Monthly Archives: June 2010
First Drive: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee redefines the Tipping Point
In the span of three years, Chrysler has been bought and sold more times than Duke Cunningham. Its warped “merger of equals” with Daimler ended in 2007 and the disastrous reign of incompetence extended into its relationship with Cerberus Capital Management – now a “bad word” within the hallowed halls of Chrysler, according to one exec.
After filing for bankruptcy in April of 2009, the reformed Chrysler Group partnered with the Italian automaking juggernauts at Fiat and have since rolled out a five-year business plan that’s nothing if not ambitious.
But you didn’t come here for an abbreviated history lesson on Chrysler and its failed suitors. You want to find out how your $6.6 billion in federal funding is being spent and if the company’s products are finally up to snuff. Well, here’s the short version: The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is the first Chrysler product since the 300 that deserves your attention. Follow the jump to find out why.
Report: Audi R4 to launch in 2013, slotted below the TT
Rumors have floating around for years that Audi has been planning to develop a small entry-level, mid-engine sports car, and Auto Motor und Sport is now claiming the so-called R4 will debut in 2013. The R4 is expected to be based on Audi’s second e-tron concept that debuted at the Detroit Auto Show last January although it will use internal combustion power instead of the electric drive of the concept.
The R4 is expected to weigh in at a comparatively modest 2,500 pounds and offer a choice of gas or diesel inline-four engines. Gasoline propulsion would come from a 180 horsepower 1.4-liter TSI unit while the high-mileage option would be the 170 horsepower version of the 2.0-liter TDI used in the TT and the Golf GTD. The R4 is also expected to be priced well below the TT with a base of about €22,000 (about $27,000). A tip of the hat to Chris!
Korea’s Spirra supercar is ready to hit the road (and track)
It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Korea’s Oullim Motors, creator of the Spirra – the country’s first legitimate supercar. And when we say “supercar,” we aren’t talking about some Mitsuoka Orochi-like creation that looks exotic, but is powered by a weak engine. Quite the contrary – Spirra is the real deal. The official details about Oullim’s pride and joy have gone through many revisions over the past few years, but the automaker has just now released the final specs, and might we say, it certainly packs a punch.
Power comes from a mid-mounted, Hyundai-sourced 2.7-liter V6 which makes 175 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque in the base Spirra N model. Not impressive, we know, but as you climb upwards in the model range, that’s where things start to get tasty. The Spirra S adds a small turbocharger to that mill, resulting in 330 hp and 347 lb-ft, and Spirra T uses a larger turbo which ups output to 400 hp and 362 lb-ft. At the tippy-top end is the Spirra EX (‘EX’ for ‘Extreme’ – seriously), and its twin-turbo V6 cranks out a screaming 500 hp and 398 lb-ft, making this car capable of competing with the likes of Lamborghinis and Ferraris. All models are fitted with a six-speed manual transmission, and power is sent solely to the rear wheels.
The base Spirra N will run from 0 to 60 miles per hour in a ho-hum 6.8 seconds, but obviously, that number decreases as you add more power, and the EX will run that same jaunt in only 3.5 clicks, on its way to a top speed of 193 mph. And when you consider that the top-rung model only weighs in at 2,646 pounds, it means that this thing is certainly poised to be a real stunner when pushed hard. The Spirra is made up of a carbon fiber body mounted on a tubular spaceframe, and each car is built by hand. Combine that with large wheels (18s for N and S models, 19s for T and EX) wrapped in sticky tires and fitted with beefy Brembo brakes, and you’ve got a real winner on your hands.
Audi S5 Sportback tuneathon begins with Senner AG
First, Audi debuts the A5 Sportback and says that it won’t be coming to America. Then the automaker goes and gives it the S5 treatment and reminds us that, no, it isn’t coming to America. Fine. But now the onslaught of aftermarket S5 Sportback tunings have started, and this first one from Senner Tuning AG is pretty darn hot. We surrender.
Senner starts by upping the output from the S5′s 3.0-liter supercharged V6 to 375 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque – gains of 42 and 41, respectively. A new sport exhaust system was also created specifically for this S5, and it now uses quad-exhaust tips out back. We’d love to hear what this thing sounds like at full throttle, especially since we’ve noted on many occasions that the current supercharged S5 could stand to be a bit more vocal out on the street.
From there, the car is painted in a special diamond black finish, and new 20-inch wheels have been added, wrapped in 245/30-series rubber up front and 295/25 low-profile treads out back. Senner has also fitted different springs and lowered the S5 by about 35 millimeters. The interior gets the standard carbon fiber trim upgrades, and the whole package is super stealth.
Officially Official: 2011 Honda Odyssey prepares to rock your sippy cups
When Honda pulled the wraps off of its Odyssey Concept at this year’s Chicago Auto Show, we knew it was just a few small tweaks away from being production-ready. Well, four months later, the official details and images have been released, and while the 2011 Odyssey doesn’t go a long way in offering fantastic new innovations for the minivan segment, it packages the whole thing together in what might be the best-looking minivan we have yet to see.
The 2011 Odyssey is lower and wider than the outgoing model, and features what Honda is calling a “lightning bolt” beltline, a feature that was present on the concept van that we saw in Chicago. We aren’t sure if we’re in love with that quirky design element, but one thing’s for sure, you won’t see the origami fold and stepped greenhouse on any other minivan in the shopping mall parking lot. Other new features for the 2011 model year include available HID headlamps up front, new 18-inch alloy wheels, larger 12.6-inch ventilated front disc brakes, revised side mirrors and a power tailgate. Honda has yet to release full performance specs, but we do know that there’s a 3.5-liter i-VTEC V6 under the hood, and early estimates state that the top-trim Odyssey Touring Elite should achieve 19 miles per gallon in the city and 28 mpg(!) on the highway.
Inside, Honda has made the most of the Odyssey’s extra width, offering an additional inch of shoulder room in the front row. What’s most interesting, though, are the three second-row seat configurations, including an all-new wide mode which allows the two side captains chairs to be pulled away from the center seat, meaning three child car seats can fit all across one row. Again, the Odyssey hasn’t really done anything innovative with its interior packaging, but new features like a chilled cool box in the front center console, HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) input, 16.2-inch widescreen entertainment system, 15 upholders and a trash bag holder (yep!) will make the cabin more attractive to consumers who need one heck of an all-around family hauler.
