2011 Infiniti QX56 4WD

 

Arrival: 2011 Infiniti QX56 4WD

 

Does the world need a better Cadillac Escalade? That's the question we'll ask ourselves for the next 12 months as we run around the country in our newest long-termer, the 2011 Infiniti QX56. While the latest and largest from Infiniti didn't win our SUV of the Year calipers, it did well enough in the competition for us to hound Infiniti into giving us one for a year. In other words, we like it.

But do we need it? Turn the dial back about 18 months to the days of $5/gallon gas here in Southern California, and the idea of a vehicle with an observed fuel economy of 12.2 mpg would have been obscene. But now, in 2011, with gas prices lower and stabilized, such figures register as only borderline obscene. Which is a fancy way of saying obnoxious but still somehow tolerable, like Snooki.

That said, we like the new QX56 much better than "Jersey Shore." We like it much better than the last-generation QX56, too.

Part of the reason is that unlike the previous car, which was based on the Nissan Armada/Titan platform, the new QX shares almost everything with the mighty Patrol, a legitimate desert warrior of a four-wheeler that's beloved in India, Australia, and Iran. Another reason we dig the new QX is its kitchen sink-ness. As in, it has everything.

At some point, you need to ask yourself how you have survived all these years without second-row footwell courtesy lights. We're not sure, and we're equally unsure how we made it this long without EBD, VDC, TCS, TPMS, VSS, HID, DSW, LDW, LDP, DCA, IBA, FCW, AAFS, or ACCS, to name most of the acronyms our QX56 shipped with. And the around-view monitor is still the coolest trick at the party.

One thing we can live without are its looks. From the A-pillars forward, the QX56 just looks bad. As associate Web editor Kirill Ougarov points out, this Infiniti, "looks ungainly from just about every angle. The worst touch are the fender vents, which look like they were picked out of the JC Whitney catalog." Harsh, but quite true. As an experiment I stared at the QX's schnoz for 10 minutes, looking for an attractive angle. There weren't any.

But the big lug's inherent athleticism really surprised us. Executive editor Edward Loh comments, "Steering is unexpectedly responsive, a lot lighter and faster than I'm used to in vehicles this size." Even though it weighs in at 3 tons, it hits 60 mph in 6.1 seconds. Credit the 5.6-liter 400-horse V-8.

We see a year of luxurious and comfortable road trips in the QX's immediate future. Thank the maker that we can write off the gas.

Our Vehicle
Base price	$59,800
Price as tested	$71,850
Vehicle layout	Front engine, AWD, 7-pass, 4-door SUV
Engine	5.6L/400-hp/413-lb-ft DOHC 32-valve V-8
Transmission	7-speed automatic
Curb weight (dist, f/r)	5971 lb (52/48%)
Wheelbase	121.1 in
Length x width x height	208.3 x 79.9 x 75.6 in
0-60 mph	6.1 sec
Quarter mile	14.7 sec @ 94.4 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph	122 ft
Lateral accel	0.74 g (avg)
MT figure eight	28.6 sec @ 0.57 g (avg)
EPA city/hwy econ	14/20 mpg
CO2 emissions	1.20 lb/mile
Total mileage	6431 miles
Average fuel economy	12.2 mpg

2011-mitsubishi-outlander-sport

2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

The 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport compact sport-utility vehicle ("SUV") recently made its North American debut at the 2010 New York International Auto Show. The Outlander Sport has already been released overseas, where it is known as the Mitsubishi RVR in Asia and the Mitsubishi ASX ("Active Sport Crossover") in Europe.

The new Outlander Sport is a condensed version of the successful Mitsubishi Outlander SUV. The 5-seat Sport is 13.6 inches shorter and 440 pounds lighter than the Outlander. The regular Outlander has an available V-6 engine and 7-passenger seating. The streamlining of SUVs into more compact form is a popular automotive trend.

The Outlander Sport will come with a 2.0-liter, 148 horsepower, and 4-cylinder MIVEC engine. Its styling draws information from Mitsubishi's Lancer sport and is part of part of Mitsubishi's plan to reposition itself as a maker of smaller and more efficient cars. The vehicle is expected to get fuel economy above 30 miles per gallon on the highway and produce low emissions. To save weight, the Outlander Sport comes with recycled plastic front fenders and thinner high-strength steel in the tailgate, doors, and hood.

The Outland Sport is expected to have a base price of under $20,000. A five-speed manual will come standard on the base ES model. A six-speed magnesium paddle-shifted Continuously Variable Transmission will be available on the ES model and standard on the SE model. The model will have available Mitsubishi's electronic all-wheel drive system. Other available options will include a navigation system with traffic updates, a 710-watt nine speaker sound system, and HID headlamps. This model will go on sale this fall in the United States.

benefits-of-buying-car-in-kia-dealers

Buying a new car directly from the dealer is pleasant, especially if the dealer has a good reputation and service. There are many dealers from the famous automobile manufacturers that wanted by prospective buyers of cars such as the Jaguar dealer, Chevy dealer, BMW dealer and so forth. For some people the name of KIA sounds strange in their ears. However, Kia is the oldest automotive company in South Korea and they has sold more than one million unit vehicles worldwide in 2008.

Kia has established since 1944, but this company has been enjoying the success at the present time. Although this company has been taken by Hyundai Motors Company due to Asian financial crisis in 1998, and its name changed to be Hyundai KIA Automotive Group, however in the UK and Europe, they are the fastest growing car manufacturer. In the United States, Kia dealership has been there since 1992 in the city of Portland and now almost all major cities in the world has Kia dealers.

The story above is a brief history and success story of KIA Motors, so there is no doubt if you want to buy Kia products, the best place to find it is Kia dealers. There are many advantages if you buy vehicle at the Kia dealers. Even some consumers who have purchased a car through Kia dealers admitted that they received many advantages that actually did not they expected before when they buy a car in this place.

The New Mitsubishi L200 Model

The New Mitsubishi L200 Model

The New Mitsubishi L200 is one in a million when it comes to a pick up. This car is made like a pick up, but it can be transformed into a car. On the road, no one could tell the difference between a regular car and this pickup truck. The only difference was the style of it. It looks like a "raging" bull. It has the appearance of being a very strong and durable pick up, which in turn can be turned into a family car in no time. It also has a lot of space in the backseat for passengers.

New Mitsubishi L200 was built for the family. When it was built, family was on the makers mind. They wanted something that the whole family could use without having to buy two cars, such as one car to haul the family in and then have a pick up for them when they needed to move things around. The idea is to have the family save money, while getting a good pick up that can transformed into a car at anytime. For instance, the whole family can now go shopping in one car and if they buy something big, they can still put the item in the back without bothering anyone that is sitting in the backseat.

2011-jaguar-xj-is-improved-and-better

Sales in the automotive market have been down lately and Jaguar's sales weren't any different. Also, it didn't help that their lineup has remained unchanged for the past few years. However, with Jaguar's flagship vehicle receiving a new look inside and out for 2011 that is all about to change.

Often cars in the luxury market will be quite similar but the intention of the 2011 Jaguar XJ is to entice customers with something that is a bit different. And the new XJ looks downright sinister. This four door sedan sports 20in. rims and has a super powerful v8 engine.

Cosmetic changes were also made. The glass line has been altered and extended with the rear sloping down to meet the trunk. The roof looks much lower almost like the car has been chopped. The Jaguar looks like it has one unbroken large piece of tinted side glass.

You can choose from numerous different variations for the wheel base and type of engines. The XJ version has the shorter 119in. wheel base and the XJL (L for large) has a wheel base of 244 inches. The very base model checks in at $72,500 with a DOHC 5-liter V-8 motor that produces 385 hp 385 lb. ft. of torque. The top of the line buys you a supercharged version of the engine cranking out 510 hp and 461 lb. ft. or torque, it also gets you the larger wheel base. Price for everything is $115k for this: the super sport model.

2001 Acura Integra GS review from North America

"Performance, reliability, fun, comfort, inexpensive"

2001 Acura Integra GS

2001 Acura Integra GS

2001 Acura Integra GS

 

What things have gone wrong with the car?

This car was in two wrecks before I bought it.
Nothing has gone wrong with the car in the 8 months and 9,000 miles that I've owned it.
Nothing will go wrong with this car until at least the year 2009.

General comments?

The sunroof (when closed) is a little noisy on the highway when the cover is slid back.
Another bone I pick with this car is that the cruise control is no better than it was in 1990, as it has about a 4 mph range around the desired speed setting.
I am also disappointed that Acura took away the fog headlamps.
The car's handling results in pure, simple fun! I have so much fun just driving this car.
This car, however, is not as peppy as the 1990 Integra I owned, even though the engines are very similar. I suspect different gear ratios for more sedated acceleration.
The comfort level is very high for this car's price. The AC is cold and the fan blows hard enough to circulate cold air throughout the car. It still is not as cold as my Sentra's AC in the heat of the summer, but it gets the job done.
Why on earth are there two horn buttons located on the side of the steering wheel? It's a design flaw, in my opinion. It is nearly impossible to find the horn while in a turn or a curve.
I love Integras. The car's responsiveness is exceptional for any car in its price range. My only lament in performance is the slight loss of pep in the pedal.
I love Integras. The handling is very similar to driving a go-cart. They seem to hug the ground and never feel like they're going to tip over, like my Sentra does even when sitting still.
For its price, this car cannot be beat in the combination of reliability, fun, comfort, and performance. How do I know this? You cannot find a single Integra for sale if it has less than 100k miles on it, unless it has been modified or wrecked. People won't sell them, because they're such an excellent value.

Doomed 1979 Corolla Wagon Would Fit In Current Corolla’s Cup Holder

The tiny rear-wheel-drive station wagon, killed by hatchbacks, minivans, and 64-ounce sodas, is no longer with us. Here’s a reminder of an era in which such vehicles were relevant.

The 2T-C engine in this car displaced 1,588cc and made 88 horsepower. That doesn’t sound like much, but keep in mind that this car scaled in at a mere 2,280 pounds.

Yes, it was noisy and crude and would leave nothing but a grim memory in the responding paramedics’ minds after tangling with an Excursion, but I’m still saddened to see another subcompact wagon get crushed.