Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[<i>Car and Driver</i> announces 2010 10Best Cars]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/24/image-car-and-driver-announces-2010-10best-cars/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/24/image-car-and-driver-announces-2010-10best-cars/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/24/image-car-and-driver-announces-2010-10best-cars/#commentsFiled under: ,

Our pals over at Car and Driver, now helmed by our esteemable buddy Eddie Alterman, just released their 2010 10Best Cars. Quite an undertaking. As they put it, "58 contenders. $2.5 million total. 12,000 test miles logged." For those keeping track, this is the 28th time C/D has published their 10Best. Surprises this year? No not really. The BMW 3 Series continues its unabated drive of dominance to 10Best history with an impressive, will-probably-never-be-duplicated 19th straight win. Not to be too outdone, the Honda Accord also makes the cut for a 24th time, though not consecutive.

Also note that while the Audi S4 makes the grade, the run-of-the-mill (so to speak) A4 does not. We're also pleased to see the Ford Fusion Hybrid getting its just dues (again, it's interesting that the gas-only version doesn't). And of course, you've got your yearly appearance by the Mazda Miata MX-5, Porsche Boxster / Cayman and Volkswagen GTI. Falling off the list this year? The Chevrolet Corvette, Infiniti G37, and the Jaguar XF.

Would we have done things much differently? Probably not much, though we must admit we were pulling for the highly impressive Suzuki Kizashi to make its debut and we're a bit surprised to not see one of the new crop of pony cars on the list. Maybe next year. Alphabetical list of winners after the jump.

[Source: Car and Driver | Image Source: R.S. Owens]

Continue reading Car and Driver announces 2010 10Best Cars

Car and Driver announces 2010 10Best Cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10 Best10 best cars10Best10best cars10BestCars2010 Audi S42010 BMW 3 Series2010 Cadillac CTS2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid2010 Honda Accord2010 Honda Fit2010 Mazda Miata MX-52010 Mazda32010 Porsche Boxster2010 Volkswagen GTI2010AudiS42010Bmw3Series2010CadillacCts2010FordFusionHybrid2010HondaAccord2010HondaFit2010Mazda32010MazdaMiataMx-52010PorscheBoxster2010VolkswagenGtiBMW M3BmwM3Car DriverCar Driver 10BestCarDriverCarDriver10bestCaymanCDCTS-VFord FusionFordFusionMazdaSpeed3Ten Best CarsTenBestCarsTue, 24 Nov 2009 09:29:00 EST<![CDATA[<i>Car and Driver</i> drawing flak over Photoshopped BMW X6 M drag racing pic?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/05/i-car-and-driver-i-drawing-flack-over-photoshopped-bmw-x6-m-d/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/05/i-car-and-driver-i-drawing-flack-over-photoshopped-bmw-x6-m-d/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/05/i-car-and-driver-i-drawing-flack-over-photoshopped-bmw-x6-m-d/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Hardcore drag racers take their expensive hobby very seriously. Some drag owners cut into their 401k just to knock a couple tenths off of their quarter mile times, while others spend every possible spare moment of their lives holed up in a garage, perfecting their hot rod for just a few chances to take that magical run down the track. Keep that in mind, if you will, as we explain to you why the owner of an altered wheelbase 1963 Chevy II is angry over an apparently Photoshopped photo of its run against Car and Driver magazine's BMW X6 M.

Car and Driver took the 550 hp X6 M to Milan Dragway in Milan, MI as part of an article which featured the beastly Bimmer on the track, off-road, and at the dragway. One of the runs the X6 M took was against said Chevy, which reportedly runs the quarter mile in the high 9's, reaching a scorching 135 mph in the process. The X6 M is no pushover either, as it can hit a sports car like 12.8 seconds at 110 mph. At no time did C/D claim that they bested the heavily modded Chevy (nor did they mention the hot rod at all), but what they did do was publish a photo of the Bimmer and the Bow Tie'd bandit battling nose to nose down the dragway. Actually, judging purely by the C/D photo, it appears that the X6 M may even have a bit of an edge in the high horsepower battle.

After seeing the photo, the owner of the Chevy II is apparently hopping mad. "Rotten Johnny" on the H.A.M.B forums claims to be the owner of the dragster in question, and he was less than thrilled with what he called a Photoshopped pic that deceives the public.
"Alls I can say is the mag,editors and writers are LAIRS,CHEATERS and WANNA BE SCAMMERS. Bring that ol BMW out, title fer title and write an article bout that.I'll be driven around in a little red suv. No wonder the only time i see that mag is in the doctors office, makes me sick."
We can definitely see where Rotten Johnny would be upset over the photo (he says he was actually doing a burnout in the altered pic), but we can also see where it was necessary to bust out Photoshop to get both vehicles into a tight frame. After all, who wants to read a feature of the X6 M with a lead photo of a 1963 Chevy II with a spec of a BMW SUV off in the distance? Then again, was the image really necessary to support the story to begin with?

In any case, C/D has issued a reply that includes a heaping helping of the sort of snark made famous by the mysterious "Ed." in the magazine's monthly reader mail section. To wit:
"John Phillips became so attached to the BMW X6M that it - appropriately enough - triggered many irrational responses. One of these was his insistence that we photoshop the BMW beating the clearly superior Chevy Nova. Any attempt to dissuade him - by telling him, for instance, that only an idiot would believe a BMW SUV could beat a purpose-built drag car - just resulted in heated calls to the suicide hotline and even more foaming at the mouth than usual."
Let us know what your thoughts on the matter are in 'Comments.' Hat tip to Justin E!

[Sources: Jalopy Journal; Car and Driver]

Car and Driver drawing flak over Photoshopped BMW X6 M drag racing pic? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Car and Driver takes on the LoneStar Harley Davidson edition - Click above to watch the videos after the jump

Over the decades, we've read Car and Driver reviews of just about every high performance vehicle on the planet. While we'd hardly say that we're bored of 200 mph supercars and 3.2 second 0-60 times, it's nice to see C/'D mix it up now and again as well.

In predictable fashion, C/D once again tested a really expensive vehicle with 550 horsepower. But this big rig also hauls loads with 1,850 lb-ft of torque, or enough twist to drop Dorothy's house on some east-side gang banger. The International LoneStar Harley Davidson special-edition is most definitely not typical buff mag cover girl, yet the un-trailered rig managed a 0-60mph time of 20.4 seconds. That's almost fast enough to time with a sundial, but we suppose it's not terrible for a vehicle with an 18-speed manual that weighs 22,100 pounds.

Statistics have little to do with this video, though, and we're pretty sure C/D rolled film just so they could have fun with a life-size Tonka Truck. Hit the jump to view C/D take on the mighty LoneStar. While the 3:22 isn't quite as funny as we were hoping, we still got a decent laugh out of the trip out of the video's happy ending.

[Source: Car and Driver via YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: C/D channels inner redneck with International LoneStar Harley-Davidson

VIDEO: C/D channels inner redneck with International LoneStar Harley-Davidson originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Back in December when Car and Driver magazine first announced that long-time editor-in-chief Csaba Csere was stepping down, among the first names that popped up as a possible replacement was Eddie Alterman, editor-in-chief of Motivemag.com and former EiC of the late MPH magazine. At some point, the whole story seemed to fade into the background as parent company Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. named one of its staffers as interim editor. This morning, however, Hachette has sent out an announcement that Alterman is being hired as the Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based magazine.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about this appointment is the fact that for the last several years, Alterman has been operating largely in the digital space thanks to his work at Motive. Car and Driver and other print magazines have struggled in recent years with increasing costs and falling advertising revenue, and Eddie's background in the online world could help the storied magazine bridge the gap between its print publication and online presence. The offficial press release is posted after the jump.

[Source: Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S.]

Continue reading Eddie Alterman named new Editor-in-Chief of Car and Driver

Eddie Alterman named new Editor-in-Chief of Car and Driver originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingcar and drivercar and driver editorCarAndDriverCarAndDriverEditorCDeddie altermanEddieAltermanWed, 25 Feb 2009 11:58:00 EST<![CDATA[C&D performs first instrumented testing of Corvette ZR1]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/09/candd-performs-first-instrumented-testing-of-corvette-zr1/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/09/candd-performs-first-instrumented-testing-of-corvette-zr1/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/09/candd-performs-first-instrumented-testing-of-corvette-zr1/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for our high-res ZR1 burnout gallery!

Car and Driver recently strapped its test gear to the new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and, as expected, recorded some impressive numbers. All eyes have been on the supercar Vette as it enters the boxing ring to duke it out with the heavy-hitting Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR, Nissan GT-R and Porsche GT2 (among others), and it looks like the latest Corvette will more than hold its own. According to C&D's trusty electronic gear, the supercharged 638-hp beast knocked off a 0-60 mph time of just 3.4 seconds as it continued towards a blistering 7.6 second 0-100 mph run. The quarter mile was cracked in 11.5 seconds @ 128 mph (Chevrolet claims 11.3 seconds, but the guys at C&D didn't believe in "...that sort of drivetrain abuse" to get lower numbers). The top speed also remains unverified as the team "ran out of room" before they could hit the claimed 205 mph. Under braking, the ZR1 set a new C&D record as it hauled itself down from 70 mph in just 142 feet. Of course, we must mention the obligatory claimed Nürburgring lap time of 7:26 (at the hands of Chevrolet). So you don't have to Google the competition's best-claimed Ring times yourself, here they are: Porsche GT2 - 7:32, Nissan GT-R - 7:29, and the Dodge Viper ACR - 7:22. Of course, we'd like to see all four on the track under identical conditions, and with some digital timing gear!

Gallery: Covette ZR1 burnouts


Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Corvette ZR1


[Source: Car and Driver]

C&D performs first instrumented testing of Corvette ZR1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>0-1000-600-60corvette0-60timesAccelerationcar and driverCarAndDriverCDChevrolet ZR1ChevroletZr1CorvettefastquickspeedVetteThu, 09 Oct 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[One MPG is not enough: Automakers desperate to make a gallon go further]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/22/one-mpg-is-not-enough-automakers-desperate-to-make-a-gallon-go/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/22/one-mpg-is-not-enough-automakers-desperate-to-make-a-gallon-go/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/22/one-mpg-is-not-enough-automakers-desperate-to-make-a-gallon-go/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



If anyone were to come along and do an updated version of Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing," the could change the background vocal from "I want my MTV" to "I want my MPG" or "I want my low Cd." Coefficient of drag, that is. Carmakers are taking every step they can, starting with aerodynamics, to give cars better gas mileage right now while they wait for more substantial technologies to come online in the near future.

But the tweaks don't stop with aero finessing. The 2009 Dodge Ram spent 200 hours in the wind tunnel, and it also received tweaks to its ECU, which means it spends more time in its cylinder cutoff mode. That, plus eighty pounds of weight savings, adds up to one more MPG on the EPA sheet. Said Ford's Derek Kuzak, "We need to treat every joule of energy in a vehicle like a precious commodity."

In fact, that song hook could also be "I want my XFE." The Cobalt XFE, developed over 18 months to offer the best gas mileage in the Cobalt line, is selling six percent better than expected. Fuel economy, instead of design, is the number one reason people buy a Cobalt now. And the XFE has the lowest on-the-lot time of any Cobalt model. That's how important the price of gas has become.

[Source: Automotive News, sub req'd]

One MPG is not enough: Automakers desperate to make a gallon go further originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aerodynamicscdcoefficient of dragCoefficientOfDragengineeringfuel economyFuelEconomygas mileageGasMileagemiles per gallonMilesPerGallonmpgTue, 22 Jul 2008 09:33:00 EST<![CDATA[<b>What?</b> <i>Car & Driver</i> says M3 better than GT-R and 911 Turbo]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/03/b-what-b-i-car-and-driver-i-says-m3-better-than-gt-r-and-91/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/03/b-what-b-i-car-and-driver-i-says-m3-better-than-gt-r-and-91/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/03/b-what-b-i-car-and-driver-i-says-m3-better-than-gt-r-and-91/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Car & Driver is a common choice as bathroom reader around Autoblog HQ, though thumbing through the latest issue had us contemplating using the glossy pages for TP. C&D got its hands on Nissan's new GT-R and its development benchmark, the Porsche 911 Turbo. That's great so far, as everyone wants to know how the Nissan stacks up against its bogey. The trouble comes when a BMW M3 gets tossed into the mix. What? The M3 is a hell of a car and it clearly earns its perennial 10-Best status, but it's outgunned and mismatched in this company. Somehow it managed to win a three-way comparo with two supercars anyway.

Continue reading What? Car & Driver says M3 better than GT-R and 911 Turbo

What? Car & Driver says M3 better than GT-R and 911 Turbo originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>911 trubo911Trubobmw m3BmwM3car and driverCarAndDrivercdcomparison testComparisonTestgtrm3 porsche gtrM3PorscheGtrnissan gt-rnissan gtrNissanGt-rNissanGtrporsche 911 turboPorsche911TurboTue, 03 Jun 2008 10:57:00 EST<![CDATA[How To: Measure your vehicle's Cd without a million-dollar wind tunnel]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/22/how-to-measure-your-vehicles-cd-without-a-million-dollar-wind/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/22/how-to-measure-your-vehicles-cd-without-a-million-dollar-wind/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/22/how-to-measure-your-vehicles-cd-without-a-million-dollar-wind/#commentsFiled under: , ,

At highway speeds, your vehicle is fighting an invisible foe trying to hold it back. The nemesis is wind resistance, and it is an automobile's worst enemy. Overcoming the resistance of the air is the key to increasing acceleration, top speed, and improving fuel economy.

Wind resistance is often measured with sophisticated computers in multi-million dollar wind tunnels. The result is usually expressed as a number called the "drag coefficient" (Cd). While having a low drag coefficient is important, the size of the vehicle (expressed as "frontal area") is also important. In general, as drag coefficient and frontal areas decrease, a vehicle becomes easier to push through the wind. Automakers are well aware of this, so they go to great lengths to ensure a low Cd on vehicles designed for high efficiency. Some approximate Cd values for well-known vehicles.

There are a couple of ways to determine the Cd of your vehicle. If your vehicle is stock, simply look it up on the Internet. If you have modified your car with wider tires, spoilers, roof rack, or changed the ride height, then your Cd has changed. To determine whether your mods are hurting or helping you at the pump (or the track), why not calculate it yourself with a few household items and an Excel spreadsheet? Of course, this requires a bit more effort... but, if you have any geek in your bloodstream, this will really get your juices flowing. The process is too long to detail here, but check out the simple instructions, grab your household items, and let us know what your results are. Thanks for the tip, Farris!

[Source: Instructables]

How To: Measure your vehicle's Cd without a million-dollar wind tunnel originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Cddownforcedragdrag coefficientDragCoefficientfrontal areaFrontalArealiftMeasurespoilerwingTue, 22 Apr 2008 11:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Good riddance: The demise of the in-dash CD player is nigh]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/08/good-riddance-the-demise-of-the-in-dash-cd-player-is-nigh/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/08/good-riddance-the-demise-of-the-in-dash-cd-player-is-nigh/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/08/good-riddance-the-demise-of-the-in-dash-cd-player-is-nigh/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



A few short years ago, getting a CD player or better yet, a multidisc changer in your car was an upgrade. Now, the little silver disc has taken up residence with cassettes as cast-off technology. Even with the cheap digital to analog converters that are in car stereos, CDs have a sound advantage over lossy data codecs like MPEG, but only us geeks seem to care that hi-hats sound like someone whisking an egg. Besides, portability and flexibility easily trumps esoteric sound quality. Truth be told, even though the original CDs sound better, my mp3 player is so much more convenient that I'll be adding an auxiliary input to my factory stereo - no small feat on some cars.

Ward's Automotive Interior show, currently underway at the Cobo center, is allowing automakers to show their wares to the masses over the next few days, with the realization that future vehicles are bound to dispatch that awkward center control unit for something more intuitive and user-programmable. Several automakers have already realized that people have all sorts of portable devices, and as such, new car interiors bristle with input jacks and 12-volt power sockets.

[Source: Detroit News]

Continue reading Good riddance: The demise of the in-dash CD player is nigh

Good riddance: The demise of the in-dash CD player is nigh originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Jun 2007 10:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Click image to enlarge

If you follow the "read" link your eyes and ears will be under full assault as BMW hypes up a soon to be released gizmo. What is it? We're a bit baffled, but according to the trailer it has the ability to play MP3s, DVDs and CDs, has USB and Bluetooth connectivity, can recognize voice commands and has a 65,000 color LCD. But alas, no nav.

We're still a trifle confused as to why an automaker would begin producing personal electronics, but then again, BMW has a tendency to throw the occasional curve ball, with its products and marketing tactics.

Until it's released in Mid-January 2007, we're just going to call it the "Highend," since that's the only discernable thing we could see in the URL.

A few more images are posted after the jump.

Continue reading BMW mystery device

BMW mystery device originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 31 Dec 2006 20:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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