Audi is like Apple when it comes to releasing new products that people instantly love, covet & desire. Why is that? Well, the Audi A7 holds a few of the possible answers. It looks good – with angular lines, 20-inch wheels and that Porsche-like fastback rear end. It performs – with an available 6-or 8-cylinder engine to deliver juice to the all-wheel drive. Borrowing the best of the successful A6 & A8 models, the A7 logically looks to be another Audi ace.
If you’re dropping-in on a new Corvette, you obviously have enough testosterone to handle a trip to the Chevy engine plant in Wixom, Michigan to build your own motor. Tack a mellow $5800 onto your ’Vette’s sticker price & you can literally get your hands in the engine (with tech supervision) as it is custom-built for your car. Where else could you do this but in the good ole USA?
The fact this little jellybean wears the green oval makes the British motor press cringe. But the truth is, turning forty means middle age. And, Range Rover hasn’t hit this manufacturing milestone by always building ’em burly. They’ve leaned ever-more toward luxury. The people who never get their Rovers dirty are the ones who lease the new model as soon as it comes out – so, the Evoque, touted as the smallest, lightest & most fuel-efficient Range Rover ever, fits at forty. And hey…its still four-wheel drive.
Maserati’s GranCabrio is the upmarket Italian automaker’s first four-seater convertible. That means you can impress two more people when you drop the top going 25 miles-an-hour. Seriously though, all the refinement expected in an exotic Italian sportscar found in the now roomier model. Leather, woodgrain and integrated nav systems. But maybe more impactful is the hefty 4.7 liter V-8 under the hood pumping over 400 horses. When you snap this thing into Sport Mode, passengers will really have to hang onto their hats.
The Chevy Camaro. This was one hot ride in the 80s. Nothing rivaled its style…other than the Firebird. Well, news has it the Pontiac will stay in its grave. On the other hand, slated to roll off the line first quarter 2011 is the Camaro Convertible. This ride has all the features of the coupe, with a little wind in the hair.
Lexus’ 2011 CT 200h is proof hybrids aren’t always boring. The first and only, entirely hybrid, premium compact vehicle. All the comfort of a Lexus…without the footprint.
Have a little luck? Lexus is giving one of these away… enter to win.
It’s no wonder the fat cats at GM kept the company afloat – they were holding out to see this Cadillac pull off the line. The 2011 CTS-V Coupe’s angled exterior is sleek & sexy. But she’s not shallow. Under the hood…an Eaton Supercharger sitting on top of a 6.2-liter V8 engine delivering 556hp. Saucy.
You’re looking the future in the face. Mini’s 2011 Coupe is rounder & sportier with a turbocharged 1.6 liter speeding up to 208 horses. Instantly recognizable from the front, this baby’s finally got back.
Hyundai’s 2012 Veloster is small, but fierce. A sports hatch equipped with a 1.6 liter pumping out 140hp with 40 mpg. The final design is being kept under camouflage, but CEO John Krafcik promises something exciting.
Tired of being “cute” – the Mini Cooper went…and returned mean. The BMW subsidiary’s 2011 Countryman is a compact, 4-door crossover offering a taller, wider, longer & more rugged design. Available with 122 or 183 horses, this little bullet will never be sweet again.
I want this one in my garage. Mercedes F800 hybrid joins a direct-injection, 300hp, V6 engine with a 109hp electric motor. Do the math & you have 409 stallions. Pre-Safe Technology engages the brakes when an imminent rear-end collision is detected. Traffic Jam Assistant sustains a safe following distance and maneuvers though curves at speeds under 25 MPH. Green has never looked so good.
Lotus’ first new ride in over a decade. The 2010 Evora preserves the brand’s DNA with a redesigned interior providing taller passengers ( ahem athletes ) a more luxurious ride. With high performance & deft dynamics, the razor-sharp responsiveness grants drivers the thrill of every bend in the road.
The claws have come out. After 40 years, Ian Callum gives Jaguar’s XJ a modern makeover. This large cat is light & lithe with its aluminum construction. Under the hood hums a top level, 5.0-liter, direct-injected V8 delivering 510 horses and 461 lb-ft of torque. Inside is pure luxury with comfort & technology beyond any other in its class. Prrrr….
Nissan’s 2011 AWD urban cruiser features a center console inspired by a motorcycle fuel tank. The bold design doesn’t end there. The Juke’s 16 value engine is pure SUV, while the top is unmistakeably sport.
Ferdinand Porsche invented the first hybrid in 1900. 110 years later, the German automaker pulls one off the production line. The 2011 Cayenne S rides at an efficient 26 mpg. With 380 horses, this SUV is identifiably Porsche.
We all have an excuse for not owning an electric car. Not anymore. Nissan’s Leaf is an affordable, 100% electric, zero-emission vehicle with enough room to seat five. This little whip transports drivers 100 miles before needing a charge.
