Don’t worry, no one has manufactured high heels and extravagant wigs to place on any undeserving vehicles, but we have found a drag race that errs on the side of weird. Motortrend has taken a chance on a very eccentric review by pitting three out-of-place vehicles against one another: the BMW X6 M, Cadillac CTS-V Wagon, and Porsche Panamera.
If you take a look at the specs for these three models, a drag race may not seem too strange a task to undertake. The BMW X6M is powered by a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 mated to a six-speed automatic with manual shift paddles that together produce 555 HP and 501 lb-ft of torque. It gets from 0-60 mph in a whopping 4.3 seconds. The Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon comes equipped with a 6.2 liter supercharged V8 engine that delivers a total of 556 hp and 551 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine can be coupled to either a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic. It also does the 0-60 mph sprint in 4.3 seconds. The last awkward vehicle of the test was a Porsche Panamera and its 4.6L twin turbo V8. This engine produces 500hp and 568 lb-ft of torque when mated to a Porsche’s 7-speed twin clutch transmission.
We won’t spoil all of the fun and tell you who won this crazy race, but we will tell you that this video is a definite must-see!
BMW and Audi took a big hit in 2008 when Cadillac brought out their second generation CTS sedan. This model came out guns blaring with a fresh design and a new engine line-up. That, plus the fact that it came with a cheaper price tag, was enough for customers to swing away from the German brands and hitch a ride on the Cadillac train. The 2012 CTS is not slowing down either, as the sedan has received more changes to make its German rivals shake in their skivvies. The list isn’t of options isn’t long, but the more powerful V6 engine is enough of an addition for a hat tip their way.
The new, upgraded V-6 engine will take you for a ride with an extra 14 HP, but will keep your wallet satisfied by maintaining the fuel economy of the previous engine. That’s right, you still get 18 city/27 highway mpg.
Hit the jump to read more about the 2012 Cadillac CTS.
Welcome to the tuning world, EDS! Unheralded, small-time, and maybe even a little known to a lot of us, the German tuning firm recently caught our attention for the work they did on turning an otherwise mundane Opel Astra into some piece of work.
Combining a powerful performance upgrade with a few aerodynamic touches, EDS’ tuned-up Opel Astra Turbo has become the personification of a lion trapped in a deer’s body.
Make no mistake, the Astra’s stock 1.6-liter turbocharged engine with 180 horsepower is no slouch by every definition of the word. But when you add a comprehensive engine tune-up that includes a new Garret GT28 turbo-charger, a new sports exhaust system, a new manifold, and an ECU optimization, then you get a car that bumps up its overall output to an incredible 360 horsepower and 354 lb/ft of torque.
Not to be outdone by the attention being given to the modified engine under its bonnet, EDS also gave the Astra a number of aerodynamic upgrades, including new black grilles on the front, side sill, a new rear apron with a diffuser and quad tail pipes, and a set of 20” wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zero - 235/35ZR20 in the front and 275/30ZR20 at the back – high-performance tires.
All told, the changes done by EDS on the Astra Turbo aren’t something that should be taken lightly, lest you happen to see one on your mirror and it proceeds to leave your car eating its dust.
For an upstart tuning firm from Germany, EDS certainly did their homework on the Astra Turbo, and the result certainly speaks for itself.
Volvo has officially unveiled its next hybrid vehicle for the mass market at the Geneva Motor Show. The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid will introduce several new technological innovations that Volvo Car has been developing. Development of the V60 Hybrid has taken place at the same time as the full electric C30 model and with production of that ready to begin, the V60 is not far behind.
This new model will be capable of driving 32 miles on full electric power and produce only 49g/km of carbon dioxide emissions. This car features a unique system of a diesel engine powering the car in some situations and the electric motor kicking in for others. Multiple driving modes can be selected by the driver depending of he would rather use full electric power or the two in conjunction – this differs from many hybrids because the car will usually make the decision when to use electric power. In order to develop these technologies quickly and efficiently Volvo formed a partnership with the Swedish energy supplier Vattenfall in 2007 and has been working on plug in technology ever since.
"In order to get true car enthusiasts to think green, you have to offer them the opportunity to drive with low carbon dioxide emissions without taking away the adrenaline rush that promotes genuine driving pleasure. The V60 Plug-inHybrid has all the traditional properties of a genuine sports wagon. What we’ve done is to spice it up with spearhead technology," says Stefan Jacoby.
Hit the jump to read more about the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid.
Saab’s entry level compact car has received a refresh for the 2012MY, and it also has a new name to go along with it. Now called the 9-3 Griffin for the US version, the hot hatch will be getting some interior and exterior modifications, as well as a couple of new engines.
Starting off with the exterior, the 9-3 Griffin will be receiving new front bumpers and signature Saab ‘ice block’ headlamps to differentiate itself from the earlier versions of the second generations. This is followed by a new metallic trim for the interior, as well as updated leatherette seats and unique storage pockets on the sides of the front seats.
More engine options will also find their way into the 9-3 Griffin, alongside the usual mix of 1.9-liter TTiD twin turbo diesel engines producing either 130, 160, 180hp. These new engines will come in 2.0L petrol flavors with 163hp or 220hp.
Hit the jump to read more about the 2012 Saab 9-3 Griffin.
