BMW is really testing our memory and powertrain-matching skills with its 2011 lineup. One of our favorite current engines is the N54 twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six, which produces 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque in nearly every model in which it’s installed.

But, as you probably know, it is being gradually replaced by an evolution of that mill, the N55 single-turbo inline-six, which still displaces 3.0 liters and produces identical horsepower and torque figures.

The new engine is showing up first in the 535i Gran Turismo, and also will appear in the 2011 135i, 335i, and 535i. Now there are plans to shuffle it into the 2011 X6 xDrive35i, too.

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The most spectacular Golf of all is fantastic but pricey. Will we get the chance to buy one?

Volkswagen sure knows how to please. The new, sixth-generation Golf is one of the better compact cars, a great-handling hatchback that’s comfortable, too. And we think the sportiest Golf, the 200-hp GTI, is even better—witness its inclusion on our 2010 10Best Cars list. (The previous GTI, based on the Golf V, made the 10Best roster the three years before that.) Now Wolfsburg is adding the Golf R, an all-wheel-drive variant that is the fastest, most powerful, and most expensive Golf ever.
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The story behind the all-new 2009 Lincoln MKS was that you had this wonderfully attractive vehicle that looked the part of a luxury sedan but didn’t quite have the upgrade engine available to make it an outstanding luxury performer.

However, with the base model priced at $40,870, the MKS had a really competitive starting point.

Enter the 2010 MKS EcoBoost. This newest version of the MKS comes in front- or all-wheel drive with a new 355-horsepower twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 engine. Mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, this EcoBoost engine option pushes the MKS into direct competition with some of the best sedans in the class, but at a much lower price.
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When Nissan revived the Z in 2002, the car was a revelation. Unmistakably a serious sports car, the 350Z had power to spare and it handled like a dream. As good as the 350Z was, the new generation of the Z – now called 370Z – is that much better.

Nissan kicked off the new generation of its affordable sports car in 2009 with a redesigned coupe. With a wheelbase almost 4 inches shorter than that of the 350Z, the new car actually handled better. And with a far superior interior, buyers of the last-generation model had to be kicking themselves for not waiting a little longer to buy a Z.
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The quest for high fuel efficiency and lower CO2 greenhouse gas emissions is bringing an increasingly diverse array of ‘green’ cars to our highways. We’re seeing environmental performance becoming more mainstream in vehicles of all types, from entry level to luxury cars.

Plus, there’s greater emphasis on advanced clean diesel, which typically offers abundant power at the ready along with greater mpg. Nowhere is this more evident than with the 2010 Audi A3 TDI, which has just been named Green Car Journal’s 2010 Green Car of the Year® at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show.
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Dana Holding Corporation today announced it is supplying Victor Reinz® sealing products and thermal-acoustical protective shielding (TAPS) for the 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 HYBRID, which is now available in the United States.

The S400 HYBRID is the first mass-production vehicle in the world that utilizes a lithium-ion battery designed specifically for automotive use.

“The Mercedes-Benz S400 HYBRID is one of the world’s most technically advanced new cars, and Dana’s cutting-edge technologies are helping to provide fuel-efficient, cost-effective solutions for this signature vehicle platform,” said Dana Chief Technical Officer George Constand.
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Are you considering to buy a truck or a light vehicle? Now, we got a reports from editor of freep.com. Details as below:

Several categories of new vehicles have gained market share over the past four years, while others have lost favor.

Small car sales are up more than a third, and middle cars are up by more than a fifth.

One reason why Asian automakers now have a higher U.S. new light vehicle share (48% October 2009 YTD, according to Autodata, Inc.) than either the domestics (44%) or Europeans (8%) is that, for many years, Asian automakers have offered a wide array of competitive products in all three of these flourishing categories.
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A new four-cylinder engine will help power Hyundai’s drive towards becoming the fuel economy leader when it launches in the company’s most popular car, the 2011 Sonata.

Today, Hyundai unveiled the engine, which is built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing of Alabama, at its Hyundai America Technical Center in Superior Township, Michigan, where it engineers, designs, tests and certifies vehicles sold in the U.S.
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In an unmistakable look at the IAA be presented TECHART program for the current Porsche 911 Carrera 4S. The individualized Porsche brings perfection of form, sportiness and dynamism, and once again embodies the basic principle of all TECHART products: OEM quality – made in Germany. Available now in the program with this is the new Performance: The components include the exhaust valve “Racing” and a new engine electronics for a notable increase in output by up to 35 hp.
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If you’ve been thinking about acquiring one of those large, luxurious SUVs, but can’t come to grips with 12 mpg, say hello to the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid.

The 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid marks the first application of a gasoline-electric hybrid propulsion system in the large luxury SUV segment.

Pricing starts at just more than $70,000 and thanks to General Motor’s patented two-mode hybrid system, the Escalade Hybrid’s fuel economy has been improved by 50 percent compared with the gasoline-powered model.
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It really wasn’t that long ago that the Dodge Dakota was considered a groundbreaker, a real leader in what evolved into the midsize truck category. And in the better-be-looking-over-your-shoulder world that is the auto industry, you knew the competition would take notes and make a charge sooner than later.

Well, the charge has been formidable over the years and the once-great Dakota is now, relatively speaking, just another player. With nary a choice between a big, bruising full-size pickup or the small and oft-feathery compact, if you did not need all the size of the big box, it was easy to fall in love with the original Dakota for its more manageable size and, later, its optional V-8 power.
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Already a recipient of numerous accolades including a “Top Safety Pick” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, being named to the “Coolest New Cars Under $18,000″ list by Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com and “Interior of the Year” list by Ward’s AutoWorld, the all-new 2010 Kia Soul has yet again been honored and given a “2010 Automotive Excellence Award” by Popular Mechanics.

Recognized for its appealing style, fuel efficiency, handling and overall value, Soul is one of only 10 vehicles to be acknowledged on the esteemed list.
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The all-new 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is much more than an off-road performance truck capable of taking on the toughest terrain a customer can throw its way. According to the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA), it’s also the one and only 2009 “Truck of Texas,” the seventh consecutive time a Ford truck has won the award.

“Winning the Truck of Texas is a distinct honor,” said Mark Fields, president, The Americas, Ford Motor Company. “Texans know their trucks, and this award is further proof of why the F-150 remains America’s number-one selling pickup. We built F-150 SVT Raptor for truck enthusiasts. And we’re gratified it’s gaining recognition for both its unequaled off-road performance and confidence-inspiring on-road demeanor.”
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The all-new 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour will feature a versatile, upscale 5-passenger interior with an innovative rear storage area, a standard 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6 engine and available four-wheel drive when it goes on sale in November, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today.

“Honda has a longstanding reputation for maximizing interior space and utility in its vehicles,” said Erik Berkman, vice president of corporate planning and logistics for American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “Like the award-winning Honda Fit, the Accord Crosstour uses a versatile design to create an interior that functions with the practicality of a larger vehicle.”
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Through 45 years of compact pickup truck heritage, Toyota has continued its sales dominance in this competitive segment with the Tacoma.

Starting with the Stout in 1964, followed by the Hilux in 1969, Toyota Compact Pickup in 1976, and for the last 15 years the Tacoma, Toyota’s compact pickups have been a leader in the evolution of the compact pickup segment.

The Toyota truck started out as basic and functional and through the years became more powerful, with added roominess and refinement. Throughout, it was always rugged and reliable.  It has defined, and redefined the meaning of a phrase that has become synonymous with the Toyota brand, quality, durability and reliability.
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