2011 Hyundai Sonata : Edition Limited

seems like Hyundai is in a sort of automotive golden age where it just can’t put a foot wrong. The Genesis sedan and Coupe, and Tucson have been well received in their respective marketplaces, but the ultra competitive mid-size sedan segment is a different kind of monsterThe Sonata was going to need some big chops to even be considered against stalwarts like the Camry and Accord. Upon climbing in the Sonata, the first thought was that there was no way this was a sub-$30K vehicle. The Sonata’s interior easily outclasses most of the competitionCons* Transmission could use some refinement * 2.4-liter engine is good, but we want the turbo already! * Steering feel and suspension tuning create an uninvolving experie...

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2011 Mercedes SL 63 AMG Black Saphir

2011 Indent Design Tuners introduced the Saphir BLACK which is adapted Mercedes SL63 AMG received enhancements for both appearance and performance. With the kit from Design indent makes a lot of options for the appearance of SL63. As has been previously preached Wheelsandmore has also introduced a kit with WheelsandMore SL63. Also RENNtech SL63 Have been Launched.Actually come to think about it, eventually you might be better to spend a little more and get a real Black. Indent does provide a sports suspension and a new set of wheels designed to look like Black wheels for your car, but you have to blow a pile of money, too. They offer a 11 × 20 inches (front) and 13 × 20-inch (rear) with 275/30 R20 and 325/25 R20 Dunlop tires. The price of this...

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Fast Lanes for Faster Drivers?

Fast Lanes for Faster Drivers? Is anyone happy with the way our traffic system works? We have what you might call a least common denominator, "one size fits all" licensing system that arguably serves no one well.Example: Drivers with experience and above-average skill (demonstrated by passing a more difficult driving test, or having successfully earned a certificate from a high-performance driving school such as Bondurant or Skip Barber, etc.) could probably be trusted to drive considerably faster than currently posted maximum lawful speeds of 70-75 mph (which is what speed limits were circa 1970) without endangering themselves or others.In practice, of course, they...

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2011 Hyundai Equus

The Equus is the latest push in Hyundai’s efforts to join the upper echelon of the auto world. Designed as an executive limo and aimed directly at the Lexus LS460 and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, it has the looks and content to take the fight to the stalwarts from Germany and Japan. The sedan is loaded with tech and luxury items, including a lane-departure warning system, electronic car suspension, smart cruise control, and a 17-speaker 608W Lexicon stereo. Prices are expected to start around $50K. That is, about $15K less than an LS 460 and a massive $31K less than an S5...

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2011 Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon

556 hp and 551lb-ft of torque from a supercharged 6.2l V-8 make the CTS-V wagon the absolute quickest way to get to your nearest grocery store. Magnetic Ride Control, Brembo brakes, sticky Michelin Pilot Sport PS-2 tires, and optional Recaro sport seats guarantee the CTS-V is as at-home on a country backroad as it is at the drag strip. The CTS-V Sport Wagon hits dealerships late in 2010, but get your name on the list now; supplies will be limited. Cadillac expects broader availability in 20...

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2011 Scion tC

With a design inspired by the Toyota ST-86 concept, the Scion tC improves on its already handsome sheetmetal. The interiors have also received a much-needed F5 (refresh), with a new instrument cluster, radio layout, steering wheel, and seats that feature more bolstering. The 5-speed gearboxes are gone, replaced by 6-speed ones for the 2011. No word on pricing just yet, but under $20K could be a safe bet. Toyota expects the tC to be at dealerships and ready for customizations later this fa...

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2011 Infiniti QX56

The 2011 QX provides 400hp and 413lb-ft of torque from its direct-injected 5.6l V-8. Customers have the option of rear-wheel drive, or Infiniti’s All-Mode 4WD. The QX is packed full of standard tech, including Infiniti’s hard-drive based navigation, Bose Stereo, USB Connectivity, Intelligent Cruise Control, Frontal Collision Warning, and Intelligent Brake Assist. Rather impressively, Infiniti is offering a majorly improved QX for the same price as last year’s model. The range starts at $56.7K for rear-wheel drive, and $59.8K for four-wheel dri...

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Electric Cars of the future

1. BMW Concept ActiveEAs part of something called the Project I, the BMW ActiveE follows the Mini E into the world of creating all-electric versions of the current BMW Group Production models. Essentially, the ActiveE is an electric 1-series coupe. Present in this concept vehicle are the amenities, a BMW customer would want – leather seats, infotainment, and an LCD Display – as well as some new goodies specific to the ActiveE, e.g, Ambient Blue lighting, exterior graphics, enhanced instrument panel, and special light-alloy wheels. Energy is stored in a temperature-regulated lithium-ion battery pack, which takes the place of the fuel tank and the drivetrain on a 1-series. The synchronous electric motor, integrated into the rear axle, provides...

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Maintaining Your Vehicle Saves Money in Rough Times

Maintaining Your Vehicle Saves Money in Rough Times Is your transportation situation affected during these hard economic times? With the unemployment rate at record levels and the threat of more layoffs and business closings in store, sales of new vehicles are way down. Even if you are fortunate enough to be employed at the moment, are you willing to assume a new 48 or 60 month car note? Purchasing a new or used vehicle may not be a viable option at this point in time, so properly maintaining the one you have now is the best bet.Be sure to deal with any larger maintenance problems first. If your car or truck is not as dependable as you need or want it to be,...

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Is Your Old Car a Classic - or Just a Used Car?

Is Your Old Car a Classic - or Just a Used Car? Is that nicely preserved '88 Buick in your garage a "classic " - or just another old car? The answer depends on who you ask.Most states won't issue a "classic" (or "antique") vehicle license plate and registration until a vehicle is at least 21 years old. Some old car clubs (such as the Antique Automobile Club of America) consider the passage of 25-30 years the absolute minimum before a car transitions from being an old car to an antique.The slightly snootier Classic Car Club of America goes even further. This group, which claims to have been the first to use the term "classic car," refuses to acknowledge...

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Hybrid Cars

Advantages and Disadvantages of Hybrid Cars As car makers are increasingly thinking of producing hybrid vehicles, it's time to think if these cars are really going to be the cars of the future? However, 'hybrid' seems to be the latest advancement in the auto world. Hybrid cars are known to enhance mileage figures, and hence are believed to be better than the traditional cars. In this article, let's see if the hybrid technology is really worth the praise.Hybrid cars come with dual engines: gasoline and electric powered engines. The gasoline motor does not directly power the car. Instead, it charges the electric engine which in turn runs the car. The first of its kind was made in a foreign land. In India, Honda was the first car maker...

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Mega-Batteries for Your Old Muscle Car

Mega-Batteries for Your Old Muscle Car There are two battery-related challenges to owning an old muscle car. One, they can be hard to start - especially if the engine is a big V-8 with high compression (which makes it tougher to crank, which places high demand on the battery).Two, they often sit for weeks (or more), which can be harder on a battery than daily use because it's not being constantly recharged by the car's charging system - which only works when the engine's running.A solution to both problems could be a high-performance battery like one of the new Optima spiral cell batteries .These batteries are physically and functionally different from conventional batteries. Each battery contains six spiral cells (instead of plates...

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Rewing the 2010 MazdaSpeed3

John Z. DeLorean is credited with having invented the muscle car concept - which basically involved taking an affordable/budget-oriented "normal" car, hopping it up with a go-fast engine and selling the thing at a price young people (and the young at heart) could still afford.John Z's ghost must be working at Mazda these days - because the Speed3 is the most faithful modern-day incarnation of a 1964 GTO Tri Power you'll find.WHAT IT ISThe MazdaSpeed3 is a hopped-up, high-performance version of Mazda's entry-level, compact-sized hatchback sedan. It features a 263 hp turbocharged and intercooled, direct injection engine and six-speed manual transmission - for a budget-minded base price of $23,340.Main rivals include the $25,495 Subaru WRX hatchback...

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Reviewing the 2010 Infiniti G37 convertible

Reviewing the 2010 Infiniti G37 convertible Glacier Blue metallic was just the right color for the G37 retractable hardtop convertible that got dropped off in my driveway for evaluation one day before we got pummeled by two feet of early December snow. Rear wheel drive, summer tires - and a drop-top roof. It's the equivalent of taking a rubber knife to a gunfight.But I managed to get one good day's drive in before the G was entombed for the duration.WHAT IT ISThe G37 is a mid-sized luxury-performance sport sedan/coupe/retractable hardtop coupe. The retractable hardtop convertible was introduced to the lineup in the summer of '09. Prices start at $43,850 for the base rear-drive version with automatic transmission and run to $43,900 for...

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Tips to avoid making your car a virtual oven

Tips to avoid making your car a virtual ovenWhen the temperature rises outside, the combination of extreme heat, direct sunlight and closed windows can turn a parked car into a virtual oven with dashboard temperatures reaching up to about 192 defrees F. Recent tests, conducted for Auto Expressions, found that on an 89-degree F day, air trapped inside your vehicle can heat up within minutes. In a parked car without a sunshade, the dashboard heats up to 192 degrees F, high enough to cook a chicken and the steering wheel tops out at 191 degrees F, high enough to grill a hamburger. In the same extreme conditions, a car using an accordion-style sunshade in the windshield was able to keep the cars interior an average of 43 degrees F cooler. Sunshades...

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Super Sedans of 2010

Eric Peters2010 may or may not prove be a good year for the car industry - but it's a great year for high-end sedans. Just for openers -* 2010 Porsche Panamera (base price $89,800)In 2003, Porsche took the bold - and at the time, hugely controversial - step of adding a four-wheel-drive SUV (the Cayenne) to its previously sports car-only model lineup. Purists gasped, but Porsche felt it had to broaden its appeal, that some buyers needed more than two doors as much as they wanted access to the prestige and elite performance capabilities that come with the keys to a Porsche.MORE>>>* 2010 Aston Martin Rapide (Base price $197,850)The last four-door Aston Martin was the 1976-1991 Lagonda - a striking car that was acutely angular and provocatively...

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