There’s no better way to promote a new car than to have it tested against the previous model and have the 2010 version thoroughly embarrass its predecessor.
Apparently, that’s exactly what Land Rover had in mind when it pitted the 2010 Range Rover Sport Supercharged against its 2009 counterpart in a test to determine which car can reach 100 mph first and then brake all the way down to a stop.
From the get-go the 2010 Range Rover Sport Supercharged immediately flexed its power over the 200 version by pulling away convincingly reaching its 100 mph speed and coming to halt even before the 2009 clocked 100 on its speedometer.
The difference is striking, to say the least. The 2010 version has 127 horsepower and around 51 lb-ft of torque more than the 2009 version, which accounts for all the difference.
Now, we’re all for promoting new cars, but for a brand to do it by completely trashing a previous model just may be a little too much for us.
We recently received a 2009 Dodge Journey SXT into the Top Speed test fleet. This Deep Water Blue Pearl people mover has seating for up to seven inside with the third row seating and came complete with a host of high tech creature comforts and quite a few clever storage compartments. After all that is what the new Journey is all about, being the epitome of a crossover, the car’s main purpose is to provide consumers with an affordable transportation option that can carry an entire extended family and all their stuff with a smaller footprint than the traditional SUV. The added benefit of these types of children conscious vehicles is that they are being offered with all sorts of infotainment systems that range from in dash DVD players to wireless headphones so that mommy and daddy can enjoy the drive undisturbed, and our car came with all of them.
The exterior of the Journey follows the familiar lines that we saw not so long ago on the Avenger; starting off with the flat front end, continuing on with the bulging fender flares and finishing up with the squared off rear end, the design is unmistakably Dodge. The CUV’s body gives it a somewhat aggressive appearance with its bold boxy body lines and signature Dodge four bar grill and oversized light housings, despite being a very friendly family vehicle. On the inside our Journey comes with two tome cloth seats, attractive easy to read gauges, navigation, dual zone climate control in addition to rear air, naigation, flip down monitor for the backseat passengers as well as the aforementioned DVD player and wireless headphone combination. An interesting aspect of the storage minded crossover is that the Journey comes with no less than four somewhat secret compartments. Our Journey SXT rides on a set of 19 inch six spoke chrome rims, and is powered by 3.5 Liter High Output 24 valve V6 connected to a six speed automatic transmission complete with manual shift selection.
Continued after the jump.
While we here in the U.S. along with drivers from around the world are still waiting for a practical and sporty compact coupe like SUV, the Japanese automaker Toyota has just answered that call for the Australian market when they released the Land Cruiser Prado Three Door. However Toyota traditionalists should not worry because the quality car builder will sell their new truck alongside the old five door model starting this November.
The Land Cruiser Prado is a compact version of Toyota’s full size Land Cruiser SUV and the upcoming three door model wears the same stylish face as the of the five door, with its oversized headlights that are stretched over and around the front fenders, while the chrome framed and stripped vertical bar grill gives the front end more of a three dimensional feel. The three door Prado’s matching boxed fenders scream fun while the six lug hubs, multi piston calipers and spare tire on the trunk let you know that the Prado means business.
However, the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado isn’t all about being cute, because of its shorter wheelbase the off road vehicle actually exhibits a higher break over angle and allows the SUV to travel over steeper peaks than the larger five door model. Combine that with the sectioned truck’s reduced curb weight, which leads to improved real world acceleration as well as fuel economy.
The crazy car guys at Gemballa are at it again, having one upped their previous GT 600 tuning package for the powerful Porsche Cayenne Turbo->. This time Gemballa is calling the modified ride GT 750, hinting at the boosted Cayenne’s additional 150 HP under the hood.
If you are familiar with Gemballa’s line of high performance Cayennes then the flared arches and oversized 911 Turbo style intakes in the front bumper should be immediately recognizable, however one small detail that you might overlook is that the Magic White paint on the hood hides the GT750’s large central vent that accompanies the two standard slits. The front bumper also has a pair of fog lamps cleverly hidden behind a black screen that makes them look more discreet, while the wings on either side of the unit transition nicely into the bulging front fenders. On the inside, Aero 3 Sport Exclusive is upgraded with a few fine touches like SPS bucket seats front and rear with color matching suede inserts and carbon fiber trim. The in car entertainment consists of one screen in the middle of the dash up front and a trio of flat black monitors mounted in the headrests and rear tunnel for the back seat passengers. Continuing up the rear divider is a refrigerated compartment that is perfect for keeping some bubbly on ice, after all this is the exclusive model.
The less glamorous and more function part of the new Gemballa GT 750 consists of an electronic lowering module that manipulates the stock air ride suspension to eliminate the gap between the boxed fenders the new 23 inch Gemballa racing wheels that house the Gemballa brake system. The stoppers consist of massively huge multi piston calipers both front and rear as well as cross drilled and slotted rotors all around. However under the hood lies possibly the single most important element of the GT 750, a twin turbocharged Porsche tuned V8 modified with Gemballa’s 750 HP engine kit that transforms this luxury sport utility vehicle into a fire breathing go anywhere limousine.
Sometimes, we just can’t get enough of a good thing. And more often than not, we won’t waste any time taking advantage of it.
Land Rover recently unveiled their luxury armoured Range Rover, proving that you can enjoy the best in luxury, performance, and security all at the same time.
Coated in an impregnable B6 Level ballistic and blast protection, this particular Range Rover has the chops to withstand a barrage of bullets from an assault rifle, making it the perfect vehicle for people who need as much security in them as possible.
In addition to satisfying the safety and security requirements of the European standard EN1522 level FB6, the armoured Range Rover was also built while keeping up with Land Rover’s reputation for providing the most comfortable and luxurious SUV’s in the world.
Suffice to say, it’s the best of all words really. The name ‘Range Rover’ speaks for itself already, and if you add the fact that the car can withstand just about anything, then you can’t probably ask for more out of your own SUV.
The Japanese automaker Infiniti has just announced official details about the 2010 FX luxury SUV, a model that is entering its second year of production with the addition of few more technological advances. The 2010 FX is already on sale, with prices starting at around $42,400 for the entry level FX35 RWD, $43,850 for the V6 powered FX35 AWD and goes all the way up to $58,400 for the top of the line AWD FX50.
The 2010 Infiniti FX is available with a choice of two engines. The first is a 390 HP 5.0 Liter 32 valve DOHC V8 for the FX50 wile the more affordable option is a 303 HP 3.5 Liter 24 valve DOHC V6 in the FX35. Either engine can be configured to work with the automaker’s Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system, a unit that comes standard on the FX50. All models are equipped with a standard 7-speed automatic transmission, double-wishbone front/multi-link rear suspension and large 4-wheel disc brakes.
For 2010, changes to FX include standard Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System on all models, the addition of a standard USB Connection Port for iPod and other compatible devices, the addition of a 2.0GB Music Box hard drive to feed tunes to the Bose Premium Audio system for vehicles without a navigation system as well as a simplified choice of color combinations. FX’s available Infiniti Hard Drive Navigation System has been enhanced for 2010 with the addition of an in-dash single disc DVD audio/video drive, streaming audio via Bluetooth, Zagat Restaurant Guide and XM NavWeather all in the hopes of making your sporty SUV experience even more luxurious.
Ian James Poulter is a very good golfer, good enough even to be included in two of the biggest golf tours in the world today, the US PGA and the European Tour. And while Poulter has proven that he’s pretty good with a golf club in his hands, few people know that he’s also a natural out on the race track.
Recently, Poulter sat behind the wheel of the all-new BMW X6 M and pretty much held his own with the hybrid SUV, taking it to the absolute limit and, surprisingly, he manoeuvred in and out of the chicanes effortlessly like a seasoned racing pro. Of course, he’s much better at swinging golf clubs than he is at racing SUVs, otherwise he probably would’ve found a way past that blue BMW in the video.
You can’t have too many talents, IJP. But we have to admit, you were impressive out there on the tracks.
Lately we have been hearing a lot more about the German based Mopar tuners at Startech with their new line of fast Jaguars and luxurious Range Rovers, but now they are getting back to what it was that made them famous, improving upon Chrysler creations. This time the lucky ride to undergo the Startech treatment is the Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland.
As it comes from the factory, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is the perfect blend of go anywhere off road vehicle and civilized five door people mover; but with the help of Startech, Chrysler’s somewhat weak interiors are no longer an issue. On the outside, the German tuner has added a sense of style to the rather mundane Cherokee with a more aggressive chin spoiler and a pair of integrated strips of LED lit driving lights up front. Tying the front an rear of the vehicle together are a pair of oversized side skirts that meet up to the Overland’s redesigned rear apron complete with cutouts for the dual oval shaped Startech performance exhaust. Finishing off the Grand Cherokee’s exterior are a set of Startech’s signature Monostar IV wheels measuring 22 inches in diameter that sit a little closer to the body thanks to the Jeep’s lowered suspension.
The inside of the Startech Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland is adorned with high end materials including everything from brushed aluminum to stainless steel for the more solid surfaces and supple leather to soft Alcantara that can cover every other square inch of the Grand Cherokee’s interior. Even the customizers at Startech admit that there are virtually no limits as to what they can create. Not ones to leave any stone unturned, under the hood Startech has upgraded the 3.0 Liter CRD motor to produce a maximum output of 262 HP and a very diesel friendly 427 lb-ft of torque, the perfect compliment to a more stylish and luxurious off roader.
Expanding from their traditional lineup of modified Mopar cars, the German tuners at Startech recently showed off a fast feline at the Frankfurt Motor Show and are continuing their upscale trend of tuner cars with an exclusive take on the Land RoverRange Rover and Freelander 2 luxury SUVs. By upgrading the interior of their modified Rovers with everything from Alcantara to color matched leather and elegant wood paneling, Startech is offering a level of exclusivity that the factory could only dream of offering. In fact they also offer a customer dictated customization program that leaves the choices up to the final consumer.
The exterior of the upscale off road Range Rover is left mostly untouched, the only upgrade to the body are a pair of LED driving lights molded into the front bumper that class up the SUV’s appearance without disturbing the conservative look. They did however find a set of their 22 inch Monostar IV light weight alloy wheels to fit at all four corners, these go a long way to adding a sense of sport to the luxury utility vehicle; something that is only accentuated by the trapezoidal stainless steel dual exhaust.
The more compact Freelander 2 wears a set of slightly smaller 20 inch Monostar IV rims and just like the larger Range Rover, the Land Rover got the LED driving light treatment, integrating it as part of the car’s factory front bumper. Out back Startech shows off their innovative sides by coming up with a lower hatch attachment that beefs up the Freelander 2’s behind and continues the factory lines across the tailgate and just below them are a familiar set of the trapezoidal tailpipes. So whether you are looking for an upscale SUV with a little sense of style no matter if it is big or small, Startech has something to brighten up your day.
The aftermarket manufacturers at Sportservice Lorinser have just gotten their hands on the new face lifted Mercedes Benz M-Class and given the mid size SUV a refreshing of their own. The craftsmen at the German tuning house started by replacing the shiny factory element with a thick four bar grill; they went on to include a sportier bumpers with wings, diffusers and vents molded in as well as a pair of Lorinser emblem wearing side skirts that make the somewhat rounded grocery getter into a bolder more solid shape. However, quite possibly the nicest part of the Lorinser M-Class are the company’s signature RS9 light weight alloy wheels that finish off the Benz’s newfound bad attitude.
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