The Lamborghini Murci lago
30.4.11
2011 Nissan 370Z NISMO
2011 Nissan 370Z NISMO
To appease these buyers, Nissan has given the 370Z its NISMO treatment.
NISMO EDITION INCLUDES A LONG LIST OF UPGRADES
For those looking for a little more sport from their Z, Nissan buyers can step up to the NISMO package, which adds 19-inch wheels, a NISMO-tuned exhaust, a sports suspension and an additional 18 horsepower to the 3.7-liter V6 for a total of 350.
The six-speed manual transmission—which is the only available transmission—also comes with Nissan’s SyncroRev Match, which uses computer wizardry to match engine and transmission revolutions while downshifting, thus negating the need for heel-and-toe shifting.
There are other tweaks that make a NISMO a NISMO. The tuned suspension consists of new, stiffer springs with “high-response” shock absorbers, as well as NISMO strut tower bars at the front and rear.
On the track, the NISMO feels somewhat like an American muscle car. Again, this isn’t a luxury car. Mitsubishi’s Eclipse doesn’t have the guts to keep up with the NISMO Z, and the Ford Mustang/Dodge Challenger/Chevrolet Camaro pony car trio play among a different market segment, all though all three match up fairly well performance-wise.
The six-speed manual features Nissan's new "SynchroRev Match" function, the world's first synchronized downshift rev matching manual transmission system. The Nismo's suspension is tuned for a firmer ride and sharper handling. Compared to a standard 370Z Coupe, front spring rates have been dialed up 15 percent, rear spring rates 10 percent, front stabilizer bar rate upped 15 percent, and the rear stabilizer bar is 50 percent stiffer. The Nissan NISMO 370Z rides on unique 5-spoke Nissan-branded 19-inch RAYS forged aluminum-alloy wheels (19x9.5-inch front, 19x10.5-inch rear) mounted with Yokohama ADVAN Sport Y-rated high-performance tires (P245/40ZR19 front, P285/35ZR19 rear).
Bringing the NISMO 370Z to a stop are standard NISMO Sport Brakes with large diameter 14.0-inch front and 13.8-inch rear vented rotors with 4-piston front and 2- piston rear aluminum calipers.
Developed by Nissan’s Specialty Vehicles Group in conjunction with Autech Japan, Nissan’s longstanding conversion partner, the limited production Nissan NISMO 370Z provides unique performance and design attributes that true sports car enthusiasts are looking for straight from the factory.
Advanced VVEL V6 and Tuned Suspension Come Standard
Every NISMO 370Z starts with the unmatched foundation of an advanced Nissan FM (Front Midship) platform, refined 4-wheel independent suspension and 3.7-liter DOHC V6 engine with Variable Valve Event and Lift Control (VVEL). The NISMO 370Z is offered with only one transmission, a close-ratio 6-speed manual with Nissan’s “SynchroRev Match” synchronized downshift rev matching system.
2011 Mitsubishi Endeavor Reviews
The 2011 Mitsubishi Endeavor continues where the 2010 model left off. Reviewers note that Mitsubishi’s own Outlander offers similar dimensions to the Endeavor and is a much more refined SUV. While reviewers like the Endeavors low-end grunt from its torque V6, they criticize the 4-speed automatic transmission and the Endeavors pitiful EPA fuel economy figures of 15-city and 21-highway (all-wheel-drive models suffer even more with a highway rating of 19).
The midsize crossover SUV class is filled with great alternatives to the Endeavor. Of note is Mitsubishi’s own Outlander.
Details: Mitsubishi Endeavor
The 2011 Mitsubishi Endeavor is available in two trim levels: LS and SE. All-wheel-drive is only available on the top-line SE model.
The Endeavor is a midsize crossover SUV from Mitsubishi that combines smart styling with lots of room for five people and their gear. When first introduced, the Mitsubishi Endeavor earned a surprise win in an Edmunds comparison test. It won with a combination of good looks, torque-filled engine performance, smart handling and excellent (for a crossover) off-road performance.
Current Mitsubishi Endeavor
The Mitsubishi Endeavor is based on vehicle architecture that's shared with Mitsubishi's Galant sedan and Eclipse coupe. There are two trim levels: LS and SE. The Endeavor comes standard with front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is available, but only with the SE trim level. All models are equipped with stability control, traction control, standard rollover-sensing side-curtain airbags and a tire-pressure monitoring system. The entry-level LS trim features air-conditioning, full power accessories, Bluetooth and a CD player. Maximum cargo capacity is also disappointing at 76.4 cubic feet, and the lack of a third-row seat diminishes the Endeavor's appeal for families.
Used Mitsubishi Endeavor Models
Shortly after its debut, the Endeavor was updated as a 2004.5 model. An antilock braking system became available on LS two-wheel-drive models. This midyear upgrade also included standard front-seat side airbags and a leather steering wheel for the Endeavor XLS. New options included a rear-seat DVD entertainment system and stability control for the AWD Limited. The XLS was dropped in 2006 and the Limited trim was replaced by an SE trim for 2007. Side-curtain airbags were added to the standard features list in '07.
Mitsubishi Endeavour is based on PS platform. Mitsubishi Endeavour is the first vehicle built under Project America. This vehicle shares its platform with Mitsubishi Eclipse and Mitsubishi Glant. 2011 Mitsubishi Endeavour is a mid size crossover model available with four trim levels which include Base LS model and Luxury SE trims. Base trim Mitsubishi Endeavour LS is armored with front wheel drive channel and Mitsubishi Endeavour SE trim is armored with either front wheel drive channel or all wheel drive channel.
29.4.11
2011 Mini Cooper Convertible Reviews
For 2011, the Mini Cooper Convertible and Mini Cooper S Convertible receive slight bumps in power output from their 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engines. The range-topping Mini Cooper John Cooper Works Convertible holds steady at 208 horsepower. The Environmental Protection Agency rates the 2011 Mini Cooper Convertible with its standard six-speed manual transmission at 27 mpg city, 35 mpg highway and 31 mpg combined. The even sportier Cooper S Convertible is rated at 27 mpg city/36 mpg highway/30 mpg combined with the stick shift, and 26 city/34 highway/29 combined with the automatic. Finally, the powerful (and expensive) Mini John Cooper Works Convertible is EPA-rated at 25 mpg city/33 mpg highway/28 mpg combined.
The 2011 Mini Cooper is proof that you can be entertained by a lively car without drawing criticism from environmentalists. Under the hood, the fun starts with the lively yet economical base 1.6-liter and moves up to the sporty turbocharged Cooper S and raucous John Cooper Works versions. This boosts fuel economy and helps the Cooper feel lively around town. The Cooper's rear seat has an almost comical lack of legroom, although the Cooper Clubman (reviewed separately) is a remedy.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2011 Mini Cooper is available in two-door hatchback and convertible body styles. Each is available in three trim levels: Cooper, Cooper S and John Cooper Works (JCW).
The base Cooper comes standard with 15-inch alloy wheels, full power accessories, keyless entry, air-conditioning, cruise control, a height-adjustable driver seat, leatherette (vinyl) upholstery, a tilt-and-telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel, multicolor ambient lighting and a six-speaker stereo with a CD player, HD radio, satellite radio and an auxiliary audio jack. The Cooper convertible models add 16-inch alloy wheels and a full power convertible top that includes a sunroof feature. The Cooper's Sport package adds 16-inch wheels on the hatchback and 17-inch wheels on the convertible, foglamps, traction control, a rear spoiler, sport seats and hood stripes.
The Cooper S adds 16-inch wheels, a turbocharged engine, firmer suspension tuning, foglamps, sport seats and alloy pedals. The Cooper S Sport package adds 17-inch wheels, xenon headlights, traction control and hood stripes. The John Cooper Works includes a more powerful turbo engine, upgraded Brembo brakes and cloth upholstery. The 2011 Mini Cooper comes with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine good for 121 hp and 114 pound-feet of torque. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 29 mpg city/37 mpg highway and 32 mpg combined with the manual (27/35/31 convertible) and 28/36/31 with the automatic.
Mini estimates 0-60 mph acceleration in 6.6 seconds for the manual and 6.8 seconds for the automatic. A six-speed manual is the only available transmission. Mini estimates a 0-60 time of 6.2 seconds for the hatchback and 6.6 for the convertible.
Safety
All 2011 Mini Coopers come standard with antilock disc brakes, stability control and front-seat side airbags. In Edmunds braking, various Mini Cooper S models with 17-inch wheels stopped from 60 mph between 112 and 115 feet -- excellent results.
Interior Design and Special Features
Of all the ways to describe the Mini Cooper's interior, we doubt anyone would call it boring. Despite the Mini Cooper's small size, the front seats are surprisingly spacious. Unlike most convertibles, the Mini's rear seats can be folded flat to accommodate larger items, but the rollover hoops and soft-top mechanism prevent the loading of bulkier objects. Opting for the Cooper S or John Cooper Works models further stiffens the ride, leading us to recommend that mainstream buyers forego the sport suspension and larger wheels.
On the features list, the 2011 MINI Cooper Convertible has redesigned controls for the audio and climate-control systems; a choice of new navigation and audio systems and a new integration setup for iPods and other music players. The turbocharged Cooper S Convertible nets 172 horsepower, a 7-second 0-60 mph time, and a top speed of 138 mph. The dealer-installed John Cooper Works kit raises the turbo's output to 189 hp and torque, at times, to 200 lb-ft; 0-60 mph times fall here to 6.5 seconds. A six-speed manual is standard on the MINI Cooper, while a six-speed automatic is an option; on the Cooper S the automatic adds a sport-shift option and paddle shifters.
2011 Mercury Grand Marquis Review
Mercury brand vehicles concluding late 2010, the 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis will experience a shortened model year. With 224 horsepower managed through a 4-speed automatic gearbox, the 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis fuel economy is rated at 16 miles per gallon city or 24 miles per gallon highway. Anti-lock braking system and traction control is standard safety equipment but electronic stability control is not available on the 2011 Grand Marquis. Standard convenience equipment on all 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis sedans includes an AM/FM stereo with CD player, leather upholstery, cruise control, power windows and remote keyless entry.
The Mercury Grand Marquis is unchanged for 2011, this car's final year of production.
Sadly, they don't make 'em like the Grand Marquis for a variety of other, more important reasons. The car's handling is ponderous and the steering is slow, so you don't have much confidence in the car's ability to stay under control. As it goes to the big garage in the sky with the rest of its Mercury family, the 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis leaves behind a wealth of impressive, thoroughly modern big sedans that provide the comfort, space, performance and fuel economy today's buyers should expect, along with a few modern conveniences the Grand Marquis never got around to offering. The Grand Marquis is survived by its cousin, the Lincoln Town Car.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis is a full-size sedan that seats six people. Standard equipment includes 17-inch wheels, rear air suspension, automatic headlights, foglamps, keyless entry, automatic climate control, a 50/50 split front bench with six-way driver and passenger power adjustability, power-adjustable pedals, leather upholstery, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a tilting leather-wrapped steering wheel and a CD player stereo. Options include heated seats, a leather-wood steering wheel and a cassette player.
The rear-wheel-drive 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis is powered by a 4.6-liter V8 good for only 224 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque. A four-speed automatic is standard. Fuel economy is 16 mpg city/24 mpg highway and 19 combined. That's a big improvement over 1978, but pretty disappointing today given this car's meager power.
Safety
Standard safety equipment includes antilock disc brakes, traction control and front-seat side airbags. Neither stability control nor side curtain airbags is offered. Nonetheless, the Grand Marquis has fared well in crash tests by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, scoring a perfect five stars for both frontal and side impacts. The Grand Marquis' general interior design hasn't really been changed since...goodness, we can't even remember. We have a sneaking suspicion, though, that most Grand Marquis buyers won't care.
The vehicle comes with a 3 year/36,000 mile warranty. This warranty continues even after the basic warranty has expired. The basic warranty covers everything except normal wear and tear on the car. The Grand Marquis receives 12 mpg city and 17 mpg highway miles, making it a leading choice in gas mileage amongst its competition. Front head restraints are both adjustable for a more pleasurable ride, and the Grand Marquis offers 39.5 in. front headroom, 37.8 in. rear headroom, 57.4 in. front hip room, 56.1 in. rear hip room, 41.6 in. front leg room, 38.0 in. rear leg room, 60.6 in. front shoulder room, 60.0 in. rear shoulder room and 107.5 cu ft. interior volume. Riding in the Grand Marquis offers a comfortable ride every time.
28.4.11
2011 Mazda 3 hatchback
2011 Mazda 3 hatchback Highlights: – new colour ‘Sky Blue’, a slightly darker version of the Celestial Blue.
The 2011 Mazda 3 sees some shuffling of its equipment packages. The Grand Touring version loses its formerly standard adaptive xenon headlights but gains the Bose audio system and a sunroof. Also, all trims now have standard stability control.
The Mazda 3 is also notable for the number of upmarket features that are available, including bi-xenon headlights, keyless ignition/entry and dual-zone automatic climate control.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2011 Mazda 3 is available in four-door compact sedan and hatchback body styles.
The 3i model (sedan only) is offered in SV, Sport and Touring trim levels. Standard equipment on the SV includes 16-inch steel wheels, a 60/40-split-folding seat, height-adjustable driver seat, a tilt-and-telescoping steering column, full power accessories and a four-speaker stereo with a CD player, an auxiliary audio jack and steering-wheel controls. The 3s Sport (available as sedan and hatchback) adds the more powerful 2.5-liter engine, different front and rear fascias, 17-inch alloy wheels, foglights, dual exhaust tips, rear spoiler, aggressively bolstered front seats, upgraded upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, a trip computer and electroluminescent gauges. The 3s Grand Touring adds a sunroof, heated outside mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 10-speaker Bose audio system (with an in-dash, six-disc CD changer), heated front seats, leather upholstery and an eight-way power driver seat.
The Technology package (available for the 3s Sport and 3s Grand Touring) includes rain-sensing windshield wipers, automatic headlights, adaptive bi-xenon headlights, LED taillights, keyless ignition/entry, satellite radio and a navigation system (with steering-wheel controls and a small, high-mounted display screen).
Powertrains and Performance
The 2011 Mazda 3i comes with a 2.0-liter inline-4 that produces 148 horsepower and 135 pound-feet of torque. Estimated fuel economy is 24 mpg city/33 mpg highway and 27 mpg combined with the automatic -- the manual stands at 25/33/28. Estimated fuel economy is 22 mpg city/29 mpg highway and 25 mpg combined with the automatic (20/28/23 with the manual). Both fuel economy and acceleration are on par with similarly powerful small cars.
Safety
Standard safety equipment on the 2011 Mazda 3 includes stability and traction control, antilock disc brakes (with brake assist), active front head restraints, front side airbags and side curtain airbags. In government crash tests, the Mazda 3 earned five stars (the highest rating) in frontal impact protection for both driver and passenger.
Interior Design and Special Features
The 2011 Mazda 3 is a class leader in terms of interior design, quality and feature content. Most Mazda 3 hatchbacks and sedans sold won't be the upper Touring and Grand Touring models, but they'll still greet their owners with high-quality materials, comfortable front seats, ample space and easy-to-reach controls.
Driving Impressions
The beefed-up 2.5-liter engine in 3s models is the same one that powers the midsize Mazda 6.
The 2011 MAZDA3 is an entry level compact available as a 4-door sedan or 5-door hatchback. The 2.0-liter engine is available with a 5-speed manual/automatic transmission while the 2.5-liter comes with a choice of a 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmission. For those keen on gas mileage, the 2.0-liter engine with the standard manual transmission will deliver an EPA estimated 25 mpg city and 33 mpg highway.
Model Review
The Mazda3 is powered by a choice of two different 4-cylinder engines. Base Mazda3i models feature an economical 2.0-liter engine making 148 horsepower, while sportier Mazda3s models get a 167-hp, 2.5-liter engine. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard on 3i models, but sporty 3s models step up to a 6-speed manual. A 5-speed automatic is available with either engine.
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