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Hyundai: Humble and Hungry How the Korean automaker cleaned up its act to become the hottest car company in America.Hyundai's 2002 XG350 was no milestone of automotive progress. However, the first Korean car to venture beyond a $25,000 price left its mark when Automobile Magazine pitted that entry-luxury sedan against a similarly priced Mercedes-Benz C230 coupe. Back then, Hyundai was clawing its way out of the muck while Mercedes was trolling for bargain hunters. Photo Gallery: Hyundai: Humble and Hungry - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:09:00 -0700
2010 Cadillac CTS Wagon Premium An exquisitely chiseled piece of metal.After the demise of the Dodge Magnum, it's refreshing to have a wagon offering from a domestic manufacturer. It's likely that the CTS wagon will find very few takers -- if the slow-selling Magnum and the now-redesigned wagon-like first generation Cadillac SRX are any indication -- but in my opinion, this CTS wagon looks great and is hard evidence that Cadillac is willing to take chances to regain its world class status. Photo Gallery: 2010 Cadillac CTS Wagon Premium - Editor's Notebook - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:09:00 -0700
First Look: 2011 Dodge Durango Updating a mainstream favorite in a highly competitive market.The Durango has been a staple in Dodge's lineup since it debuted nearly twelve years ago, but realizing a shift in the market, Dodge has seen fit to completely overhaul its full-size SUV for 2011. After a year's absence from the lineup, the SUV has undergone an array of changes including a complete overhaul in looks, and is now based on a unibody frame that it shares with Jeep's new 2011 Grand Cherokee. Photo Gallery: 2011 Dodge Durango - First Look - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:09:00 -0700
Four Seasons Update: 2011 Hyundai Sonata SE - August 2010 Since our 2011 Hyundai Sonata arrived in Ann Arbor at the beginning of July, editors and friends of the magazine have collectively piled on nearly 8000 miles.Months in fleet: Two Miles to date: 7850 Photo Gallery: 2011 Hyundai Sonata SE - August 2010 Update - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:09:00 -0700
First Look: 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor The ultimate factory-built 4x4, now with four doors.The Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is without question the ultimate factory-built off-road truck, and Ford's SVT engineers aren't about to let it get stale. For 2011, a few tweaks enable the SVT Raptor to literally open more doors to the world of off-roading -- and do it with even more power underfoot. Photo Gallery: 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor - First Look - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:09:00 -0700
Identity Crisis: 2011 Honda CR-Z The show car's cool styling got noticed, but so did the hybrid badge. So we can't help but wonder: is the 2011 Honda CR-Z just another hybrid for fuel-economy dorks or a hot hatch for cool dudes?Honda's CRX is something of a legend, one of those cars about which everyone seems to have memories. Fond memories at that, usually involving an ultracool college-age dude who drove the wheels off one. The first-generation Honda Insight, on the other hand, is a car that the in crowd probably doesn't even remember, but it was pure dork delight. With an aluminum unibody, it was the first hybrid to reach the U.S. and posted the highest EPA combined fuel economy number of all time: 53 mpg (49/61 mpg city/highway). Photo Gallery: Identity Crisis: 2011 Honda CR-Z - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:09:00 -0700
First Look: 2012 Ford Taurus and Explorer Police Interceptor Ford Explores new Police Interceptor models.For those of you who always obey the speed limit and come to a complete stop, the following information probably won’t be of much interest. But those of you who might occasionally bend the rules should listen up: We’ve got the skinny on Ford’s newest police vehicle offerings. You’d better start scanning the landscape for shapes other than the familiar Crown Victoria, which is no longer being sold. Photo Gallery: 2012 Ford Taurus and Explorer Police Interceptor - First Look - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:09:00 -0700
What's Next for the Swedes A short history of Swedish automobiles in America.So these two Swedes, Volvo and Saab, walk into a bar. Long story short: Plenty of crazy stuff happens before they depart, worse for wear and unable to walk out under their own steam. But, praise Thor and the other Norse gods, they're still with us now. Photo Gallery: What's next for the Swedes - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:09:00 -0700
2010 Mini Cooper JCW Convertible Does the JCW option actually detract from the total package?First, allow me to state the obvious: $35,000 is a silly amount of money to pay for a front-wheel-drive convertible with two usable seats and few luxury options (no leather, no nav, no automatic climate control). If someone were to ask me to recommend some smart ways to spend $35,000, the Mini Cooper JCW convertible would fall somewhere between "patent leather suit" and "old General Motors Corp stock." And yet, if I wanted some wind in my hair, I'd probably give the Mini some consideration. Why? One word: Fun. Photo Gallery: 2010 Mini Cooper JCW Convertible - Editor's Notebook - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:09:00 -0700
Deep Dive: Maybach Lives! Tagged onto the expanding Mercedes-Benz S-class family, the uberluxury brand gets a second chance.Maybach has long been assumed to be at death's door. The brand is actually profitable on paper since the ramp-up investment has been fully absorbed by Daimler AG. Still, at a homeopathic 200 to 300 units a year, it's hardly worth the continued cost of a special distribution and service network. It doesn't help matters that current Maybachs are based on the previous-generation S-class -- not exactly state-of-the-art. Disillusioned and lacking a clear strategy, previous brand leadership was very close to putting Maybach out of its misery. Photo Gallery: Maybach Lives! - Deep Dive - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:08:00 -0700
The Inventor Weekend racing gave Bruce Mather the idea for a new auto-safety innovation. But so far at least, the industry hasn't been terribly receptive.Q: What motivated your invention? A: I can tell you the light-bulb moment down to the GPS coordinate. I was in my BMW 540i, taking turn 1 at Summit Point . It's a very hard, double-apex right-hand turn at the end of the front straight, requiring trail braking going in and a downshift during the turn. I kept losing speed and losing control in the turn because I was holding onto the steering wheel and sliding in my seat. My driving instructor told me, "You've reached that level where you've got to put harnesses in your car." But this was my daily driver, and I didn't want harnesses. So, I started to tinker with a few ideas and then tried them on the track. It took two years to find the solution. Photo Gallery: Bruce Mather, The Inventor - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:08:00 -0700
DeltaWing Race Car Concept Looks like a plane and ought to go like a bat out of hell.Ben Bowlby, the evil genius behind the radical DeltaWing race car, ought to be decked out in combat fatigues, with an AK-47 slung over his shoulder. Or maybe dressed in a stiff Russian suit and one of those funky hats Lenin used to wear. He is, after all, the most dangerous revolutionary in the world of motorsports, the creator of a car that not only looks unlike anything ever raced on a track before but also threatens to render everything on the track today instantly obsolete. Photo Gallery: DeltaWing Race Car Concept - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:09:00 -0700
2010 Volkswagen GTI - Four Seasons Update - August 2010 Another month, another competitor soundly defeated.Months in Fleet: Nine Miles to date: 20,724 Photo Gallery: 2010 Volkswagen GTI - August 2010 Update - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:08:00 -0700
Developing the 2011 Chevrolet Volt's Battery Pack The battery technology and advancements that make the Chevrolet Volt possible.At the 2007 Detroit Auto Show, General Motors unveiled an eye-catching -- in more than one way -- concept. The Volt's futuristic looks caught the public's attention but it was the technology underneath the concept's skin that was truly noteworthy. It featured a lithium-ion battery pack that enabled the concept to travel 40 miles on a single charge and had a 1.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine to act as an electricity generator after the battery pack was depleted. Photo Gallery: Developing the 2011 Chevrolet Volt's Battery Pack - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:09:00 -0700
August 2010 Auto Sales A sudden summer slump.Things had been plugging along pretty well. Not great, mind you, but decent. The spring was looking hopeful; June fell back a bit; but then we saw a mild comeback in July. Which is why the August drop-off caught industry watchers by surprise. The annual sales rate, 10.8 million units, was the slowest since February and a sharp comedown from July's pace of 11.6 million units. Photo Gallery: August 2010 Auto Sales - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:09:00 -0700
First Drive: 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid A familiar fuel-sipper.We've already seen this gas-electric powertrain in the Ford Fusion Ford Fusion and the Mercury Milan, but Lincoln is upping the level of luxury with the 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. With hybrid credentials and a plush interior, the gas-electric MKZ is targeting a new breed of luxury buyers that avoid conspicuous consumption for more restrained products that also reflect a social conscience. The Lexus HS250h is the only direct competitor in the mid-size luxury-hybrid space, and Lincoln thinks it has a significantly stronger proposition with MKZ's better fuel economy and lower price. Photo Gallery: 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid - First Drive - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:09:00 -0700
The Deep Dive: German EV Cheat Sheet Affordable electric cars we expect from the FatherlandAlthough most of the auto industry is using billboards and Twitter feeds to announce the oncoming battery-powered revolution, German automakers have been more circumspect. At various times, they've pooh-poohed the viability of electric vehicles and, at others, tantalized us with green supercars that will, at best, be extremely expensive and extremely limited in production. But make no mistake, the Germans are coming around, if somewhat belatedly, to the idea of electric vehicles for the masses, and to that end, they are developing a veritable alphabet soup of electric small cars that you may or may not have heard of. Here's your cheat sheet on the affordable electric cars we expect from the Fatherland. Photo Gallery: The Deep Drive: German EV Cheat Sheet - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:08:00 -0700
2011 Infiniti M37 One sexy, sultry machine.The new Infiniti M is one sexy, sultry machine. It looks tight, taut, and ready to pounce. It really makes a strong design statement, which is exactly what Infiniti should be doing. The interior is especially enticing, with an ambience that is at once ultramodern yet traditionally posh. I dare say that Infiniti and Jaguar are now leading the way in cabin design, a mantle once held by Audi. Or, at least, they are the equal of Audi. Photo Gallery: 2011 Infiniti M37 - Editor's Notebook - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:09:00 -0700
Pushrods in Perpetuity The eternal small-block.Will pushrod engines last forever? Probably not, but in April, General Motors announced that it's investing $890 million in a new, fifth-generation small-block V-8. Although the announcement didn't state that pushrod-operated valves are part of the deal, you can take that assumption to the bank. Photo Gallery: Pushrods in Perpetuity - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:09:00 -0700
2010 Lexus IS-F The high-performance import sedan for those who march to the beat of a different drummer.This is the high-performance import sedan for those who march to the beat of a different drummer. It's decidedly different from the longtime category leader, the BMW M3, from the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, or even the Cadillac CTS-V. Like those three sedans, though, it's got one helluva V-8 engine stuffed under its hood, and it's mated to a state-of-the-art eight-speed automatic gearbox. The IS-F feels a lot smaller and more intimate than the other cars, which will be good for some people and off-putting for others. It's a bit more frenetic than its competitors, too, and perhaps falls more on the sport/performance side of things than the luxury side. Whereas the Cadillac and the Mercedes split luxury and sport equally, I'd venture. If you never thought Lexus could make a truly hard-edged sport sedan, you ought to drive this car; it likely will surprise you. Photo Gallery: 2010 Lexus IS-F - Editor's Notebook - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:08:00 -0700
2010 Audi Q5 3.2 - Four Seasons Update - August 2010 Still winning the popularity contest among staff members.2010 Audi Q5 3.2 Photo Gallery: 2010 Audi Q5 3.2 - August 2010 - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Sep 2010 08:09:00 -0700
First Drive: 2011 Honda Odyssey Still the one.It was difficult, as we arrived in balmy San Diego, to drum up much excitement over the drive that lay ahead. Not because we were about to drive a minivan, mind you, but because that minivan, the Honda Odyssey, is already so darn good. The current iteration, which dates back to 2005, is still the best in its class. By a good margin. What drama could there be regarding the new one? How about this: In an attempt to draw younger families into the shrinking segment, Honda is proclaiming the new Odyssey to be "the minivan redefined." To which our natural response is: redefined how? And why? Was Honda about to ruin a good thing in order to attract customers who would otherwise purchase one of the brand's four crossovers? As if that's not enough, we learned that engineers had the audacity to retune the Odyssey's steering for less effort. (Cue foreboding music.) Photo Gallery: 2011 Honda Odyssey - First Drive - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Thu, 09 Sep 2010 10:09:00 -0700
First Look: 2011 Bentley Continental GT Carefully redesigned to preserve and enhance its look.Bentley's iconic shape? Is the Continental GT for Bentley what the 911 is for Porsche-an iconic shape that is only massaged, never fundamentally altered? The cars' owners seem to think so, and Bentley has apparently taken those sentiments to heart, in the first redesign of its bestselling coupe. Photo Gallery: 2011 Bentley Continental GT - First Look - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:09:00 -0700
Collectible Classic: 1971-75 Lotus Europa Twin Cam A mid-engine marvel.It may be difficult to imagine in this day of NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow, the NHRA's tube-frame hot rods, and Formula 1's thick rule book, but racing activities once closely steered the products of many auto manufacturers. The first mid-engine racing car was the 1923 Benz Tropfenwagen, but it took decades for the layout to really catch on. By the mid-1960s, though, mid-engine cars dominated Formula 1 and Indianapolis-style racing. Not surprising to observers at the time, Lotus was one of the very first automakers to translate the concept from racetrack to production. Photo Gallery: 1971-75 Lotus Europa Twin Cam - Collectible Classic Cars - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:09:00 -0700
Homebuilt: Get ready for the new (old) Bronco The latest model in a build-it-from-scratch frenzy.Replica cars are nothing new. Hot-rodders have been relying on new 1932 Ford body shells for years, and longtime readers may remember the Autokraft Cobra that was splashed on the cover of our second issue, in May 1986. But those are copies of exceedingly rare, expensive, and significant cars. A 1966 Ford Bronco is none of those things. And yet, starting later this year, the public will be able to assemble brand-new ones. Photo Gallery: Get ready for the new (old) Bronco - Automobile Magazine
Publ.Date : Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:08:00 -0700
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