Top 10 Sports Cars

Domestics top the list of the 10 most popular sports cars on MSN Autos for the first quarter of 2007. Led by the iconic Ford Mustang, the Chevrolet Corvette follows in second place while the new Saturn Sky takes the bronze.

For sports car enthusiasts, there may never be enough horsepower. Porsche gives its 911 a power boost with the addition of the GT3 and 911 Turbo, each packing substantially more than 400 horsepower. And for that added kick, Porsche has equipped the 911 Turbo with a button that can momentarily increase its maximum torque by 45 lb-ft to a neck-snapping 505 lb-ft.

Italian-made Lamborghini gives its "bullish" Murcielago a new designation—LP640—and adds 60 more horsepower to its already potent V12 engine for 2007.

Four domestics, three Japanese imports and three European imports make up the top ten list.

The list of the ten most popular sports cars on MSN Autos is based on visits to the site's vehicle research pages during months January through March of 2007.

1. Ford Mustang
The legendary American pony car has continued to be a hit after going retro a couple of years ago. Available in a coupe or convertible, the rear-wheel-drive Mustang has a starting price of under $20,000 with the base 210-horsepower V6 coupe. The high-performance GT version is equipped with a 4.6-liter 300-horsepower V8 which can run to 60 mph in just 5 seconds and to 100 mph in 12.5 seconds. An even more powerful version is available in the 500-horsepower supercharged Shelby GT500, the most powerful factory-produced Mustang ever built.

2. Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet's world-class high-performance sports car is now in its sixth generation and available in a coupe or convertible. For 2007 the Corvette adds steering-wheel-mounted audio controls with Bose premium audio systems and a larger glove compartment. A standard 6.0-liter 400-horsepower V8 engine delivers 400 lb-ft of torque at 4400 rpm, while the limited-edition Z06 has a 505 horsepower 7.0-liter V8 that produces 470 lb-ft of torque— the fastest production Corvette available. The Z06 also gets impressive fuel economy at an estimated 16 and 26 city/hwy mpg.

3. Saturn Sky
When the Sky debuted for the 2007 model year, no one would have guessed the aggressively styled roadster came from Saturn. The Sky and the Pontiac Solstice are siblings—sharing the same GM Kappa platform, engine, transmissions and other major components. The Sky has more contemporary styling and offers a softer ride than the Solstice. A high-performance version called the Sky Red Line is available featuring a turbocharged 260-horsepower 2.0-liter engine, dual exhaust with polished aluminum outlets and unique exterior and interior features.

4. Mitsubishi Eclipse
A redesigned Eclipse debuted for the 2006 model year with bold new styling, and adds a convertible version for 2007 called the Spyder. Also for 2007 the Eclipse adds a standard anti-theft system with hood switch, a Sun & Sound Package and seven new colors. The front-wheel-drive coupe is longer, wider, roomier and more powerful than its predecessor. Under the hood is a 2.4-liter 162-horsepower 4 cylinder in the GS and a 3.8-liter 263-horsepower V6 in the GT. The automatic cloth top in the Spyder folds completely out of sight in about 19 seconds.

5. Nissan 350Z
The Nissan 350Z received its first major update in the 2006 model year, which includes a revised exterior and an enhanced interior. A new Grand Touring Coupe featuring the 18-inch front/19-inch rear wheels, and front and rear spoilers were also added to the lineup. For 2007 the 350Z is updated with the next-generation VQ35HR engine that produces 306 horsepower and 268 lb-ft of torque, featuring a twin air intake system that helps reduce airflow resistance and increases horsepower. The front hood design and front-seat mounted side-impact supplemental airbags on the roadster are also new for the 2007 model year.

6. Porsche 911
Porsche gives its 911 lineup a power boost with the addition of the 911 Turbo and GT3 for 2007. The GT3 has a 415-horsepower 3.6-liter boxer 6-cylinder engine and comes standard with on-demand traction that's derived from Porsche's Carrera GT. The 911 Turbo features a twin-turbocharged 480-horsepower engine and a high-tech all-wheel-drive system. For 911 Turbos equipped with the optional Sports Chrono Package, pushing the Sport button allows the turbochargers to increase maximum pressure by 2.9 psi for up to 10 seconds, which increases the maximum torque by 45 lb-ft to a whopping 505 lb-ft.

7. Lamborghini Murcielago
This Italian exotic is always a favorite among MSN sports car enthusiasts. Originally named after a fighting bull, the Murcielago receives a new designation, a more aggressive look and more power for 2007. The Murcielago LP640—derived from the Italian description of the engine position (longitudinale posteriore) and horsepower output—is offered as a coupe and a roadster. Pushing the LP640 is a 640-horsepower 6.5-liter V12 engine that delivers 487 lb-ft of torque, which gets transmitted to the road via permanent all-wheel drive.

8. Mazda MX-5 Miata
The Mazda MX-5 Miata hit the U.S. market in 1989 and has become one of the top-selling two-seat convertibles in the world. An all-new third-generation Miata debuted for the 2006 model year with new styling, improved steering, suspension and brakes that make the roadster more fun to drive. For 2007 a power retractable hardtop is available for the first time, and offers the same amount of trunk capacity as the folding soft-top. Hardtop versions also receive chrome trim around the grille opening, bright headlight bezels, a chrome band in the door handles and a white-lens center high-mounted stop light.

9. Pontiac Solstice
One of the main rivals to the MX-5 Miata is the Pontiac Solstice. With a starting price around $22,000, the Solstice has a 2.4-liter dual overhead camshaft 4-cylinder engine that produces 177 horsepower. If that's not enough power to satisfy, a high-performance GXP version is available featuring a 2.0-liter Direct Injection Turbo with Variable Valve Timing in a DOHC 4-cylinder aluminum engine that produces 260 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. The GXP is also styled differently with front and rear fascia extensions and high-polished stainless steel dual exhaust outlets.

10. Ferrari F430
The Ferrari F430 made its debut at the 2004 Paris Motor Show replacing the 360 Modena. Styled more aggressively than its predecessor, the Italian sports car was introduced for the 2005 model year. The F430 is powered by a 490-horsepower 4.3-liter V8 engine and mated to a 6-speed manual transmission, delivering 343 lb-ft of torque at 5250 rpm. Available in a Coupe or Spider, the F430 can reach 0 to 62 mph in 4.0 seconds and a top speed of over 196 mph, according to Ferrari.
(C)MSN

Ten Cars You Can't Buy in the U.S.

The U.S. has restrictions when it comes to cars that can be purchased here, but it wasn't always that way.

She may be the land of plenty, but when it comes to purchasing certain cars, the U.S. falls short.

Wheels from French automakers Peugeot, Citroen and Renault aren't sold in the States. American buyers can't have Italian brands other than those of high-end makers Ferrari and Maserati. They also can't register many of Germany's new, diesel-powered passenger cars in five states, including New York and California, because of tough emissions rules.

It wasn't always that way.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, American buyers had a wide choice of French and Italian cars. They might not have been very reliable, but their styling, comfort, ride and handling added spice to the automotive melting pot.

Today that pot is rather bland. Peugeot, the last remaining French brand in the U.S. market, abruptly pulled the plug on its underperforming U.S. subsidiary in 1991, done in by high prices and poor quality, which made them unsuited for the market, especially in light of the new competition from Lexus and Infiniti from Japan.

Neither it nor other French brands has come back, even though by all accounts, their products are much improved. And Alfa Romeo and Fiat are long gone from the U.S. market.

When they left, the French and Italian brands were fat and lazy, with huge domestic market shares that were practically guaranteed by their home governments, which maintained high tariffs between European countries.

After 1992, the European Community ushered in a new era of freer competition that created a more even playing field for imported cars. Fiat, for instance, nearly went broke as its Italian market share fell, but in the long run the French and Italians hung on and have come back in Europe stronger than before. Today, they can afford to invest in a U.S. distribution channel, and their products are much more suitable for U.S. buyers, especially in terms of quality.

Take the Peugeot 4007 SUV. You would think at least some American buyers would like to buy it. Even though $3 gasoline has torpedoed U.S. demand for big domestic SUVs, import luxury-brand SUVs like Land Rover, the Porsche Cayenne and the Mercedes GL-Class have prospered.

Yet nobody expects Peugeot back anytime soon, nor sister company Citroen, which makes a distinct version of the 4007 called the C-Crosser. The closest American buyers can get is a Mitsubishi Outlander, which was developed in a three-way cooperative effort among the brands.

Italian Renaissance

Unlike the French makers, Italian brands Alfa Romeo and Fiat, which belong to parent company Fiat S.p.A., appear ready for a comeback.

Fiat quit selling cars in the U.S. under the Fiat brand in the mid-1980s; it had a poor quality reputation summed up by the acronym, "Fix It Again, Tony." (Fiat also owns the Maserati brand, which it relaunched in the U.S. market in 2002, after a 12-year absence.) Alfa Romeo quit in 1995, after a shaky alliance with then-Chrysler. The No. 1 Alfa dealer in the U.S. sold only 28 cars in 1994, according to Automotive News.

But Fiat Auto CEO Sergio Marchionne has said Alfa would return to the U.S. market, but not before the end of 2008. Alfa Romeo's mainstream models are the Brera Coupe and Spider convertible. The brand also has shown a high-end sports car, the 8C Competizione, at auto shows. And speculation persists on whether the company could export a higher-performance version of the tiny, redesigned Fiat 500 to the U.S. market. It would compete with the Mercedes Smart car and BMW's Mini brand.

Pump Busters

Modern diesels are an especially logical choice for a comeback, now that fuel efficiency is on the radars of U.S. consumers.

Fuel-efficient diesels dominate today's European market, and German automakers are preparing to launch a host of so-called "50-state" diesels sellable in the entire U.S. market, starting next year.

Thanks in part to low-sulfur diesel fuel mandated by the U.S. government since 2006, today's diesel engines are quiet, powerful and not smoky — unlike the diesels in the Peugeot 505 of the mid-1980s. And diesel engines get about 30 percent more miles to the gallon versus the same-size gasoline engine.

What does all this mean for you? If you’re a car enthusiast who likes choice, the list of cars you can’t buy in America might soon get shorter.

Alfa Romeo Spider V6 model
About $46,377

The 1967 movie The Graduate made the Alfa Romeo Spider a pop culture icon, but poor quality and financial problems for parent Fiat S.p.A knocked the brand out of the U.S. market in 1995. Several product generations later, the latest Spider could help launch a U.S. comeback in the next few years. In Europe, engine choices include a 260-hp 3.2-liter V6.


Aston Martin Vanquish S
About $360,000

The Vanquish S, last offered in the U.S. market for the 2006 model year, is Aston Martin's fastest-ever, street-legal car, with a hand-built, 6.0-liter V12 engine that generates 520hp. It is theoretically a four-seater, but European customers can replace the cramped rear seats with a luggage shelf. Ford Motor sold Aston Martin to a group of investors earlier this year.

Audi S3
About $39,700

The S3 is a high-performance version of the A3, which is available in the U.S. The S3 has a 265-hp, turbocharged, four-cylinder engine. However, the S3 has two strikes against it with U.S. buyers: It's a boxy two-door and it's a hatchback, which is not a popular body style. The A3 is a four-door, and looks like a station wagon.


BMW 1 Series
Estimated U.S. Starting Price: Around $30,000

Germany's BMW AG introduced the four-door hatchback 1 Series in the fall of 2004, but not for the U.S. market. America will get an all-new 1 Series coupe along with the rest of the world, starting in early 2008. The U.S. gets two six-cylinder variants, the 230-hp 128i and the 300-hp 135i. The European hatchback model has smaller engine options and diesel available.

Citroen C6
About $54,000

The Citroen C6 flagship sedan has a 3.0-liter, 215-hp V6 gasoline engine, or a choice of two diesels. Cool features include a head-up display for the driver. Also, to meet European safety standards for low-speed pedestrian impacts, the hood automatically raises slightly in case of an impact, to create a small "crumple zone" between the hood and hard points under the hood.

Fiat 500
About $14,000

Fiat launched the latest generation of the 500 minicar on July 4. In Europe, engine choices range from only 69 hp to 100 hp. But with the Mercedes smart brand set for a U.S. launch next year, and BMW's Mini brand doing well, the U.S. could be ready for a higher-performance version of the 500, if Fiat adds one in the next few years.


Smart (Mercedes) fortwo
Starting U.S. Price Under $12,000

Mercedes-Benz launched smart (small "s") in Europe in 1998. U.S. customers can finally buy one in early 2008. The base fourtwo has a three-cylinder engine and a five-speed automatic transmission that can be shifted manually--and not much else. Air conditioning, power windows and even a radio are optional. In an unusual setup, Penske Automotive Group, the nation's second-largest dealer chain, will distribute smart for Mercedes-Benz.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
Estimated U.S. Price: Around $35,000

The high-performance "Evo" was last offered in the U.S. for the 2006 model year. Mitsubishi will revive it in early 2008. Features include all-wheel drive and a lightweight, turbocharged, four-cylinder engine, with an aluminum cylinder block.



Nissan Skyline
About $25,000

Since you can’t buy a new one in the U.S., some "drifters" in Southern California have bought used Japanese-market Skylines and paid to have them converted to meet U.S. regulations. Drifting is driving sideways, in a controlled skid. The closely related Infiniti G35 is the next best thing for U.S. buyers, but it is being replaced this fall by the all-new G37.


Peugeot 4007
Pricing Not Available

Peugeot, which bailed out of the U.S. market in 1991, says on its official Web site that it has "no plans" to return. If it ever did, maybe some U.S. buyers would like an attractively styled SUV like the 4007--especially if there were a more powerful alternative to the standard, four-cylinder diesel engine. The 4007 was expected to debut this month in Europe.
(C)Forbes

Low-Cost Chinese Cars Making Restrained Entry to European Market

After a rocky start, Peter Bijvelds has hopes for the Landwind autos he imports, saying Chinese cars offer European buyers the value they seek.

They have names like the Brilliance BS6, the Landwind Fashion or the improbable Hover Wingle, and though these sedans, vans and sport utility vehicles are hardly as familiar to Europeans as, say, a Volkswagen Golf, they are beginning to show up on European roads.

“I’ve got air-conditioning, ABS brakes and air bags,” said Carlo Scalvini, describing his Hover, a big and boxy sport utility vehicle built by the Great Wall Motor Company, with headquarters in Baoding in eastern China. “And the price is competitive: you pay 10,000 euros less in the end,” more than $13,000.

The enthusiasm of people like Mr. Scalvini could influence the global auto industry and China’s place in it. China’s quiet inroads into Europe are the first test of rich markets by Chinese automakers as they build dealer networks and deliver small shipments of cars to test the reaction of drivers and auto industry experts.

Many of the dealers who have signed on with the Chinese previously worked with the Japanese and the South Koreans, and so have experience in coaxing Europeans to purchase cars with unfamiliar names and unusual looks, but sweet prices.

If business is starting fitfully, they foresee healthy profits down the road, aided by the weak dollar. European car dealers pay in dollars for the Chinese cars, yet are paid in strong euros when they resell them, pocketing nifty profits from exchange rates.

“The game the Japanese mastered in 15 years, and the Koreans in 10,” said Nigel Griffiths, director of European light vehicle forecasting at Global Insight, “they will do in 18 months to 5 years.”

Paradoxically, the Chinese have been helped in Europe by their alliances with Western automakers in China. Some of the Chinese cars being imported into European countries use electrical components from Bosch, the big German parts supplier, or have been designed by Italian firms like Giugiaro. Now, the Europeans are seeing their ideas and components flow back into their own markets.

That the European market is essentially open is also helping the Chinese. Because so many European cars are now being built elsewhere, a quota on imports is politically almost impossible.

There have been setbacks, like abysmal results on a crash test done on a Chinese car two years ago. Some specialists are skeptical that the Chinese can become major competitors in Europe and the United States. After all, car buying remains an emotional business. “There is a general lack of brand awareness, and distribution is a hurdle,” said Michael K. McKenzie, a China expert at PricewaterhouseCoopers’ automotive institute in Detroit.

But the Japanese and South Koreans overcame similar hurdles. Moreover, the Chinese are moving in several stages. “They are coming through the back door: first Russia, then working their way west,” Mr. Griffiths of Global Insight said. He estimates that China will sell 54,000 cars in Russia this year, out of a total market of two million, compared with 31,000 last year.

The Chinese are arriving even as European carmakers struggle with flat prices and diminishing profit, and the Chinese presence is expected to ratchet up the pressure. That will force some European companies that stayed in the mass market for small cars, like Fiat, either to move up to larger, more expensive models, or to perish, Mr. McKenzie predicted. “They will undercut these companies, and the market will be more contested,” he said.

It began when a Dutch Nissan dealer, Peter Bijvelds, visited China with a friend in 2004 to inspect the Landwind factory in Nanchang, a gritty city south of the Yangtze River in Jiangxi Province. The trip ended with Mr. Bijvelds’ introducing a big and boxy Chinese-made S.U.V., the Landwind New Vision, a twin of G.M.’s Opel Frontera, at the 2005 Frankfurt auto show. It did not handle like a European car and its engine had little excess power, but for Europeans tired of station wagons or wanting to tow a trailer, this car cost 25 percent less than a Kia or a Hyundai model. It had air-conditioning, air bags and aluminum wheels. In the first two weeks, Mr. Bijvelds said, he sold 500 of them.

Then, at about the time of the Frankfurt show, the German automobile club, known as ADAC, put the New Vision to a crash test. The driver’s survival chances were about nil, the club’s testers said.

Mr. Bijvelds’ Chinese partners were dismayed. The New Vision was put aside while Landwind ironed out the kinks. A successor model, the Landwind Expedition, has a comely design by an Italian design studio, a German-built engine and all European safety features.

Mr. Bijvelds suggested that the automobile club might have been prompted by German automakers to undermine his project. A club spokesman, Maximilian Maurer, denied that. “I am sure that in time the Chinese will succeed here,” he said, “and the ADAC doesn’t want to keep them away. We simply want to inform consumers about the quality of these cars.”

Mr. Bijvelds, 28, receiving a visitor at the headquarters of his Landwind Motor Corporation near Antwerp, Belgium, said, “We get so many products from China with Western brands, why not cars?” Europeans, he says, are after value, citing Renault’s recent bonanza with the Logan, a car built in Romania that has a six-month waiting time for delivery in Belgium. “They want a lot of car for a little money,” he said.

The German crash test, a colleague told him recently, may have been a blessing in disguise. “Now everybody knows you,” the friend said, “For good or bad, they know you.”‘

In Germany, Hans-Ulrich Sachs, a former Volkswagen executive who is chairman of HSO Motors Europe, is signing on dealers to sell the Brilliance BS6, a comfortable sedan with a vague resemblance to a midsize BMW. Indeed, Brilliance assembles BMW’s 3 and 5 series cars for the domestic Chinese market.

By the end of this year, Mr. Sachs, 54, wants 150 showrooms in Germany, and by next year, 1,100 throughout Europe. This year, he hopes to sell 6,000 to 7,000 cars. The first 500 arrived in mid-March.

Why would a German buy a Chinese car? he asked rhetorically. “Value for the money.”

For Europe’s carmakers, alliances with Chinese companies could become two-edged affairs, providing models that one day may well compete against their own cars. Volkswagen, for instance, has joint ventures with Shanghai Automotive and First Auto Works. Yet Kai Grüber, spokesman for the Volkswagen Group China, played down the potential for competition, saying that VW focused for now on the domestic Chinese market. “Future exports into the Southeast Asian area are conceivable in markets where we can expand our offering with new models,” he said.

At Eurasia Motor here in Palazzolo, about 35 miles northeast of Milan, where Mr. Scalvini bought his S.U.V., a shipment of 360 arrived in November, and have all been sold through a network of 95 Italian dealers. “We’re now expecting 800 more — in lots of 200 each — of the same model,” said Federico Daffi, Eurasia’s chief financial officer. Eurasia pays Great Wall $14,000 for the S.U.V.’s, and sells them for as little as 19,600 euros (about $27,000), still one-fourth below the South Korean competition. Eurasia then uses the lower price to market to middle-class families who until now could not afford an S.U.V.

Mr. Scalvini, 44, would buy more Hovers now, if they were available. He is the owner of Consorzio Vela, a company that employs about 800 people and maintains a large fleet of vehicles supplying services like delivery and catering to other Italian companies. The Hover’s Mitsubishi-built engine is fuel efficient and will offer the option of shifting from gasoline to liquid propane gas in future models.

“I’m convinced it will be a winner,” he said.
(C)NYT

10 cars worth waiting for

There are new and redesigned cars coming out all the time. But these look so enticing you should consider holding off on other purchases until you've had a chance to check them out.

Working with Jack Nerad of Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com and Karl Brauer of Edmunds.com, we've selected 10 that might well be worth the wait.

Mid-sized sedan
Chevrolet Malibu
Expected release: Fall 2007
The new Chevrolet Malibu, introduced in January at the Detroit Auto Show, has nothing to do with any Chevrolet Malibu you may have rented in the past. If you're looking at a mid-sized car and you don't have to move now, you'd do well to hang on and check out the Malibu when it becomes available.
This car is bigger, much nicer looking inside and out, and it will drive much better, too. (We know this because we've driven the Saturn Aura, which shares its engineering.)

Outside, the new Malibu looks substantial and attractive. The interior features a sweeping twin-cockpit design inspired by 1950s Corvettes.

General Motors has finally realized that, while people will happily buy boring sedans from Toyota, they will not buy them from GM. So GM has worked hard to improve the quality as well as the emotional appeal of its cars and trucks. The improved designs give you a reason to look and improved quality gives you no reason to turn away.

Available engines will be a 3.6-liter V-6 and a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder. Optional features will include a panoramic sunroof that stretches over both front and back seats.

Large luxury crossover
Buick Enclave
Expected release: On sale
The Enclave will be the third GM vehicle based on the company's new three-row crossover SUV platform. To GM's credit, though, these three don't look like rebadged versions of the same vehicle.
The Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia are available now. Both are strong performers. The Enclave promises more luxury, nicer amenities and an even quieter ride. Outside, it features sweeping, muscular lines with Buick's trademark fender vents. Inside, the feeling is casual but classy.

It will be powered by a 275-horsepower V6 engine connected to a six-speed automatic transmission.

"I'd suggest that it's a less expensive Audi Q7," said Edmunds.com's Karl Brauer.

Full-sized truck
Toyota Tundra
Expected release: On sale
Toyota's been successful in small trucks for a long time. But big trucks are a different thing altogether. This is traditional American territory.
New entries into this market, especially ones with Japanese names tacked onto their tailgates, face a tough audience. But Toyota comes to market with a truck that, by the numbers, is just as big and tough as anyone's along with a reputation for reliability.

For its part, Toyota boasts engines that include a 260-horsepower V6 and a 271-horsepower V8. The truck's biggest powerplant is a 381-horsepower 5.7-liter aluminum block V8 that comes with a six-speed automatic transmission.

Small luxury SUVs
Land Rover LR2
Expected release: On sale
Land Rover has a deep history building bush-beating safari machines. These days Land Rover is known to most Americans as a suburban black-top crawler, but the ability to tramp off into the deep, dark forest is still key to the brand
That's why the new LR2 will have Terrain Response technology. It allows you to use a single knob to set the SUV for a variety of different conditions. It will also have Gradient Release Control to help drivers manage a steep grade in the unlikely event they encounter one.

The LR2 will be powered by a 230-horsepower, 3.2-liter in-line 6-cylinder engine. It will have a six-speed automatic transmission.

Land Rover's one weak point - but it's a big one - is reliability. Parent company Ford's Lincoln and Mercury brands finished near the top of the most recent J.D. Power vehicle dependability rankings. (Mercury was second only to Lexus.) But Land Rover finished last by a canyon-sized margin.

"People who have them love them," said Jack Nerad of Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com, "but you've got to put up with stuff".

Luxury sedan
Cadillac CTS
Expected release: September 2007
The new CTS has rounder lines and a classier look than the current version. It also has a two-inch wider track than the current CTS. It keeps the prominent vertical headlights and LED taillights with the sharp, blade-like center brake light.
The wider track was required because of a new all-wheel-drive option. That wider stance also allowed designers to give the vehicle a more muscular stance with a lower roofline without compromising headroom.

The CTS's front seats are built on a thin shell that, GM says, provides as much comfort and support as thicker seat while allowing more legroom for rear-seat passengers. Among the options will be a panoramic sunroof covering both front and back seats.

Large luxury sedan
Lexus LS600h L
Expected release: On sale
Toyota added a hybrid system to their Lexus LS sedan to give it the power of a V12 while improving fuel economy. The LS600h L will be priced at about $100,000, the same neighborhood as competing BMW and Mercedes-Benz luxury sedans. (BMW and Mercedes do not make hybrid cars, so by "competing" we're talking about high-end luxury cars
The Lexus LS600h gets a bigger engine than the non-hybrid version, as well. The hybrid's electric motor runs along with 5.0-liter V8 engine. Combined, the gasoline engine and electric motor produce a total of about 430 horsepower. The regular, non-hybrid LS has a 4.6-liter V8 that produces a maximum 380 horsepower.

The Lexus LS600h will also have an Advanced Pre-collision System designed to detect other vehicles or pedestrians in the car's path. It uses two small cameras in the front bumper and another that watches the driver's face. If the system detects that the driver is not watching the road for more than a few seconds when a crash seems about to happen, an alarm sounds, seatbelts tighten and the car's steering and brakes are primed for immediate, quick response.

Compact car
Mitsubishi Lancer
Expected release: On sale
The new Lancer's engine will be a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder unit producing up to 152 horsepower. The standard transmission will be a 5-speed manual. A continuously-variable automatic transmission, Mitsubishi's first, will be optional. Cars equipped with the CVT will also have a six-step manual shift mode.
The Lancer's new "shark nosed" look was inspired by jet fighters.

The body is 50 percent more rigid which allows for a sportier suspension tuning while, at the same time, providing for a smoother ride. The engine is also placed farther back in the car to improve balance and handling.

Luxury convertible
BMW 3-series convertible
Expected release: On sale
The body remains the same, but BMW offers, for the first time, a hard convertible top. Hard-top convertibles have become increasingly popular because they offer the top-down fun of a convertible with the quietness and security of a hard roof when the top is up.
The 3-series' three-piece steel top will open or close in about 20 seconds, the company says. When the roof is up, the "Hofmeister kink," a traditional BMW design cue, is still there around the rear side windows.

The car is expected to cost a little over $40,000.

Entry luxury sedan
Mercedes-Benz C-class
Expected release: August 2007
The new C-class follows the recent redesign of the brand's flagship S-class, giving the car a sharper-edged look. It's also slightly larger, inside and out than the current version.
The C-class will have the active suspension system that Mercedes is now calling "Agility Control." It automatically adjusts the suspension to suit the driver's behavior as well as road conditions. A system with driver-selectable settings will be available later in 2007.

As with the current C-class, the new version will be available in Sport and Luxury versions. In addition to different engine and transmission choices, each version will have a different grille. Luxury versions will get the traditional stand-up hood ornament while sport versions will have the three-pointed star in the center of the grill.

The C-class will have an improved COMAND system for entertainment and navigation similar to the one now used in the company's S-class sedans.

Hybrid sedan
Nissan Altima Hybrid
Expected release: On sale
For its first hybrid vehicle, Nissan licensed technology from Toyota. But the new Altima offers buyers interested in a hybrid car an alternative to Toyota's own Camry hybrid or General Motors' Saturn Aura, with its "mild hybrid" system, due out in the Spring of 2007.
The Altima hybrid will be powered by the same 158-horsepower 2.5 liter 4-cylinder engine as the base non-hybrid Altima but with assistance from a 40-horsepower electric motor. It will have a continuously variable automatic transmission.

Prices will start at $24,400
(C)CNN

2008 Porsche Cayenne

Still Extra Chunky, Now More Spicy.

Some Porsche purists are still horrified that the sports car company branched out into sport utility vehicles. But let’s get real: if a Porschephile’s transportation needs call for an S.U.V., why should she, or he, have to shop elsewhere?

The newly redesigned Porsche Cayenne, which first appeared as a 2003 model, remains a study in contrasts. It is, with apologies to 914 devotees, the ugliest Porsche ever. Yet, for an S.U.V., it is comparatively handsome. Maybe that is why it appeals to so many women.

Fully equipped, the 2008 Cayenne can price out as the most expensive S.U.V. this side of Baghdad. But ounce for ounce, a 5,191-pound Cayenne is the most Porsche that money can buy — especially the base model, which starts at a mere $44,295, including the $895 shipping charge. In fact, you can buy two base Cayennes for what a top-line Turbo model costs and have change left over.

But what exactly would a fully loaded Cayenne look like? I counted 107 possible options for the Cayenne (some, like multiple wheel choices, are duplications). There are also 10 paint colors, at least 4 leather combinations and 3 powertrain possibilities. So, considering all that, how high can the sticker price go?

“I don’t have such a figure,” Gary Fong of Porsche, who manages the company’s fleet of test cars, said by e-mail message. “But since the Cayenne Turbo has so many standard features that are optional on the other Cayenne models, there’s not a lot you can add. I’ve configured some loaded Cayenne Turbos over the years and never cracked $109K. Running the options through my head, and barring the custom tailoring offerings, I’d say the max would be between $110K and $115K.”

It is safe to assume that Porsche is making a fair profit on these things, even when they lack some options, although how much is not clear. Recent buyers of close-out 2006 models (there was no 2007 model year) have reported getting discounts of up to $30,000 off the sticker. So there would seem to be some wiggle room on price. I tested two versions of the redesigned vehicle. My Cayenne Turbo test vehicle, laden with a mere $13,000 in options, priced out at $106,595. That was without extravagances like the panoramic glass roof ($3,900), two-tone leather interior ($1,510), leather-trimmed air vents ($2,160) and matching leather keyfob holder ($95).

I also tested the bargain-basement model, which is simply called Cayenne. Potential shoppers should note that this version comes not with a V-8 engine like the S, or the twin-turbo V-8 of the Turbo, but a V-6 engine supplied by Volkswagen. While the 6-cylinder model might seem to be aimed at those conflicted people who are in the market for a slow Porsche, it is actually quite competent, if not overwhelming.

At least the V-6 has benefited from a significant upgrade for 2008. What had been an unworthy 3.2-liter power plant is now 3.6 liters and makes 290 horsepower — some 15 percent more than before. (This, by the way, is more than the advertised horsepower rating for the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution rally rocket.)

Another redeeming feature: Cayennes with the V-6 are the only ones available with manual (six-speed) transmissions. The manual comes at no extra cost, but to get it, you have to check that box on the order form.

So it would seem that the six-speed Tiptronic S automatic, the only transmission offered on the S or the Turbo, would be standard equipment on the base model, but it is not. Porsche actually charges $3,000 extra for that transmission on the base model. Go figure.

My base-level test model also lacked Porsche Active Suspension Management, a set of suspension controls and commands including an electronic ride control system that continuously adjusts the traction and the damping at each wheel.

Along with the electronic stability control, it intervenes to override a driver’s worst excesses, for better or worse. In fact, a lot of enthusiasts think the system is too intrusive.

In my test-driving, the base Cayenne was fairly economical (22 m.p.g. on the highway) yet peppy, responsive and more nimble than its pricier brethren — particularly in low-speed maneuvers like parking. It is easily the most driver-involving choice in the Cayenne lineup.

Over all, the 2008 Cayenne benefits from freshened styling, slicker aerodynamics and more user-friendly ergonomics. Technically, this is a new-generation S.U.V., but it is hardly a clean-sheet-of-paper redesign.

The Cayenne still shares its structure with the Volkswagen Touareg, and this not particularly people-friendly people-hauler still comes in just one rather confining size, with two rows of seats that accommodate as many as five passengers. Rear legroom remains cramped. Rearward and side-to-side visibility are not noteworthy. The cargo area is relatively small at 19 cubic feet, though it can be expanded by folding down the second-row seats. It lacks a third-row seat. The load floor is too high.

Though it may not haul cargo, it will haul, um, the bacon.

The superb dual-range all-wheel-drive system, precise steering and stout brakes give the Cayenne surprising dexterity both on and off road. Its low-profile speed-rated tires limit its ability to go rock-crawling, but it is possible for Cayenne to navigate all manner of terrain into which a sane person should never, ever take a $100,000 vehicle.

An optional off-road package adds a locking rear differential, hydraulically disconnecting stabilizer bars and skid plates. Active antiroll bars are now available on models with the air suspension.

A new Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control system works with the optional air suspension to hydraulically limit body roll through turns. The system also improves driver control by isolating the steering — not to mention the cabin — from the jolts of undulating surfaces. The chassis control system is a big upgrade in handling and performance dynamics. It really works.

But it is a $3,150 option. Ouch! And there is more. The special air suspension needed for the chassis control comes standard only on the more expensive Turbo model and is optional on the base and S — so the total price for both systems on each of those models is a staggering $6,500.

This raises a fundamental question: Why should a Porsche buyer have to pay extra for optimal handling? Anyone who owns a Porsche has a right to expect nothing less.

The dynamic chassis control is one of two crucial improvements that most differentiate the new Cayenne from the first generation. The other is new, more-powerful engines, including the only Porsche V-8s on the planet.

In the base model, the enhancements don’t cost extra. But the S and Turbo models now have starting prices thousands of dollars higher than in the first generation. The 4.8-liter V-8 in the $60,795 Cayenne S has been juiced for a horsepower rating of 385 — up 45 from last year’s S.

The $94,595 Cayenne Turbo has a twin-turbocharged 4.8-liter V-8 with an added 50 horsepower. Total output is now a positively sociopathic 500 horses (and 516 pound-feet of torque). Porsche says highway fuel economy is up 15 percent for the Cayenne S and 11 percent for the Turbo, thanks to new direct fuel injection.

The Turbo is such a rocket, it sometimes felt as if it could overpower its chassis; I didn’t find it particularly fun to drive. Once the neighborhood slammers have been trounced in stoplight drag races, ennui sets in. The Turbo begins to seem like a bully without a cause.

Hard-core enthusiasts who don’t need grocery-hauling capability or the continual company of their four closest friends might find longer-term happiness in a Cayman.

All the changes do add up to a spicier blend of Cayenne. If you are rich enough not to care about Porsche’s pricing schemes, the ’08 Cayenne is truly a remarkable performer. My advice would be to buy the slick-handling base model and hide the window sticker.
By JERRY GARRETT

TOP-35 The Best Quality Automakers

The Initial Quality Study serves as the industry benchmark for new-vehicle quality measured at 90 days of ownership and captures problems experienced by owners in two distinct categories — quality of design and quality of production (defects and malfunctions). Over the past 20 years, the automotive industry has improved in quality at the rate of 6 percent per year on average — a 20-year improvement rate of more than 120 percent. In addition, the study has found that the automotive industry has reduced problem counts by 50 percent every 7 to 8 years. The first subcolumn is Mechanical score, second is Design score.

Company	Total	Overall		Powertrain		Body&Interior		Features&Accesories
Porsche	35	4	5	3	5	4	4	5	5
Lexus	34	5	4	5	4	5	3	5	3
Jaguar	32	3	5	4	5	3	5	2	5
Lincoln	31	4	4	5	4	4	3	3	4
Honda	29	4	3	3	3	4	4	5	3
Toyota	29	4	3	3	3	4	4	5	3
Infinity	28	4	3	5	3	4	4	2	3
Mercedes	27	4	3	3	4	5	3	3	2
Mercury	27	4	3	4	4	3	3	3	3
Buick	26	4	3	4	4	3	2	3	3
Scion	26	3	4	2	3	3	4	3	4
Volvo	26	3	3	4	3	4	4	2	3
Acura	25	3	3	4	3	3	4	3	2
Ford	25	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	4
GMC	25	3	4	3	3	2	3	3	4
Chevrolet	24	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3
Hyundai	24	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3
Kia	24	3	3	2	3	4	3	3	3
SAAB	24	3	3	3	4	3	2	3	3
BMW	23	4	2	3	3	4	2	3	2
Cadillac	23	3	3	4	4	2	2	2	3
Nissan	23	3	3	3	3	2	3	3	3
Pontiac	23	3	3	3	4	2	2	3	3
Saturn	23	3	3	3	4	2	2	3	3
Hummer	22	3	2	3	3	2	4	3	2
Subaru	22	3	2	3	3	3	2	3	3
Audi	21	3	2	2	3	4	3	2	2
Land Rover	21	2	2	3	4	3	3	2	2
Mazda	20	2	2	2	2	3	3	3	3
Mitsubishi	20	2	3	2	3	2	3	2	3
Suzuki	20	2	3	2	2	3	3	2	3
Volkswagen	20	2	2	3	3	2	4	2	2
Chrysler	19	2	2	2	2	3	3	3	2
Dodge	19	2	3	2	2	2	2	3	3
Jeep	19	2	2	3	3	2	2	2	3

Total = the bigger is the better
5 - Among the best, 4 - Better than most, 3 - About average, 2 - The rest

Overall Quality: this score is based on problems that have caused a complete breakdown or malfunction, or where controls or features may work as designed, but are difficult to use or understand.

Overall Quality - Mechanical: this score is based on problems that have caused a complete breakdown or malfunction of any component, feature, or item (i.e., components that stop working or trim pieces that break or come loose).
Overall Quality - Design: this score is based on problems where controls or features may work as designed, but are difficult to use or understand (i.e., overly complicated controls/features that are difficult to operate due to poor location).

Powertrain Quality - Mechanical: this score is based on problems with the engine or transmission as well as problems that affect the driving experience (i.e., vehicle/brakes pull, abnormal noises or vibrations) only.
Powertrain Quality - Design: this score is based on problems with the engine or transmission as well as problems that affect the driving experience (i.e., ride smoothness, responsiveness of the steering system and brakes, and handling/stability).

Body & Interior Quality - Mechanical: this score is based on problems with wind noise, water leaks, poor interior fit/finish, paint imperfection, and squeaks/rattles.
Body & Interior Quality - Design: this score is based on problems with the front-/rear-end styling, the appearance of the interior and exterior, and the sound of the doors when closing.

Features & Accessories Quality - Mechanical: this score is based on problems with the seats, windshield wipers, navigation system, rear-seat entertainment system, heater, air conditioner, stereo system, sunroof and trip computer.
Features & Accessories Quality - Design: this score is based on problems with the seats, stereo/navigation system, heater, air conditioner, and sunroof.
(C) J.D. Power and Associates

How to choose your FIRST CAR? Top 10 first cars

If you're looking for a midsized sedan:
Ford Fusion

Base prices: $17,400, with I-4, to $24,000 with V6

Engine and transmission: 160 horsepower, 2.3-liter, 4-cylinder engine with 5-speed automatic or manual transmission or 221 horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 with 6-speed automatic. All-wheel-drive available.

Fuel economy: 23 city, 31 highway, 26 combined with 4-cylinder (manual or automatic); 20/28/23 with V6

A good, reliable midsized sedan, the Fusion offers more driving enjoyment than a Camry with ample trunk space, comfortable seating for four (you can fit five) and stylish looks.

Consumer Reports says the V6 Fusion is actually more trouble-free than V6 Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys.

With contrasting stitching on its optional leather seats, the Fusion even looks good from the inside. If you need to haul long items, you can fold down the back seats right from the trunk leaving a big pass-through straight into the interior.

If you're looking for a midsized sedan:
Saturn Aura

Base prices: $20,000 to $24,000

Engine and transmission: 224 horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 with 4-speed automatic or 252 horpsepower, 3.6-liter V6 with 6-speed automatic.

Also available in hybrid version with 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder 164 horsepower engine with electric motor assist for about $22,000.

Fuel economy: 20 mpg city, 30 highway, 24 combined with 3.5-liter engine; 20/28/23 with 3.6-liter; 28/35/30 with hybrid drivetrain.

The Aura doesn't look or drive like any Saturn - or any GM car, for that matter - you've tried before.

In the uplevel XR version, the Aura's V6 engine and 6-speed transmission deliver performance you'd expect from a European sedan costing much more. (The Aura is sold in Europe as an Opel.)

The interior is as stylish as the exterior. If you want to nitpick, there are some cheap plastics here and there. But there's real attention to detail in the Aura's warm and inviting cabin.

The Green Line version has a "mild hybrid" system. That means the car won't drive under purely electric power, but it costs less than other hybrid systems and doesn't requires bulky battery packs that take away trunk space.

If you're looking for a small wagon:
Kia Rondo

Base prices: $16,000 to $20,000

Engine and transmission: 162 horsepower, 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder engine with 4-speed automatic transmission or 182 horsepower, 2.7-liter V-6 with 5-speed shiftable automatic.

Fuel economy: 21 city, 29 highway, 24 combined with 4-cylinder; 20/27/23 with V6

Kia's designers managed to fit three rows of seats fitting up to seven people in the space of a subcompact. The middle row can slide forward up to four inches to relieve some of the squeezing in the back.

The Rondo is a direct competitor to the Mazda5, which is much more fun to drive and offers some clever interior storage solutions. The problem with the Mazda5, though, is that it's not available with Electronic Stability Control (which is why it did't make this list).

Stability control can be especially important in a vehicle that carries a lot of people, because driving dynamics change as more seats are filled.

If you're looking at a car for a new driver, you might want to pass on the optional third row. Statistics show that crash rates for teen drivers go up with the number of other teen passengers in the car. For safety's sake, it's best not to encourage car pooling among the young.

If you're looking for a small sedan:
Mitsubishi Lancer

Base prices: $14,000 to $18,500

Engine and transmission: 152 horsepower, 2.0-liter 4-cylinder with 5-speed manual or shiftable continuously variable automatic transmission

Fuel economy: 22 mpg city, 29 highway with automatic transmission; 21/29 with manual

The new Lancer looks aggressive, and the GTS version has plenty of power. Unfortunately, a stepless, continuously variable transmission blunts the performance feel, making the Lancer more ordinary to drive than its big rear wing would suggest. (Steering wheel paddle shifters, which make it act like a six-speed, help a bit.)

Still, it's a very capable and handsome car. Those looking for more aggressive performance should wait for the redesigned Lancer Evolution that will show up here early next year.

Possibly the best thing about the Lancer is its stereo. It sounds great and comes with a 30-gig harddrive that stores a copy of any CD you play in it. Album names and track names are grabbed wirelessly from an Internet database. After a while, it's like having an enormous jukebox right in the car.

If you're looking for a hatchback:
Honda Fit

Base prices: $14,000 to $16,000

Engine and transmission: 109 horsepower, 1.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine with 5-speed automatic or manual transmission

Fuel economy: 33 city, 38 highway, 35 combined with manual transmission; 31/38/34 with automatic

Today's Honda Fit is what the Honda Civic used to be: a straight-up economy model. The Fit is fun and functional, and it gets excellent fuel economy.

The back seats fold completely flat to make for lots of cargo space. Even when set up for sitting, though, there's open space under the seatsfor stowing baggage.

The Fit's automatic transmission even comes with a steering wheel paddle shifter that allows the driver to quickly intervene and choose gears when needed.

If you're looking for a hatchback:
Nissan Versa

Base prices: $12,500 to $15,500

Engine and transmission: 122 horsepower, 1.8-liter 4-cylinder with 6-speed manual or continuously variable automatic transmission

Fuel economy: 30 mpg city, 34 highway, 32 combined with manual transmission; 30/36/32 with automatic

Drive the Versa for a while then get out and look at it. The effect is amazing. It's hard to figure out how the car you were just driving could be so small when it felt so big on the inside.

Rear seat legroom is particularly impressive, and the appearance and amenities up front border on luxury class.

The Versa, while capable, isn't particularly fun to drive though, because it favors a smooth ride over road feel. But if you want a small car that drives and feels like a midsize, the Versa is unbeatable. It is also available as a sedan.

If you're looking for a convertible:
Mini Cooper Convertible

Base prices: $22,000 (Hard-top starts at $18,000)

Engine and transmission: 115 horsepower, 1.6-liter 4-cylinder with 5-speed manual or continuously variable automatic transmission

Fuel economy: 26 mpg city, 35 highway, 29 combined with manual transmission; 25/33/28 with automatic

Sporting two more seats than a Mazda Miata and just about as much fun to drive, the Mini Cooper Convertible is for those who aren't quite ready to leave childhood behind.

Day to day, it's easier to live with than a pure sports car, and even in its base version (shown here), it'll put a smile on your face and on that of just about everyone else around.

Before you buy, be aware that the Mini Cooper has a poorer reputation for reliability than most Japanese or American cars. That's one point in favor of the Miata, even with half the seats.

If you're looking for an SUV:
Ford Escape

Base prices: $18,500 to $23,600

Engine and transmission: 153 horsepower, 2.3-liter, 4-cylinder engine or 3.0-liter, 200 horsepower V-6; 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel or front-wheel drive

Also available as a gas/electric hybrid vehicle. Prices start at about $25,000. Hybrid fuel economy is 34/30 with FWD.

Fuel economy: 22 mpg city, 28 highway with 4-cylinder, manual transmission, FWD; 17/22 with V-6, automatic, AWD

The Escape was already a decent small SUV before it was redesigned for the 2008 model year.

Now it has a more controlled ride and more nimble handing. Inside and out, the new Escape looks sophisticated and masculine.

It retains a traditional boxy shape that gives it a nice roomy feel inside. While the interior design is also outstanding, some cut-rate materials detract from the effect.

Overall, the Escape is a wonderful crossover SUV for those who actually like SUVs.

If you're looking for an SUV:
Suzuki SX4

Base prices: $15,000 to $17,400

Engine and transmission: 143 horsepower, 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine with 5-speed automatic or manual transmission and all-wheel drive

Fuel economy: 24 mpg city, 30 highway, 26 combined with automatic transmission; 23/38/25 with manual

Suzuki bills the SX4 as a small SUV. It's not.

The SX4 is a small car with optional all-wheel-drive. In fact, it will soon be offered in a sedan version. (Ever seen an SUV offered in a sedan version?)

Aside from having AWD, the SX4 is a good, but not really remarkable, little car. It's roomy and comfortable inside with a well-constructed cabin. But you can find other small cars that manage that.

If you need something that will get you around in the snow, though, the SX4 is your little car. It even has an "AWD lock" setting for those times when there's really no pavement to grab.

If you're looking for an SUV:
Toyota Rav4

Base prices: $21,000 to $26,500

Engine and transmission: 166 horsepower, 2.4-liter 4-cylinder with 4-speed automatic transmission or 269 horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 with 5-speed automatic transmission. Available with front-wheel or all-wheel drive.

Fuel economy: 24 mpg city, 30 highway, 26 combined with 4-cylinder and FWD; 21/28/24 with 6-cylinder and AWD

When the Rav4 was redesigned last year, it got longer and took on an optional third row of seats.
It also has excellent fuel economy for an SUV and decent performance even with the standard 4-cylinder engine. With the V6, the Rav4 borders on sporty.

Its looks may not please everyone - to me, it always looks like it's melting - but it's hard to deny that the Rav4 is perhaps the most purely sensible choice in a small SUV.
(C) NYT

Mitsubishi gets +30% to their US Adv budget

After a lot of complaining to increase advertising revenue, Mitsubishi dealer’s in the US have received good news from Osamu Masuko, President of Mitsubishi Motors. In a teleconference with US dealers on May 2nd, Masuko said that Mitsubishi will be increasing its US ad budget about 30 percent this year to an estimated $170 million.

For the first time since 2001, Mitsubishi posted a net profit in North America for the last fiscal year that ended March 31. “The $5 million profit is small but “headed in the right direction,” Masuko told the US dealers.

Mitsubishi dealers in the US sold 43,692 vehicles in the first four months of this year, a 19.6 percent increase over 2006. The company hopes to sell a total of 130,000 cars this year including the redesigned 2008 Lancer sedan, the Eclipse coupe and Spyder, the upcoming Mitsubishi EVO and the Outlander SUV.

Masuko wants dealers to aim to sell at least 30,000 of each of those nameplates.