Cadillac CTS Coupe 2011

We first witnessed the new Cadillac CTS Coupe at the 2008 North America International Auto Show in Detroit last year. Remaining true to the concept revealed there, the ready for prime time CTS Coupe is as stunning in person as it is in front of the camera lens.

“CTS Coupe is the new focal point of Cadillac, expressing both our technical and design capabilities,” said Bryan Nesbitt, Cadillac general manager. “It is intended to appeal to a new generation of car enthusiasts.”

Available in both rear-wheel and All-wheel drive format; the CTS Coupe is intended as a classic 2+2 layout. Power comes in the form of a direct injection 3.6L V6 engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. A 6-speed automatic transmission with Driver Shift Control (and available steering wheel mounted shift buttons) is optional. Performance is rated at a stellar 304 horsepower while still achieving a respectable 27 mpg highway.

Inside, features include integrated iPod/MP3 compatibility, a 40 gig hard drive, pop-up navigation system and BOSE 5.1 sound. Front seats are supremely comfortable with back seats providing adequate space for small to medium-sized occupants. Sales of the new CTS Coupe are expected to begin in spring 2010 with a “V” model making its debut later in the year.

Spyker C8 Aileron

Spyker Cars' C8 line has been around for a couple years now. The C8 Aileron prototype concept car was shown to great critical reception at the Los Angeles Auto Show in 2008, but Geneva 2009 brings the full, glorious introduction of the next generation C8 model, the 2009 Spyker C8 Aileron.

The second-generation C8, of which the Aileron is the first edition, keeps the classic Spyker design details intact. It is a car with functional and ornamental scoops, inlets and outlets in all the right places, but unlike the C8 Laviolette and Spyder before it, the 2009 C8 Aileron doesn't look overburdened with too many flashy design details.

The general design theme set forth by the Aileron has shifted to echoing the turbine engines found on classic airplanes. The turbine theme extends to the air intakes, lighting, exterior venting and details, and most of all in the knockout-gorgeous 19 inch multispoke the wheels.

The C8 Aileron "Aeroblade" 19s, which are some of the most beautiful wheels ever featured on a production car, show a 10-spoke design that does justice to the claim that they are styled like the blades of jet engines. Finished in chrome and wrapped in 235/35-19 tires up front with meaty 290/30-19 rubber in the rear, C8 Aileron cars equipped with the Aeroblade will instantly stand out from anything on the road, or even on the green at Pebble Beach.

Power is not abundant for a car of this prestige and price bracket; the only engine choice is an Audi-sourced 4.2 liter V8 spitting out 400 horsepower. Two transmissions are available: a Getrag 6-speed manual or ZF 6-speed automatic. Either choice should put the power to the street just fine, but enthusiasts will go for the Getrag as a matter of course.

With an all-aluminum chassis and a lift-off two piece body wrapping the supple interior and mid-mounted V8, the C8 Aileron should make the most of the power present with what should be an extremely light curb weight. The car is for those who think about design first, and from the scissor doors to body curves that look perfectly excecuted from any angle, it should not disappoint its intended clientele.

Lincoln MKS 2010

Vehicle Summary
The Lincoln MKS luxury sedan competes with the Acura RL, Infiniti M and Cadillac STS. Lincoln has at least one advantage going in: The MKS is based on the Ford Taurus, a car whose full-size dimensions mean more interior room than most of the midsize offerings in the luxury-sedan segment.

Vehicle Overview
The Lincoln MKS luxury sedan competes with the Acura RL, Infiniti M and Cadillac STS. Lincoln has at least one advantage going in: The MKS is based on the Ford Taurus, a car whose full-size dimensions mean more interior room than most of the midsize offerings in the luxury-sedan segment.

New for 2010
The Lincoln MKS gets Ford's newest V-6 engine: a twin-turbocharged, direct-injected V-6. Other updates include an updated Sync system, available adaptive cruise control and a self-parking system.

Exterior
It's difficult to tell the MKS is related to the Taurus, as Lincoln has done quite a bit to differentiate its version. Styling elements include Lincoln's familiar waterfall grille, cut by a vertical strip with Lincoln's crossbar logo. The thin, horizontal headlights look a lot like the ones on an Acura TL.

Around back, the taillights flow toward a high bumper. There are chrome elements on the window frames, door sills and outlines on the lower air dam. The EcoBoost MKS features a unique grille, side rocker panels and a rear spoiler.

* Available 18-, 19- or 20-inch alloy wheels
* Keyless-entry keypad
* Capless refueling system
* Fog lamps
* Automatic high-intensity-discharge headlamps
* Dual chrome exhaust
* Optional dual-panel sunroof
* Optional adaptive headlights

Interior
Inside, the MKS' interior comes with lots of leather; it covers the seats, door panels and dashboard. The center controls flow seamlessly toward a center tunnel that supports the gearshift and two independently adjustable armrests. For 2010, an updated Sync system provides real-time traffic, turn-by-turn navigation, and news and sports updates.

The MKS' passenger volume totals 105.9 cubic feet. That beats the Cadillac STS (102.9), Acura RL (99.1) and Infiniti M (105.2). The difference is most noticeable in the backseat.

* Leather seating surfaces, shifter and steering wheel
* Powered tilt/telescoping steering wheel
* Dual-zone automatic climate control
* Ford Sync system
* Heated front and rear seats
* Ventilated/cooled front seats
* Optional voice-activated navigation
* Optional THX 14-speaker surround-sound stereo
* Optional adaptive cruise control and self-parking system

Under the Hood
The MKS' 3.7-liter V-6 is a unique engine, not found on the Ford Taurus. It works with a six-speed automatic transmission. For 2010, the MKS gets a new EcoBoost, twin-turbocharged, direct-injected V-6 powertrain. The engine has the power output of a 4.6-liter V-8, but with V-6 fuel economy. According to Ford, the EcoBoost V-6 will achieve 16/25 mpg city/highway. The EcoBoost powertrain comes standard with all-wheel drive.

* 273-horsepower, 3.7-liter V-6 with 270 pounds-feet of torque
* 355-hp, twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 with 350 pounds-feet of torque
* Six-speed automatic transmission
* Available front- or all-wheel drive

Safety
Ford's Sync system also features a 911-assist feature that connects the vehicle's occupants to an emergency operator when an airbag deploys.

* Side curtain airbags
* Traction control
* Antilock brakes
* Electronic stability system
* Reverse-sensing system
* Optional rearview camera

Acura ZDX prototype

The ZDX prototype unveiled at the New York auto show is almost identical to the production version set to go on sale in the U.S. this fall. Besides being the first Acura with an all-glass roof, the 5-seat ZDX is also the first Acura model designed start-to-finish at the company's new studio in Torrance, California.

Due to the ZDX's radically sloping roofline, the vehicle's designers label it as a "4-door luxury sports coupe," although we would label it a 5-door since it is a hatchback design. Acura states the "segment bending ZDX blurs the distinction between coupe, sedan and sport utility vehicle," which, as with BMW's X6, sometimes leaves us wondering exactly what the vehicle is. To paraphrase Acura's description: The ZDX is designed to take two people in comfort on a driving adventure in the desert, on a ski trip to Mammoth Mountain (in California), an then a trip down the coast — all in one day!

The platform underpinning the ZDX comes from the MDX sport-utility vehicle, but the sleeker ZDX features a 3.9-in. lower roofline. Although Acura was not overly specific about the powertrain, we do know the production ZDX, which Acura says will definitely be marketed "above the MDX" in the lineup, will come standard with a V-6 (count on 3.7 liters and slightly over 300 bhp) and the company's excellent Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD).

The ZDX's exterior was penned by Michelle Christensen (incidentally, this was her first project since joining Acura about four years ago) under the direction of senior designer Damon Schell. Schell says the goal was to create "suspenseful emotion" with every curve and line of the ZDX, both inside and out. Christensen used such objects as a slingshot, an Olympic volleyball building in Tokyo and a bullet passing through a fluid medium for inspiration. Although Christensen's original sketch for the ZDX was more radical than the final outcome, the pushed-rearward B-pillars do give the car a coupe-like stance. Another notable on the ZDX is the first use of a through-bumper exhaust by Acura.

The interior was built around a "dual personal structure." Interior designer Michael Wiedeman achieved this goal by applying two large strips of leather that drop down from the dash and flow into the center console, fully delineating driver and passenger space; the convex "monolith" center stack adds to this effect. An effort was also made to "give the ZDX some soul," implementing center stack lights that appear to "wake up" once you touch the car's starter button.

Acura promises the 192.4-in.-long ZDX — with a V-6, SH-AWD and new 6-speed Sequential SportShift automatic transmission — will perform like a sports sedan, with outstanding handling in all weather conditions. We can't wait to find out. Stay tuned for our Driving Impression this fall.

Bentley Continental GTC Speed 2010

The fastest, most luxurious Bentley convertible ever produced goes on sale this summer with the introduction of the Bentley Continental GTC Speed.

Bentley calls the GTC Speed the ultimate in performance and refinement. This 2+2 convertible will complete the Bentley Speed lineup when it debuts in the summer of 2009, joining the Continental Flying Spur Speed sedan and the GT Speed coupe. The Speed lineup, inspired by the Bentleys that established the company's reputation racing at Le Mans in the late 1920s, is aimed at younger buyers than those loyal to the stately Bentley Arnage sedan.

It isn't clear exactly how young a buyer might be able to afford the Continental GTC Speed, which should retail at $230,000 or so, but enthusiasts have been known to form groups to buy these cars. In any case, Bentley has always been oriented around speed and it's worth noting that the organization devoted to the marquee is known as the Bentley Drivers Club.

The Bentley Continental GTC Speed will be distinguished from the standard GTC convertible by its dark tinted grille and 20-inch wheels, featuring a unique dual-thin spoke design and ultra high-performance Pirelli PZero tires. The Speed has a lower ride height, larger dual exhaust tips and a rear lip spoiler. Both GTCs will feature a revised nose for 2010, with a squarer, more upright grille in the classic Bentley mode, as well as larger lower air intakes and chrome headlight bezels.

Like the other Speed models, the GTC Speed will be equipped with an upgraded version of Bentley's twin-turbo, 6.0-liter W12 engine. This W configuration uses four banks of three cylinders, as opposed to two banks of six in a V12. It generates 600 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque, or 48 hp and 74 lb-ft more than the standard GTC. The Speed shares the GTC's six-speed ZF automatic transmission and full-time all-wheel drive.

The result of the horsepower upgrade is Bentley's most powerful (and fastest) convertible to date. The company promises 0-60 mph sprints in 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 195 mph with the retracting roof open. If that isn't fast enough, the GTC Speed will reach 200 mph with its roof closed.

The GTC Speed's body will sit lower to the ground than the standard convertible's will, by a fraction of an inch. It's electronically controlled automatic suspension will be tuned to more aggressively dampen body movement, usually referred to as roll and pitch. Its stability control system will allow the tires to slide a bit more before the electronics intervene in an effort to straighten the car's trajectory, just in case the Speed owner wants to try his or her car on a track.

Inside, the GTC Speed's machined aluminum trim and diamond-quilted leather ooze magnificence, as one expects in all Bentleys. Yet in the Speed, the bespoke quality is less overtly luxurious, perhaps more purposeful. The Speed also adds drilled alloy pedals and polished, model-specific door sills.

2010 Bentley Continental convertibles will be offered with two new options. Carbon-ceramic brakes trim weight and improve fade resistance, and Bentley claims they are the largest on any passenger car in the world. A new Adaptive Cruise Control system will use long-range radar to manage speed, controlling both brakes and throttle to maintain a driver-determined time gap between the GTC and cars ahead.

In the stratosphere of automobile prices, $20,000 or so may not mean much. The Continental GT Speed, introduced in 2007, quickly began outselling the less expensive, standard GT coupe. The same may apply with the convertibles.

The 2009 Continental GTC retails at $204,000, including destination and gas-guzzler tax. Factoring in the price increase from the standard GT coupe to the GT Speed, we're guessing about $230,000 for the 2010 GTC Speed. That's our guess. Actual retail prices are expected be announced closer to the on-sale date.


On Sale: Summer 2009
Expected Pricing: $230,000

Buick LaCrosse 2010

When the all-new 2010 Buick LaCrosse goes on sale this summer it will be more stylish and luxurious.

The LaCrosse, you may or may not recall, is a midsize sedan. Launched as a 2005 model, we liked it. And the new design is part of a plan by General Motors to revamp the Buick lineup much as it successfully did with the Cadillac lineup. The change to the Buick line started with the Enclave midsize crossover SUV, a vehicle that impressed us greatly.

Part of the GM's goal is to win younger, more affluent buyers for the Buick brand. The new LaCrosse was created with great attention to detail, craftsmanship and advanced technology, says Buick, and it builds on the success of Enclave and serves as the next step in Buick's renaissance.

The 2010 LaCrosse is built on the next generation of GM's global midsize car architecture, formerly known as Epsilon. The Buick LaCrosse is the first domestic car on the new platform, so it doesn't share with the Saturn Aura or Chevrolet Malibu, as you might suspect. Overseas, the Opel Insignia, which recently won the European Car of the Year award, uses the same architecture.

The new LaCrosse was developed globally. The architecture was designed in Europe, the interior styled in China, and the body design and vehicle integration completed in the United States. Compared to the outgoing model, the 2010 LaCrosse is about an inch shorter with a wheelbase that is 1.2 inches longer. This moves the wheels farther to the corners and results in a more athletic stance. The exterior styling employs cues of the Buick Invicta concept car shown at the Beijing auto show in China in 2008. The sculpted sides and waterfall grille are influenced by the Enclave.

Buick says the new LaCrosse will be the quietest Buick yet thanks to Quiet Tuning, which involves acoustic laminated glass, triple-sealed doors, liquid-sealed sound deadening, and special designs for the suspension bushings, engine cradle and mounts, and steering and induction systems.

The 2010 Buick LaCrosse will be offered in CX, CXL, and sporty CXS models. The V8-powered Super model will not return.

All models will use direct-injected V6 engines. Standard in the CX and CXL will be a new 3.0-liter V6 that will find its way into several other GM vehicles. In the LaCrosse, it will make 255 horsepower and 211 pound-feet of torque, and Buick estimates fuel economy ratings of 18 mpg city and 27 mpg highway.

The CXS model will come with GM's proven 3.6-liter V6, which will produce 280 horsepower and 261 pound-feet of torque in the 2010 LaCrosse. Buick estimates fuel economy numbers of 17/26 mpg for the CXS and says it will be capable of reaching 60 mph in less than seven seconds. Both engines will use a six-speed automatic transmission, and the CXS will have a manual shiftgate.

Front-wheel drive will be standard. The CXL model will also be available with an all-wheel-drive system with an electronic rear limited-slip differential that can send power side-to-side along the rear axle, which is a sophisticated setup.

CX models will have cloth seats and 17-inch wheels, while CXLs will be get leather upholstery, 18-inch wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control and fog lights. The CXS will heated and cooled seats and chrome-plated 18-inch wheels with optional 19s. Also standard on CXS will be a real-time damping system with three settings to adjust ride quality, as well as steering, throttle, and all-wheel-drive system calibrations.

That sounds all sounds very good. We loved the handling of the outgoing LaCrosse but thought the ride quality was a little choppy on rough metro freeways.

Inside, the 2010 LaCrosse will be more pleasant than the outgoing model, with real wood trim, blue-lit instrumentation and ambient lighting, and stitched leather trim on the dash. Other available features will include Bluetooth connectivity, a USB audio interface, a rearview camera, adaptive headlights, a head's up display, and GM's new Side Blind Zone alert system.

Pricing hasn't been announced, but we expect the LaCrosse to increase from its mid $20,000s starting price given the added features and interior quality.


On Sale: Summer 2009
Expected Pricing: Low $30,000s

Bentley Azure T 2010

The Bentley Azure T convertible may well be the last of the big Bentleys powered by the venerable 6-3/4 liter turbocharged engine. The 2010 Azure T combines the prodigious power of the Brooklands Coupe with four-passenger, open-air driving in near incomparable luxury. Traditional Bentley upgrades set the T apart from lesser Azure models, including more elaborate luxury and features, greater performance, and styling details.

Although engine size remains constant, the state of tune is a significant percentage higher, now with 500 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque on call. That infinite well of mid-range power, which surpasses virtually everything on the road not carrying a V12 AMG or TDI badge, lets the Azure ride a seemingly endless wave of thrust like a Swan sailing yacht surfs large swells. One does hear it, but only in the fore when reaching 60 mph in just more than five seconds and a top speed of nearly three miles per minute.

Driving characteristics are tightened somewhat to match the power but this car is more about surprising grip relative the cosseting ride rather than taut, svelte and tossable sports car. The stability systems have been relaxed to better enjoy the 20-inch tires, monumental brakes and the six-speed automatic's sport or manual modes.

Visual distinctions include dark tinted matrix mesh grilles, front fender LeMans vents, retractable Flying B hood ornament, body-color mirrors, twin tailpipes, and a jewel fuel cap carved from a chunk of aluminum. With 42 paint shades, 25 upholstery colors and eight types of wood, the 8400 permutations far exceed build quantities but "to sample" arrangements can be made through the Mulliner program.

Bentley's embossed logo diamond-quilted leather adorns the cabin, itself large enough to comfortably accommodate four adults. There is more knurling applied to switchgear and the organ-stop pull knobs, while the instrument panel is engine-turned aluminum with black-face gauges inset. Modern concessions include an iPod/USB interface and SD card slot, though original source recordings will reproduce best on the 1.1-kilowatt Naim sound system.

The rigid structure of the Azure, which includes carbon-fiber bracing, is more than capable of handling the extra performance and the multi-layer folding soft top is completely automated and does not reduce trunk room.

An Azure T will likely mark the pinnacle of the Arnage/Azure line, ensuring its potential collectibility, but the Azure T is to be driven and experienced with friends and not relegated to a time capsule.


On Sale:
Fall 2009

Expected Pricing:
$350,000-$375,000

Rolls Royce 200EX

Rolls Royce 200EX launched at Geneva Motor Show

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has launched its a new car - 200EX – at the Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday. Rolls-Royce says that 200EX is the latest experimental car from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. It explores a design direction for a dynamic, modern, four-door Rolls-Royce engineered for the 21st century.

100EX was the first experimental car unveiled after Rolls-Royce Motor Cars was relaunched under BMW Group ownership in 2003. Revealed at the Geneva motor show in 2004, the two-door, four-seat convertible was built to mark 100 years of Rolls-Royce motor car design and engineering. Just two years later, 101EX was presented, which explored modern coupé design. Both of these cars inspired production models that not only closely resemble their EX progenitors but have also redefined luxury motoring in .the modern age.

Following on from this success, the same group of designers and engineers has created 200EX, itself pointing the way to RR4, a new Rolls-Royce model scheduled for production in 2010. The brief for 200EX? To create a modern, lithe and dynamic Rolls-Royce that bears all the hallmarks of the great cars that have gone before it: effortless performance, unparalleled refinement, exquisite quality and confident design

200EX has a dynamic edge to its styling and is noticeably less formal than previous models. Its size, style and expression broaden the appeal of the car, making it more appropriate for a wider range of circumstances. “200EX is a touring saloon with more than a little panache and perhaps more bravado than one might have expected from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars,” says Cameron. “What you see is a modern car that is immediately recognisable as a true Rolls-Royce, even from angles that obscure the grille and Spirit of Ecstasy. Design elements such as the elevated prow, long bonnet, short front overhang, sharply raked A-pillar and elegant tail give 200EX an air of informal presence — powerful but unobtrusive.

The exterior of 200EX is finished in Darkest Tungsten, which contrasts with the silver satin finish applied to the bonnet and A-pillar. Seven-spoke, 20-inch wheels complete the visual impact of the exterior.

Within 200EX, Interior Designer Alan Sheppard has accomplished a contemporary atmosphere, incorporating the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars principles of fine materials and peerless comfort. The space is filled with natural light, which brings in a real sense of the outside world. However, substantial doors and a high shoulder line ensure that occupants feel cosseted and protected. In the rear, the intimate ambience of the lounge seat is emphasised by its position behind the C-pillar, heightening the sense of privacy.