-stage deployment front air bags use sensors to detect the presence and weight of a front passenger and also the driver's distance from the steering wheel. The system determines front air bag deployment strength for optimal occupant protection.
New in the 2010 Subaru Legacy, high-strength front seat frames provide enhanced protection against whiplash injury in a rear-end collision. With the entire seat optimized for a rear-end collision, Subaru replaced the previous active front head restraints with a more comfortable design.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Subaru Legacy 2010 at a dash...
2010 Subaru Legacy Overview
Totally redesigned, the 2010 Subaru Legacy is bigger, more powerful, and totally fresh. Continuing the Subaru tradition of affordable performance coupled with all-wheel drive and superior safety, all for just a fistful of dollars – this is a legacy truly worth continuing.
Choose between three versatile engines and multiple options packages. The base model 2.5i comes with a 170-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder motor, and a new continuously variable transmission (CVT). A new 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder cranks out 265 horsepower, and is mated to a new six-speed manual transmission, while the new, larger 3.6-liter six-cylinder engine produces 256-horsepower and is bolted up to a five-speed automatic. The Legacy receives 18-23 mpg in the city and 25-31 mpg on the highway, while competing with the Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Chevy Malibu.
The Legacy’s wheelbase was stretched for 2010, so that interior room is now competitive with the biggest and best in the class – notably, the Legacy offers an additional four inches of rear legroom over the 2009 model! The interior starts basic, with cloth seats, but for a few dollars more buyers can step up to the Premium package and get a 10-way power driver’s seat and leather wrapped steering wheel. Upgrade to the Limited edition, and your Legacy will come with a Harmon-Kardon® stereo, leather seats, dual zone climate control and access to more options.
The tradition of safety at Subaru is continued with the 2010 Legacy. Front side airbags, and front and rear seat head airbags, complement standard traction and stability controls, along with antilock brakes, brake assist, all-wheel drive, and one of the best crash structures in the business, to create an unbeatable safe sedan. Crash test ratings are not available at the time of writing, but the 2009 Legacy received Five-Star front and side impact ratings, and Subaru made the Legacy even safer for 2010.
The 2010 Subaru is a fun, fast, unique offering in the midsize sedan segment. The Legacy boasts one of the lowest entry prices even among the economy group, but when fully loaded, the 2010 Subaru Legacy competes with luxury midsize sedans for several thousand dollars less.
Choose between three versatile engines and multiple options packages. The base model 2.5i comes with a 170-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder motor, and a new continuously variable transmission (CVT). A new 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder cranks out 265 horsepower, and is mated to a new six-speed manual transmission, while the new, larger 3.6-liter six-cylinder engine produces 256-horsepower and is bolted up to a five-speed automatic. The Legacy receives 18-23 mpg in the city and 25-31 mpg on the highway, while competing with the Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Chevy Malibu.
The Legacy’s wheelbase was stretched for 2010, so that interior room is now competitive with the biggest and best in the class – notably, the Legacy offers an additional four inches of rear legroom over the 2009 model! The interior starts basic, with cloth seats, but for a few dollars more buyers can step up to the Premium package and get a 10-way power driver’s seat and leather wrapped steering wheel. Upgrade to the Limited edition, and your Legacy will come with a Harmon-Kardon® stereo, leather seats, dual zone climate control and access to more options.
The tradition of safety at Subaru is continued with the 2010 Legacy. Front side airbags, and front and rear seat head airbags, complement standard traction and stability controls, along with antilock brakes, brake assist, all-wheel drive, and one of the best crash structures in the business, to create an unbeatable safe sedan. Crash test ratings are not available at the time of writing, but the 2009 Legacy received Five-Star front and side impact ratings, and Subaru made the Legacy even safer for 2010.
The 2010 Subaru is a fun, fast, unique offering in the midsize sedan segment. The Legacy boasts one of the lowest entry prices even among the economy group, but when fully loaded, the 2010 Subaru Legacy competes with luxury midsize sedans for several thousand dollars less.
Monday, November 30, 2009
The best Sport Car statistics , Sport Compact Comparison Test
We're in a 2009 Nissan GT-R, helmet on, seatbelt fastened, left foot poised to release the brake and unleash Godzilla's wrath. But we're not on a racetrack. In front of us there are 22 miles and 402 turns of the best driving road in the world, Southern California's Glendora Mountain Road. We've covered this ground thousands of times, but today it's different. Today there are two California Highway Patrol cruisers stationed at either end of this twisting strip of sun-drenched blacktop. It is our personal playground for the afternoon.
The radio crackles the "All clear" and with the GT-R's engine revved to a launch-controlled 4,500 rpm, we release the brake and let the big Nissan do what it does best: twist physics into knots.
This process is repeated all afternoon in a collection of today's quickest and most capable road cars. The list includes a 2008 Audi R8, 2008 Lotus Elise SC, 2008 Porsche 911, 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR and 2008 Subaru WRX STI. We didn't discriminate: Rally cars, focused rear-drive performance cars and everything in between was invited to the party. In fact, there's only one genre missing from this otherwise comprehensive list — the big-power, rear-drive supercar. But it wasn't for a lack of trying.
Fact is, we asked Chevy for a 2008 Corvette Z06 and we asked Dodge for a 2008 Viper SRT10, but both refused to loan us their cars — presumably because we'd be testing their best metal against the almighty GT-R.
Sniff, sniff. Does somebody smell chicken?
The Test
The idea is simple: Find out if the quickest car on a racetrack is the quickest car on a mountain road. So we hit the track one day and the mountain the next. Then we ran every car through our standard acceleration, braking and handling tests.
We used the Streets of Willow Springs, a 1.8-mile natural-terrain road course, as our racing circuit. Then we ran that 1.8-mile section of GMR through the Angeles National Forest north of Los Angeles.
Our section of road included dozens of corners, including three 180-degree switchbacks, multiple blind bends and 721 feet of vertical rise. In the spirit of real street driving, we respected the yellow center line and used only one lane — just like we would if the road had been open. We recorded every lap of the track and every pass on the mountain road with our Racelogic VBOX (a GPS-based data recorder).
The Point
The groomed, glass-smooth surface of most racetracks is a far cry from the reality of uneven real-world roads where bumps, road paint, debris, blind corners and self preservation act as great equalizers. Racetracks are also designed to protect you from yourself. Run-off room, gravel traps and FIA curbing are there to keep you and your machine in one piece. On the road, mistakes come at a much higher cost.
Experience tells us big-power cars, which thrive on road courses, are often out of their element on tight mountain roads where rally cars like the Evo X and WRX STI do their best work. So these two genres were to represent either end of the spectrum. In the middle we knew we couldn't ignore the back-road brilliance of the 2008 Lotus Elise SC or the all-around poise of Porsche's 911. Audi's R8 and Nissan's GT-R, theoretically, represent the best of both worlds — big power combined with the confidence of all-wheel drive.
Some of you might also be wondering why we chose the base 911 over the much more powerful and all-wheel-drive-equipped 911 Turbo. The answer is simple: price. This base Porsche 911 costs about the same as the Nissan GT-R. We thought that was relevant. Just how much Porsche do you get for the cost of the big bad Nissan?
Other questions? Oh yeah. How about: On the street, does traditional go-fast hardware succumb to the long-travel confidence of an Evo or the nimbleness of a lightweight Lotus? How does Porsche's classic go-fast formula stack up against the current breed of machines? Is Audi's R8 as comfortable when driving hard as it is around town? Is the GT-R the quickest car on a track and a seriously tight mountain road? Can 3,900 pounds of rolling technology outrun 2,000 pounds of pure, focused driver's car?
The answers are below.
2009 Nissan GT-R
As-tested price: $75,925
Mountain road time: 2:04.35; Rank: 1st
Streets of Willow lap time: 1:25.68; Rank: 1st
0-60 mph: 3.5 seconds (3.2 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip)
Quarter-mile: 11.7 seconds at 116.8 mph
60-0 braking: 98 feet
Slalom: 74.0 mph
Skid pad: 0.96g
By now you've read every word printed about the 2009 Nissan GT-R. You know it's quicker than a 911 Turbo on a track. You've seen it beat the best the Americans can offer. You've read that it's as antiseptic as it is quick. And now you're reading that it can stomp damned near any car on any piece of tarmac, anywhere. Yes, Nissan's 480-horsepower, six-speed all-wheel-drive monster wins this test, too. It was quicker up the mountain road and around the Streets of Willow than any other car in this test.
Here's the thing about the GT-R. Despite its mass, it simply doesn't do anything poorly. It is the embodiment of technology conquering physics. And yes, it is less involving than other cars this quick. That said, it's always on your side. It's safe.
Only the R8 was able to top its cornering speeds through the tightest corners on the mountain road. On the track, which is faster still, it was untouched in virtually every corner. And it closes the gap between corners in less time than anything else sold today. Most striking is the fact that the GT-R is among the easiest cars to drive in this test. Even with its stability control disabled, it rarely does anything to make us question its poise. It's as stuck and predictable as it is massive. And, by every measure, it lives up to the hype.
2008 Audi R8
As-tested price: $134,545
Mountain road time: 2:04.68; Rank: 2nd
Streets of Willow lap time: 1:26.92; Rank: 2nd
0-60 mph: 4.5 seconds (4.2 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip)
Quarter-mile: 12.7 seconds at 109.0 mph
60-0 braking: 103 feet
Slalom: 71.0 mph
Skid pad: 0.98g
Audi's midmounted 420-hp, 4.2-liter direct-injection V8 is not only one of the best-sounding engines in the world, it's also one of the most potent. Combined with Audi's R tronic paddle-shifted six-speed transmission and distinctly rear-biased all-wheel drive, this German's price tag is high, but so are its abilities.
Take the R8's 2nd-place finish on the mountain road as proof positive that it's for real. Then notice that it trails the big-hype GT-R by only a third of a second over two minutes of twisting road and you can be certain of its real-world abilities. It was the only car to record quicker segment times and higher peak speeds than the GT-R over two of the four segments on the mountain road. It also had more agreeable balance than the GT-R in slow corners. The big Nissan pushed through switchbacks where the R8 found neutral balance and exited with its tail out.
The same was true on the track. The Audi's mass-centralized designed allowed it to rotate through slow corners more effectively than any other car in the test. Still, superb tuning kept it stable enough to be confident through high-speed transitions. Shifts were slower than in the GT-R, but paddles that turn with the wheel made them easier to nail at precisely the right second. Overall, the R8 offers more character than most of the other hardware here, and on the right road it will hang with the GT-R.
But we can't ignore the fact that it's the most expensive car in the test by a wide margin. In the end we love the R8 the same way we'd love carbon-fiber slacks: They're a wonderful luxury if you have the means, but when polyester will do the same job for half the cash, they're probably hard for most to justify.
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR
As-tested price: $38,940
Mountain road time: 2:06.91; Rank: 3rd
Streets of Willow lap time: 1:29.02; Rank: 3rd
0-60 mph: 5.6 seconds (5.3 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip)
Quarter-mile: 14.0 seconds at 97.4 mph
60-0 braking: 111 feet
Slalom: 68.9 mph
Skid pad: 0.92g
The Evo X's twin-clutch six-speed transmission, when used in Super Sport mode, is a revelation. Until now we haven't driven an automanual transmission which so thoroughly eliminated the need for a clutch pedal and gearshift, but when driving hard, the MR does just that. In fact, with another 75 horses (the Evo X is rated at 291 hp and 300 pound-feet of torque), it likely would have upset the mountain road finishing order in a big way. As it sits, it flat spanked the $85,000 Porsche and walked all over the little Lotus.
With its stability control switched off and its Super Active Yaw Control precisely directing drive to the appropriate contact patch, the Evo found itself 2nd only to the GT-R in the fastest segment on the mountain road. Its peak speed through this section of road was 1.5 mph faster than the R8. There's more confidence here through fast transitions than in any other car.
The Evo's secret weapon, however, is its transmission. It's always in the right gear. Unlike the paddle-shifted transmissions in the GT-R and the R8, the Evo's six-speed thinks for itself and maximizes the car's performance. Sure you can mess with its paddles if you want, but only if you want to go slower. Plus, there's less to consume the driver's brain power, so driving is less frantic.
The Evo MR, however, is too soft to take full advantage of its otherwise stellar chassis when the going gets truly uneven. We bottomed the suspension on several occasions. A big part of an Evo's advantage on a road like this is being able to put its tires in places that would upset cars with less suspension travel. But the MR's softer Bilstein dampers simply aren't up to this kind of pounding. The GSR's suspension is likely better suited to this terrain, but it's not available with the twin-clutch gearbox. So we're left wanting an Evo that doesn't exist — and knowing that it would be quicker still.
2008 Porsche 911 Carrera
As-tested price: $85,765
Mountain road time: 2:09.51; Rank: 4th
Streets of Willow lap time: 1:29.25; Rank: 4th
0-60 mph: 4.8 seconds (4.5 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip)
Quarter-mile: 13.0 seconds at 108.1 mph
60-0 braking: 104 feet
Slalom: 72.2 mph
Skid pad: 0.92g
Few sports cars are as fundamentally sound as Porsche's 911. Even this base model reminds us how steering should feel and how brakes should perform. Problem is, even a Plain Jane 911, which comes with a six-speed manual transmission and 3.6-liter engine good for 325 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque tops $85 grand with only a few options. That's almost $10 grand more than the GT-R, which will mop the road with all six of the 911's horizontally opposed pistons.
Still, we find it hard to not appreciate 50 years of sports car refinement. There's a poise and elegance about Porsche's timeless rear-engine design that's evident in its driving experience. And its edgy side is virtually gone. This side of the 911 is welcome in the mountains where there's no runoff and little room for error.
But these same traits — the slower reactions and tamer control feel — keep the rear-wheel-drive 911 from edging the Evo on the track where it missed the mark by only about a quarter of a second (0.23). That gap extended to 2.6 seconds in the mountains, where the Porsche was less eager to rotate and couldn't match the Evo's launch out of slow corners.
The 911 is probably the most versatile car here from a driving perspective — capable of both comfortable daily transport and high-level performance driving. But it's not the best value if measured on lap times alone.
2008 Lotus Elise SC
As-tested price: $63,920
Mountain road time: 2:10.19; Rank: 5th
Streets of Willow lap time: 1:29.49; Rank: 5th
0-60 mph: 4.9 seconds (4.6 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip)
Quarter-mile: 13.3 seconds at 103.2 mph
60-0 braking: 110 feet
Slalom: 72.4 mph
Skid pad: 0.96g
With a new supercharged engine for 2008, Lotus' Elise finally has the power (218 hp and 153 lb-ft of torque) to match its chassis' abilities. A six-speed manual transmission backs up the power to drive the 2,028-pound plastic-and-aluminum machine to new levels of performance. Our test car also had the Sport Pack, which supplies forged wheels and Bilstein dampers.
Given its status as the most pure driver's car sold in the U.S., we had high hopes for the Lotus. But in this case, purity of experience doesn't add up to outright speed. More problematic is the lack of confidence created by its nervous character up to and beyond the limit. Most cars in this test extend a measure of control beyond the limit of grip that masks their edge considerably. Not so in the Elise. Its back-to-basics character doesn't allow this luxury. Get it sideways under braking and you better have fast hands and good car control or you'll soon taste regret. And regret on this mountain road involves stone walls.
Manual steering, which is spectacularly full of feel up to the limit, becomes a heavy liability when trying to recover a slide. Add all this up and the Lotus, despite having the right power-to-weight ratio and chassis to be competitive, winds up 5th — less than a second behind the Porsche on the track and in the mountains.
If success in this test were measured in adrenaline production or outright fear of death, the Elise wins hands-down. But in this environment, measured against the best cars modern technology car produce, Colin Chapman's simpler-is-better ethos is beginning to show itself for what it is: old.
2008 Subaru WRX STI
As-tested price: $39,678
Mountain road time: 2:10.72; Rank: 6th
Streets of Willow lap time: 1:30.05; Rank: 6th
0-60 mph: 5.3 seconds (5.0 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip)
Quarter-mile: 13.5 seconds at 101.8 mph
60-0 braking: 109 feet
Slalom: 69.7 mph
Skid pad: 0.90g
An STI at the back of the pack? What gives? Well, it isn't power, because the Subaru packs 305 ponies and 290 lb-ft of torque from its 2.5-liter four-cylinder. And it isn't weight, because the Subie weighs 250 pounds less than the Evo — its primary competitor. And, like the Evo, it has six closely spaced gears and all-wheel drive to put the power down.
Part of the problem is the STI's awkward manual transmission that requires deliberate shifts, every one of which is several tenths of a second slower than the Evo's twin-clutch gearbox. The STI was the only car we missed a gear in during three days of testing.
The rest of the time is down to response and precision — the ability to go exactly where it's pointed when it's asked. Compared to most other cars in this test, the Subaru lacks both. And without the Evo's ability to rotate quickly in a corner, it can't put power down until later in every turn — a deficit its acceleration advantage simply can't overcome.
And then there's the understeer, which limits acceleration out of every corner. We ran the STI up the hill and on the track with its center differential set to Auto and its throttle calibration in Sport Sharp. But the settings don't seem to make a difference. This car works its front tires. Period.
Ultimately, the STI isn't as universally capable as expected. It also produces the least grip of any car in this test, lowering its cornering speed and slowing its times on the track and on the road. A rougher mountain road would likely have better illustrated the STI's abilities and moved it slightly up the ranks on that part of the test.
The Take-Away
Even in a test without a winner, it's hard to ignore some simple facts. All-wheel drive matters. Both on the track and on the mountain road, cars putting power to all four wheels were consistently quicker and easier to drive than their two-wheel-drive counterparts.
We also learned that speed doesn't always cost money. The Evo, the cheapest car in this test, proved that. Just as the Audi R8 demonstrates that it's possible to have a comfortable street car that makes the numbers and goes really friggin' fast.
But in the end, the quickest car on the track was also the quickest car on the street. Nissan's GT-R again proves itself to be today's most impressive performance car. Capable of crushing all comers in any environment, its abilities are tough to match at any price. Nobody will ever accuse it of being subtle. And it's not comfortable. But if outright speed is the measure that matters, we can't find a better machine.
And that, we figure, won't surprise anybody at Chevy or Dodge.
The manufacturers provided Edmunds these vehicles for the purposes of evaluation.
The radio crackles the "All clear" and with the GT-R's engine revved to a launch-controlled 4,500 rpm, we release the brake and let the big Nissan do what it does best: twist physics into knots.
This process is repeated all afternoon in a collection of today's quickest and most capable road cars. The list includes a 2008 Audi R8, 2008 Lotus Elise SC, 2008 Porsche 911, 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR and 2008 Subaru WRX STI. We didn't discriminate: Rally cars, focused rear-drive performance cars and everything in between was invited to the party. In fact, there's only one genre missing from this otherwise comprehensive list — the big-power, rear-drive supercar. But it wasn't for a lack of trying.
Fact is, we asked Chevy for a 2008 Corvette Z06 and we asked Dodge for a 2008 Viper SRT10, but both refused to loan us their cars — presumably because we'd be testing their best metal against the almighty GT-R.
Sniff, sniff. Does somebody smell chicken?
The Test
The idea is simple: Find out if the quickest car on a racetrack is the quickest car on a mountain road. So we hit the track one day and the mountain the next. Then we ran every car through our standard acceleration, braking and handling tests.
We used the Streets of Willow Springs, a 1.8-mile natural-terrain road course, as our racing circuit. Then we ran that 1.8-mile section of GMR through the Angeles National Forest north of Los Angeles.
Our section of road included dozens of corners, including three 180-degree switchbacks, multiple blind bends and 721 feet of vertical rise. In the spirit of real street driving, we respected the yellow center line and used only one lane — just like we would if the road had been open. We recorded every lap of the track and every pass on the mountain road with our Racelogic VBOX (a GPS-based data recorder).
The Point
The groomed, glass-smooth surface of most racetracks is a far cry from the reality of uneven real-world roads where bumps, road paint, debris, blind corners and self preservation act as great equalizers. Racetracks are also designed to protect you from yourself. Run-off room, gravel traps and FIA curbing are there to keep you and your machine in one piece. On the road, mistakes come at a much higher cost.
Experience tells us big-power cars, which thrive on road courses, are often out of their element on tight mountain roads where rally cars like the Evo X and WRX STI do their best work. So these two genres were to represent either end of the spectrum. In the middle we knew we couldn't ignore the back-road brilliance of the 2008 Lotus Elise SC or the all-around poise of Porsche's 911. Audi's R8 and Nissan's GT-R, theoretically, represent the best of both worlds — big power combined with the confidence of all-wheel drive.
Some of you might also be wondering why we chose the base 911 over the much more powerful and all-wheel-drive-equipped 911 Turbo. The answer is simple: price. This base Porsche 911 costs about the same as the Nissan GT-R. We thought that was relevant. Just how much Porsche do you get for the cost of the big bad Nissan?
Other questions? Oh yeah. How about: On the street, does traditional go-fast hardware succumb to the long-travel confidence of an Evo or the nimbleness of a lightweight Lotus? How does Porsche's classic go-fast formula stack up against the current breed of machines? Is Audi's R8 as comfortable when driving hard as it is around town? Is the GT-R the quickest car on a track and a seriously tight mountain road? Can 3,900 pounds of rolling technology outrun 2,000 pounds of pure, focused driver's car?
The answers are below.
2009 Nissan GT-R
As-tested price: $75,925
Mountain road time: 2:04.35; Rank: 1st
Streets of Willow lap time: 1:25.68; Rank: 1st
0-60 mph: 3.5 seconds (3.2 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip)
Quarter-mile: 11.7 seconds at 116.8 mph
60-0 braking: 98 feet
Slalom: 74.0 mph
Skid pad: 0.96g
By now you've read every word printed about the 2009 Nissan GT-R. You know it's quicker than a 911 Turbo on a track. You've seen it beat the best the Americans can offer. You've read that it's as antiseptic as it is quick. And now you're reading that it can stomp damned near any car on any piece of tarmac, anywhere. Yes, Nissan's 480-horsepower, six-speed all-wheel-drive monster wins this test, too. It was quicker up the mountain road and around the Streets of Willow than any other car in this test.
Here's the thing about the GT-R. Despite its mass, it simply doesn't do anything poorly. It is the embodiment of technology conquering physics. And yes, it is less involving than other cars this quick. That said, it's always on your side. It's safe.
Only the R8 was able to top its cornering speeds through the tightest corners on the mountain road. On the track, which is faster still, it was untouched in virtually every corner. And it closes the gap between corners in less time than anything else sold today. Most striking is the fact that the GT-R is among the easiest cars to drive in this test. Even with its stability control disabled, it rarely does anything to make us question its poise. It's as stuck and predictable as it is massive. And, by every measure, it lives up to the hype.
2008 Audi R8
As-tested price: $134,545
Mountain road time: 2:04.68; Rank: 2nd
Streets of Willow lap time: 1:26.92; Rank: 2nd
0-60 mph: 4.5 seconds (4.2 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip)
Quarter-mile: 12.7 seconds at 109.0 mph
60-0 braking: 103 feet
Slalom: 71.0 mph
Skid pad: 0.98g
Audi's midmounted 420-hp, 4.2-liter direct-injection V8 is not only one of the best-sounding engines in the world, it's also one of the most potent. Combined with Audi's R tronic paddle-shifted six-speed transmission and distinctly rear-biased all-wheel drive, this German's price tag is high, but so are its abilities.
Take the R8's 2nd-place finish on the mountain road as proof positive that it's for real. Then notice that it trails the big-hype GT-R by only a third of a second over two minutes of twisting road and you can be certain of its real-world abilities. It was the only car to record quicker segment times and higher peak speeds than the GT-R over two of the four segments on the mountain road. It also had more agreeable balance than the GT-R in slow corners. The big Nissan pushed through switchbacks where the R8 found neutral balance and exited with its tail out.
The same was true on the track. The Audi's mass-centralized designed allowed it to rotate through slow corners more effectively than any other car in the test. Still, superb tuning kept it stable enough to be confident through high-speed transitions. Shifts were slower than in the GT-R, but paddles that turn with the wheel made them easier to nail at precisely the right second. Overall, the R8 offers more character than most of the other hardware here, and on the right road it will hang with the GT-R.
But we can't ignore the fact that it's the most expensive car in the test by a wide margin. In the end we love the R8 the same way we'd love carbon-fiber slacks: They're a wonderful luxury if you have the means, but when polyester will do the same job for half the cash, they're probably hard for most to justify.
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR
As-tested price: $38,940
Mountain road time: 2:06.91; Rank: 3rd
Streets of Willow lap time: 1:29.02; Rank: 3rd
0-60 mph: 5.6 seconds (5.3 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip)
Quarter-mile: 14.0 seconds at 97.4 mph
60-0 braking: 111 feet
Slalom: 68.9 mph
Skid pad: 0.92g
The Evo X's twin-clutch six-speed transmission, when used in Super Sport mode, is a revelation. Until now we haven't driven an automanual transmission which so thoroughly eliminated the need for a clutch pedal and gearshift, but when driving hard, the MR does just that. In fact, with another 75 horses (the Evo X is rated at 291 hp and 300 pound-feet of torque), it likely would have upset the mountain road finishing order in a big way. As it sits, it flat spanked the $85,000 Porsche and walked all over the little Lotus.
With its stability control switched off and its Super Active Yaw Control precisely directing drive to the appropriate contact patch, the Evo found itself 2nd only to the GT-R in the fastest segment on the mountain road. Its peak speed through this section of road was 1.5 mph faster than the R8. There's more confidence here through fast transitions than in any other car.
The Evo's secret weapon, however, is its transmission. It's always in the right gear. Unlike the paddle-shifted transmissions in the GT-R and the R8, the Evo's six-speed thinks for itself and maximizes the car's performance. Sure you can mess with its paddles if you want, but only if you want to go slower. Plus, there's less to consume the driver's brain power, so driving is less frantic.
The Evo MR, however, is too soft to take full advantage of its otherwise stellar chassis when the going gets truly uneven. We bottomed the suspension on several occasions. A big part of an Evo's advantage on a road like this is being able to put its tires in places that would upset cars with less suspension travel. But the MR's softer Bilstein dampers simply aren't up to this kind of pounding. The GSR's suspension is likely better suited to this terrain, but it's not available with the twin-clutch gearbox. So we're left wanting an Evo that doesn't exist — and knowing that it would be quicker still.
2008 Porsche 911 Carrera
As-tested price: $85,765
Mountain road time: 2:09.51; Rank: 4th
Streets of Willow lap time: 1:29.25; Rank: 4th
0-60 mph: 4.8 seconds (4.5 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip)
Quarter-mile: 13.0 seconds at 108.1 mph
60-0 braking: 104 feet
Slalom: 72.2 mph
Skid pad: 0.92g
Few sports cars are as fundamentally sound as Porsche's 911. Even this base model reminds us how steering should feel and how brakes should perform. Problem is, even a Plain Jane 911, which comes with a six-speed manual transmission and 3.6-liter engine good for 325 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque tops $85 grand with only a few options. That's almost $10 grand more than the GT-R, which will mop the road with all six of the 911's horizontally opposed pistons.
Still, we find it hard to not appreciate 50 years of sports car refinement. There's a poise and elegance about Porsche's timeless rear-engine design that's evident in its driving experience. And its edgy side is virtually gone. This side of the 911 is welcome in the mountains where there's no runoff and little room for error.
But these same traits — the slower reactions and tamer control feel — keep the rear-wheel-drive 911 from edging the Evo on the track where it missed the mark by only about a quarter of a second (0.23). That gap extended to 2.6 seconds in the mountains, where the Porsche was less eager to rotate and couldn't match the Evo's launch out of slow corners.
The 911 is probably the most versatile car here from a driving perspective — capable of both comfortable daily transport and high-level performance driving. But it's not the best value if measured on lap times alone.
2008 Lotus Elise SC
As-tested price: $63,920
Mountain road time: 2:10.19; Rank: 5th
Streets of Willow lap time: 1:29.49; Rank: 5th
0-60 mph: 4.9 seconds (4.6 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip)
Quarter-mile: 13.3 seconds at 103.2 mph
60-0 braking: 110 feet
Slalom: 72.4 mph
Skid pad: 0.96g
With a new supercharged engine for 2008, Lotus' Elise finally has the power (218 hp and 153 lb-ft of torque) to match its chassis' abilities. A six-speed manual transmission backs up the power to drive the 2,028-pound plastic-and-aluminum machine to new levels of performance. Our test car also had the Sport Pack, which supplies forged wheels and Bilstein dampers.
Given its status as the most pure driver's car sold in the U.S., we had high hopes for the Lotus. But in this case, purity of experience doesn't add up to outright speed. More problematic is the lack of confidence created by its nervous character up to and beyond the limit. Most cars in this test extend a measure of control beyond the limit of grip that masks their edge considerably. Not so in the Elise. Its back-to-basics character doesn't allow this luxury. Get it sideways under braking and you better have fast hands and good car control or you'll soon taste regret. And regret on this mountain road involves stone walls.
Manual steering, which is spectacularly full of feel up to the limit, becomes a heavy liability when trying to recover a slide. Add all this up and the Lotus, despite having the right power-to-weight ratio and chassis to be competitive, winds up 5th — less than a second behind the Porsche on the track and in the mountains.
If success in this test were measured in adrenaline production or outright fear of death, the Elise wins hands-down. But in this environment, measured against the best cars modern technology car produce, Colin Chapman's simpler-is-better ethos is beginning to show itself for what it is: old.
2008 Subaru WRX STI
As-tested price: $39,678
Mountain road time: 2:10.72; Rank: 6th
Streets of Willow lap time: 1:30.05; Rank: 6th
0-60 mph: 5.3 seconds (5.0 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip)
Quarter-mile: 13.5 seconds at 101.8 mph
60-0 braking: 109 feet
Slalom: 69.7 mph
Skid pad: 0.90g
An STI at the back of the pack? What gives? Well, it isn't power, because the Subaru packs 305 ponies and 290 lb-ft of torque from its 2.5-liter four-cylinder. And it isn't weight, because the Subie weighs 250 pounds less than the Evo — its primary competitor. And, like the Evo, it has six closely spaced gears and all-wheel drive to put the power down.
Part of the problem is the STI's awkward manual transmission that requires deliberate shifts, every one of which is several tenths of a second slower than the Evo's twin-clutch gearbox. The STI was the only car we missed a gear in during three days of testing.
The rest of the time is down to response and precision — the ability to go exactly where it's pointed when it's asked. Compared to most other cars in this test, the Subaru lacks both. And without the Evo's ability to rotate quickly in a corner, it can't put power down until later in every turn — a deficit its acceleration advantage simply can't overcome.
And then there's the understeer, which limits acceleration out of every corner. We ran the STI up the hill and on the track with its center differential set to Auto and its throttle calibration in Sport Sharp. But the settings don't seem to make a difference. This car works its front tires. Period.
Ultimately, the STI isn't as universally capable as expected. It also produces the least grip of any car in this test, lowering its cornering speed and slowing its times on the track and on the road. A rougher mountain road would likely have better illustrated the STI's abilities and moved it slightly up the ranks on that part of the test.
The Take-Away
Even in a test without a winner, it's hard to ignore some simple facts. All-wheel drive matters. Both on the track and on the mountain road, cars putting power to all four wheels were consistently quicker and easier to drive than their two-wheel-drive counterparts.
We also learned that speed doesn't always cost money. The Evo, the cheapest car in this test, proved that. Just as the Audi R8 demonstrates that it's possible to have a comfortable street car that makes the numbers and goes really friggin' fast.
But in the end, the quickest car on the track was also the quickest car on the street. Nissan's GT-R again proves itself to be today's most impressive performance car. Capable of crushing all comers in any environment, its abilities are tough to match at any price. Nobody will ever accuse it of being subtle. And it's not comfortable. But if outright speed is the measure that matters, we can't find a better machine.
And that, we figure, won't surprise anybody at Chevy or Dodge.
The manufacturers provided Edmunds these vehicles for the purposes of evaluation.
| 2008 Audi R8 | 2008 Lotus Elise SC | 2008 Mitsubishi Evo X MR | 2009 Nissan GT-R | 2008 Porsche 911 Carrera | 2008 Subaru WRX STI | |
| As-tested price | $134,545 | $63,920 | $38,940 | $75,925 | $85,765 | $39,678 |
| 0~60 mph acceleration, sec. | 4.5 seconds (4.2 seconds with rollout) | 4.9 seconds (4.6 seconds with rollout) | 5.6 seconds (5.3 seconds with rollout) | 3.5 seconds (3.2 seconds with rollout) | 4.8 seconds (4.5 seconds with rollout) | 5.3 seconds (5.0 seconds with rollout) |
| Quarter-mile elapsed time and speed | 12.7 seconds at 109.0 mph | 13.3 seconds at 103.2 mph | 14.0 seconds at 97.4 mph | 11.7 seconds at 116.8 mph | 13.0 seconds at 108.1 mph | 13.5 seconds at 101.8 mph |
| 60-to-0-mph braking, feet | 103 feet | 110 feet | 111 feet | 98 feet | 104 feet | 109 feet |
| Lateral acceleration, g | 0.98g | 0.96g | 0.92g | 0.96g | 0.92g | 0.90g |
| 600-foot slalom, mph | 71.0 mph | 72.4 mph | 68.9 mph | 74.0 mph | 72.2 mph | 69.7 mph |
| Streets of Willow lap time | 1:26.92 | 1:29.49 | 1:29.02 | 1:25.68 | 1:29.25 | 1:30.05 |
| Mountain road time | 2:04.68 | 2:10.19 | 2:06.91 |
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Mazda Now Goes CX -9
Are you a big lover of Mazda CX 7 -> it grows ...
http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=modelsMain&vehicleCode=CX9&campid=2761&providertag=CX9LIFESTYLE&servicetag=CX-9&bhcp=1
i am so lazy to talk bout car as a topic for today! make yourself comfort with the above link!!!
http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=modelsMain&vehicleCode=CX9&campid=2761&providertag=CX9LIFESTYLE&servicetag=CX-9&bhcp=1
i am so lazy to talk bout car as a topic for today! make yourself comfort with the above link!!!
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April 2nd, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Although it looks large, this thing is about the size of the Santa Fe, not the larger Veracruz.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Uh Ooohhh!!! It appears there’s no diesel for the Australian market.
I would like to put forward a funeral notice for the death of the greatest little “real” 4WD and tow vehicle of all time. It’s gone forever!!!
I was looking forward so much for the release of this vehicle and have been let down so much. It feels like your favorite grunge or heavy metal band all of a sudden putting out a pop album. It will be popular alright but there’s a lot more competition in the bracket it’s now slipped into.
All I hope and I’ve said it before, I hope we get the Borrego down here in Australia to compensate for the loss.