First Drive: 2008 Ford Focus Coupe-Cabriolet - Previews

Nothing turns heads like a sexy convertible wearing Pininfarina badges on its flanks. The Italian design firm is world famous for creating pulse-quickening exotic cars such as the Ferrari 599GTB Fiorano and Maserati GranTurismo. However, the Pininfarina-badged droptop we recently took for a spin proudly wears a blue oval in the center of its grille. The Ford Focus coupe-cabriolet is designed and built by Pininfarina at its factory in Turin, Italy, at a rate of roughly 20,000 per year.

It might not have a prancing horse or trident on its hood, but the Focus is hardly a shrinking violet when it comes to drawing attention. As we drove through posh Parisian neighborhoods—where any other Ford would be considered so déclassé—the coupe-cabriolet got plenty of admiring glances.

The front end is filled with four large grilles, a pair of fog lights, and just the right amount of chrome to be tasteful but not tarty. A bold crease flows up from the headlights and hood before working its way to the C-pillar and over the trunk. Aggressive wheel-arch blisters add visual muscle without making the car look steroidal.

Our only serious issue is with the large rear overhang, made necessary by the two-piece retractable hardtop. However, we were determined to put that top to use, even if cold autumn weather meant we had to crank up the heated seats and wear goofy woolen caps. With a simple push of a button, the top slides into the trunk in a magic act that takes less than 30 seconds—quick enough to impress people at a red light.

First Drive: 2008 Ford Focus Coupe-Cabriolet - Previews

Nothing turns heads like a sexy convertible wearing Pininfarina badges on its flanks. The Italian design firm is world famous for creating pulse-quickening exotic cars such as the Ferrari 599GTB Fiorano and Maserati GranTurismo. However, the Pininfarina-badged droptop we recently took for a spin proudly wears a blue oval in the center of its grille. The Ford Focus coupe-cabriolet is designed and built by Pininfarina at its factory in Turin, Italy, at a rate of roughly 20,000 per year.

It might not have a prancing horse or trident on its hood, but the Focus is hardly a shrinking violet when it comes to drawing attention. As we drove through posh Parisian neighborhoods—where any other Ford would be considered so déclassé—the coupe-cabriolet got plenty of admiring glances.

The front end is filled with four large grilles, a pair of fog lights, and just the right amount of chrome to be tasteful but not tarty. A bold crease flows up from the headlights and hood before working its way to the C-pillar and over the trunk. Aggressive wheel-arch blisters add visual muscle without making the car look steroidal.

Our only serious issue is with the large rear overhang, made necessary by the two-piece retractable hardtop. However, we were determined to put that top to use, even if cold autumn weather meant we had to crank up the heated seats and wear goofy woolen caps. With a simple push of a button, the top slides into the trunk in a magic act that takes less than 30 seconds—quick enough to impress people at a red light.

Small Sports Car for Nissan?

Nissan is trying to figure out if there is room in the market for an entry-level sports car that is smaller, more lightweight, and more affordable than the 350Z.

The Japanese automaker is interested in a front-wheel-drive sports car that could compete with the Mazda MX-5 Miata, Pontiac Solstice, and Saturn Sky, Nissan North America vice-president in charge of product planning and strategy Larry Dominique tells Car and Driver in an interview.

“We’re looking at it,” Dominique says of a car that would live in the $20,000 price range, and wouldn’t really be a threat to the rear-drive Z that starts at $28,600 for 2008. The 2008 Miatas base price is $21,220; the Pontiac Solstice’s is $22,400.

Such a car would appeal to the echo boomers who can’t afford a Nissan GT-R. To this demographic, $15,000-to-$22,000 vehicles will be important, he says.

Food for thought: Nissan showed the Urge concept, a small 2400-pound, rear-drive roadster with a small-displacement engine and six-speed manual transmission, at the 2006 Detroit auto show. Designer Bruce Campbell says the Urge itself is not for primetime, but the chemistry is there and the design represents the future of a smaller sports car. Nissan would fail with a conventional baby Z sports car, he says.

Although the three-passenger Urge will not make it to showrooms, production cars in the future will have elements of the concept, Dominique tells us.
No decisions have been made yet, says Tom Lane, corporate vice-president in charge of product planning and strategy for the parent company, Nissan Motor Corporation, as feasibility studies continue. “How big is the market, really?” he asks. “I’m not sure if there is room.”

Another alternative is to make the next 350Z more efficient and lighter, Lane says of the sports car that came out in 2003 and is due for replacement next year.

BMW to Offer Factory Performance Parts

The after-market BMW parts market is filled with manufacturers claiming their equipment can squeeze more performance out of the cars then BMW can. Well, now BMW will be selling its own factory performance parts. All of the parts meet the same quality regulations as standard parts. Best of all, the upgraded equipment won't effect the original car's warranty.

Currently, there are only parts available for the Z4 and 3-series. Most of the good stuff is only for the last generation 3. But oh, how good it is. A performance exhaust claims to give five additional horsepower and lower weight by 8.8 pounds. A performance engine kit for the 330 adds ten horsepower and 8 lb-ft of torque. Other available pieces include a shift kit, suspension pieces, drilled brake rotors, air intake, and new wheels.

There are surely many BMW fanatics who will empty their wallets for these goodies, but are these parts worth the premium BMW will surely charge over similar equipment from other companies? Sure, if you want to keep your warranty. But since most of the modified cars will already be out of warranty, it will come down to how much customers love BMW. For lots of people out there, that's quite a bit.

2009 Hyundai Sonata - Auto Shows

For 2008, Hyundai has launched a mid-cycle refresh for the Sonata in Korea, where it is known as the Sonata Transform.
The rest of the world must wait until the 2009 model year to incorporate the changes. The U.S.-spec Sonata will bow in February at the 2008 Chicago auto show.

The Korean Transform receives minor visual upgrades—the design team says it didn’t want to mess with a design it considers to be successful. The bumper, the grille, and the headlights have been sharpened to help give the car a more edgy image. The Korean face lift also brings new alloy-wheel options.

The transformation continues inside, where almost all the interior plastics have been upgraded. A new center console, dashboard, and door panels are intended to project a more luxurious image than the current pieces. The sedan also gets dual-zone climate control, an auxiliary input jack for music players, and an ionization system that’s supposed to prevent mold growth. If that’s really a concern, we’re all for ionizing whatever we can.
Mechanical changes make up the biggest part of the refresh. A revised front subframe makes the Korean-spec Sonata safer in frontal collisions.

The car heralds Hyundai’s next-generation Theta engine family, a version of the four-cylinder world engine that was a joint venture of Hyundai, Mitsubishi, and the former DaimlerChrysler. World engines are already available in such vehicles as the Dodge Caliber and Avenger and the Chrysler Sebring.

Hyundai (it took the engineering lead on the world-engine project) introduces Theta II powerplants that deliver more horsepower and torque while maintaining or improving on their previous fuel-economy figures. The engine improvements were made possible by a variable induction system and variable valve timing on the intake and exhaust camshafts.
In total, Hyundai will offer five engine choices for the Sonata Transform, but North American options are whittled down to two.

The first is the DOHC 2.4-liter four-cylinder (Theta II) that will generate 175 horsepower and 169 pound-feet of torque, up substantially from the current 2.4-liter four-cylinder Theta in the outgoing Sonata that makes 162 horsepower and 164 pound-feet. We expect the new 2.4-liter to eventually replace the 2.7-liter V-6 in Hyundai's lineup. The other option for the U.S.-spec 2009 Sonata is the automaker's 3.3-liter first-gen Lamba V-6 that produces 239 horsepower and 228 pound-feet. Take-rate on the V-6 is expected to be about 30 percent of total U.S. sales.

Additionally, Hyundai engineers tweaked the Transform’s five-speed manual transmission for easier shifting and revised the four-speed automatic (for markets outside the U.S.) and the five-speed automatic.Hyundai will begin shipping export versions of the Sonata early in the new year.

2008 Infiniti EX35

One spouse prefers SUVs; the other craves classic sport-sedan driving delights. While satisfying both prerogatives sounds like a job for Dr. Phil, walking the perilous line between sport and utility is precisely what the Infiniti EX35 accomplishes.

Infiniti has staked out a microscopic site of unclaimed turf in the gridlocked crossover segment. Sizewise, the new EX is a low-riding BMW X3. Stylewise, it's an Infiniti G35 sedan with a bobbed tail and a hatch. Philosophically, it's a machine with the uncanny ability to maintain garage goodwill.

Mechanically, this is another shuffle of the Nissan/Infiniti FM-platform components deck. Take a front suspension from the G, bolt on a rear suspension from the FX, stir in a fourth-generation 3.5-liter V-6, and add a smart five-speed manu-matic. Keep the curb weight below two tons, whip the energy supply toward 300 hp, and avoid the severe FX suspension settings that intimidate the weak of spirit. Season liberally with electronic goodies for the gadget-afflicted.

Tidy dimensions keep the EX35 from being the jack of all SUV skills. There is no macho off-road pretense.

The back seat is roomy enough for two, although adult-size shoes must be twisted to clear the narrow door openings. While power-folding rear seats make the most of the cargo hold, the 16.8 cubic feet available (with all seats in use) falls short of a sprawling family's needs. This is an SUV for two camps: those wishing to curb a supersize habit and car folks dipping a toe in crossover waters.

Utility sacrifices are well-rewarded. The EX's speed-sensitive steering maintains a truthful dialogue with the road, especially when the optional all-wheel drive is eschewed. Thanks to a reasonably low center of gravity, firm dampers, and ample roll resistance, the body never flops like a fish out of water. The automatic transmission offers well-spaced ratios, crisp shifts, an authoritative sport mode, and rev matching on downshifts. The engine loves every unbridled run to its 7500-rpm redline.

Driving the optional eighteen-inch, V-rated Dunlop SP Sport tires throuFour interior hues are available with black-lacquered plastic and textured aluminum or real maple trim. The optional navigation system includes a 9.3-gigabyte hard drive for music storage. An eleven-speaker Bose sound system offers iPod connectivity via a USB port. Two innovations are an Around View Monitor that mixes four video-camera feeds into one bird's-eye look at your immediate surroundings and a Lane Departure Prevention system that nudges the brakes to curtail unintended lane changes.

2008 Audi A3 Cabriolet

In February of 2008, Audi will begin selling a convertible version of its A3 hatchback - in Germany. Don't expect to see an A3 Cabriolet in U.S. showrooms, at least not any time soon.
The new droptop is based on another A3 we don't get to enjoy here - the three-door hatch. Open-air A3s receive updated front- and rear-end treatments, including unique headlights and taillights. Expect these visual enhancements to make their way to the rest of the A3 lineup around the middle of 2008.

Unlike Volkswagen's small convertible offering - the Eos - Audi has chosen to go with a soft top to save weight and preserve space for four people inside, while maintaining a fastback coupe-like profile. The wider VW has a longer rear deck to accommodate its folding hard top.

In Europe, as always, engine choices are plentiful. A3 Cabriolet buyers will be able to choose from four different direct-injected, turbocharged four-cylinder engines. Gasoline options include a 1.8- or 2.0-liter TFSI, while 1.9- and 2.0-liter TDI engines will satisfy torque lovers. All engines get either a five- or six-speed manual as standard, with Audi's S tronic dual-clutch gearbox available on all but the smaller diesel.

The choices continue with the roof, which can be had as either semiautomatic or fully automatic with thermal and sound insulation. Both will fold and stow in nine seconds and feature a standard heated glass rear window.

We're disappointed that this new A3 model won't be coming here, because it looks like the VW Cabrio successor that the strangely proportioned Eos should have been.

2009 Lincoln MKS - Auto Shows

If you’ve been waiting for the all-new 2009 MKS with quiet patience, then the new Lincoln flagship is for you. This is a car all about refined luxury for the responsible types who want a little pampering and a little power—but it must be guilt-free.

For these ethical buyers, the MKS will debut with Ford’s new 3.7-liter V-6 under the hood and add a direct-injection turbocharged V-6 for 2010 to provide the power of a V-8 with the efficiency of a six. No storming the ramparts with nostril-flaring V-8s to sully the face of Lincoln. Responsible, remember?

Lincoln uses the 2007 L.A. auto show to break cover on the production MKS—we saw the MKS concept at the 2006 New York auto show (with a V-8, we might add).
Ford will start building the full-size luxury sedan at its Chicago plant next summer. Volume should be in the 40,000 range annually, with a starting price below $38,000. Orders are now being accepted.

On the style spectrum, the MKS lands between the Lincoln MKZ (formerly the Zephyr) and the sexy MKR concept that kept bringing us back to the Lincoln stand at the Detroit show in January to double-check that it was really wearing a Lincoln badge.
The look of the MKS—yes, we know the naming strategy is confusing, and we hope we don’t make a typo—is not excessive or ostentatious. That is by design, says Peter Horbury, executive director of design for the Americas, and he says it is in keeping with modern customers’ luxury demands.

But he says he also made a conscious attempt to resurrect cues from Lincolns of the past, without going retro.
The production MKS does not undergo much change from the concept, with one key exception: the front grille. Whereas the concept had a single grille similar to the one on the MKZ, the production model now sports a double-wing grille with a Lincoln badge nestled in the split. It is reminiscent of a 1941 Continental’s and the MKR concept’s, whose approval rating likely influenced the change.

“At the 11th hour, we changed the front,” Horbury tells us. “It’s the new face of Lincoln,” he says, noting it is always controversial when you change a front, as you can put brand identity at risk. We politely suggest the Lincoln identity can stand the upgrade.
The car is marked by clean, simple side lines and what someone described as “Volvo shoulders,” meaning more muscular and confident, but stopping short of being a bully. We see it, kinda. But we also don’t see a whole lot of risk taking in the body.

The interior continues the clean and simple theme to create a business-class experience, including premium leathers and wood trims, and class-leading room for passengers and cargo. The first prototype we saw had a classy two-tone black-and-cream color scheme, but the luxo sedan’s cabin will also be offered in black or light beige with gray. Fit and finish issues have been largely designed out; a piece of wood trim overlays the lid of the instrument panel where it meets the glove box, for example.

2008 Cadillac CTS - 10Best Cars

This second-gen CTS conclusively fulfills General Motors’ goal of turning Cadillac into a world-class luxury competitor. It does so by building on the strengths of the first CTS, while addressing its shortcomings. From the outside, you’ll still recognize Cadillac’s sharp-edged, wedgy styling, but the new version has a more muscular stance, greater detail refinement, and eye-grabbing features such as the enlarged grille and the front fender vents. Inside, the black plastic has been replaced by luxurious appointments that look and feel as upmarket as anything in the segment.

The Sigma platform and its all-independent suspension benefit from six years of development to deliver an excellent combination of handling, ride, and fine responsiveness. Motivation comes from GM’s 3.6-liter twin-cam 24-valve V-6, which is available in port-injected 263 horsepower and a new, 304-hp direct-injection version. Either can be coupled to a six-speed manual or a refined six-speed automatic with manual override.

The result is a ride that is easy on the eyes, comfortable on your backside, exciting to drive, and competitive with the best from Europe.

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear- or 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

BASE PRICE: $32,990

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 24-valve 3.6-liter V-6Power (SAE net): 263–304 bhpTorque (SAE net): 253–273 lb-ft

TRANSMISSIONS: 6-speed auto with manumatic shifting, 6-speed manual

DIMENSIONS:Wheelbase: 113.4 inLength: 191.6 inWidth: 72.5 inHeight: 58.0 inCurb weight: 3900–4050 lb

FUEL ECONOMY:EPA city driving: 17–18 mpg

2008 Chevrolet Malibu - 10Best Cars

Back in the ’60s, Chevy Malibus were as affordable as they are today, but they were often found in the driveways of lavish homes. That’s because they were seen as competent, practical, and stylish. For the first time in decades, you can again say the same things about a new Malibu.

This 2008 version has clean and elegant lines that stand out among family sedans that look dead boring or make do with contrived visual details. Inside, the Malibu is equally captivating, with clean instruments and logical controls embedded in a panoramically sweeping dashboard. There’s plenty of space for people and their stuff in this Malibu, which also has the versatility of a split-folding rear seat.

Under the hood comes the choice of a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine—one that’s quieter than the excellent four-cylinder in the Honda Accord—or a twin-cam, 24-valve V-6 with 252 horsepower. The Malibu’s chassis delivers an agreeable ride, responsive handling, and a degree of control feel that satisfied us on Hogback Road.
It all adds up to a Malibu that is, once again, a smart purchase for anyone seeking a fine mid-size sedan.

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

BASE PRICE: $19,995–$26,995

ENGINES: DOHC 16-valve 2.4-liter inline-4, 169 hp, 160 lb-ft; DOHC 24-valve 3.6-liter V-6, 252 hp, 251 lb-ft

TRANSMISSIONS: 4-speed auto, 6-speed auto with manumatic shifting

DIMENSIONS:Wheelbase: 112.3 inLength: 191.8 inWidth: 70.3 inHeight: 57.1 inCurb weight: 3400–3650 lb

FUEL ECONOMY:EPA city driving: 17–22 mpg

2007 Nissan Altima - Auto Shows

Built on a new platform, the ’07 Altima boasts increased structural rigidity and a wheelbase that’s one inch shorter. Nissan estimates that the 3.5-liter V-6 will have over 265 horsepower and 255 pound-feet of torque and that the base 2.5-liter inline-four will have over 165 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque.

Each engine comes standard with a six-speed manual, and the automatic is now a CVT. Nissan also improved the Altima’s less than stellar interior. Prices should range from about $18,000 to $30,000 when the Altima goes on sale this fall. A hybrid model will follow about a year later

Tokyo Motor Show 2007: Subaru EXIGA Concept best 7

Subaru has been promising a seven seater for years, but have yet to deliver one to their own home market as the Tribeca isn’t sold this side of Pacific. A couple of years ago it was leaning towards a minivan-style MPV, but for this year’s show they have chosen to throw a couple of seats in the back of Japan’s best selling station wagon, the Legacy, to make the EXIGA Concept.

The designers had a lot of fun inside and out. Enjoy the pics in the gallery below.

Hyundai Genesis Revealed in Korea

Today Hyundai has revealed the brand new rear-wheel-drive luxury sports sedan at a Korean media test drive preview. Yesterday the Koreans were still very secretive about the looks of their new flagship model, but today we have images of the car in its entirety.

As mentioned yesterday, the Hyundai Genesis will be powered by the new Tau V8 engine producing 375 horsepower coupled with a six-speed automatic, base models will feature either a 3.3 liter or 3.8 liter Lambda V6.

The Genesis emblem will only be featured on the Korean and Chinese market models and will not make it to the North American market. Resulting in speculations that Genesis may become a sub-brand of Hyundai just like Lexus (subsidiary of Toyota) and Infiniti (subsidiary of Nissan). Only time will tell.

More Mercedes SLC Prototype Spied

Mercedes and AMG are still hard at work in Europe and the USA on the successor of the legendary 300 SL from the fifties and sixties. Codenamed the W197, this might just be the hottest project for the coming years and is scheduled to make its first appearance in 2010.

There is not much we can tell you besides the fact that every detail is sketchy at best, but the car is being developed by AMG and should be built in the Mercedes Sindelfingen plant in Germany at a rate of 3,000 to 5,000 units annually.

The 2 seater will probably be powered by a 620 hp V8, be a few centimeters shorter than the future SL, have a tubular frame like the ’50s Gullwing 300 SL and have rear-wheel-drive. Expect a hefty price tag of somewhere between 150,00