car: April 2009

BMW M6 Convertible

Wallpaper Description:
BMW M6 Convertible.

2008 Audi S8

Related news: Audi A5 and S5 photos revealed The new Audi A5 / Audi S5. Now official!
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Acura RDX-Concept (Wallpaper #11)

Description: Experience the style, speed, and luxury of Acura cars right from your desktop. If you are into Japanese cars and Japanese technology, these cars are for you. We know you always wanted to be reminded of your dream vehicle from time to time, splash it over your desktop or laptop computer. Get as much as 118 different shots that would perfectly fit your desktop computer. There are interior, exterior, and terrain photos that can choose from and download. And if you look hard enough, you might even find your own car’s model in our desktop collection! Get sleek pictures of Acura Integra, Acura RSX, Acura NSX, and other new Acura models! Come join the fun. Get an Acura wallpaper today!

Rating: 3 out of 5 Downloads: 204Upload Date: 2006-10-19

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Nissan Azeal-Concept (Wallpaper #6724)

Description: One Asia’s three to rival the US’ big three, Nissan has achieved a lot since its Datsun (Nissan’s former brand name) days. This Japanese brand has a standing partnership with France’s Renault S.A. called Renault-Nissan. Nissan is very well known for their V6 configuration engines called VQ, which has won 12 straight times in the World’s 10 Best Engine Awards. They have manufactured a variety of different vehicles such as mainstream and sports cars, trucks, and kei cars over the years. They even produced a line of luxury cars in the US called Infiniti. This just proves that with Nissan’s versatility, both the young and old or the hip and old-fashioned could find a Nissan car which is perfect for their needs.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Downloads: 113Upload Date: 2006-11-23

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Ferrari 360-Modena (Wallpaper #3160)

Description: In the world of sports cars, only one car leads them all – and that’s the red shiny Ferrari. Car fanatics would know a Ferrari when they see one. Whether it’s a Ferrari Enzo or a Lolo Ferrari, its great beauty would definitely astound you. Well, that’s not entirely true - because it certainly won’t take a car fanatic to recognize a Ferrari from afar. Just one sight of the horse logo is enough to make car lovers go crazy. Is it too expensive for you to own a Ferrari? Well, you can get one for free. How? Just download one of the 122 Ferrari desktop wallpapers we have. Better yet, download everything you like. And get to enjoy your favorite sports car every time you turn on your computer!

Rating: 4 out of 5 Downloads: 1058Upload Date: 2006-11-14

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Honda Accord (Wallpaper #10069)

Description: Honda Accord EX-L Sedan 2008

Rating: 4 out of 5 Downloads: 509Upload Date: 2008-06-21

Acura RSX (Wallpaper #34)

Rating: 4 out of 5 Downloads: 1164Upload Date: 2006-11-05

Bugatti Veyron (Wallpaper #2399)

Description: Feel how it is to ride a flashy sports car like a king. Bugatti cars, in their royal blue color, are certainly fit for all royalties. And you can get to experience how that will be like with the showy Bugatti Veyron desktop wallpapers we have here. Download your favorite Bugattie sports one at no cost at all. Send the image to a friend and share the experience. View all the images before downloading. You can certainly do whatever you would like to do with the wallpaper through our website. So what are you waiting for? Get your Bugatti Veyron wallpaper today!

Alfa-Romeo 8C-Competizione (Wallpaper #123)

Description: A real sports car fanatic can’t resist the sight of an Alfa Romeo car. Manufactured in Italy, these cars have been around since 1910. One of the great models that you can have in your desktop are Alfa Romeo, Alfa Romeo Spider, and Alfa Romeo 156, among others Get one of the 204 desktop wallpapers we especially designed and prepared for car lovers. Get the traditional red-hot car from Alfa Romeo and put it in your desktop. Just one look of the car is enough to keep you going on the piles of job you have in front of your computer! Downloading the wallpapers is easy. You can even select the perfect resolution to match your computer. And if still aren’t sure about it, preview the wallpaper first before you set it up.

Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 (Wallpaper #4755)

Description: Who could ever forget a Lamborghini car that never looked less than a sports car in every angle and in every way? Lamborghini cars have the badge of a bull – yes, a strong and fierce bull. Italian car manufacturers do like to associate their cars with animals. And why not? People love cars like a pet anyway. Yellow is the trademark color of a Lamborghini sports car. Get one of these cars today in the form of desktop wallpapers. You can catch a great image of a Lamborghini Diablo, Lamborghini Murcielago, or a Lamborghini Gallardo, right at your desktop. Buying the real thing straight from Italy costs hundreds of thousands. But getting the desktop wallpaper from out archive is free. So, why don’t you get the Lamborghini car wallpaper today?

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First Look: Rolls-Royce 200EX

It's Smaller and Cheaper than a Phantom. But it's Still Big and Expensive
By Angus MacKenzie

Rolls-Royce coyly calls this the 200EX, saying it's merely a concept that shows the design direction for an as yet unnamed smaller, less expensive sedan designed to sell alongside the stately Phantom. But the production version of this car, code-named RR4, will look virtually identical.
The RR4 will feature the third evolution of Rolls-Royce's now familiar headlight graphic, first seen on the BMW-designed Phantom, and a variation on the laid-back grille treatment that debuted on the Phantom coupe and convertible. With a 'faster' backlight and C-pillar, and convex bodyside, it's a much more rakish looking sedan than the Phantom, though at 212.6in long and 61in tall, it's still an imposing car.
Despite rumors the RR4 would be heavily based on the new BMW 7-series, Rolls-Royce says the car has a unique unibody "which is not shared with any other vehicle". The RR4's proportions, cowl height, and door apertures are totally different to those of the new 7-series; if the two cars share any metal, it's buried very deep in the structure. The body will be built at BMW's Dingolfing plant in Germany, then shipped to the purpose-built Rolls-Royce plant in Goodwood, England, for painting, trimming, and final assembly. BMW has added a mezzanine floor to the plant for the trim and wood shops, to create extra room for the RR4 line.
BMW says 80 percent of RR4's components are unique to Rolls-Royce. Under the hood will be an all-new direct injection V-12 engine, unique to Rolls-Royce and made exclusively for Rolls-Royce by BMW. It's said to have twin-turbos, enabling it to deliver 550hp and relatively good gas mileage. The RR4 may also get the forthcoming ZF eight speed automatic transmission, which is said to deliver a six percent improvement in fuel economy compared with a six speed auto.

Jaguar XE: Jag's 911 Fighter

New Sports Car Will Celebrate E-Type's 50th Anniversary in 2011

By Mike Connor

Jaguar is working on a new sports car that will be positioned under the XK, and aimed squarely at Porsche's 911. To be called XE, the car will likely make its debut at the 2011 Geneva Show, on the 50th anniversary of the iconic Jaguar E-Type, its spiritual successor
The XE will be based on the Jaguar range's flexible architecture, which accommodates the XK, XF and the all-new XJ which debuts this September at the Frankfurt auto show, and is designed to be a larger, more formal version of the XF, but more lowslung than the current, conservative XJ. Rumors of a smaller, more focused Jaguar sports car have been around for decades. Ford, which never truly understood Jaguar, cancelled work on one called the F-Type about 10 years ago (the illustration pictured is of the stillborn car), deciding to focus the company's resources instead on the development of diesel engines and the X-Type wagon.
But Ratan Tata, whose company now owns Jaguar, is supporting the development of the XE. "I don't believe we can afford to emerge from the recession as we are," he told British magazine Autocar recently. "We need to emerge with something shiny and new, which is why we are re-prioritizing the roadster right now." Tata has a much more personal connection with Jaguar than most of the Ford bosses previously responsible for the company's direction: his father once owned an XK120.
With the '10 XKR stickered at $102,000 including destination, there's room for the XE to tackle the Porsche 911 in the $80k-plus range. That means it'll also be up against the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, a challenge Jaguar might not have been allowed to make before Ford Motor Company sold Aston and then Jaguar/Land Rover. Design chief Ian Callum is emphasizing subtle heritage cues over out-and-out retro styling, so there'll be none of the F-Type concept from the early '00s. Besides being too old, the hoodline of that homage to the E-Type could not meet European pedestrian collision standards.
The new 5.0-liter AJ-V8 Gen III engines -- 385hp in naturally aspirated form, and 510hp with a supercharger -- will give the smaller, lighter XE plenty of punch, with a low 4.0sec 0-60mph time feasible from the XER version. European buyers may also be offered the XE with the punchy 272hp version of the new 3.0-liter V-6 diesel that will soon debut in the XF sedan. With a reported 442lb-ft of torque available (just 19lb-ft less than the supercharged V-8) this engine could still deliver sub-six second 0-60mph performance with 35mpg gas mileage.
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GM's Pontiac Solstice, Chevrolet Nomad and Saturn Curve Concepts

GM's new Kappa platform yields rear-drive production and concept cars
By Todd Lassa
Photography by the manufacturer

We've seen the future, and a lot of it is rear-drive. But who would've expected rear drive to find its way back into small cars? That trend is being encouraged by GM's chief product dude Bob Lutz and his desire to get a four-cylinder, classic two-seat sports car into the Pontiac lineup. Enter the Solstice, the 2002 concept that becomes a real 2006 model in autumn 2005. For $20,000, you'll get the base Solstice engine, a 170-horsepower, 170-pound-feet, 2.4-liter Ecotec I-4 (a 2.2-liter turbo or supercharged four will be available later for around $25K). The production Solstice's weight is significant, at "under 2900 pounds." Bob's baby uses Opel Corsa seat frames, Fiat HVAC controls, GMC Envoy backup lamps, and Grand Prix foglamps, but draws considerable inspiration from several Alfa Romeo roadsters of decades gone by. We think it looks terrific.
The Solstice employs GM's new Kappa architecture and innovative manufacturing techniques. The platform has hydroformed full-length frame rails with a boxed center tunnel enclosing the driveshaft. So it's a backbone frame like the Corvette's, which means none of the chassis flex associated with unibodies decapitated to make convertibles. This layout also allows for great design and production flexibility. Demonstrating this notion are two "aspirational" compact concepts, the Chevrolet Nomad and the Saturn Curve.
Leapfrogging the Mini, which has a three-door Clubman wagon on its way, the Nomad was penned at GM's United Kingdom studio. It recalls cues from the 1954 Motorama Nomad show car, including its 1953-1955 Corvette nose, forward-leaning B-pillar, and chrome-ribbed tailgate. The backlight rolls down into the tailgate, which folds flat, with a slide-out load floor and folding rear seatbacks. The nouveau Nomad also speaks to the Kappa's flexibility: Wheelbase is 107 inches versus 95.1 for the Solstice.
As good as the Nomad looks, some consider the Saturn Curve less successful, continuing the marque's tradition of generic styling coupled with the brand's new Seat-style nose. Designed at GM's Swedish studio, the 2+2 concept has a flattop roof over a canopy of glass. Its blown 2.2-liter Ecotec four is rated at 230 horses. GM says it doesn't need to build Kappa variants to make the Solstice economically viable. But why not spread the wealth of this new chassis architecture? As small-car engineering chief Jim Queen puts it, "it's unlikely GM wouldn't make further use" of it in the Vauxhall Lightning (MT, "News," August 2003)--or in something like the Nomad or Curve.
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Nickey Concept car 2010 Camaro Stage III

My friends at Nickey Chicago will build me this car.... someday.Donations will be accepted! Haha

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Most expensive car: Hurry up to buy $2 Million Pagani Zonda Cinque

Don’t know where to spend some “spare” millions? Guys from ES Elite Style GmbH, Germany can help you to solve this problem. I’m talking about the most expensive car - Pagani Zonda Cinque that can be yours for a mere €1.6M ($2 million). Pagani Zonda Cinque basically is a Zonda R, but is road legal. It has a limited edition of only 5 units, so hurry up!

For $2million you’ll receive the most expensive car with 678 horses (499kW) AMG V12 engine with a maximum torque of 575 lb-ft. and 780Nm jammed inside a two-seater super car. Performance: 0 - 100km/h in 3.4 seconds, 0 - 200km/h in 9.6 seconds and the carbon ceramic brakes will stop it on its tracks from 0 - 100km/h in 2.1 seconds. In entity the Zonda F Cinque will run do 0 - 100km/h and hit standstill just as a Lotus Europa S hits 96km/h from standstill.Tags: most expensive car, luxury goods
Via: egmcartech
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Most expensive car: 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 435 HP Price

At last there was announced the pricing of 2010 Porsche 911 GT3. The base price is $112,200, excluding taxes and destination charges. Porsche’s latest GT3 435 HP is following suit with the rest of the 997 line by getting a few updates. The most important is an extra 20 hp, care of a displacement bump of 0.2 liters to 3.8 liters and 435 hp total. This allows the GT3 to sprint from 0-60 mph in 4.0 seconds and reach a top speed of 194 mph.

Further enhancing performance is the fact that Porsche’s VarioCam system is now employed on the exhaust camshafts, not just the intake ones. Compared to the current GT3, the new model features an additional 200cc in displacement which helps to create the extra 20 hp. Perhaps it’s a good thing the GT3 continues to offer Porsche’s active suspension system (PASM), allowing the driver to select between a softer mode for casual driving and a stiffer setting for track days.Tags: most expensive car, luxury goods
Via: autopark
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New Car: 2009 Ford Fiesta ST

The sensational new Ford Fiesta ST has broken cover – and I have the first pictures. With the performance, pace and personality to leave its rivals trailing, the all-new hot hatch promises to raise the bar in the supermini sector. The blue oval faces stiff competition from models such as the Abarth Grande Punto and Vauxhall’s Corsa VXR, but bosses are aiming to put the Fiesta back at the top of the class.Our spies have already caught prototypes for the hot Fiesta being put through their paces, and as our exclusive pictures show, it will certainly look the part. The new ST will bring a range of cosmetic additions, including handsome alloy wheels and a spoiler above the rear windscreen. The revised front bumper includes a purposeful air intake and a pair of foglamps, while a diffuser-style back bumper incorporates racy twin tailpipes. Pronounced side sills and lowered suspension also help to provide a more aggressive stance.Inside, buyers can expect a much more luxurious cabin than offered in the current model, with high-quality soft-touch plastics as well as vastly improved switchgear. The ST will also benefit from supportive sports seats. Top-spec cars even get a panoramic glass sunroof and Bluetooth phone connectivity, using Ford’s new Sync in-car entertainment set-up. The go-faster model also promises to be more practical than ever, thanks to the new Fiesta’s spacious interior. Officially, Ford isn’t announcing plans for a hot version of the next generation, but Auto Express can reveal it will take the wraps off a new range of hi-tech turbocharged direct-injection EcoBoost petrol powerplants at the Detroit Motor Show next week. The line-up will appear across the model range, and includes a 2.0-litre engine producing 275bhp. But the ST is likely to get a smaller 1.6-litre unit, making around 180-190bhp. This will put the newcomer on a par with the likes of the 189bhp Corsa VXR. With the supermini’s lightweight construction, the engine should be powerful enough to take the range-topper from 0-60mph in around seven seconds. Buyers will also be able to boost their model’s performance using officially sanctioned upgrade packages available from Essex-based engineering firm Mountune. It has developed similar parts for the outgoing ST and the hot Focus. In addition, the flagship Fiesta is set to feature economy-enhancing stop-start technology, while a punchy TDCi diesel version is on the cards, too.Ford’s chassis experts have been hard at work fine-tuning the hot supermini to ensure it’s entertaining to drive. The brand has a reputation for producing sharp-handling cars, and the lightweight ST is expected to deliver unrivalled cornering agility, thanks to its bespoke suspension set-up.The all-new Fiesta will make its official debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, and hit dealerships here in October. But fans of the ST will have to wait. It isn’t expected in UK showrooms before 2009. When it does arrive, though, expect a price tag in the region of £15,500.

Spied: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta/NCS and NMS

Spied here, heavily disguised under stretched and widened Jetta bodywork, is a mule housing prototype components for two cars: Volkswagen's New Compact Sedan and New Mid-Size Sedan. Both will spearhead the company's attack on Japanese and Korean dominance of the import sector in the U.S. market.It is VW's ambition to become the number-one global carmaker, surpassing even the Toyota juggernaut. To reach that goal, obstacles need to be overcome, a major one being the brand's lackluster performance in the U.S. Due to misguided product policies and the occasional severe quality problem, VW has dropped off the radar screen for many customers—if it was even there in the first place.Both the NCS and NMS sedans are variations of the ubiquitous PQ35/PQ46 platform, which hosts a multitude of cars stretching from Golf/Rabbit to CC. The NCS will be developed mainly for the U.S. market, and it may retain the well-established Jetta moniker. The larger NMS is intended to simultaneously satisfy U.S. and Chinese tastes, so beware of chrome and ostentation. It won't go to Europe, where the next Passat will be aiming to make life difficult for the BMW 3-series and Mercedes-Benz C-class.Why is VW walking away from global cars, especially at a time when other automakers are globalizing? The company feels that American and Asian customers don't appreciate the refinement of its current offerings. "U.S. customers look at car size and engine displacement. They won't pay a dollar extra for a Passat over the Camry just because of its finesse and attention to detail," a company executive told us in Wolfsburg. And he was concerned the NCS and NMS might still be too costly to produce compared to their Asian competition.Indeed, the Passat, despite its merits, doesn't come close to the sales success of the Honda Accord or Toyota Camry, but the Jetta has consistently done well in the U.S. Europeans find it hard to believe, but the Jetta enjoys an aura of coolness here, a reputation enhanced by performance versions such as the GLI, which was never available in the Old World. In Europe, the Jetta has always been viewed as an old folks' car; it hasn't sold well and was renamed twice as the Vento and the Bora before VW ruefully (and without much effect) reverted to the original moniker.While the NCS and NMS are developed with strict cost-cutting targets, there is no reason to be concerned about a lack of capability on the road. The rather agricultural but still competent 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine is expected to carry on; for real fun, look for different variations of VW's turbocharged 2.0-liter TSI engine and the 2.0-liter TDI turbo-diesel. VW could also bring the highly efficient 1.4-liter TSI to the U.S. Dual-clutch transmissions will replace the current automatic gearbox, and all-wheel drive is a possibility.The New Mid-Size Sedan will be built at VW's Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant. The New Compact Sedan, which shares its platform, could be made there as well. Both vehicles will be available in 2010 as 2011 models.We expect to get more technical details and information about styling direction shortly, so stay tuned.

New Car: 2010 Ferrari 599XX

Although no information has been released as of yet, Ferrari's all-new 599XX is causing quite a stir on the Web ahead of the Geneva Motor Show. Judging by the pictures -- and as you probably have already guessed -- its one mean Prancing Horse from the same bloodline responsible for the ultimate Ferrari test vehicle, the Enzo FXX.
Carbon fiber appears to adorn every inch of the 599XX supercar, starting at the adjustable splitter attached to a lower, aggressive front nose. The composite undertray continues the length of the car and is bolstered by thicker side skirts directing passing air to its rear carbon ceramic brakes. Speaking of brakes, those on the 599XX look to be enshrouded by a carbon fiber shielding donning yet unreadable script. Why the brakes are covered like this is a mystery to us, as optimal cooling is essential to the system's function. Likely 19-in. forged one-piece centerlock wheels sit snugly in front of the extra-large binders.
Slimmer racing mirrors match the matte black theme on the roof portion of 599XX. In place of regular Maranello glass, racing-style windows have been installed for increased safety and weight reduction. Also on the canopy's C-pillar are "winglets" ala Ferrari's 2008 Formula 1 racecar. The exotic's trunklid hosts a wraparound duckfin spoiler, while the rear gets a complete overhaul with huge diffuser and bumper integrated dual exhaust.Expect more details to coming in the coming days.

New Car: 2010 Mazdaspeed 3

Few hot hatches are as quick to put smiles on our faces as the Mazdaspeed 3. The current version of the nimble little five-door has been named to our 10Best list twice, won all three comparison tests in which it took part, and inspired the latest in our long line of bad-ass haulers. With the arrival of the second-generation ‘Speed 3, Mazda has made the smile standard equipment, plastering it across the car’s front end. We’ll just have to learn to love it.Being the most muscular of the Mazda 3 lineup, the Mazdaspeed thankfully gets the butchest styling. A large air intake that feeds the intercooler adorns the hood, managing to take some attention away from the smirky lower grille opening. The grin is also painted gloss black in this application, which we think is a visual improvement over the gray plastic on the standard hatch and sedan. You can’t have a hot hatch without the hatch, and the Mazdaspeed 3 will once again be available only as a five-door. The tail, seen in photos of the Mazda 3 MPS (the name used by the Mazdaspeed 3 outside the U.S.) sports black trim evoking a venturi tunnel and looks significantly more business-like than the standard 3's.Aside from the happy new styling, Mazda hasn’t made many changes to its fast-five-door formula, and that’s alright by us. The new guy will continue to use the same direct-injected, turbocharged 2.3-liter engine, which in its current state of tune sends 264 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels. (Sorry, all-wheel drive is still not in the cards.)

2010 Lotus Evora

It's a well-known scientific fact that there's two kinds of sexy. The playful, kittenish teasing kind, and the kind that comes up and grabs you from behind, buckles your knees, pins your face to the marble floor, covers you in 30-weight motor oil, and dares you to try and escape. For anyone who can't take that last sentence seriously, there's the 2010 Lotus Evora from the 2008 L.A. auto show. Poised sinfully on the Lotus stand at the L.A. auto show, the silver Lotus Evora exuded an indescribable sexiness that kept interrupting their busy day and forcing them to stop, look, and lust. What could be sexier than this 2,976-lb. body being propelled by a 276-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6? Nothing, not even motor oil.

2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible

Being a convertibles always gives a car a leg a leg-up on sexy. As does horsepower. The 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible that made its debut at the 2008 L.A. auto show offers both forms of sex appeal, and completes the cycle by looking like lust top up or down. You want more sex? The 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible is a retractable hardtop convertible -- as safe as a coupe and just as comfy in the dead of winter as it is in the rejoicing of summer. And nothing beats having that 325-horsepower V-6 purring in your ear. The anticipation that started at the L.A. auto show ends this spring at your Infiniti dealer.

2008 Paris Auto Show: 2011 Chevrolet Volt

GM's all-electric vehicle has been seen before, but it fit right in with the show's emphasis on oil-free power. Because of the myriad electric cars on hand, the Volt wasn't quite the attention grabber it was when first shown, but the competition couldn't help but refer to the Chevy Volt when discussing electric car technology. Seems the General still earns respect among its peers despite all its struggles.

Why it Matters
When more than 43,000 people place their names on a waiting list to buy a car, that's a very good sign that demand is high. The 2011 Chevrolet Volt promises to deliver to the marketplace a scalable vehicle for around $40,000 that has the potential to make gas stations irrelevant for a majority of drivers. That's not the automotive equivalent of a campaign promise, that's a reality General Motors is staking its reputation on. Talk about change you can believe in.
What it Looks Like
To say aerodynamics are a key part of designing a vehicle like the Chevy Volt is like saying buoyancy is a key factor in designing a boat. The resulting shape is what allows the Chevy Volt to achieve its efficiency target of 40 miles on one charge. Take particular note of futuristic touches such as the use LED light pipes in both the front and rear of the vehicle. Inside the Chevy Volt, the interface is more iPod and laptops than knobs and dashboard needles. There are actually two LCD screens, one where you would expect a navigation unit to be, and one sitting in place of those antiquated things we typically refer to as "gauges." Whatever you grew up thinking the interior of a Plutonian spaceship looked like, this is probably pretty close.

NCTD: 2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara

Compact SUV is capable off road, comfortable on road.

By: G.R. WhalePhoto Credit: Suzuki
Overview
The Suzuki Grand Vitara has been thoroughly overhauled for 2009, with more advanced drivetrains, better brakes, new cosmetics, and added features. A new V6 engine is available in addition to the four-cylinder engine. It has not turned soft in the process, nor has Suzuki tried to put seven seats where five belong. The Grand Vitara is quite capable in rugged terrain and offers superior durability than the car-based crossovers.
Four-wheel drive enthusiasts use the term soft-roader for vehicles that have all-wheel drive but aren't really built for anything rougher than a graded dirt road. Built on a front-wheel-drive platform, these car-based crossovers include the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Ford Escape, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mitsubishi Outlander, and Nissan Rogue.
Suzuki's Grand Vitara is a tougher little bugger. It's built on a rear-wheel-drive platform and is available with four-wheel drive, not all-wheel drive, the former distinguished from the latter by its added low-range gearing. This allows the Grand Vitara to climb or descend steeper inclines and walk over rocky obstacles without boiling its drivetrain. It has a proper underbody layout, with steel suspension arms rather than aluminum, and attention to the engine compartment means the muddy river at the door bottoms won't faze it. For two-wheel drive owners it means a nearly indestructible runabout.
However, just because the Grand Vitara can take some abuse doesn't mean the occupants have to. With fully independent suspension, able engines and a clean cabin, the Grand Vitara does not have the rough-and-tumble ride quality and cabin surroundings the term four-wheel drive often conjures up. It is quite happy on the pavement and doesn't ask any compromises.
The 2009 Grand Vitara is offered in 11 permutations, with nearly every imaginable combination available. All models are rated to tow a small trailer, and many can be flat-towed behind a motorhome.

2010 Honda Insight Hybrid

Honda has released some information and pictures of the concept car that will become the 2010 Honda Insight hybrid. The Honda Insight hybrid concept car will debut at the 2008 Paris auto show in October. Going on sale next spring in the U.S., the production Insight hybrid will be a 5-door, 5-passenger hatchback whose design will probably not stray much from the images you see here.
Honda says that the new Insight hybrid will be smaller than a Honda Civic, which means that it should be a half-size smaller than the Toyota Prius hybrid as well. Word on the street is putting the 2010 Honda Insight hybrid fuel economy as high as 60 miles per gallon.

Policewomen

Yes Roadster 3.2