car

THE DETAILS
Price: $106,520
Powertrain: 6.2L/638-hp*/604-lb-ft*/supercharged V-8/6-sp manual
Vital Stats: 0-60: 3.3 sec/quarter: 11.2 sec/EPA: 14/20 mpg. *SAE certified.

Stop by CorvetteGuys.com and check out their large selection of ZR1 Wheels.

WHY IT'S ON OUR HIT PARADE: We'd love it for design bravura alone, but the R8 runs like a Wall Street profiteer, carves turns with the finesse of Michelangelo working marble, and treats its two occupants to the velvet touch of a Golden Door Spa.

COOL FACT: Actor Alex Rocco, who awoke to find a bloody luxocar grille sharing his bed in 2008's famous R8 Super Bowl commercial, played Moe Greene in the ad's inspiration, 1972's "The Godfather."

SUM UP: The Area 51 supercar.

THE DETAILS
Price: $126,600
Powertrain: 4.2L/420-hp/317-lb-ft/V-8/6-sp auto-clutch manual
Vital Stats: 0-60: 4.1sec/ Quarter: 12.6 sec/EPA: 13/18 mpg

THE CAR THAT LIVES AT THE INTERSECTION OF DOING SOMETHING GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND DOING SOMETHING NICE FOR YOURSELF.

The RX is the best-selling Lexus, and one in five sold is the hybrid version. It’s no surprise, then, that with the new third generation RX—the second to have a hybrid powertrain—Lexus is treading very carefully.The design is a careful evolution, both inside and out. The car is slightly longer and wider but manages to look sleeker than before. The interior retains the traditional Lexus virtues
of comfort (on even bigger, cushier seats) and refinement (with available semi-aniline leather for a still more luxurious feel). Lexus has joined the Germans by adopting an iDrivestyle
controller instead of a touch screen for its optional navigation system. But rather than a knob you twist and push, the Lexus control (called Remote Touch) works more like a joystick that you move from side to side or forward and back, and then make a selection by pressing buttons on the side of the unit. It takes some getting used to.



Other new options don’t require a learning curve, such as the head-up display and the curbview
camera; the latter is located in the right-side mirror, and at low speeds it shows an image of
what’s alongside the car. The hybrid model supplements its previous ECO indicator, which lights up when you’re driving efficiently, with a selectable ECO mode, which changes the responsiveness of the throttle and instructs the climate control to use the A/C compressor more judiciously. There’s also an EV mode, which extends the threshold before the engine starts, up to a still modest 8 to 10 mph.

The changes aren’t dramatic, but Lexus has given its cushy suburban hybrid a slightly greener tinge. Lexus engineers identify four elements that underpin the brand’s hybrids: performance, quiet refinement, low emissions, and fuel economy. In this redesign, the latter received the most emphasis.Whereas the standard RX350’s 3.5-liter V-6 is little changed (adding 5 hp for a total of 275 hp),the RX450h got a whole new gasoline engine. Replacing the old 3.3-liter is a new 3.5-liter V-6 that runs on the more efficient Atkinson cycle. EPA numbers for the front-wheel-drive RX hybrid are up by 1 mpg city and 3 mpg highway, to 28/27 mpg. The all-wheel-drive version adds 2 mpg all around and is now rated at 28/26 mpg.



Despite the increased fuel economy, the RX pecking order has been preserved, with the hybrid
again out muscling the standard RX350. The hybrid’s total power output is up by 27 hp, to 295 hp, and both the gasoline engine and the electric motors make more torque. Against that, however, is the car’s weight gain of more than 400 pounds. Still, the RX hybrid accelerates quickly and smoothly. Once again, the all-wheel-drive model adds a third motor/generator, which is the sole source of propulsion for the rear wheels. In either version, the start-up and shutdown of the gasoline V-6 is seamless, but in steady-state cruising on level ground, there is
the faintest surging as the batteries switch between charging and assisting. In the chassis
department, the new RX is treated to a wider track and a new rear suspension—control
arms replace struts and intrude less into the cargo hold. There’s also an optional sport suspension, but it’s not likely to keep BMW X5 engineers up nights. The electric power steering, now on both RX models, is better than most, linear and not over boosted.

In December 2008 the company introduced a new Audi modification of its top models - Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro (the first major public showing of the car took place at the International Auto Show in Detroit in January 2009). Her desyatitsilindrovy volume of 5.2 liter engine develops power 386 kW (525 hp) and torque to 530 Nm. Winning a car R8 5.2 FSI quattro «Poul-pozishn» in the fight against rivals such help has already become a «family» features Audi, as a full-drive quattro, lightweight aluminum body and attractive design, LED lamp ...

In the R8 V10 focus all engineering findings, accumulated over the years of victory for the Audi race in Le Mane. His atmospheric engine - a compilation of technologies used in racing cars: such as the dry sump lubrication system and technology of direct fuel injection FSI. Construction of 10-cylinder engine offers an excellent set of parameters: maximum performance, powerful traction and light weight. Since 2009, this engine will demonstrate its full potential and also on routes avtogonok - it will be installed on a new car racing R8, which Audi is developing in line with the technical regulations for the program GT3 «Sport for clients».

Well-known "hot hatch" - Mazda 3 MPS - too, came to Geneva in a new guise. Following the basic modifications, the fastest hatchback example of a new design with a "wave" in the front bumper air intakes, a complex plastic side body panels, and massive rear spoiler. Inside - the new seat, the other front panel and a digital boost pressure sensor. Motor, however, has not changed - this 2.3-liter Quartet turbo, developing 260 horsepower. But thanks to a stretched gears new Mazda 3 MPS has been faster than its predecessor in the acceleration to a hundred kilometers an hour (at 0.6 seconds).

The U.S. motoring publication "US News & World Report" found a very decent car in its class and has published the rating of the best cars of 2008. All the cars were divided into 11 classes, each of which had a whole set of modern cars to choose the most deserving.

In the past few years a clear tendency to increase the competitiveness of eastern brands. Increasingly the first place in the ratings, lists of sales and minds of ordinary consumers take Japanese, Korean and Chinese cars.

"As a representative and class luxury traditionally leader German group BWM

Thus, in a recently published ranking of the safest cars, seven of the 34 models participating owned Japanese company Honda. In the same list of the first pickups in the history of the competition was the Toyota Tundra. In ranking the best car company got seven first places in different classes - more than any other manufacturer.

Popular in the U.S. magazine "US News & World Report" took into account not only its own assessment in the classification of a car. Specialists also take into account the publication of the opinion of other experts on models of automobile market.

In evaluating each vehicle were subjected to a thorough analysis of its performance, safety, reliability, compliance with its class and, of course, the price / quality ratio.

It showed a group of General Motors. Compared to last year, the position of the manufacturer had improved considerably. Mostly it was due to launch of new models and the redesign of some existing ones. For example, a survivor of the Chevy Malibu sedan restyling took 6 th place out of 25 applicants. Experts praised the medium sedan's dynamic performance, attractive interiors and a democratic value. New Cadillac CTS, which became the fourth in its class, was a good competition in such brands as BMW and Lexus. New Model Buick Enclave (a third of the 23 crossovers) potesnil market Chevy Tahoe, Cadillac Escalade and Chevy Silverado 1500.

"The rating of the best car company Honda got seven first places in different classes

Top cars 2008 model year was a failure for the U.S. Dodge Avenger, which was the last in his class. The new Nissan Rogue compact crossover has also been at the bottom of the table. Restaylingovy Toyota Highlander SUV suddenly "sprygnul" from first place last year at the latest in the current.

As a representative and class luxury traditionally leader German group BWM. This year, however, strong competition of the Bavarian brand Lexus ES and Infiniti G37.

Novelty rating of 2008 has been actively developing a class of hybrid cars. New models from GM and concerns Ford - Saturn Aura and VUE, Chevy Tahoe, Ford Escape / Mercury Mariner - the first time presented in 2007, not taken any high positions. Experts believe that these cars do not have a high rate of efficiency and at the same time good characteristics.

Posted recently rating the best vehicles for 2008 model year version of the magazine "US News & World Report" is designed to help the car buyer to make the right choice car.


The best cars of 2008

1. Minikar Honda Fit
2. Slide the middle class Volkswagen GTI
3. Medium sedan Honda Accord
4. Medium-class sedan BMW 3-series
5. Full Toyota Avalon sedan
6. Sedan luxury "BMW 5-series
7. Sports car Honda S2000
8. Mazda MX-5 Miata
9. Mazda Speed 3
10. Double car convertible Honda S2000

11. Mazda MX-5 Miata
12. Four-car convertible Toyota Camry Solara Convertible
13. Full Dodge Magnum station wagon
14. Compact universal Kia Spectra 5
15. Toyota Matrix
16. Compact crossover Honda CR-V
17. Compact crossover luxury Acura RDX
18. Crossover Honda Pilot
19. Crossover luxury Lexus RX 350
20. Off-road Chevrolet Tahoe

21. Cross-class "luxury" Cadillac Escalade
22. Compact Pickup Toyota Tacoma
23. Full Pickup Chevrolet Silverado 1500
24. Sport SUV Honda Ridgeline
25. Honda Odyssey Minivan
26. Hybrid Sedan Toyota Camry Hybrid
27. Hybrid Crossover Lexus RX-400h