Brits' new look has Landed

It's a hat-trick for Land Rover – as the 4x4 maker has revised three of its biggest sellers!
Fresh versions of the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Discovery made their world debuts at the New York Motor Show this week – and they all benefit from more luxurious cabins and new engines.

Confirming its place at the top of the pile is the Range Rover. A remoulded bumper, repositioned foglamps and more compact grille give the front a cleaner, more contemporary look, while light clusters front and rear are now lit up with jewel-like LEDs.

Power comes from supercharged versions of Jaguar Land Rover’s all-new 5.0-litre V8 powerplant, delivering an incredible 503bhp. Diesel fans can still order the 268bhp TDV8.
Inside, luxury-grade leather can be specified on the pillars and headlining for an extra £2,500 – which leaves every inch of the cabin covered in hide. An all-new 12-inch TFT screen replaces the traditional analogue dials, so the speedo and odometer are displayed in hi-res graphics instead.
The real headline grabber in the Range Rover, though, is the world’s first dual-view screen. Derived from 3D TV, it allows the driver to view satellite navigation directions from one angle, while the front seat passenger watches a film on the same display.

For the Range Rover Sport, the firm focused on improving the driving experience. New Bilstein adaptive dampers are fitted, as is speed-sensitive steering. Plus, the Terrain Response system has been tweaked to include a Dynamic mode, giving quicker gearshifts.

Engine choices include the same naturally aspirated and supercharged V8s, as well as the V6 twin-turbo diesel from the Jaguar XF S. A more simple twin-bar hexagonal grille and new LED lights set the Range Rover Sport apart on the outside, while touchscreens give the cabin a less cluttered layout.

The Discovery gets a matching hexagonal grille, body-coloured arches and optional 20-inch alloys, plus better materials and a more minimalist design inside. Sales of the new models are set to start later this year

RenaultSport Megane Trophy

Most of us will have to wait until the autumn to taste the new Renaultsport Mégane 250 – but the drivers in the European Mégane Trophy race series have got their hands on their 2009 cars now.

Although very different to the roadgoing model, these track-tuned machines show how serious Renault is about its hot hatches... so when we got the opportunity to drive one, we simply couldn’t say no!

The Trophy shares only its lights and screen with the road car. Under the composite body sits a spaceframe chassis and mid-mounted V6. A six-speed sequential box drives the rear wheels, while the suspension has fully adjustable dampers.

Its stunning looks might hint at the road car, but driving the Trophy leaves you in no doubt this is a track-bred race machine. The engine noise is intoxicating, while the grip generated by the ground effects and huge rear wing results in lap times which match those of GT3 sports cars.Its braking, acceleration and cornering loads are immense, while the incredible gearbox offers instant upshifts which are combined with rapid engine blips on the downshifts. Only two pedals mean you have to use the steering wheel paddle-operated clutch when leaving the pits, and the superb digital information screen displays speed and engine revs.

Built at Renaultsport’s factory in Dieppe, France, this stunning competition car costs £126,000 new – some £100,000 more than the expected price of the road model. That’s likely to leave many drivers out of the race to own one, but if you want to get up close to this incredible Mégane, then don’t miss the Trophy when it comes to Silverstone on 4/5 July.

Report: Shanghai Auto may buy Buick from GM

The rapidly slimming General Motors might soon cast off another brand, according to a Chinese media report. General Motors is considering selling its Buick division to the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), according to financial newspaper the Shanghai Securities News.
The deal could potentially involve a sale the Buick name only, or it could include the sale of plants, tooling, and designs to SAIC. Buick is extremely popular in China, despite its relatively limited success in America.

The Obama administration has apparently asked General Motors to slim to just three brands, the report says. With the Hummer brand up for sale, Saab’s future in question, Saturn likely to be spun-off or killed, Pontiac being phased out, and Opel potentially for sale, it’s easy to see how this might be achieved. In fact, wouldn’t be surprised if Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC are the only brands left standing when the dust settles.

General Motors is hoping to restructure to the satisfaction of the Obama administration by the end of May, in order to receive more government aid. If this fails, GM will be forced into Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.

Although the sale of Buick is strictly a rumor at this time, it opens the door to a great deal of speculation. For example, what would happen to Buick’s stylish new U.S.-specific 2010 LaCrosse? We’re pretty sure GM would not scrap the model entirely. Could it become a Chevrolet? We wouldn’t rule that out.

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee unveiled

Chrysler’s big debut at the New York Auto Show this year is the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which has been fully redesigned from the ground up. The new SUV is built on a proven rear-wheel-drive unibody platform sharing the same underpinnings as the Mercedes-Benz ML-Class.
The launch of the new Grand Cherokee marks the first application of company’s new, flexible fuel 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine, which features Variable-Valve Timing, 280 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm. Also available is a 5.7-liter HEMI V8, generating 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque at 4,250 rpm. The HEMI features VVT and fuel-saving Multi-displacement System (MDS) technology with dual exhaust to maximize efficiency.

Torsional stiffness is 146 percent more than the current Grand Cherokee and stiffer than the BMW X5 and Toyota Highlander, according to Chrysler. The Quadra-Lift air suspension system delivers off-road capability along with the new Selec-Terrain system that allows the driver to choose the drive system that best matches on- or off-road conditions. New front and rear independent suspension systems deliver better on-road handling and comfort, the company claims. Quadra-Lift adds up to 4.5 inches of lift span that is supported by four-corner air springs that provide a cushioned, premium ride. Quadra-Lift operates automatically, or may be controlled manually via console controls.

The interior has been revamped with better materials and overall aesthetics. An available all-new CommandView dual-pane sun roof provides twice as much glass surface than a standard sun roof and extends from the windshield to the rear of the vehicle. The front panel can be opened rearward, providing additional light and fresh air to first-row passengers. The rear panel, which is fixed, allows light and open viewing for second-row passengers and comes standard with a power sun shade.

The vehicle’s 114.8-inch wheelbase is 5.3 inches longer than the model it replaces and contributes to an overall vehicle length that is 1.8 inches longer than the prior model. The longer wheelbase creates more interior room and gives passengers an additional 4 inches of rear-seat knee and leg room. The vehicle also is 3 inches wider. The front doors have larger openings — by about two inches in height and width — while the rear doors open wider — 78 degrees versus 67 degrees — for improved access to the interior.

For added passenger comfort, rear seats recline 12 degrees. There’s also a 12-degree forward angle to allow 24 degrees of variation. Cargo volume behind the second-row has increased by 6.8 cubic feet, to 36.3 cubic feet total. An available fold-flat front-passenger seat provides even more cargo storage room. An all-new power rear liftgate is available, controlled via the key fob.
Seventeen-inch wheels are standard and deliver off-road capability, while optional 18-inch and 20-inch wheels can be ordered.

The standard “uconnect guardian” will automatically call emergency services in the event of an accident. Other features include remote door unlocking, roadside assistance, a stolen vehicle locator, and an “emergency call” feature.

Standard safety features include Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM), four-wheel Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) with rough-road detection, and the four-wheel Brake Traction Control System (BTCS). Other safety features include full-length side-curtain air bags which extend protection to front and rear outboard passengers, seat-mounted side thorax air bags that enhance protection for the driver and front passenger and active head restraints which deploy in the event of a rear collision.

The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee also features SIRIUS Travel Link, offering up-to-the minute information about gas prices, weather conditions, sports scores and movie listings. In addition, the all-new 2011 Grand Cherokee features SIRIUS Traffic, which monitors traffic in 78 markets across the U.S.

The all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee will be built at the 2.7-million-square-foot Jefferson North Assembly Plant (JNAP) in Detroit, which has been the site of Grand Cherokee production since its introduction in 1992.

2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster - Auto Shows

The sporty new Z embraces the open air.
BY JON YANCA April 2009

Fresh from its recent sports coupe comparison test victory, the Nissan 370Z debuts in roadster form at the New York auto show. In an era dominated by folding-hardtop convertibles, we are pleased to see the new roadster retain a simple fabric top.

New Features
In its transformation, the 370Z droptop gains a shortened windshield and standard automatically latching power top that takes about 20 seconds to fold under a body-colored steel tonneau. The top can be operated via a center-console-mounted toggle or through a button on the outside of either door. A glass wind deflector etched with a small Z logo sits between the fixed roll-bars. Structural enhancements have been added to the A-pillars and side sills to make up for the lack of a roof. Also unique to the roadster are the available leather-and-cloth high-back seats, which also include heating and cooling functionality.

Same Great Powertrain
The Z roadster retains the same 3.7-liter V-6 engine found in the coupe, producing an identical 332 hp at 7000 rpm and 270 lb-ft of torque at 5200 rpm. Buyers will have their choice of a seven-speed automatic transmission or a six-speed manual. The manual can be paired with SynchroRev Match, which automatically blips the throttle when downshifting for perfectly smooth gearchanges. Equipped with a manual transmission and Sport package, we have seen the 370Z coupe hit 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds; as the convertible is heavier by a couple hundred extra pounds, expect it to trail that mark by a few tenths. Either transmission is rated to return the same 18 mpg city and 25 mpg highway, only 1 fewer highway mpg than the coupe.

Packages and Options
As with the Z coupe, the roadster will be offered in base and Touring models when it goes on sale in late summer. Base cars are not offered with any of the two available optional packages, Sport and Navigation, which can only be selected when you opt for the 370Z Touring. The Sport package includes 19-inch wheels, larger sport brakes, SynchroRev Match (with the manual transmission), and a viscous limited-slip differential. Choosing the Navigation package will obviously get you navigation, as well as an upgraded sound system with a 9.3-gig hard drive and USB connectivity. Nissan has yet to release pricing, but the last Z convertible commanded about a $5K premium, so look for a base roadster to ring in around $35,000 and a Touring to nudge $40,000.

2009 Mercedes-Benz S550

In 2007, we judged the S550’s blend of bridge-girder solidity, advanced technology, pulse-raising performance, distinguished interior, quiet operation, and all-day comfort to be tops in this class—and depending on the owner’s driving priorities, that judgment is still defensible. Okay, the steering doesn’t deliver much information, particularly on center. We didn’t achieve test-crew unanimity on the active front-seat side bolsters—definite love-hate polarity there—and those front fender flares are still an acquired taste: a little too much Mazda RX-8 for some.
But those are minor asterisks. On serpentine roads there’s not really much to pick between the steering systems of the Benz and the Bimmer, at least in terms of feel. You can shut off the auto bolsters—or refrain from ordering them—and styling that doesn’t provoke a little controversy isn’t worthy of the name. As far as that goes, Mercedes styling has inspired plenty of competing designers over the years, most recently from Korea.

Like the BMW, the S550 is a big car with rear-seat space worthy of a stretch limo (suitable for having yourself chauffeured—politically incorrect, though exceptions are made for parking-hostile burgs such as Manhattan). Also like the BMW, the Benz’s center rear seat isn’t a place we’d care to perch for long. There are, of course, the usual goodies available: video screens set into the backs of the front-seat headrests, rear-seat climate controls, and a power source for laptops. It’s quiet back there, too, though not as quiet inside as the BMW, whose hushed interior rivals Lexus LS sedans.

One area where the big Benz still holds an edge is the overall look of the interior. The new 7-series is improved in this regard. But the simple design of the Benz’s saddle-tan interior, augmented at night by soft ambient lighting, is the height of automotive good taste.

Incidentally, Mercedes is planning some S-class updates for 2010, including a front-end face lift with LED running lights (reducing the Hyundai similarity), multihued interior lighting, a new variable-ratio steering option, and a hybrid version, the S400.

So what kept the S550 from the top step on the podium? Dynamics. The Mercedes was almost as quick as the more powerful (and heavier) BMW—5.3 seconds to 60 mph versus 5.2—and its midrange throttle response was a smidge better, the benefit of its seven-speed automatic and its naturally aspirated V-8 versus a turbo engine. And its exhaust note, though subdued, was distinctly more satisfying. The Benz stopped almost as well, too: 173 feet from 70 mph versus 171, fade-free. Adaptive damping and active body control kept cornering attitudes flat, without a hint of compromise in ride quality. And straight-line high-speed stability was above reproach.
But in our favorite game—back-road pursuit, no speed limit—progressive understeer limited the S550’s cornering speeds, and it couldn’t quite keep pace. One logbook observation summed it up: “The Benz is competent. The BMW is compelling. The Benz is willing. The BMW is eager.”

2009 BMW 750Li vs. 2009 Mercedes-Benz S550

Executive sweets: We compare two high-end sedans that just might fly below the corporate austerity radar.
BY TONY SWAN, PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ALLEN May 2009

So you had to say goodbye to the Gulfstream, the corporate retreat in the Napa Valley, and your custom wastebasket—the decoupage job trimmed with pages from a Gutenberg Bible. Times are hard, and it just won’t do to be perceived as excessively self-indulgent—especially if you’re high up in the echelons of a publicly held corporation.

The new corporate Puritanism extends to automobiles, too, but in this area you have a little more latitude. Consider these two execucruisers. Yes, they’re flagship sedans with prestige brand names. But even in an age of austerity, top execs are still allowed some personal-transportation indulgence. You don’t want to be flaunting it with a Bentley, of course. But they don’t expect you to drive an econocube, either. We admit that greenies won’t approve. Both cars carry gas-guzzler taxes, and their mpg during our test—17 for the Mercedes, 16 for the BMW—is pickup-truck poor. And yes, pricing for both cars is a little high for public approval—more than $88,000 base, well over 100 large as tested—but who knows that?

See, that’s the good part. To casual observers—not you or us, of course—one BMW sedan looks pretty much like another. That goes for Mercedes sedans, too, with the added benefit of looking like a Hyundai—though we’re pretty sure no one in Stuttgart perceives any advantage in this.
So, elegantly subliminal and not too likely to attract a lot of invidious attention. With cars bearing price tags like these, you expect more than understated grandeur. You expect power. Comfort. Upscale interior appointments. Technical sophistication. Dynamic competence. Even night vision [see "Afraid of the Dark?"].

Check. Both cars deliver on these expectations, and neither is likely to disappoint its owner. But of course there are distinctions, and in at least one category, the distinction isn’t particularly subtle.

There are other high-end sedans that meet our (relatively) low-profile criteria—the Audi A8L, the Maserati Quattroporte, the Jaguar XJ Super V-8, and the Lexus LS460L, or even the LS600hL hybrid, which adds a greenish tint to your comings and goings. But we confine ourselves here to the Bimmer and the Benz, the former because it’s new, the latter because it prevailed in our most recent comparison of long-wheelbase luxosedans [“Chauffeur Showdown,” January 2007]. Here’s how the games played out.