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Filed under: Coupe, Audi, Reviews, Luxury
With the introduction of the A5 for 2008, Audi launched itself into a vehicle segment it had never competed in – one which has waned significantly over the past two decades. Not so long ago, the personal luxury coupe was one of the top selling segments in the U.S., but for a wide variety of reasons, the overall sales picture left it behind.
Now you might ask yourself, “How is an A5 in any way similar to the likes of a 1970s-era Chevrolet Monte Carlo or Ford Thunderbird?” At first glance, the A5 is something completely different, but when you dig below the surface, there are more similarities than one might think – particularly when considering the 2.0T model. Except for a few NASCAR-inspired specials, PLCs of the 1970s weren’t typically performance machines anyway – they focused more on style and creature comforts. And it’s here where the A5 delivers.
Photos by Sam Abuelsamid / Max Abuelsamid / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading Review: 2010 Audi A5 is a personal luxury coupe for the modern age
Review: 2010 Audi A5 is a personal luxury coupe for the modern age originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Technology
No matter what aspect of vehicle performance you’re looking at – acceleration, braking, cornering or ride quality – it all comes down to four patches of rubber on the road. You can have the best engine, the best suspension or the biggest brakes, but if the rubber can’t transmit the forces, it can all just go up in a puff of acrid smoke.
When Hankook appeared on the scene 20 years ago, the South Korean tire maker barely had a presence outside its home market. Hankook was not known for high-performance or even moderate-performance tires. Like the automakers from its homeland, Hankook has come a long way over the last two decades, having gained original-equipment supply contracts with all three Detroit automakers, active motorsports participation ,and is now trying to get a piece of the aftermarket performance tire segment. Hankook invited Autoblog out to a facility near its Akron, OH technical center to sample its Ventus V12 EVOs against Bridgestone’s Potenza RE760 sports. Read on to see how they fared.
Photos Copyright (C)2010 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading Hankook aims to play with the big kids in the tire market
Hankook aims to play with the big kids in the tire market originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: SUV, Safety, Technology, Crossover, Ford
When the new 2011 Explorer goes on sale later this year, Ford plans to highlight the new unibody ‘ute’s safety and fuel efficiency. The Explorer will be exclusively powered by four- and six-cylinder EcoBoost engines, which are expected to increase efficiency by 20-25 percent, while delivering the power consumers crave. Expect more drivetrain details to be forthcoming, but before then, Ford invited us out to its Dearborn proving grounds to see what it has in store on the safety front.
Ford confirmed last fall that the Explorer would be the first vehicle to get its new inflatable rear seat-belts, but the latest – and arguably more interesting – feature on the Explorer is dubbed “Curve Control.” The system is a software enhancement built on top of the existing roll stability control (RSC) and electronic stability control (ESC) systems, and we had a chance to experience it first hand. Make the jump to find out more.
[Source: Ford]
Continue reading Deep Dive: Curve Control on the 2011 Ford Explorer [w/video]
Deep Dive: Curve Control on the 2011 Ford Explorer [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Coupe, Budget, Hybrid, Technology, Honda
When the 2011 Honda CR-Z hits the streets this Fall, it will feature the latest iteration of the company’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) mild hybrid system. The basic concept of IMA hasn’t changed since the original Insight debuted in 1999, but it has been refined to improve performance and efficiency while reducing overall cost.
There’s a wide spectrum of hybrids in the market, ranging from low-end, belted-alternator-starter (BAS) mild hybrids to the full-blown power-split strong hybrids at the top. The latter category includes systems from Toyota, Ford and General Motors (two-mode), while Honda’s IMA provides a healthy boost in overall efficiency compared to a conventional powertrain, but falls well short of the best power-splits. Read on to learn more about the IMA system and how it’s implemented in the CR-Z.
Continue reading Deep Dive: Getting intimate with the 2010 Honda CR-Z’s powertrain
Deep Dive: Getting intimate with the 2010 Honda CR-Z’s powertrain originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 03:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Toys/Games
The wait is nearly over. The game we all had nearly given up hope on is now less than five months away. Gran Turismo 5 is a reality, a playable reality, and Sony is making a big enough deal about its November 2 launch date to make us think that, for once, it might actually happen. The version at this year’s E3 is by far the most polished version of this game we’ve yet seen — and we’ve seen quite a few over the years.
That it still isn’t finished (no full crash damage in the version we played) and that there are still a number of questions to be answered (details for online play, what sort of driver training will be included, etc.) leaves us a bit leery, but we certainly didn’t pass up the opportunity to take it for a spin just the same. We were also given the opportunity to speak with series producer Kazunori Yamauchi to get his thoughts on the game — and to chat about his recent real-world racing exploits. Keep on reading for our detailed impressions of the game, and some video of some good ‘ol boys banging fenders around the Top Gear Test Track.
Continue reading Playing Gran Turismo 5 and talking shop with Kazunori Yamauchi [w/video]
Playing Gran Turismo 5 and talking shop with Kazunori Yamauchi [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFirst Drive: 2011 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Heavy Duty trucks set new HD standard
Author: adminFiled under: Truck, Work, Chevrolet, GMC, First Drive
Usually whenever we head out to a new vehicle press launch, we have to sit through exhaustive technical and marketing presentations before we get a chance to climb behind the wheel. However, General Motors put us straight into a dual-rear wheel GMC Sierra 3500 crew-cab diesel upon our arrival in Baltimore. On the docket? A 130-mile trek from Baltimore airport to Rocky Gap Lodge in the Allegheny mountains of western Maryland with Vehicle Line Executive Rick Spina sitting shotgun.
We actually appreciated this ‘backwards’ approach, because it gave us the opportunity to develop some ‘gut’ impressions of these new trucks even before we got the attendant sales pitch. For a two-hour, mostly highway jaunt, the duallie SLT proved to be a surprisingly amiable companion, but it was just the first of seven different trucks we would drive over the next couple of days. Read on past the jump find out what GM’s new heavy duty trucks are like when sampled in a range of real-world conditions.
Photos by Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Paukert / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
First Drive: 2011 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Heavy Duty trucks set new HD standard originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Truck, Marketing/Advertising, Technology, Work, Chevrolet, GM, Diesel
At first glance, the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra heavy-duty pickup trucks don’t appear to have changed much compared to their 2010 counterparts. But don’t let their familiar faces fool you, because virtually all of the greasy bits have been substantially upgraded or replaced entirely. Like the competitive heavy-duty trucks from Ford and Dodge, General Motors offers its trucks in a huge array of configurations with varying passenger, payload and towing capacities and an array of gasoline and diesel engines.
We drove seven different variants over two days in the Allegheny mountains of western Maryland along with the latest models from Dodge and Ford for comparison’s sake. While the sales volume in the heavy-duty truck segment is smaller than it was at its peak a few years ago, it is still hugely profitable and comprises about 25 to 30 percent of all pickup sales. Follow the jump to learn more about what General Motors’ truck engineering team has done to help ensure those dollars keep rolling in.
Live photos by Sam Abuelsamid / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading First Drive: 2011 GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty technical deep dive
First Drive: 2011 GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty technical deep dive originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsReview: 2010 Acura ZDX is a space (challenged) oddity
Author: adminFiled under: Crossover, Acura, Reviews, Luxury
Needless to say, the 2010 Acura ZDX is a peculiar beast. And after a week’s worth of testing, we’re still not sure what to make of it.
Photos by Sam Abuelsamid / Max Abuelsamid / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading Review: 2010 Acura ZDX is a space (challenged) oddity
Review: 2010 Acura ZDX is a space (challenged) oddity originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsReview: 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid, who is it for?
Author: adminFiled under: Hybrid, Sedan, Mercedes-Benz, Reviews, Luxury
When pondering the idea of any near-$100,000 hybrid luxury sedan, one has to wonder, “What’s the point?” The only hybrids that sell in any significant numbers are the Toyota Prius and Ford Fusion, and for good reason. Both allow drivers – and particularly hyper-milers – to squeeze every last mile out of each gallon of fuel.
Obviously, anyone with the financial wherewithal to purchase a 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid is unlikely to be motivated by the technology’s fuel savings. Similarly, if someone wants to make a social statement by driving a “green” vehicle, they will likely want their ride to be instantly recognizable as a hybrid.
So the cost-no-object camp is divided. They can either drop their coin on an all-electric Tesla Roadster or, in spite of their bank balance, go with a lowly Toyota. Which begs the question: Is there something in between? We tested Mercedes’ newest hybrid to find out.
Continue reading Review: 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid, who is it for?
Review: 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid, who is it for? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsIntroduction to Ice Racing: Part 6 [w/video]
Author: adminFiled under: Motorsports, Etc.
THE THAW
You had to know it couldn’t last forever. Most recently our Subaru ice racer was in action way up north in the wilds of Quebec, getting sideways on a frozen circuit. As it turns out, if we wanted to keep on racing we should have stayed up there. This form of motorsport needs frozen lakes and some unfortunately turbulent weather in the northeast over the past month didn’t do the local bodies of water any favors. But, we were able to make it to one final event before the season was put to rest. We have some highlights to share below, including footage of what it looks like to be inside a pirouetting WRX, plus some discussion about how to safely stow your winter racing gear for the summertime off-season.
Continue reading Introduction to Ice Racing: Part 6 [w/video]
Introduction to Ice Racing: Part 6 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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