MASERATI QUATTROPORTE S

Maserati has tampered with the Quattroporte, a sedan that inspires visceral, carnal automotive lust wildly out of proportion with its size and door count. Perhaps fearing cries of "blasphemy!" the factory proffered these historic precedents: DaVinci's do-over of his "Virgin of the Rocks" masterpiece and Henri Matisse's reinterpretation of "Le Luxe."

Well, okay, in that context, we might forgive Pininfarina for extending the nose 1.4 in. and the tail by 0.4 in. and giving it a larger grille with vertical slats (chromed to distinguish the new S model) to strengthen its resemblance to the GranTurismo. It's also incorporated new bi-Xenon and LED lighting and expanded the already staggering array of interior trim choices to 10 leather colors with 11 piping hues and myriad woods or lacquers from which to choose. Other interior upgrades include new cluster graphics, reshaped seats and a new multifunction wood and leather steering wheel with sporty thumb rests. We can certainly forgive the infusion of 25 extra horses and 22 lb-ft of torque that come with the S model's half-liter-larger V-8. If you take umbrage at these aesthetic amendments, you'll surely embrace the quantum improvement in ergonomics brought by Bose's new multimedia/nav system, standard on base and S models (only these two trim levels are offered; the outgoing Executive model's many extravagances are now optional on either).

Still need convincing? Take an S for a blast along any twisty, hilly road with a bit of slow-moving traffic to overtake and you'll never look back. Everything wonderful about the current Q'porte (now the best-selling Maserati of all time, with 15,000 units delivered) is still here, from the high-hosannas engine note and smooth-shifting ZF automatic to the Ferrariesque steering, braking, and neutral handling-but it's all espresso-caffeinated. The new red-headed 4.7L V-8 (base 4.2s are blue) fattens the torque curve significantly from 2000 to 4500 rpm and the power curve from 6000 to 7000 revs. At least a little of that added oomph comes from a new "perforated foil" catalyst design that allows exhaust to flow more homogeneously over the precious metals with significantly reduced backpressure. The Skyhook adaptive dampers are firmer in normal and sport modes and a new valve design improves their frequency response. Bigger front rotors (see Technical Highlights) on the Brembo brake system easily erase the extra momentum the engine so quickly gathers, and the larger 19-in. Pirellis (245/40 front and 285/35 rear) deliver that extra thrust with no smoking or fishtailing on dry pavement, even with the stability controls off.


Inherently great handling attributable to the Quattroporte's 49/51-percent front/rear weight distribution has always made this car feel more agile than its size suggests, and the S-model enhancement make it seem nimbler still-on a par with the far lighter Jaguar XJR, but with a far more stirring engine note. So intoxicating is this sound that you'll find it flat impossible to think about carbon footprints, gas prices, or dwindling oil reserves during a rush to the 7200-rpm redline. These sound frequencies compel unrepentant hooliganism that leads to paddle-shifted overtaking of even fast-moving cars. $124K will buy a lot of great sedans with better resale and JD Power stats, but none will make you look or feel as fabulous as this one does.


Technical Highlights
Dual-cast front rotors
Many performance cars today feature composite rotors with a cast-iron friction surface fixed to a much lighter aluminum hub, but most use a system of pins to join the dissimilar materials. The Brembo/Maserati approach, which made its world-production debut on the Quattroporte Sport GTS model, is quite different. Here, the iron rotor is cast with eight "spokes" that extend inward toward the aluminum hub, which is cast in a separate operation encapsulating the iron spokes. This design saves as much weight as the pinned designs (the Quattroporte S's new 14-in. front rotors end up weighing the same as the base car's 13-in. all-steel rotors), but costs far less to produce.


Low-risk deployment passenger airbag
The new Quattroporte's passenger frontal airbag is designed to deploy without harming a child while protecting heavier than average occupants. The two-stage design senses what's hitting it and deploys the second stage or blows its vents as needed to provide the appropriate level of cushioning. The dividend for those who don't crash into anything is the elimination of the unsightly gap around the old airbag door that was necessary to accommodate bags with different deployment rates for different markets. Because this system doesn't require a passenger-weight sensor on the seat, U.S. customers can now order the seatback tables (a load on these tables would have altered the sensor's reading before).


Bose Multimedia System

The Bose/Maserati approach to controlling lots of functions with a minimal number of buttons draws inspiration from the traditional car radio, which placed a volume knob on the left and a tuning knob on the right, both of which have a secondary knob behind them. The concentric knobs on the right will tune the radio frequency, but also serve as a multifunction controller. Six buttons above the screen tune preset stations, while the six below the screen bring up menus for radio, digital media, navigation, or phone. The knobs on the right control functions from there, and the screen graphics are keyed to the knob's rotation. The logic is such that with a brief orientation and a few minutes' fiddling new users should be able to perform most functions with ease.

MASERATI GRANTURISMO S

Looks
The Maserati GranTurismo S made a big impact on the Auto Trader team when it arrived for its test drive. Everyone loved the looks, which are pretty much everything anyone expects from an Italian supercar, or as one impressed onlooker exclaimed: “it’s the Bat Car!”.

Combining look-at-me features including seven spoke 20-inch trident-inspired alloys with spadefuls of style isn’t necessarily an easy act to pull off but the Maserati GranTurismo S does it. It also features chrome-trimmed side vents, red-painted Brembo brakes, oval section exhaust pipes you can fit an arm in, black headlights new-design side skirts, boot-integrated rear spoiler and of course that gaping grille with the iconic Maserati badge.


Looks inside
The class continues into the car with electric assist on the doors giving that touch of luxury. Once in front of the three-spoked steering wheel the first thing you notice is what’s missing, with “R” button and “1” buttons instead of a conventional gear stick. The black fabric roof lining adds to the feeling this is very much a driver’s car of serious intent and the displays dominated by a shift indicator are clear and easy to read. The trident-embossed headrests look the part too.



Practicality
The Maserati GranTurismo S is a two door coupe with useable rear seats. The boot may require some thoughtful packing with just 260-litres available.


Ride and Handling
The transaxle layout combines a front-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive with the weight distributed 47 per cent over the front axle and 53 per cent over the rear. It features the same suspension layout as the regular GranTurismo. However, vehicle roll has been reduced by ten per cent as a result of modified springs, bars and dampers. The car is certainly comfortable enough for long journeys, even over poor surfaces, while a variety of settings detailed in the Perfomance section below helps deliver an engaging drive when that’s what is required.


Performance
The Maserati GranTurismo S is powered by a 440hp V8 4.7-litre power train, following an increase in displacement from the 4.3-litre engine which powers the Maserati GranTurismo. This takes the car from 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 183mph.

Press the Sport button to open two pneumatic valves fitted close to the two rear silencers and generate what Maserati describes as “a distinctive resonance”, or what we would call “one helluva roar”. The Sport setting also increases available power output, accelerates shift speed and adjusts the damper settings.


Kick downs are impressive. The smooth six-speed automatic gearbox can also be controlled by paddles integrated with the steering column. There are six possible settings to play with in all Manual Normal, Manual Sport, Manual Sport in MC-Shift (in which shift phases are partially overlapped to make them even faster), Auto Normal, Auto Sport and Ice. These provide a satisfying range of set-ups to accommodate a spectrum of driving needs.


Running Costs
Car tax falls in the top bracket and ownership will enable you to get on first name terms with the petrol station staff. Average fuel consumption is 17.01mpg. CO2 emissions are 387g/km.


Reliability
The Automatic version of this car was launched in 2008 and no problems have come to light as yet. The finish is all you would expect from an £88,000 car, there is a strong sense of quality inside and out.


Safety
The Maserati Stability Programme is there to help keep you out of trouble, though it can be turned off for track action. Brembo brakes come as standard and there are six airbags.


Equipment
Standard equipment includes: 20-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, cruise control, dual-zone climate control, rear parking sensors, CD/radio with satnav and a 30GB hard drive, in fact most of the features described here. Options include a variety of finishes ranging from metallic paint at £540 to pearlescent paint at £4,485.


X-Factor

We love the engine noise but all in all it’s got to be looks. This is a car which says: “I like driving and I’ve got taste” (before being drowned out by the sound of its own engine).


Key facts
Model tested: Maserati GranTurismo S V8 Automatic 2dr
On the road price: £88,000
Price range: £78,210 – £88,000
Date tested:  June 2009
Road tester: Adrian Higgins

New Luxury Cars Review

Until only a few years ago, drivers in India could either buy a Hindustan Ambassador (basically, a late 1950s Morris Oxford) or . . . an Ambassador. This solid home-made workhorse is still being produced in mildly updated form and remains a very common sight on India’s streets, especially as a taxi. However, with the surging growth in the Indian economy and gradual relaxation of import controls, Indian drivers now have greatly increased choice in the marketplace. Far more Indians have rapidly rising incomes and, like many of their Western counterparts, they choose to spend at least some of it on top-of-the-range luxury autos.

The German manufacturers BMW, Audi and Mercedes are very popular brands in India, with their reputation for mechanical excellence and an international standard of luxury and comfort, These luxury models are packed with extras such as keyless locking, powered windows and in-car entertainment, as well as carrying advanced safety features, a not inconsiderable factor on India’s crowded and seemingly chaotic highways. Other popular luxury brands for those who wish to make a statement with their choice of car are Porsche, Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Lexus and Rolls-Royce.

The following is a list of some advantages when buying a luxury car:

Making an Impression…

There is no denying that when a Rolls-Royce Phantom, Bugatti Veyron or Audi R8 rolls past, all heads turn in admiration. These beautiful and expensive luxury autos make a clear statement about the financial position of their owners, imparting prestige, power and status (and not to mention good taste) in equal measure.

Beauty Combined with Brains

Luxury cars should perfectly combine beauty and brains, with excellent design married to precision engineering showing through in every detail. Above all, their overall appearance should make them stand out from everyday cars in other market segments. The engineering should become apparent as soon as the powerful engine comes to life, and this continues through the comfort and pleasure of the ride.

Safety Improvements

These luxury autos come with all the modern safety features, many of them pioneered in this market sector because of the extra initial cost. Airbags, antilock braking, traction and stability control and driver assist all had their roadgoing debut on expensive models before trickling down to the mass market to the benefit of all.

Maintenance that Cares

Luxury cars, by definition, are not cheap to buy or maintain, so manufacturers offer extended after-sales warranties for this sector, with deals such as four-year warranties and free check-ups. Luxury car owners are more likely to receive high levels of service from suppliers so that they feel vindicated in their decision to spend much more on their vehicles.

Personal Customizing

A further advantage of buying luxury cars is that it usually provides the opportunity to customize the detailed specification of your auto. From high-end in-car entertainment through to additional engine power, you can choose what you want rather than what the manufacturer decides to provide. Bugatti for example invites purchasers to their French facility to select every detail from paint finish, dashboard trim, air intakes, gear levers and upholstery, with a decent lunch no doubt included.
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MASERATI GRANTURISMO

The 2008 Maserati GranTurismo ranks 4 out of 4 Exotic Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 9 published reviews and test drives of the Maserati GranTurismo, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

The Maserati GranTurismo exhibits superb handling dynamics, jaw-dropping body style, and a luxurious interior. Still, reviewers contend that for its class and price range, it should offer a more in terms of performance, comfort and convenience features. Overall, it ranks near the bottom of its class.


The 2008 Maserati GranTurismo's most impressive characteristics are its sleek design and smooth handling dynamics. It's a car that people buy, not because they fall in love with its performance numbers, but because they fall in love with its style. 



The GranTurismo isn't the right car for someone looking for pure performance.  Yes, it offers blistering acceleration and handles hairpin corners with ease compared to the average sports car, but it actually trails most exotic cars in those tasks -- and its brakes take a beating in the press.


"The GranTurismo has to be one of the smoothest cars on the road, in more ways than one," says Car and Driver . "It is not the fastest, smartest, or best value on the market, but the GranTurismo has panache in abundance."

The 2008 GranTurismo features a 405-horsepower V8 engine and six-speed automatic transmission with manumatic shifting.


Performance
Test drivers find that the GranTurismo's power and handling dynamics allow it to easily conquer twisted roadways. One test driver even recorded a 0 to 60 mph time of 5.1 seconds. AutoWeek  writes, "The new GranTurismo is the perfect car in which to drive fast over the Passo di Costalunga in the dramatic Italian Dolomites with your mistress or, as the case may be, concubine, boy-toy, secretary, whatever (we had none of those, only some guy from some other magazine)." Still, in its highly competitive class, the GranTurismo ranks near the bottom for performance.


Exterior
Auto writers find the GranTurismo to be both sleek and sexy. "It is Coke-bottle slim around the waist, with a neatly detailed, curvaceous rear end complemented by a sculptured front with trademark portholes and a big-mouth grille that recalls Maserati's 1957 3500GT," writes Automobile Magazine . "In terms of head-turning ability, the long, low, and wide GranTurismo gives away nothing to the Ferrari 599GTB." Still, the GranTurismo's exterior design ranks in the middle of its class.


Interior
Though the Maserati GranTurismo is criticized for its uncomfortable seats and lack of standard convenience features, it receives accolades for its overall fit and finish. "The other cars don't look like the GranTurismo, and the interior's sumptuous hand-stitched surfaces make the others' seem more commonplace," reports Car and Driver . Regardless, the GranTurismo's interior ranks near the bottom of its class.


Safety

The 2008 GranTurismo has not been crash tested by the federal government , but features an impressive list of active and passive safety features, including a parking distance sensor and multi-stage deployment front air bags


Reliability
Maserati offers insurance coverage and 24-hour roadside assistance .

Honda Automobiles Review

Honda Motor Company, Ltd is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.

Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than 14 million internal combustion engines each year. Honda surpassed Nissan in 2001 to become the second-largest Japanese automobile manufacturer. As of August 2008 , Honda surpassed Chrysler as the fourth largest automobile manufacturer in the United States. Honda is the sixth largest automobile manufacturer in the world.
Honda was the first Japanese automobile manufacturer to release a dedicated luxury brand, Acura, in 1986. Aside from their core automobile and motorcycle businesses, Honda also manufactures garden equipment, marine engines, personal watercraft and power generators, amongst others. Since 1986, Honda has been involved with artificial intelligence/robotics research and released their ASIMO robot in 2000. They have also ventured into aerospace with the establishment of GE Honda Aero Engines in 2004 and the Honda HA-420 HondaJet, scheduled to be released in 2011. Honda spends about 5% of its revenues into R&D
Honda's global lineup consists of the Fit, Civic, Accord, Insight, CR-V, and two versions of the Odyssey, one for North America, and a smaller vehicle sold internationally. An early proponent of developing vehicles to cater to different needs and markets worldwide, Honda's lineup varies by country and may feature vehicles exclusive to that region. A few examples are the latest Acura TL luxury sedan and the Ridgeline, Honda's first light-duty uni-body pickup truck. Both were designed and engineered primarily in North America and are exclusively produced and sold there. Other examples of exclusive models to international markets include the Honda Civic five-door sedan sold in Europe that has almost no visual similarities to the North American or Asian versions.
Honda's automotive manufacturing ambitions can be traced back to 1963, with the Honda T360, a kei car truck built for the Japanese market. This was followed by the two-door roadster, the Honda S500 also introduced in 1963. In 1965, Honda built a two-door commercial delivery van, called the Honda L700. Honda's first four-door sedan was not the Accord, but the air-cooled, four cylinder, gasoline-powered Honda 1300 in 1969. The Civic was a hatchback that gained wide popularity internationally, but it wasn't the first two-door hatchback built. That was the Honda N360, another Kei car that was adapted for international sale as the N600. The Civic, which appeared in 1972 and replaced the N600 also had a smaller sibling that replaced the air-cooled N360, called the Honda Life that was water-cooled.
The Honda Life represented Honda's efforts in competing in the kei car segment, offering sedan, delivery van and small pick-up platforms on a shared chassis. The Life StepVan had a novel approach that, while not initially a commercial success, appears to be an influence in vehicles with the front passengers sitting behind the engine, a large cargo area with a flat roof and a liftgate installed in back, and utilizing a transversely installed engine with a front wheel drive powertrain.

As Honda entered into automobile manufacturing after World War II, where Japanese manufacturers such as Toyota and Nissan had heritage before the war, it appears that Honda instilled a sense of doing things a little differently than its Japanese competitors. Its mainstay products, like the Accord and Civic, have always employed front wheel drive powertrain implementation, which is currently a long held Honda tradition. Honda also installed new technologies into their products, first as optional equipment, then later standard, like anti lock brakes, speed sensitive power steering, and multi-port fuel injection in the early 1980s. This desire to be the first to try new approaches is evident with the creation of the first Japanese luxury chain Acura, and was also evident with the all aluminum, mid-engined sports car, the Honda NSX, which also introduced variable valve timing technology, Honda calls VTEC.
The Civic is a line of compact cars developed and manufactured by Honda. In North America, the Civic is the second-longest continuously running nameplate from a Japanese manufacturer; only its perennial rival, the Toyota Corolla, introduced in 1968, has been in production longer. The Civic, along with the Accord and Prelude, comprised Honda's vehicles sold in North America until the 1990s, when the model lineup was expanded. Having gone through several generational changes, the Civic has become larger and more upmarket, and it currently slots between the Fit and Accord.

Honda increased global production in September 2008 to meet demand for small cars in the U.S. and emerging markets. The company is shuffling U.S. production to keep factories busy and boost car output, while building fewer minivans and sport utility vehicles as light truck sales fall.
Honda produces Civic hybrid, a hybrid electric vehicle that competes with the Toyota Prius, and also produces the Insight and CR-Z.

Its first entrance into the pickup segment, the light duty Ridgeline, won Truck of the Year from Motor Trend magazine in 2006. Also in 2006, the redesigned Civic won Car of the Year from the magazine, giving Honda a rare double win of Motor Trend honors.
It is reported that Honda plans to increase hybrid sales in Japan to more than 20% of its total sales in fiscal year 2011, from 14.8% in previous year.

Five of United States Environmental Protection Agency's top ten most fuel-efficient cars from 1984 to 2010 comes from Honda, more than any other automakers. The five models are: 2000–2006 Honda Insight (53 mpg-US/4.4 L/100 km; 64 mpg-imp combined), 1986–1987 Honda Civic Coupe HF (46 mpg-US/5.1 L/100 km; 55 mpg-imp combined), 1994–1995 Honda Civic hatchback VX (43 mpg-US/5.5 L/100 km; 52 mpg-imp mpg combined), 2006– Honda Civic Hybrid (42 mpg-US/5.6 L/100 km; 50 mpg-imp combined), and 2010– Honda Insight (41 mpg-US/5.7 L/100 km; 49 mpg-imp combined). The ACEEE has also rated the Civic GX as the greenest car in America for seven consecutive years.

MASERATI QUATTROPORTE SPORT GT

Few car companies can get away with inviting journalists to fly halfway around the world to spend a couple of days driving what is essentially a tarted-up two-year-old model. But when the car company’s name ends in “i” and the invitation is to visit Modena, Italy, well, you go.

But first, some background. Maserati introduced its top-of-the-line Quattroporte to much critical acclaim nearly two years ago (“Four the Italian Way,” March 29, 2004). The elegant four-door (hence the name Quattroporte) shape from Pininfarina exudes the sexiness one expects from a car with an Italian lineage. Beneath the hood beats a 4.2-liter V8 built at the Ferrari shop down the road in Maranello. So as far as Italian street creds go, the Quattroporte is loaded.


But a lot has changed for Maserati since the car’s launch. Maserati was joined at the hip with Ferrari when the Quattroporte was introduced. While the company still has a strong relationship with the Prancing Horse, Maserati is now functioning on its own beneath the large umbrella of the Fiat group. Two years ago Maserati had a technology-sharing agreement with Audi, but that has gone by the wayside, too. Maserati is now working closely with Fiat sibling Alfa Romeo.


A new leader has taken over at Maserati—Karl Heinz Kalbfell, the man BMW tapped to relaunch the venerable Rolls-Royce marque, is now in charge.



“This is a sound company,” Kalbfell said. “The significant work done by Ferrari is evident [Ferrari building the engines, for example]. It’s very impressive, and we’re on our way to further progress.”


That progress means a couple of things in Kalbfell’s mind. One, of course, is sales, where the Quattroporte is playing a big role. In 1998, suffering from a weak model lineup and an even weaker reputation for quality, Maserati sold just 518 cars. Last year, through 281 dealers in 57 countries, Maserati sold 5654 cars. While that number is a smudge on most automakers’ annual sales charts, it is huge for a company that churns out 25 mostly hand-built cars per day (16 Quattroportes and nine Coupes/Spyders).


The other measure of progress is in customer satisfaction. To that extent Maserati has 50 people now working in quality control at the factory, trying to make sure body panels are fitted properly, paint is perfect, and all the electrical and mechanical things work the way they are supposed to. In today’s cutthroat car world, being beautiful and Italian will take you only so far. If 50 sounds like a small number, consider the factory employs just 700 people total.


Of the 5654 Maseratis sold last year, 40 percent found homes in the United States, and 1550 of those cars were Quattroportes. Kalbfell sees room for Maserati growth—up to 9000 vehicles coming out of the Modena factory—by expanding models within the two product lines: sports cars (two-door models) and what he calls “sports business” cars (four-door models) in the Quattroporte family.


“We smell success, but the competition is more than tough,” Kalbfell says.


So Maserati is offering a couple of fresh variants of the Quattroporte—the Executive GT, which is an interior trim package that will be sold primarily in Europe, and the Sport GT, which is the car that lured us to Italy and is expected to be a big seller in the United States.

The sumptuous shape of the car that dazzled us a couple of years ago remains the same. But the Sport GT model gets a blacked-out honeycombed grille and a small GT badge on the B-pillar. The car rides on unique 20-inch seven-spoke alloy wheels with visible titanium brake calipers and cross-drilled rotors. Look closer and you’ll see braided metal brake lines.


Inside, carbon fiber trim replaces all the wood found in the standard model, and there is a new multifunction steering wheel and drilled aluminum pedals.


Mechanically, no changes are made to the 4.2-liter V8 engine that delivers 393 hp at 7000 rpm and 333 lb-ft of torque at 4500 rpm. A new sport exhaust is fitted, and the resulting song coming from the quad pipes is exactly what you want from an Italian sports car. The Sport GT’s 0-to-60-mph time of 5.1 seconds is the same as the Quattroporte we wrote about two years ago, so the $8,500 premium for the Sport GT won’t help you at the drag strip.


The same six-speed DuoSelect transaxle operated via steering column-mounted paddle shifters remains, though the electronics running it now make the gear changes quicker than before. Maserati says once the Sport button is engaged, the unit will change gears in 40 milliseconds at 7000 rpm. The Sport mode also stiffens the Skyhook electronic suspension and fine-tunes the Maserati Stability Program, allowing for a firmer ride and an invitation for more aggressive driving.


The car really rewards a spirited approach. Not only is peak power near the upper reaches of the 7500-rpm rev range, but the gear shifts snap off crisply one after another while in the rpm stratosphere. At slower speeds, frankly, the gearbox remains clunky until you get the hang of revving up the engine, letting off the throttle and shifting. Smooth gear changes can be done at slow speeds but not as easily as in hard driving. In the gearbox’s automatic mode, forget it. Smooth is not a word one would ever use to describe its operation.


Kalbfell admits a true automatic transmission, probably a six-speed unit, is in the works, but that it is at least a couple of years off. In the meantime Maserati dealers have been instructed to stop telling customers the sequential manual gearbox is “just like an automatic.” Customer satisfaction numbers are important, even to Maserati. The tricky part for Maserati, Kalbfell says, will be developing the automatic while keeping the car’s weight balance where it is now—47 front/53 rear. “Whatever we do, we do not want to change the balance of the car,” Kalbfell said.

That balance is important, because the Quattroporte Sport GT has rather amazing handling characteristics considering the car weighs 4334 pounds. Driving it on twisty roads south of Modena—the same neck of the woods where Sen. Bob Dole was wounded while a member of the 10th Mountain Division in World War II—the car feels much, much lighter than it is.


Pushing the Maserati hard into corners, we never felt it get out of sorts, with the chassis and suspension working to keep the car well-balanced and leaving us hungry for the next corner. The car’s cornering ability is far greater than our willingness to find its limits. But that doesn’t mean we didn’t have fun trying.

Chevrolet Camaro 45th Anniversary Edition

Interior, exterior and technology updates

The 2012 model year brings appearance, ergonomic and technology upgrades inside for Camaro drivers and passengers. The interior updates include a revised instrument panel appearance, with new instrument graphics and trim, as well as a new steering wheel design and a power lift feature for the front passenger seat. The steering wheel features a fresh new look and ergonomic improvements intended to support performance driving.

Also new for Camaro in 2012 is a Rear Vision Package, which adds a rearview camera system and an auto-dimming mirror to the existing Rear Park Assist feature. The rearview camera system complements the rear parking assist by providing a video display of the area behind the car, with the video image appearing in the car's inside rearview mirror.

On the exterior for 2012, a new rear spoiler will be added as a standard feature for Camaro; and the taillamps that had been a part of the RS appearance package option are also being made standard. Additionally, a new, body-color "sharkfin" antenna joins the RS package.

Crystal Red Tintcoat replaces Red Jewel as an exterior color.

Chevrolet Aveo Sedan

A road-gripping ride

The new Chevrolet Aveo's sporty driving experience is a key feature that contributes to the car's appeal. It consists of an exceptionally rigid body-frame-integral structure, with the upper body and the frame engineered as a single unit, ensuring a more mass-efficient and stiffer structure. Advanced steels used on the new Aveo have considerably greater tensile strength, which improves passenger safety.

A McPherson strut front suspension with coil springs and stabilizer bar, and a torsion beam axle-mount compound link-type rear suspension, deliver a tempered, stable ride. The vehicle's outstanding feedback to the driver is enhanced by electronic stability control (ESC) and a column-mounted electric power steering system (EPS), which is available on models equipped with the 1.2 liter gasoline or 1.3 liter turbo-diesel engines. This sophisticated support system includes a wear compensator to guarantee consistently precise steering as the vehicle ages.

Meanwhile, the Chevrolet Aveo's tight body-frame-integral structure is also key to the vehicle's advanced safety performance. In the event of an accident, the roof will be able to carry 4.2 times the car's weight. A carefully tuned set of sensors is wired to six airbags that are standard in Europe, along with a four-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS) with brake assist. In addition, the driver can activate cruise control with speed limiter function. Once the set maximum speed is reached, the system triggers an audible alarm.

The Chevrolet Aveo also offers a quiet, relaxed driving experience. Refined noise control measures have, in some instances, resulted in a damping performance that is 10 to 40 percent greater than previously applied materials and techniques.

MASERATI MC12 CORSA

The MC12 is a two-door coupe with a targa top roof, although the detached roof cannot be stored in the car.The mid-rear layout (engine between the axles but behind the cabin) keeps the centre of gravity in the middle of the car, which increases stability and improves the car's cornering ability. The standing weight distribution is 41% front: 59% rear; at speed however, the downforce provided by the rear spoiler affects this such that at 200 kilometres per hour (125 mph), the effective weight distribution is 34% front: 66% rear.


Interior
Even though the car is designed as a homologation vehicle and is a modification of a racing car, the interior is intended to be luxurious. The interior is a mix of gel-coated carbon fibre, blue leather and silver "Brightex": a synthetic material which was found to be "too expensive for the fashion industry."The centre console features the characteristic Maserati oval analogue clock and a blue ignition button, but it has been criticised for lacking a radio, car stereo or a place to install an aftermarket sound system.



Exterior

The body of the car, made entirely of carbon fibre, has undergone extensive wind tunnel testing to achieve maximum downforce across all surfaces. As a result, the rear spoiler is two metres (79 in) wide but only 30 millimetres (1.2 in) thick, the underside of the car is smooth, and the rear bumper has diffusers to take advantage of ground effect. Air is sucked into the engine compartment through the air scoop; its positioning on top of the cabin makes the car taller than the Enzo. The exterior is available only in the white and blue colour scheme, a tribute to the America Camoradi racing team that drove the Maserati Tipo Birdcages in the early 1960s.The car is noted for the awkwardness that results from its size: very long and wider than a Hummer H2.This, combined with the lack of a rear window, makes parking the MC12 very difficult.


Engine
The MC12 sports a 232 kilogram (511 lb), six-litre (5,998 cc/366 cu in) Enzo Ferrari-derived V12 engine, mounted at 65°.Each cylinder has four valves, lubricated via a dry sump system, and a compression ratio of 11.2:1.These combine to provide a maximum torque of 652 newton metres (481 lbf·ft) at 5500 rpm and a maximum power of 630 PS (460 kW; 620 hp) at 7500 rpm.[4] The redline rpm is indicated at 7500—despite being safe up to 7700—whereas the Enzo has redline at 8200 rpm.


Chassis
The MC12’s chassis is a monocoque made of carbon and nomex, with an aluminium sub-chassis at the front and rear. It has a roll bar to provide additional strength, comfort and safety. Double wishbone suspension with push-rod-operated coil springs provide stability and dampers smooth the ride for the passengers.The front of the car can be raised for speed bumps and hills by pressing a button that extends the front suspension.There are two modes for the chassis' tuning which can also be changed with a button in the cabin: Sport, the standard setting, and Race, which features less of the Bosch ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation) traction control, faster shifts and stiffer suspension.


Wheels

The MC12 has 480 millimetre (19 in) wheels with a width of 230 millimetres (9 in) at the front and 330 millimetres (13 in) at the rear. The tyres are Pirelli P Zero Corsas with codes of 245/35 ZR 19 for the front tyres and 345/35 ZR 19 for the rear.The brakes are Brembo disc brakes with a Bosch anti-lock braking system (ABS).The front brakes have a diameter of 380 millimetres (15 in) with six-piston calipers and the rear brakes have a diameter of 335 millimetres (13.2 in) with four-piston calipers.The centre-lock wheel nuts that hold the wheels to the chassis are colour coded: red on the left of the car, blue on the right.

New Audi A4 Cars

The Audi A4 is a compact executive car produced since late 1994 by the German car manufacturer Audi, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group.

The A4 has been built in four generations and is based on Volkswagen's B platform. The first generation A4 succeeded the Audi 80. The automaker's internal numbering treats the A4 as a continuation of the Audi 80 lineage, with the initial A4 designated as the B5-series, followed by the B6, B7, and the current B8. The B8 A4 is built on Audi's new MLB platform,[citation needed] which is currently exclusive to Audi and not shared by models outside the Audi brand, including any from VW.

The Audi A4 automobile layout consists of a longitudinally oriented engine at the front, with transaxle-type transmissions mounted at the rear of the engine. The cars are front-wheel drive, or on some models, "quattro" all-wheel drive.

The A4 is available as a saloon/sedan and estate/wagon. The second (B6) and third generations (B7) of the A4 also had a convertible version.
Audi A4
Audi A4
Audi A4
Audi A4
Audi A4

Mercedes-Benz SL Class Car Review

The Mercedes-Benz SL is a grand tourer manufactured by Mercedes since 1954. The designation SL derives from the German Sport Leicht, or Sport Lightweight — and was first applied to the 300SL 'Gullwing' named also after its gullwing or upward-opening doors.

The term SL-Class refers to the marketing variations of the vehicle, including the numerous engine configurations spanning five design generations.
Mercedes-Benz SL Class

Mercedes-Benz SL Class
Mercedes-Benz SL Class
Mercedes-Benz SL Class
Mercedes-Benz SL Class

Pioneer Audio Car

Pioneer Audio Car

The Pioneer AVIC-X930BT is great for those people that currently lack an in-dash navigation system or those that want to upgrade what they currently have. Think of it as a GPS on steroids, allowing you to use all the features of a normal GPS, in addition to listening to your iPod, listening to the radio, changing the climate settings in your vehicle and even having a built-in Bluetooth adapter. In fact, this model features a build in Bluetooth system with an external microphone, allowing you to talk on your cellphone while driving, saving your both time and keeping you safe.

MASERATI GRANSPORT MC VICTORY

The latest addition to the Maserati range is the Maserati GranSport.


It is a new model celebrating the concept of sportiness at the heart of all of the Trident's Grand Tourers. The GranSport was unveiled to the world for the first time at Geneva's International Motor Show in March 2004.

The new car, which joins the Coupé and Spyder in the Maserati range, goes on sale next summer. The GranSport's name alone suggests its eager thoroughbred GT spirit, the kind of spirit that can provide plenty of fun on demand for the driver. The GranSport name also has a special symbolic significance for the Trident as it was first used in the 1950s for an elegant two-litre coupe designed by the Carozzeria Frua on the base of the famous A6 G.


The new GranSport, however, is designed to offer an exciting alternative to the current Coupé, and as such, has been treated to series of new enhancements that give it a very powerful temperament indeed.



Technology
Needless to say, the Maserati GranSport boasts all of the many excellent technological and safety features offered by the Maserati Grand Tourers, but wîth some very important refinements.


The car has the same sophisticated set-up as the Coupé Cambiocorsa: a Transaxle layout wîth the gearbox rear-mounted in unit wîth the differential, stability and traction control (MSP) integrating ABS, ASR, MSR and EBD functions, which the driver can deactivate if desired, independent front and rear suspension wîth double wishbone geometry, which can be integrated wîth the Skyhook system on request, the Skyhook adaptive damping system which instantly adapts the damper calibrations to suit the driving and road conditions and allows the driver to choose between two different settings (Normal and Sport).


The fact that the set-up has been lowered by 10 mm and the adoption of the 19' wheels and tyres wîth a specific profile (front 235/35 19', rear 265/30 19'), characterised by a smaller slip angle, have lowered the centre of gravity and hardened the set-up of Maserati GranSport making it even more agile and responsive to the §teering wheel. 


The Brembo brakes wîth alloy titanium-coloured four-piston callipers wîth differentiated diameters and large ventilated cross-drilled discs (front 330 mm; rear 310 mm), also further enhance the dynamic characteristics of the car.


Engine
The Maserati GranSport's normally aspirated 4,244 cc V8 has all the structure of the most advanced racing engines wîth dry sump lubrication and twin overhead camshafts per cylinder bank wîth four valves per cylinder hydraulic tappets.


The intake cams also feature variable phase timing. Its maximum power delivery has been upped from the original 390hp to 400hp too, thanks to special development work to reduce internal attrition and careful work on the intake manifolds and valve seats. The engine has been combined wîth a sports exhaust system that is instantly recognisable, thanks to the unusual design of its twin chrome exhausts and was designed to give enthusiasts that instantly recognisable deep, full-bodied rumble. Thanks to an electronically controlled pneumatic valve system, even more can be made of the exhaust by pressing the 'Sport' button on the central console too.


Transmission
The Maserati GranSport is available only wîth the six-speed electro-hydraulic transmission in which the gears are changed using paddles mounted behind the §teering wheel, a feature that further enhances the car's sporty personality.


The Cambiocorsa systems allows drivers to choose between various gear shifting modes (Normal, Sport, Automatic and Low Grip), and in the case of the Maserati GranSport, is controlled by specific software. Even wîth respect to already very highly developed Coupé Cambiocorsa system, the Sport mode in the GranSport offers 35% faster gear changing on average and also boasts automatic heeling and toeing to make dropping down a gear even faster. Thanks to the new Cambiocorsa software, the Maserati GranSport can sprint a whole kilometre from standstill in a breathtaking 23 seconds flat.


The gear shift ratios are specific too, wîth the adoption of a sixth gear that is 5% longer, which, in combination wîth its more powerful engine and improved aerodynamics, allows the Maserati GranSport to improve on the already blistering speeds of the Coupé, delivering a dizzying top speed of 290 km/h. 


As wîth the other models in the Maserati range, the driver can choose between two levels of gear changing. Normal mode is more comfortable and typical of Grand Tourer driving, while wîth a touch of the Sport button on the central console they get to feel the true power of the car. The Sport mode delivers much faster gear changing, a deeper exhaust sound and less invasive use of the MSP stability and traction control system. The optional Skyhook suspension system, which offers continuous damping control, is also affected by the driver's choice of Normal or Sport modes.


For more comfort-oriented driving, there is even an Auto button which puts the gears in full automatic mode so that the driver need do nothing more than sit back enjoy the thrilling experience of driving a Maserati. However, the Sport function can still be activated in this mode.


Exterior
The Maserati GranSport's harmonious volumes are beautifully combined wîth more muscular, aerodynamic forms.


This is the fruit of much testing in the wind tunnel aimed at improving the Cx value and achieving a balanced division of the vertical loads (Cz) between the front and rear axles.

The result is that the Maserati GranSport has a Cx of 0.33, one of the very best in its category. An almost total absence of oversteer and improved front-wheel drivability and precision make it very easy to handle too and ensure that drivers will be able to really put it and themselves through their paces in complete safety. Work on the new model's aerodynamics has led to the addition of new bumpers. The front one, in fact, has a very pronounced lower spoiler wîth side bars elegantly integrated into the body itself, while the luggage compartment deck has been given a discreet yet equally efficient spoiler lip.


The new aerodynamic features associated wîth the fact that the set-up is now 10 mm lower, result in a two point improvement in the Cx value and translate into clear benefits for the driver. In fact, the Maserati GranSport offers a truly blistering drive, thanks to its direct, precise §teering and excellent stability at high speeds. 


The traditional Trident elegance is there too in the classic chrome grille reminiscent of the Quattroporte's. The grilles over the air vents on the rear bumper are chrome too. The Maserati GranSport's sporty look is completed by new 19' wheels inspired by the ones sported by the cars in the Maserati Trofeo Championship, wîth spokes forming a very attractive Trident.


Interior
The GranSport's interior reflects its brilliant personality both in terms of aesthetics and functionality, yet also exudes the elegant good taste and luxurious comfort of a Trident Grand Tourer.


The dashboard, body-hugging seats, tunnel, thick-rimmed §teering wheel, impressive materials (leather, carbon fibre, alloy, high tech fabric) all combine to create an attractively sporty ambience too.


The Maserati GranSport's dashboard boasts excellent specialist trim and central console options. The upper part of the dash is trimmed in leather, while the central area, framed by the car-coloured piping strip, is trimmed in a special high tech fabric originally developed for nautical use and available in Nero (Black), Grigio Nickel (Nickel Grey) or Blu Metal (Metal Blue). This is a double layered material which is not only very attractive but also non-slip and extremely hard-wearing, making it ideal for trimming the central area of sports seats and the lower rim of the §teering wheel.


The front seats are designed for high lateral containment, and guarantee maximum driver contact wîth the car for perfect control. They were developed wîth the help of the Maserati test drivers in line wîth the strictest ergonomic principles wîth the aim of combining sporty characteristics and excellent seat comfort for perfect, long distance driving. This is why the seats are also fully power adjustable and can, on request, be supplied wîth a heating option and memorised settings on the driver's side. 


The carbon, leather-trimmed tunnel separates the two front seats. It contains the Cambiocorsa control selector and the secondary commands, each one of which is set into an elegant chrome surround. 


The main control buttons, including the blue Start button, on the other hand, are grouped together on the central console near the driver.


The climate control and CD player buttons are also set in a carbon feature on the central console. 

Any driver lucky enough to get his hands on the three-spoke §teering wheel of the Maserati GranSport will appreciate the work that has been done to mould the rim (trimmed in perforated leather, carbon and technical fabric) to offer improved ergonomic grip. All of the car's functions are arranged on the instrument binnacle which boasts sporty white graphics on a Maserati navy blue background.