2012 Porsche Cayman R

Race-ready sports car proves that less is more

By Nina Russin

2012 Porsche Cayman R

The Cayman originated as a hardtop sibling to the open-air Boxster, sharing the same “boxer” engine, and midship engine placement. This year, Porsche added an “R” model to the Cayman, which strips weight off the chassis by using more lightweight construction materials, eliminating the air conditioning and audio system.

By shaving 121 pounds off the chassis, engineers boosted engine horsepower to 330: ten more than the Cayman S or Boxster Spyder equipped with the same engine. Zero-to-sixty acceleration is 4.7 seconds using the six-speed manual transmission.

The Cayman R comes with special lightweight wheels and a sport-tuned suspension which lowers the chassis 20 millimeters compared to other variants. Special aero effects include a unique front and rear spoiler to make the car slipperier in the wind tunnel.

Base price is $66,300 not including a $950 destination charge. Options on the test car include automatic dimming mirrors ($690), Porsche’s connectivity and navigation system ($3455), bi-xenon adaptive headlamps ($1550), three audio packages ($795), custom wheels ($1815), floor mats and automatic climate control ($1760), bringing the MSRP to $79,285. Read the rest of this entry »

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK350

Third generation roadster gains muscle under the hood

By Nina Russin

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK350

Two-seaters are by nature personal cars, purchased by drivers who value the experience of being one with the road. While I wouldn’t classify the 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 as a sports car, it is certainly a vehicle for enthusiasts of beautifully crafted and styled automobiles.

The third-generation model which debuts for 2012 evokes memories of the iconic 190SL. The newest SLK shares the original SL’s long hood and short rear overhang. The design is considerably softer and more refined than the 1996 SLK, whose rather angular exterior always struck me as a bit unresolved.

Underneath the 2012 SLK’s hood is a more powerful V-6 engine, rated at 302 horsepower. Direct injection delivers gasoline directly into the cylinders rather than through the valves for enhanced throttle response and reduced parasitic fuel loss. The automaker estimates zero-to-sixty acceleration at 5.4 seconds.

A seven-speed automatic transmission enhances the coupe’s fuel economy even further by providing large overdrive gears for the highway. Despite the additional power, the newest SLK350 averages four miles-per-gallon more on the highway and one more in the city than the model it replaces.

Base price is $54,800 not including the $875 delivery charge. Options on the test car include a premium package which upgrades the audio system and adds seat and neck-level heaters ($2590); bi-xenon headlamps with washers ($1070); hard drive navigation ($2150); 18-inch AMG wheels and ground effects ($2500); a panoramic roof ($500); wind foil ($350) and ultrasonic park assist ($970); bringing the price as tested to $65,805. Read the rest of this entry »

2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8

Full-sized sedan races on Sunday, commutes on Monday

By Nina Russin

2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8

Although Americans can’t take credit for inventing the full-sized sedan, they were instrumental in perfecting it. Before the era of sport and cross-utility vehicles, husbands drove their wives and children around in full-sized sedans.

The end of the Second World War ushered in a new era of American car design, during which the sedan was front and center. A country deprived on new car models for over half a decade swarmed into showrooms to discover sleek, muscular new machines that bore little resemblance to the cars of the early 1940s.

Models such as the fabulous Hudson Hornet, the Olds Rocket 88 and the original Chrysler 300 series were the early heroes of the newly formed NASCAR racing series. Skunk-works teams working late at night transformed plain vanilla sedans into the first muscle cars. They became instant classics.

The Chrysler 300 SRT8 takes its name and spirit from these sedans of the 1950s and 60s, with a dynamic profile and driver-focused interior. The division’s Street and Racing Technology team takes the formula a step further by adding an all-new hemi V-8 engine which accelerates from zero-to-sixty miles-per-hour in less than five seconds.

While its powerful engine is the sedan’s most obvious nod towards driving enthusiasts, it is not the only one. Formula-style shift paddles on a specially-designed steering wheel, on-board telemetry, and colossal Brembo brakes engineered to withstand the rigors of long days at the track make the 300 SRT8 a car which can go racing over the weekend and commute to the office during the week.

Base price is $47,170, not including an $825 delivery charge. The test car comes with a safety option package which adds blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and power folding mirrors with redundant signals ($1995). Other options include leather seating ($2500), an audio upgrade which consists of 18 speakers with a 900-watt amplifier ($1995), a dual-pane panoramic sunroof ($1295) and performance tires ($150). A $1000 gas guzzler tax brings the price as tested to $56,930. Read the rest of this entry »

2011 Lexus IS 250C

Hardtop convertible for driving enthusiasts

By Nina Russin

2011 Lexus IS C

The IS 250C is the less expensive of two open-air IS models. Pricing starts at $41,060, plus an $875 destination charge. Power comes from a 2.5-liter direct injection V-6 engine rated at 204 horsepower. Direct injection delivers gasoline into the engine cylinders without passing through the valves. This reduces parasitic loss for better gas mileage, and also provides a cooling effect which enabled engineers to apply a very high compression ratio: 12.0:1.

The engine has excellent throttle response: zero-to-sixty acceleration is 8.4 seconds according to the manufacturer. The down side of the high compression engine is its premium fuel requirement. Running the car on regular unleaded fuel could produce detonation and engine damage.

A six-speed automatic transmission includes formula-style shift paddles on the steering wheel. The paddles enable the driver to choose gears manually for more aggressive performance on challenging roads.

The IS 250C runs on 17-inch alloy rims and all-season tires. The wheels are large enough to provide an ample footprint, but the tires have enough sidewall to offer a comfortable ride on uneven road surfaces.

Options on the test car include a hard drive navigation system and Mark Levinson audio upgrade ($4015). Lexus Enform, which comes with the option, adds connection to a remote call center which can provide turn-by-turn directions.

A cargo net and trunk mat add $64 and $73 respectively, bringing the price as tested to $46,087. Read the rest of this entry »

2012 Infiniti M35h

Hybrid sedan for driving enthusiasts

By Nina Russin

2012 Infiniti M35h

Although hybrid vehicles are by no means a new idea, engineers continue to develop new performance matrices using the combined attributes of gas engines and electric motors. Unlike the first generation of hybrid sedans, fuel economy improvements in newer models sometimes take a back seat to power. This isn’t to say that the hybrid cars don’t outperform their gasoline-powered counterparts in terms of gas mileage; rather that they may well out-accelerate those cars as well.

Infiniti’s new M35h sedan is a case in point. Because electric motors develop maximum torque at extremely low speeds, the gasoline-electric M produces neck-snapping acceleration off the line, worthy of a top fuel car. The fact that it also averages 32 miles-per-gallon on the highway as compared to the gasoline-powered M’s 26 is an added bonus.

The closest hybrid technology to the M35h is probably Porsche’s, as seen in the Cayenne Hybrid. In both cases, the vehicle can operate at extremely high speeds on pure electric power. In the case of the M35h, top speed in electric mode is 62 miles-per-hour, with a range of 1.2 miles before the gas engine cuts in.

Base price on the M35h is $53,700, not including an $895 destination charge. The test car comes with a premium package which adds semi aniline leather seats, a Bose 5.1 surround-sound audio system, wood accents, a suede headliner and power rear sunshade ($3800). A technology package includes Infiniti’s hard drive navigation system with XM real time traffic and weather updates, climate controlled front seats and a heated steering wheel ($3350). A trunk mat and first aid kit cost $200, while an 18-inch wheel package adds $650. Illuminated kick plates priced at $360 bring the total cost as tested to $62,955. Read the rest of this entry »

2012 Acura TL Advance

New model gets a refreshed exterior and fuel economy enhancements

By Nina Russin

2012 Acura TL

The TL is one of three sedans Acura builds, positioned between the high luxury RL and smaller TSX sport sedan. The 2012 TL, revealed at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show is the third iteration of the model, which originally debuted in 2004. Designers refreshed the exterior with a new grille, front fascia and headlamps, a new rear bumper and revised tail lamps.

 A new six-speed automatic transmission provides better fuel economy but adds some appealing performance characteristics as well. A double click downshift feature can drop up to two gears during aggressive driving. The feature formerly available only on the all-wheel drive model is now standard on the front-wheel drive TL as well.

This year, Acura offers two platforms: a 280-horsepower front-wheel drive sedan and the 305-horsepower all-wheel drive model. The test car is the front-wheel drive advance grade. The advance option package upgrades the standard 17-inch wheels to 18-inch rims, adds blind spot monitoring and ventilated front seats. A technology option includes hard-drive navigation with voice activated controls and a premium audio system. Navigation includes real time weather and traffic updates and rerouting.

MSRP is $41,535. An $885 delivery charge brings the price as tested to $42,420. Read the rest of this entry »

2012 Buick Enclave AWD Premium

Luxury for the real world

By Nina Russin

2012 Buick Enclave

The Enclave is Buick’s full-sized crossover vehicle, with seating for up to eight passengers. While the 2012 car is basically a carryover, Buick has eliminated the CX and CXL badges. Four available trim levels for 2012 include the base 1SB, mid-grade 1SD, mid-grade with leather 1SL and 1SN premium.

Hill-hold assist, a safety feature which hangs onto the brakes to prevent the car from sliding backwards on steep grades, is now standard. So is electronic pedal override: a new technology which reduces engine power if the driver inadvertently depresses the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time.

Power comes from a 3.6-liter V-6 engine rated at 288 horsepower and six-speed automatic transmission. Buyers can choose between front or all-wheel drive.

The test car is the all-wheel drive premium grade, priced from $45,080. MSRP does not include the $810 delivery charge. Standard convenience features include leather trim, first and second-row captain’s chairs, remote keyless entry and start, a premium audio system with satellite radio, Bluetooth interface, heated and cooled seats.

Standard safety features include six airbags, stability control and OnStar emergency crash response. Adaptive headlamps, which swivel according to steering inputs to light dark corners of the road, are also standard.

A navigation and rear seat DVD option adds real-time XM traffic and weather updates ($3185). A power sunroof with a second-row glass roof panel costs $1400, while metallic red paint adds $395. Twenty-inch chrome rims are a $300 option, bringing the price as tested to $51,170. Read the rest of this entry »

2011 Audi Q5 2.0T Quattro Tiptronic

Elegance, Performance and Luxury in Smaller Crossover

by Jim Woodman

2011 Audi Q5 2.0T

My wife and three boys – ages 12, 10 and 6 – would put the Q5’s seating and cargo capacity to a stern test.

For those that may recall, the Audi Q5 was one of our ALV finalist vehicles for Luxury Onroad for 2009. When it was introduced in ‘09 as a smaller crossover alternative to the Q7 – and mainly to compete with the Mercedes GLK and BMW’s X3 – I was convinced it could be my next car. Of course, somewhere a few extra bundles of cash would have to fall my way as the Audi is certainly one of the pricier options when looking at smaller crossovers. Read the rest of this entry »

2012 Audi A7 Sedan

Five doors, four passengers, and one stunning design

By Nina Russin

2012 Audi A7

The collective eyes of my neighborhood are focused on the Audi A7 parked in our driveway. The new A7 combines five-door practicality with coupe styling. To call the exterior breathtaking is not an exaggeration.

Audi’s press materials claim that the five-door sedan has the versatility of a wagon. It doesn’t. The roof’s severe rake makes the cargo area too shallow to hold bicycles and other large cargo which could fit into a wagon or a more traditional hatchback. But with its folding rear seats, the A7 can easily hold long items such as skis and snowboards. Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive system makes getting through the snow a non-issue.

Power comes from a supercharged 3-liter V-6 engine rated at 310 horsepower and 325 foot-pounds of torque. Superchargers have a reputation for providing exceptional low-end power with no throttle lag: the block in the A7 is no exception. Peak torque is available as low as 2900 rpm.

Equally impressive is an eight-speed automatic transmission with manual gear selection. The Quattro all-wheel drive system maintains a 40/60 front-to-rear torque split under normal driving conditions. It can prevent understeer by applying the brakes to the inside rear wheel if the car starts to push in a corner.

Base price is $59,250, not including the $875 delivery charge. A prestige package on the test car adds larger wheels, navigation, a connectivity system, four-zone climate control, upgraded Bose audio system, a rearview camera with ultrasonic parking sensors, adaptive headlamps and a seven-inch information screen ($6330).

Twenty-inch rims with performance tires cost $1200, while Audi’s blind spot detection system adds $500. Special metallic paint ($475) plus the options above bring the price as tested to $68,630. Read the rest of this entry »

2011 Lexus RX 350

Luxury crossover vehicle seats five passengers

By Nina Russin

Lexus RX 350

The RX 350 is the smallest of three utility vehicles Lexus produces. It is also by far the most popular. Unlike the larger GX and LX, the RX is a unibody-constructed crossover, giving it the ride-and-handling characteristics of a passenger car.

While the available all-wheel drive system doesn’t have the ability to navigate extreme off-road trails, it gives the RX four-season capability. A locking mode which works at speeds under 25 miles-per-hour mimics some of the functions of the low gear range on four-wheel drive vehicles.

Lexus introduced the current RX in 2010: the third iteration since the model rolled out in 1998. Twenty-eleven models are basically carry-over, with the addition of a new smart stop safety feature. 
 
Power comes from a 3.5-liter V-6 engine rated at 275 horsepower and a six-speed automatic transmission with manual gear select option. Ninety percent of the engine’s peak torque is available at 2300 rpm, giving the RX good acceleration off the line, and in the 20-to-50 mile-per-hour range drivers use on freeway entrance ramps.

Base price for the front-wheel drive model is $39,375, not including the $875 destination charge. The test car includes three rather expensive option packages: a comfort package which includes rain sensing wipers, adaptive high-intensity discharge headlamps and heated/ventilated front seats ($1950); a dual-screen DVD rear entertainment system with navigation, XM traffic and weather updates and Lexus Enform ($5005); and a luxury package which adds semi-analine leather front seats, a power moonroof, wide-angle camera, 19-inch wheels, a USB audio plug and heated folding outside mirrors ($4900). Two additional options, a twelve-speaker audio system and cargo net, bring the price as tested to $52,774. Read the rest of this entry »