2012 Range Rover The Amazing Sports Car Land Rover

A new model year brings about new features to all Land Rover vehicles, and 2012 is no different. Most notably, both the Range Rover Sport and LR4 will now be offered with a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, paired with a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 engine. The V8 mills, however, still employ the services of a six-speed cogswapper.

2012 Range Rover Sport Wallpaper

2012 Range Rover Sport Wallpaper

2012 Range Rover Sport Wallpaper

IMPROVED FEATURES FOR RANGE ROVER SPORT IN 2012

• Power increased to 256PS on higher power 3.0-litre diesel.
• Substantial CO2 reductions to EU5 diesel engine range.
• New ZF 8-speed automatic gearbox with rotary gear shift selector and paddle shift.
• Dual View touch-screen available for the first time.
• WhiteFireTM wireless technology enhances rear seat entertainment.
• Introduction of MOST Gen 2.1 electrical architecture.
• 825W audio system powers the Premium Harmon Kardon LOGIC 7.
• 'Say What You See' voice command system.
• New powered tailgate.
• Revised interiors and enhanced design for Autobiography and Limited Edition.




U.S.-bound Range Rovers get a number of important improvements – including an updated interior with dual-view touchscreen audio/entertainment that makes it possible for the driver to use the GPS while passengers watch a DVD – plus wireless headphones and other good stuff.

But 33 MPG? forget about it.

Don’t blame Land Rover, though – blame the (note, not our) government. for making it hard-to-economically-and-otherwise-impossible for the car companies to bring the diesel engines they sell in export markets to this market. (See here for more on this business.)

What was it Barry said about the importance of increasing fuel economy… ?

Never mind

The 2012 Range Rover Sport will offer a brand-new 3 liter turbodiesel engine and eight speed automatic capable of 33 MPG.

Oh. Wait a sec. It just won’t be offered here. It’s a Euro-only deal.

WHAT IT IS

The Range Rover Sport is – you guessed it – a sporty (and slightly smaller) version of the Range Rover, the high-end, full-size 4WD SUV built by Land Rover. It’s about half a foot shorter, four inches narrower through the hips and weighs about 150 pounds less than than the regular Range Rover.

It’s also a lot less expensive.

Though at the time of this review, Land Rover hadn’t released official MSRPs for the 2012s, the current (2011) carries a sticker price of $59,645 for the HSE and $73,345 for the more powerful supercharged version – vs. $78,425 for the regular (slightly larger) Range Rover and $94,275 for the supercharged version.

WHAT’S NEW FOR 2012

UK and other Euro-markets get an all-new 3 liter turbodiesel engine capable of an astounding (to us bedraggled Americans) 33 MPG on the highway – only a few MPGs off the pace of a current-year compact economy sedan. But it won’t be sold in the United States, apparently because of compliance-related issues having to do with our “clean diesel” rules.

But we do get the new Dual View monitor, wireless audio reception, a power tailgate and (later in 2012) special Autobiography and Limited edition trim packages.

WHAT’S GOOD

About half the price of a Benz Gelandewagen (the only other uber-premium SUV that matches the RR’s cachet as well as its off-road prowess).

Supercharged version is $30k less than a Porsche Cayenne Turbo.

Acceleration now appropriate to price – and better than some of the comparably priced competition

Handles better, easier to park/maneuver than the standard (larger/heavier) Range Rover – while giving up nothing as far as presence/exclusivity and features/amenities.

Tremendous off-road capability.

WHAT’S NOT SO GOOD

No 33 MPG for us. We get 13 MPG.

Headroom’s a little tighter than in the Range Rover (the price you pay for the Range Rover Sport’s extra sportiness).

Gas mileage (13 city for the non-supercharged version) limits the range of this Rover – even with a 23.3 gallon tank. It’s not hard to run it dry in 200 miles of real-world driving.

Fill-ups are forbidding – even for the affluent clientele that shops Land Rovers: About $70 a pop at current prices of $3.40 per gallon.

All that technology…. scares me. When the warranty runs out… watch out!

UNDER THE HOOD

The 2012 Range Rover Sport comes standard with a 5 liter V-8, with a supercharged version optional. Without the supercharger, the V-8 produces 375 horsepower. With it, the power jumps to 510 hp – making it one of the strongest engines available in a high-end SUV.

For some perspective: Porsche’s Cayenne Turbo delivers 500 hp – 10 hp less – than the supercharged Rover. But it costs more. A whole lot more: $106,000. That’s $30,000 in your pocket. Even at this level – for people with serious means – that is serious money.

The Mercedes-Benz GL550 4Matic, another competitor, starts at $84,450 but gives you just 382 hp – not even in the same league as the supercharged RR and pretty much dead even with the base ($59k) non-supercharged RR. It also can’t match the RR’s moves off-road, given its much more street-minded 4-Matic AWD system. And the Mercedes model that can match the RR off-road – the G550 Gelandewagon – is a top-heavy on-road nightmare (the Mercedes Hummer H1 Alpha) that starts at $105,750.

With the standard 5 liter, 375 hp V-8, the Range Rover Sport accelerates from 0-60 as quickly as the 2009 supercharged Range Rover sport (7.2 seconds). With the supercharged version of the 5 liter engine, the 0-60 time drops to an extremely quick 5.9 seconds – quicker than the price-comparable Cayenne GTS (6.1 seconds for $72,400) and enough to harry the enormously more expensive six-figure Cayenne Turbo (4.9 seconds).

On the upside, gas mileage for the ’12 RR is actually slightly better than in the last-generation RR – even though the new model has larger and much more powerful engines. The non-supercharged 5 liter V-8 manages 13 city, 18 highway vs. the old RR’s slurpalicious 12 city, 18 highway.

On the downside, it is still shockingly consumptive – worse than a ’69 Chrysler Newport 440 in need of a tuneup.

Both versions of the 5 liter V-8s are teamed up with a six-speed automatic transmission and Land Rover’s impressively capable full-time Terrain Sensing 4WD system, which comes with multiple settings for different types of conditions such as Mud and Snow, Sand and Rock Crawl – as well as driver-selectable 4WD Low range gearing. There’s also a height-adjustable suspension that can raised or lowered by depressing a switch on the center console.

Maximum trailer towing capacity is 7,700 lbs. – same as the Cayenne but more than twice the Benz G500′s startlingly meager 3,500 pound rating.

ON THE ROAD

The previous Range Rover Sport with the 300 hp 4.4 V-8 was on the borderline side of slow – at least, for a vehicle at the top of the proverbial food chain in terms of brand status and snob appeal.

It took the 4.4-equipped RR Sport about 8.2 seconds to reach 60 – about what a Toyota Corolla can manage. No one who buys a nearly $60k (to start) vehicle wants to be looking at the bumper of a $13k car leaving you in the dust.

The Range Rover’s just to heavy for even 300 hp to be sufficient. In ’09, it was almost mandatory to buy the much more expensive supercharged version – which even then wasn’t actually quick, just acceptable.

So, the fact that there’s 375 hp under the hood of the as-it-sits RR is happy news – and not only because it makes the standard RR quick enough and responsive enough to stand up to Porsches.

The broader point is it’s no longer essential to spend the additional $14K to upgrade to the supercharged version. The 510 hp supercharged engine is truly optional – in the sense that it’s something you decide to buy because you want vertebrae-adjusting speed, not merely enough reserve on tap to pull safely onto a busy road or make a fast pass.

The other aspect of the RR is that, relatively speaking, its handling is indeed sporty – at least, much more so than the very capable off-road but horribly clumsy on-road Mercedes Gelandewagen. That thing is a beast – one of the few new SUVs you can buy that still feels as though it might roll over taking corners at even normal, posted speeds. The traction/stability control system comes on constantly if the G is driven even a little bit aggressively on asphalt. There’s really no comparison; the RR is exponentially more civilized – yet it’s as or even more capable of hitting the dirt (or crawling over rocks) as the Benz G.

The Cayenne beats the RR on-road, with 911-sharp steering and excellent reflexes overall. But it’s more car-like design limits what it can do off-road (at least relative to the hunky Range Rover). If you really do need 4WD go-anywhere toughness, it’s advantage RR.

A wild card: The Lexus GX460 offers similarly poised on-road manners as well as billy goat off-road capability, but like the previous RR, the Lexus is underpowered, with just a 301 hp 4.6 liter V-8 under its hood (and no stronger optional V-8 available). On the other hand, it’s (for this class) cheap: $57,840 – top of the line and loaded. But on the other hand, it’s nothing-special looking and can’t come close to matching the presence/curb appeal of the handsome RR.

All in all, nothing else out there can match the straight-line acceleration (even in base trim), off-road bona fides and curb appeal of the Range Rover Sport – at least, not for $59k and change to start.


AT THE CURB

Land Rovers have a classic upright/boxy shape you either like – or don’t. The current model could be parked next to a 1970s-era model and though there are numerous small changes and upgrades, the basic profile is like father-to-son.
It’s a handsome vehicle in my opinion. Not brutal-looking like the Benz G-Class (a vehicle whose military origins are obvious) or minivan-looking (like the GL Class).

It stands out, too – something the plain-looking Lexus GX460 doesn’t do.

The Cayenne’s got similar curb appeal – but it also has the price tag.

Size-wise, the RR Sport is physically smaller than the standard Range Rover (the RR Sport’s wheelbase is 108 inches vs. 113.3 for the standard RR) but visually it’s hard to tell the difference unless you park them side-by-side.

In no way does the RR Sport seem less substantial or downgraded.
Both the RR Sport and the regular Range Rover seat five and – surprisingly – there’s actually more front and rear seat legroom in the physically smaller RR Sport than in the larger overall regular Range Rover (42.4 inches/front seat legroom vs. 38.9 inches and 37.6 inches of rear seat legroom vs. 35.5). Headroom is tighter in the Sport, though (38.5 inches up front vs. 39.3 in the regular Rover) which can be a problem for taller drivers.

Cargo capacity is almost identical: 71 cubic feet for the RR Sport vs. 74 cubic feet for the regular Range Rover.

The fact that the Sport has about the same interior/cargo room as the larger-on-the-outside standard Range Rover is pretty cool. The fact that it handles/maneuvers more nimbly as a result of its arguably better use of space even more so.

You don’t really lose anything by going with the RR Sport over the regular Range Rover – except sheer bulk and perhaps a bit of off-road capability under extreme conditions (the regular RR has a bit more ground clearance and its wheel/tire packages are more dirt-oriented than the aggressive performance rubber fitted to the RR Sport).

THE REST

The Range Rover appears to be meticulously put-together but it is a very complex vehicle with extremely complex sub-systems, including the computer-controlled Terrain Sensing 4WD and the new state-of-the-art split-screen GPS/entertainment unit and wireless headphones.

Previous Land Rover models have sometimes had bugs and could sometimes be unusually expensive to maintain. That said, there’s a helluva cushion built into the RR Sport’s $59k starting price – which is nearly $20k less than the base price of the larger on the outside but otherwise very similar standard Range Rover.

That makes up for a lot, even if some bugs do crop up.

Land Rover provides a better-than-average four-year, 50,000 mile basic/powertrain warranty, too – which roughly tracks when most typical Range Rover buyers would be about ready to trade-in.

Safety-wise, the RR comes with “everything” – including Hill Descent Control (electronically controls throttle and brake action to prevent the RR from building up excessive speed going down a steep grade) and (in supercharged versions) an emergency braking function that will slow (and even stop) the vehicle automatically if the cruise control is on and the driver doesn’t notice traffic slowing down and begin to brake on his own.

THE BOTTOM LINE

It’s a bit weird to be talking about any vehicle with a nearly $60k starting price as a “bargain” – but that’s what the Range Rover Sport is.

It’s just a crying shame that we won’t get our hands on the turbodiesel engine the Europeans will have access to.

A 33 MPG Range Rover? That would be killer. Read More...

Dragon Gullwing Sport Car Concept By M.R.Khosravi Design

Dragon Gullwing Sport Car Concept By M.R.Khosravi Design

The feature car of this Sport Car Concept By M.R.Khosravi Design, brings back the memory of legendary 300SL Gullwing Coupe. This concept car is a treat for the eyes and a vehicle that takes you straight into the future. The striking design of the Dragon Gullwing Sport Car Concept By M.R.Khosravi Design is the first eye-popping feature, which will take the onlooker into a sci-fi world.

Dragon Gullwing Sport Car Concept By M.R.Khosravi Design

The dragon-inspired design makes this future car one of its kinds. Dragon Gullwing Sport Car Concept By M.R.Khosravi Design, brings back the memory of legendary 300SL Gullwing Coupe. The whole concept of the empty centre area is another revolutionary feature of this Dragon Gullwing Sport Car Concept By M.R.Khosravi Design. Stone used for designing the dashboard make this even more special and a nice offering for the elite class.

Dragon Gullwing Sport Car Concept By M.R.Khosravi Design

The way the equipments will be integrated in this Dragon Gullwing Sport Car Concept By M.R.Khosravi Design, will set it apart from the crowd. This project also takes care of all the common problems faced by present cars and solve them in a stylish way.

Dragon Gullwing Sport Car Concept By M.R.Khosravi Design

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2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible

Muscle cars have never coped well with having their tops clipped. Losing the roof rarely does a vehicle any favors in the rigidity department, but the high-horsepower, high-torque coupes of the last four decades took fiendish delight in twisting themselves into pretzels after a few enthusiastic throttle plunges. To make matters worse, frumpy, awkward-looking soft tops were never as attractive as the original tin. When it came time to design the fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro, the engineers at General Motors specifically aimed to avoid those pitfalls by drafting the chassis to field both coupe and convertible duties.



Long before the first test mule ever turned a tire, this coupe was designed to go topless, and the result is one of the more stable convertible platforms out there. With a little help from the minds behind the Chevrolet Corvette soft top, the retractable lid even offers the same sleek profile as the Camaro Coupe. That's not to say all is right in this cruising kingdom, though. Tough top-up visibility, a bulging waistline and an overly extroverted interior all work against the drop head. Even so, this is still a vehicle soaked in summertime. And whatdayaknow? The sun's out.

Part of the appeal of the fifth generation Camaro is the vehicle's concept-car aesthetics. With a low-slung roof line, high hip and plenty of sharp creases, it should be lounging under auto show lights instead of sulking in the Costco parking lot. The designers at Chevrolet managed to retain most of the coupe's presence thanks to the fact that both vehicles wear identical sheetmetal from the window sills down. Up above, a long, arching soft top still holds true to the profile of the coupe when in in place. The piece can be had in black or tan cloth as the buyer sees fit, and for the most part, the design is free of any odd bulges from protruding bows.







Put the top down, and the Camaro Convertible takes on a much more swept look than its fixed-roof kin. The steeply angled windshield becomes more prominent without the burden of anchoring the top and the muscular hips over the rear fender arches define the vehicle's profile. It looks good, even if it is the size of a small river barge. At 190.4 inches long and 75.5 inches wide, the 'vert matches its coupe twin for length and girth, resulting in a vehicle that feels larger than life, even at a glance.



That theme continues on indoors. Thanks to a surprisingly wide cabin and a tall dash, it's hard not to feel like you're 12 years old sitting behind the wheel of your uncle's new car. That high hip line translates into a window sill that isn't made for resting your elbow, at least not without losing blood flow to your arm. Our 2011 tester also came with the highly-stylized but not overly comfortable steering wheel of the 2011 Coupe. General Motors has fixed that issue with a parts-bin piece on 2012 models, however.

The rest of the cabin feels much like the Camaro we know, with the notable exception that the rear seats are now significantly easier to access. With the top down, two adults had no problem sinking into the rear buckets, though the tight seating made for bruised hips on the side of the seatbelt buckle. Though legroom is cramped for rear passengers, there's enough space for young people and flexible adults. Our cabin came awash in some impressively obnoxious orange plastic trim and leather seating surfaces, though we do appreciate the attractive orange contrast stitching on the door panels.



Unlike the Corvette Convertible, which relies on a button tucked well below and to the left of the steering wheel to operate the retractable soft top, the Camaro Convertible leaves its button out in the open and right beside the large center latch. Undo the mechanism, press the button and listen to the whir of electronic and pneumatic wizardry as it pulls the top into the trunk cavity. The whole process takes around 20 seconds, which sounds brief enough until the skies open up on all that orange leather. Once the top is stowed, an optional toneau cover can be folded in place for a clean, finished look, though the piece is an aggravation to install. Check out the Short Cut below for a look at the top in action.

Those who thought rearward visibility of the coupe couldn't get any worse need only to throw the convertible into Reverse with the top up to see just how wrong they were. The infamously lengthy C pillars of the hard top have somehow swollen in the convertible, and while the back glass looks large enough, its angle and height make for a narrow field of view.



GM equipped this particular SS-branded beast with a 6.2-liter LS3 V8 engine with 426 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque mated to a six-speed manual transmission. The duo is the most desirable engine and gearbox combination available and is borrowed straight from the coupe. There are some mechanical differences between the two, however. Engineers added additional bracing in four key areas to give the Convertible as much of the rigid feel of the coupe as possible. A sturdy aluminum strut tower brace, a transmission support reinforcement brace, an underbody tunnel brace and front and rear underbody V braces are all tacked in place to combat torsional flex. The company says that all of the work helps give the Camaro Convertible the same stiffness as the BMW 3 Series convertible.







While we didn't have the pleasure of putting a 335i Convertible through its paces against the big Bow Tie (probably a good thing), we will say that the engineering work paid off. Typically, wrenching the roof off a coupe leads to dreaded cowl and column shake as the chassis contorts over rough road surfaces. The typical engineering response is to soften the springs and dampers to the point that the effects are less pronounced. GM is proud to remind us that the Camaro Convertible uses the exact same spring and damper rates as the hard top, which results in an incredibly similar driving experience. Under most normal circumstances, there's little telling the two apart. Only under some serious thrashing did we notice even a hint of column shake during a deeply-cambered downhill right – a situation that the vast majority of Camaro Convertible buyers will never find themselves in.



While the standard Camaro is no great pantheon of handling, the fact that its large, topless sibling can come close to matching pace is pretty impressive. Unfortunately, the convertible is lugging around a substantially larger curb weight, which colors the driving experience accordingly. According to GM, the Camaro SS Convertible tips the scales at 4,116 pounds in our tester's spec. That's a full 267 pounds heavier than the SS Coupe, with most of that weight lodged over the rear axle. As a result, acceleration feels somewhat dulled even though GM claims that the vehicle can get to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds – two-tenths of a seconds slower than the hard top. The convertible simply feels heavy to drive, with braking, cornering and straight-line grunt all taking a hit.

But the Camaro Convertible does well as a comfortable cruiser and there's no denying how good it looks cruising through town or rolling down a deserted highway at dusk. The optional high-intensity discharge headlights of the RS package on our tester are appropriately threatening with their halo ring and the long, lunging hood is unmistakably Muscle. With an as-tested MSRP of $42,995 including the $850 destination fee, the exterior was covered in a black vinyl stripe package, while the loud orange interior accent package rang up an additional $500, with another $1,200 for the RS package.



GM doesn't seem to be trying to convince anyone that the figure is a small price. In fact, the company calls the BMW 3 Series convertible its chief competitor instead of the Ford Mustang GT Convertible. The latter will cost you $38,310 plus destination for a GT Premium Convertible while the German commands a lofty $46,450 plus destination for the significantly less powerful 328i Convertible.



So where does that put the Camaro SS Convertible? Buyers seeking the near irresistible nostalgia of the coupe combined with the joy of being able to put the top down will find exactly what they're looking for. It easily trades its performance credentials for cruising machismo, and in a machine like this, that's no slight.



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2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS550

Mercedes-Benz has a long history of setting trends, which includes being the first company to develop technologies we take for granted today, like traction control systems, airbags and anti-lock brakes. It also kicked off the trend of propelling vehicles with motors, having built and sold the first automobile back in 1885. But it's not usually known for setting styling trends, which is exactly what the company did when it launched the CLS-Class back in 2004.



Despite four doors staring you right in the face, the CLS was officially dubbed a coupe by Mercedes because of the car's sleek coupe-like roofline. Semantics aside, it kicked off an entirely new segment of four-door coupes with its new, artful approach to transporting four people. Just like a fledgling industry followed the Benz Patent-Motorwagen's arrival in 1885, the arrival of the CLS created an entirely new class of vehicle.



Having started the trend, Mercedes gets to show us how it will evolve, and the 2012 CLS550 does just that. It's job isn't just to steer this trend away from becoming a fad, but also fend off a growing number of automakers who wish they had thought of it first.

The first-generation CLS was widely considered a beautiful design, almost shockingly so compared to how the brand was shaping its four-doors back in 2004. If you're a fan of that original design, you probably wouldn't have minded if Mercedes left the exterior alone. Alas, seven years is a long life cycle for any product, and Mercedes can't be faulted for putting pen to paper. The question is whether or not its designers succeeded in making the new CLS more attractive than the old one.







The Autoblog team is not unanimous on the answer. There's no one among us who believes either generation is punishment on the eyes, and so either opinion can be held without considering the other side a bunch of tasteless boobs. Your author, however, finds himself on the side of Team First-Gen, so I'll do my best to explain why I think the original is still the better looker of thee two sedans, err... coupes.

Let's start with some analogies. The first-generation CLS is like a man wearing a fitted tuxedo: formal, sharp and clean. The second-gen CLS is like Lou Ferrigno after he beat up the first man and put on his tuxedo: bigger, bulging and intimidating. Now let's get more technical. From the side, the first-gen CLS is expressed by two basic strokes of the designer's pen: an elegant arch for the roofline and a subtly bowed crease that runs from front fender to taillight above the door handles. The second-gen CLS retains the arching roofline, but is growing a crease farm on its doors. The first-gen's simple single line has been replaced by upper and lower ones that start at the front wheel and get closer together as you move rearward, and a third crease bends over the rear wheel to create a flared fender into which the first two end. Together they create a concavity across the doors that makes the rear fenders look even more pronounced. Coupled with a near vertical grille and taller hood, the second-gen's look is more convoluted and just a bit too butch.







The aesthetic, however, happens to fit, because if you didn't know, Mercedes-Benz makes muscle cars. Its V8s make us swoon, even the ones not stamped with the letters A-M-G. Known for their large displacements, high horsepower and bellowing exhaust tones, these engines – the 5.5-liter and 6.2-liter AMG specifically – are on their way out across the brand's lineup. Sad as we are to see them go, new emissions and fuel economy standards, not to mention gas prices, make it a must. Their replacements are two new smaller V8s – a 4.6-liter for 550 models and a 5.5-liter for AMG versions, both featuring twin turbochargers and direct injection to replace the lost displacement (it can be done!).



The new CLS550 retains its nomenclature despite housing the new 4.6-liter V8, which while smaller in size produces 402 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 443 pound-feet of torque at a low 1,800 rpm – big improvements over the larger 5.5-liter V8 it replaces, which continues to make 382 hp at 6,000 rpm and 391 lb-ft at 2,800 rpm in other models. The new engine is also significantly more efficient, with improvements of three miles per gallon in the city and four mpg on the highway for new scores of 17 city / 25 highway. We actually experienced a fuel consumption rate in the high 20-mpg range during a long highway trip, which is exemplary for an engine making 400+ horsepower. This new V8 is one area where we're all playing for Team Second-Gen.







The interior, likewise, is a big improvement, though mostly in the area of materials, which are of a higher quality than the first generation, especially the convincing metal air vents. Ergonomically the cabin looks like most other Mercs, and even much like last year's car with just the elements rearranged. The seven-inch navigation screen has been moved to the very top of the center stack, replacing a pair of vents that now appear below the screen and flank a tasteful analogue clock. The climate controls, which used to be near the top, are now at the very bottom, though laid out in the same way as before with dual rotary knobs and easy-to-press buttons. There's also a new, larger 4.5-inch circular display in the center of the speedometer that gives you access to most of the vehicles high-tech features and functions. Navigating the menus is simple via steering wheel-mounted controls, and there are a lot of them that let you to do everything from change the color of the interior's ambient lightning to turn off the traction control system.



Conspicuously absent is a gear shift of any kind to move the car's seven-speed automatic transmission from P into D. In its place is the COMAND system control knob that operates the navigation, audio, phone and various other vehicle systems. Whether or not you like it depends largely on whether you prefer touch-screens to controller-based interfaces, but we were able to figure it out without cracking a manual and the knob falls to hand without taking your eyes off the road.

This begs the question, how do you put the seven-speed transmission into Drive? By using one of three stalks sticking out of the CLS' steering column. The gear selector stalk is on the right side by itself, and using it brings back memories of the column-mounted shifter in my dad's old truck. It's all digitally controlled now and lacks the mechanical feel of the old days, but the muscle memory of reaching up and pulling down to get in gear is still there. The two left-side stalks, meanwhile, are a bane of modern Mercedes interiors. The smaller one on top controls the adaptive cruise control system, while the bottom one does turn signals and headlights. Most people, however, will instinctively grab the top stalk by accident when signaling a turn. Mercedes has finally begun fixing this problem by switching the stalks' positions beginning with the 2012 ML-Class. Unfortunately, the also-new 2012 CLS missed the cut.



The new CLS gets higher marks for its Active Multicontour Driver's Seat. In addition to the standard 14-way seat controls near the door handles, this $660 option adds another set of controls between the driver's seat and center console that adjusts lumbar supports, side bolsters and shoulders supports, as well as activates a massage function for working out the kinks on longer trips. It also adds active side bolsters that, when activated, dynamically move in to keep you from sliding during turns. They come in handy on sweeping turns, especially highway exit and entrance ramps, where lateral g-forces can last longer. However, we wish the system didn't respond below a certain speed; who wants their sides pinched when they're prowling for a parking spot?

A fancy driver's seat is just one of many stand-alone and packaged options offered for the CLS550, which starts at $71,300 with an $875 destination charge. This particular model tops out at $84,545 as tested, which is a big difference, but not so shocking when you see what you get. For starters, the CLS comes with the $4,390 Premium 1 Package that includes popular options like a rear-view camera, iPod interface, heated and cooled front seats, keyless entry and a power-closing trunk. Its best component, however, is the world's first pair of all-LED active headlamps on a production car, an honor shared with the 2012 Audi A6 that also offers a set.



Next up is the Driver Assistance Package for $2,950 that includes Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist and Mercedes' adaptive cruise control system called DISTRONIC PLUS with PRE-SAFE Brake. Many cars today have warning systems to alert drivers when they drift out of a lane, but the Mercedes system gets into the game by actively braking the opposite side of the vehicle to bring the car back between the lines. The adaptive cruise control is also at the head of the class for being able to apply full braking force and bring the CLS550 to a complete stop if needed. Our tester is also loaded with the Wheel Package for $760 that adds 18-inch AMG five-spoke wheels, an AMG steering wheel and a manual mode for the transmission, as well as stand alone options like the PARKTRONIC auto-parking system ($970), split-folding rear seats ($440) and rear side airbags ($420).







The last bit of bleeding-edge tech in our tester is the Night View Assist PLUS system, which is the most expensive stand alone option at $1,780. More of a showpiece to impress the Joneses, it uses infrared beams to display a black-and-white high-resolution video feed of what's ahead of you in the dark. It can even identify people and highlight them. The feed appears in the nav screen, so you have to avert your eyes from the road to watch it, but it does work as advertised and might come in handy if a jealous Mr. Jones takes a baseball bat to your all-LED headlights. Watch the Short Cut video above to see it in action.



All of those options are nice, but what about what's beneath them? First and foremost, the CLS550 is a luxury car of the highest order with an AIRMATIC semi-active suspension that supports a three-link independent front suspension and multi-link rear. There's no slop in the ride, body motions are controlled and you can dial in the system even more by choosing either Sport or Comfort mode. We wish the Sport mode were a little more aggressive, as body lean remains distinctly noticeable even with it on. We have no qualms with the electromechanical power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering, and the 14.2-inch front brakes clamped by four-piston calipers and 12.6-inch rear discs with single-piston calipers make stopping this 4,158-pound four-door a drama-free affair.







What's curious about the new CLS550 is that it's still a muscle car putting on airs. Every electrical nanny is there to keep you and the 402-hp V8 in check, and with all of them turned on, there's a thick buffer keeping the two of you from collaborating. We found the transmission and traction control system to be the most oppressive. The transmission does give you three shift modes: Economy, Sport and Manual. Shifts happen early and often in Economy mode, while Sport mode gets the transmission moving quicker and holding gears longer, and Manual mode takes advantage of the paddles on the back of the steering wheel. We suggest the latter for what feels like the quickest shifts, but chances are you'll spend the most time in Economy mode where the car is most efficient, and in this mode, the CLS550 feels like a race horse that isn't allowed to leave the gate.



The key to flexing the CLS550's muscle is activating the Sport suspension and Manual transmission modes and turning off the traction control system (along with all of the other nannies that beep and flash). With those steps taken, the CLS550 feels more like something from Mopar than Mercedes, willing at a moment's notice to paint the pavement with rubber. After experiencing the CLS550 this way, the manufacturer's claimed 0-60 mph time of 5.1 seconds becomes much more believable. And though the new 4.6-liter doesn't sound quite as deep and rich as the last generation's 5.5-liter, it still burbles and vibrates more than the eight-cylinders in most other luxury cars.







And maybe that's because the CLS550 just isn't a luxury car, or at least doesn't want to be with such a strong, athletic engine. So much effort goes into subduing the V8 that Mercedes could have just as easily offered a V6-powered model, a CLS350, that wears the luxury moniker more willingly while also being more efficient. Maybe we'll soon see one here in the U.S., not to mention a diesel-powered BlueTec variant. Europeans can already have their CLS any they want it, so hopefully it's just a matter of a suit somewhere saying 'yes.'



Even with a split personality, the second-gen CLS is superior in almost every way to the original, maybe every way if you prefer its design. And like every trend setter, it's now surrounded by variations on the theme – some quicker, some sexier and some more serene. Mercedes, however, has successfully kept the CLS their target, and thanks to this wonderful engine, it's a moving one.



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2013 Lamborghini Sport Cars Aventador LP700-4 Spyder

2013 Lamborghini Sport Cars Aventador LP700-4 Spyder

2013 Lamborghini LP700-4 Spyder Aventador will begin its official debut in 2012, and the sale will be conducted at the end of 2012. Coupe priced $ 379,700 thus Spyder version should come with a price tag of about $ 400,000. Has much to learn about the future of Lamborghini that will get Aventador spyder version. But about the details of the 2013 Lamborghini Sport Cars Aventador LP700-4 Spyder in detail has not been clarified by the company. Aventador new Spyder will make its official debut in early 2012, with sales beginning later that year.

2013 Lamborghini Sport Cars Aventador LP700-4 Spyder

Scheduled to debut in 2012, the 2013 Lamborghini Sport Cars Aventador LP700-4 Spyder will adopt many of the characteristics of the coupe, but altered for a wind-in-your-hair kind of look. Being since we are rather impatient when it comes to hot new vehicles, we just had to draw up the future of the Aventador.

2013 Lamborghini Sport Cars Aventador LP700-4 Spyder

The standard Aventador is equipped with a powerful V12 engine producing 700 HP at 8,250 rpm and 509 lb-ft at 5,500 rpm. This same powerhouse will be dropped into the Spyder, whose added soft top roof will pack on a few more pounds and slow down the performance figures just a tad. That translates into a 0-60mph sprint time a shade over the coupe’s 2.9 seconds. Since the roadster version will add a few extra pounds thanks to the soft-top roof, 0 to 60 mph sprint will be made in about 3.3 seconds, while top speed will not be higher than 210 mph. Through EPA websites where car’s fuel economy were given, 2013 Lamborghini Sport Cars Aventador LP700-4 Spyder will deliver combined fuel economy of 13 mpg (11 mpg in the city and 17 mpg on the highway).

2013 Lamborghini Sport Cars Aventador LP700-4 Spyder

Like with the coupe version, the upcoming 2013 Lamborghini Sport Cars Aventador LP700-4 Spyder will take its design inspiration from both the Reventon and the Sesto Elemento concept. Expect to see the same glossy, black frames and bi-xenon headlamps up front, as well as all of the aerodynamic elements integrated into the body shell form, from the front spoiler to the rear diffuser. The rear of the vehicle will get a lower diffuser and rear LED lights that create the same shape as the ones out front. The rear spoiler on the Spyder version will be controlled electronically just as in the coupe.

2013 Lamborghini Sport Cars Aventador LP700-4 Spyder

Interior design 2013 Lamborghini Sport Cars Aventador LP700-4 Spyder will consist of safety devices, and entertainment. This design will make us feel comfortable while in the Lamborghini LP700-Aventador April 2013. It is expected that the standards for the equipment of the 2013 Lamborghini Sport Cars Aventador LP700-4 Spyder ABS, electronic brake force distribution, traction control are included, speed-sensitive power steering Tronic, Hill Start Assist and, of course, ESP stability control.

Once the 2013 Lamborghini Sport Cars Aventador LP700-4 Spyder is already released to the automotive market, the price will be US$ 400.000 per unit. As a sport car, The 2013 Lamborghini Sport Cars Aventador LP700-4 Spyder is now ready for the competition, either the competition in the circuit or in the Automotive markets.

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BMW X3 xDrive 20d Performance

BMW X3 xDrive20d Performance-The sound engine is a little harder. So also the resonance. These differences are felt when heard alongside the engine room. When you are in the interior and all the doors closed just a little difference. Only vibrations that can still be felt. With common rail technology and piezoelectric injectors, making the ability of 2.0-liter diesel engine is superb.

Characteristics can be felt from diesel-engined BMW SUV is now behind the wheel and the car is started, the driver feels more integrated with the vehicle. It could be because of the engine torque is obtained at low speed, ie 1750-2750 rpm, so the pull was steady but not violent.

BMW X3 Fuel Consumption

On the road traveling at speed of 150 km / hour, fuel consumption of 19.4 km / hr. But once inside the traffic in the city fell to 17.4 km / liter. BMW claims an average of 17.9 km / liter. This proves, the BMW X3 is suitable as an operational or high mobility vehicle, especially for the jammed streets. Read More...