Automotive Addicts |
- 2013 Nissan GT-R To Get More Power
- Nissan working on 520-horsepower GT-R Powered Juke on Steroids?
- 2011 Kia Forte EX 5-Door Review & Test Drive
- Dodge Charger Pursuit V8 Is Officially The Fastest Cop Car
- Is The 2012 Dodge Hornet The Anti-Caliber?
| 2013 Nissan GT-R To Get More Power Posted: 27 Sep 2011 05:54 AM PDT
 The 2012 Nissan GT-R. Image: Nissan There's a saying that you can't have too much of a good thing, and when it comes to horsepower we're inclined to believe it. No one in their right mind would accuse the 2012 Nissan GT-R of being slow, but we seriously doubt buyers would object to Nissan building a faster GT-R. In case you've forgotten the specs on the current version, it'll sprint from a standstill to 60 miles per hour in just under three seconds (2.93 to be exact), run to a top speed just shy of 200 miles per hour and embarrass cars costing twice as much when the road gets twisty. Autoblog and the North American GT-R Owners Club are reporting that some fairly substantial changes are in the works for the 2013 model. The changes were discussed at a recent European press event, but have yet to be finalized; still, word is that the 2013 version will get a boost of "at least" 40 horsepower, which would bring Godzilla up to a minimum of 570 horsepower. While no one would buy a GT-R to be Green, the 2013 model will also crank out less carbon dioxide, so buying one is an ecologically sensible thing to do in our eyes. Under the sheetmetal, the suspension and transmission shift logic have been revised for even better handling, and the underbody has been redesigned to improve airflow (add downforce, would be our guess) and aid cooling. Don't look for any changes to styling or paint options, since the 2013 will be visually identical to the 2012 model. Pricing has not yet been set, but we'd expect a modest bump in price to justify the higher output. |
| Nissan working on 520-horsepower GT-R Powered Juke on Steroids? Posted: 27 Sep 2011 05:36 AM PDT
The Nissan Juke undoubtedly has a funky design, which is safe to say appeals more to the teen and early 20's generation rather than baby boomers. The latest news about the little-ute is that Nissan is working on a Juke that will be powered by the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 found in the GT-R. Of course this “Super-Juke” will receive other treatment to match its new 520-hp powerplant such as tuned suspension, spoilers and a more aggressive over-all look. The interior will be stripped down for extra weight savings allowing the GT-R powered Juke to hit speeds close to 170mph and dash to 62mph in 4 seconds. That's a big difference from the current 1.6-liter 4-banger powerplant found in the standard Juke making it to 60mph in about 8 seconds. Nissan confirmed that the car is internally known as "Super Juke" and just a study at this stage. More details will come down the pipeline at a later date but for now you have to ask yourself, is a Juke on steroids really necessary? Of course it is; anything with over 500 horsepower is always necessary – if you can afford it! [source: autoexpress] |
| 2011 Kia Forte EX 5-Door Review & Test Drive Posted: 26 Sep 2011 12:36 PM PDT
'ADDING FLEXIBILITY AND FUNCTIONALITY' The all-new 2011 Kia Forte EX 5-door hatchback adds more flexibility and functionality to the value, technology, safety features and comfort already found in the Kia Forte compact 4-door sedan. Joining the Forte line with the same sleek styling and multitude of features as its sedan sibling, the all-new 2011 Forte 5-door offers consumers an added level of flexibility for everyday needs with its functional hatchback. With aggressive design cues, the Forte 5-door hatchback firmly establishes itself as a strong contender against the competition in this growing segment of the marketplace. Sporting a bold look set apart by crisp lines, swept-back headlamps, a sleek profile and rounded rear to increase cargo capacity, space and functionality, Forte's wide stance conveys motion while cruising the highway or parked in the driveway.
From the front and side, the Forte 5-door hatchback projects a clean and assertive presence with sweeping window arches, smooth fender flares and body-color side mirrors and door handles. Turn signal indicators are integrated into the side mirrors adding to the upscale appearance. The tasteful design cues are effortlessly streamlined to the rear with angled wrapped tail lamps and an uncluttered rear fascia. The rear hatch glass comes standard with a top-mounted spoiler to enhance rear downforce and with a wiper and washer to help with rearward visibility while driving in the rain. With a wheelbase of 104.3 inches, an overall width of 69.9 inches and an overall height of 57.5 inches, the Ford 5-door offers comfortable seating for up to five passengers. The Kia engineered body achieves high torsional stiffness giving the car taut, responsive handling, a smoother ride quality and greater refinement that its competitors, with specially tuned, Kia-developed suspension adjusted perfectly for responsive handling on S-turn roads. Additional refinements are fitted throughout to help ensure a comfortable ride with good noise, vibration and harshness reduction qualities.
These attributes are made possible because this front-wheel-drive unibody structure employs an independent front suspension with MacPherson struts, coil springs, monotube gas-charged shocks and a stabilizer bar. The rear suspension setup features a torsion beam, coil springs and monotube gas-charged shocks. This combination helps provide the optimal balance of handling and comfort. An engine-speed-sensitive, power-assisted rack & pinion steering system adds the finishing touch for precise handling, feel for the road and by providing the most advantageous amount of assist for varying road conditions and speed. Quickly and safely slowing the all-new Kia Forte hatchback EX down from speed are large power-assisted four-wheel steel disc brakes. Up front are 11 inch vented discs clamped with dual-piston calipers and 10.3 inch solid discs clamped with single-piston calipers in the rear. Your braking control during severe stopping maneuvers are enhanced with standard ABS, EBD, BA, Traction Control, and Electronic Stability Control. The Kia Forte hatchback EX rides on 16X6 inch alloy wheels wrapped with 205/55R16 inch all-season radial tires for a smooth ride and excellent grip on dry or wet pavement.
Moving inside, the all-new Forte hatchback boasts a spacious 97.5 of cubic feet of passenger volume. Driver and passengers have an impressive 40 inches of headroom and 43.3 inches of legroom in the front seats and 38.4 inches and 35 inches of legroom in the rear seats. The cargo space behind the rear seats in the hatchback is a generous 19.4 cu.ft., perfect for luggage and weekend getaways or around-town grocery shopping.
Capitalizing on the spacious interior, the Forte 5-door makes every effort to incorporate style and function, starting with a crisp, high-visibility center stack and a driver-oriented three-gauge cluster exuding a stylish red glow. Pampering owners further, the EX 5-door offer a host of standard interior features staring with comfortable, nicely appointed full cloth bucket seats, a six-way adjustable driver's seat, tilt steering wheel, rear defroster, dual 12-volt power outlets in the center console, power windows/door locks, remote keyless entry, A/C, dual map lights, steering wheel-mounted audio and cruise controls, tweeter speakers included with the AM-FM-CD/MP3 audio system with six-speakers, dual front and rear pull-down cupholders, Bluetooth wireless technology, USB/auxiliary input jacks, dual power sideview mirrors, center console with armrest and storage bin, outside temperature display, thick cut-pile carpeting with front/rear floor mats, grab handles above each passenger door, dual vanity mirrors, underfloor storage compartments in the cargo area, and storage slots in each door. Options installed in my 5-door EX model included a power sunroof and the EX technology package with a navigation system, push button start/stop, automatic temperature control, foglamps, auto headlamps and chrome finished outside door handles.
The Forte 5-door EX is powered by a 2.0 liter DOHC four-cylinder engine producing a healthy 156hp at 6,200rpm and 144lb.ft. of torque at 4,300rpm, that features continuously variable valve timing (CVVT), and multi-port electronic fuel injection, both of which provide for greater performance and fuel economy. This small potent engine is matted to a six speed manual or six-speed automatic with Sportmatic manual shifting coming standard in the EX model. This six-speed automatic transmission is a propriety design for Kia Motors that was engineered and built specifically for Kia vehicles. It pulls strong and smooth at all shift points. The all-new Kia Forte 5-door offers an exceptional level of standard safety features including front active headrests, dual advanced front airbags, front seat-mounted and side curtain airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, side impact door beams, front and rear crumple zones, 5-3-point safety belts with front pretensioners/load limiters and a tire pressure monitoring system.
The all-new 2011 Kia Forte EX 5-door is hard to beat in the growing compact 5-door sportwagon segment today. It is nicely styled, has a good amount of power and high ride quality with an exceptional interior that pays attention to detail with many standard features you would have to pay for in most of the competition. Most of all it is priced right with a base that starts at only $17,895.00.              COPYRIGHT:2011:HARVEY SCHWARTZ SPECIFICATIONS
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| Dodge Charger Pursuit V8 Is Officially The Fastest Cop Car Posted: 26 Sep 2011 07:05 AM PDT
 What you don't want to see in your rear view mirror. Image: Chrysler Group LLC For the record, it's always a bad idea to run from the police. Even if you're tempted to mat the accelerator when you see that aging Crown Vic getting larger in your rear view mirror, just remember this: you can't outrun a radio. Your odds of outrunning a police cruiser just got a bit smaller, too, since the 2012 Dodge Charger Pursuit V8 has set a new police car lap record at Grattan Raceway in Michigan State Police testing. While I don't have lap times for the Ford Interceptor or the Chevy Caprice Interceptor, the Dodge Charger Pursuit V8 lapped Grattan in 1:33.70. That's just a few tenths of a second slower than a Shelby GT500 or a Nissan 370Z, and it's faster than a Lotus Elise or a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X MR. It's even faster than a Chevy Camaro SS, which weighs less and packs more horsepower. The Dodge Charger Pursuit V8 comes with a 5.7-liter Hemi V8, good for 370 horsepower and a 0 to 60 time of 5.8 seconds. It's got a top speed of 151 miles per hour, and comes with heavy duty everything to ensure that high speed chases have as little drama as possible. It even returns up to 25 mpg on the highway, thanks to Chrysler's cylinder deactivation system. Dodge also offers the Charger Pursuit in a V-6 version, which still packs 292 horsepower and returns up to 27 mpg highway. That may be good enough for local municipalities, but we're guessing the state police nationwide will be ordering a lot of Charger Pursuit V-8 models in the coming months. Be afraid when you see one in your rear view mirror. |
| Is The 2012 Dodge Hornet The Anti-Caliber? Posted: 26 Sep 2011 06:11 AM PDT
 The Alfa Romeo Giulietta, basis for the Dodge Hornet. Image: Wikipedia user S 400 Hybrid If you're a fan of the now-discontinued Dodge Caliber, be prepared to be offended. Perhaps the best example of what happens when accountants design cars, the Dodge Caliber gets my vote for the worst domestic car of the past decade. It was, in fact, the only rental car I ever returned before driving off the lot, and even the SRT guys apologized for the Caliber SRT4, saying essentially, "we did the best we could with what we had to work with." Those days at Dodge are gone, and there's good news on the horizon for Mopar fans with a passion for compacts: the upcoming Dodge Hornet may be good enough to make us forget all about the Caliber. Based on the Alfa Romeo Giulietta (which won't be coming stateside until 2014), the 2012 Dodge Hornet will come in sedan and 5 door body styles, with engines ranging from frugal to fun. Want 40 mpg from your commuter car? Opt for the Hornet with the 1.4-liter four cylinder, good for 168 horsepower. Want a bit more grunt? Opt for the SRT4 version, which should come packing Alfa Romeo's 1.8-liter four, good for 232 horsepower. Left Lane News says to expect both manual and dual-clutch automatic transmissions, and an interior the borrows heavily from the Alfa Romeo and Fiat parts bin. The Hornet's handling should be "European inspired," and we're guessing that the Hornet SRT4 will be able to throw down against any other FWD offering with confidence. Expect to see the 2012 Dodge Hornet introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. |
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