Car and Driver Blog

2008 Ford Ranger - Review

2008-05-15T10:46:00.002-04:00

What’s new, trim levels, optional equipment, and safety info for the 2008 Ford Ranger.

Introduction

The Ranger was once a sales leader in a burgeoning class of compact pickup trucks, but in the past ten years, the compact segment has been abandoned and grown into the mid-size pickup truck segment. The sole compact holdout is the Ranger. Pickup trucks don’t get much smaller than the Ford Ranger, and the diminutive Ranger is both outsized and outclassed by the competition.

Since its inception in 1983, the Ranger has only undergone one major redesign. The current Ranger design arrived way back in 1993 during Bill Clinton’s first term in office. A freshening that included a beefier frame occurred in 1998; since then the Ranger has been left behind by ever-larger competition such as the Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon, Dodge Dakota, Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, and Honda Ridgeline. Predictably, the Ranger’s once strong sales have fallen off dramatically over the past few years.

Keep Reading: 2008 Ford Ranger - Review

2008 Mazda 6 - Review

2008-05-15T10:33:00.002-04:00

What’s new, trim levels, optional equipment, and safety info for the 2008 Mazda 6.

Introduction

When it debuted in 2003, the Mazda 6 set itself apart from its occasionally dowdy mid-size competition by offering a real sports-sedan driving experience. Manual transmissions were available across the lineup, a lineup that would eventually include a sedan, a wagon, and a five-door hatchback. In-house tuner Mazdaspeed even created a 6 of its own. The Mazdaspeed 6 boasted all-wheel drive and a 274-hp turbocharged engine. Now in its last year of production, the current generation of Mazda 6 is only available as a sedan and hatchback—slow sales killed the wagon and Mazdaspeed versions.

Built on Mazda’s excellent front-wheel-drive architecture, the 6 is also the basis for Ford’s slightly larger sedan. Compared to its competition, the 6 is an agile and fun-to-drive sedan. If one only examines the numbers, the 6 looks a bit smaller and less powerful than the newer entries in the category, but the Mazda is nevertheless still worth a long look. On the road the 6 can feel a bit less substantial than its direct competitors; road noise, suspension noise, and less than stellar interior materials make the 6 feel a bit less refined than some of its competition.

Keep Reading: 2008 Mazda 6 - Review

2008 GMC Acadia - Review

2008-05-15T10:30:00.002-04:00

What’s new, trim levels, optional equipment, and safety info for the 2008 GMC Acadia.

Introduction

Launched in 2007, the GMC Acadia is the first crossover sport-utility from General Motors’ GMC truck brand. Built on GM’s Lambda architecture, the Acadia is a large crossover that is nearly the size of a GMC Yukon. The Acadia, however, weighs nearly 1000 pounds less than the body-on-frame Yukon. The GMC has three siblings that are also built on the Lambda architecture: the Saturn Outlook, the Buick Enclave, and the soon-to-arrive Chevrolet Traverse. To our eyes, the Acadia is the best-looking of the bunch.

GMC offers only one engine in the Acadia, a 3.6-liter DOHC V-6 with 275 horsepower and 251 pound-feet of torque. A slick-shifting six-speed automatic is the only transmission available. Front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional.

The Acadia features three rows of seating and can haul up to eight occupants; optional second-row captain’s chairs take the people count down to seven. The interior is spacious, subjectively more so than that of the and twins. Third-row space is good even for adults and the ingress/egress to the third-row is easy thanks to second-row seats that tumble and fold forward. Unlike many GM vehicles of the past, the Acadia has a handsome interior with rich materials and good build quality. Similarly, the exterior of the Acadia has an expensive and well-executed look that reeks of quality.

Keep Reading: 2008 GMC Acadia - Review

2010 Nissan Cube Caught Testing Prior to U.S. Sale Next Spring

2008-05-14T17:25:00.002-04:00

Look for this boxy subcompact to be sold in the U.S. for the first time in the spring of 2009.

BY ALISA PRIDDLE

This fall Nissan plans to give us the first official, undisguised look at the new Cube. It will debut at either the Paris show in October or the L.A. show in November, Larry Dominique, vice president in charge of product planning for Nissan North America, tellsCar and Driver.

Until then, feel free to analyze these spy shots of the next-generation Cube that has served as an icon of sorts in other markets and will be sold in North America for the first time in the spring of 2009. This latest Cube was designed as a global vehicle that meets specs on all continents, with assembly consolidated in Japan.Nissan Motor Corporation design director Shiro Nakamura describes the styling of this successor as “super evolution.” For a size reference, the current Cube is about an inch longer and 10 inches taller than a Mini Cooper.

We got a sense of where the box is going with the Denki Cube concept at the 2008 New York auto show, but while the Denki was an electric car, the prototype caught testing here is the gasoline-powered model that will go on sale as a 2010 model.

Keep Reading: 2010 Nissan Cube Caught Testing - Spied

2010 Ford Fiesta and Refreshed 2009 Focus to Satisfy U.S. Craving for Fuel-Efficient Small Cars?

2008-05-14T14:21:00.002-04:00

Small cars, direct-injection, and turbocharging are all part of the fuel-efficient vehicle strategy.

BY ALISA PRIDDLE

The way Ford sees it, small cars will be big. Potential subcompact or B-segment buyers are growing by leaps and bounds, fueled by high gasoline prices, and the automaker thinks it will be well-positioned to get in on the action with the all-new Ford Fiesta.

The Fiesta goes on sale in the U.S. in 2010 as a vehicle one size smaller than the compact (C-segment) Ford Focus. It’s a popular size in the rest of the world, and one that is gaining popularity in North America because smaller cars usually are more fuel-efficient and the Fiesta will be no exception. It will have a small four-cylinder engine of undisclosed displacement, according to Ford.

And there likely also will be an Ecoboost option—Ford’s overarching powertrain strategy that will use direct injection and turbocharging to enable downsizing of its engines in 500,000 vehicles in North America by 2013.

Initially, that strategy means putting a turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 in the Lincoln MKS sedan in early 2009 and adding it to the 2010 Ford F-150 pickup and the new in that general timeframe. It also means putting boosted fours eventually in the , Focus, and Fiesta, with displacements likely ranging from 1.0 to 1.6 liters by 2020.

Keep Reading: 2010 Ford Fiesta and Refreshed 2009 Focus to Satisfy U.S. Craving for Small Cars? - Car News

2009 BMW X6 xDrive35i—Wanna Make Friends? Drive This.

2008-05-14T09:52:00.002-04:00

There are automobiles that should get lots of attention, and there are those that actually do get lots of attention. The 2009 BMW X6 is both.

It turns heads. EVERYWHERE. I hadn’t even driven a Space Gray metallic X6 xDrive35i I recently sampled a mile before people in neighboring cars started shooting me roll-down-your-window gestures to ask questions. This never stopped for the entire week I had it.

Now, anyone who’s ever driven a ground-breaking vehicle like this shortly after launch—let alone just before it—understands: the attention is fun for the first couple miles—but can become annoying afterwards. After several miles and dozens of brief “consultations”, I wanted to hang a sign on the window saying “Yes, it’s the new X6. Do not disturb driver.”

Okay, okay…it wasn’t so bad to be seen driving the hottest ride in town. Besides, the X6 deserves the love. With the 300-hp turbo 3.0-liter inline-six, this XXXX-pound SUV (sorry, BMW, I ain’t drinking the “Sport Activity Coupe” Kool-Aid) is delightfully quick, rendering the optional V-8 unnecessary. Handling is simply gorgeous. The four-seat-only configuration is really bitchy, especially with each chair rendered in a cool cream hue that contrasts artfully with the black and metal everywhere else. And of course, the brazen styling unashamedly thumbs its nose at anyone asking “What’s the point of a fastback SUV?”

For the coin BMW charges for its vehicles—this X6 priced out somewhere near $68K—I expect something truly special, and in this case, the X6’s looks, performance, and sheer screw-you attitude help it feel worth the money. And alas, once the X6’s few months of fame eventually pass, its driver can get about his business free from pestering at stoplights, Starbucks, or the gas station.

But even then—as with the still-sexy Mercedes-Benz CLS—it should hardly want for attention. And if I’m around, I’ll give it as much attention as it wants.

--Steve Siler, West Coast Bureau

2009 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 First Drive: Lambo’s Littlest is All Grown Up

2008-05-13T22:19:00.002-04:00

Don’t call me baby: Lambo’s littlest is all grown up.

BY STEVE SILER

Hugging the outside wall of the banking at Las Vegas Motor Speedway at about 130 miles per hour, we had a thought: “this dash-top stitching looks perfect.”

Yes, the fencing was whizzing by in a blur, along with banner ads for cigarettes and motor oil and car wax and other assorted stuff. We were coming up fast on the braking cones that would prepare us for our slow, second-gear, 170-degree left-hander leading into the infield road course portion of our track drive of the new 2009 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4, and we’re focusing on dash stitching?

Well, it isreally nice. But we wouldn’t have noticed it—at least not right then—if the new Gallardo wasn’t so calm, so collected, and so composed at that speed. Indeed, it was only at about 120 mph that we even started hearing any wind noise. This is a car that lives for triple-digit speeds.

Keep Reading: 2009 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 - First Drive Review

Love Lost? Lamborghini Prioritizes Non-U.S. Markets As It Launches Gallardo LP560-4

2008-05-13T17:27:00.009-04:00

Seems that news of our slipping economy is reaching Italy.

Normally I glaze over when carmakers spend time yakkin’ about their vehicle’s demographic targets, especially in the case of exotic cars. I mean, really, who cares? We know who’s buying those things.

But at the recent introduction of Lamborghini’s spectacular Lamborghini LP560-4 coupe in Las Vegas, president Stephan Winkelmann made the point that in spite of a record sales year in 2007, with profits up a whopping 140 percent, he would like to balance out sales numbers between its three core markets, which consist of North America, Europe, and “other markets."

Currently, North America gobbles up about 41 percent of all Lamborghinis built, making it the largest (by a hair, Europe takes 40 percent) market, if not the most lucrative, thanks to our ever-plunging currency that is slowly eroding profits. “Other markets"—i.e. Asia and the Middle East—take up the remaining 19 percent. Winkelman says he would like the three markets to balance out to one-third, one-third, one-third, which signals that Lambo will be taking its marketing efforts East rather than West in coming years—a hedge strategy if I ever heard one. A sign of the times, I suppose; we’re no longer king of the coin.

C’mon, all you rich guys out there—whip out your checkbooks and buy an LP560-4 (you won’t regret it). Let’s keep our “bull market” raging.

2010 Fisker Karma: Fisker Testing and Taking Orders

2008-05-13T16:18:00.002-04:00

Plug-in hybrid sedan is on track to go on sale in the fall of 2009.

BY KAMRAN AHMED

These latest shots—provided,ahem, by Fisker itself—of the Fisker Karma prototype undergoing testing on a track in California show that the company is on schedule to put this gorgeous plug-in sedan into production.

Fisker says it has more than 500 confirmed orders, coming in at a rate of about 50 per week since the Karma’s debut at the 2008 North American International Auto Show. Deliveries are slated to begin in the fall of 2009 with Premium Edition vehicles. Fisker Automotive expects production to peak at 1250 vehicles per month by late 2010.

It’s easy to see through the light camo that the Karma has stayed true to the concept shown in Detroit. This is not surprising as that design was already signed-off on prior to its auto show debut.

Henrik Fisker has a history of designing stunning cars, including the , the BMW Z8, and the upcoming . The Karma shows he has not lost his touch.

Keep Reading: 2010 Fisker Karma: Fisker Testing and Taking Orders - Car News

2009 Ferrari California Revealed!

2008-05-13T12:20:00.002-04:00

Our friends from Maranello show off their latest mouth-watering creation.

BY JORDAN BROWN AND ERIK JOHNSON

Just as more spy shots of the rumored “Baby Ferrari” begin surfacing, the Italian automaker has decided to blow the cover off their newest vehicle, the gorgeous California, with a trio of official photos.

Offered only as a folding hardtop convertible, the California aims to sate the desires of the ultrarich who crave both open-air and Grand Tourer experiences. Powering the California will be Ferrari’s familiar 4.3-liter, flat-crank V-8, here with direct injection and mounted in a front-mid position and producing 454 horsepower at 7500 rpm, down from the 483 and 503 in the mid-engined F430 coupe/Spider and F430 Scuderia, respectively. The chassis and body panels will be crafted—as is the case with all Ferraris—in aluminum, and Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes will be standard.

The California is mechanically related to both the and , which might make this the hottest set of triplets since, well, ever. The rear suspension is a new multilink setup, which deviates from the control arm approach used for the rest of the Ferrari lineup (and the GranTurismo and 8C, too). Seating is said to be a 2+ arrangement, which implies a rear seat, but the photos suggest that it will be little more than vestigial, a leather-lined shelf for your Prada briefcase.

Keep Reading: 2009 Ferrari California - Car News

2009 Hyundai Sonata and 2008 Chevrolet Malibu More Fuel-Efficient Than Toyota Camry and Honda Accord

2008-05-13T10:45:00.002-04:00

The tables are turned when it comes to fuel-efficiency in the mid-size sedan segment.

BY ALISA PRIDDLE

The Toyota Camry and Honda Accord have long been the benchmarks when it comes to fuel-efficient mid-size sedans, but a pair of newcomers have knocked these stalwarts off their perches—the updated 2009 Hyundai Sonata and all-new 2008 Chevrolet Malibu are the segment’s gasoline teetotalers.

Both the Sonata and Malibu claim fuel economy ratings of 22 mpg in city driving and 32 mpg on the highway. The Sonata does so with a 175-hp, 2.4-liter inline-four-cylinder engine and a five-speed automatic transmission. The Malibu uses a 164-hp, 2.4-liter inline-four and a segment-first six-speed automatic tranny to get the job done. That is comparable to the ’s 23/31 mpg in city/highway driving with its 177-hp, 2.5-liter inline-four under the hood.

Keep Reading: 2009 Hyundai Sonata and 2008 Chevrolet Malibu More Fuel-Efficient Than Toyota Camry and Honda Accord - Car News

2008 One Lap of America: We Race a Nissan GT-R

2008-05-12T17:20:00.002-04:00

Godzilla goes to war at eight race tracks across the U.S.

BY TONY SWAN

If you’ve been following the web chatter about the 2009 Nissan GT-R, you probably already know that the long-awaited Japanese supercoupe made its U.S. race track debut during last week’s One Lap of America competition.

And if you know that, you may also know that the GT-R finished 11th overall, in a field of 72 entrants.

This has led to a lot of dialogue in the blogosphere, much of it along the lines of “if this car is so hot, why’d it only finish 11th? Why didn’t it win the whole thing?”

As the pilot during the weeklong trek—the 25th renewal of this unique American motorsports classic—I can tell you that, yes, the 480-hp GT-R is a very hot ride, and, yes, it should have placed higher.

Details in a minute. But for them to make sense, a word on how One Lap works.

Dating to 1984, One Lap of America is the street-legal sequel to the old Cannonball Run, which was decidedlynot street legal.

Keep Reading: 2008 One Lap of America: We Race a Nissan GT-R

2008 Subaru Legacy / Outback - Review

2008-05-12T15:35:00.002-04:00

What’s new, trim levels, optional equipment, and safety info for the 2008 Subaru Legacy and Outback.

Introduction

The fourth-generation Legacy enters its fourth model year for 2008, and is built in the Lafayette, Indiana, assembly plant that Subaru shares with Toyota. All Legacy models are now sedans, and Subaru considers the Outback wagon version to be a separate model. Between the two models there are 13 variants.

The Legacy sedan 2.5i, 2.5i Special Edition, and 2.5i Limited come with a naturally aspirated, horizontally opposed four-cylinder. Then there’s the Legacy 2.5 GT Limited and 2.5 GT spec.B, both of which add an intercooled turbocharger to the engine, and the top of the line 3.0 R Limited comes with the first six-cylinder engine in a U.S.-market Legacy sedan. The naturally aspirated, 2.5-liter versions of the Outback come in base, 2.5i, 2.5i L.L. Bean, 2.5i Limited, and 2.5i Limited L.L. Bean Edition. The Outback 2.5 XT Limited has the turbocharged engine, and the 3.0 R L.L. Bean Edition has the six-cylinder. All models come with standard all-wheel drive. The interior is of fairly high quality compared to similarly priced cars, especially on the less expensive models, and the Legacy and Outback offer plenty of driving pleasure in a family-friendly package.

Keep Reading: 2008 Subaru Legacy / Outback - Review

2008 Chevrolet Uplander - Review

2008-05-12T14:42:00.002-04:00

What’s new, trim levels, optional equipment, and safety info for the 2008 Chevrolet Uplander.

Introduction

The Chevrolet Uplander is the last of GM’s half-hearted attempts to meet the needs of minivan buyers. It debuted in 2005 but was heavily based on its predecessor, the Venture, which dated back to 1997. Both regular- and extended-wheelbase models are available in LS trim, while the LT model only comes in the long version. The 3.9-liter V-6 offers a respectable 240 horsepower, but the Uplander lags behind the competition in both driving comfort and packaging innovation. Even the four-speed automatic transmission seems antiquated. Safety is the only area where this minivan truly performs.

Keep Reading: 2008 Chevrolet Uplander - Review

2009 Cadillac CTS-V Outruns the BMW M3 and M5 at the Ring at the Ring

2008-05-12T13:50:00.002-04:00

CTS-V breaks eight-minute lap time on the Nurburgring.

BY ALISA PRIDDLE

The CTS represents the resurgence of Cadillac and the 2009 CTS-V is GM’s blatant attempt to produce the fastest sedan in the world. So we’re guessing the guys at Cadillac are ecstatic that the sedan has broken the eight-minute barrier on the famed Nurburgring in what might in fact be the fastest documented lap time for a production sedan. It beats a pair of BMWs: the BMW M5 clocks in at eight minutes and 13 seconds and the is listed at 8:15.

Keep Reading: 2009 Cadillac CTS-V Outruns the BMW M3 and M5 at the Ring - Car News

2008 Maserati GranTurismo - Road Test

2008-05-12T13:45:00.003-04:00

Tracing its genetic code to the Ferrari F430, the Alfa Romeo 8C, and Andrea Pininfarina himself, Maserati’s latest luxo-coupe is a Modenese masterpiece.

BY JOHN PHILLIPS

Of the seven Maserati brothers, six became renowned mechanics and engineers. The black sheep of the family—Mario—instead became a painter, although he left an indelible mark on the marque. Wandering about Bologna’s main square one day, Mario came face to face with a statue of Neptune, whose barbed trident he promptly expropriated as the logo for his brothers’ first car, the 1926 eight-cylinder Tipo 26.

Why Mario would associate a racing car with the Roman god of the sea is one of those synaptic misfires mostly appreciated by liberal-arts majors. But it proved a good choice. By the time the brothers introduced their stunning A6GCS road car, Maserati automobiles had become associated with a distinctive concave grille with chrome vertical fillets, lending their products the countenance of a jawfish gagging on tadpoles.Voilà! The marine connection was complete.

Fast-forward to 2008. Were Mario still painting today, he’d fling his palette in joy to behold an identical aquatically themed grille, with huge chrome trident still attached, adorning Maserati’s latest, greatest luxo-coupe. The GranTurismo is a Maserati Quattroporte with two fewer doors, a 4.8-inch shortening of the wheelbase, and Pininfarina styling so seductive that the kid running the Ann Arbor carwash wouldn’t afford passage until he photographed it with his cell phone.

Keep Reading: 2008 Maserati GranTurismo - Road Test

Is Porsche Really Planning the 2010 Porsche Roxster / Baby Cayenne SUV?

2008-05-09T15:17:00.003-04:00

Porsche is giving its purist followers another reason to scream: a compact SUV.

BY STEVE SILER

The latest evidence of Porsche’s never-ending quest to take over the automotive world (see our coverage of VW boardroom antics before the 2008 Geneva auto show) has been spied: a baby Cayenne.

Using many of the same components found under the slick skin of the upcoming Audi Q5, but certain to be more capable both on- and off-road, the new baby ute appears to look a lot like the Cayenne which has done wonderful things for Porsche’s bottom line. It is also certain to be yet another twist of the knife already in the hearts of Porsche purists who believe the brand should stick to s.

Keep Reading: 2010 Porsche Roxster - Spied

2009 Mercedes SL63 AMG IWC Edition Offers Car/Watch Combo for Discerning Buyers

2008-05-08T15:14:00.003-04:00

For the discerning who want to time their laps in style.

BY JENS MEINERS

Fast cars and expensive watches—what better way to blow your money than on technology and precision? For the ultimate in style, though, ensure your watchmatches your car.

Ever-thoughtful Mercedes AMG now offers one-stop shopping through its four-year-old partnership with Swiss watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen, which already had a hand in designing the clock on the dashboard of some current AMG models.

With the SL63 AMG IWC Edition comes a rare watch. The IWC Grosser Ingenieur (Great Engineer) is hand-assembled in Schaffhausen just across the German-Swiss border, and boasts an impressive 45.5mm-diameter steel housing and a face and wristband inspired by its accompanying car.

Keep Reading: 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG IWC Edition - Car News

Cheap Thrills: Most Fun for Less than 20 Grand

2008-05-08T11:51:00.002-04:00

Four-wheeled fun for even the tightest budgets is easy to come by in these five affordable hooligans.

BY JARED HOLSTEIN

Who says rich folks have all the fun? Granted, exploring the Amalfi coast from behind the windscreen of a Ferrari 599GTB or throwing fistfuls of $100 bills into packs of mere wage earners just to watch them scrap like famine-stricken dogs are lovely ways to pass an afternoon, but neither extravagance makes lobbing the $15,445 Hyundai Accent SE into a switchback at full tilt any less fun. Besides, if you wad up the Hyundai, you can replace it for roughly the price of an oil change and a set of tires on the Ferrari.

Keep Reading: Most Fun for Under $20,000

2010 Saturn Aura / Opel Insignia Offer First Look at the Future of GM’s Mid-size Cars

2008-05-08T11:38:00.003-04:00

First official look at the future of GM’s mid-size car lineup.

BY JENS MEINERS

Details are emerging on the Opel Insignia, which is essentially the next-generation 2010 Saturn Aura for North America. The Insignia replaces the Vectra in the Opel lineup and will be the first model from GM’s new Global Midsize Vehicle Architecture (formerly known as Epsilon), giving us a clear look at GM’s future mid-size car lineup.

In an unusual move, Opel and Vauxhall (the badge-engineered British sister brand) are touting the Insignia with official pictures and information in advance of the official unveiling scheduled to take place at the London auto show on July 22.

Opel needs to create some buzz, what with the stylish new Ford Mondeo grabbing customers from the current Vectra which has seen its sales plummet. In North America, GM has been tight-lipped about the pending Insignia, as the current Aura is still relatively fresh, sales are decent, and the Saturn has a more modern look than the more-dated Vectra upon which it was based.

Keep Reading: 2010 Saturn Aura / Opel Insignia - Car News

2008 Nissan Pathfinder - Review

2008-05-07T13:57:00.003-04:00

What’s new, trim levels, optional equipment, and safety info for the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder.

Introduction

For the first time in its 22-year history, Nissan is offering a V-8 engine in the mid-size, three-row Pathfinder SUV; the base engine remains the excellent and powerful 4.0-liter V-6 with 266 horsepower. Completely redesigned in 2005, the Pathfinder enters 2008 not only with a new, 310-hp V-8 but also with a host of exterior and interior design changes.

Built on the same F-Alpha body-on-frame platform that underpins the Nissan Xterra and Nissan Frontier, the Pathfinder is solid and sturdy, but it is a bit heavier than some of the newer crossover (unibody) sport-utility vehicles. The driving experience is sportier than the truckish body-on-frame architecture might lead one to believe, however. Pathfinders have good steering, strong brakes, and feel well-built. Adding a V-8 gives the Pathfinder impressive acceleration and boosts towing capacity to 7000 pounds.

Keep Reading: 2008 Nissan Pathfinder - Options and Safety Features - Review

2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser - Review

2008-05-07T13:52:00.002-04:00

What’s new, trim levels, optional equipment, and safety info for the 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser.

Introduction

The FJ Cruiser is a retro-themed design that harkens back to Toyota’s FJ40 sport-utility vehicle. Sold in the States from 1960 until 1983, the FJ40 was a rugged, bare-bones Jeep-like vehicle that helped build Toyota’s reputation for quality in the United States. Beloved by off-roaders, many FJ40s survive to this day.

In an attempt to capture some of the nostalgia and passion of the old FJ, Toyota created the new FJ Cruiser, which went on sale in 2006. Based on a modified version of the body-on-frame architecture of the Toyota 4Runner SUV, the FJ Cruiser has a plethora of FJ40 styling cues; witness the two round headlights up front, protruding front fenders, white top, and chunky C-pillar. But aside from the retro-themed design, the FJ Cruiser is a fully modern SUV under the skin.

Keep Reading: 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser - Review

Lotus Project Eagle Caught Flying Around the Nürburgring

2008-05-07T13:08:00.003-04:00

Lotus’ next sports car is caught in its element on the Ring.

BY STEVE SILER

At last fall’s L.A. auto show, Lotus gave us some insight into its future, hinting at a new sporty member to its lineup from something called “Project Eagle.” The new car would slot in above the Elise/Exige and Europa lines but below the upcoming 2011 Esprit. Now we have our first look at an Eagle mule, caught testing at the good old Nürburgring, and the first from Lotus’ Versatile Vehicle Architecture (VVA) first used on its 2005 APX crossover concept.

Project Eagle purportedly is a 2+0 or 2+2-seater; but after looking at the pictures, we’re guessing the former is the case. Note the shoulder-to-shoulder seating positions of driver and passenger in the photos, as well as the proportion between the tiny windows and the passengers’ huge helmets—where would you fit another set of seats?

Keep Reading: 2009 Lotus Project Eagle - Spied

New Ford/CAW Deal Commits to Building New Vehicles Plus Mustang, F-150, and Super Duty Engines at Canadian Plants

2008-05-06T16:55:00.005-04:00

CAW avoids two-tier wages; gains commitment for new vehicles and Mustang, F-150, and Super Duty engines at Canadian plants.

BY ALISA PRIDDLE

The Canadian Auto Workers union is set to meet with General Motors of Canada officials May 8 to try to hammer out a new contract similar to an agreement inked with Ford of Canada.

The negotiations are startling for two reasons: timing and content. For starters, the current master agreements between the CAW and each of the Big Three do not expire until September, and the industry was shocked to learn of a new contract with Ford more than four months early. Second: the new pattern agreement that GM and Chrysler will be expected to follow avoids two-tier wages similar to those negotiated by the UAW last fall and viewed as a huge concession on the union’s part.

Fiesty CAW president Buzz Hargrove had been hollering that his union would never agree to a permanent lower pay scale for new hires, but few took him too seriously in today’s tough climate, where the domestic carmakers continue to downsize in a bid to return to profitability.

Keep Reading: CAW and GM Negotiate in Wake of New Ford Contract - Car News

2008 Saab 9-3 Turbo X - First Drive Review

2008-05-06T14:03:00.004-04:00

Black is the only color for Saab's limited-edition, top-of-the-line 9-3 with all-wheel drive.

BY K.C. COLWELL

The 2008 Saab Turbo X, the first 9-3 model equipped with all-wheel drive, eclipses the Aero as Saab’s top-of-the-line 9-3. A limited run of 600 will be sold in the U.S. as a four-door sedan and five-door wagon. And in homage to Saab turbos of yesteryear, the Turbo X comes in just one color: Jet Black Metallic.

At the heart of the X is a more powerful version of the Aero’s turbocharged 2.8-liter V-6. It makes 280 horsepower in the X, 25 more than in the Aero, by increasing its turbo boost from 8.7 psi to 11.6 psi. The suspension is stiffened—almost rigid when compared with the base car—and the body is lowered nearly a half-inch. Brake-rotor diameters grow to 13.6 inches in front and 11.5 inches in the rear, an increase of 1.8 and 0.1, respectively, over the Aero. The interior has some carbon-fiber-looking trim and a retro boost gauge. We especially liked the thicker, leather-wrapped steering wheel. A six-speed manual transmission is standard; the optional six-speed automatic costs $1350.

Keep Reading: 2008 Saab 9-3 Turbo X - First Drive Review