Fresh Cars Reviews: июля 2009

Lexus IS 250C Latest Pics

Recently Lexus released new shots for IS 250C. Check them out after the jump.

[Source: Lexus]

Jaguar wants to be 'Mainly a Sportscar Manufacturer'

Jaguar has made it clear about the future direction that the brand is taking, company insiders have revealed. There is a desire within the company to move the focus more towards sports cars and away from smaller executive saloons, that as been harboured for some time within the brand by both engineers and directors.

This new thinking fits in with Jaguars "Premium Niche" policy, that new owners Tata Motors have embraced wholehartedy, and a raft of new models which have been kept under wraps are shortly to be announced. The only question lies in the positioning of these new sports models, as now Aston Martin has been sold to Prodrive, and Ford no longer owns either company, there is no limitation on how far up the scale Jaguar can push.

It is expected that Jaguar is to remodel itself along the lines of Porsche, currently the worlds most profitable car manufacturer, and move away from traditional executive car competitors like Mercedes and BMW - a decision that will further reinforced when production of the X-Type finishes at Halewood in late 2009. Jaguar has already removed the X-Type from some markets, notably the US, but it still sells in smaller numbers throughout Europe.

This would dictate a smaller 2 seat sports car, in the mould of the F-Type concept car, to compete head on with the Boxster, and this would allow the XKR to stretch further upmarket towards the Aston DB9.

The first model in this new philosiphy will be the All new XJ, being completely restyled and has been described by insiders as along the lines of the Aston Martin Rapide 4 door coupe, with the C-XF concept nose and tail, again giving Jaguar a direct rival to the forthcoming Porsche Panamera.

More models are expected to follow these, with an XF coupe with a swoopy roofline more closely resembling the Jaguar C-XF concept due early 2010, and expected to be shown at the 2009 Frankfurt show, and even the possibility of a more track focused supercar placed as a halo model above the current XK range.

Lamborghini Reventon: Come And Get Her!

She’s out and she could be yours. Number 7 of only 20, you couldn’t get more exclusive than that. The Lamborghini Reventon is what you’d normally refer to as an “extreme” car. From the looks to the price tag, the car’s for serious enthusiasts who want nothing but the best. Powering the Reventon is a 6.5 liter 650 horsepower V12. The interior is futuristic, with digital dials and a G-force meter, similar to fighter planes. In fact, the design of the car is inspired by the F-22 Raptor. Hurry up boys, this lady isn’t someone who’ll wait for the timid and the light-hearted. $1,850,000.

INVASION! Of the hatchback

The Volvo C30: Coming to America

There are two kinds of cars America has loved in the last two decades: SUVs and cars with trunks.

Hatchbacks were just funky little novelties that Europeans loved.

Man, things can change quickly!

Look at all the hatchbacks popping up in America over the last couple model years. Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, Suzuki SX4, Mini Cooper, Audi A3, VW GTI, Scion xD.

And check this out: according to a study by CNW Marketing Research, just over 20 percent of near-luxury buyers said they preferred a hatchback to a sedan or wagon. Yes, ‘near-luxury’ and hatchback were used in the same sentence!

As the market share of compact cars increases, the popularity of hatchbacks will also increase.

It’s been since the oil crisis of the 70s that hatchbacks have enjoyed this kind of popularity. Now that we’re in another oil crisis, the benefits of the versatile hatch are again being recognized. Only this time they are more luxurious, safer and much better built.

Europe on the other hand never escaped a gas crisis. When we were enjoying $1.30 gas, Europe was choking it down at $5 or more. It makes sense that the popularity of the hatch never waned on that side of the Atlantic.

The hatchback in America has been nothing more than a symbol of frugality in a time when we’ve been all about extravagance. Simply put.

Now reality is catching up to us, and it’s coming in the form of the hatchback.

Watch your dealerships friends, because new hatches are arriving from Europe in the form of the Ford Feista, Volvo C30 and more. Hopefully we’ll even get our chances at the Mercedes A Class and Honda Civic Type R.

There are even some exciting hatchbacks making their debut at the Paris Auto Show this week in the form of the Toyota Urban Cruiser, BMW X1 and Mini Crossover concept.

Americans: Are you on board with the coming invasion of the European hatchback?

Europeans: Do you love hatchbacks as much as Americans think you do?

-tgriffith

DIY Windscreen Repair

On Sunday I decided to do a windscreen repair on the Valiant using a DIY kit. I have been curious about these since I spotted one recently at my local auto parts store, and wanted to see if they really do fix chips. You may have seen similar kits yourself. Generally they come with a suction tool to direct the resin that is supplied with the kit. Overall I was surprised with the result. I did manage to repair a couple of small chips, however it was a real struggle to deal with anything slightly larger. The one thing that drove me nuts was that the suction tool kept popping off at the worst possible time. It really was a fiddly job that tested my patience. However the end result was worth it. So if you do have a small chip in your windscreen and don’t want a crack check out what’s available at your local auto parts store.

DIY Windscreen Repair

Tiger Woods to Launch Buick Enclave

Buick finally has a product worthy of superstar golfer Tiger Woods’ full attention. Sure, the best golfer in the world has starred in ads for the Lucerne sedan and other Buicks since he signed on as spokesman a few years ago, but never has he taken part in the launch of a new vehicle. That will all change at the Los Angeles auto show in November when Woods will introduce the production version of the Buick Enclave.

The Enclave was a stunner as a concept in Detroit in January 2006, and the production version — which will go on sale in the middle of the golf season next summer — is vitally important to the Buick brand. General Motors is also getting the most out of its high priced pitchman, now no journalist will want to miss this introduction.

Honda CRV: Sophisticated, Luxurious, and Efficient

Let the latest Honda CRV steal your attention and start your passionate cravings over it with its shapely exterior, luxurious interior, and powerful efficiency. The CRV is powered by a 166-hp, DOHC i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine. It has interior features that somehow makes any car enthusiast wow with its Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System. With the 6.5-inch touch screen, you can operate the navigation by either voice or touch, where a rear view camera is integrated that allows you to see behind the vehicle when backing up. Overhead compartments are provided for your sun glasses, while the upper and lower compartments are the perfect hiding place for your cellphones, cameras, mints, or even gloves. So what else would you look for to call this vehicle home? $21,245+.

Lutz reaffirms Volt mules are doing well in testing

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet

Man, it's been almost five minutes without GM's vice chairman Bob Lutz has given a positive Chevy Volt update. We just heard from him over the weekend about the possibility of a 20-mile-EV-range version someday, for example. Today, speaking in Dearborn, Lutz said that "there's almost no reasonable doubt in our minds anymore that this is going to work." This, of course, is getting the Volt out to the public. We knew this has been GM's message for a while now, but according to Reuters, Lutz said the testers of the Mali-Volts have "routinely had it to the high 30s, low 40s and they go up hills with it and everything." Well, if GM is able to go up hills with the Volt mules, then there's nothing to worry about, is there?

[Source: Reuters]

2008 Infiniti G37 Will Start at $34,250...Would You Buy This Over the BMW?

Infiniti has announced the pricing for the 2008 Infiniti G37 Coupe that will be in showrooms on August 21st.

Commenter Of The Day: Mandatory Minimums Edition [Commenter Of The Day]

Though there are serious disagreements over the enforcement of drug law violations, one area of growing consensus among Republicans and Democrats is the issue of mandatory minimum sentencing laws. A mandatory minimum essentially states that someone who commits a crime is sentenced to a minimum number of years in prison. The problem is this kind of policy doesn't allow judges to use their judgment to differentiate between low-level, non-violent drug users and high-level, violent criminals. The cost to society is great, both in terms of the price of imprisoning someone for ten years and in depriving a family of a mother or father. The most unfortunate aspect of mandatory minimums is they impose different, racially-biased minimums on crack and powder cocaine. Nick Hogan was released early from jail today after committing what was essentially a violent crime and was greeted by his sister, who has an obvious crack problem that Layabout couldn't help but notice.

Yeah, they blurred the wrong asshole.

Indeed they did.

[Photo PEDRO REY/AFP/Getty Images]

Techart GT Street R Car Pictures

The GTstreet R, based of Porsche 911 Turbo, is fitted with the TECHART performance kit TA097/T3 with an engine performance of 485 kW (660 hp) and a maximum torque of 860 Nm at 4,600 rpm. The GTstreet R with Tiptronic S can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds and with manual transmission it only takes a tenth of a second longer. The remarkable propulsion levels out at a top speed of 345 km/h.

[Source: Techart]

Car Care Tips: Keeping it Clean

Posted by The Best Blog For Car tips

While keeping the engine in a smooth running condition should be your primary concern when it comes to car care tips, you should not disregard your car’s body as well. A well-maintained car…

First autobahn speed limit imposed

If you’ve ever wanted to drive the autobahn for its celebrity status of not having a speed limit, you better get over to Germany quick. The northern city of Bremen has become the first to...

Caterham releases teaser for Superlight R500

Acura 2007 MDX Priced Under $40,000

2007acuramdx_1

We’ve been covering the new MDX SUV pretty intensely this week, and Acura has just handed us the most significant news we could report: pricing. The base MDX — which has plenty of standard features for a “base” model — will start at $39,995. That’s pretty impressive in the full-size luxury SUV segment, especially since it comes standard with leather, a sunroof and all-wheel drive. We also learned that the MDX will arrive at dealerships Oct. 17.

There are four package options for the MDX that add significant upgrades like navigation, rear entertainment systems and, for Sport models, the Active Damper System we talked about yesterday. Those prices are below.

MDX with Technology Package: $43,495
MDX with Technology and Entertainment Package: $45,695
MDX with Sport Package: $45,595
MDX with Sport and Entertainment Package: $45,695
Destination and handling: $670

VW Golf Variant: More info on the station wagon

We found more info on the VW Golf Variant, VW's new station wagon which was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show.However, the major changes are at the rear, where an extended roofline and large tailgate set the Estate apart from conventional five-door hatchback models. Striking light clusters, a low-lip rear bumper and satin-finished roof rails complete the changes. Engine options at launch

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