Click above for our high-res gallery of the 2009 Nissan GT-R
Nissan recently granted Autoblog four fleeting days with a red 2009 Nissan GT-R. While it seems every major automotive outlet has tested "Godzilla" on the track (including our First Drive), we chose instead to keep it on the streets to see if one of the world's most powerful and fastest accelerating cars could be domesticated by stop-and-go traffic, family errands, and carpool duty. Of course, we only stuck to that routine for a day or two... the rest of the time was spent on the famed canyon roads of Southern California. Follow the jump to read about our 100-hour experience in the Nissan GT-R and don't miss what very well may be the most beautiful gallery of high-res images we've ever published courtesy of our own Drew Phillips and all ready to become your next desktop wallpaper.
Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2008 Mercedes SLK55 AMG
It sits there, all tension and sinew, ready to pounce on lesser cars. Start it up and it barks with a clear V8 voice that thumps off the neighbor's house, setting them discreetly peeking from behind their lace curtains. This is an SLK? Oh yeah. No longer a blocky Benz with dwarfism, the SLK55 AMG ripples with muscle and delivers speed like a spin kick to the temple. A bad-ass Mercedes, indeed.
Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2008 BMW M3 coupe.
Third-party performance tuners like Alpina, AMG, Brabus, Ruf and others have thrived in the land of the autobahn, typically modifying cars from one particular brand. In the late '70s, BMW became the first of the German automakers to establish its own in-house tuning division, incorporating its motorsports arm into what's now know as the M division. The firm's racing knowledge disseminated down to its production cars with the introduction of the M1 and later the M535i. In subsequent years, M followed up with the M5 and M3. Eventually Mercedes followed suit by buying out AMG, while Audi launched Quattro GmbH. Over the past two decades, M has continued to create ever faster iterations of mainstream Bimmers and for 2008 the M brain trust brings us the fourth generation of the M3.
The original 1986 M3 used the boxy body of the E30 3-series coupe, equipped with a high output, 16-valve four cylinder engine to homologate the body and engine for Group A touring car racing. Over the years, M3s, like all other BMWs (and pretty much every other car on the road), have grown bigger, heavier and more powerful. The E36 and E46 M3s both drew motive force from in-line six-cylinder engines ranging from 240hp to 333hp. The new E90-based M3 has what could turn out to be the ultimate engine of the series, with an all-new 4.0-liter V8 generating 414 hp and 295 lb.-ft. of torque. But what's it like to live with? Follow the jump to find out.
The 2009 Lincoln MKS may be the marque's last chance at establishing a distinct image after two decades of struggling to find its identity. At one time Lincoln, like its counterparts at Cadillac, stood apart from lesser vehicles with unique styling, powertrains and features that clearly delineated its place in the automotive hierarchy. Not that Mark IVs, Vs and VIs were high-water marks in design, but at least when you saw one rolling down the road, you knew you were looking at a Lincoln.
But the Continentals of the '80s marked the onset of Lincoln's utterly forgettable image, and when Ford went on a buying binge in the late '80s with Jaguar, continuing through the '90s with Volvo, Aston Martin, and Land Rover, the waters began to be seriously muddied. The creation of the Premier Automotive Group, which bundled all the premium brands together, did nothing to help Lincoln's outlook, so Ford's in-house luxury brand needed a fresh start. With the dissolution of PAG, Peter Horbury and the team went back to the drawing board to define a look that would shout "Lincoln!" for years to come. Read on to find out if the MKS succeeds.
Here it is in all its glory, Episode #100 of the Autoblog Podcast. We've finally made it. There's a new graphic, a big group of five people all talking on top of each other, and new music. Stay tuned, as we've got an excellent giveaway coming up soon (i.e. when fearless leader Neff gets back from his nuptials). We'd thought that #100 might go 100 minutes, but for your sake, that's not the case and we occupy only 50 minutes of your time this week. Thanks for listening and keep the feedback, commentary, and questions rolling in to podcast at autoblog daught com. See you next week!
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Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2008 Porsche Cayman S
To many, the Porsche Cayman is just a look-alike twin to the drop-top Porsche Boxster. While it shares a platform, underpinnings, and even engine choices with its two-seat sibling, the Cayman performs a decidedly different role and delivers even more gratifying performance. Porsche dropped off a top-of-the-line Cayman S in the Autoblog Garage. It offers a more powerful engine and larger brakes over the standard Cayman model. Follow the jump to read our impressions on the Porsche Cayman S after we held the keys in our hands for a week.
Gallery: In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Porsche Cayman S
All photos copyright Michael Harley / Weblogs Inc.
Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2008 Mazda MX-5.
Just as it appeared that winter was finally drawing to close here in Michigan, one of the definitive summertime cars turned up on our doorstep -- the Mazda MX-5 Miata . Somewhere back in the middle part of the last century, small, lightweight, roadsters flourished with a variety of models available from mostly British manufacturers. Names like MG, Triumph, Austin-Healey and Lotus defined the genre. Unfortunately, a number of factors such as random intermittent windshield wipers, intermittent headlights, intermittent ignition, persistent oil leaks and predisposition for the bodies to convert to iron oxide soured the reputation of these and other car builders. This was followed by the consolidation of the most of the British car industry into British Leyland and then the onset of safety and emissions regulations. By 1980, the classic British sports car had become all but extinct.
Then a strange thing happened. Mazda, always had a reputation as being slightly offbeat (witness its dedication to the Wankel rotary, which exists to this day) introduced a new model dubbed the MX-5 Miata . This compact, rear-drive two-seat roadster bore a strong resemblance to a '60s vintage Lotus Elan. However, unlike the Elan and its compatriots, the Miata started every time you turned the key, didn't leave you drenched when it rained, and didn't leave puddles of oil on your garage floor. In other words, it was a classic British sports car that worked like a modern Japanese car. Read on after the jump to find out how the latest incarnation fares.
BMW's 1-Series does not smirk at you and say "don't hate me because I'm beautiful." No, this small Teut is easy to deride on appearance; one look has you hating it because it's not beautiful while so many of its past brethren have been classically handsome. Whether it suits your taste or not, the 128i convertible we borrowed is unmistakably the work of the wizards of Munich. So, it's definitely a BMW, and it's being described as a reincarnation of the legendary 2002; does it measure up?
Gallery: In The Autoblog Garage - BMW 128i Convertible
Click above for high-res gallery of the 2008 VW R32
The scraping as I pulled into the church parking lot worried me. I'd only had one of the rarest of VeeDubs for a few hours and I might have already nicked it. An unholy shame for sure, since for two weeks I had looked forward to blasting down I-20 at the wheel of an R32. For two weeks I had wondered how loud a redlined VR6 could wail. But for the last two hours I'd done nothing but get lost in Atlanta gridlock trying to set my destination on the car's in-dash nav.
Pulling in the First Pentecostal parking lot's steep entrance was a decision made in frustration and impatience, one made easier with the R32's light, quick steering and massive acceleration. But shelter from the kamikaze traffic I expected, undercarriage damage I did not. A quick inspection revealed nothing of importance had suffered trauma. The 18-inch wheels and their low-profile Continentals looked fine. The rear differential seemed unscathed. The bumper's plastic valance was unharmed and couldn't have made the metal-on-concrete sound I'd heard anyway.
Click above for high-res gallery of the Aprilia SXV550
After having it in our garage for the last few weeks, the Aprilia SXV550 can best be described by the word 'extreme'. From its extremely compact yet very powerful V-Twin engine to its extremely uncomfortable saddle, this is a bike that demands attention from its rider. Also extreme is its ability to wheelie and perform stoppies, so much so that it must be ridden with great respect on the street. The Supermoto category is basically made up of off-road bikes equipped with just the bare essentials to be street-legal. Off go the knobbies and in their places are spooned grippy sportbike tires on 17-inch wheels. This bike fits neatly into that category and was created with maximum fun in mind; but does the SXV's extreme nature take the joy out of riding it on the street? That's what we set to find out when we borrowed one for our garage. Read on to see how it fared.
Gallery: In the Autoblog Garage: Aprilia SXV550
All photos copyright Jeremy Korzeniewski / Weblogs Inc.
London 2008: Honda OSM concept roadster says, "Cheerio!"
London 2008: Lotus unveils the Evora
2010 Chevy Camaro - Official Details and Images
2010 Chevy Camaro - LIVE from the reveal
Volkswagen unveiling two-door Elise fighter in LA, new sports car
First Drive: 2008 MINI Cooper S JCW
In the Autoblog Garage:2009 Nissan GT-R
North American Exclusive First Drive: Alfa MiTo
First Drive: 2009 Kia Borrego
In The Autoblog Garage: 2008 Mercedes SLK55 AMG
