The Honda Crosstour will be available with a new 4-cylinder engine and two trim levels next month. It will be cheaper than it’s V6 predecessor and also more economical – the mpg has gone up with 3 and 2 points (EPA) respectively for urban and extra urban driving.
In terms of design, the Crosstour is a warehouse on 17′ wheels, wrapped around in a curvy, slippery body. Two new paint finishes, with matching door handles, will be available for these newcomers – Twilight Blue Metallic and Basque Red Pearl II. Inside, at the back there is an under-floor compartment which adds to the practicality and reversible cargo floor panels that can be used for transporting dirty items.
In the cabin, equipment is abundant. The Crosstour EX, which is the lower trim line, gets as standard auto-on/off headlights, USB audio interface and an electrochroming rearview mirror as well as back-up camera display with integrated guidelines. The list goes on as we get also projector-beam headlights, a moonroof, body-colored defrosting electric side mirrors, electronic front-door windows and air conditioning with second-row ventilation. Multimedia indulgences include a 360-watt AM/FM 6-disc audio system with seven speakers and a steering wheel with controls on it for the cruise, audio and phone systems. The EX-L (the higher trim line) gets all of that plus a leather interior, heated front seats, setting memory storage for the driver’s seat and side view mirrors’ position, dual-zone automatic climate control and an even better audio system with Kevlar® cone speakers and front aluminum dome-type tweeter speakers. Also available on the Crosstour EX-L is the Honda Satellite-linked Navigation System.
The power necessary to move all that technology around, comes from a 2.4 16-valve DOHC i-VTEC® engine that delivers 192 horsepower at 7,000 RPM and 162 lb-ft. of torque at 4,400 RPM. This is quite respectable considering the fact that the combined fuel economy stands at the affordable 24 mpg (EPA). One way to achieve such efficiency is to fit a clever 5-speed automatic gearbox with Grade Logic Control as standard to all trim lines. And that is just what Honda have done.
Safety has been addressed thanks to the Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure that the Crosstour gets. The key is in the shell’s functional design which aids occupant protection and offers increased crash tolerance in frontal collisions. Other safety features on the Crosstour include Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®), anti-lock brakes with electronic brake distribution and brake assist, side curtain airbags with a rollover sensor, driver’s and front passenger’s side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS), dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags, and active front seat head restraints.
The 2012 Honda Crosstour comes with a 3-year/36,000-mile new-car limited warranty, a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain limited warranty, and a 5-year/unlimited-mile corrosion limited warranty.
Source: Honda
This Mini One R50 undeniably could win innumerable cups thank to its unique design. The latter is made by the talented creatives from JM Cardesign. The company from Bergheim is responsible for turning the mini from a serial car to a motorsport look show car. Moreover it has huge range of modifications and detail improvements!
First of all in the fascia of the MINI JM Cardesign integrated with the characteristic air inlet motor hood (which is usual for its big compressor brother Cooper S and its side indicator lights, including the red “S”). Furthermore a very special upgrade was made on the doors: with the LSD hinges installed by JM Cardesign, they now open upwards. In addition the company included as wee racing style side sills which are located below. Above the tail windscreen, there is a carbon tail wing of the series spear tip “John Cooper Works”. And as you can see, the car looks very similarly to a racing car form the mini cup. This effect is due to the many decals which were applied to the body.
Unfortunately, if you expect that with this car you can participate in racing competitions, well – you will be disappointed. This car is a show vehicle rather than a racing one. This means that the 1.6 litre four-cylinder motor was not changed, and still has an output of 90 HP (66 kW). However with its special exhaust system from the cat, the small motor will pretend successfully that it had at least twice its actual output.
Another detail which probably reminds you for the racetrack is the white-painted CR Kai light metal wheel rims from Work Wheels. The Bergheim tuner combined the 7.5×18-inch racing look one-part wheel rims with Dunlop rubbers in 215/35ZR18. And if you wonder whether there’s something improved behind the wheels, this time you will be content to hear that there are perforated Brembo braking discs that look decorative while also enhancing the deceleration performance. And the perfect road adhesion of the mini, was achieved by installing an H&R threaded chassis. Between the two front strut towers, a red Wiechers bar was installed to improve stiffness.
The interior of the One is also made in racing style. For instance there are two Recaro pole position shell seats, which are placed in the white Wiechers roll cage, securing passengers with 3.5 inch wide Schroth-4-point belts. To match the car body great parts of the dashboard cover were painted in the car’s colour and decorated with decals. In the current modification of the MINI the back seat was removed, and an original mini cup racing tank is placed behind the back of the roll cage. In addition, the mini was given a basic multimedia system in the form of a Clarion-Head unit with Flip-Monitor and connected reversing camera.
Source: JM CarDesign
We have seen this year some incredible tunings which have left a big impression in our mind. However, some of the greatest tunings were made on … the tiniest car segment. In this top 5 are presented some of the most remarkable tunings made on small cars such as Smart for two and Volkswagen Beetle. The selection is based on the overall outlook of the car, i.e. the tuned exterior, the improvements made to enhance its performance, and of course – on the interior.
Number five in our chart is for this incredible tuning of the Smart ForTwo electric vehicle. The car was transformed into a disco ball and it draws the immediate attention and admiration of the viewer. The show car is completely covered in reflective glass tiles from the roof to the tires. Of course the tuning wasn’t made purposeless, but the Smart was used in the art film Pixel City. The whole idea came from the experimental band Apparatjik. We should admit that it sounds and looks more than interesting. However, there was no tuning concerning the interior or the power of the car. For this reason we award this cute little fellow with the last place.
| Exterior: | [rating:6/6] |
| Interior: | [rating:1/6] |
| Performance: | [rating:1/6] |
This place goes for ABT’s Beetle. The power of this car is boosted up to 240PS (176 kW). And the styling package consists of a new front bumper, a rear diffuser with oval exhaust pipes and a pair of side skirts. In addition there are also headlight brows and some nice graphics.
There’s nothing done in the interior and for this reason the tuning gets the number 4 in the chart.
| Exterior: | [rating:4/6] |
| Interior: | [rating:2/6] |
| Performance: | [rating:4/6] |
VILNER SMART FOTTWO SQUARE STYLE
Here we have another Smart ForTwo. However this version of the car was completely transformed both inside and outside by the Vilner Tuning Company. Vilner used orange foil with patterns of stitching for the exterior with full chrome panles and orange soft for the alloy wheels, mirrors and other details. The interior boasts new two-tone leather upholstery, new trim for the dashboard, roof and door panels. In addition ForTwo also received special floor mats. Having all this in mind, undeniably the Vilner Smart ForTwo is a real eye-catcher!
| Exterior: | [rating:5/6] |
| Interior: | [rating:6/6] |
| Performance: | [rating:1/6] |
ROMEO FERRARIS CINQUONE STRADALE
The second place goes to the version of Romeo Ferraris Abarth 500 Cinquone Stradale race car. The small vehicle has the same exterior as the race car, which includes an aerodynamics package consisting of new bonnet with two air scoops for engine cooling, new front bumper with a big central air intake, integrated wide body fenders and skirts and finally a new rear bumper with central exhaust tips. The power is enhanced up to 300PS (220 kW), which is just 60PS (44 kW) less than the race car. The interior boosts are a complete roll bar, and a lot of carbon fiber as well as carbon race seats with OMP 4-point seatbelts.
| Exterior: | [rating:3/6] |
| Interior: | [rating:4/6] |
| Performance: | [rating:6/6] |
This astonishing and at the same time extremely different conversion of Mini Cooper Works was made by CoverEFX, the well known Germany-based tuner. The upgrades here are in both performance and styling. At first sight this adorable Mini Cooper Works immediately draws the attention. The exterior here consists of fully foil-finished body in black leather style. Moreover, as you can see, there are added thousands of hand glued small gold elements. The “Mini” is backed by sleek 17-inch OZ LM Wave lightweight alloys in the same black/gold style fitted with Toyo R888 84W tires in the dimensions 205/40 R17. The tuners have also modified the performance of the car which boosts the power to to 252 horsepower and 382 Nm
In the terms of power, CoverEFX is offering two stages of performance boosting for the MINI Cooper Works: Stage 1 features an ECU remap to 252 horsepower (185 kW) and 350 Nm (258 lb-ft.). In addition there is mounted a 2.5-inch exhaust unit with Milltek downpipe, sports catalyst and extra large sports air filter.
Unfortunately there is nothing done to improve the interior. Nonetheless the CoverEFX MINI stands out as a true masterpiece, with own individuality and impact, and this is the reason it wins the first place in our chart.
Stay tuned for next weeks 2011 TOP 10 Tunings!
| Exterior: | [rating:6/6] |
| Interior: | [rating:3/6] |
| Performance: | [rating:5/6] |
Exciting news from the Jeep® brand! It would like to send one lucky person home from the “2012 Winter X Games 16” with a new 2012 Jeep Wrangler Arctic edition! The brand kicked off the “Jeep Arctic Yeti Dig” sweepstakes on the Jeep Facebook page, Twitter and blog sites. The details are that six sweepstakes participants will be randomly selected to attend the Winter X games and on 27th of January. They will dig in a giant pile of snow to find the “Jeep Yeti.” The first to find it will win an all-new Jeep Wrangler Arctic. The perfect present, isn’t it? The sweepstakes runs through 3d of January!
The new 2012 Jeep Wrangler Arctic edition is the perfect vehicle in extreme winter conditions! Moreover the new Wrangler Arctic edition features a unique winter-themed exterior and interior design. And if you want to have this awesome winter vehicle, then you can do it without spending any money and a little bit of luck. Don’t procrastinate too long and participate in the ‘Jeep Arctic Yeti Dig’ at the ‘2012 Winter X Games 16’, then you might have one Wrangler Arctic of your own!
The new 2012 Jeep Wrangler Arctic is based on the Wrangler Sahara model. However the Arctic’s winter theme is immediately recognizable. There are several available models: Winter Chill, Bright Silver and Bright White. Furthermore the exterior features include a body-color hardtop and fender flares, “Arctic” badges on the front fenders, a “Yeti Footprint” decal over part of the driver’s side fender and hood, black hood decal and Mopar® black fuel filler door and tail lamp guards. Jeep Wrangler Arctic also offers an aggressive Wrangler Rubicon tire and wheel package. It includes the unique semi-gloss black 17-inch wheels shod with 32-inch tires. The interior of the vehicle consists of seats made from black Tectonic fabric with Polar White accents and orange accent stitching. In addition the front seats are heated and feature an “Arctic” logo in the seat back. Accent stitching can also be found on the steering wheel, arm rest and console lid. Door trim and nets are accented in orange, and all grab handles and dashboard vent rings are finished in Polar White trim. At last Mopar tread pattern slush mats with white “Jeep” lettering complete the final look of the Wrangler Arctic package.
Source: Jeep
The car-tuning manufacturer JE DESIGN is offering all Audi Q7 S-Line models of the Facelift generation an astonishing enhancement in exclusivity with a multipart bodywork kit and 22-inch alloy wheels. Thus the result is that is being provided more individuality and more prestige!
The JE DESIGN bodywork kit includes door trims and aligns harmoniously with the Audi Q7’s contours and more importantly – enhances the SUV’s design. The high-class wheel arches were glued to the bodywork. Therefore the vehicle is now widened by 30 millimeters per side at the front and 40 millimeters per side at the rear. The sporty look of the Audi Q7 S-Line comes as a result of the fender extensions on the rear axle with their vent holes. Additionally there are included front-spoiler corners, a PDC-suitable (Park Distance Control) rear-apron extension, and two JE DESIGN double-tailpipe covers, all of which are fashioned from highly polished stainless steel in an attractive diamond-shape design. Moreover there is a dynamic roof wing with side covers above the C pillars. It adds more emphasis to the sporty look of the JE DESIGN “Widebody”. And if you are interested of purchasing the complete styling package, including tailpipe covers, it is available directly from the tuning manufacturer with a starting price of 7,438 euros.
To make it more appealing, the designers made the wheel arches beneath the broad fenders filled out by single-part 10 x 22 inch SUV Select alloy wheel rims. To make it even more individual, the five-spoke design wheels are available in three different color schemes: matte-black, front silver matte / shadow silver, front polished / graphite matte, polished lip, and are fitted 295/30R22 tires. On the other hand there is also another option: the new JE DESIGN complete wheel set SCORPIO which is available in 10 x 22 inches. The set offers a completely new interpretation of the popular double-spoke design and is also available in the size 9 x 20 inches in matte-black with polished-silver rim flange. For both 22-inch complete wheel sets (which are available from 5,190 euros) JE DESIGN installs 30-millimeter-thick (front) and 40-millimeter-thick (rear) wheel spacers (409 euros) under the expansive wheel-arch extensions of the widebody kit. Furthermore the wheels can be made with a lowered suspension which will cost the additional 1,428 euros. To be more precise, an electronic adjustment of the Audi “adaptive air suspension” lowers the chassis by around 35 millimeters. It is of course still present the functionality of the smooth-adjustment damping system with its five different damping modes (“automatic, “comfort”, “dynamic”, “lift”, and “offroad”).
Additional enhancements are made in terms of performance. For example, the Q7 4.2 TDI tiptronic’s 250 kW (340 PS) standard series power is increased to up to 302 kW (410 PS). This is possible thanks to optimized programming of the control electronics, which this also increase the maximum torque to 895 NM (660 lb-ft). Hence, with its new power, the SUV accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in only 6.1 seconds! In addition for only 1,499 euros you can get the JE DESIGN new control-system software. For this price you will get one-year guarantee for the engine, turbocharger, transmission, and drive train, which can be extended by a further year for just 199 euros. However this is possible only if the Audi Q7 is not older than two years and has less than 100,000 kilometers on the clock.
The high-quality JE DESIGN accessories have received many awards in international specialist publications, are supplied with TÜV certificates, and can be entered easily into the vehicle documents. Following the performance enhancement, the Audi Q7 4.2 TDI meets statutory emissions requirements, ruling out any difficulties in the emissions test.
Source: Je DESIGN
Today we have very special and „ecological“ news from one of the most famous luxury brands. Mercedes-Benz launches hybrid offensive, starting with a world’s most economical luxury-class model. Mercedes-Benz is beginning a new chapter in its brand’s core segment, while at the same time making new standards for luxury-class business vehicles. Firstly, there is the E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID, which will be available as a Saloon and Estate. More importantly it impresses with new record values concerning the efficiency. Its consumption levels are 4.2 l/100 km, thank to the impressive performance of the 4-cylinder diesel engine. The engine has 150 kW (204 hp) and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft). In addition it works along with an electric motor producing 20 kW and 250 Nm. Hence this results in a coherent overall concept: the E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID – the most economical luxury-class vehicle in the world!
On the other hand the V6-cylinder petrol engine in the E 400 HYBRID produces 225 kW (306 hp) and 370 Nm (273 lb-ft). Additionally it is enhanced by a further 20 kW and 250 Nm from the electric motor. The consumption figures based on the American CAFE standard are: City 24 mpg, Highway 31 mpg, Combined 27 mpg.
As usual and having in mind that the new vehicles are Mercedes-Benz brand, they offer great comfort for both passengers and driver. There is enough space in terms of the interior or luggage compartment. Moreover there are additional benefits to the intelligent modular hybrid concept, which represents a comprehensive enhancement of the Mercedes-Benz S 400 HYBRID. It has advanced to the position of clear market leader since 2009. In this hybrid model no changes to the vehicle body are required, and the hybrid module is both flexible and modular. Hence, this allows its use in other model series, and in addition to diesel and petrol variants there will also be right-hand drive variants.
The new hybrid models debut at the Detroit Motor Show, which will take place between 14th and 22d of January 2012. Their appearance on the market will be over the course of the year. An important detail here is that the E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID is initially planned to be launched on the European market, while the E 400 HYBRID will be made available on the American market first, followed by other countries such as Japan and China later.
E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID at a glance:
E 400 HYBRID at a glance:
Source: Mercedes-Benz
Audi A1 Quattro will be released in limited series of just 333 examples worldwide. The special edition premium subcompact car comes with superb equipment, brutal turbocharged petrol engine, and exclusive exterior and interior.
The A1 Quattro is powered by a directly injected, turbocharged 2.0 litre four-cylinder petrol engine with 265PS (195 kW) at 6000RPM and 350Nm (258 lb-ft) of torque from just 2500RPM. With such power, the performance is exceptional – 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 245 km/h (152 mph). Furthermore, the small sports car returns up to 33.2mpg (combined cycle). The engine is mated to a quick-shifting 6-speed manual transmission.
The electronic stability program (ESP) also includes a sport mode which sets a higher threshold for intervention, and can be switched off entirely for track use.
The chassis of the Audi A1 quattro has been adapted to suit the dynamics of the drivetrain, and the multi-plate clutch has also been positioned on the rear axle in the interest of optimum weight distribution.
The exterior is finished in Glacier White metallic with a high-gloss black roof. It also boasts 18” turbine alloy wheels, redesigned bumpers, grille, red painted ‘wings’ within the headlights, a large two-colour rear spoiler and two 100 mm polished exhaust tailpipes.
A1 Quattro also has tinted LED rear lights, tinted rear windows and a contrasting black colouring for the rear hatch and rear diffuser.
The interior features black Silk Nappa leather with contrasting red stitching. There are also multi-adjustable front S sport seats, integrated head restraints and Quattro logos on their backrests.
Among the standard equipment you’ll find Xenon plus headlights, high-beam assistant, adaptive brake lights, an LED interior lighting package, light and rain sensors, the acoustic rear parking system, automatic air conditioning, a storage package, the convenience key and cruise control.
The options list includes exceptional Infotainment kit with a CD changer, DAB digital radio, Audi Music Interface, hard disk-based MMI NAV plus, a 465 Watt 14-speaker Bose sound system with illuminated woofers in the doors and Mobile Phone Preparation High with Online Services.
The Audi A1 Quattro will be available in Europe in the second half of 2012.
Source: Audi
The latest version of Subaru Forester has been named “Junior Crossover of the Year“ by the famous -roading magazine – Total 4×4. In other words, this is the perfect vehicle for going to a picnic with your family. It offers a good combination of quality, practical usability, value and driving fun.
2011 Forester competes against Toyota Urban Cruiser, Suzuki SX4 and Skoda Octavia Scout. The Forester has a Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive configuration and good fuel efficient petrol and diesel power units.
The engine range includes a 2.0-litre Boxer diesel and a 2.0 liter Boxer petrol. The diesel has 150PS (110 kW) and 350Nm (258 lb-ft). It returns up to 47.9 mpg on combined cycle and the performance is not very bad – 0 to 100 km/h in 10.4 seconds and a top speed of 186 km/h (116 mph). The petrol variant also has 150PS (110 kW), but only 196Nm (145 lb-ft). It returns 30 mpg on combined cycle. From 0 to 100 km/h in 11.9 seconds and a top speed of 190 km/h (119 mph).
There are three trim levels – X, XC and XS. 2011 Forester 2.0X is priced at just £21 370 and the price goes all the way up to £29 070 for the range-topping 2.0D XS NavPlus.
Source: Subaru
Renault UK has made its first sale of the Kangoo Van Z.E at the Milton Keynes dealership “Marshall Renault”. Patrick Chard, Managing Director of Murrays the Printers, based in Alston Drive, Milton Keynes, was the lucky customer in question. He has bought the fully electric van for commercial purposes and is enthusiastic about putting it to work:
“It is fantastic, very exciting to be first. We made a conscious decision a couple of years ago to be as green as possible, from vehicles to printing presses and with everything we buy. The Kangoo Van Z.E. is the first electric van to market from a manufacturer and it ticks every box for us. It is great for our customers too, as they are also concerned about the environment. We can now deliver locally with zero emissions and make considerable savings on fuel costs over a period of time.” said Patrick Chard
The purchase itself was a small event complete with champagne and gifts to mark the first ever sale in the UK of the award-winning van. Ian Plummer, Director of Commercial Operations Renault UK also attended the handing over of the keys and was happy to note that Renault is now on its way to fulfilling its environmental commitment. Presumably this sale will be a first of many as several other companies are now interested in generating a fleet of Z.E. Vans. There are currently 20 more showrooms who hope to strike similar deals as they too have invested in showcasing the Z.E.
The Kangoo Van Z.E. prices start at 16 900 GBP (VAT not included) and a monthly battery hire from 60 GBP (6,000 miles per year, over three years). Contract hire is also available from 424 GBP per month over three years. Both include a five-year powertrain guarantee, three years roadside assistance and a three year or 100,000 mile warranty. On average, the range of the Kangoo is around 106 miles on a single charge but that can drop to 50 miles or go as high as 125 miles depending on certain conditions. It is estimated however, that a single charge costs at around 3 GPB which are added to your electrical bill (naturally at night the charging is cheaper).
Source: Renault
Restorers of all time classics will be happy to know that yet another, officially licensed, Ford Mustang body is now available to order. The new shell is the ’67 Mustang convertible which adds to an already available array of bodies for the ’65 convertible, the ’67 fastback and the ’69 fastback.
Dennis Mondrach, Ford Restoration Parts licensing manager is adamant that a proposed body for restoration purposes should be rigorously checked if it falls into the standards of the original. Dynacorn International have passed that check effortlessly and have even improved on the standards. “The new ’67 convertible body shell gives restorers a super-solid foundation on which to build their dream pony car.” said Mondrach. According to Jim Christina, Dynacorn principle manager, the panels of the body are made from a modern high-grade virgin steel that is thicker than the original. For further rigidity, newly developed welding methods are applied when assembling the body panels. Several tweaks on known stress areas are also done all in the name of body strength.
The number of genuine, 40 years old spare parts has dropped significantly as the value of classic Mustangs is on the rise. Today fresh, ambitious restorers are highly unlikely to come across a fully usable, original body which they can restore. The process alone is expensive and time consuming. And now thanks to companies like Dynacorn, people wont have to waste resources on this tedious scavenging hunt bur rather order a new body, rust free and fully licensed for the sum of $15,995.
Background.
The first Mustangs ever to roll out from the Ford factory were a huge success with over a million sold in the first eighteen months. For the next wave, however, Ford needed to revise its love child in order tackle the incoming rivals from GM, Chrysler and various sports cars imported from Britain. Thus the Mustang ’67 was born – the body was widened, the hood lengthened, and the engine bay grew in size to give the freedom of choosing from a wide range of engines starting at the thrifty and peppy 200-cubic-inch inline six-cylinder and ending at a thundering 390-horsepower 427 that came in the Shelby GT500. That marked the beginning of the big-block engined muscle car mania. New features also included an all-new body material, a redesigned grille, new taillights. Inside, the more luxurious interior took the Mustang enhanced its appeal. Buyers could opt for a tilt-away steering wheel, a gauge package with a built-in tachometer, brushed aluminum trim on the dash, door panels and shifter console. There was also a roof console with lights between the sun visors. and the.
The Dynacorn body has taken into account all those changes made back then and is now fully applicable no matter what engine one might chose: the 390, 427 and 428-cubic-inch all can be easily bolted in. Today more than 90 percent of the parts needed to restore a ’67 convertible are made by Ford-licensed manufacturers.
Source: Ford
So you have 30 000$ laying around and you want to buy a car? Well great! Always willing to give reasonable consumer advice, we at automobilesreview.com have compiled a list of the best cars out there that go effortlessly under that limit.
Mazda RX-8 – Starting at $26,795
It’s nice to have something exclusive just to tackle the mundane day-to-day life. So why not try the Mazda RX-8? Yes, it has been around for over 7 years now and soon it will be gone but it still is capable to put a smile on your face and also to punch you in the chest. While retaining a typical sloping profile of a two-door coupé it actually has four doors if we count the clever rear-hinged “freestyle” ones at the back. That gives you a certain degree of practicality and also something to brag about The power comes from a 1.3 but it is a rotary Wankel engine so it develops the staggering 232 units of horsepower. However, despite it’s size, this engine is quite thirsty (because of working in a completely different manner from conventional engines) for both fuel and oil. So running costs might be a problem for some.
MINI Cooper S – $23,800
This is the closest thing to a BMW you can get for that kind of money. It has a 1.6 twin scroll turbocharged engine with fully variable valve timing. So in essence you get 181 hp in a car that weighs no more than a double cheeseburger. It has perfect road manners, plenty of efficiency and a classy image deriving from an old British icon. It’s not very big though, is it?
VW Golf GTI – Starting at $23,700
This was an easy pick. Ever since the magnificent Mk.1, GTIs have always been dominant on the hot hatch market. Blistering performance, superb handling and a solid image are just a few superlatives that can describe what the capable hand German engineers has done here. Ever evolving, the Golf now makes use of a powerful 2.0 l. TSI engine coupled with either a 6-speed DSG gearbox or a 6-speed manual for diehard motoring enthusiasts. It’s hard to find anything here not to like. Focus ST fans may argue that it is a bit dreary and plain but that is as far as they would go.
Mazda MX-5 – Starting at $23,190
Another Mazda here however, unlike the RX-8, the MX does not take itself very seriously. It has a refined 2.0 l, 136 hp engine and not a million horsepower rocket thruster under the hood. Nor does it get any cunningly disguised compartments. All it does is to stay true to itself – front mid engine, rear-wheel drive, two seats and a soft top. It was originally conceived to honer the memory of the emblematic small British roadster class. Yes, most probably not the technological miracle that other cars try to be, but you’ll notice heads turning while driving around in town and that will make you happy.
Fiat 500 Abarth – Starting at $23,000
We wouldn’t miss a chance to add some Italian pesto on our petrol salad. It is another iconic supermini which changed the world of consumerism when it got out in 1957. Today, more than half a century later it is still as good to the taste as Italian wine. Abarth is a subsidiary company for Fiat that produces hardcore, lunatic, rubber burning demons. With their help this 2012 imp now has a 16-valve 1.4-liter engine that brings 160 hp. The design has managed to preserve its simplistic spirit coming from the 500’s ancestors and yet it is absolutely stunning to look at. Is it better than the MINI? We will let you decide.
Dodge Challenger R/T – Starting at $29,995
“It’s a muscle car and it is awesome!” That is at least what the kid in all of us says. In reality it is impractical, thirsty, barely a technological landmark and it handles like a rowing boat. But bare with us on that one. Imagine – you on the open road, the sun blazing down on you, haze rising from the black tarmac. What do we need to complete the picture? You guessed it, it’s a Dodge Challenger. But it’s not the power, nor are the emblematic looks you want the most. All you want to hear is the sound of a 375 hp, V8 HEMI thundering down that road with you behind the wheel. That sort of practice should actually be classified as therapy for it might be the most smile-inducing thing out there. But it is even more than that: with it you are fighting for a cause to save this dying breed of vehicles which used to be so cherished in the past.
Honda Clarity FCX – Around $22 000
So Cameron Diaz drives a hybrid and so does Leonardo DiCaprio. The list goes on for miles and it makes you think: “what is it about those cars?” Well, nowadays it has become a trend to think about the environment. 30 years ago it might have been “cool” to own the above mentioned Dodge Challenger but now Prius is the new swagger. But are you willing to play along and subdue to the the newly established norms? No, you are better than that. Go full on environmentally friendly with the Honda Clarity FCX – the car that according to Jay Leno will save the supercar just like the the car saved the horse. Put simply, the FCX will be the future of motoring when petrol starts running low. It is a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle which you just top up with compressed hydrogen and then use the oxygen from the atmosphere to create a reaction with an end result – H2O (water). The energy expelled from the reaction however powers up a 136 horsepower electric motor. This mode of energy producing eliminates the need of the dreadful battery packs used in various hybrids which are unreliable and dependent on power sockets and the weather. The Honda is efficient, clean and quite normal actually. The only problem of driving around in it is that you might flood the Earth eventually (joking really). While it is amazingly cheap to buy, obtaining one is as tricky as obtaining hydrogen itself. About 200 vehicles will be leased over the next three years, primarily in Southern California. But if you do manage to get one, you wont get more exclusive than that.
Brace yourselves! This is the latest teaser from Vorsteiner which features the 2012 Bentley Continental GT Coupe.It is said that Vorsteiner – a company with experience in modifying luxury performance vehicles – have applied a lightweight carbon fiber autoclave aerodynamic kit and some new wheels, exclusively forged for the Bentley. Other than that we can only wait for the full release on the Vorsteiner Bentley BR-10.
