Posts Tagged ‘car reviews’
Can once-dominant SUV regain lead in today’s crowded market?
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jul.26, 2010
A new day for Ford's once best-selling Explorer?
You normally don’t expect to see Ford CEO Alan Mulally wandering through New York’s crowded Herald Square in the middle of a Monday morning. But this isn’t your typical weekday, not as far as Ford is concerned. The automaker’s chief executive is in the Big Apple for the launch of the latest, all-new version of the Ford Explorer.
Once the best-selling sport-utility vehicle in the world, Explorer is today just a shadow of its former self, at least from a sales standpoint, so the unusual preview – which bypasses the normal auto show circuit in a bid to maximize exposure from media-central Manhattan – is a critical step in Ford’s effort to rebuild demand.
“This is the reinvention of the most popular SUV in the world,” Mulally declared during an appearance on CNBC this morning. At least what was the top-selling SUV.
The original Explorer was one of the first to target the emerging market for light trucks, when it came to market two decades ago. But today, U.S. buying patterns have shifted once again, and sales of traditional truck-based sport-utility vehicles have fallen sharply, millions of buyers instead opting for lighter, more nimble and fuel-efficient crossover vehicles.
With the 2011 Explorer, Ford becomes the latest maker to shift from a body-on-frame to car-based platform – a strategy used by Mercedes-Benz, among others, with the latest-generation M-Class ute. But the Detroit maker is walking a marketing tightrope. At today’s launch and in the marketing blitz to follow, Ford will continue to play up the 2011 Explorer’s go-anywhere capabilities while also emphasizing its more crossover-like attributes – notably its more nimble ride and handling and a projected 30% improvement in fuel economy.
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“It’s a vehicle completely redefined,” says Ford’s global product development director, Derrick Kuzak., with the goal of the redesign and shift to a CUV platform to address “past reasons for turning away” from both the SUV segment and Explorer, in particular.
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Tags: 2011 ford explorer pics, 2011 ford explorer review, 2011 jeep grand cherokee, Alan Mulally, CUV reviews, SUV reviews, auto news, auto reviews, car news, car reviews, crossover reviews, crossovers, ford explorer, ford news, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
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Bigger, but still a Mini.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jul.23, 2010
When does a Mini go maxi? The new 2011 Countryman still is a Mini, we found.
Small doesn’t sell – or so went the old automotive axiom. But these days, automotive marketers are singing a different tune. Small is beautiful, and there’s no better example than the Mini.
Since it made its U.S. debut in 2002, BMW’s British brand has handily outperformed expectations. It’s also grown a bit, at least in terms of line-up, with additions like the Mini Open convertible. But is a larger car still capable of being a Mini? Or will the brand max out when the all-new 2011 Countryman rolls into showrooms? That’s a question that sent us scurrying over to Hamburg, Germany to test drive the maker’s latest addition.
Based on an all-new platform, the 2011 Mini Countryman isn’t just larger, it’s also the British marque’s first four-door model. And since we’re talking big changes here, the Countryman is also the brand’s first sport-utility vehicle. No, it’s not about to take on the Jeep Wrangler to see which is more adept at handling rugged courses like the Rubicon Trail, but as we discovered during two days of driving, the new model is reasonably capable on gravel, dirt and deep ruts, especially if equipped with the new Mini ALL4 all-wheel-drive system.
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Tags: 2011 mini countryman cooper s all4 review, 2011 mini countryman review, BMW Mini, auto news, auto reviews, car news, car reviews, countryman review, mini news, mini review, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, small car reviews, thedetroitbureau
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Those ticket-me-red Porsches are starting to look green.
by Jim McCraw on Jul.22, 2010
The 2011 Porsche Hybrid nearly matches the numbers and performance of the Cayenne S.
Let’s face it, Porsches have always looked good in ticket-me-red. But with the launch of the German maker’s first gas-electric model, the 2011 Cayenne Hybrid, Porsche could look better in green.
The Porsche Cayenne, the venerable German company’s first SUV, generated huge amounts of cash, became the company’s best-selling product, and enabled the company to expand safely into new territory with more 911 and Boxster variants, the Cayman sports car and the Panamera luxury sedan. The Cayenne is the company’s best-selling model ever, with 282,000 sold so far.
Hybrids!
For model year 2011, Porsche has made significant changes to the big sport-utility vehicle, and also expanded the still-new Panamera product line to include a V6-powered version for those customers who don’t want or need a V8 or a turbocharged V8 to make them happy.
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Tags: 2011 porsche cayenne hybrid review, Porsche Cayenne, SUV reviews, auto news, auto reviews, car news, car reviews, cayenne hybrid review, cayenne review, green machines, hybrid reviews, jim mccraw, porsche hybrids, porsche news, porsche panamera, porsche reviews, thedetroitbureau
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British maker hints of something big to come during upcoming motor show.
by Bryan Laviolette on Jul.21, 2010
Is Lotus about to unveil a successor to its legendary Esprit sports car?
Hey 007, Lotus might be developing a successor to your ride in “The Spy Who Loved Me.” Or, maybe not.
The British sports and race car maker has issued a cryptically worded press release that says it expects to make a major announcement at the Paris Auto Show.
“Perhaps a new Esprit,” the automaker teases. “Perhaps not. Or perhaps [something] even more?”
Lotus produced the Esprit, possibly the most recognizable car in its history, from 1976 to 2004.
But it took James Bond to give the Esprit that extra push in the 1977 movie “The Spy Who Loved Me,” where the super-sleuth famously drove one into the water where it became a submarine to make one of his always spectacular escapes from the bad guys.
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Actor Richard Gere wasn’t quite so adept with the Esprit’s manual gearbox in 1989’s “Pretty Woman,” which created a chance encounter with a streetwalker played by Julia Roberts. Not only did she have a heart of gold, but she knew how to shift.
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Tags: auto news, auto reviews, bryan laviolette, car news, car reviews, julia roberts lotus esprit, lotus elise, lotus esprit, lotus evora, lotus exige, lotus news, pretty woman, richard gere lotus esprit, spy who loved me, thedetroitbureau
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GMC Sierra Denali Aims to Lux Up HD Pickups
by Jim McCraw on Jul.15, 2010
The first GMC truck to bear the top-rated Denali name made its debut this week.
What’s in a name, Shakespeare once asked? And so did we when we heard GMC would be spreading the “Denali” nameplate around in 2011.
We’ve just had a brief drive in the brawny, sexy new 2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD, which marks the first use of the exclusive Denali name on a heavy-duty GMC pickup, a truck which makes its world debut this week.
We immediately recognized the new model, thanks to the trademark Denali four-bar chrome grille with round air inlets that distinguish the Sierra Denali HD on the outside, along with body-color bumpers, chrome door handles, chrome accents and 18- and 20-inch polished forged aluminum wheels. The exterior is offered in three colors: Black, Stealth Gray and White.
Heavy Hauler!
Designed to compete against the Ford F-250HD King Ranch and Dodge Power Wagon models at the top of the heavy-duty pickup ladder, the new Denali we drove is powered by the 6.6-liter Duramax turbodiesel V8 delivering 397 horsepower at 3,000 rpm and 765 foot-pounds of torque down at 1,600 rpm, with a heavy-duty Allison 1000 6-speed transmission.
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Tags: 2011 gmc sierra denali review, auto news, auto reviews, car reviews, denali review, gmc denali pickup, gmc reviews, jim mccraw, pickup reviews, thedetroitbureau, truck reviews
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Speed still matters, it seems, in a world going green.
by tdb on Jul.08, 2010
For those who need to shortern their daily commute, there's the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport.
In a world going green – while trying, anyway – speed still seems to matter, as well. But who’s the fastest? Bugatti and Bentley are both laying claims.
Anyone who has seen the record books from the Bonneville Salt Flats knows that the record book can be carved up in nearly as many ways as baseball and football have parsed their stats. But the two European makers lay claims to top speed numbers that nonetheless deserve mention.
When it comes to unadulterated, flat out, foot-to-the-floor performance, it seems that the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport has set the new benchmark, achieving a new land speed world record for a production vehicle. The folks from Guinness World Records have certified the number at 431 kmh, or 268 mph, along with representatives of the German Technical Inspection Agency, otherwise known as TUV.
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The record was set on June 26th, Bugatti reveals, at the Volkswagen Group’s proving ground in Ehra-Lessien, not far from VW’s headquarters in Wolfsburg. Bugatti pilot Pierre Henry Raphanel made the run in a striking red-and block stock version of the Veyron Super Sport. Its 16-cylinder engine produces 1,200 horsepower (up from 1,001 for the original Veyron) and 885 pound-feet of torque. The engine is mated to a twin-clutch 7-speed gearbox and power is channeled to an intelligent all-wheel-drive system.
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Tags: auto news, bentley continental supersports convertible, bentley reviews, bugatti reviews, bugatti veyron, bugatti veyron 16.4 Super Sport, car news, car reviews, luxury car reviews, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, sports cars, supercars, thedetroitbureau
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A new look for the “Grand Sport Tourer.”
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jun.25, 2010
A new, more rugged look for the 2011 remake of the Mercedes-Benz R-Class.
What is it about American drivers? They’ll pay a premium and sacrifice some everyday functionality to get an SUV that looks rugged but likely never sees an off-road trail. Offer them a wagon, minivan or anything that looks more like a people mover and they go running.
That seems to have been the curse that kept the old Mercedes-Benz R-Class bound to the bottom of the U.S. sales charts. It was a lavish and well-appointed vehicle that seemed to have a hard time finding a distinct niche and so was largely written off by American motorists – even though it received generally favorable reviews from both the media and those few buyers who actually drove one home.
So, the German maker is giving it one more try, and with the 2011 remake of the Mercedes-Benz R-Class, it’s not making the same mistake. For one thing, you likely won’t hear the maker’s marketing folk refer to the new model as a “Grand Sport Tourer,” whatever that means, anymore.
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Even more luxurious — and functional — than before, the critical update for the new model-year focuses on front and rear-end styling, giving the roomy people carrier a bit more of a crossover-ute look that should enhance its appeal.
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Tags: 2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Class, Mercedes R350, Mercedes R350 BlueTec, Mercedes diesels, R-Class review, SUV reviews, auto news, auto reviews, car news, car reviews, diesel reviews, mercedes news, mercedes reviews, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, people movers, thedetroitbureau
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Worth the wait…and more’s coming.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jun.04, 2010
Due to a 7-week production delay, the first 2010 Saab 9-5 Aero sedans are just getting into U.S. dealer hands in any real numbers.
The Swedish are coming. The Swedish are coming. And it was well worth the wait.
As General Motors plunged into bankruptcy, almost exactly a year ago, it became increasingly apparent the maker would have to abandon as many as four of its North American brands, including Saab. And though GM hoped to find a buyer for the long-troubled brand it seemed all too likely the Scandinavian maker might be forced to shutter its sprawling design, engineering and assembly operations in the Swedish town of Trollhattan.
It would have been not only an ignominious but ironic end to the marque, which emerged out of the aircraft industry shortly after the Second World War. That’s because, after years of producing generally lackluster products, Saab finally seemed poised to launch an all-new version of the 9-5 sedan, a product that finally seemed to live up to the high expectations of long-suffering loyalists – and draw in a new generation of buyers, as well.
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But, late last year, even as GM began the process of shutting down Saab, the proverbial white knight rode in – in the form of Victor Muller, CEO of Dutch-based Spyker, a maker of low-volume, high-priced supercars. After some desperate bargaining – and the helping hand of the European Investment Bank – Muller clinched the deal and took control of Saab. But not before GM disbanded the maker’s board, shut its Trollhattan assembly line and told suppliers to cancel parts orders.
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Tags: 2010 Saab 9-5 review, 9-5 aero, 9-5 review, auto news, auto reviews, car news, car reviews, gm saab, muller saab, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, saab 9-5 aero, saab aero, saab news, saab review, saab spyker, saab trouble, thedetroitbureau, victor muller
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Reinventing a stodgy old brand.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jun.01, 2010
Once written off for dead, the launch of the 2011 Buick Regal could continue rebuilding the brand's momentum.
There were plenty of surprises when General Motors made it through bankruptcy, last year, including not only the demise of the Pontiac, Saturn, Hummer and Saab divisions – but the decision to keep Buick.
Founded in 1899 as the Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company, it was sold, in 1903, by David Dunbar Buick and his partners to the company that would become GM. Today the oldest surviving Amerian auto brand, the once-powerful Buick is but a shadow of its former self, sales plunging 90% over the last two decades.
Yet there have been recent signs of life, new products such as the Enclave crossover and LaCrosse sedan not only surging in sales but bringing in the sort of young, affluent buyers who long steered clear of the stodgy old marque. Could Buick be hip again? The real test is likely to come with the launch of the 2011 Buick Regal.
Ironically, the new midsize sedan wasn’t originally supposed to be a Buick. What’s now badged Regal was originally a joint development pairing GM’s European brand, Opel, and North America’s Saturn. When the latter division was abandoned by GM, the sedan got a new nameplate and grille, much to Buick’s good fortune.
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While the American sedan is just getting ready to roll into showrooms, the European version has been on sale for the better part of a year under the Opel Insignia badge, and has been winning rave reviews and plenty of new buyers. If our first long drive of the 2011 Buick Regal is any indication, the same thing may soon happen here.
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Tags: 2011 Buick Regal, 2011 buick regal review, Opel Insignia, auto news, auto reviews, buick lacrosse, buick news, buick regal review, car news, car reviews, hyundai sonata, lexus es, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Automobiles | 8 Comments »
by Paul A. Eisenstein on May.25, 2010
The 2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport revives a familiar name - but delivers some serious performance numbers.
There was a look of disappointment in the eyes of the radar cop as we drove by, a wee bit below the speed limit. Seeing us coming, with the ticket-me-red paint job and the white racing stripes on the front fender he was certain we were going to help him meet the day’s quota.
To be honest, it isn’t easy to hold the 2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport under the speed limit. Heck, it’d be hard to slow down if we were living along the German Autobahn.
Think of the GS as a sort of hybrid. It starts out with the same steel chassis as the “base” Corvette, but the crossed-flag emblem is your first hint that there are some other significant changes in store. Indeed, if you pulled out your tape measure you’d notice the dimensions are decidedly different. The Grand Sport shares most of those with the high-performance Z06 model, including the gill slits and taller rear spoiler. (See First Look: 2010 Corvette Grand Sport)
There are plenty of poseurs on the market, models that attach the word, “sport” to their name but offer little more than cosmetic enhancements. Not so the Corvette Grand Sport. And the changes do more than just enhance aerodynamics.
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There are the oversized wheels, shared with the Z06, as well as the more expensive model’s cross-drilled brakes, measuring 14-inches up front and 13.4-inchers in the rear. They deliver real stopping power.
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Tags: 2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport review, Chevy Vette review, Corvette Grand Sport, auto reviews, car news, car reviews, corvette reviews, muscle cars, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, performance cars, sports car reviews, sports cars, thedetroitbureu
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