17.8.11
Nissan Armada Platinum 2011
For 2011 the Nissan Armada is available in SV, SL, and Platinum trims. The SL and Nissan Armada Platinum Editions feature upgraded wheels and exterior trim, as well as Intelligent Key? And leather seat trim.
The Nissan Armada SV replaces the previous Armada SE, and the Armada SL replaces the previous Titanium model.
The Nissan Armada Platinum model continues unchanged. All three models are offered in both 2-wheel and 4-wheel drive. Armada’s expressive exterior design combines modern styling with traditional Nissan SUV ruggedness. Nissan Armada also features two-piece body-color side moldings with chrome insert strips on SL and Platinum models, along with SL and Platinum badges on the respective models.
The front bucket seats feature 8-way power adjustment and a manual lumbar support, while a 4-way power-adjustable passenger seat is standard on SL and Platinum models (4-way manual on SV models). Nissan Armada SV models include a flat-fold front passenger seat with recessed work area. Heated front seats, heated steering wheel and Platinum logo embroidered front seats are offered on Platinum models. The 2nd row offers a fold flat 40/20/40 split bench seat while the elevated 3rd row 60/40-split folding bench seat (folds flat into floor) includes a standard power-folding feature (optional on SV 4x2).
Luxurious Seton leather-appointed seating is standard on Nissan Armada SL and Platinum Editions, with cloth seating on Armada SV. Every 2011 Nissan Armada also offers up to 14 upholders and dual-zone automatic climate control.
Nissan Armada offers a 9,000-pound maximum towing capacity for SL and Platinum 4WD and 8,200 for 2WD models (when properly equipped).
Three wheel and tire packages are offered, depending on model: Nissan Armada a SV features 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels (painted finish) with P265/70R18 Conti-Track tires on SV models; 20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels (painted finish) with P275/60R20 Michelin tires are offered on SL Edition; and the Platinum features
20-inch chrome-clad aluminum-alloy wheels with P275/60R20 Michelin tires.
In addition to the long list of standard equipment offered on the Nissan Armada SV, the SL model includes Nissan Intelligent Key, leather-appointed seating, Rearview Monitor, Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System, premium Bose audio system with 11 speakers, power folding 3rd row 60/40-split seat, auto-leveling rear air suspension and 20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels.
The Nissan Armada Platinum model adds heated front seats and steering wheel, power rear lift gate, moon roof, DVD Family Entertainment System and Nissan Navigation system with XM NavTraffic system with Real-Time Traffic Information (XM subscription required, sold separately) and 9.3GB Music Box Hard Drive. The Driver Package (Armada SV 4x2 only) features Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System, fog lights, Rearview Monitor, premium Bose audio system, XM Satellite Radio (XM subscription required, sold separately) and power-operated 3rd row seat.
The 2011 Nissan Armada offers rugged construction and a strong engine, but a lackluster interior means that it doesn’t standout in the class.
On paper, the Nissan Armada seems like a good choice for an Affordable Large SUV. Check. Check. Check. Available luxury features? Check. So, given what it looks like on paper, why don’t car reviewers like the Nissan Armada?
For 2011, Nissan has updated the available trims on the Armada. The former SE trim is now the SV, and the Armada SL replaces the Nissan Armada Titanium.
16.8.11
Mazda Miata Special Edition
2011 Mazda Miata Special Edition-This 2011 Mazda MX-5 is the first convertible I've been in this summer, and the weather was perfect. Visually, the hardtop gives the Mazda Miata a buttoned-up look, but I was a little surprised that it didn't muffle out the wind noise better. The car feels nimble, and the combination of the six-speed manual transmission and high-revving, 2.0-liter four-cylinder make this car flat-out fun. There's decent jump off the line, and the quick steering response made this car perfect for dodging Michigan potholes and maneuvering through traffic.
Everything on this car is so well tuned from the steering response and feedback, suspension, clutch-pedal take up and slick-shifting manual gearbox. It's hard not to drive the MX-5 hard because the car seemingly demands you to. It does add 82 pounds over the soft top, but the car still behaves like a Mazda Miata should even with that weight up high.
Simply put, driving a Mazda Miata is a pleasure--top-down on a sunny afternoon cruise or terrorizing a local autocross course. Throughout the years, Mazda hasn't diluted the formula for the Mazda Miata too much. With just 2,600 pounds on its bones, the Mazda Miata, even in hardtop form, is still lithe and lean. The acceleration is strong, giving this car plenty of gusto.
The sparkling black metallic paint glittered in the sunlight, giving this particular Mazda Miata more dimension. Operating the hardtop was a cinch. Time spent driving this car made up some of the most fun I had throughout my weekend. EDITOR WES RAYNAL: I'll never turn down a blast in a Mazda Miata, even an over equipped, too-expensive one. Could it be one of the world's best-handling cars? Prices start at $23,110 for the soft-top. I felt as if I was crammed into the Miata Mazda Miata a. It was designed to be a small, lightweight roadster meant for those who loved minimal mechanical complexity and longed for a fun little car.
The Mazda Miata fits this mold perfectly. The car remained composed the whole way through.
The defining characteristic of the MX-5 Miata – beyond its nearly iconic shape – has been its handling, which is in line with the high expectations for such a low, light car. The same applies to the MX-5 Miata's engine. The tested MX-5 Miata comes with a six-speed manual transmission and a stubby, short-throw shifter. The clutch isn't difficult to use – it's friendlier than in some mainstream cars – but this Mazda has little tolerance for sloppiness in gear changes. EPA estimates are awful for a small car – 21 miles per gallon in the city and 28 on the highway – but the tested MX-5 returned a far more reasonable 30.7 mpg.
That mileage is still not stellar, however, for a car wit the MX-5 Miata's specifications – especially considering that it demands premium fuel. The seats on the tested Special Edition model are trimmed in white leather.
In a nod to American tastes, Mazda squeezed four upholders into the Mazda Miata interior, though all are small. The tiny doors also house stretches of mesh that could conceivably serve as pouches for small items; a small glove box and lockable cubby behind the seats round out the car's cabin storage.
The tested Mazda Miata has a hardtop that splits into two pieces to automatically disappear between the seats and trunk. The tested MX-5 Miata, a limited-run “Special Edition” model, seems to eschew the original car's emphasis on attainable driving fun. At $31,720, it's certainly affordable compared to any similar car – a Porsche Boxster, the car most similar to this Mazda's size, shape and handling focus, runs $48,000 and up.
A six-speed automatic transmission – for drivers who want to enjoy the MX-5 Miata's handling and open-top motoring, if not its power train – costs about $1,000 extra, available on all models.
The car was a hot seller 20 years ago; today's car offers the same virtues to the driving enthusiast but much less of the originality that turned heads then.
To help celebrate that occasion, it unveiled the 2011 Mazda Miata Special Edition in Chicago. Only 750 of these commemorative variants will be built, all based on the top-line Grand Touring version of the Power Retractable Hard Top (PRHT) model.
The 2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata is a two-seat roadster that is offered in three trim levels: base Sport, well equipped Touring and premium Grand Touring. In Sport trim, standard features include 16 inch cast aluminum wheels, a black vinyl convertible top with a glass rear window, air-conditioning, cloth seats, a six speaker sound system with a CD/MP3 player and an auxiliary audio jack, a height-adjustable driver seat, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and power windows and mirrors.
Touring and Grand Touring models can enhance the Miata’s already nimble handling with the Suspension package (only available with a manual transmission), which includes a sport tuned suspension with Brillstein shocks and a limited slip differential. It’s essentially a Grand Touring PRHT with the Premium package and, if it’s a manual transmission, the Suspension package.
The Mazda Miata Special Edition also includes unique exterior and interior colors.
Sport models come standard with a five-speed manual transmission, while touring and Grand Touring models come with a six-speed manual transmission. The six-speed manual and automatic sacrifice only 1 mpg in city mileage.
2012 Nissan Juke
2012 Nissan Juke-Each is offered with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, curtain-side airbags, and front-side airbags. SV and SL have a standard sunroof, keyless access/engine start, and automatic climate control. Leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a rearview camera are SL-exclusive standard features.
Nissan's five-seat Juke small crossover is about 20 inches shorter than the Rogue, the previous smallest crossover in the automaker's lineup, but it packs a more powerful engine and a sophisticated available all-wheel-drive system that together give the Nissan Juke a decidedly sporty bearing.
Exterior features include:
17-inch aluminum wheels
Interior
Interior features include:
Standard CD stereo with steering-wheel controls and iPod connectivity
Standard Bluetooth connectivity
Available automatic air conditioning
Available leather upholstery
Available heated front seats
Available backup camera
Available push-button start
Available moon roof
Available navigation system with a 5-inch touch-screen
Available performance-oriented all-wheel-drive system can evenly split engine torque between the front and rear wheels, and also transfer torque between the rear wheels
Should you wait for the 2012 Nissan Juke or buy a 2011 Nissan Juke? Buy the 2011 Juke if you want to catch the subcompact urban crossover wave while it’s fresh. The 2012 Nissan Juke won’t change appearance for its second year on the market.
The 2012 Nissan Juke will continue to share some design influence with the larger Nissan Rogue compact-class crossover. Nissan may add to the 2012 Nissan Juke lineup a fourth model called the Krum edition. Every 2012 Nissan Juke model will continue available with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive (AWD). The CVT should remain the sole transmission for AWD Nissan Juke and for all S models. Since Nissan Juke is an urban vehicle and not a trail-basher it uses a basic AWD system that normally operates in front-wheel drive but automatically shuttles power front-to-rear if the front tires slip. Normal suits everyday driving. Front-wheel-drive Nissan Juke will continue with a torsion-bar rear suspension and AWD versions an independent rear suspension.
Features: The 2012 Nissan Juke will remain targeted at a younger audience -- buyers early in their career climb, for example. Among returning standard features on the 2012 Nissan Juke will be Bluetooth hands-free cell-phone connectivity, driver-information and outside-temperature displays, and steering-wheel mounted Bluetooth and audio controls. Remote keyless entry should also remain standard on all Nissan Juke, with push-button start and satellite radio standard on SV and SL models.
Every 2012 Nissan Juke will again include cruise control and power door locks, mirrors, and windows. Also likely to remain standard on 2012 Nissan Juke SL models and optional on SUVs is a navigation system.
15.8.11
BMW M6 2011
The 2011 BMW M6 marked a major departure for the BMW M series, which saw a change in its engine from a V-10 to a V-8. Also gone is the clunky and much maligned automatic 7 speed SMG transmission. Read on for an initial car review:
Among the features included in the BMW M6 package include a new front bumper lip, a pair of fenders, a pair of side skirts, a rear spoiler, a roof spoiler, and a trunk spoiler. According to Prior Design, all the parts included in the program are from Dura-Flex Epoxy Fiber Reinforced Plastic.
From the minute drivers sit down in the car they'll be treated to heated leather seats with driver memory and power adjustment. Other amenities include two zone automatic temperature control, a Harman Kardon audio system, satellite and HD radio, iPod integration, and keyless entry. The vehicle also features a cutting edge iDrive interface that utilizes a hard drive navigation system and provides live traffic updates.
The 2011 BMW M6 is built to be a performance vehicle. Everything about the BMW M6 screams high performance vehicle. This insane speed and acceleration as also coupled with amazing handling that drivers have come to expect from BMW. A six-speed manual transmission should be available as an option without charge.
The BMW M6 convertible offers top-down motoring with the same exceptional performance and handling of the BMW M6 coupe.
The soft-top adds some innovative styling touches, with neat rear fins on either side of the glass rear window that remind one of a classic Ferrari. Track performance is improved with the intelligent electronic M differential and dynamic stability control with selective M Dynamic mode that allows a higher degree of wheel slip before engaging to permit some rear end drift in spirited driving.
Electronic damping control also allows the driver to change shock absorber settings to suit driving conditions and intentions. Large brake rotors, nearly 15 inches in diameter are standard.
On the interior, front seat space is quite comfortable and the supportive sports seats are a good choice for spirited driving, but rear seats, though quite comfortable, are fairly limited for taller adults. Cutting-edge options include BMW's innovative heads-up windshield display with special M display, radar-managed cruise control, a night-vision screen, navigation, satellite and high-definition radio, and heated front seats.BMW's Assist telematics system with automatic collision notification and SOS button.
14.8.11
2011 Lexus GS 460 Reviews
Lexus’ GS range has promised everything from Italian design to a tantalizing demeanor, but it has never been a major player. To figure out why, we borrowed a shiny new 2011 Lexus GS 460 sedan from one of the automaker’s regional distributors, Gulf States Toyota.Smoother and saver than the second-generation Lexus GS – notable for its Shakespearean “Something wicked this way comes” ad campaign – the S190-platform car retains the two-engine configuration of its predecessor.
As enthusiasts, we jumped at the range-topping Lexus GS 460 with its 342-horsepower 4.6-liter V8. A hybrid – dubbed Lexus GS 450h – was briefly on offer before sluggish sales forced its removal from the North American market.
Equipped with a V8 engine, the GS’ biggest traditional rivals come from Germany – namely the BMW 550i and Mercedes-Benz E550. As the oldest offering in its segment, the Lexus GS 460 doesn’t exactly brim with unexpected touches. An advanced eight-speed automatic also comes standard on the Lexus GS 460, a byproduct of sharing its power train with the mega-buck LS 460.
The current Lexus GS continues the theme introduced more than a decade ago with Lexus’ subtle-but-shapely original GS 300. We wish all Lexus sedans were this stylistically balanced.The 2011 Lexus GS 460 carries over mostly unchanged from the previous year, adding only a brake override system.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2011 Lexus GS 460 is a midsize luxury sport sedan that is offered in a single, well-appointed trim level that includes 18-inch alloy wheels, adaptive variable suspension, adaptive automatic xenon headlights, fog lights, a sunroof, power trunk closer, automatic wipers, auto-dimming mirrors, keyless ignition/entry, leather upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power tilt-and-telescoping wood-trimmed steering wheel, heated and cooled front seats, 10-way power front seats with driver memory and lumbar adjustment, Safety Connect emergency telemetric, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity and a 10-speaker stereo with six-CD changer, satellite radio and USB/iPod interface.
Other options include a rear spoiler, rear parking sensors, a power rear sunshade, a power active stabilizer (enhances control during cornering and limits body roll), adaptive cruise control (includes a pre-collision system) and run-flat tires (all-season or summer).
Power trains and Performance
The 2011 Lexus GS 460 is powered by a 4.6-liter V8 that produces 342 hp and 339 pound-feet of torque. Lexus estimates the GS 460 will accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, which is only 0.4-second quicker than the V6-powered GS 350.
Safety
Standard safety features on the 2011 Lexus GS 460 include antilock brakes with brake assist, traction control, stability control, front and rear side-impact airbags, front knee airbags, side curtain airbags and active front head restraints. Upholding Lexus' reputation for finely crafted interiors, the 2011 GS 460's cabin surrounds occupants with supple leather, rich wood and aluminum trim. The 2011 Lexus GS 460 delivers an abundance of power to please the majority of drivers, along with a comfortably smooth ride and respectable handling.
The 2011 Lexus GS 460 looks, rides, and even drives like its GS 350 sibling, only the key difference is that it's powered by a 342-horsepower, 4.6-liter V-8 engine and eight-speed automatic transmission.
There's not much of a difference in feature sets between the GS 460 and GS 350 either, with Bluetooth, power heated and ventilated front seats, and a seven-inch touch screen all included. For more information on the GS 460, see our full review of the 2011 Lexus GS 350.
2011 Acura TSX Sedan Review
The 2011 Acura TSX features a new wagon body style called the Sport Wagon. The Sport Wagon comes standard with the TSX's 201-horsepower, 2.4-liter inline-4 engine and five-speed automatic transmission. Although enthusiasts might prefer that this new Acura wagon be a rival to the sportier Audi A4 Avant and BMW 328i wagon by combining a V6 engine, a manual
transmission and all-wheel drive, the reality is that the TSX Sport Wagon offers balanced performance in nearly every dynamic category as well as superior fuel economy. The 2011 Acura TSX is a compact entry-level luxury sedan available in base, wagon and V6 trim levels. The front-wheel-drive TSX is available with a choice of two engines. In Edmunds testing, a manual four-cylinder TSX sedan loped to 60 mph from a standstill in an unremarkable 7.7 seconds. The automatic sedan and Sport Wagon both crossed the lights about a second slower.Estimated EPA fuel economy estimates for the four-cylinder automatic TSX sedan are 22 mpg city/31 mpg highway and 26 combined; the manual version drops to 21/29/24.
Standard safety equipment on the 2011 TSX includes antilock brakes (with brake assist), stability control, traction control, active head restraints, front seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. The Sport Wagon came to a halt in 127 feet.The Sport Wagon opens up even more room, delivering nearly 61 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded down.
"The 2011 TSX offers even better looks, more owner relevant technology and class-leading fuel economy," said Jeff Conrad, vice president of Acura sales.
The updated front end teams with new underbody panels to improve aerodynamics. At the rear, revised taillights and an updated rear license plate garnish add more visual appeal for the TSX.
Acura is known for its outstanding array of user relevant technology, and the 2011 TSX further expands on this concept. New for 2011, the TSX with available Technology Package now includes an LED backlit full VGA navigation screen (that generates 400-percent better resolution than before), improved navigation system functions (faster performance, improved search ability and expanded map coverage), Song By Voice™ (SBV) user interface, a 60-gigabyte hard disk drive (HDD) system, and the ability to download 15-gigabytes of personal music to the HDD system.
The 2011 TSX sedan remains fun to drive thanks to two powerful engine choices with class-leading fuel efficiency; a spirited 2.4L inline four cylinder engine and a torque 3.5L V-6. For 2011, both engines receive numerous improvements to reduce internal operating friction which help improve fuel economy, lower carbon dioxide (CO2) output and increase engine life.
The 2011 Acura TSX rides calmly and quietly at highway speeds thanks to thicker glass and improved acoustic insulation.
The updated front end teams with new underbody panels to improve aerodynamics. At the rear, revised taillights and a rear license plate garnish add more visual appeal for the TSX.
Split 5-spoke 18-inch aluminum wheels remain standard on the TSX sedan with 3.5 L V-6 engines.Acura is known for its outstanding array of user relevant technology, and the 2011 TSX further expands on this concept. The 2011 TSX remains fun to drive thanks to two powerful engine choices; a spirited 2.4L inline four cylinder engine and a torque 3.5L V-6. For 2011, both engines receive numerous improvements to reduce internal operating friction which help improve fuel economy and increase engine life. On sale at Acura dealerships on November 23, the 2011 TSX sedan with 2.4 L I-4 engines has an MSRP of $29,610 for both manual and automatic transmission models. The TSX sedan with 3.5 L V-6 engines has an MSRP of $35,150, or $38,250 when equipped with the Technology Package.The 2011 TSX Sport Wagon goes on sale December 21 with a base price of $30,960. When equipped with the available Technology Package, the TSX Sport Wagon will have an MSRP of $34,610.
13.8.11
2013 Lincoln MKZ concept,will be unveiled as early as the 2012 Detroit Auto Show
2013 Lincoln MKZ concept-With the current model, neé Zephyr, getting quite long in the tooth, Lincoln is getting ready to launch its successor, with a concept scheduled to be unveiled at the 2012 North American International Auto Show.The next generation Lincoln MKZ will utilize the same architecture as its high volume stalemate, the Ford Fusion, as well as the European Mondeo, which means it will retain front-wheel drive, with AWD likely available as an option.
The 2013 Lincoln MKZ will share a platform with the next Ford Fusion and its global equivalent, the Ford Mondeo.There’s good news rumored about the hybrid versions of the MKZ and Fusion, too: sources close to their development expect the 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid and the 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid to return up to 48 mpg in city driving, up from 41 mpg in the city for the 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid.
Car and Driver is reporting that a concept version of the new MKZ, the first of Lincoln’s revamped lineup, will be unveiled as early as the 2012 Detroit Auto Show in January.The concept will preview the new 2013 Lincoln MKZ, which will share a platform with the next-generation Ford Fusion and the European Ford Mondeo, though will be significantly differentiated for a premium look and feel.
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