Review: 2010 Ford Taurus SEL

In 1985, when few models really stood out from the midsize pack, Ford created one of the most influential vehicles of the late 20th century: the Taurus. Radically styled and intelligently packaged, the Taurus won the hearts and minds of millions of car buyers, and for over a decade, it was a dominant force in the retail car market. Eventually, competition from the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord proved too much for Ford to handle, and the Blue Oval hung its game-changing sedan out to dry. Product development dollars were funneled to trucks and SUVs, and the Zodiac's bull died a pauper's death in 2007 after an achingly long stint as a tattered fleet Queen.

When Alan Mulally took the helm of FoMoCo, the new CEO wondered why the recognizable – if tarnished – Taurus name had been abandoned. So a branding Band-Aid was affixed to the underperforming Five Hundred sedan and, unsurprisingly, consumers saw through the botched rebadging. The "new" Taurus was still the old Five Hundred; a dynamically challenged sedan whose biggest selling point was a really large trunk. In hindsight, the move may have been a way to revive the Taurus in the public's consciousness as Mulally and company went back to the drawing board to create a new world-class sedan capable of taking on the biggest names in the segment. The 2010 Ford Taurus is here... but does it have what it takes?

Before the rebadged Taurus arrived in 2008, the Blue Oval's bull was a midsize sedan. Not anymore. The 2010 model is larger... much larger. At 202.9 inches, the Taurus spans an additional five inches over the Toyota Avalon – or to put its gargantuan length into better perspective – nearly an inch longer than a Chevrolet Tahoe. That makes it a sedan even Baby Huey can love. But the 2010 Taurus doesn't just differentiate itself from past Taurus models in size, it's more upmarket in both look and feel.



Undoubtedly, one of the primary reasons that the last Taurus reclamation project fell flat was the donor Five Hundred's utterly uninteresting exterior design. The 2008 Taurus was so bland and unnoticeable it needed a chromed, Flava-Flav three bar grille to keep other motorists from running into it. For 2010, Ford has taken a different approach, making the two-ton sedan stand out with strong character lines on the hood and beltline that create a wide, muscular and luxurious exterior.

Up front, Ford has inset a set of modern, dynamic headlamps to accentuate the Taurus' sophisticated mug. The lower fascia makes this Blue Oval appear more aggressive, with a wide, trapezoidal shape reminiscent of the so-called "Kinetic" designs found on the European Mondeo and Focus. Our only issue is with the contrived three bar grille, which contrasts nicely with the lower fascia but falls short with its odd looking holes on the top and bottom slats. Out back, Ford has attempted to recapture some of the spark from its 2003 427 concept, so the Taurus's rump receives a set of squarish taillamps and a canted stance that gives the bull's butt a dynamic presence, with a minimalistic bumper that does its best to keep the already prodigious rear overhang in check.



While there's no question the Taurus is remarkably better looking than its predecessor, if Ford wants to recapture buyers, the interior would need to be special. In the past, Ford aimed for "class competitive" interiors, and in some cases, using the term "competitive" would be... generous. Thankfully, the days of strategically placed soft touch materials attempting to hide cheap dashboard bits and mismatched plastics are a thing of the past.

Seated inside our tester's substantial cabin, Ford's upmarket assault is front and center, with a thick, leather-wrapped steering wheel (fitted to every 2010 model) and exceedingly comfortable leather thrones that wouldn't feel out of place in something costing tens of thousands more. Ford has opted for a dual cockpit approach for the all-new Taurus, with massive, symmetrical overhangs at each end and an impressive center stack sweeping back to strike a perfect balance between visual appeal and terrific ergonomics. HVAC and radio switchgear are well within reach and the controls are exceptionally easy to navigate. And while the front may be one of the best seats in the house, since the Taurus is a family sedan at heart, Ford paid special attention to the occupants in the rear. In smaller vehicles, the kiddies tend to kick the driver's seat. In the Taurus, there's more than enough legroom to accommodate your average chocolate-faced adolescent. When the time comes to haul the detritus of modern life, the new Taurus' 20 cubic-foot trunk is another big plus for the family man or woman, with ample space to fit luggage, golf clubs, groceries and some camera equipment – all at the same time.



If you get gratuitous with the options, the Taurus can easily crest $40,000 with the addition of adaptive cruise control, moonroof, navigation and all-wheel drive, but our $30,980 SEL is probably a good indication of what the average Taurus will be outfitted with, and although it didn't come equipped with Ford's excellent but pricey navigation system, SYNC was included. As we've testified before, Ford's SYNC voice-control system just works, with Bluetooth, USB and auxiliary inputs for your MP3 player or phone a few clicks and spoken words away from connection. New for 2010 is the addition of Bluetooth Audio, which allows one to connect a Bluetooth-enabled MP3 player like an iPhone or iPod Touch to the stereo without wires. We're continuously amazed at how comfortable and intuitive SYNC is, and over time, it's become a staple of the Ford Driving Experience.

After spending time inside the new Blue Oval flagship, its obvious that Ford was shooting for world class levels of equipment and materials. But while the Taurus's cabin is a huge leap forward for Ford-badged vehicles, all is not rosy. Since the interior of the Taurus is so massive, spaces needed to be broken up, and the tan, leather-clad innards of our tester joins faux wood accents to accomplish the task. We're not huge fans of fake trees, and the materials look real enough, but that doesn't mean we're partial to it. The wood – particularly with the beige interior – is just too dowdy and dull, especially when matched with such a dynamic, modern design inside and out. Further, we could have done without the oddly hidden cupholders north of the center arm rest. It's nice to have them out of view when not in use, but the lines are very visible and break up an otherwise attractive center stack.

However, none of these nits get in the way of the Taurus driving experience, as the massive sedan is a competent and coddling cruiser. At just under 4,100 pounds, the Taurus is fully 600 pound heavier than a Chevrolet Malibu, and nearly a foot longer. Despite this, the Taurus' agility is impressive for a vehicle occupying such a sizable land mass.



During a particularly healthy flogging on some twisty B-roads, the Taurus proved a relatively tight package, with limited body roll and weight-defying grip. But when pushed hard, the Taurus feels too tall, too long and too heavy. The upgraded independent multi-link suspension offers a compliant ride that doesn't come across as floaty, and while the steering is fairly precise and decently weighted, road feel is nonexistent. The new Taurus is no backroad bomber, but this hefty sedan counters with the ability to isolate occupants from the world around them. Noise levels are nicely muted, making it easy to have an "indoor" conversation with back seat occupants, and pot holes and rail road tracks are soaked up without much hassle; something we can't say for some of the Taurus' competition, let alone your average purpose-built sports sedan. Obviously, the enthusiast set isn't the fish Ford is looking to hook, so it's comfort uber alles, and at that, Ford has succeeded.

On the power front, the Taurus makes due with a carryover powertrain in the form of Ford's 3.5-liter V6. With 263 horsepower and 249 pound-feet of torque channeled through a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission, the Taurus is a lackadaisical cruiser, with just enough acceleration to keep you out of trouble, but hardly enough to get the blood pumping. Naturally, those looking for more pop can opt for the 365-hp EcoBoost SHO variant, but that starts at over $37,000. We suspect the average consumer will be content with the base powertrain, as most potential Taurus buyers probably don't tussle regularly with their inner Mario Andretti. With our right foot held largely in check, we achieved 22.9 mpg in mixed driving; a respectable number for a vehicle this size, and right at the center of its 18/28 EPA numbers.



With the new-for-2010 Taurus, you get the overwhelming sense that Ford has created a vehicle that knows exactly what it can and can't do. It delivers on style, comfort and features, while leaving sportiness to lighter, more dynamic performers like Dearborn's own Fusion. That can only help the Taurus compete against the likes of Toyota and Honda, and with customers placing more emphasis on value, the 2010 Taurus could give luxury stalwarts like the Cadillac DTS, Lexus ES, Acura RL and even the Lincoln MKS, something to worry about. But that can only happen if the new Taurus is bold enough and good enough for consumers to forgive Ford for its past sins with the Taurus. It's time to get over it – and after a week – we have.

[Source: Autoblog]

Lamborghini Estoque takin' it to the streets

Lamborghini has been hemming and hawing over the production prospects of the Estoque concept ever since it was unveiled last year at the Paris show. With a front-engine, four-door layout, the family-sized Lambo wouldn't be able to share much with either of the company's current models. But with Porsche and its new Panamera now under the same corporate umbrella – to say nothing of the upcoming Audi A7 and Bugatti Galibier concept – the prospects have never looked better.

As if to lend credence to the increasing amounts of speculation, an intrepid observer snapped the Estoque recently on the streets of Cologne, Germany. Unfortunately, the vehicle in question appears to be a the original concept car, and not a developmental test mule. However, its appearance – with no license plates, mind you – has got people asking a lot of questions. And whatever the answer, it certainly isn't that Lamborghini has killed the project.

[Source: ExoticsOnRoad.com]

Montezemolo reportedly confirms Ferrari 458 Spider

Ever since the introduction of the 348 Spider back in 1993 and on through the 355 Spider, 360 Spider and F430 Spider – to say nothing of the targa variants that came before – Ferrari has always produced droptop versions of its mid-engine V8 supercars. So it should come as no great surprise that Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has reportedly confirmed the development of a roadster version of the new 458 Italia.

Like its predecessors, the 458 Spider will likely feature a conventional folding soft-top, and you can expect it'll be one of the lightest and quickest to deploy and retract in the business. Still, there was some speculation that Maranello would forgo building a 458 Spider altogether, leaving its sun-worshipping, V8-lovin' clientele to be tended to by the California. But while the affable marquis has been off on some statements in the past, we'll take this one at wind-in-your-face value. Expect the 458 Spider to appear in a couple of years.

[Source: Quattroroute via Euocarblog]

New SKY engines from mazda at Tokyo Motorshow next month

Mazda  the SKY-G and the SKY-D is new engine from Mazda .Mazda will be show the next generation petrol and diesel engines at the Tokyo Motorshow next month. The engines are called  respectively for the petrol and diesel versions.
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The SKY-G engine is a 2.0 liter unit with direct injection and an improved variable valve timing system which gives it a 15% fuel economy and torque advantage over the current MZR engine in the Mazda 3 2.0 Sport. Direct injection was previously found only on the turbocharged 2.3 liter engine but is now available in the ‘regular’ engines.

The Mazda SKY-D engine is a 2.2 liter unit that offers fuel economy of approximately 20% better than the current 2.2 liter diesel engine. It features a newly designed engine block that reduces mechanical friction to the level of a gasoline engine. Other features include piezo injectors and a two-stage turbocharger. It doesn’t sound like its a twin-turbo setup, but instead is probably a variable geometry turbocharger.

BMW 1 Series top car of the year

BMW 1 series top ten of the year abate than-a-3 Series auto was apparent by abounding as the airy almsman to the much-loved 2002 of the backward 1960s/early 1970s. We didn't absolutely buy into that. Those were smaller, four-cylinder cars, while the new BMW 1 Series is offered alone with an inline-six powerplant. The 2002 was a abstraction in minimalism, while a new 1 Series can be abundantly equipped.


 

Choose amid the 128i, powered by a 3.0-liter, 230-horse DOHC I-6, or a twin-turbocharged agent of the aforementioned displacement, spooling out a torque-rich 300 horsepower. Both engines can be had with stick or automated transmission. Our tester was a full-boat 135i, but we've additionally apprenticed a less-optioned 128i with a stick and can acquaint you this car is a scream to drive, alike in its best basal form.


As with abounding Bangle-era Bimmers, the arguing point is design. Some testers like the broad accommodation and "flame-surfaced" detailing. Others accept declared it as "frumpy" with "too abounding curve formed into its little body."

So does the BMW 1 Series accept the appurtenances to be the 2009 Motor Trend Car of the Year? Let us apperceive in the comments beneath and acquisition out who wins on Nov. 18.

2009 Sport Car Renault Megane Trophy

The 2009 Megane Trophy will go on sale at the end of the year in the form of kit after the completion of its development programme which will enable existing cars to be upgraded.
The 2009 Renault Megane Trophy is based on the new Megane Coupe which is powered by the Renault-Nissan Alliance’s mid-rear 3.5-liter V6 24V engine that produces 360 hp.
The front and rear light units and windscreen are from the Megane Coupe road car while flowing lines of the bodywork was designed from digital simulation technology to improve the aerodynamic.
The Renault Megane Trophy features front splitter which channel air flow to the extractors and rear diffuser and wing that generated downforce. Downforce has improved by 20 % with the refinements to the set-up and drag was reduced by 15 % , which together, represent a gain of almost 40% in terms of the new car’s aerodynamic performance over the previous generation vehicle.

Apart from that, the Megane Trophy also features butterfly doors reminiscent of the world of GT and sports-prototype racing. The V6 3.5 24V engine is mated to a semi-automatic gearbox with the same mechanical features as the current car, including an FIA-homologated sports-prototype tubular chassis, steering wheel-mounted paddle shift, double wishbone suspension with adjustable dampers, 18-inch wheels and Michelin tires.
The power of the standard 330 hp engine was boosted to 360 hp with the help from the new inlet manifold. Rebuild is still at every 5,500 km for the car’s reliability. According to Renault, with the new aerodynamic gains, the extra power from the engine will enable the 2009 Renault Megane Trophy to lap in similar times to those of a Porsche GT3.

2009 Sport Car Audi R8 GT3

Audi Sport will offer a racing sports car specifically developed for customer use in the form of the powerful 500 hp plus GT3 version of the Audi R8 which will be available from autumn 2009. The logistics and factory space required for the AUDI AG customer programme will be created over the next few months in Ingolstadt, Neckarsulm and Györ.
The Audi R8 conforms to the production-based GT3 regulations allowing the car to be fielded in numerous national and international race series.
Because the GT3 regulations prohibit the use of four-wheel drive the Audi R8 comes with the typical GT rear-wheel drive. The power is transmitted via a newly developed six-speed sequential sports gearbox. The suspension uses almost exclusively components from the production line. A comprehensive list of safety equipment guarantees the highest-level of passive safety. A modified front end and a large rear-wing generate the required downforce for the race track.
The Audi R8, which bears the project name “R16” within Audi Sport, was developed under the direction of Audi Sport. Mid August, the first prototype successfully completed a roll-out in the hands of Audi factory driver Frank Biela.

Sport Car Ferrari F430

Ferrari F430 is a sports car manufactured by Ferrari. The F430's brakes were collaboratively designed with Brembo. The F430 features E-Diff, a computer-controlled limited slip differential which enables to vary torque distribution based on inputs such as steering angle and lateral acceleration.

2009 Sport Car Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Polizia

Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Polizia, Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. donated a police version of the company’s newest super sports car to Prefect Antonio Manganelli, the head of the Italian State Police with a private ceremony was held at the Viminale Palace.
The new Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Polizia, which replaces the previous Lamborghini Gallardo Police Car in use by the Italian police force since 2004 has a 560 horsepower engine that can reach speeds of up to 203 mph. The car will begin service with the Lazio Highway Police Department in order to continue accident and crime prevention to sustain security on the Italian roads.
Its predecessor is proof of Lamborghini’s outstanding product quality. Since 2004, Rome’s police force has had the first-generation Lamborghini Gallardo in regular police service. The sports car has clocked nearly 87,000 miles of patrol duty on the motorways of central and southern Italy, as well as on emergency medical transport detail.

Open Job Vacancy with the Lotus F1 Team

Great news for you technician or programmer
Litespeed F3 Team

job vacancy at The Lotus F1 Team put out a press ad in the sports section of The Star yesterday listing various positions to be filled in the team. The list is quite extensive and all you have to do is email your CV and cover letter to 1MalaysiaHR@lotusf1team.com.

A quick glimpse at lotusf1team.com shows it doesn’t really have much content yet. The domain lists ex-Lotus employee and Litespeed co-founder Nino Singh Judge as the admin and technical contact.

* Aerodynamics – Project Leader Aerodynamics, Junior Aerodynamicist, Head of CFD, CFD Engineer.
* Composites Design – Head of Composite Design, Senior / Junior Composite Designer, Composite Engineer.
* Composite – Head of Composite Layup Shop, Senior / Junior Layup Technician, Head of Composite Trim Shop, Senior / Junior Trim Shop Technician
* Electronics – Head of Electronics, Senior / Junior Electronics Engineer, Senior Control Engineer, Control Software Engineer
* Factory – Factory Manager, Senior / Junior Maintenance
* Gearbox Design – Head of Gearbox Design, Senior / Junior Gearbox Design
* Gearbox Assembly – Head of Gearbox Shop, Race Gearbox Technician
* Hydraulics – Head of Hydraulics Shop, Race Hydraulics Technician, Test Hydraulics Technician
* Mechanical Production – Head of Mechanical Production, Senior / Junior Machinist, Fabricator
* Mechanical Design – Head of Mechanical Design, Senior Mechanical Design Engineer, Senior Mechanical Designer
* Pattern Shop – Head of Pattern Shop, Senior / Junior Pattern Maker
* Production, Production Control and Purchasing – Head of Production, Senior Production Engineer, Mechanical Buyer, Composite Buyer, General Buyer, Aerodynamics Buyer
* Quality Control & Inspection – Head of Inspection, Senior / Junior Inspection Technician
* Design Office – Drawing Office Manager
* R&D – Head of R&D, Senior R&D Engineer, Senior R&D Technician
* Race Engineering – Test Engineer, Race Data Engineer, Test Data Engineer, Aero Support Engineer
* Race & Test – Logistic Manager, Race & Test Travel Secretary, Clothing & Team Gear
* Race Team – Race Chief Mechanic, Race Parts Mechanic
* Stress Analysis – Senior / Junior FEA Engineer
* Sub Assembly – Head of Sub Assembly, Sub Assembly Technician
* Test Team – Test Chief Mechanic, Test Part Mechanic, Test Team Truckie, Test Team Mechanic
* Vehicle Science – Head of Vehicle Dynamics, Vehicle Dynamics Engineer, Senior / Junior Software Engineer
* Marketing & PR – Head of Marketing, Marketing Manager, Tri-lingual Website Designers, Graphic Designers, Executive Assistant, Business Development Manager, Sponsorship Manager, Sponsor Account Manager, Head of PR / Tri-Lingual PR Officer, Press Officer, Hospitality Coordinator
* Finance – Financial Controller, Finance Manager, Finance Executive
* Legal – Head of Legal, Legal Manager, Legal Executive
* HR – Head of HR, HR Manager, HR Executive
* IT – Head of Information Technology, CAD Manager, Senior IT Engineer, Race IT Engineer, Test IT Engineer, IT Technician

It’s not really clear at the moment whether all jobs are available immediately. I have a feeling alot of the positions would probably already be filled by Litespeed F3 engineers. The Aerodynamics and Gearbox department will probably have to deal with FondTech and Xtrac respectively as when the team was announced, they were mentioned as suppliers to the team. Cosworth will be supplying the engine. I think what Malaysian can immediately look out for are the Marketing & PR, Finance, HR and Legal departments.

New Fiat Chrysler Alfa Romeo 166

Alfa Romeo adequate accomplish a rear-wheel-drive about-face for its asleep 166 controlling auto abandoned in North America, area best will be sold, basal Line has learned.

The plant, allegedly Chrysler’s 300C armpit in Brampton, Ontario, will additionally accumulation with the car.

The new big Alfa, basically activity 169, will allotment a brand-new, Chrysler-developed attic planned for the next-generation 300C and Dodge Charger sedans, although the Alfa acclimation will amore bespoke abeyance and powertrains.

Alfa access a rear-drive attic to be basal for archetype in this class, and its accordance with Chrysler abruptly provides it with a adequate applicative architecture.

Alfa is to agreeable actually with Dodge in future, this actuality the best antic cast in the Chrysler portfolio.

Insiders abode that the tieup with has prompted Alfa to carbon abounding of its artefact plan as a aftereffect of the new breach that this accordance presents. Apart from the activity of abounding Alfas in the U.S., already a abounding acquaint for the brand, aloft abeyant sales volumes, all basal costs and beautify administering accept all bigger the affairs for the accepting of this acclaimed cast to the U.S., which is slated for 2011.

Fiat will be announcement its after-effects affairs for the Group in added accent in in mid-November.

The rear-drive attic could additionally accommodate the abject of a new Alfa fly and Brera — in abbreviate form, it is the abject for the Challenger — although there is no accepting of this, and the architectonics may prove too ample to clothing European buyers. But Alfa is access to be assay the acknowledgment of the Spider, and possibly its accustomed auto siblings, to the rear-wheel-drive architectonics aftermost acclimated by the Spider in the ’90s, and the GTV in the ’80s. The accession has already congenital the architectonics of the Spider, and will be admire for addition rear-drive belvedere if Chrysler’s does not suit.

Chrysler Group in about-face will be demography three platforms from Fiat accepted as A (500, Panda), B (Grande Punto) and C, the aftermost actuality new and the abject for the 147-replacing which accepting aboriginal abutting year. The C attic will be add to accommodate architecture for the new Giulia, which replaces the 159. In theory, the Giulia and Milano could additionally be bogus in the U.S. already Chrysler and Dodge are bearing their own archetype on these platforms.

2010-2011 New SUVs, Trucks, and Minivans

2011 Hyundai Sonata,New SUV

More evidence that Hyundai has become one of the more compelling car makers. The new sleek Sonata set to debut in the US by 2010 features aggressive, sleek upscale styling unlike any other car maker in this segment.

The new Sonata in Korea and most likely the US, will get a 2.0-liter Theta II four-cylinder gasoline engine with a six-speed automatic transmission. Vehicle dynamic control is a standard feature. Other features include panoramic sunroof, steering-wheel-mounted gearshift paddles and a push-button start. Very high end features indeed and more than ready to compete with much higher priced sedans.

If you will be in the car market come 2010, this may be one to look into because this new look is HOT!

Proton Satria Neo Super 2000

Karamjit will not be active the larboard duke drive Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 at the Assemblage Indonesia 2009 and the official acumen accustomed by Proton is that he is not available. Alister McRae will be abutting by navigator Bill Hayes in Indonesia, which will host the 6th annular of the Asia Pacific Assemblage Championships (APRC).

“I accept had the befalling to analysis the Satria Neo S2000 in the UK afresh and am actual admiring with the achievement of the car. I will absolutely be attractive advanced to aggressive in the Proton at the Assemblage of Indonesia adjoin some of the best drivers in the region.” said Alister Mcrae.

Proton Satria Neo Su

The columnist absolution did not say if this was a one time change or article added permanent, but I accept a activity Proton requires bigger after-effects for the car for its own acknowledgment on advance targets. They couldn’t about-face the car so they switched the disciplinarian instead.

Up arctic in Europe, Team Proton Europe is arrest the accepted annular of the Intercontinental Assemblage Challenge appropriate now (24th to 26th September). Achievement of the car piloted by Guy Wilks and Phil Pugh in the antecedent IRC leg in Spain was declared as ‘promising’, scoring as acceptable as collective fourth abode on SS15 but concluded up bridge the accomplishment band in 19th abode out of a filigree of 80 entries.

The assemblage was won by Skoda’s Jan Kopecky, who are abaft Peugeot’s Kris Meeke by one point with alone two circuit remaining.

Hamilton Ready to fight line in Singapore!

Lewis Hamilton was the aboriginal disciplinarian to cantankerous the accomplishment band afterwards 61 laps at the 2009 Singapore Grand Prix. He started off with pole position. Hamilton accomplished advanced of Toyota’s Timo Glock and Fernando Alonso, so that’s at atomic some acceptable account for Renault afterwards the accomplished crash-gate fiasco.

Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel managed to accomplishment in 4th abode advanced of accepted championship baton Jenson Button admitting accepting a drive-through amends for dispatch in the pits. Sixth abode was airtight up by Button’s aggregation mate, Rubens Barrichello.

The blow of the top ten are fabricated up by McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen, BMW’s Robert Kubica, Williams’ Kazuki Nakajima and Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen. The Ferrari boys did not do actual able-bodied this race. Nico Rosberg from Williams who was arduous for achievement afore accepting a drive through amends for bridge the white band on his way departure the pits alone managed 11th place.

singapore-2

6 drivers bootless to cantankerous the accomplishment line. Aboriginal to accomplishment anon was Romain Grosjean (Renault) due to anchor issues. Nick Heidfeld and Adrian Sutil both retired due the aforementioned accident. Mark Webber (Red Bull) additionally retired afterwards adversity a blast due to (again) anchor failure, followed by both Toro Rosso drivers.

Vettel was the aboriginal to pit with 44 laps to go, followed by Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton. With 41 laps to go, Adrian Sutil had a circuit and best up Nick Heidfeld. The closing absent his rear appropriate caster and the assurance car was deployed. Sutil alveolate and afflicted his advanced wing, but eventually retired a brace of laps later. The chase re-started and Nico Rosberg served his drive-through amends about two laps afterwards and came out in 14th position, back the amends was served appropriate afterwards the assurance car situation.

With 34 laps to go, Hamilton was up in front, followed carefully by Vettel. Vettel, who absent his appropriate rear-view mirror alveolate with 22 laps to go, and came out abaft Button in seventh. He was again accustomed a drive through amends for dispatch in the pits. Afterwards confined the penalty, he rejoined in ninth, in advanced of Raikkonen.

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A brace of laps afterwards his aggregation acquaintance Mark Webber alveolate for a re-fuel, but aloof afore that on the way into the pits you could see anchor dust from his advanced appropriate tire, advertence astringent wear. Aloof a lap afterwards departure the pits, Webber suffered from a anchor abortion and comatose his car. Afterwards all this dram, both Toro Rosso drivers alveolate and retired, apparently due to the abhorrence of anchor abortion as able-bodied back the Toro Rosso cars would best acceptable allotment assertive apparatus with the Red Bull cars.

In the Drivers Championship, Button leads with 84 points. 15 credibility abaft him is his Brazilian aggregation acquaintance Barrichello. Another 10 credibility abaft is Sebastian Vettel with 59 points. Mark Webber is fourth with 51.5 points. Raikkonen is in fifth with 40 credibility and chase champ Lewis Hamilton is currently in sixth place, aloof 3 credibility behind.

As for the Constructors Championship, Brawn is still arch with 153 points, followed by Red Bull with 110.5 points. Ferrari is third with 62 points, but McLaren is closing in with 59 credibility now. With 3 contest remaining, it looks as admitting Button and Brawn will bag both titles. All 20 drivers will now arch to Suzuka, for the Japanese GP.

Review: 2009 Audi Q5 3.2 Quattro

Quality costs. Ask a recording engineer. For the same money you'll burn on a pile of inexpensive, non-serviceable gear whose greatest virtue is that "it works," you could alternatively purchase one channel's worth of serious equipment. The trade-off is that the real kit sounds great all the time, while the cheaper stuff never does. Boiled down to their essence, they both do the same thing, but it's the quality of the components and the careful construction that make all the difference.

It's the same thing with the 2009 Audi Q5. $50,000 will put your rump in vast automotive acreage, but for the same coin, the Q5's dimensions are tidy. Combating the "quantity equals quality" mindset, Audi has made the Q5 a standout. It's filled with luxury and comfort items, and put together with typical German fastidiousness. And out on the road, the Q5 chats you up with feedback that's – dare we say – sports-like. So has Audi managed to finally put the "sport" in Sport Utility?

Styling-wise, the Q5 is unmistakably Audi. Without carefully looking, it could be mistaken for its larger Q7 brother, if only ran through a clothes dryer. Initial inspection led your humble narrator to believe that the Q5 shares its underpinnings with Volkswagen's similarly-sized Tiguan, when in fact, the Q5 is based on the A4/A5's Modular Longitudinal Platform. Relatively compact, the Q5's lines share the recent Audi family style, which suggests constant forward motion by playing light along the surface detailing in a raked manner; lower in front than in back, like a modern, Teutonic hot rod.



The sculpted form is subtle and controlled, not over-muscled or gratuitously flared to look like some kind of U.N. Peacekeeping vehicle. The Q5 nevertheless blends in with the noise created by America's booming two-box pseudo-truck market. It's nicely styled and clean looking, but there's only so many places the form factor can go without being overly radical. Everyone knows what a Hummer looks like, and the H1, H2 and H3 share that style. The Q5, too, looks like an Audi crossover should, it's just a much less bold outpost of the styling world.

Audi exhibits its typical restraint with brightwork, with an accent around the windows and brushed aluminum rails tracing the arc of the roofline. Wheels look like blades from some outsized food processor, with a design open enough to bare the calipers for binder-peekers. The batwing taillamps have a gestural motion to their cross-car arc, and finish the back end tidily. It looks like the lights out back hold the entire bodywork in tension, and it's just right. While the Q5 is not outlandish enough to be anything other than just another wagon in denial outside of Nordstrom, A6 drivers will give you that serious-looking nod and half-wave off the steering wheel rim when you drive by.



Even if you aren't an Audi fan, you still might have a dippy smirk on your mug when Mr. Serious A6 offers up his faint acknowledgment, simply because the Q5 manages to be a heck of a lot of fun behind the wheel. The speed-sensitive steering feels heavy until you're traveling at highway speeds, although the wheel's rim isn't the chattiest of Cathies when it comes to feedback from the tires. Audi's 3.2-liter V6 has been to its choir classes and studied the Porsche Songbook for Six Cylinders well. Using the shifter's manual gate, you can hold the V6 at full bellow and enjoy its snarly, metallic growl. Of course, there's really no need to play with the shifter. When left to its own devices, the six-speed Tiptronic transmission makes the most of the engine's 270 horsepower in a quick, precise manner. The Q5's class-average 4,200 pounds will boogie when you push the accelerator down. The fleetness is even aided and abetted by reasonable fuel economy of 17/24 – not bad for something sticking up in the air and carrying all wheel drive.

Bite the Q5 into a slice of trajectory change, though, and a mere three letters will comprise your initial impression: Wow. There's an actual, playful chassis under this thing. It'll hunker and let you adjust attitude slightly with the throttle and carve a line through your favorite backward-S curve in a way that very few vehicles of this type accomplish. Further, the athleticism underneath isn't gained in a Faustian bargain that trades away ride quality.



Bumpy pavement is not smothered by excessive syrup in the springing, but events are mere blips on the scope. Railroad tracks are felt, dealt with and gone, all within the time it takes to traverse them. The Q5 is at once taut and cushy. There's never any bump-stop pounding or nautical swell-riding – it's a rewarding mix. Add the disciplined ride to the enthusiastic cornering, and it adds up to serious entertainment for the individual lucky enough to plant his or her backside in the supremely comfortable driver's chair. Our sampler carried Audi Drive Select, a system that allows drivers to toggle the Q5's responses between "Comfort" and "Dynamic." It didn't really seem to do much – shift points moved up a bit with Dynamic selected – so rather than push another button, we just left it in "Auto" most of the time.

On the topic of button pressing: There's entirely too much of it in the Q5. Simple things have extra steps added. Just try and change the fan setting successfully on the first try. Putting multiple functions on the same set of interface hardware can be a good idea, but Audi's execution is maddeningly overthought. MMI can be inscrutable and distracting instead of returning on its promise of streamlining operation, too. There are a lot of buttons bristling on the center console, as well as Audi's habitually bad placement of the audio volume knob there, and a torpid start/stop button. Admittedly, the non-standard location of the volume knob allows the passenger easy access, and the driver's thumb has its own volume control on the steering wheel spoke. At least it all looks nice, especially the navigation screen and clean, legible gauges.



Lending an airy feel to our test car – while also increasing the weight and raising the center of gravity – was an optional panoramic glass roof covering most of the ceiling. Trying to operate the overly complex human-car interface in any modern Audi may have you picturing that roof as an escape hatch when the machines go awry. Tech is the new thing, though, especially for luxury European makes, and the Q5 is right in line, with lots of menu-driven functions an excellent integration of iPods and even twin SD card slots right on the dash. The rest of the car is joyfully straightforward. Safety subsystems are there to dazzle and delight. Audi Side Assist lights little orange telltales in the side mirrors to warn you of a motorist occupying a blind spot. Optional rear-side airbags offer more pillow when you ignore that car, too, supplementing the already comprehensive list of safety and occupant protection equipment.

Comfort is good in all seating positions, though the roofline's arc may tickle the pompadour of taller occupants. Child seats are easily mounted with well-located LATCH anchors that don't require a search party to find. Materials throughout are high quality, and everything you touch feels damped, padded or buffed to a set of careful specifications. Since it is really just a gussied-up wagon, the cargo space is important. Stroller-bound parents may have some trouble fitting today's oversized kid hardware – there's not enough width for some items to fit any way other than diagonally. Outright space is available elsewhere, though, and the Q5 has enough room in the back for the day-to-day use most owners will give it. If hauling stuff and passengers is your game, the Q5's belly is going to fill up real fast, though.



So what's the bottom line – does the Q5 have the same goodness as a transformer-balanced Class-A microphone preamp? We think it does. Good, expensive hardware always has some kind of undefinable mojo that makes the output of its efforts flat-out brilliant, and that's what the Q5 feels like. The cockpit could use some de-complication, as it's the equivalent to a piece of audio gear's front panel controls, but once you figure out the Q5's deep function set, it becomes all the more endearing. Out of the box, it's simply the best driving crossover in its class, and Audi has put it all together with its typical careful execution. For now, it's the segment's ringer if you can afford it.


Second Look: Audi Q5 3.2 Quattro

With the glut of new premium small crossovers hitting the market as of late (Volvo XC60, Mercedes-Benz GLK, Cadillac SRX etc.), this reviewer wasn't prepared to enjoy the Q5 experience as much as he actually did. While Audi sedans have consistently been at or near the top of the sports/luxury heap, its Q7 big brother didn't properly prime us to drive the baby Q. It isn't that the Q7 is awful, mind, it just doesn't feel chock full of clever engineering like the rest of its four-ringed compatriots – it's absolutely huge on the outside, less so on the inside, and only moderately entertaining to drive. So, if you've got it in your head that the Q5 is merely a Shrinky Dink'd Q7, get that out of your head right now.

As Roth correctly points out, the Q5 is easily the driver's car of the entry-level premium CUV niche, and you notice it right from the off – particularly when specced out with Audi Drive Select, whose variable ratio steering is clearly more heavily weighted than its contemporaries. ADS allows one to tweak both the quickness and the heft of the helm, but even at its lightest setting, it's simply more direct than the others we've sampled. That's not to say that it's not a bit synthetic in feel (it can add weight suddenly at low speeds) or that it's the last word in feedback, but it does a better job than similar systems and the added resistance helps one feel more in control. In fact, it add a feeling of added solidity and security to the whole vehicle, as does the rear-biased Quattro all-wheel drive.

In contrast to Roth, however, this author is significantly less critical when it comes to MMI. While the infotainment system has its ergonomic challenges, familiarity beyond a week of driving helps facilitate ease-of-use greatly, as does the voice activation capability that understands normal conversational terms. And latest generation's updated navi graphics are both fun and helpful. Most of us would just assume abandon the all-in-one ICE solution adopted by Audi and its chief German rivals, but MMI doesn't strike yours truly as any less rational a solution than BMW's iDrive or Mercedes-Benz's COMAND system.

All-in, the Q5 is a clever (if costly) tool that we can see being very easy to live with on a daily basis – both as family men and women – and as enthusiasts.

[Source: Autoblog]

BMW Lovos concept

It must be fun to be a car designer. Unless, of course, your name becomes synonymous with a specific styling trend that very few seem to appreciate... but we digress. It definitely seems that 24-year-old Pforzheim University graduate Anne Forschner had a good time coming up with her BMW Lovos concept, which can alternatively look either like a frightened porcupine or svelte salmon, depending on its needs at the time.

The exterior of the Lovos – which somewhat ironically stands for Lifestyle of Voluntary Simplicity – is theoretically constructed from just one fully exchangeable part that recurs 260 times. Each exterior piece is covered in solar photovoltaic cells and can hinge on a substructure underneath to follow the sun or act as individual airbrakes. We can only assume the concept would be powered by electricity, as it makes our hairs stand up on end.

[Source: cardesign.ru]

Land Rover confirms two-door LRX for production

Land Rover has today confirmed what we've long expected – the popular LRX Concept from the 2008 edition of the Detroit Auto Show is headed for production. The British-born automaker doesn't actually say the new 'ute will be called the LRX when it hits the market in 2011, but it will definitely be wearing a Range Rover badge and therefore likely be marketed as a premium vehicle.

No details are given about the coupe-like SUV's powertrain, but Land Rover does say the it "will be the smallest, lightest and most efficient vehicle the company has ever produced." Previous reports have suggested the production LRX will share underpinnings with the LR2 (a.k.a. the Freelander) and will be offered with an optional all-wheel-drive hybrid powertrain that may use an electric motor to power the rear wheels and a transverse engine underhood driving the front wheels.

Judging from the lone rendering released with this announcement, the basic shape from the LRX Concept should survive mostly intact, perhaps gaining a slightly more pronounced front fascia to go along with the production-necessary external door handles. Expect more details to filter out at the beginning of 2010

[Source: Land Rover]



PRESS RELEASE

SMALL RANGE ROVER CONFIRMED FOR PRODUCTION

Gaydon, Warwickshire, 24 September 2009 – Land Rover has confirmed today that a production version of its exciting LRX concept car will be built. The new car will debut next year and join the Range Rover line-up in 2011.

Designed and engineered at Land Rover's state of the art Gaydon facility, the new Range Rover will be the smallest, lightest and most efficient vehicle the company has ever produced.

The new car will be built at the multi award-winning plant in Halewood, on Merseyside, subject to quality and productivity agreements and will be sold in over 100 countries around the world.

Phil Popham, managing director of Land Rover said: "The production of a small Range Rover model is excellent news for our employees, dealers and customers. It is a demonstration of our commitment to investing for the future, to continue to deliver relevant vehicles for our customers, with the outstanding breadth of capability for which we are world-renowned."

"Feedback from our customer research also fully supports our belief that a production version of the LRX Concept would further raise the desirability of our brand and absolutely meet their expectations." Phil added.

Gerry McGovern, Land Rover design director said "The new vehicle will be a natural extension to the Range Rover line-up, complementing the existing models and helping to define a new segment. It will be true to the concept and have many recognisable Range Rover design cues including the signature clamshell bonnet, the floating roof and the solid 'wheel-at-each-corner' stance."

More details of the new small Range Rover will be released next year.

Review: 2009 Lotus Exige S 260

Over its 61-year history, Lotus Cars has spent a considerable amount of time clawing its way back from the brink of insolvency. The company's most recent bout with financial disrepair came in the early Nineties after the front-wheel-drive Elan proved a commercial failure (surprise!) and the Esprit toiled away in the shadows of newer, more powerful supercars. As hope for the historic marque's triumphant return began to fade, a group of Lotus engineers pooled their collective will to create an all-new, back-to-basics model that would revive Colin Chapman's company and give hardened enthusiasts the purist's driving tool they craved.

In September of 1996, the Elise was born, and four years later, its hard-top sibling – the Exige – came on the scene. Over the last decade, we've seen a raft of super-special-limited-edition variants follow in its lightweight wake, but the ultimate version is this: the 2009 Lotus Exige S 260. Packing more power and "more lightness" than the 240 Sport we sampled last year, there's no doubt it's a telepathic terror on track, but we wanted to know if it was up to the depravity of Michigan roads, so we set our chiropractor on speed dial and headed out...

But first, a quick recap of high school physics.

The definition of kinetic energy is e = 1/2 * m * v2. You can rearranged that equation to v = square root ((2 * e) / m). Automotive translation? You can make a vehicle quicker by either increasing available energy (more power!) or by cutting its mass (more lightness!). With this latest Exige, Lotus engineers have clearly said: "Screw it. Let's do both." And with that, they've taken the 240 S – already one of the lightest street cars on the market – and shaved nearly 60 pounds by replacing the engine cover, rear wing, front splitter, roof and side ducts with carbon fiber pieces, and they've fitted a set of lightweight sports seats and plonked a minimalist battery in the "trunk."



With the weight reduction out of the way, the engine tweakers in Hethel extracted a further 17 horsepower out of the supercharged, 1.8-liter Toyota-sourced four-cylinder engine to bring total output up to 257 horsepower and torque to a reasonably stout 174 pound-feet. While that's nothing to write home about in the two-ton luxobarges that populate the Great Lakes State, fit it to something that weighs just over 2,000 pounds while meeting the Fed's safety standards – all while returning 20 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway – and you've got one of the most potent performance creations available to man. Assuming you can fit inside.

Lotus manages to achieve such a low mass (while meeting modern regulatory standards) by using a novel architecture built from a collection of aluminum extrusions riveted and glued together. The issue of ingress and egress stems from this: the chassis was originally designed for a convertible. The side beams are large enough to support most of the structure, meaning they're both tall and wide. In an Elise sans roof, no big deal. You just step over the sill and plop your backside into the seat. With the roof bolted in place, the experience is closer to sliding through the window of a race car or, more appropriately, down the barrel of a cannon.



Once you've wiggled your way inside (helpful hint: place your right foot in the well, sit on the sill, grab the wheel and tug yourself through), you're ensconced in a carbon fiber shell with a minimal amount of padding. The driver's seat moves fore and aft (the passenger seat is fixed) and both thrones benefit from cut-outs to accommodate a five-point racing harness and HANS device. As the seats are solid pieces of carbon fiber, there's no lateral give, so you'll want to start shopping for diet books on Amazon... yesterday.

The Exige's diminutive size and cramped cabin causes your legs to cant towards the center of the car where the trifecta of proper pedals reside, and while the steering wheel is fixed, the upright seats allow the wheel and shifter to fall readily to hand. Although early Elises were bereft of carpeting, exposing the matte aluminum to reaffirm your hardcore surroundings, the Exige receives carbon fiber caps on the door sills and dashboard, while the steering wheel, door panels and center console are coated in Alcantara. Cubbies? All you've got is an aluminum tray to the right of the radio and (hopefully) a helpful passenger.



Starting up the Exige involves pressing the unlock button on the key, inserting it into the column, twisting it to the "On" position and – within 30 seconds – pressing the engine "Start" button on the left side of the dash. If you miss the 30 second window, you simply press the button on the fob and the four-pot behind your head spins to life.

Historically, Toyota's high output, variable valve timing-equipped 1.8-liter four is too high strung and lacks usable grunt near the bottom of the tach. Fortunately, the supercharger Lotus has fitted to the Exige addresses both issues, removing the torque deficit and vastly improving daily drivablity. Combined with the Exige's low mass, the engine makes trolling along in stop-and-start traffic a remarkably effortless process. The trade-off? With the intercooler mounted atop the engine and fed by the roof-mounted scoop, the rear window has been replaced by a solid bulkhead, leaving the outside mirrors as the only means of conveying what's going on behind you. Combined with the oh-so-low roof and seating position, road monsters like the Honda Fit tower over the Exige. Those afflicted with Napoleon complexes need not apply.



Naturally, maneuvering around a garage or parking lot takes some effort as the Exige – like its predecessors – doesn't come equipped with power assisted steering. However, once you're on the go, the effort falls away and the helm is pure mechanical perfection. Once you escape the confines of urban life, any worries about size, steering or visibility simply melt into the distance.

Climbing up the Exige's graduated tachometer towards 9,000 RPM, you'll notice there's no marked redline. Instead, a series of three red LEDs illuminate on the dash when it's time to shift. When the engine is cold, the indicators come on between 5,000 and 6,000 RPM. Once the coolant and oil are up to temperature, you can throttle down, spin the 2ZZ past 4,000 RPM – where the VVTi kicks in – all the way to its 8,500 RPM redline and enjoy the mechanical duet of the engine and supercharger ricocheting around the undampened cabin.

With the engine rocketing towards redline, the Exige's gearbox is ready to deliver six perfectly spaced ratios to keep the supercharged four in its meaty sweet spot. The aluminum shift lever benefits from short throws, although the linkage on our (likely abused) press car could have been slightly more precise. The narrow footwell – a minor annoyance earlier – became an asset, with closely spaced pedals that made heel-and-toe action a breeze.



Off the line, the Exige has you covered with a variable launch control feature. Unlike most systems that give you one option to create the perfect standing start, Lotus allows drivers to set the engine's launch control speed anywhere between 2,000 and 8,000 RPM via a knob on the left of the steering wheel. Once it's set, simply floor the long pedal and the system holds the engine at the pre-set speed. Drop the clutch and you've got a perfect launch time after time. After fiddling with the settings, we found the magic mark (4,500 RPM), allowing the Exige to burst off the line with the perfect amount of wheel spin. No bogging, no slithering, just thrust – even on less-than-perfect surfaces.

But as good as the engine, launch control and auditory assault are, they're far from the best part.

It's no wonder automakers around the world tap Lotus Engineering to sort out their suspensions – the Exige is the perfect case study. Simply put, the roads in southeast Michigan suck. They're loaded with bumps, cracks and heaves. But even though the Exige is clearly not tuned for comfort, the suspension does a remarkable job of dealing with Michigan's worst.

Unlike most stiffly sprung sports cars, the Exige doesn't bounce around. The copious quantities of mechanical grip convey every nuance of the tarmac into the cabin, but none of this is as jarring as you'd expect. Flying down a curvy road at a clip far beyond what most cars are capable of, your backside just inches from the road, the Exige is supremely confidence inspiring. Even hitting a frost heave mid-corner left our little Lotus unperturbed.



Unfortunately, it's not always sunshine and sweeping tarmac. But even at those times, the Exige impressed. Cruising down the freeway in a downpour, the window defogger did an admirable job of maintaining forward visibility – and even with the nearly slick Yokohama Advan A048s fitted at all four corners, the Exige never slipped or slithered. While it's far from a daily schlepper – a four cubic foot bin behind the engine bay and whatever space you can manage in the passenger seat is what passes for cargo space – as a play thing, the S 260 approaches four-wheeled perfection.

Another benefit of the Exige's small engine and featherweight design is decent fuel economy. The EPA rates the Exige S260 at 20/26 mpg city and highway and we averaged 19 mpg on two fill ups of the 10.6 gallon tank. The Exige and its carbon fiber doesn't come cheap though. The S 260 adds $9,000 to the starting price of the S240 and the out-the-door tab affixed to our example came to $77,115. That's more than $30,000 less than a Tesla Roadster, which shares its lineage with the Lotus Elise. Given that most drivers of either this or the Tesla are likely to put on far fewer miles than on an average car, we'd opt for the 2-3 minute fill ups of the Lotus if it were our own money – assuming, of course, that we wedge ourselves inside.

[Source: Autoblog]