Cars & Motors News

[Rasputin]

2006 Chrysler Pacifica Touring AWD

2006 Chrysler Pacifica Touring AWD

Base Price $ 31,165
Price As Tested $ 35,870
Engine Type single overhead cam 24-valve V6
Engine Size 3.5 liters / 215 cu. in.
Horsepower 250 @ 6400 rpm
Torque (lb-ft) 250 @ 3950 rpm
Transmission 4-speed automatic
Wheelbase / Length 116.3 in. / 198.9 in.
Curb Weight 4593 lbs.
Pounds Per Horsepower 18.4
Fuel Capacity 23 gal.
Fuel Requirement 89-octane unleaded mid-grade gasoline
Tires P235/65 HR17 Michelin MXV4 Pilot
Brakes, front/rear vented disc / solid disc,
antilock standard
Suspension, front/rear independent strut /
independent multilink
Drivetrain front engine, front-wheel drive

PERFORMANCE
EPA Fuel Economy - miles per gallon
city / highway / observed 17 / 22 / 18
0 to 60 mph 9.3 sec

OPTIONS AND CHARGES
Inferno Red Crystal Pearl Coat paint $ 225
Customer Preferred Package 26U - includes:
heated front and second-row seats, all-row
side-curtain airbags, automatic headlamps,
foglamps, auto-dimming rearview mirror,
power folding auto-dim outside mirrors,
memory for driver's seat, mirrors, pedals,
and radio, power liftgate, power-adjustable
pedals, AM/FM/cass/6-CD changer audio $2,280
Sirius satellite radio $ 195
ParkSense(tm) backup system $ 285
Rear-seat DVD entertainment system $ 990
Destination charge $ 730

[Rasputin]

2006 Hyundai Azera SE

SPECIFICATIONS

Model: Hyundai Azera SE
Engine: 3.8-liter DOHC V6
Horsepower/Torque: 263 hp @ 6000 rpm/255 lb.-ft. @ 4500 rpm
Transmission: 5-speed automatic with Shiftronic
Wheelbase: 109.4 in.
Length x Width x Height: 192.7 x 72.8 x 58.7 in.
Tires: 225/60HR16
Cargo volume: 16.6 cu. ft.
Economy: 19 mpg city/ 28 mpg highway/18.7 mpg test
Price: $24,420 (includes $0 inland freight and handling charge)


From its BMW 5-Series-styled trunk lid to its cozy, spacious interior, the Hyundai Azera has a lot to offer. This is a very nice car at an extremely attractive price.

[Rasputin]

2006 Chrysler Crossfire Roadster

SPECIFICATIONS
MODEL: Chrysler Crossfire Roadster
ENGINE: 3.2-liter V6
HORSEPOWER/TORQUE: 215 hp @ 5,700 rpm/229 lb.-ft. @ 3,000 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 5-speed automatic
WHEELBASE: 94.5 in.
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT: 159.8 x 69.5 x 51.8 in.
TIRES: 225/40ZR18 (front)/ 255/35ZR19 (rear)
CARGO VOLUME: 6 cu. ft. (est.)
ECONOMY: 21 mpg city/28 mpg highway
PRICE: $36,730 (includes $875 destination charge)

The Chrysler Crossfire is the most exciting vehicle to come out of the Chrysler Group since the (originally) Plymouth Prowler. And there's some similarity between the designs of those two cars, with the cropped rear and long hood.

But the Crossfire is definitely its own car, even though it's built in Germany and uses underpinnings from the Mercedes-Benz SLK. And there's nothing Mercedes about this car, except a few parts taken from the M-B parts bin, like the cruise control stalk, which proved to be a problem occasionally when I hit the wrong stalk. Crossfire is unique and exciting anyway.

The first thing you notice about Crossfire is its styling. The cropped-off tail is unique, but it still houses a decent trunk that's capable of carrying a couple of suitcases. I didn't try to stuff golf bags back there, but I'm certain they wouldn't have fitted.

We tested the Roadster, and the dropped top does impinge on carrying capacity to a certain extent. In order to lower the top, you have to arrange panels in the trunk to accommodate the lowered top. Still, there's enough capacity for a long weekend trip for two if you're so inclined. The top is powered. I had trouble lowering the top on the ONE day it was possible. Once again, my having a convertible to test prompted Mother Nature to deliver a monsoon.

[Rasputin]

2006 Buick Lucerne CXL V8

Like a smart politician the brand new Buick Lucerne has not forgotten where its support comes from – my father-in-law and his ilk. But, unlike most politicians, Buick is looking to bring its base ahead into the forward-looking world. Old Herb still drives his ’96 Park Avenue and still loves it in spite of what to me might feel way too squishy and soft. His old Buick bounces and wallows down the road like an old dancer gone to seed. Herb and his pals would like Lucerne, this new big Buick, slotted above the sportier LaCrosse and just introduced last year, but so do I.

The front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger Lucerne (optional split front bench seat makes it a traditional 6-passenger sedan), which replaces the LaSabre and Park Avenue, shares a platform, and in the case of this CXL, the V8 engine, with the pricier Cadillac DTS. Lucerne is thoroughly modern and completely updated while maintaining the soft, gentle and convenient personality the full-size Buick base demands.

Styling and design are certainly conservative. “Elegant and contemporary” says GM. OK, that’s fair. I find it very pleasant, clean and neat to look at including the stylized classic holes in the fenders reminiscent of 1950s Buicks. Called VentiPorts in the old days they used to be round or oval-shaped instead of the squared strung-together version in this new iteration. But they still say “Buick”, to be sure. Compared to some of its contemporaries there seems to be excessive front and rear overhang but the overall shape is pleasing. The 18-inch, 10-spoke cast aluminum wheels, shod with standard 245/50 Bridgestone Turanzas, go a long way toward making the Lucerne look more modern and meaty as well.

As soon as our test car was delivered we took off for the Chicago Auto Show, a 3 ½-hour drive. Our colleague, Thom (whose reviews you regularly read here), was luxuriating in the back seat working on his computer as another colleague was in front pouring over some other work. The Lucerne made a nice traveling office.

Power comes from the high tech 4.6-litre Northstar V8. The chain-driven dual overhead cam, port injected, aluminum engine puts out 275 horsepower and 290 lb-ft of torque. Power gets to the wheels by way of the smooth-shifting 4-speed automatic transmission and 3.11 final drive gears. Acceleration is brisk with zero-to-60 mph reached in 6.9 seconds and zero-to-100 in 18 seconds. Look for the chrome tipped dual exhaust to know it’s the V-8 Buick. If you were in Montana with a radar detector you could comfortably reach about 125 mph before the speed limiter kicks in. This V8 Lucerne made me think of our old high school track coach, Mr. Abbott, who was notorious for flying low in his ’64 Buick Wildcat – a hot sedan with a long stride.

[Rasputin]

2006 Hyundai Accent

In the meantime we have a little Hyundai Accent to evaluate. It’s a cute little compact 4-door sedan, I must say. Having just spent a week with a Civic Si the transition was a bit of a shock – from a fast, flashy, quick little sporty coupe to a tepid but competent little economy car. I just need to remember what our Accent is meant to be, that is, a small entry-level sedan meant to maximize efficiency and economy, which, of course, means minimizing cost. The sticker on our Accent GLS 4-door shows a base price of $13,305. A Premium-Sport Package adds $1,500 to the sticker and carpeted floor mats add another $65. No charge for freight, handling or delivery. The total is $14,870.

Speaking of content – let’s take a look at what we get for less than 15-grand: a state of the art dual-overhead-cam, 16-valve 4-cylinder engine with variable valve timing, 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive lockout (five-speed manual is standard but I don’t see any sign of an extra cost for the automatic), six airbags, 4-channel ABS with electronic brake force distribution, tilt steering column, 172-watt AM/FM/CD audio system with 6 speakers, and 60/40 split folding rear seats. The Premium-Sport package adds AC with cabin air filter, power windows, power heated mirrors, power door locks, remote keyless entry with alarm and panic mode, and 15-inch alloy wheels with 55-series tires. Pretty good content for an entry-level econo-box.

[Rasputin]

2006 Kia Sedona EX

SPECIFICATIONS
MODEL: Kia Sedona EX
ENGINE: 3.8-liter V6
HORSEPOWER/TORQUE: 240 hp @ 6000 rpm/250 lb.-ft. @ 4500 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 5-speed automatic
WHEELBASE: 118.9 in.
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT: 202.0 x 78.3 x 69.3 in.
TIRES: P235/60R17 all-season
CARGO VOLUME: 141.5 cu. ft.
ECONOMY: 18mpg city/25 mpg highway/17.2 mpg test
PRICE: $31,365 (includes $670 inland freight and handling charge)


One thing you notice about the Kia Sedona minivan is that it is incredibly loaded with features - almost overloaded.

With a sticker price of just over $31,000, the Sedona has leather seats, heated front seats, tri-zone automatic climate control to keep passengers in all three rows as comfortable as possible, a backup warning system that's invaluable when rear vision is limited, power sliding doors and a power liftgate.

There's more, but you'll have to wait.

With a 240 horsepower V6 engine under the hood, the Sedona isn't hurting for power. I remember my old full-size van that (I believe) wasn't that powerful yet was larger and heavier. The engine's power reached the front wheels through a 5-speed automatic transmission with a column shifter. That's important, because a floor-mounted shifter, while "cooler" would clutter up the space between the front seats.

[Rasputin]

2006 Mini Cooper S

Four years after its debut, driving a Mini Cooper is still just about the most fun to be had on four wheels. That may be the reason the Mini has succeeded where others have failed. The concept of a premium small car, one that is neither equipped in a bare-bones fashion nor sold at a rock-bottom price as a economy-first commute module, was virtually unknown, in the U.S. at least, until the Mini. There was no logical reason the Mini should have succeeded in the American marketplace, but succeed it did.

Emotion trumps logic. Because there is no way to keep from smiling and enjoying life while driving a Mini. That's the result of a combination of both the driving experience and the Mini's unique style. It's thoroughly modern in design and execution, although it does leverage a certain amount of ever-popular 1960s nostalgia - which is its right, as the original Mini was perhaps the most important car ever to be built in England, and one of the most influential vehicles ever built. It was the first car to successfully combine a transverse engine and front-wheel drive, and so is the spiritual ancestor of the majority of cars made today.

Because of its diminutive size - all of 10 feet long - and lack of power, the original Mini didn't make much of an impression in the US. At home in the UK, it was different. The Mini was a phenomenon that transcended social classes. Commoners bought them, royalty bought them, celebrities and rock stars bought them, and the Mini was an integral part of the English landscape in the early 1960s.

Performance sold then as now, and Formula One constructor John Cooper was retained to build high-performance Minis. The Mini Cooper was born, first with a 997cc, 55-horsepower engine, and eventually with 1275ccs and 76 horsepower. With excellent handling and about 1400 pounds to pull, the Mini Cooper S 1275 could show its heels to many a larger and allegedly faster car, including some two-seat sports cars.

The original Mini stayed in production from 1959 to 2000, although the Cooper was discontinued by 1971. The second generation was in development when BMW bought parent company Rover Group in the mid-1990s, and a commitment to the car from BMW ensured that the second-generation Mini made it to production. Since its debut in 2002, changes to the current Mini have been, well, minimal. Mini is now the brand name, with Cooper being the model. The regular Mini Cooper has a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 115-horsepower; the Cooper S adds a supercharger and intercooler to extract 168 horses from that same displacement. Convertible models of both debuted in 2005.

[Rasputin]

2006 Mitsubishi Outlander

2006 Mitsubishi Outlander

Winter is getting oppressive here in Michigan and my pretty blonde has arranged a week of R&R for us on Edisto Island, just down the coast from lovely and historic Charleston, South Carolina. We visited that quaint and quiet island spot about 10 years ago so we’re interested to see if it has changed much. Our pal and frequent accomplice, Joe, will tag along and our Friends at Mitsubishi have loaned us a new Outlander for the trip. Just for fun we’ll swing by Chattanooga, Tennessee on the way to explore the town and visit the only tow truck museum in the world.

The Mitsubishi Outlander is a small crossover sport-utility, with unibody structure, built from a passenger car platform. Taller and more squared off at the rear than the cars from which they come - for both cargo and image reasons - this segment of the market is flooded with good products from foreign and domestic producers. The Suzuki Grand Vitara is one we’ve recently tested here at the Detroit Bureau. Most are in the neighborhood of $20,000. This one, in my purely subjective view, is one of the better looking of the bunch with its classicly Mitsu nose.

Joe pulled into the driveway just as I was loading our stuff in the back of the Outlander. The first decision was which side of the 60/40 split rear seat we would fold down to accommodate our golf clubs. After a packaging assessment we decided to fold the ‘40’ side, slide the clubs full forward then stack the big suitcases behind the ‘60’. That plan worked out fine and our big bags of groceries and road snacks fit nicely next to the back seat passenger. The 60.3 cubic feet of cargo space were more than enough for our stuff. We didn’t even use the nice little hidden cargo area below the rear floor.

On the road we were entirely comfortable inside. The black fabric seats were exceptionally comfortable and had a good quality feel. The driver’s seat felt great even after many hours on the road, and the whole ambiance inside was first rate. The silver-ringed analog clock in the center of the dash is a nice touch. The dash design, with a double-scalloped gauge brow over the speedo and tach is functional and just unconventional enough to be interesting. Seat adjustments, both front and rear, allow for just about any size of occupant.

[jjbb]

From Garbage to Mercedes Benz!

see this video
how smart this person is.


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUlsaAd23gM"]YouTube - From Garbage to Mercedes Benz!! FIRST TRY[/ame]

[Rasputin]

2006 Kia Rio LX

SPECIFICATIONS
2006 Kia Rio LX


Base Price $ 13,295
Price As Tested $ 14,705
Engine Type dual overhead cam 16-valve inline
4-cylinder with continuously
variable valve timing
Engine Size 1.6 liters / 97.6 cu. in.
Horsepower 110 @ 6000 rpm
Torque (lb-ft) 107 @ 4500 rpm
Transmission 4-speed automatic
Wheelbase / Length 98.4 in. / 166.9 in.
Curb Weight 2,403 lbs.
Pounds Per Horsepower 21.8
Fuel Capacity 11.9 gal.
Fuel Requirement 87 octane unleaded regular gasoline
Tires P185/65 HR14 Hankook Optimo H418
Brakes, front/rear vented disc / solid disc,
4-channel antilock brakes (optional)
Suspension, front/rear independent MacPherson strut /
semi-independent torsion beam axle
Drivetrain front engine, front-wheel drive

PERFORMANCE
EPA Fuel Economy - miles per gallon
city / highway / observed 29 / 38 / 31
0 to 60 mph est. 10 sec

OPTIONS AND CHARGES
4-wheel antilock disc brakes $ 400
Power Package - includes: power windows,
door locks, and mirrors, remote keyless
entry, tweeter speakers $ 400
Carpeted floor mats $ 70
Destination charge $ 540

[Atef_Dubai]

mercedez slk 350 model 2005 ham bezar

[Rasputin]

mercedez slk 350 model 2005 ham bezar

Already is here !!!

[Atef_Dubai]

aha mer30

[Rasputin]

2006 BMW 330i

BMW 330i German Engineering At Its Best
By Steve Purdy
TheAutoChannel.com
Detroit Bureau

The first (and, as it turns out, only) new car I ever bought was a 1970 BMW 2002. It was a wonderfully simple little car that was probably more fun to drive than any other little sedan on the road - fast, agile and just a tad quirky. It was the precursor of the fabulous 3-Series that would come to define and lead the small sport sedan segment.

This week’s ride is the blazingly fast, eminently sophisticated BMW 330i, front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sport sedan. I was supposed to be evaluating a Kia Rio this week but it was needed elsewhere so the 330i was a fill-in. Neither I, nor my pretty blonde was disappointed. She had her heart set on buying a 3-Series BMW a few years ago when an opportunity popped up to buy a little SLK. She opted for the latter but is still enamored with the Bimmer. She’s planning on getting her lusty paws on this one.

We tend to dismiss advertising tag lines as so much fluff most of the time, but we’ll make an exception on this one. On top of the window sticker, and all over the advertising, is the bold assertion that this car is “The Ultimate Driving Machine.” While hyperbolic it may just be justified. After all, my old 2002 was a treat to drive and this week’s tester is generations better.

On my first drive into town I’m impressed with the 330i’s amazing thrust and effortless revability. (Is that a word?) I just mean with this 6-speed stick the temptation to get the revs up high is irresistible and that engine is smooth and effortless up there. We hear or feel no hint of buzziness, business or harshness, just a willingness to wind as tight as we ask. Brakes, steering, suspension, controls, seats . . . everything is balanced and feels first class.

[Rasputin]

2006 Jaguar Super V8

2006 Jaguar Super V8

Base Price $ 91,330
Price As Tested $ 93,395
Engine Type dual overhead cam 32-valve supercharged
and intercooled aluminum alloy V8
Engine Size 4.2 liters / 256 cu. in.
Horsepower 400 @ 6100 rpm
Torque (lb-ft) 413 @ 3500 rpm
Transmission 6-speed automatic
Wheelbase / Length 124.4 in. / 205.3 in.
Curb Weight 4,001 lbs.
Pounds Per Horsepower 10.0
Fuel Capacity 22.3 gal.
Fuel Requirement 91 octane unleaded premium gasoline
Tires P255/40 ZR19 Pirelli P-Zero
Brakes, front/rear vented disc / vented disc,
ABS, brake assist,
and DSC standard
Suspension, front/rear independent double wishbone with
aluminum control arms,
self-leveling air springs, eCATS
electronically-controlled
adaptive shock damping
Drivetrain front engine, rear-wheel drive

PERFORMANCE
EPA Fuel Economy miles per gallon
city / highway / observed
17 / 24 / 16

0 to 60 mph est. 5.7 sec

OPTIONS AND CHARGES
Chrome wheels $ 1,400
Destination charge $ 665