Filed under: Time Warp, Misc. Auto Shows
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The sights confirmed that it was was Car Guy Heaven, even if the weather was more reminiscent of Hell on Earth. That, in a nutshell, sums up the 2008 edition of the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance, a 2-day automotive carnival that never ceased to amaze, no matter how many times we walked around the grounds. Each pass seemed to reveal something new — something we somehow missed just a few minutes earlier. As always, Day 1 was dedicated to American cars and Day 2 paid tribute to the Europeans. Oh, and temps were in the mid-90s and very humid both days. That didn’t make it less awesome, though. Just more…sticky.
All photos Copyright (C)2008 Alex Núñez / Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading 2008 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance
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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Hyundai, Driving
Click for a high res gallery of the new Sonata
In recent months, Hyundai has made a big splash with the introductions of the Genesis sedan and coupe. While those two models will likely do wonders for Hyundai’s street cred, they will definitely be niche players when it comes to volume. Among passenger cars in the US market, the midsize segment has been the highest volume category for nearly two decades. Since the mid-nineties, the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord have been the primary players with everyone else having been an also-ran. In recent years, however, Hyundai’s entrant in the segment, the Sonata, has put up an increasingly aggressive challenge to the big dogs. The current generation Hyundai Sonata debuted for the 2006 model year and the company unwrapped its mid-cycle refresh back in February at the Chicago Auto Show.
The 2009 Sonatas have been in production since before the Chicago debut and they should be in stock at Hyundai stores around the country now. We went out to the Hyundai-Kia America Technical Center (HATCI) outside of Ann Arbor, MI for a tour of the facility where the new Sonata was created and then set out for a couple of hours to see how it behaves in the real world. Find out if the new Sonata is for you after the jump.
Photos Copyright (C)2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading First Drive: 2009 Hyundai Sonata - Korean bred, redesigned in America
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Filed under: Garage, Economy, Sedans/Saloons, Toyota
Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Toyota Corolla XRS
The Toyota Corolla hasn’t stirred passion since the AE86, so it’s forgivable to greet an all-new version with a yawn. The Corolla recipe has been refined to the point of grand success for so long now that changes must be approached carefully. A new version must not upset the car’s combination of refinement, value, and durability. To be sure, the 2009 Corolla is likely to continue the model’s grade point average full of red circles from Consumer Reports. Objectively, it’s tough to top - subjectively, not so much.
Photos Copyright (C)2008 Dan Roth / Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 Toyota Corolla XRS
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Filed under: Crossovers/CUVs, Honda, Driving
Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Honda Pilot
When the new 2009 Honda Pilot turned up as a concept at the Detroit Auto Show in January, most observers were decidedly underwhelmed. Unlike many other recent crossovers, notably the GM Lambdas, Honda chose to go with a decidedly more utilitarian look for the second-generation Pilot. As Honda officials explained when we gathered for a preview drive of the 2009 Pilot, they wanted to retain the “Utility” in CUV and a big part of that involved maximizing the useful interior volume within the Pilot’s relatively modest exterior dimensions. That means a boxy shape that provides room for up to eight (at least as defined by the seat-belts) inside.
While the Pilot won’t be challenging the Buick Enclave or Mazda CX-9 for style points, it isn’t too painful on the eyes. It’s more a case of being almost invisible. The greenhouse is actually strongly reminiscent of the first generation Jeep Liberty, only longer. In spite of the rather barn like shape, it’s actually more aerodynamic than the original Pilot, resulting in substantially less wind noise. In fact, the Pilot has a whole range of improvements that reduce noise, which we’ll explore a bit later. There are also some things that might be considered a step backwards. Read on after the jump to learn about our first drive in the new Pilot.
Photos Copyright (C)2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading First Drive: 2009 Honda Pilot
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Filed under: Coupes, Bentley, Driving
Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Bentley Brooklands
As the youngest of three brothers, I’m used to hand-me-downs. Hand-me down toys, hand-me-down clothes, and yes, even hand-me-down cars. Perhaps this explains when a vehicle arrives in the Autoblog Garage with over 8,000 journalist-driven miles on its odometer (as most do), I don’t mind. Though the scars of past judgments are often plain to see, we’re happy enough to be reviewing these vehicles at all.
Last Wednesday I stepped off a plane at Newark Liberty International Airport and into a 2009 Bentley Brooklands. My mission was to drive it some 550 miles to Cleveland, OH where it would be picked up and driven back to Bentley’s North American headquarters in Auburn Hills, MI. When I got in, the odometer read 285 miles… total. I realized then that this was no hand-me-down review vehicle. Having been parked in Bentley’s display at the 2008 New York Auto Show for the past three weeks, this Brooklands was taking its maiden voyage on U.S. soil with me at the helm.
Photos Copyright (C)2008 John Neff / Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading Very First Drive: 2009 Bentley Brooklands
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Filed under: Coupes, Crossovers/CUVs, BMW, Driving
Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 BMW X6
I must be missing the gene that makes high-riding vehicles appealing to so many other people. As a car enthusiast and an engineer, I can certainly appreciate the performance that companies like BMW and Infiniti have managed to wrangle from vehicles like the X6 and the EX35. But there is absolutely nothing in the new 2009 BMW X6 that couldn’t be done better in a vehicle with a normal car-like ride height. After all, who is going off-roading in one of these? The best explanation I could get out of BMW officials for the existence of the X6 is that many drivers like that commanding view of their surroundings that the elevated altitude provides.
According to BMW, the X6 is designed to provide stylish coupe looks with the high performance people expect of a BMW and the utility of an SUV. As is so often the case, vehicles that try to fit too many categories at once end up not fitting any of them very well. It’s not all bad news for the new X6, though. While it’s not my cup of tea, there are undoubtedly some who will love this beast. Read on after the jump to find out if the X6 is something you might want in your garage.
Photos Copyright (C)2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading First Drive: 2009 BMW X6 xDrive35i and xDrive50i
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Filed under: Garage, Euro, Hatchbacks, Driving, SEAT
Click above for more high-res shots of the SEAT Leon Cupra
Draw up a list of the top hot-hatches in the world. The SEAT Leon Cupra may not be on it - although it might be - but the Volkswagen GTI will most definitely. At least it should, because the GTI is a performance icon, forged over decades of performance tempered with versatility and accessibility. And the current-generation GTI certainly lives up to the legend, burning rubber with the best Germany has to offer. But if this article is about the SEAT Leon Cupra, then why are we talking about the Volkswagen GTI? What do they have in common? Well, almost everything. Almost.
Continue reading First Drive: SEAT Leon Cupra
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Filed under: Car Buying, Garage, Hatchbacks, GM, Saturn, Driving
Click above for high-res gallery of the 2008 Saturn Astra
Enthusiasts here in the States have long wondered why they couldn’t buy Ford and GM small cars from Europe, and at least part of the answer has been that Americans don’t want to pay big bucks for premium small cars. Spiking gasoline prices have quelled that argument, and fuel economy is now towards the top of shoppers’ lists when looking for a new car or truck.
While Ford is still more than a year away from bringing over the Euro Focus and Fiesta, GM has made the cross-Atlantic jump by importing the Opel Astra to our shores. The Astra is a hot-selling hatch in Europe with high-end amenities and very good fuel economy, and the model is shipping to the U.S. differentiated from its Euro twin by some Saturn logos and little else. We were itching to get our hands on an Astra to see if it were as good as advertised, and our tester came equipped with everything Saturn could throw at the vehicle. Hit the jump to see how the 2009 Saturn Astra fared in the Autoblog Garage.
All photos Copyright (C)2008 Chris Shunk / Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Saturn Astra XR
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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Autoline on Autoblog
THE PLUG-IN RACE IS ABOUT TO HEAT UP
I just shot a show with three leading environmentalists in California, all with the idea of getting into their heads and figuring out where the next round of CO2 regulations is headed. After all, as goes California, so goes the nation-and ultimately the world.
What the California environmental lobby wants are cars that get somewhere between 70 and 100 miles per gallon. Though they’re open to all alternatives, they’re especially fixated on plug-in hybrids, because they see them as the fastest way to dramatically cut CO2 emissions.
Automakers that think they’re going to have a hard enough time meeting the new CAFE law of 35 mpg by 2018 better brace for impact. These environmentalists merely see that as a first step. After that, they plan to push for big cuts in CO2, and they plan to push hard.
John McElroy is host of the TV program “Autoline Detroit”. Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to continue reading this week’s editorial.
Continue reading Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy
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Filed under: Garage, Coupes, Ford
Click above for high-res gallery of the Mustang Bullitt
My earliest memory of falling in love with a car was a Mustang. As a kid, a friend of our family had a blue 1969 Mach 1 with the Shaker hood scoop, louvers on the rear window and the little wing at the end of the rear deck lid. From that time forward I’ve always had a thing for Mustangs. One of the most famous car-related movies (OK, it wasn’t really car related, but it had Steve McQueen, cars and a chase scene) has to be Bullitt. Having grown up in the ’70s and ’80s, I somehow never actually got around to watching Bullitt until about three years ago when it arrived in the mailbox courtesy of NetFlix. I can’t say I loved the movie, but Det. Frank Bullitt had the hottest ride in San Francisco, bar none.
Ever since the current S197 Mustang debuted in late 2004, Ford has been putting out a steady stream of limited volume special editions in order to keep sales boiling. The latest is the 2008 Mustang Bullitt, and it is to my eyes the best Mustang yet. It carries the classic proportions and cues of the late sixties ‘Stangs without any of the tacked on froufrou found on some other specials or even the current standard Mustangs. Read on after the jump for more on why this Bullitt is special.
Photos Copyright (C)2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt
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