You’ve probably heard of the Porsche Cayenne.  It’s the vehicle that supposedly saved Porsche from sure doom, appealing to the upper-crust crowd who feel they need a certain combination of sports car, SUV and alcoholism.  It’s also the vehicle that shares its underpinnings with the common people’s SUV, the Touareg.  Well, Porsche thought that further differentiation was needed, and that weeding of the poseurs from the super-poseurs was also necessary.  They’ve gone ahead and introduced a 5000-lb, 11.3-mpg getting manual-transmissioned SUV.  

That’s right, you read that correctly.  Porsche thinks that the same people who buy the Cayenne for reasons of practicality and posing are also hiding the spirit of a thoroughbred car enthusiast, and that they can no longer live chained to assimilation and mundanity by an automatic transmission.  Can you imagine the 40-year old Beverly Hills moms dropping off their children to private school, and then revving away, power shifting, throwing their head back and laughing with glee at the sheer joy of driving?    

Vehicles like this take the love-it or hate-it thing to another level.  There will be people like the Autoweek guys who find it useless and bewildering, and then, somewhere, will be those who think it is expedited from God himself.  What do you guys think?

Featured in Autoweek

Yeah, yeah, it’s big and drinks like a has-been rock star.  But come on… it’s big and it’s awesome!  7-second 0-60 acceleration, from-the-factory navigation, rear-seat LCD and DVD player, Bluetooth, laser-guided cruise control, xenon lights, power liftgate, power folding third-row seats, 20-inch tires and wheels, auto-levelling suspension… I could go on forever with this stuff!

It is this week’s car bargain because it offers so much.  Our example is a 2006 model, which sold for nearly 90 grand when brand new, and now can be had for just $27,000 or so.  The 2004 models had some initial build issues, but 2005 and newer have had perfect reliability.  We found a pristine example in the Toronto area with only 43,000 kilometers (26,700 miles) at that price!

Nissan and Infiniti are on a growth spurt these days!  New for 2009 is a convertible G37.  Gone are the days, it seems, of soft top convertibles, because this new model is also a fully automatic hardtop.  I think it’s a great decision to go with such a design, and it only bolsters the G37’s position as the most well-rounded vehicle in its class.  Motor Trend even ranked it ahead of the 3-series coupe in a head to head comparison!

This droptop will be available with the 6-speed or a new 7-speed automatic transmission attached to the larger 3.7 L V6 the coupe has, as it should, since that additional torque will help counter some of the added weight from the new top.

Via Automobile Magazine

Manufacturers love, nay, need to create massive buzz about cars that have been redesigned.  I’ve always found it entertaining though, because it’s kind of like saying

We fixed all the mistakes we made on the last one, and since it was fundamentally wrong from the start, we redid it from the ground up.

Well, it’s not like that, but we can make fun, can’t we?  Redesigns are usually of the revolutionary or evolutionary variants.  It’s usually cars that don’t sell as well that tend to go for revolutionary redesigns, because they have much less to lose.  The Acura TL sort of defined a new value point way back in the late 1990s when it came out, and its comes-one-way package of the time accentuated that.  Its sales have been declining in the past few years, and since the Accord it’s based on was recently redesigned, the TL too gets the same treatment.

Acura is easily the least successful of the three luxury Japanese brands, and from my point of view, it’s easy to see why.  Even though they were first to the North American market, they never really got the status they wanted.  Many times over the years, Acura’s (idiotic) marketing team has wondered and obsessed over why people refer to their cars as a Lexus, BMW, Mercedes, Audi or Infiniti, and to their own cars as an Integra, Vigor or Legend.  Their brainiac response to this was not to understand why people value those brands more, but to rename the Acura lineup to have forgettable models, such as a 3.2TL, CL, RL and RSX.  Funny thing… when you don’t fix the problem at the root, it has a way of biting you in the derriere later on.  People still call them TLs.

From the start, Sochioro Honda, brilliant engineer and entrepreneur, didn’t believe in excess.  He thought that a 4-cylinder engine was more than enough for anyone.  That’s why Accords of his time had 4-cylinder engines exclusively.  Even after his death, the folks at Honda tried to follow his philosophy, and that is why Acura’s flagship cars have never had anything more than a V6.  But the problem is that people don’t need luxury cars.  They buy them because they want to, because they want to be pampered and enjoy the excess of a Hybrid V8 like in the Lexus LS600h or a twin-turbo V12 like in the Mercedes S600.

Buyers responded to this philosophy by simply not buying Acura’s high end luxury sedans, which are the flag carriers for a car company.  It doesn’t matter if it consumes fuel excessively, is heavy, too expensive or anything else for that matter.  Even if they sell it at a loss, its purpose is to generate lust in people’s eyes and fulfil an aspiration to own it, if nothing else.  Honda/Acura seemed to understand this idea with the NSX (that it is a flag carrier), and continued producing it long after it wasn’t profitable anymore, but mysteriously, this idea evaded them for the regular lineup.  The NSX too, never really gained the popularity they wanted in North America, so in essence, Acura had nothing to show off, and nothing for buyers to really want.

Acura also focused its efforts on the cheaper models, models which never should have been sold as Acuras, such as the Integra and RSX, and the CSX (in Canada).  Mercedes and BMW quickly realized that North America doesn’t like the idea of an expensive 4-cylinder car, and they got rid of the 4-bangers in the 3-series and C-class, and Lexus knew this from the start.

So, while a V6 is entirely acceptable in the entry level segment that the TL competes in, it lacks the prestigious nameplates that the others carry.  Acura is lost in the same no man’s land that also contain Volvo and Saab.  People don’t know what to make of them.  They’re not quite Toyota and Ford, and they’re not quite BMW and Mercedes either.  For this reason, Acura really needs to undercut the pricing of the other guys, and while this used to be the case with the first generation, pricing is not really a plus point anymore. The price of the TL has gone up, and the price of the C-class and 3-series have come down.  The Infiniti G35 has really shaken this segment up too.

So what do I make of this new TL?

Firstly, I think it takes the best design features of Acura concepts, then messes them up as good as it can.  The front-end reminds me of a city snowplow, and the rear end is sloped to such a degree that you could cover it with snow and teach your kids to ski on it.

The four exhaust pipes LIE about the power that does not exist underneath, for this is not the Lexus IS-F, and it certainly doesn’t sound like it either (the IS-F has a wonderful Nascar-sounding engine).  About the looks, what can I say?

What’s with the lines and sharp creases?  Trying to be like Cadillac, is that it?  Well, that’d be the worst idea, seeing as how Cadillac is a company in the midst of reinventing and finding itself. There isn’t much of an Acura identity, so there’s nothing to adhere to, and therefore nothing to strengthen the brand’s presence (they still don’t get it).

Bottom line:  an exercise in fugliness.

The interior is nothing to write home about either, though its not actually bad, like the exterior or the idea of the car itself is.

Clearer, better gauges, a bigger screen with better navigation and such features can only be good. Acura has finally decided to start using colours other than tan and black, which is good.

Live weather updates are a good thing.  I am a little concerned about the quantity and concentration of buttons on the center console.

This might be a bit of a nightmare for people that aren’t very techno-savvy.

Fundamentally, I think the car is all wrong.  It’s based on an Accord, so it can’t feel all that different, no matter what they do.  Front-drive is a no-no in this segment, and I’m a little stumped that Acura didn’t understand this.  Don’t they see the success of the 3-series, C-class, and most of all, the Infiniti G35?  The SH-AWD system isn’t bad, but it works more as a gimmick than anything else, because I don’t think any normal person will be taking their Accord-based family sedan onto a track, and then admiring the few thousandths of a second the SH-AWD system saves them.  At least it’s still an AWD system.  The EPA estimates for the SH model are 17/24.  Did you read that?  That’s the kind of mileage you’d expect with a V8 car such as the Mustang.  Lexus GX 470 owners report that their 6000-lb, V8-powered SUVs get 18.5 mpg in real-world conditions, something that this TL might be able to.  That’s pretty pathetic, isn’t it?  Honda never used V8s and larger, more powerful engines in the past with the argument that they’re not as good on gas.  What’s all this about then?

Here’s what I say… The Honda Accord can be had with the same chassis, similar engine (that runs on regular gas and is quite efficient), navigation and many of the features the TL has for about $10,000 less.  For about $8,000 less, you can get yourself into a Mercedes C300, or for $13,000 less, the C240.  Around the same money will also get you into the delicious rear-drive IS350 from Lexus as well.  There is no compelling reason to buy this redesigned monstrosity that is still called the TL.

Our Take on Car & Driver and Road & Track

You know those guys who are well into their 40s, but have dyed their spiked hair, have an earring that came out of the DeLorean from 1985, and wear camouflage shorts and t-shirts with funny comments on them?

Yeah, that’s who the new Maxima would be if it were a person.  You see, back in the day, late 80s to late 90s, the Maxima was the cool, suave, multi-talented guy who seemed to have his life together and be able to pull off just about anything.  In 1995, a car that went 0-60 in 6.6 seconds, returned 28+ mpg on the highway, had a luxurious interior befitting that of a much more expensive car and cost about $25,000 was rare stuff.

Fast forward 14 model years.  The Maxima is now heavier, larger and carries a tough-guy grin at the front, replacing the who-me anonymity of that 1995 go-getter.  Thanks to all that weight, a larger, more powerful engine has made the Maxima an alcoholic - real world economy is less than 20 mpg in the city.

The problem is that it’s been replaced by younger, more attractive cars that are better at what they do.  It tries to be the elder statesmen of Nissan’s lineup, so it is big, but just looks weird.

Someone told it to go to the gym and get a rounded rear-end, because that’s in style nowadays, but it doesn’t match with the grinning Arnold face or the beer belly.  From certain angles, it tries its best to look like a sexy, muscular coupe that’s in vogue these days (cough, G37, cough), but fails like a knockoff perfume.  There are hints of the original there, but honestly, there’s no fooling anyone.

However, as they say, looks are only skin deep, and they can’t be seen from the driver’s seat.  Apparently it’s what’s underneath that counts, and unfortunately, the Maxima’s personality has serious issues thanks to its front-wheel drive setup.  The Maxima isn’t sure if it wants to be one of the nation’s top selling family sedans like the Altima, a sport sedan like the BMW 5-series, or a svelte coupe like the G37, but it doesn’t matter, because it can be none of those.  It’s too expensive and confused to compete with the likes of the Accord, Camry, Malibu and their ilk.  And it won’t be able to compete with the Germans either, because without the balance of rear-wheel drive, the Maxima will understeer like a old man slowly letting go of his grip on reality.

The grasp of reality has indeed been lost, as the Maxima struggles to find someone who will take its SUV-like consumption of premium fuel, high price, poor build quality and lack of everything else.  Anybody that wants a car that costs this much and shares it’s alcoholic desires is better advised to look at Hyundai’s Genesis V8 - a car that will feel, perform, look and sound better, and we’d bet, gets no worse economy figures.

Our Take on Car and Driver’s Review

You’d think that with gas prices at an all-time high and showing no signs of retreat, manufacturers would slowly step away from their SUVs with their hands in the air, but no.  Mercedes-Benz in all its wisdom believes the SUV market will not only live on, but continue to grow.  Even though it might not sound like it, I do agree.  Not in Europe, not in Asia, but in North America, I don’t think we’re about to give up our SUVs anytime soon.  

Autoweek has taken a look at the 2010 (is it even 2009 yet?) Mercedes-Benz GLK350 4Matic.  Yes, our German friends think that playing around with their favourite letters will yield favourable results.  I’m not so sure… you’d want some brand and model awareness if you were MB, right?  But they’ve got the GL, the CL, the CLK and many more, so I’m not sure more 3-letter model names based on the letters that already make up existing models is a 160-IQ idea.  Anyways, they’re using the corporate workhorse, that 3.5-liter V6.  It’s fairly well-engineered and probably serves its purpose well, but in a 4000-pound vehicle, it’s not going to be fast, even if Autoweek claims it will be.  Basic power-to-weight ratio idea here folks.  It will also have to work very hard to get moving, so fuel consumption will probably suffer and return mileage more like a V8 than a typical V6.  

I personally don’t understand these crossover SUVs that well.  I get that they result in a carlike drive and ride, that’s good.  I get that they’re cheaper to manufacture since the underpinnings are usually from another popular car in the range.  What I don’t get is that SUV buyers often enjoy a high seating position and sometimes higher ground clearance.  Yet most crossovers, like this GLK are quite low to the ground, barely higher than a regular car.  I also don’t get why they’re so heavy.  It’s not the all wheel drive equipment, you can find that in Audis and Subarus too.  If it’s based on a car, why doesn’t it weight like a car?  

The GLK will probably do well in its premium segment, and because there is something of a bling factor present.  Unbelievably, that does make a difference… look at the Navigator and Escalade, coming from brands that, to youth, were considered cheap and cheesy.  In my opinion, there are better choices.  The German mini-utes don’t bring their A-game to the table like the Japanese do and like the Americans have been doing lately.  

Via Autoweek

2009 is the year BMW gives a lot of models mid-cycle updates, and the 7-series is one of the recipients.  Changes include getting rid of the Bangled butt, “flame surfacing” and redoing the iDrive (again) to counter negative opinion on those particular areas.  I personally loved the look of the 1995-2002 7-series, but the model that came after that and this one both look like they’re trying very hard to be something they’re not even sure of.  BMW wanted to find a new look for itself as part of its reinvention and rise to the #2 spot in America (behind Lexus), but I’m not sure losing their trademark look was a good idea.  People loved the pre-Bangle BMWs, and the 5-series even won a European award for best looking sedan, ever.  Mercedes has always stuck with its look, which works well for brand identity, which is working for Audi, Lexus and even Infiniti which is fairly new in the taken-seriously area.  The look does not work, considering the price, segment and brand.

Motor Trend doesn’t like the new style of gear lever found on this 7-series, but I do.  A by-wire transmission selector is long overdue for this class of vehicle.  Not having to feel mechanical clunks, it fits right in with the whole luxury/comfort thing.  The rest of the interior seems to be much improved over its predecessor, with the dash enveloped in leather and the console flowing smoothly this time.  Last time around, the console had a weird pod-look that I didn’t personally care for, and the wood looked like plastic.  Hopefully it looks better this time around.

iDrive in my opinion was not a bad idea, but the execution was always terrible.  The Germans have never been about electronics and gadgets, and pretty much every German brand has been known to have electrical trouble.  But anyways, BMW needs to call in some serious experts to redo iDrive, something along the lines of the interface experts over at Apple (who were behind the iPhone, which brought user-friendliness to smartphones).  

The new 750i probably succeeds at what it always has, driving enjoyment.  Out of the big guys, the Bimmer has always been the one that is the most fun-to-drive.  No doubt the suspension will offer a nice blend of roadholding and compliance, with a decent engine to boot.  I think that Mercedes and Infiniti are very quickly closing the gap in this area though, so BMW needs to kick it up a notch and defend the throne.  Plus, a lot of buyers are after comfort and luxury in this segment, and buyers and car journalists alike have spoken, the LS 460 and 600 reign supreme in that area.  The Mercedes S-class is also a most competent offering.  Perhaps BMW too should take the route Mercedes has with the new C-class, and branch out models into sport and luxury versions to suit either type of buyer.  I think that would be a very useful strategy for them, given the current market scenario.

Via Motor Trend

Does it put you in a foul mood seeing the needle approach the E on the fuel gauge in your car/truck?  Do you feel like punching something or someone when you’re filling up at the pump and you see the digits swing right past $50, $70, $90 or more?

Good!  That’s why Geekliness has come up with these top fuel saving tips!  First, you need to decide whether you’re just bitter about fuel prices and couldn’t care less about actually using less fuel, or you really do want to consume less.  If you come into the latter category, then these tips are for you.  Now, keep in mind that a lot of these fuel saving tips don’t necessarily fit in with the current driving style in North America, so you may experience people honking their horns, blowing past you, cutting you off etc.

Tip 11:     Keep your car properly maintained and tuned.  This makes more difference than you can imagine!  If your oil hasn’t been changed, or your spark plugs aren’t working effectively, you may be throwing away 10% of your fuel.  Keeping your tires properly inflated is also important, this can also make a difference of up to 3-4%.

Tip 10:     Kill the engine!  Turn your engine off at stoplights you know have a long waiting period.  This is something just about every hybrid car does, and it does work.  Just make sure it’s not a smaller intersection where you’ll need to turn your engine on 5-10 seconds after you’ve turned it off, because that will mean you’re using more fuel (to start the engine).  Bonus - you also reduce emissions!

Tip 9:     Don’t drop the hammer!  If you must pass people on the highway, don’t floor it (or downshift a few gears in a manual-transmissioned cars).  Be judicious with your throttle application and wait for the car to build up speed, then pass.

Tip 8:     In the winter, or even in the spring and fall, your car has a warmup period.  Give it a couple of minutes in the winter, at least a few seconds (20 or so) in the spring and fall to warm up.  What happens is that in order to start a cold engine (and cold means below operational temperature, even in the summer), the engine has to add more fuel to the mix to get it going.  You’ll probably notice that when you first start your car, it’s revving a little higher than normal for the first few seconds/minutes.  This is it warming up.  Wait till the revs drop before you drive off, you’ll save gas, and prolong the life of your engine as well!

Tip 7:     Don’t be an electricity hog!  All the electrical accessories use some amount of extra fuel, such as the radio, heater, air conditioner, so if you want to be super frugal, you can turn all that off.  And if you’re bent on being frugal, understand that opening your windows will cause more drag as well, so you should keep them closed.  I think that this is a little extreme, and that being smart with fuel doesn’t mean that you compromise your comfort.  Air conditioning for example, will consume the least fuel when you are driving fast at a constant speed, i.e. the highway.  Try not to use it on inner streets, but go ahead and turn the chiller on when you’re cruising!

Tip 6:     Go on a diet!  The more weight you have in the car, the more gas you’ll use, so cut the donuts lardo!  Just kidding.  But seriously, do get rid of of any excess stuff you have lying around in the trunk or in the backseats, because it will increase your consumption ever so slightly.

Tip 6:     Don’t pretend you’re in Fast and the Furious!  It might be fun to rev your car up, but keeping the revs up means much, much higher fuel consumption.  Car and Driver once took an Integra GS-R out on the track and measured its fuel economy there.  Normally, the 1.8-L 4-cylinder Integra is considered a frugal car, and truly does feel like a slow one on the street.  On the track it registered 4.5 mpg because the driver constantly kept the RPMs up, exactly the same as a Formula 1 car C&D also tested.  Cars are most efficient at the lowest RPM possible, so try to keep them as low as possible.

Tip 5:     Slow Down!  Generally speaking, the faster you drive, the more fuel you consume.  In my Volkswagen GTI VR6, there is a difference of about 30% between cruising at 100 km/h and 140 km/h.  Ideally you want to be around the 100 km/h or 60 mph mark with a light, steady foot on the pedal to save fuel.

Tip 4:     Cruise control is NOT your friend!  Cruise control systems are designed to hold a steady speed, not a steady throttle, and therein lies the problem.  A steady throttle is your ticket to fuel economy, and any changes, minor as they might be, increase your consumption significantly.  The cruise control system will constantly be changing throttle position in a digital quest to maintain the set speed as you go up and down hills, so don’t use it if you want to save fuel!  Instead, just keep a steady foot on the accelerator pedal, and let your speed drop a little if you are going up an incline.  It’s ok, the car will speed up again once the road turns down again!

Tip 3:     Always be light on the throttle, wherever, whenever.  When accelerating away from a stoplight, don’t accelerate at the rate other drivers are going at, or even what you’re used to.  The lighter you’ll be on the throttle, the more fuel you’ll save.  Try to push the pedal as little as possible to get going, and be patient!  Wait for the car to get to your desired speed.  Once you’re at speed, try to keep minimal pressure on the pedal, just enough to keep the speed you’re at.

Tip 1:     Don’t constantly hit the brakes.  Most drivers are continuously lost in a process of hitting the brakes, then accelerating fairly hard, then braking again, and so on.  This increases your consumption TREMENDOUSLY!  Keep your distance from the car ahead, so you don’t have to jab the brakes now and then.  Don’t hit the accelerator all the time, try your best to keep it steady.

I know that some of this seems a little excessive, but then again, haven’t prices been excessive lately?  When all is said and done, how much can you expect to save?  Well, let’s look at this way… how much can you gain from these tips?

I fill up about 55 liters in my car, approximately 14.7 gallons.  Before I employed these tips myself, that would take me about 420 kms, giving me average consumption figures of 13.1 L / 100 kms, or 17.8 mpg.

After following these tips religiously, and being EXTREMELY light on the throttle all the time, and believe me, I felt as cheap as a… you know what I mean… my results were…

10.6 L / 100 kms or 22 mpg (520 kms in total), 24% better!  Motor Trend recently tested the Mazda3 2.4-L automatic to have an as-tested economy of 20.9 mpg.  I’m beating the 4-cylinder Mazda by 10%, and have significantly more power and torque, as well as a better sounding and smoother engine.  So just to reiterate, it’s not so much what you drive, it’s how you drive it!  There’s no need to sell your car to move to something made in Malaysia that has 3 cylinders and double-digit horsepower.  You’ll lose money selling your car, and you’ll miss the power and size of your current car, so just employ these 11 tips, and you’ll be well on your way to eco-country!

If I’ve missed something, or you’d like to share anything, please feel free to comment!

Both of these cars are what are known as Grand Tourers, or GT cars.  However, another way to describe them is somewhat practical sports cars.  They’ve got all the excess and panache of true sports cars, but are also lined with the finest leathers, woods, stones and whatever other high-end materials the designers can find.  A giant shifter made of crystal adorns the interior of the Aston Martin, while Ferrari’s beautifully chosen leather not only wraps the seats but also the dash.  It looks, feels and even smells stunning.  What really separates GTs is their ability to be driven daily and long distances.  They aren’t fuel-sippers and certainly aren’t very green in any way, but they do turn heads and can attract a crowd.

Comparing the two, an immediate strike goes to the Aston because of its V12 engine.  Think Ferrari engine, and you can hear the high-pitched shriek and think of the wonderful heritage.  The V12 in the Aston is essentially two V6s joined together… two Duratec V6s from <cue scary music> the Ford Contour and Taurus of yore.  Now I know it sounds great, and it is a bona fide V12, but you don’t want your exotic, ridiculously expensive GT car to have begun life the same way a Ford Contour did.  I’m splitting hairs here, but the Astons tested on Top Gear and Fifth Gear were remarkably unreliable as well.  Terribly uncool to be stranded with a GT.  

” It’s got 6 liters, 48 valves, four camshafts, and close to 600 horsepower.  When I’m able to start it.”

The DBS does have the uber-coolness of being a James Bond car from Casino Royale, though this is a double-edged sword, it’s a little cheesy to buy James Bond’s cars, some might say its a little wannabeish. 

Car and Driver found the Ferrari to be the significantly better car of the two, which wasn’t really a surprise.  An extremely heavy car going from 0 to 60 in 3.3 seconds?  I’ll take mine in Ferrari Red.

Via Car and Driver

BMW has freshened the 3-series for 2009, adding a minor facelift and some more features such as an improved iDrive, and a hard-drive based music player, optional as always.  I love some of the features available in many BMWs including the 3-series, but when optioned out, does the price ever skyrocket!  Sadly, a lot of these features don’t add to resale value down the road, making the value proposition for the additional features even worse.  

Via CNET’s Crave