Lotus is one of those rare brand success stories in which a company has been able to take itself from near extinction and redefine itself as a top sports-car manufacturer. The company came from humble beginnings in an old stable behind a set of North London Railroad tracks acting as a factory. As time moved on different subsidiaries have been formed and focused on different aspects of the business between Formula racing and road-car production.
Even when the Bugatti ownership was switched to private owner, Proton, in 1994 things were less exciting than ever. The Esprit S4 and V8 models would be the only real production models that Lotus had for the next decade. The Esprit had many great qualities to it, but in essence, it had been around since its original design in 1976.
The company was desperately in need of something to help change its image. In 2004, the Lotus Elise was approved for sale in the United States and was made available as a 2005 model. These series 2 models were compact, light, nimble, and a blast to drive through an S-curve. It turned out to be exactly the type of success that Lotus was looking for and opened the door for future new models.
Enter – Lotus Evora. The Evora is slotted right above the Elise and Exige models, and should entice a more diverse crowd than the hardcore go-kart like models.
The Ford Fusion entered the 2010 model year with two new versions added to the line-up: Hydrid and Sport. The new Fusion features new design (inside and out), improved and new technologies and new powertrains with improved fuel consumption.
The 2010 Fusion features a more aggressive front fascia with new headlamps, grille and fog lamps; the three-bar grille in particular is larger with a more modern look. The fog lamps are housed below in a trapezoidal-shaped lower opening to help complete the more-muscular look. At the rear there are new modernized taillights and decklid to help give the vehicle a more unified look from front to rear.
The hybrid version is powered by a combination of a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine that delivers 155 hp and 136 lb.-ft. of torque and a nickel-metal hydride battery. The hybrid vehicles can operate up to 47 mph in pure electric mode, approximately twice as fast as some competitors. Plus, the city driving range on a single tank of gas is expected to be more than 700 miles.
The Sport version get a 263-hp V-6 Duratec engine, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with SelectShift. It is offered as a FWD model, but AWD is also available.
The model line-u include (besides Sport and Hybrid): S, SE, SEL. The S version gets a 2.5-liter I-4 engine that delivers 175 hp; the SE and SEL get a new 3.0-liter V-6 engine that delivers 240 hp.
The German sports car maker Porsche first unveiled the Targa in 1967 featuring a removable roof panel designed in response to concerns that the tightening U.S. safety restrictions would ban convertibles. The 2009 Porsche Targa 4 remains absolutely unique and truly exceptional wit its full glass roof, both the Targa 4 and 4S are on sale with prices starting at just $92,100 and $103,100 respectively.
Under the rear deck lid Porsche has placed a 3.6 Liter flat six rated at 345 HP in the four wheel drive version and a 3.8 liter delivering a total of 385 HP in the 4S. The Targa 4 can hit a top speed of or 176 MPH, while the 4S goes up to 184 MPH. At the same time fuel consumption for the 3.6 Liter model has been improved to 26.6 MPG and the 3.8 Liter unit is now good for 25.7 MPG.
Both models are available with the new Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) double clutch gearbox with no less than seven forward gears that allows the new Targa to accelerate from 0 to 60 MPH in exactly 5.0 seconds while the Targa 4S makes the trip in an even faster 4.7 seconds. In either case it is 0.2 seconds faster than the standard manual gearbox.
For the past twelve years, the Boxster has been playing the chase-the-911 with its styling. Now the 2009 refreshed Boxster gets more of its own look, sorta. Instead of taking its styling cues from the 911, it looks a little more like the ultra-fast Carrera GT.
The new Boxster features a newly designed front and rear ends. The new halogen headlights with their integrated direction indicators are reminiscent of the lights on the Carrera GT, the new LED rear lights tapering out to the outside and integrated elegantly in the modified rear end of the car.
Under the hood, Porsche placed a 2.9-liter engine that delivers 255 bhp (an increase of 10 hp). The S version gets a 3.4-liter power unit that delivers 310 hp (up 15hp). Mated to a the standard six-speed manual gearbox, the new Boxter makes the 0 to 60 mph sprint in 5.9 seconds. Equipped with the PDK double-clutch gearbox, the sprint will be made 0.1 seconds faster.
As it turns out the increase in power will not mean worse fuel economy. The Boxster equipped with PDK averages 26.3 mpg, and 25.5 mpg for the Boxster S. That’s about a 4 mpg improvement from the Tiptronic automatic transmission cars.
Unveiled back in 2008, the 21st century Dodge Challenger is entering the 2010 model year with a few new fun upgrades including the SE Rallye package as well as the full blown Super Track Pack which include a set of sticky Goodyear Eagle F1 Super Car tires wrapped around the 20 inch rollers, fancy front and rear Nivomat self leveling shock absorbers, larger diameter rear stabilizer bar for better handling, a taller 3.06 rear gear for increased fuel economy in the V8 powered R/T model, performance brake linings for increased durability and the all important enthusiast inspired “ESC-off” setting that will allow owners to hang the tail out and roast sme rubber all starting at just $23,460.
The Challenger SE is the tamest of the trio, powered by a 3.5 Liter V6 making 250 HP and is mated to a four speed automatic transmission. The SE is easily identified by its 17 inch steel wheels with bolt on covers. For a few thousand dollars more you can get significantly more power with the Challenger R/T, powered by a next generation 5.7 Liter HEMI V8 connected to either a five speed automatic with Auto Stick or a precision shift six speed manual transmission with a pistol grip shifter pumping out 370 HP that can sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in less than six seconds.
The SRT-8 remains the top of the line Challenger with its 6.1 Liter HEMI V8 cranking out 425 HP and 420 lb-ft of torque which is good for a 0 to 60 MPH time of less than 5 seconds and can go from 0-100-0 MPH in under 17 seconds. The largest of the Hemi offerings is mated to either a five speed automatic transmission with the famed AutoStick or the six speed manual with pistol grip shifter.
Revealed in 2008, the Corvette ZR1 is entering the 2010 model year with new Performance Traction Management (PTM) technology. It is an advanced system that is part of a new Launch Control feature that optimizes traction for greater and more consistent on-track performance. The car comes in two trim levels: 1ZR and 3ZR, with prices starting at $106,880, and respectively at $116,880.
The Corvette ZR1 is powered by supercharged and intercooled 6.2L engine rated at 638 hp and a peak torque of 604 lbs-ft. The ZR1 makes the 0 to 60 mph sprint in 3,4 seconds and will not stop until it will hit a top speed of 205 mph. This way, the ZR1 becomes the most powerful production car ever offered by Chevrolet and GM.
The Corvette ZR1 shares the platform with the Z06, but it is meaner and badder. It features lightweight materials: the roof panel, roof bow, lower rocker moldings, front splitter, the underside of the hood are made out of exposed-weave carbon-fiber, while front fascia, doors, rear fenders and rear fascia are made of various other composite materials. This makes the ZR1 more agile. According to Ed Peper: "It all boils down to the power-to-weight ratio and the ZR1’s is exceptional – better than the Porsche 911 GT2, the Ferrari 599 and even the Lamborghini LP640. In fact, the ZR1 is expected to be the first production Corvette to achieve a top speed of at least 200 mph."
Unveiled back in 2009 with an even sharper Z shape, Nissan is already making minor improvements to the second year 370Z. Upgrading items like the Navigation Package contents, heated mirrors and in cabin micro filter to improve air quality as well as one new tantalizing color, Black Cherry, all starting at just $29,990.
Compared to the old Z33 350Z’s four trim lineup (regular, Enthusiast, Touring and Grand Touring), the current generation Z34 will only be sold in base and Touring trims. Allowing owners a bit more creature comfort, the Japanese automaker will then allow new car buyers two option packages, Sport and Navigation. Powered by a VQ37VHR 3.7 Liter V6 with VVEL rated at 332 HP and 270 lb-ft of torque, mated to either a 6 speed manual or a 7 speed automatic with auto blipping Downshift Rev Matching and Adaptive Shift Contro. The combination is good for an estimated 18 MPG in the city and 26 MPG on the highway.
The exterior design revisions include sharpened boomerang HID light clusters as well as a revised front end and wider arches. Meanwhile the interior benefits from a few new upgraded materials while maintaining the classic trio of gauges on the dash. It would appear that Nissan only improved upon what we thought was pretty perfect.
The last generation 3 shared a platform with the Ford Focus, and so now that the (European) Focus has upgraded its chassis, so will the 3. The new look of the 3 takes cues from the Mazda6, and continues what Mazda says will be the base of its future design language.
On the North American market, the new Mazda3 will be launched as a sedan only, with the hatchback version arriving at a later date.
2010 Mazda3 is offered with two engines: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine delivering 148 hp at 6500 rpm and 135 lb-ft of torque at 4500 rpm; and Mazda3 s powered by a MZR 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers 167 hp at 6000 rpm and 168 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm. The i version gets a five-speed manual transmission while the s version gets a six-speed stick-shift transmission.
The Mazda3 i achieves 25 mpg in city driving with the manual transmission and 24 mpg with the automatic. The highway mileage with the 2.0-liter engine is 33 mpg with either transmission. The Mazda3 s also tops 20 mpg in all conditions. Equipped with the six-speed manual transmission, its city rating is 21 mpg, rising to 22 mpg with the 5-speed automatic. The highway rating is 29 mpg with either transmission.
Hyundai unveiled at the New York Auto Show the 2010 Genesis Coupe, a purpose-built rear-wheel drive sport coupe featuring two performance-focused engines – a 212-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a range-topping all-aluminum, 306-hp, DOHC 3.8-liter V6 engine. Genesis Coupe is scheduled to join the Hyundai lineup in the spring of 2009.
2010 Genesis Coupe was shown as a concept at the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show and its transformation from concept to production reveals that its signature design features have emerged intact.
Genesis Coupe is lighter than the Infiniti G37, and its chassis is also 24 percent stiffer in bending rigidity than the BMW E46 M3. Rear-wheel drive provides a 55:45 front/rear weight distribution.
Two engines infuse Genesis Coupe with performance. The 3.8-liter Lambda DOHC V6 engine delivers an estimated 306 hp and 263 lb.-ft. of torque on regular unleaded. This engine will launch the Genesis Coupe from 0 to 60 miles per hour in under 6 seconds.
The turbocharged, intercooled 2.0-liter DOHC inline four-cylinder benefits from CVVT on both the intake and exhaust camshafts. The 2.0-liter turbo generates an estimated 212 hp and 217 lb.-ft. of torque. It also features a cast-aluminum cylinder block and cylinder head. Both engines feature a free flowing dual cat-back exhaust and an available limited slip differential to put the power to the ground.
Nissan unveiled today at the New York Auto Show the 2009 Maxima, a model that marks a return to the longtime Nissan flagship sedan’s roots as a commanding 4-door sports car – a vehicle that is unique in both appearance and driving feel.
For five previous generations, Maxima has been built on a front-wheel drive (FWD) platform. Yet with the new Maxima’s development team everything was open for discussion, including the benefits of front-wheel drive versus rear-wheel drive (RWD). Although there are well-known advantages of RWD in terms of sporty handling, it was ultimately decided that by switching Maxima from its previous platform to Nissan’s new “D platform,” which was first introduced on the current Nissan Altima Sedan, Hybrid and Coupe, the target Maxima performance could be delivered – without giving up the added FWD benefits of lower costs, lower weight and enhanced roominess versus a RWD platform.
For 2009, Maxima again features a standard 3.5-liter VQ-series V6 engine, enhanced and refined to take its driving performance to new levels. The engine delivers 290 hp and 261 lb-ft of torque (estimated), increases of 35 horsepower and 9 lb-ft of torque over the 2008 Maxima. All 2009 Maximas come equipped with a revised Xtronic CVT with manual mode, tuned specifically for Maxima’s sporty driving character.
