2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee at 2009 New York Auto Show

• Competes with: Ford Edge, Nissan Murano, Chevy Equinox
• Looks like: A sleek, sophisticated SUV — but not a Jeep
• Drivetrain: 280-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 or 360-hp, 5.7-liter V-8 with five-speed automatic; two- or four-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: 2010

Chrysler is on the brink of doing anything from filing for bankruptcy to completely collapsing as a business. Its business happens to be building cars, trucks and SUVs, and the Jeep brand has been especially good at designing SUVs that its loyal fans enjoy. With the 2011 Grand Cherokee’s urban style and revised unibody platform, the brand may be straying too far from what made it what it is to Jeep loyalists.

The style is quite sophisticated and can hold its own with the Ford Edge and Nissan Murano in the looks department. However, while it looks slick, we can’t help but wonder what Jeep fans are thinking right now. Is this an SUV that screams Jeep?

The new unibody construction likely means a much better ride on the road than the old Grand Cherokee. It’s based on the Mercedes-Benz M-Class, after all. We’d assume the Grand Cherokee will still pass the Rubicon Trail test and be “trail rated,” but questions will remain. We give Jeep credit for introducing the very off-road friendly Wrangler Unlimited four-door a few years back, which allows the Grand Cherokee to be more of a soft-roader. There's a new suspension system the company promises will make it off-road capable with adjustable settings, but it's clearly aimed at general car shoppers.

How does it do on this front? Not so good -- at least on paper. The 2011 Grand Cherokee will get a much more powerful V-6 base engine putting out 280 hp, compared with the outgoing model’s 210 hp, while getting slightly better mileage: 16/23 mpg city/highway, up from 16/21 for the two-wheel-drive model. Its power bests the Edge and Murano by 15 hp, but the competition's mileage is better, at 17/24 and 18/23 mpg, respectively.

New CAFE standards go into effect for the 2011 model year, and we’re wondering if a company without one 31-plus mpg model in its lineup can afford not to get better mileage in a base model. A Hemi V-8 will also be available, making 360 hp and 390 pounds-feet of torque. Mileage is 14/20 mpg for two-wheel-drive V-8 models.

Revealed: 2011 Hyundai Sonata

The Sonata will be redesigned for 2011 with a sleeker, more coupe-like shape, as revealed by Hyundai in South Korea yesterday. Pricing for the new Sonata is expected to start around $18,000. It will be built in Alabama in early 2010 as a 2011 model.

The 2011 Sonata will be powered by a standard 2.4-liter four-cylinder direct-injection engine. Our recently tested four-cylinder Sonata returned an impressive 26 mpg overall, with a V6-model rated at 22 mpg overall. Hyundai claims a 2.0-liter engine offered overseas will boast an 11-percent fuel economy improvement over the current model, though there are no claims yet for the U.S. powertrains.

The Sonata will feature six air bags and standard stability control. Other notable features include a panoramic sunroof, parking aids, and rear heated seats.

From the photography, it is clear that the Sonata is moving upscale in presentation, most notably in the interior. (See additional photos as well as other upcoming vehicles in our New Car Preview section).

The current Sonata performs well in our tests and is competitive with other family sedans. It is roomy and pleasant to ride for the price. We look forward to testing the redesigned Sonata after it hits the market to see how it measures up.

New Car: 2011 Toyota Auris

New Car: 2011 Toyota Auris

Toyota's Auris facelift has been revealed in Japan, and it is set to go on sale in the UK in the first half of 2010.

Changes are minor, and include revised grilles which differ in style according to trim level, new front and rear bumpers, headlamps, tail lights and alloy wheels plus a new bonnet design.

Interior changes include new color options, upgraded materials and improved standard equipment on some models.

Sales of the facelifted Toyota Auris will preceed the launch of the Auris hybrid, which will be built at the firm’s Burnaston plant in Derbyshire, with its engines being made at its Deeside plant in north Wales. It is set to go on sale next summer.

When the Auris hybrid was first confirmed earlier this year, Tadashi Arashima, Toyota’s European chief executive, said: “Our decision to produce a full hybrid in the UK reflects both our confidence in the quality and commitment of the Toyota UK workforce and the strength of our long-standing partnership with the UK government.”

Frank made it out to the NY Auto Show, which just passed this last week, on the hunt for dream cars to take on the Gumball 3000 (coming up in less than 18 days). Not that we will actually be taking any of these cars on the Gumball or anything, but at least we can always dream. Two things were pretty clear this year at the Auto Show: hybrids are in and the current climate in the auto industry is extremely gloomy. However, there certainly wasn't a shortage of gas-guzzling luxury cars. Good to see that nothing can stop the persistence of a select few who are completely unaffected by the recession.

While we were there, we got a chance to catch the press release for the new concept car, the iQ, from our friends at Scion. It definitely raised the bar for the future of urban automobiles such as the Smart Car & MINIs. This model has the power and style of an aggressive sports car with the compactness of a Swiss army knife. While you really couldn't fit more than three full-grown adults, the car gives the driver everything they could want to crush the urban landscape. The color is an electric green, almost a match to Frank Green, PMS 376. Everyone at the unveiling wished they had one for themselves, unfortunately the iQ is only a concept car with no definite plans for production. However, if the positive feedback keeps on pouring in, you can bet many similarities will be seen in their future models.

Nissan LEAF EV electric-vehicles-FWD 80 kw / 280 Nm BLDC motor 24 kWh Li-ion battery 140 km/h top speed 160 km range.Nissan Leaf electric car is not a hybrid – it’s a zero-emissions vehicle that … Call Nissan: 1-877 NO GAS EV (664-2738). nissan leaf 01 nissan leaf 02.When Nissan introduced their close-to-production Leaf electric vehicle yesterday, we caught a glimpse of transportation’s future.Nissan’s Leaf EV in profile … it’s due for sale worldwide in 2010 Yesterday we caught a glimpse of transportation’s future. And you can bet that today.

BMW X6 M and BMW X5 M. The Next Chapter in the Legendary History of BMW M. The all-new BMW X6 M and BMW X5 M Make World Debuts in 2009 Woodcliff Lake, NJ - April 5, 2009... The modern, sustainable legacy of BMW M GmbH began in 1985 when engineers placed the snarling, race-bred inline-6 engine from the M1 supercar into the production BMW 5 Series sedan, reworked the suspension and brakes, and created the first M5. Through this industry-first combination of attributes, the M5 redefined the capabilities of a sedan with levels of power, precision, balance, and linear control never before imaginable. Since then, finding new ways to expand the boundaries of what is possible with existing BMW models has been the singular purpose of the craftsmen at BMW M. Now the BMW X5 M and the BMW X6 M are the first all-wheel-drive models to offer the remarkable performance, dynamic driving experience, athletic design, and premium quality of a BMW M product. Both models are powered by a newly-developed 4.4-liter V8 M engine delivering 555 hp at 6,000 rpm and 500 lb-ft of torque from 1500 to 5,650 rpm. This new M engine is the world's first with a pulse-tuned exhaust manifold encompassing both rows of cylinders combined with high-performance twin-scroll twin turbo technology. For the X5 M and X6 M, engineers at BMW M pushed the capabilities of BMW's intelligent xDrive all-wheel-drive system and the Dynamic Performance Control system to manage the power and performance potential of these two new vehicles. The special M suspension includes Adaptive Drive and newly-developed Servotronic power steering. These features combine to push the limits of what was previously possible with a sports-oriented vehicle, and guarantee driving behavior characteristic of a BMW M product: incredible stability and precisely controlled steering qualities abound throughout the performance envelope.

2010 Ford Mustang: It’s A Toned Pony!

If there is one car out there that truly is a dream car, it has got to be the 2010 Ford Mustang. This particular car is by far one of the best looking cars in the world and it has been the premier dream car for years and years. However – what makes this particular car so attractive and a dream car? For one, I think it has got to be the status – when you tell people that you own a Mustang, they look at your differently.

Another reason why the Mustang has got to be one of the best cars on the market is because of the beauty of it. The Ford Mustang is something that is so beautiful looking and a lot of cars are actually modeled after the Mustang and that is pretty cool isn’t it?

So if you are looking for a dream car – the Ford Mustang has got to be the car that you are looking for!

2010 Porsche: The Panamera is a 4-door Sedan

Owning a Porsche is almost like owning a really, really big home. It is one of those things that you want to flash around and something that you want everyone in the world to appreciate and know about. That is exactly what the all-new, 2010 Porsche is going to be all about, for it is going to have four doors instead of two doors!

This concept has been toyed around with for over 70 years and it is finally happening and they are calling it thePorsche Panamera, however, it will always be known as a Porsche with four doors in my book.

One cool thing about a Porsche is the quality of the car that you are getting. While owning a Porsche might just be a status thing, it is also the car itself, as the car itself is made of the highest quality and it can touch up to 170 miles per hour, which is awesome! So really … check out the Panamera, it is the newest car from Porsche!

2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor: It’s Ready!

When you are researching a car or a truck to buy … what is the first thing that you do? Well, the first thing that I do is look at the name – then I look at the specs and I think that the 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is by far one of the best named trucks on the market and as for the specs? Well, those are going to be described below!

The 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is one of the only trucks in the world that seems pretty standard; however it is anything but standard. The price is just under $40,000 and while that seems like a lot, it truly isn’t. The fact that it has a 5.4-liter V8 engine along with 310 HP is nothing to sneeze at. Also, come winter, it has an uprated 400 HP and a 6.2-liter V8 engine that you can upgrade too … if you wanted to.

The greatest thing about this particular truck is that while men are the ones that usually buy it, to me, the 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor looks sort of like a woman’s truck – a tough woman mind you!

2010 Jaguar XJ — It’s Luxury!

If you are a car lover and you mention anything about the Jaguar brand, you know that you are not only going to be getting one of the most luxurious cars in the world, but you are getting a car that you can depend on. In this day and age, it is hard to find things to depend on, however – Jaguar is something that you can trust. Now, let’s take a look into the 2010 Jaguar XJ. This is one Jaguar that is sure to capture some new customers and certainly catch quite a few people’s eyes.

The 2010 Jaguar XJ is one car that will run quite a bit on the money side of thing, topping out around $72k to $115k, it is so worth it. The 2010 Jaguar XJ is one car that could be up there with the newest Porsche or even a BMW, however – I think that we do need a little more information about the 2010 Jaguar XJ … that of course is not available right at this moment.

I’ll keep an eye out for you though and any updates? The 2010 Jaguar XJ will be back on here with some specs for you to look at!

GM Makes Grab For Relevance With Volt Color Contest

As some of you more enterprising social networking users may have already heard, GM announced early this morning that the prestigious honor of naming the paint colors for the Chevy Volt will fall squarely on the shoulders of John Q. Public. Well, the honor of naming a paint color, at least.

Open to any members of the public who wish to participate, the official submission process begins today and will run until November 16th when the least offensive finalists are chosen. From there, voters will narrow the selection down to three grand prize winners who, in addition to lifetime bragging rights, will an all-inclusive to the LA Auto Show on December 2, 2009. The grand prize winner will be announced by Chevy on December 1 and will receive all the aforementioned swag, plus the chance to test-drive the pre-production Volt.

Nissan Leaf EV Embarks on North American Exhibition Tour

In preparation for what will likely result in the biggest media circus since the debut of the Chevy Volt, Nissan has announced the impending Leaf EV will embark on a 22 city, 11 state tour, replete with special stops in Washington, DC and Vancouver, Canada. The goal of the PR parade is to counteract the storm launched by Chevy Volt engineers and raise widespread awareness of what Nissan is calling “the first EV for the masses.”

While the Nissan Leaf EV’s official on-sale date remains just as vague as the Volt’s, Nissan is apparently hoping to circumvent that by allow customers to pre-order their Leaf as much as a year in advance. Quite lofty for a vehicle that only just recently hit the scene, Nissan expects to receive a whopping 20,000 initial orders for the 5-door plug-in, encroaching considerably on the Volt’s
premature market monopoly.

To see what all the hype is about, check out the Leaf EV’s official tour dates below and prepare for your inevitable crushing disappointment.

Ford Launches Special Display To Support Breast Cancer Awareness

The month of October is dedicated to breast cancer awareness and in a noble effort supported by breast men (and the women who tolerate them) the world over, Ford has thrown themselves behind the cause. Last night and again this evening, Ford’s Michigan headquarters will be illuminated at sunset by a dazzling pink display intended to demonstrate their support for breast cancer survivors and activists. More than just an empty gesture, Ford’s temporary light show marks the 15th year anniversary of Ford’s support of the Susan G. Komen foundation and the donation of over $100 million to the cause.

In addition to October’s festivities, Ford also provides year-round funding for their in-house support squad appropriately dubbed the “Ford Warriors in Pink.” The warriors, which are partly responsible for Ford’s decision to illuminate their Dearborn headquarters tonight, are an organization dedicated to further awareness and education beyond one month out of the year. “With the Ford Warriors in Pink program, we continually strive to encourage women and men everywhere to join the fight and be a part of the cure for breast cancer,” explained Ford President of the Americas, Mark Fields. “For 15 years, Ford has been committed to fighting breast cancer, standing up for the cause no matter the month. Tonight’s ceremony is designed to show our support for all those affected by the disease.”

Look out for 2010 Toyota Prius

Images of the 2010 Toyota Prius were recently leaked online and the car looks absolutely terrific. Futuristic in its look and the way it drives the 2010 Toyota Prius is making great strides in taking hybrid cars in a new direction. Sooner or later consumers will not only buy hybrid cars for the gas benefits, but for the way the car looks as well.

The 2010 Porsche Panamera

Essentially an elongated version of the Porsche 911, the new 2010 Porsche Panamera bears a striking resemblance to its progenitor and, unfortunately, the Ambiguously Gay Duo’s Duo-car. Glaring design flaw aside, the new Panamera is definitely an innovative move for Porsche; with this new front-engine, 4-door sedan, Porsche will begin inserting itself [giggle] into other luxury/super car markets.

Publicly fingering [snicker] the almighty Mercedes-Benz CLS as a direct competitor, the Porsche Panamera is already preparing to call down the performance-sedan thunder. Although too soon to indentify a clear winner, we will [briefly] abandon the sexual innuendo in favor of a sports-related metaphor and compare the two competitors.

Challenging the Mercedes-Benz CLS550 Coupe for its Division Heavyweight Title is the Porsche Panamera S, the Panamera’s base model. Weighing in at $127,000, the rookie contender Panamera S is knocked out in the first round by the Mercedes-Benz CLS550’s cool $69,825 price tag. Rallying for round two, the Panamera S offers a sizable counter attack with a 4.8-L naturally aspirated V8 engine, 400-hp, and an acceleration rate of 0-60 mph in about 4.5 seconds. The CLS550 matches the Panamera S’s efforts with a 5.5-liter V8 engine and 7-sp automatic transmission, but is ultimately out-performed with its paltry 382-hp.

Hungary Hybrid Car - Antro Solo

Hungary is not the first place that comes to mind when thinking about cutting edge green vehicles, yet. If the creators of the Antro Solo have their way, the country will be synonymous with green machines by 2012. The Antro Solo is a solar, human and gas-electric hybrid vehicle. It looks like nothing else out there, and has a fuel efficiency of more than 150 miles per gallon!

The Antro Solo is a three seat gas-electric hybrid prototype made entirely out of carbon fiber. This material choice allowed the graphic designers to lower the weight of the vehicle to a measly 270kg. This also allowed them to achieve phenomenal fuel efficiency and a pretty decent top speed of 87mph. All of this is impressive enough, but the Solo’s designers were not content to stop there.

In order to maximize the efficiency of the vehicle, the designers installed solar panels on the roof. These solar panels store energy in the car’s batteries which can be used for short 15-25km trips. If there hasn’t been enough sun to power the batteries, each passenger’s seat comes equipped with pedals that can power the vehicles generator. If you are by yourself, or everyone gets tired, the car can switch to its small combustion engine that is capable of running on petrol or ethanol.

The prototype was shown at the Budapest Museum of Transport. It is set to go into production in 2012, and expected to cost around $20,000 dollars.

European-Spec Ford Fiesta: One Incredible Car!

If there is one thing that I know about cars … it is going to be that everything in the world is going to change in 2011 … actually next spring to be honest when the Ford Fiesta comes out. This particular car is by far Ford’s best and I think that they are going to change me for good when they finally come out with this cool, young and hip looking car.

That is what the cars these days are all about. Back in the day, the cars were all about the price, how it looked – if it could belong to an executive and the color. Nowadays, it is all about how the body looks, how cute it is and how brilliant and bright the color is. Along with just how packed the technology inside of it is.

That is what the cool thing about the Ford Fiesta. This particular car is packed with technology and it is definitely going to be one hell of a car once it hits the market next year in the spring time!

Check Out The Seat IBZ Concept!

When you think about concept cars – they usually look incredible, feel great and then when they come out … they look like crap and no one really wants to buy them. That is not the case with the Seat IBZ Concept. This car is absolutely perfect in every way and it actually just showed itself at the Frankfurt Motor Show!

The Seat IBZ Concept actually adds a bit of Alfa-worthy beauty to it and while to some people, the clean and crisp lines do not make a difference … to me, they do. I want my car to be clean and crisp – fresh and awesome and that is exactly what the Seat IBZ Concept.

This car definitely does not look like the station wagons that I remember way back in the day – that’s for sure!

2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS It Needs Some Love Too!

Finally – finally, finally, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS is here and I have to say that we have waited quite a while for it to get here. However – did you know that many people waited too long for the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS and they have changed their course and are actually getting a different car now?

While I know that the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS is one sick and wicked car, I think that people really need to give this particular Camaro some love. Not only is it supposed to be one of the most popular cars in the world, but it really seemed like forever since it came out.

So please – show the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS some love, I can promise that you are going to love it as soon as the car is in your hands!

Posted in 2010 cars
Tags: 2010 cars, 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS, camaro, new cars

Spycam: 2010 Audi RS5:

After what seems like an eternity, the launch of the 2010 Audi RS5 is almost upon us. A nearly-finished coupe version of the hot Audi was recently spotted testing its stopping power in the Alps ahead of a possible Frankfurt Motor Show debut.

Audi has managed to keep everyone guessing about the RS5's powertrain, but the most-likely scenario is that it's powered by a modified version of the RS4's 4.2-liter V-8 tuned to make around between 450 and 500 horsepower mated to either a six-speed manual or seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch auto. And of course, expect all four wheels to be putting the power down through Audi's quattro system.

Spycam: 2010 Porsche Cayenne:

Porsche has been hard at work developing the latest iteration of its money-making Cayenne SUV and the new version has been spotted by our spy photographers once again -- this time testing at the Nurburgring wearing barely any camouflage.

Although it looks very similar to the current Cayenne thanks to Porsche's evolutionary approach to redesigns, the second-generation model is said to be smaller, lighter and more fuel-efficient. Our spy photographer also points out that this new Cayenne handled corners with greater ease than its predecessor, so some chassis tinkering is likely afoot as well.

Toyota FT-86 Concept:

Packed with enough emotional content to satisfy fans of the departed Supra, MR-2 and Celica, the Toyota FT-86 Concept is set to make its world debut at the company's 2009 Tokyo auto show stand on October 21. It's got eye-catching looks, a 2+2 layout, rear-wheel-drive, a horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine, and a six-speed manual transmission. And a production version is due by late 2011.

This unlikely coupe, borne out of the on-again, off-again, on-again relationship between Toyota and Subaru, nearly got axed twice. In April 2008, former Toyota CEO Katsuaki Watanabe first announced the joint development project with Subaru in which both companies would build a sports car based on the same platform. Since that date, the economic downturn led to two cooling off periods in which the destiny of the project hung in the balance. But enough momentum remained to push it into the 'can do' basket, and the fact that the Toyota-Subaru design team already had a significant springboard in the form of a Subaru platform and engine helped build the case to keep it alive.

New 2010 BMW M3 Sedan Facelift :

With the 2009 Audi A6 faceliftnow on sale and the 2010 Mercedes Benz E-Class just a month away from hitting showrooms, attention now turns to the next-generation BMW 5-Series. A class leader since its inception, the 5-Series Sedan andTouring wagon remain crucial vehicles in BMW’s lineup and with the next-gen versions now just months away speculation about the final design has been heating up.

The new 5-Series Sedan is set to arrive in late 2009 for the 2010 model year and heavily disguised prototypes have already been seen testing around the streets of Munich. While those prototypes revealed few details, these latest computer generated rendering gives us a clear indication as to what to expect for the new executive wagon.

Most of the planned changes are skin-deep. Under the new sheet metal, BMW will continue with its new found love of turbocharging. The new 4.4L twin-turbo V8 from the recently revealed X6 is expected to appear in a range topping model, while more turbo-diesel variants are expected to join the lineup as well. BMW is currently developing its second generation common rail system for its diesel powerplants, which will operate at greater pressure for improved performance. The transmission systems will include a six-speed manual and a six-speed Steptronic semi-auto gearbox, however a new eight-speed unit from ZF is also expected to be available.

Performance will also be improved thanks to the extensive use of lightweight materials including carbon-fiber and aluminum. The car’s construction will be a hybrid of an aluminum spaceframe for the front section, and a traditional steel monocoque for the passenger compartment and rear. This will ensure a favorable front-to-rear weight distribution and improved handling. Up front will be an independent suspension with MacPherson struts, with a multi-link layout for the rear. High-performance models will include carbon-fiber body panels to shed even more weight. Check out our previous story for more details including information on the next M5 by clickinghere.

2011 FORD FEISTA :

Ford wants to put you behind the wheel of a 2011 Ford Fiesta one year early, but only if you are "hungry for adventure" and gifted with the "ability to craft a compelling story through video." As Inside Line news reported today, Ford has launched a contest that will give 100 American drivers the chance to live with a Fiesta, all expenses paid, for 6 months.

Of course, you can't just park the car in your garage and forget about it. You'll be busy going on secret assignments from "Ford Mission Control" that will no doubt take you into all the favored haunts of Ford's target demographic.

To enter, prospective contestants must upload a 2-to-5-minute video on YouTube explaining why they are deserving of this responsibility by March 19. Details are on fiestamovement.com.