Auto News & New car review

The project hasn’t exactly been a mystery. Chevrolet has been working on a high-end Corvette to slot above the Z06 as GM’s hottest sports car for some time. The car has been known as the Blue Devil and the Corvette SS, but when it arrives in dealers this summer it will be the next incarnation of the ZR1.

Power will be phenomenal. GM is targeting at least 620 horsepower and 595 pound-feet of torque. The ZR1 will be capable of reaching 200 mph and cornering at better than 1 g of lateral grip. Read the rest of this entry »

Not two months after sister company Hyundai debuted a freshened Sonata, Kia followed suit with the midsize Optima. Though the cars shared architecture in previous years, they’ve been on divergent paths for some time now, Kia says. Where the upgraded Sonata’s new face found general acceptance, our reaction to the Optima is lukewarm. The car’s sheet metal went from Plane Jane to Frank Caliendo, meaning you can find a good impression of a lot of cars here: the grille and taillights look like those on the new and two-generations-old Accord, respectively; the headlights are all Camry; and the trunk and rear bumper remind us of the Malibu. Read the rest of this entry »

Skoda is looking to attract younger buyers with its all-new second-generation Fabia hatchback. The car, which goes on sale in the UK on May 17, has borrowed some styling devices from the Mini, such as different-coloured roofs in white or silver, with matching door mirrors. Skoda is also hoping to capitalise on its rallying pedigree – a VRS version is in the pipeline, which will borrow styling cues from the S2000 rally-spec version on show at Geneva. Read the rest of this entry »

You should be aware that when reviewing 2008 Infiniti M45 reviews, what is said regarding a vehicle can typically be applied to the entire generation. A generation is made up of similar vehicles from one year to the next. When a vehicle undergoes a redesign, it is considered a new generation. Read the rest of this entry »

The 2008 Chrysler Aspen is a big, traditional sport utility vehicle capable of towing substantial loads. The Aspen is in the same class as the Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Ford Expedition, but it has more luxury amenities than most of those vehicles.
Introduced for the 2007 model year, the Chrysler Aspen is based on the Dodge Durango. Aspen shares Durango’s size and mechanicals, the main differences being styling, interior and tuning. Both use truck chassis and engineering, giving them the advantages of a cavernous interior and the ability to tow trailers (up to 8,900 pounds). Read the rest of this entry »

For 2007, The Volkswagen GTI comes with a choice of two doors or four. Also new is Launch Control programming for the GTI’s optional DSG automatic transmission. The new software will allow the engine to rev up before the clutch engages, for controlled wheelspin as you leave the line. Other than that, the 2007 Volkswagen GTI is changed very little from the ‘06, which was launched as an all-new fifth generation of the legendary pocket rocket. Read the rest of this entry »

You should be aware that when reviewing 2008 Hyundai Accent reviews, what is said regarding a vehicle can typically be applied to the entire generation. A generation is made up of similar vehicles from one year to the next. When a vehicle undergoes a redesign, it is considered a new generation. Read the rest of this entry »

The folks at AutoWeek.nl decided to take the wind out of Opel’s sails by posting images of the new Insignia before it released official information later this week. We’ve seen the basic shape and several details of the Insignia when Opel sent out “official” spy shots of their new D-segment player (think Mondeo, Passat), but these newest pictures tell the whole tale, sans artful camouflage. Read the rest of this entry »

The Chrysler Pacifica helped launch a trend known in the industry as crossover vehicles. Crossovers are designed to combine the best attributes of sport-utility vehicles, sedans, and minivans. The Pacifica drives more like a minivan than an SUV or sedan, but doesn’t have the sliding doors or uncool stigma of a minivan.

Pacifica has four sedan-like doors and the wide rear liftgate you’d expect on a sport-utility vehicle. Inside it’s roomy and comfortable, whether upholstered in fabric or leather. Getting in and out is easy. It rides like a sedan and handles well for a vehicle of its heft, and it’s more enjoyable to drive through suburbia than just about any truck-based SUV. On the highway, it’s smooth and quiet. Read the rest of this entry »