2011 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid

Cadillac Escalade, the most stolen vehicle in the United States, is back for the 2011 model in many flavors: standard, ESV, EXT, Platinum and Hybrid. The most powerful engine available for the car is a 6.2-liter V8 all-aluminum engine that is capable of delivering 403 hp and 417 lb.-ft of torque. The standard and ESV versions are available in both all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive configurations. The EXT is available exclusively with the full-time AWD system.

From the long list of features, we have to mention the side blind zone alert, the rear vision camera system, automatic headlamps, power liftgate, adaptive remote start, heated and cooled seats, magnetic ride control and others as well. With the new model, Cadillac has made several changes, like introducing new noise reduction components: modified row door weather strip, laminated front windshield and front row side glass. For a limited period of time, the Escalade is offered with two special colors: Blue Frost and Evolution Green Metallic.

The 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV comes as standard with a 8-inch touchscreen navigation system, Bose 5.1 digital surround sound system and XM Satellite Radio along with CD audio/video and MP3 support. The EXT offers the Escalade a SUT – Sport Utility Truck body style, while at the same time giving it a part-SUV, part-pickup profile. The car sports a Midgate panel which allows the owner of the Escalade to convert the car from a 5-passenger sport utility vehicle into a 2-passenger pickup, offering 8 ft of protected and secured storage. The midgate is placed behind the rear seat and can be folded into the cabin. Doing so, it will enable the cargo area to expand from 5 ft. to 8 ft, reaching a respectable total of 101 cubic ft.

2011 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid

The Hybrid version of the Escalade will do 20 mpg in the city, according to EPA ratings, which is a considerable 33% improvement over the regular model. The rear wheel drive models have a towing capacity of 5,800 pounds while the 4WD can tow 5,600 pounds. In the city, at low speeds, the car will use only the electric power and once the vehicle reaches 0 mph, the conventional power unit will automatically shut down, conserving fuel and protecting the environment.

The car is fitted with a 300-volt electrically driven air-conditioning compressor which reduces the vibrations and permits the HVAC system to cool the passenger compartment, including the periods when the gas engine is not running. The car features a tri-zone climate control system. The 2011 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid Platinum has a unique front fascia with unique upper and lower grilles. In addition, it has exclusive 22-inch rims as well as LED headlamps. Another feature available only on this model is the full Aniline leather for the first and second row seats.

The energy storage system as well as the hybrid drive line and the emission control system are offered with a warranty for 8 years or 100,000 miles. The energy storage system which cools the system's internal fan was designed to be quite when the car is running at low speeds.

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Quick Look – 2011 Cadillac Escalade

1989 Lamborghini LM002

What most people don't know is that Lamborghini wanted to get a United States military contract a few decades ago. Back in 1977, they made the Cheetah but failed to grab a contract with the US government. They didn't give up and came back with another model, dubbed LM002. The car didn't have a chance in front of the Hummer H1 which was a huge hit back in the days.

The Lamborghini LM002 was equipped with a V8 power unit developed by Chrysler. Due to this setup, the car had a very unpredictable handling and the prototype was completely destroyed during the testing procedures. Lamborghini made another one, the LM001, which was fitted with an AMC V8 engine. Unfortunately, the car had the same destiny as the first one. The company did not give up and made an updated version of the LM002 which was powered by a Countach V12 engine, front-mounted. The car was introduced at the Geneva Auto Show in 1981.

The car became somewhat popular in the Middle East in both civilian and military versions. The first ones were introduced in 1986 in Brussels and were very attractive in the eyes of the Arab sheiks. These units had air conditioning, stereos and elegant leather interiors. With the very powerful V12 Countach engine, the car was capable of reaching 60 mph in only 7.7 seconds, onto a top speed of 125 mph. The car had to be equipped with a generous gas tank (76- gallon) taking into consideration that it was able to do only 8 mpg. The Lamborghini LM002 was fitted with Pirelli Scorpion run-flat tires that had an incredible price of $1,600 / tire.

1989 Lamborghini LM002

As far as the military version of the LM002 is concerned, it was more basic, but it did have opening roofs and mounts for machine guns (quite cool if you ask us). Lamborghini sold 100 units to Moammar Ghadafi and 40 cars to the Saudi Army. The Italian automaker only manufactured 301 units of the LM002.

According to ConceptCarz.com, the car in the pictures was in a private California collection for several years and it has been well-maintained. This year it was offered for sale at the famous RM Auctions as part of their Sports & Classics of Monterey. Before the auction, it had an estimated price of $80,000 – $100,000 and was offered without reserve. In the end, the car was sold for $77,000 (including buyer's premium).

Source: ConceptCarz.com

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History Lesson – 1989 Lamborghini LM002

2011 Chrysler 300

The Chrysler 300 is back with the 2011 model and looks breathtaking in our opinion. The car borrowed a couple of things from the 2005 generation if we look at the boxy roofline, the upright proportions and the purposeful stance. The windshield of the new model is now more steeply ranked while the muscular wheel arches were kept. The car now has smoother arcs and softer lines at the trunklid and hood while the chrome-trimmed taillights look very appealing. In the company's honor, the LED daytime running lights have a "C" shape.

Similar to the Charger, the 2011 Chrysler 300 received a significant update inside. The new model boosts HVAC controls and a very generous 8.4-inch infotainment screen, as an optional feature with the Garmin navigation system so that you don't get lost. Other optional features include the dual-pane sunroof, heated/cooled seats and cupholders as well as new 20-inch rims. The plastics used for the interior are of reasonable quality, similar to the ones used for the Charger, but are styled in another way, more classy.

To make it even classier, the engineers at Chrysler did a little bit of work on the interior cabin noise. For this reason, they equipped the 300 with two premium-composite underbody panels that can guarantee more than 8 ft of acoustic insulation while at the same time, smoothing lower airflow.

2011 Chrysler 300

Similar to the outgoing generation, the 300 will be available in both rear and all wheel drive. The AWD system consists of an active transfer case and a seamless disconnecting front axle which according to the automaker allows a 5% boost in fuel economy.

The Limited and Touring models are fitted with a Pentastar V6 power unit that is capable of outputting 292 hp and a torque of 260 pound-feet. For those drivers that want more muscle under the hood, the new generation of the 300 can be equipped with a V8 5.7-liter HEMI (with Fuel Saver Technology) that will offer 360 hp and 390 pound-feet. All of the engines will be linked to a 5-speed automatic transmission. The car will do about 16 mpg in the city and 26-28 mpg on the highway.

According to Chrysler, the suspension geometry has been updated in order to permit a better and firmer handling. In addition, the electro-hydraulic power steering has been modified for the driver's touch.

The car will be available for sale in the first quarter of 2011 at a starting price of $28,000 for the models equipped with the V6 engine and $38,000 for the ones fitted with the powerful V8 HEMI.

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2011 Chrysler 300 Revealed

2011 Nissan Rogue

Rogue is the first small crossover developed by Nissan and was launched back in 2007 as a 2008 model. The styling of the car was inspired by its bigger brother, the Murano and came fitted with a good and efficient powertrain that was able to suit various tastes. Three years have passed since then and Nissan had to freshen up the model a little bit until the next generation arrives in a couple of year. Although it isn't certainly a huge hit in North America, there is a solid market for this car as the fact of the matter is it does the job quite well.

For those of you looking for a special and out of the ordinary design, look elsewhere as the Rogue has a rather plain design. For a more exciting look, you might pick up the Nissan Juke as it has indeed a very interesting styling, not very common for cars that belong to this segment. With the Rogue you get the normal CUV shape with a couple of Nissan accents here and there, nothing eye-catching. Compared to the first generation, the facelift doesn't bring that much to the table except for the massaged grille, larger fog lights and the fascia which now wears a rather subtle crease below the headlights. On the side of the car, Nissan fitted the Rogue with chrome strips which in our opinion don't look that good, on any car as a matter of fact.

With this facelift, Nissan has added a new set of 17-inch bifurcated 5-spoke alloy rims that really make the Rogue look much nicer. Most of the customers that choose the Rogue have the following reasons to do so: reasonable price, tall seating position and lots of cargo room. Speaking of space available for your stuff, the Rogue offers 58 cubic feet of storage when the rear seats are folded. According to Nissan, you can also stow something 8.5 feet long out back, which is quite impressive if you ask us.

2011 Nissan Rogue

The SV trim will get you Bluetooth hands-free calling, 6-way power adjustable seats, satellite radio, rear-view camera and power mirrors; nothing out of the extraordinary, but enough for most of us. Unfortunately, the overall look of the interior is not that great because of the dull colors used for the various components and the cheap plastic insertions. Nissan should have fitted the Rogue with lighter colors as well as materials of higher quality.

The Rogue is offered with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder power unit that is capable of outputting 170 hp and 175 pound-feet of torque. The engine is linked to a CVT transmission that has an overdrive function. The car is available both in front wheel or all wheel drive. The engine will do the job very well in city traffic and is basically an engine that is quite responsive and agile. More than that, according to the EPA ratings, the Rogue will do 22 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway, which are nice figures for a car in this class. Another advantage of the 2011 Nissan Rogue is the fully-independent suspension, which gives the car a more planted feel during interstate clovers or when doing slaloms.

The most affordable Rogue starts at $20,810 for the S trim. The mid-range SV will set you back about $23,220. These figures are quite good for a CUV, but having a quick look at the competition in this segment, like the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson, it doesn't seem to be that appealing anymore as many of these cars have a smaller price tag and come with a top-notch warranty that nobody could resist.

The 2011 Nissan Rogue offers a good package for a CUV, but it doesn't bring anything new to the table, something that would make it more attractive than its most important rivals. With a more interesting exterior look and higher quality materials used for the inside, the Rogue could grab a couple more customers that are looking for a CUV. Of course this does not mean that the Rogue is a bad car, on the contrary, it offers a pretty good package at a more than affordable price tag, but there are other better alternatives to it.

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Quick Look – 2011 Nissan Rogue

Fisker Karma

One of the most delayed cars in the world, the Fisker Karma, just received a significant price hike – $8,000. When the car was first announced at the 2008 North American International Auto Show, it had an estimated price of $80,000. Later on, the price went up by $7,900 and this figure was dubbed as "estimated price range."

According to the company's spokesman, Russell Datz – "with a starting price of $95,900 the Karma is hands down the best value combination of style, performance, efficiency, luxury, sustainability and exclusive powertrain technology." He added that the Karma has an MSRP of $95,900, which is within the 10% of the originally announced MSRP of $80k.

Regarding the launch date of the car, nothing is certain at the moment, some people say that the car is slated for spring 2011, but taking into consideration the fact that the previous estimate was for late 2009, nothing can be certain.

Fisker Karma

The Fisker Karma was developed exclusively by Quantum Technologies for Fisker Automotive and offers emissions-free driving of up to 50 miles per charge. The car is able to reach 100 km/h in 5 seconds, onto a top speed of 125 mph (200 km/h). The first 99 units of the car will be numbered and signed by Henrik Fisker and will be manufactured in the trim and color of the show vehicle.

The car will have two driving modes: stealth mode and sport mode. The former will tweak the setup of the car for providing a quiet and economical ride while the latter will give the driver full access to the car's power. The car will also feature regenerative braking which will be employed to regain power otherwise lost from braking. As an optional feature, the car can be fitted with a solar roof which will fill the battery.

This certainly looks like an interesting car but with all of these delays and price hikes, the interest is starting to fade away as other interesting car are announced and go into production, unlike the Fisker Karma.

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Fisker Karma Gets Price Hike

Xenatech Maybach 57S Coupe

If you thought the original Maybach 57 was something to die for, well take a look at the Xenatech Maybach 57S Coupe dubbed "Cruiseiro". You don't see every day one of the longest 4-door limos turned into a 2-door sports coupe. The car was developed in close collaboration with the original manufacturer, Maybach, part of the Daimler Group.

The new model received some serious changes in comparison to the 4-door variant as the A-, B- and C-columns had to be completely redesigned for the new look. The hardest job was with the B-column which had to be moved back by 200 mm. The roofline is now sharper and the body was widened. The wheelbase of the car remained the same at an impressive level of 3.39 m. This new design belongs to Burch Fred Hardt, the man who also is the author of another great Maybach design, the Exelero concept (too bad that the car never went into production). From the looks of these pictures you will notice the sporty look of the 57S Coupe, but at the same time it does inspire a very conservative styling, traditional to all Maybachs.

Xenatech Maybach 57S Coupe

Under the hood of the car a massive V12 6.0-liter engine was mounted, an engine that is capable of outputting 603 hp (612 PS / 450 kW) and an incredible torque of 738 lb-ft (1000 Nm). The engine allows the car to do the 0-60 mph sprint in just five seconds, onto a top speed of 171 mph (275 km/h).

With a price tag of $890,000 (675,000 Euros), this won't be a car for the masses, especially when we take into consideration the fact that only 100 units of the Xenatech Maybach 57S Coupe will be produced. The current orders for the coupe already cover the next 9-12 months for the global markets.

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For Sale – Xenatech Maybach 57S Coupe

2012 Porsche 911

According to German automotive magazine Autobild, the 2012 Porsche 911 will have more changes than initially expected. From the looks of the spy photo we can see that the car is a little bit longer, but now Autobild has found out the exact dimensions of the car. The 2012 model will be 56 mm longer in comparison to the current generation and will measure 4.49 meters in length. The wheelbase of the 911 will also be 10 mm longer and the car will stand 11 mm shorter. The standard version of the 911 will have the same width, but the Carrera version will have a 60 mm wider rear end.

All of the engines will be completely revised for the 2012 and with the new model; the 911 will come with an entirely new rear axle, especially developed for this model. The entry-level Boxer 3.6-liter power unit will be cut down to 3.4-liters and will output 345 hp (350 PS / 257 kW). With this engine, the 911 will do the 0-60 mph sprint in 4.8 seconds, onto a top speed of 180 mph (289 km/h). The fuel economy will be down by 13% to 27.7 mpg (8.5 liters / 100 km).

The Porsche 911 Carrera S will be fitted with a revised 3.8-liter engine that will produce 395 hp (400 PS / 294 kW). The car will reach 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and will have a top speed of 188 mph (302 km/h). Again, the fuel economy will be reduced by 14% to 25.8 mpg (9.1 liters / 100 km).

The new generation of the 911 will weigh 20 kg less and will come as standard with 19-inch rims while the Carrera S will be fitted with 20-inch wheels.

The official debut of the 2012 Porsche 911 will be made at the Frankfurt Motor Show which will take place in September, 2011.

Source: Autobild

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2012 Porsche 911 – New Info

The "Aveo" name is officially dead in North America and Mexico as Chevrolet will replace this nameplate on their B-segment vehicle with the introduction of their new "Sonic" model. If you remember, the first pictures of the car appeared before the Paris Motor Show, where the car still wore the "Aveo" badge. According to Chrysler, all the cars that will be sold in Mexico and North America will be named Sonic whereas the Aveo badge will be available for the rest of the world where the car will be sold.

The new model will be offered with a bundle of new styling features, including "hidden" rear door handles, dual port grille, short rear overhangs, exposed twin-headlamps as well as compact taut body panels that have a rising shoulder. Regarding the interior of the Sonic, it will feature a motorcycle-inspired instrument binnacle that will have an analogue tachometer mixed with a digital speedometer and warning lights.

2012 Chevrolet Sonic

Regarding performance, the Sonic/Aveo will be available with many powertrains, including 4-cylinder petrol and diesel power units. The entry-level engines will be the 1.2-liter 70 hp and 86 hp. Moving up the scale, we find the 1.4-liter engine that will produce 100 hp and the 1.6-liter, capable of outputting 115 hp. There are other two diesel engines that will be available, which will feature the start/stop technology. These 1.3-liter units will produce 75 hp and 95 hp.

The most important rivals in this segment for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic/Aveo will be the 5-door Toyota Yaris, the 5-door Nissan Versa and the Honda Fit. The Sonic will offer more cargo space in comparison with the Yaris and better fuel efficiency when compared to the Versa and the Fit.

The production of the car will start at the General Motors Orion Assembly Center located in Michigan next year. According to the published press release, the hatchback will carry the Sonic name in United States, Canada and Mexic and the Aveo badge in other parts of the world, where it will be commercialized in more than 50 countries.

No pricing information has been released for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic/Aveo, but most likely it will be very similar to the 2011 Aveo that has a starting price of $12,115.

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2012 Chevrolet Sonic Hatchback Announced

2011 Kia Forte SX

A few years ago Kia was seen as that Korean automaker that produced the ugly and clunky Sportage and the crummy Sephia model. Things have changed a great deal since then thanks to the successful collaboration with Hyundai and Kia started launching great cars like the Cee'd (hatchback) and the Pro Cee'd (coupe) along with the new generation of the Sportage which greatly improved the company's image, especially in Europe where the Cee'd was and still is a huge hit. Kia was aiming to offer a rival to Mazda's 3 model and they came up with the Forte hatchback, which is in our opinion at least, the most beautiful car of this segment.

Some say that Kia borrowed a couple of design ideas from the first generation of the Mazda 3, especially in the back, with the roof spoiler, the forward-raked backlight and the triangular quarter-windows. The Fort's proportions are tidier than the Japanese car due to the paring of more than 7 inches of rear overhang from the Forte's sedan sibling. The hatchback offers an increased amount of cargo space and an improved access to the things you stash inside the vehicle. Compared to the sedan, the hatchback adds extra 4.7 cubic feet of cargo room located behind the rear seats. As standard, the car comes with 60/40-split rear seatbacks as well as covered storage space located beneath the cargo floor.

All these improvements over its sedan sibling come at the expense of performance unfortunately. Just like the up-level sedan Forte SX, the hatchback SX is offered with the largest of the two power units available which is a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder that is capable of outputting 173 hp and 168 pound feet of torque. The EX and sedan-only LX models are offered with the 2.0-liter 156 hp engine. The 173 hp engine can be linked to a 6-speed automatic gearbox and the SX model is offered with steering-wheel-mounted shifters, which is something quite remarkable in the car's segment, where its main rivals besides the Mazda 3 are Hyundai Elantra, Subaru Impreza 5-door, Toyota Matrix and the VW Golf 5-door hatchback.

2011 Kia Forte SX

In comparison to the sedan which is able to reach 60 mph in 8.6 seconds, the 5-door Forte is 70 pounds heavier, making it 0.3 slower to do the 0-60 mph sprint. In addition, the sedan needs 23.6 second to reach 100 mph while the hatchback requires about 25.3 seconds. The 2.4-liter engine is rated to do 23 mpg city / 31 mpg highway with the automatic transmission and 22 mpg city / 32 mpg highway with the manual.

The hatchback features a MacPherson-strut front suspension and a torsion-beam rear suspension. The Forte is fitted with 17-inch rims covered in low profile 215/45 tires. The overall feel of the ride quality is quite good, but the car's chassis wasn't tuned for serenity. Compared to its most important rival in this segment, Mazda 3, the Kia Forte 5-door hatchback is less satisfying to drive and less polished, but this doesn't mean that it will lose the battle.

What it loses in this compartment surely makes up with the packed cabin and creature comforts. The SX will set you back $19,090 while the EX is $17,590. The EX is offered as standard with cruise control, 5-speaker stereo system, keyless entry as well as power windows and locks. The SX's additional features include leather-wrapped shift knob and steering wheel, "metal finish" interior accents and telescoping steering wheel. For automatic transmission, the customer must pay $1,000 more.  The tech package costs $1,800 and includes a voice-activated and intuitive touch screen entertainment/infotainment system, along with chrome door handles, keyless start and automatic headlamps. A sunroof is available as an optional feature for $750.

Kia became a popular automaker for launching affordable cars and indeed this is the case with the Forte taking into consideration that a similar equipped Mazda 3 costs about $26,400 while a Forte with the all of the above features sums it up to $23,640. What does the Mazda 3 have over the Forte? The tuned chassis, but the question is it is really worth the extra $3,000? This is a decision that you will have to make. Another reason why the Forte is more appealing is its superstar warranty, a trademark for all Kia cars. If you are one of those drivers that love to take the car for a spin, choose the Mazda 3, for everything else, the Kia Forte is considerably better plus it is quite close to Mazda's driving abilities.

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Quick Look – 2011 Kia Forte SX

2011 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD

It seems that the vast majority of the automakers are aiming to reduce the weight of pickup trucks in their attempt of meeting the new very restrictive standards for fuel economy, without having to sacrifice the towing capabilities and strength of the vehicles. The new restrictions will be applicable starting with 2016, which means that Ford and General Motors (along with the rest of the automakers) will have just one design cycle in order to make important changes to their pickups lineup, meaning that they will have to use costly steel substitutes like aluminum, magnesium and other steel alloys.

Pickup manufacturers will have to pass on these higher costs to customers who have come to associate mass with performance. According to Dick Schultz who is a consultant at Ducker Worldwide as well as an expert regarding the use of metals in cars, "there is a lot of hand-wringing in the industry right now. You can't afford to be on the wrong side of this thing."

The new restrictions will require for automakers to reach an average fleet fuel economy of 35.5 mpg by 2016. Light trucks must be able to do 30 miles per gallon starting with 2016. The CAFE – corporate average fuel economy standard for this year is 29.2 miles per gallon and for light trucks alone it is 24.9 mpg, according to government data.

These new more restrictive standard comes at a time when most of the important automakers launch a bundle of battery-electric, hybrid and plug-in cars, which all will definitely help the sector to meet these new requirements. Automakers say that reducing the weight of their trucks is also important to meeting the new guidelines. This weight reduction issue is going to be a very important challenge for most of the manufacturers taking into consideration the average size of these trucks along with the high demand that they are able to handle big and heavy loads and towing in the most difficult conditions available.

2011 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD

In order to attract more customers and increase profits, truck makers have added significant electronic, safety and comfort features in the last ten years. As a direct consequence to these changes, the average weight of trucks has risen 22% from 2000 to 2010, according to federal data. Despite this significant weight increase, the fuel economy rose by a healthy 2% in these 10 years.

The very first automaker that will roll out a pickup truck capable of meeting the 2016 requirements will be General Motors with its 2014 Chevrolet Silverado. Rick Spina, who is in charge of the full-size truck development for GM said that it will be a tough task to meet, but they will do everything they can so that the customers will understand the fundamental changes that had to be made.

Besides the 2016 standards, all automakers may have to achieve CAFE standards of 62 mpg for the entire fleet by 2025, according to a scenario thought by the United States government. Spina added that General Motors is targeting to shave off 500 pounds from its trucks by 2016 and by 2020 or so; they might be able to cut 1,000 pounds / truck. He stated that by using blown-in foam instead of a more affordable, yet heavier, pad to buffer noise in specific areas of the trucks could become more common in future trucks developed by General Motors.

During this time, it seems that Ford is looking to use a magnesium alloy frame for the upcoming generation of the popular and very successful F-150 pick-up truck and they might use aluminum for the body panels of the same model. By replacing the old-fashioned steel with aluminum, Ford might be able to shave off about 800 pounds per truck. Spina told Reuters that General Motors is thinking about using magnesium and aluminum for the frames of future models of its GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado trucks.

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Automakers Target Weight Reduction

2012 Ford Focus

The new generation of the Ford Focus will be available at dealerships early 2011, and besides the bundle of standard and optional features available, the 2012 Focus will get the "torque vectoring control" feature. For those of you that haven't heard about this system, it is capable of splitting the power between the two driven wheels of the car in order maximize traction and increase overall performance. The higher-end systems are capable of manipulating the output to each of the four wheels through a set of gears controlled electronically. Other systems will apply a subtle amount of braking to the inside of the car's wheel, which will cause more power to be transmitted to the outside of the wheel, meaning that it will help rotate the automobile through a turn. Ford will be using the latter on the upcoming generation of the popular Focus model and it will be a premier for the manufacturer to equip a North American model with this technology.

After years of thorough research and implementation, these very useful systems will equip more and more cars in the compact segment, cars more affordable and accessible to mainstream. What you need to know that this system is capable of doing some damage to the car, like overheating the rotors, pads as well as the fluid when flogged hard and long enough – like in the Volkswagen GTI. However, we hope that Ford has done a better job with this system and these problems will not occur on the upcoming Focus.

According to the press release published by Ford, the slight braking pressure which is applied to only one of the four wheels will be imperceptible do the driver of the Focus and the behind-the-wheel experience will offer more sense of control and stability throughout the curve. This system will be mostly appreciated by novice drivers as the car will benefit from increased stability, given them the needed confidence.

2012 Ford Focus

This torque vectoring control technology will be using the braking system of the Focus in order to imitate the effect of limited-slip differential by constantly balancing the power distribution of the engine between the driven front wheels of the car to suit various road surfaces and driving conditions. When the driver is accelerating the Focus through a tight corner, the system will apply an imperceptible degree of braking to the inside of the car's front wheel, so that more of the engine's torque will be transmitted to the outside of the wheel, adding extra traction, improved handling and better grip.

The torque vectoring control will be offered as standard on all of the Focus models that will be available in early 2011. As soon as more information regarding how the system will actually work on the 2012 Focus will become available, we will do a follow-up of this article explaining if the handling is actually improved like Ford promised. If you didn't know, this system was first introduced on high-end sports cars a few years ago and now we are glad to see that it will be implemented on popular and affordable cars like the Focus.

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2012 Ford Focus Gets Brake-Based Torque Vectoring

2010 BMW 760Li

For $66k you can drive this entry-level 7-Series or choose other attractive alternatives like the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, BMW M3 or the Cadillac CTS-V. Whichever you pick, this is some serious money investment and for this price you should and must get all the technology and features you could think of. BMW fully understands this and they have applied this recipe to the 760Li, but this doesn't mean that it will be an instant hit, especially when there are other alternative which are more reasonable as far as pricing is concerned, from the same automaker.

The F01 7-Series from BMW is quite an attractive car, some say more attractive in comparison to its most important rivals, the S-Class from Mercedes-Benz or the A8 flagship from Audi, but this is just a matter of taste, we will let you choose. Without any doubt, the 7-Series looks and feels like a German car, but it does have something borrowed from the wonderful 2011 Jaguar XJ, which is a very good thing in our opinion.

The 760 model with 12-cylinders is only available with the generous long wheelbase, which adds extra 5.5 inches on length between the front and rear wheels. About 98% of this extra space is enjoyed by the people sitting in the back as the "Li" badge signifies added 5.4-inches for legroom for backseat passengers. Besides the extra space, other important model-specific characteristics include the "V12" badging between the wheel wells and front doors, massive 19-inch rims and quad exhaust tips in the back. Without any doubt, the car combines luxury with a commanding road presence like no other car is capable at the moment; at least this is what we think.

The car is available with BMW's Individual Composition options from which customers can choose a bundle of leather-bound wine list of wheel and color options that are only available on the 7-Series. If you want to add active cruise control, it will set you back $2,400; night vision costs $2,600 while the rear seat entertainment package adds another $2,200. These are only just a few examples of optional features that you could get as the list is very long, typical for a luxury sedan like the big 7. Add to this the gas guzzler tax which is $2,100 and the destination charge which costs $875, you arrive in the $150k price range. This amount of money will guarantee you that you have one of the most luxurious sedans in the world, equipped with every single option that you could think of, plus the heart of the car – the latest addition to the engine lineup for the 7-Series, the V12 twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter.

2010 BMW 760Li

All of the models in the 7-Series lineup can be fitted with turbocharged power units and all perform very well, except (maybe) the one that fits the 750Li, which is a V8 4.4-liter unit. The engine that equips the 760Li outputs a remarkable 535 hp and a massive 550 pound-feet of torque, which is 135 hp / 100 lb-ft more in comparison to the V8 power unit. Although the 760Li is considerably heavier than the 750Li (385 pounds more), it does the 0-60 mph sprint quicker (4.5 compared to 5.2 seconds).

Even more important is the fact that the power of the 760Li engine is available sooner in comparison to the V8 as the low-down thrust arrives on strong at only 1,500 rpm, which is 250 rpm sooner than the V8. The engine is linked to an 8-speed automatic gearbox that performs very well at keeping the power unit running in the lower end of the torque band, precisely for fuel efficiency. On highway, the 2010 BMW 760Li will do about 19 miles per gallon and a somewhat even mix of highway and city driving averages approximately 16.4 miles per gallon, which isn't very bad at all.

The Dynamic Damping Control and the Driving Dynamics Control systems work with both the chassis and the transmission of the 7-Series and they offer four levels of driver engagement: normal, comfort, sport and sport+. The first one is a combination between comfort and sport while comfort is for guaranteeing the most plush 760Li experience available. Sport and sport+ are for those drivers that want to push the limits of the car even further. The sport mode will reduce the traction control which will allow you to have more fun with the car, especially when you are hard cornering, although this car wasn't made for sporty driving but it can do the job surprisingly well.

Although it has a lot of strong points, our guess is that not many people will be getting the 760Li when there are two alternatives, more affordable and maybe just as good from the same manufacturer. The first one is the 740i, priced at $70,650 which offers a perfect combination of taste and luxury, the main idea behind the 7-Series in our opinion. The other one is the 750i, priced at $82,500 which is more fun to drive. All things considered, for people that have the money to pay for the 760Li, it wouldn't be a mistake at all, as the wonderful engine and the luxurious looks both inside and out, make it one of the most desirable cars out there.

Post published on Rpmgo.com

In Depth – 2010 BMW 760Li