Archive for January, 2011
2011 Chevrolet Tahoe
Written by admin on Monday, January 31, 2011 | No Comments
Categories: Chevrolet Tags: 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe, 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe News, 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe Pictures, 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe Specification, Chevrolet Tahoe
All models are built on GM’s full-size SÚV platform that incorporates features such as a fully boxed frame, coil-over-shock front suspension, rack-and-pinion §teering and a premium interior that bolsters the vehicle’s comfort, quality and capability. Wide front and rear tracks enhance handling and lower the center of gravity for a more confident road feel.
Price: $37,575 – 54,165.
Invoice: $34,945 – 50,595.
Efficiency
Chevrolet Tahoe remains a benchmark in the full-size SÚV §egmènt, offering great spaciousness and towing capability, along with a precise driving feel, robust performance and excellent interior refinement. It also delivers surprising fuel economy, with the 2WD model estimated at 21 mpg on the highway.
A fuel-saving Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed is standard on all models, enhancing real-world fuel economy on the highway via reduced engine speed. Also, quietness in the interior is enhanced with the lower-rpm engine speed on the highway.
For the ultimate full-size SÚV fuel economy, customers can select the Tahoe Hybrid. It employs GM’s patented two-mode hybrid system to deliver a 33-percent improvement in fuel economy in city driving.
Design
Tahoe features the global face of Chevrolet, with a large Chevy gold bowtie, centered on a twin-port horizontal grille. The body-color grille surround is inset with an argent texture or available chrome finish. Fog lamps and headlamps feature detailed optics. The lower fascia, incorporating the front license plate holder and integrated recovery hooks, is aggressively styled with a skid plate look that enhances Tahoe’s rugged, off-road appearance.
An assortment of 17-inch, 18-inch and 20-inch wheels complements Tahoe’s sporty appearance. Seventeen-inch wheels and tires are standard, with 18-inch wheels included with the Z71 package and 20-inch factory-installed wheels available (standard on LTZ). The larger wheels give the vehicle a more confident stance.
Tahoe LTZ also offers power articulated running boards. They blend smoothly with the vehicle’s design, but automatically move downward and outward when the doors are opened, providing a lower step-in height.
The popular Z71 Off Road appearance package returns for 2011. It includes the Z71 Off Road suspension with high-pressure, gas-charged monotube shocks, 18-inch on/off-road tires, automatic-locking rear differential, front recovery hooks, a durable skid plate and a high-capacity air cleaner. Large, color-keyed fender flares, an aggressive front fascia and satin chrome tubular assist steps, and bright chrome front grille insert provide a distinctive appearance.
Interior
All Tahoe models are well equipped with enhanced safety, comfort and convenience features. Refinement throughout the spacious interior creates an environment that exudes quality and precision, as well as comfort. A two-tone color scheme offers softer and low-gloss materials for the instrument panel and other trim pieces.
Additional details include LED backlighting for the instruments and chrome accents on instruments and vents. Flush-mounted accessories and controls, such as the climate control/radio center stack, create a seamless, ‘single unit’ appearance. Also, there are almost no exposed metal hardware or latches, as all models feature enclosing ‘close-outs’ around the seat bottoms and door sill trim plates.
Smoothness and Quietness
Tahoe features a stiff, fully boxed frame, which reduces vibrations transmitted to the passenger cabin. The strength and accuracy of the frame also enable more precise mounting and tuning of chassis and suspension components, which also help reduce vibration. Even the tires on the large, 17-inch standard and 20-inch available wheels were designed to reduce noise.
Tahoe’s quietness and smoothness are complemented by the Autoride suspension system, which is standard on LTZ. This §egmènt-exclusive bi-state, real-time damping system provides an extremely refined ride with greatly reduced body motion. The system consists of a semi-active, two-position damping control system that responds in real time to road and driving conditions, based on body and wheel motion sensors.
Safety and Security
The Tahoe features a 360-degree perimeter safety system of occupant protection and crash avoidance technologies. Standard features include head curtain side air bags with rollover protection for all seating rows and front-seat safety belt pretensioners that are linked to the vehicle’s sensing system to provide §egmènt-exclusive deployment in rear-end crashes.
The roof-mounted head curtain air bags include design features that provide increased rollover protection and occupant containment. These head curtain side air bags stay inflated longer than air bags developed only for side impacts, since rollover incidents can last longer. The deployment duration and other design features of the air bags combine to provide increased occupant protection and the ability to help keep occupants inside the vehicle. Sensors located at the front of the vehicle, in the side doors and within the occupant compartment provide increased and more immediate crash detection.
2011 Ford Focus
Written by admin on Monday, January 31, 2011 | No Comments
Categories: Ford Tags: 2011 Ford Focus, 2011 Ford Focus News, 2011 Ford Focus Pictures, 2011 Ford Focus Specification, Ford Focus
The 2011 Ford Focus lineup shrinks pending a redesign due as a 2012 model. Focus comes as a 4-door sedan in S, SE, SES, and SEL trim levels. The 2-door coupe has been discontinued. The only engine is a 140-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder.
A 5-speed manual transmission is standard on the S, SE, and SES. A 4-speed automatic is optional on those models and standard on the SEL. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, curtain-side airbags, and front-side airbags.
Ford’s Sync voice-activated control interface for cell phones and MP3 players is standard on SES and SEL and available on SE. Leather upholstery and heated front seats are standard on the SEL and optional on the SES. Remote engine start is optional on SE, SES, and SEL models equipped with the automatic transmission. SES versions have a sport suspension.
Price: $16,645 – 19,675.
Invoice: $15,725 – 18,315.
ACCELERATION
With the automatic transmission, Focus has just adequate power for highway merging or ascending long grades. The automatic provides timely downshifts. Manual-transmission models feel snappier, with better performance overall.
FUEL ECONOMY
Focus models with automatic transmission averaged 27.3-28.9 mpg in mostly highway driving. A manual-transmission model returned a frugal 31.2 mpg. Focus uses regular-grade gas.
RIDE QUALITY
SES’ standard sport suspension and 17-inch tires give a firm but compliant ride. No other Focus models have been made available for testing.
STEERING/HANDLING/BRAKING
Focus has communicative steering and decent grip in fast turns. At highway speeds, though, it is subject to gusty crosswind wander. SES models are fairly sporty, with decent grip and balance overall. Braking is stable, but pedal feel is average.
QUIETNESS
Road rumble is marked, and the tires thump over expansion joints. The engine sounds coarse during acceleration but quiets down while cruising. The persistent road and engine noise drown out whatever tire thrum there might be.
CONTROLS
Well-arranged dashboard has mostly intuitive and handy controls. The gauges, for the most part, are clear, but they can be hard to read in changing lighting conditions. Sync is a hit-or-miss affair. It works fairly well as a voice-controlled system for MP3 players. At times, though, it wouldn’t recognize the voices of some of our testers. Sync’s cell-phone integration isn’t as easy to use as some rivals. While its voice command generally works well, some of Sync’s functions, such as pairing a phone to the system, are not very intuitive.
DETAILS
Interior materials disappoint overall. The dashboard on the SES is dominated by dull, silvery plastic trim, which suggests cost cutting. Even the available leather trim looks low grade. One test model suffered from several misaligned body panels and a poorly upholstered rear bench seat.
ROOM/COMFORT/DRIVER SEATING (FRONT)
Legroom is quite good for the class, and headroom is outstanding in models that don’t have the available sunroof. Headroom is still decent in Focuses that do have it, though, so taller drivers shouldn’t be dissuaded from ordering it. The seats are generally supportive, though some testers found them to be too flat for ideal long-distance comfort. Large door openings ease entry and exit.
ROOM/COMFORT (REAR)
Headroom and legroom are par for the compact-car class. The sunroof housing does cramp head space a bit for taller riders. Entry and exit are typical for the class.
CARGO ROOM
The trunk lid uses space-saving strut-type hinges. All models have a low liftover, plus split-folding rear seat backs for added versatility. The cargo area is usefully shaped, but the subwoofer used by the optional audio system cuts into cargo room. Interior storage is merely OK. The glovebox is skimpy, as are the front-door map pockets. The center console storage bin is deep, but its opening is small.
VALUE
Focus feels dated and less refined compared with cars such as the Honda Civic and Nissan Versa. Still, front-seat room and comfort impress, and pricing is competitive. The sporty SES adds some handling spice without sacrificing good ride control. Sync is a nice feature for the class, despite a few bugs that still need to be sorted. Overall, Focus is worth a look, especially since discounts should be available as Ford readies a redesigned version.
2011 Acura RDX
Written by admin on Saturday, January 29, 2011 | No Comments
Categories: Acura Tags: 2011 Acura RDX, 2011 Acura RDX News, 2011 Acura RDX Pictures, 2011 Acura RDX Specification, Acura RDX
The RDX continues to be the compact luxury SÚV of choice for drivers with energetic lifestyles who need a responsive and sporty vehicle with plenty of utility and leading edge styling. With two models available in two trim choices, the 2011 RDX offers something for everyone. The RDX comes standard with a two-wheel-drive drivetrain which is appealing to those who live in warmer climates and who don’t need the all-weather capability all-wheel drive offers. For those lòòking for sportier performance or all-weather capability, the RDX with SH-AWD® will be right choice for them. Both models come standard with a wide array of features and available is the Technology Package.
Price: $32,625 – 37,725.
Invoice: $30,395 – 35,075.
Powertrain
The RDX is equipped with a turbocharged 2.3-liter DOHC 16-valve inline four-cylinder engine incorporating computer-controlled ‘intelligent’ i-VTEC® for the intake valves that delivers enhanced performance across a broad powerband. The heart of the RDX’s performance is its Variable Flow Turbocharger (VFT) that delivers an unusually broad powerband with virtually no lag in response. The turbocharger works in concert with i-VTEC® to deliver outstanding acceleration and efficiency while driving at a variety of speeds.
Rated output for the 2.3L I-4 engine is 240 horsepower at 6,000 rpm with 260 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm. The RDX has an EPA city/highway/combined fuel economy rating* of 19/24/21 mpg (RDX 2WD) and 17/22/19 mpg (RDX SH-AWD™) along with meeting EPA TIER 2 – BIN 5 and CARB LEV-2 ÚLEV emissions standards. ( posted on conceptcarz.com) Due in part to the decreased weight of the two-wheel-drive model, the RDX gets improved fuel economy versus the SH-AWD® model – resulting in an improvement of 2 mpg in both city and highway fuel economy.
A performance-minded Sequential SportShift 5-speed automatic transmission is standard on the RDX and an electronically-controlled Drive-by-Wire™ throttle system works with the transmission to execute exceptionally quick and smooth gear changes. The Sequential SportShift feature allows the transmission to function in a conventional automatic mode or can be manually controlled via §teering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
Chassis
The design goal for the RDX chassis was to simultaneously provide the sporty handling of the Acura TSX sports sedan with the versatility of an SÚV. The RDX comes standard in two-wheel-drive form that offers a lighter vehicle weight, improved fuel economy and a lower purchase price.
Acura’s exclusive Super Handling All-Wheel Drive™ (SH-AWD™) system is available on the RDX, helping it to maximize available traction while improving handling balance and responsiveness in a variety of weather conditions. SH-AWD™ distributes optimum torque not only between the front and rear axles, but also between the left and right rear wheels. In addition, SH-AWD™ utilizes torque vectoring to help reduce understeer by overdriving one of the rear wheels to create a yaw moment that enhances §teering accuracy and improves cornering ability.
Precise and responsive handling is generated by fully independent front and rear suspension. The MacPherson strut (front) and multi-link (rear) suspension system is tuned for compliant control, and the suspension is assisted by large-diameter front and rear stabilizer bars for flatter cornering. Standard to the RDX is Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with traction control to further enhance vehicle controllability.
Interior
Inside every RDX, leather trimmed front seats deliver a luxury feel as well as a high outward visibility ‘eye point’ that provides a confident field of view. The RDX has soothing blue low-level ambient lighting in the ceiling that illuminates the front center console area along with ambient blue footwell lighting. The 3-passenger rear seat has a 60/40 split-folding capability and, when folded flat, significantly expands the load area- increasing the total cargo volume to 60.6 cubic feet.
Multiple storage compartments are positioned throughout the RDX interior, including a lockable dual-level center console (that is large enough to accommodate a laptop) conveniently located between the front seats. Within the center console is a movable tray along with a coin holder and a place for holding credit or gate cards. Acura interior design has always made intuitive functionality a priority, and in the 2011 RDX all important systems and controls are intuitive and easy-to-read. The systems used most frequently – audio and cruise control – have switches positioned on the §teering wheel and the HVAC buttons are located close to the driver.
The 2011 RDX has as standard an Acura Premium Sound System with AM/FM tuner, 6-disc in-dash CD player, MP3, WMA, XM® Radio, 7 speakers and a 360 watt amplifier. The audio system also features ÚSB port and AÚX jack connections for items such as an iPod®, MP3 music player, or a ‘jump drive’ memory stick. All 2011 RDX feature as standard a rear view camera system. A base RDX has a viewing screen that is integrated into the auto-dimming rearview mirror while a RDX with Technology Package displays the rear view image on the 8-inch color screen used for the navigation system.
With the Technology Package’s AcuraLink™ Satellite Communication System and AcuraLink Real-Time Traffic™, the RDX driver can easily navigate busy freeways. In addition, the navigation system includes Traffic Rerouting™ that allows automatic rerouting around problem areas. Also included is AcuraLink Real-Time Weather™ with weather radar image maps that provide weather tracking for area-specific, continually-updated weather conditions between your current location and the final destination.
Part of the RDX Technology Package is a spectacular Acura/ELS Surround® 410-watt Premium Audio System with 10 speakers, 6-disc DVD-Audio, CD/MP3/WMA player, DTS®, AM/FM tuner, XM® Radio with Note function music reminder and Dolby® Pro Logic® II. The Acura/ELS® audio system was designed by 6-time Grammy® award winning sound engineer Elliot Scheiner. When playing DVD-Audio discs (DVD-Audio delivers 500-times higher resolution than traditional CD audio), this advanced system uses eight discreet audio channels (up from the usual two channels) to create an exceptionally accurate listening experience.
Exterior
RDX exterior styling further emphasizes the crossover SÚV’s sporty athleticism. Large wheel arches, aggressively styled body sides, steeply raked windscreen and a short rear overhang generate an RDX with a taut and muscular presence. A unique rear hatch allows for a smooth transition of the body to the rear bumper- a transition that delivers a more custom look as well as eases loading and unloading of cargo.
HID front headlights (controlled by a standard Auto on/off function) team with sharp body lines, bold 18-inch 10-spoke aluminum wheels, rectangular exhaust finishers and satin body trim to give the RDX a crisp look.
Safety and Security
The RDX’s technology leadership also extends to safety, where a long list of advanced features are used- including an Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure. ACE™ employs a network of interconnected front frame structures that work to absorb and redirect frontal collision forces away from the passenger cabin while helping improve crash compatibility with vehicles of different sizes.
In addition, a special frame member located below the RDX’s front bumper is designed to engage the front bumper of a lower vehicle, allowing the bumper systems of both vehicles to attenuate crash energy more efficiently. A specially engineered hood, collapsible hood hinges, breakaway wiper pivots and other features help mitigate pedestrian injury in the event of a collision with the vehicle.
Inside, the RDX has a full complement of passive safety features. Key technologies include the latest generation of dual-stage, multiple-threshold airbags for the driver and front passenger, side airbags for the driver and front passenger, along with side curtain airbags (with a rollover sensor) for all outboard occupants. The front passenger’s side airbag features an Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS) to prevent airbag deployment if a child or small-stature adult leans into the deployment path. LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) child seat mounting systems allow the quick and convenient installation of child seats in the rear seats.
2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Written by admin on Saturday, January 29, 2011 | No Comments
Categories: Mercedes Benz Tags: 2011 Mercedes Benz C Class, 2011 Mercedes Benz C Class News, 2011 Mercedes Benz C Class Pictures, 2011 Mercedes Benz C Class Specification, Mercedes Benz C Class
The C-Class sedan is the best selling Mercedes-Benz model, and the 2011 C-Class lineup features four models – the 451-hp C63 AMG, the 268-hp C350 Sport and the 228-hp C300 Luxury and C300 Sport. Both C300 models are available with optional 4MATIC all-wheel drive. For 2011, both Sport models are now equipped with LED daytime running lights and black inlays around the headlights, and all C-Class models come with new headlight control switches and ESP controls relocated to the instrument cluster.
The high-performance C63 AMG has a powerful new option package – the AMG Development Package, which features new lightweight forged pistons, connecting rods and crankshaft with modified engine management that together provide an extra 27 horsepower, for a total of 481 hp. The AMG Development Package also includes track-calibrated sport suspension, limited slip differential, red brake calipers, a carbon-fiber rear spoiler and a higher speed limiter of 174 mph.
Price: $33,900 – 58,200.
Invoice: $31,615 – 54,125.
Distinctive Sport Models
While Luxury models wear the iconic three-pointed star perched on top of the front hood, the C-Class Sport can be identified by a bold star in the front grille – usually reserved for its coupes and convertibles. Sport models also come with standard AMG styling, including deeper front and rear aprons as well as sculpted rocker panels.
The Sport features staggered-width, five-spoke 17-inch wheels; sport shocks; springs and stabilizer bars that provide a crisper ride and more than a half-inch lower ride height. Instead of the Luxury model’s traditional four-spoke wheel and burl walnut trim, Sport models come with three-spoke §teering wheels and a choice of aluminum, burl walnut or black birds eye maple interior trim. The C300 Sport features a slick-shifting six-speed manual transmission.
Four-Wheel Drive
As modern all-wheel-drive systems become even more refined, they are becoming increasingly popular, especially in the luxury car market. With negligible weight and fuel-mileage tradeoffs, full-time four-wheel drive provides year-round traction and stability benefits on both wet and dry roads.
After making its debut on the current-generation S-Class sedan, the latest version of the Mercedes-Benz 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system is optionally available on the C300 Sport and the C300 Luxury models. The 4MATIC system features a full-time all-wheel-drive system that’s cleanly integrated into the seven-speed automatic transmission and fits right into the standard body, utilizing the existing front suspension.
The extra gears and shafts that drive the front wheels weigh only 145 pounds more than the rear-wheel-drive model. Fuel efficiency has been improved, due to a number of innovative measures that minimize the energy needed to turn the extra hardware.
Performance
C-Class standard equipment includes a power sunroof, eight-way power front seats with lumbar support, two-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth connectivity and a central controller with a five-inch display screen.
A display in the center of the speedometer is linked to a 12-button multi-function §teering wheel that can call up a variety of helpful information. The display can show phone and audio system information such as radio station, CD track or iPod playlist as well as range, fuel mileage and oil temperature. If the car has the optional navigation system, the display will also show next-turn directions.
Safety
The 2011 C-Class comes with all the safety features expected from Mercedes-Benz – from four-wheel disc brakes and ABS anti-lock brakes to traction control and ESP stability control. The C-Class boasts nine supplemental restraints, including two-stage front air bags, a knee air bag for the driver, and pelvic air bags which work together with curtain and side air bags to provide extra protection for front occupants in dangerous side-impact collisions.
Engine
The C63 AMG is powered by the first engine developed entirely by AMG. Its 6.3-liter V8 produces 451 horsepower and 443 lb.-ft. of torque, for breathtaking acceleration times of 4.3 seconds from zero to 60 mph. Built almost completely from a high-strength silicon-aluminum alloy, the AMG engine block was designed with an especially rigid bedplate acting as the overall support for the main bearings, cast-in steel reinforcements and a sturdy closed-deck layout in the cylinder head area. The cylinder bores feature a twin-wire-arc-sprayed (TWAS) coating, an innovative process that results in impressively low friction and running surfaces that are twice as hard as conventional cast-iron cylinders.
The 6.3-liter AMG V8 features four valves per cylinder, variable valve timing, bucket tappets (rather than rocker arms) and a variable intake manifold. Forming a straight line through the engine, high-flow intake and exhaust ports help the AMG engine rev freely to over 7,000 rpm, yet the highly flexible V8 still produces nearly 90 percent of its peak torque at only 2,000 rpm.
Audio System
An eight-speaker audio system includes an ‘aux’ connector for iPod-type devices and a Bluetooth interface that allows a phone still in a pocket or purse to be operated through the audio system. An optional Multimedia Package can play tracks stored on a data CD, DVD or memory card, and the audio system can be fitted with an optional six-disc, in-dash CD changer. The C-Class includes a MusicRegister feature, which enables CD ‘ripping’ (saving) to a six-gigabyte hard drive that can store up to 1,500 tracks from an audio CD. A Gracenote database automatically identifies each track with its title, artist, album name and other information.
AMG Speedshift Plus
Power is transmitted to the rear wheels of the C63 AMG through a seven-speed AMG automatic transmission that can be shifted manually by either a conventional lever or Formula-1 style shift paddles on the AMG sport §teering wheel. To give performance-minded drivers total control of shifting, the manual mode of the AMG transmission doesn’t intervene to cause any automatic upshifts – even at max engine speed – or automatic downshifts, even under full load. Called ‘AMG Speedshift Plus,’ this mode provides 35 percent faster gear shifts and torque converter lockup from 1st gear.
The C63 AMG features automatic rev-matching during downshifts. This virtually jolt-free downshifting process reduces load-change handling response, and for motorsports-minded drivers, improves braking in advance of turn-in. The C63 AMG is also the first AMG model with a three-stage ESP system. In addition to its normal ‘ESP ON’ operation, the ESP button on the center console has an ‘ESP SPORT’ mode as well as ‘ESP OFF.’ The ESP Sport mode allows for more aggressive driving with higher drift angles, which can make sporty driving more fun, not to mention more helpful on the race track.
Mechanically, the C63 AMG chassis features a redesigned front suspension including stiffer shocks and springs all around, with special rebound buffer springs in the front shocks, as well as new bearings, a stiffer stabilizer bar and 1.4-inch wider track. Its speed-sensitive rack-and pinion §teering feels even faster than its 13.6:1 ratio, thanks to a modified §teering axis and a stiffer insulating disc in the §teering column. At the rear, AMG has re-engineered the multi-link suspension, plus track is a half inch wider with increased negative camber for improved cornering. To handle the increased power of the AMG V8, stronger halfshafts and driveshaft joints are installed.
Staggered-width 18-inch wheels (8.5 inches in front, 9.0 at the rear) make room for large AMG vented and perforated four-wheel disc brakes. Front discs measure 14.2 inches in diameter with six-piston fixed calipers, and at the rear, ample 13-inch discs with four-piston fixed calipers are used. For C63 AMG owners who are serious about competing on the race track, the AMG Development package features new lightweight forged pistons, connecting rods and crankshaft with modified engine management that together provide an extra 27 horsepower, for a total of 481 hp. The AMG Development Package also includes an even stiffer sport suspension, limited slip differential, red brake calipers, carbon-fiber rear spoiler and a higher speed limiter of 174 mph.
