|
Browse by Tags
All Tags » Sedans/Saloons » Driving ( RSS)
-
|
Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Nissan , Driving Click above to view high-res gallery of the 2009 Nissan Maxima The latest Nissan out of the gate - the sixth model to wear the "Maxima" designation - gets a significant redesign for 2009. Launched in 1985, the first Maxima was a praised departure from its predecessor, the rear-wheel-drive Datsun 810. Reconfigured as front-wheel-drive, the newly-named sedan foreshadowed the arrival of Nissan's "4-Door Sports Car" or "4DSC", a name aptly-coined for the 1989 model. While each subsequent generation seemed to soften (much to the lament of enthusiasts), the automaker claims this ground-up remake once-again earns the 4DSC moniker. Follow the jump to see if Nissan succeeded. Gallery: First Drive - 2009 Nissan Maxima Photos Copyright (C)2008 Michael Harley / Weblogs, Inc. Continue reading First Drive: 2009 Nissan Maxima Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
-
|
Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Etc. , Driving , UK Attention all you Top Gear fans out there! While most of us will never be a big enough star to actually appear on the fabled British motor show as one of its "Stars in a reasonably priced car," the Top Gear website has added a virtual chance at fame and glory. Take a crack at the real Top Gear test track just like The Stig! Pilot your Chevy Laceti around Chicago Corner, through Hammerhead, past The Follow-Through, and blast out of Gambon for the perfect lap. Current lap record holder is Alan G. with a blistering 1:41:193. If you think that's easy to beat, know that we only managed a 2:02:011 on our first full lap. It's not as easy as it might at first appear, as the rather crude graphics belie the trickiness of the controls and course. Check out the "Time to burn?" tab on the site to see how you would match up against Simon Cowell, Hugh Grant, and the Well spoken man. Hopefully you'll be able to beat at least...
|
-
|
Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Supercars , Cadillac , Driving click above for a new high-res gallery of the 2009 Cadillac CTS-V var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/autos/Burning_lots_of_rubber_in_Cadillac_s_new_556_HP_CTS_V_sedan'; This week the Cadillac communications crew invited a group of media out to General Motors' Milford Proving Ground for a special preview of the new second-generation Cadillac CTS-V. We first saw the CTS-V last January at the Detroit Auto Show and more information has been dribbling in the intervening time period. A few weeks back, GM's resident speed demon engineer John Heinricy took a production spec CTS-V to an all-time lap record of 7:59.32 for a production sedan at the Nürburgring, and this week Cadillac revealed the official SAE certified power numbers for the super-Caddie at 556 horsepower and 551 pound-feet of torque. When we got to Milford our handlers took us out to a tent by the Lutz-ring test track where we found three CTS-Vs and various...
|
-
|
Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Lincoln , Driving click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Lincoln MKS Every year, carmakers collectively trot out dozens of new concept vehicles at auto shows around the world. Some fraction of those end up making their way to production lines and onto the streets. Most of the exciting design ideas, however, get heavily watered down in the process of going from auto show stand to showroom. One notable exception is the new Lincoln MKS. When the original MKS concept turned up in 2006, it was basically a slightly fancied up version of the then-new Ford Five Hundred, and it was not warmly received. In a pleasant change of direction, Ford took the lukewarm reception for the concept to heart and by the time the production version of the MKS appeared at the LA Auto Show last November, it had been transformed. Unlike the "so what" appearance of the concept, the production model elicited much stronger opinions. Some hated it, others loved it. Regardless...
|
-
|
Filed under: Garage , Sedans/Saloons , Acura , Driving Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Acura TSX. 2008 is shaping up to be a very busy year for Honda's up-market Acura division. With the unveiling of a new diesel engine and the revamp of their entire sedan lineup, Acura is attempting to reinvent itself as a credible player in the premium sedan segment. But ever since Acura's birth in 1986 as the very first premium Japanese brand, the automaker has suffered from an identity crisis. Acura has always been a mixed bag, as if Honda wasn't sure what it wanted it to be, and with a lineup that spanned the enthusiast-friendly Integra/ RSX , the rebadged Isuzu-built SLX and the competent but anonymous RL, consumers were equally confounded. After complaints that the previous generation of Acura sedans were utterly devoid of style, the automaker decided to give all of its vehicles a bold, new face for the 2009 model year. However, as anyone who has ever followed the follies...
|
-
|
Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative , Minivans/MPVs , Sedans/Saloons , Supercars , Driving , Lifestyle click to view more high-res images of the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT Next Monday is Memorial Day, which many think of as the official start of the summer driving season. That means it's time to pack your families and all their associated gear in the family truckster family sedan and head out to see the relatives. We've already seen one set of choices for the best vehicle with which to hit the open road, and now Kelley Blue Book has decided to throw its hat in the ring as well. They cover all the bases, so regardless of the size of your clan, you'll be sure to find a recommendation that suits you. Some of their choices, like the Grand Caravan sitting at number five, seem pretty obvious and would likely make for a smooth trip. If smoothness isn't really your thing, perhaps the Bugatti Veyron, number two on KBB's list, would be a better choice. Too fuel thirsty for your...
|
-
|
Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Hyundai , Driving Click for a high res gallery of the new Sonata In recent months, Hyundai has made a big splash with the introductions of the Genesis sedan and coupe. While those two models will likely do wonders for Hyundai's street cred, they will definitely be niche players when it comes to volume. Among passenger cars in the US market, the midsize segment has been the highest volume category for nearly two decades. Since the mid-nineties, the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord have been the primary players with everyone else having been an also-ran. In recent years, however, Hyundai's entrant in the segment, the Sonata, has put up an increasingly aggressive challenge to the big dogs. The current generation Hyundai Sonata debuted for the 2006 model year and the company unwrapped its mid-cycle refresh back in February at the Chicago Auto Show. The 2009 Sonatas have been in production since before the Chicago debut and they should be in stock at Hyundai...
|
-
|
Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Wagons/Estates , Euro , Audi , Driving Click the A4 Avant for a high-res gallery The A4 is Audi's bread-and-butter, representing half of the brand's volume in the US market. So, when the premium brand from the Volkswagen group introduces a new version of its volume leader, it's a big deal. That's why Audi invited a contingent of American media over to Europe this week to play with the new A4 -- first on its home turf in Deutschland and then bombing around the Spanish resort island of Ibiza. The completely redesigned B7-platform A4 debuted in sedan form last September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, while the Avant wagon dropped last month in Geneva. As is typical for most German cars, European customers get a much wider array of powertrain choices than we Americans do. With the US dollar in free-fall against the Euro, brands like Audi have to cut costs in order to be able to sell their vehicles here at a competitive price point. A big part of that...
|
-
|
Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Jaguar , Driving Click above for high-res gallery from our First Drive of the Jaguar XF The timing of our first hands-on experience with the Jaguar XF is, to say the least, awkward. Less than a week after Ford agreed to sell both Jaguar and Land Rover to India's Tata Motors , we find ourselves in sunny San Diego behind the wheel of Jag's supposed savior. While the business end of the equation will be exhaustively covered in the coming months, the renaissance underway at Tata's newly acquired pet is of equal importance. The XF is a serious step on the road to recovery, but undoing the perception gap that's plagued this cat for the last couple of decades won't be easy. Gallery: First Drive: 2008 Jaguar XF All photos (C) 2008 Damon Lavrinc / Weblogs, Inc. Continue reading First Drive: 2008 Jaguar XF Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
-
|
Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Acura , Driving Click above for high resolution images of the 2009 Acura TSX The first generation Acura TSX received glowing reviews from the media and owners alike. While not having the most exciting styling or the beefiest of powertrains, the TSX offered a sensible and reliable vehicle with plenty of standard options that didn't break the bank. Our man Damon road-tripped a 2007 TSX up to Lake Tahoe and was pleasantly surprised with the driving characteristics and smooth powertrain, although he put Acura's turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-4 on the wish list. With Acura launching an all-new TSX in 2009, we've been itching to see what direction they would go with the second generation. Fortunately, we didn't have to wait long to find out because Acura invited us to test the new TSX just a few weeks before officially launching the car at the New York Auto Show . Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Acura TSX All photos Copyright (C)2008 Drew Phillips / Weblogs...
|
-
|
Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Sports/GTs , Lexus , Driving Click the image above for a hi-res gallery of Lexus IS F pics So we recently got some seat time in the Lexus IS F, and we can proudly report that it's not anything Lexus has ever been before. Does it really compare to the M3 and C63 AMG? In a little-kid-from-down-the-street-trying-to-get-in-the-game way, yeah. But that doesn't mean it shouldn't be in the game. Follow the jump for the full story, and check out the new gallery of Lexus IS F pics below. Gallery: First Drive: 2008 Lexus IS F Gallery: Lexus IS-F Continue reading First Drive: the 2008 Lexus IS F Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
-
|
Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Marketing/Advertising , Videos , Cadillac , GM , Driving Click above to view video The 2009 Cadillac CTS-V appears to have the power and performance to take on the best that Germany has to offer, and GM's marketing team is just itching for the chance to brag about it. Following the jump is a two minute long tribute to the most powerful production Cadillac ever built. If we're not mistaken, this is the same video that was shown right before the car was driven onstage at the Detroit Auto Show last month. Built on a bass-heavy sound track, the CTS-V intro video is a series of close-ups followed by power slides and quick track cuts, with graphic after graphic boasting about the many virtues of Caddy's 550-hp sedan. Considering the total package, we'd brag too. Thanks for the tip, Zeyad! Gallery: 2009 Cadillac CTS-V [Source: YouTube ] Continue reading VIDEO: Cadillac CTS-V promo film Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
-
|
Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Sports/GTs , Pontiac , Driving Click above for high-res gallery from first drive of the 2008 Pontiac G8 GT We don't know how it happened or who started it, but some automotive news outlets have published their first drive reviews of the 2008 Pontiac G8 GT before the imposed embargo by GM. Since we don't have one of our own (yet), we'll be sending you to a non-guilty party with a great review of Pontiac's new rear-wheel-drive performance sedan. Popular Mechanics had a chance to drive the G8 GT in Malibu, and we're not surprised that they were extremely impressed. Aside from the crazy fast performance numbers that come courtesy of the car's 6.0L V8 producing 361 horsepower, PM claims it's the steering and handling of the G8 GT that leaves the biggest positive impression. When was the last time you heard that said about a large domestic sedan? Even the six-speed automatic was praised, though a rumor that a Corvette LS3-powered G8 GXP...
|
-
|
Filed under: Garage , Sedans/Saloons , Chevrolet , Driving click above for a high-res gallery of the 2008 Chevy Malibu LT Once upon a time, General Motors' mid-sized models were the perennial top-selling passenger cars in America. Within my own lifetime, the Oldsmobile Cutlass topped the sales charts for years on end. But somewhere along the way, it all went pear-shaped for GM. Its cars went from being perpetual sales leaders into a perpetual sales decline. As GM's car sales tanked, the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord picked up the slack and are now considered the standard by which others in the class are measured. The first signs of a real revival in the GM sedan lineup appeared in 2006 when the Saturn Aura debuted to decent reviews though somewhat lukewarm sales. Then, last January at the Detroit Auto Show, GM debuted two new production sedans, the Cadillac CTS and the car that just spent a week in the Autoblog Garage, the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu. The Malibu is here now, so let's...
|
-
|
Filed under: Garage , Sedans/Saloons , BMW , Driving Click the photo for a high-res gallery What do you get when you blend two turbos, some compression ignition, six cylinders in-line, and a wonderfully tuned Bavarian chassis? Why, it's the BMW 535d! You can't buy one in the US...yet. It's got 428 lb-ft of tire shredding fun that gets better mileage than a Scion xB or Saturn Aura Hybrid. BMW will be bringing its diesel engines to the our shores sometime later in 2008, but AutoblogGreen got to spend a week trying out the latest in high-performance, clean diesel technology thanks to fuel system supplier Bosch. Head over to ABG for the full rundown on this dieselicious German sedan. [Source: AutoblogGreen] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
More Posts Next page »
|
|
|