2009 MINI Cooper Convertible

2009 MINI Cooper Convertible - click above for a high res image gallery

In these troubling economic times, the 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible could be viewed in a couple of different ways. Loaded up with lots of goodies, it could be seen as an entry point into the world of luxury open-top motoring. Alternatively, when times are tough it could be seen as a way to be more financially responsible without giving up all of the amenities you might have come to expect. Either way, the MINI is designed to put a smile on the face of those who drive one.

If your brand is going to be called MINI, you would certainly expect the products to have diminutive dimensions. BMW's British outpost is dedicated to building cars sized commensurate with the brand's name. This August marks the 50th anniversary of the debut of iconic original and while MINIs today are much larger than the originals, they are still among the smallest cars on the road. The second generation of the modern MINI convertible debuted in January at the Detroit Auto Show and went on sale in the spring. We had the opportunity to spend a week in a trimmed out MINI. Read on to find out if it inspires smiles or frowns.

Top 5 Fastest Cars in the World

Here is the definitive list of the top 5 Fastest Cars in the World! Truly Amazing pieces of engineering, pushing performance to its limits! Relish in the power of the SSC Ultimate Aero, Bugatti Veyron, Koenigsegg CCX, Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo & the Mclaren F1!

Rank 1. SSC Ultimate Aero

The SSC Aero is an American-built mid-engine sports car by Shelby Super Cars. Its higher-performance limited production version, the SSC Ultimate Aero TT, is currently the fastest production car in the world, with a fastest recorded speed of 413 km/h (257 mph).This speed was reportedly achieved during tests on September 13, 2007 in West Richland, Washington, United States and verified by Guinness World Records on October 9, 2007.

The Aero and the Shelby Super Cars company are the brainchildren of Jerod Shelby, who spent over seven years designing the car. The basic Aero model is no longer produced, while, as of 2008, the Ultimate Aero costs about 620,000 dollars.

Rank 2. Bugatti Veyron

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is a mid-engine sports car produced by Volkswagen Group subsidiary Bugatti Automobiles SAS introduced in 2005. It is currently the fastest accelerating and decelerating production car in the world. It is currently also the most expensive production car available at a price of 1.1 million Euro. It is able to achieve the second highest top speed for a production car, behind the SSC Ultimate Aero TT .

Powered by a 736-kilowatt (1,001 PS/987 hp) W16 engine, it is able to achieve an average top speed of 408.47 km/h (253.81 mph). The car reached full production in September 2005, and is handcrafted in a factory Volkswagen built near the former Bugatti headquarters in Château St Jean in Molsheim (Alsace, France). It is named after French racing driver Pierre Veyron, who won the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1939 while racing for the original Bugatti firm. Two examples of the Veyron are known to have been wrecked since production began.

Rank 3. Koenigsegg CCX

The Koenigsegg CCX is a mid-engined roadster from Swedish car manufacturer Koenigsegg. The CCX has been engineered to comply with the US regulation and market demands and is an evolutionary design that replaced the Koenigsegg CCR. CCX is an abbreviation for Competition Coupe X; the X commemorating the 10th anniversary, (being the Roman numeral for ten), of the completion and test drive of the first CC vehicle in 1996.

The CCX was first unveiled on February 28, 2006 at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show although its existence was announced earlier. A derivative known as the CCXR is available, the difference being that CCXR's engine is tuned to run on biofuel. The different fuel and tune allows the CCXR to produce 25% more power than the CCX.

Rank 4. Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo

The Saleen S7 is a limited production, hand built high-performance automobile developed jointly by Saleen, Hidden Creek Industries, Phil Frank Design, and Ray Mallock Ltd. with RML taking full credit designing and developing the S7 and produced solely by Saleen in Irvine, California. It is the first car produced by Saleen not based on an existing design. The S7 debuted on August 19, 2000 at the Monterey Historic Races. From 2000 until 2004, the S7 featured a naturally aspirated V8 engine with 550 horsepower. In 2005, the S7 was replaced by the S7 Twin Turbo, which featured a more powerful twin-turbo system that boosted engine power to 750 horsepower (760 PS/559 kW) and the top speed to an estimated 250 mph (402 km/h).

Rank 5. McLaren F1

The McLaren F1 was formerly the fastest street legal production car in the world, holding this record from 1994 to 2005, the longest period the record has been held by any street legal or production car in the history of automobiles. It was engineered and produced by McLaren Automotive, a subsidiary of the British McLaren Group that, among others, owns the McLaren Mercedes Formula One team. Today, it is still the fastest naturally aspirated car in the world.

The McLaren F1 was at the time the fastest production car ever built, eclipsing the Jaguar XJ220. A standard version of the McLaren achieved a top speed of 371 km/h (231 mph) in 1994, holding this record for more than 10 years until it was finally eclipsed in 2005 by the Koenigsegg CCR.

Rank 6. Ferrari Enzo

The Enzo Ferrari is a 12-cylinder mid-engine berlinetta named after the company's founder, Enzo Ferrari. It is currently one of the most powerful naturally aspirated production car in the world. It was built in 2003 using Formula One technology, such as a carbon-fibre body, F1-style sequential shift transmission, and carbon-ceramic brake discs. Also used are technologies not allowed in F1 such as active aerodynamics and traction control. After a downforce of 775 kg (1709 lb) is reached at 300 km/h (186 mph) the rear wing is actuated by computer to maintain that downforce.

Rolls Royce Ghost limo revealed

Rolls Royce Ghost limo is downsized from Phantom

While Bentley is a popular giveaway with a home or yacht, Rolls Royce has announced their new limo: the Ghost.

Rolls Royce in a nod to the economic downturn is offering the Ghost as a lower cost alternative to the rest of the luxury Rolls Royce line of cars.

Rolls prefers that you not take the step down to Bentley only to have to give it away with your boat or house.

Rolls Royces usually are monsters of Wall Street. But the new Ghost will be fairly modest by Rolls Royce standards.

The Ghost is a four door and shorter and sleeker than the company's flagship Phantom limousine, making it

"slightly more agile"

and better for daily use, says Rolls-Royce CEO Tom Purves. It's more affordable as well, priced at just $245,000, far below the $380,000 baseline price tag for the Phantom.

The Rolls Royce Ghost has been in the works for several years. But since sales of the larger Phantom have fallen 34% so far in 2009, the timing seems right for the Ghost.

"To have a car like the Ghost [coming out] right now is, of course, ideal," Buyers may be attracted by not only the tens of thousands of dollars in savings, but also the ability to strike the right tone in a recession.

Purves says.

"[The Ghost is] less ostentatious, so owners can give the impression that they're downsizing their Rolls-Royce,"

says Garel Rhys, president of Cardiff University's Centre for Automotive Industry Research.

Rolls-Royce Ghost horsepower, torque and price

The 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost: We’ve seen the “experimental” car, we’ve heard some facts, and now Rolls-Royce is releasing more details of the compact—by Rolls-Royce standards—automobile that will debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September.

The Ghost, known as the RR4 until its production name was revealed at the Shanghai Auto Show in April, is known to significantly resemble the EX200, which Rolls refers to as an experimental vehicle because Rolls-Royce doesn’t do concepts, which was unveiled at the Geneva show in March. The Ghost, then still the RR4, was clearly described as the “production version of the EX200.”

Rolls-Royce has now released more detail about the Ghost. Rolls-Royce engineering director Helmut Riedl stated that as a Rolls, the Ghost needs “effortless composure and refined power delivery “While having previously stated that horsepower would be in excess of 500, the new 6.6-liter turbocharged V-12 engine has prodigious output: 563 hp at 5250 rpm and 575 lb-ft of torque “low down,” in Riedl’s words, at 1500 rpm.

The engine will be paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission from ZF.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost won’t have anything so crude as steel springs, rather relying on an “intelligent” four-corner air springs with a multi-link aluminum suspension layout. Individual functions including active roll stabilization, variable shock absorbers are coordinated, says Rolls, to perform subtly and sensitively enough to adjust for a back seat passenger moving from one side of the car to the other.

The suspension also includes a “lift and kneel” function, raising or lowering the Ghost by an inch to ease entry or exit or provide extra ground clearance.

Says Riedl, “Ghost is about fingertip control while still enjoying a dynamic connection with the road. Equally, passengers need to be cosseted from the physical sensations of acceleration, braking and cornering.”

Bloody likely there. Rolls cites a 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds, certainly capable of shoving the Grey Poupon back into the cossets. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph.

Riedl says, however, that the chassis is set up to keep the Ghost “stable and flat, preventing it from wallowing and pitching in the corners or imposing undesirable forces on those inside.”

True, and certainly the help will be able to get the mustard stains out of the cossets.

Rolls also claims the Ghost will be as quiet as, well, a Rolls-Royce, with engine, exhaust and tire noise engineered to be “inaudible as far as possible,” both inside and out.

Deliveries of the 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost will begin in the UK and Europe in late 2009, with prices beginning at ?165,000 (about $272,000 at the current exchange rate). The Ghost will haunt our shores and the Asia Pacific region beginning in the second quarter of 2010.

VIA

Suzuki now adds a viable compact pickup

With full-size truck sales on the decline, compact and mid-size pickups are becoming more attractive.

When most folks consider a small truck, they usually look at the aging Ford Ranger, Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon combo, Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, Dodge Dakota or its clone, Mitsubishi’s Raider. Few folks even know Suzuki makes a pickup. And in this case, a dandy one, albeit a brand new one that is cloned from Nissan’s Frontier.

I was particularly impressed with Equator’s performance, comfort and features. It’s every bit as comfy and rugged as any of the aforementioned compacts. Power too was ample in my Crew Cab version (an Extended Cab is also offered).

Since I had the top-line RMZ-4 offroad, this version comes standard with a 4.0L, 261-hp V6 and 5-speed manual transmission or optional 5-speed automatic (15 city, 19 highay EPA mpg). The Extended Cab model comes with a 152-hp, 2.5L 4-cylinder, also with a 5-speed manual or optional 5-speed automatic.

Equator can be had in Base, Sport and off-road RMZ-4 configurations. And a 5 or 6.1 foot cargo bed depending on model chosen. My tester had the 5 footer that came with a sprayed-in bed liner.
What’s special about the RMZ-4 I tested was that in addition to customary 2WD, 4-High and 4-Low gearing, there’s a dash switch to lock in all the wheels for true 4-wheeling. A rare commodity among the compact group.

A host of safety features are offered and include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, curtain side airbags and front side airbags, all items generally found only on full-size pickups.
Handling was nicely balanced for a truck. The steering has some play in it and its turning radius could be tighter. But it felt taut and secure in sharp turns.

In the ride department, rough pavement, potholes and unimproved railroad crossings radiate somewhat into the cabin. But smooth surfaces offer a smooth, quiet ride.

Power from the V6 was ample and is rated for a tow capacity of 6,500 pounds. Acceleration is strong from a standing stop and while highway passing.

The interior on my test truck was pleasing but nothing spectacular. Cloth seats were side-faced with vinyl, which lend to longer wear. The rear split folding seat is soft but can only hold three pre teens as two adults would find scant legroom. Beneath them are two storage bins with nylon net covers.
Step-in, incidentally, is an easy 21 inches with a 33-inch cargo load height. And unlike some full-size pickups, Equator has a locking tailgate.

I liked this compact hauler although it did have some flaws. For one, the rear seat headrests are a tad too tall. They should be of low profile for better rear vis when backing. And the price could be lower. As this was a pre-production model, the vehicle was not yet priced. But Dave Boldt, Suzuki Product PR manager, said the truck nicely equipped will sell for $30,000-plus, depending on how crazy you want to get with options.

As is, Equator is a bold attempt in this down-market. I have to give Suzuki credit for homogenizing and pasteurizing the Frontier into a formidable competitor.

For specs and details check www.suzuki.com

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: 2010 Kia Forte EX

People have been asking me the same question for years - What are you driving this week? Well, it's time I start answering that question right here. Today is my first day behind the wheel of the Kia Forte. The Forte was introduced as a 2009 model to replace the Spectra in Kia's lineup. My tester is a 20110 EX.

The Forte is Kia's newest sedan and competes in the compact class against, among many others, the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Mazda Three and Ford Focus. Kia's strategy here is to offer a package with crisp, distinctive styling on the outside, an abundance of room for four adults inside, a lengthy list of desireable standard features, and decent performance with excellent fuel economy, all at an iminently affordable price.

My daily commute is 38-miles each way, with a combination of two-lane rural highways, crowded suburban four-lanes, and Washington, D.C.'s downtown drive-time rumble-on-the-road. There are 86 stop lights (I know because I counted them early on, out of frustration), and lots of left-lane hoggers.

First impression of the Forte is that it has adequate power from a 153 horsepower, 2.0 liter four mated to a four-speed automatic tranny (some cost-saving there), but there is a fair amount of engine thrash. It's muted, but it's there.

The interior is spacious for a compact sedan, but the EX leather package on the option sheet lists for a thousand smackers, which seem steep. The exterior shape is attractive, though perhaps a bit anonymous, with obvious Mazda and VW design influences.

Kia is on a roll with 2010 Soul

An all-new Soul debuts for Kia for the 2010 model year. Call it a wagon, a mini-ute, a compact crossover or whatever you like, but its somewhat edgy styling, angled window line and wide stance give it a look that brings folks in for a closer look.

Soul’s marketing campaign is also intriguing. Have you seen the television commercial (with the hamsters)? My kids love it. Kia also has a catchy tagline for the Soul, "A new way to roll."

I like it.

Clearly the boxy new Soul has the Scion xB in its sights, but the Soul features more rounded lines and a unique rear sloping roof line.

Soul’s fun exterior styling, pleasant ride, outstanding warranty, long list of standard safety features and entry price of just $13,300 make it worth a serious look.

Soul comes in four trim levels: the base model Soul, Soul+, Soul! and Soul Sport. The base model features an economical 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine (making 122 horsepower) mated to a five-speed manual transmission.

All other trim levels feature a peppier 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 142 horsepower. The 2.0 can be teamed to either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.

Soul’s power goes to the front wheels. I’d like to see an available all-wheel drive model. Soul is fairly fuel efficient with the base model being rated at 26/31 and the other trims rated at 24/30.

The 2.0-liter engine and four-speed automatic transmission in my Soul+ tester was a nice combination. Power is adequate for this segment and the shifts are smooth. Noise level is low at boulevard speeds; however, road noise easily permeates the cabin while cruising on the highway. Overall, though, the ride is OK and the noise level is not bad enough to scare buyers off.

Soul’s exterior styling will obviously bring traffic into Kia’s showroom. Soul comes in eight colors including hues like Alien, Molten, Shadow, Java and Dune. Slip inside the new Soul and you’ll be greeted by a surprisingly spacious interior.

I found plenty of leg and headroom up front. Room for rear seat passengers is good. And Soul is quite versatile.

To wit: My 20-year old son called me and said, “Dad, I need your help. I’m over at Wal-Mart. I bought a new refrigerator for my room and it's too big for my [’97 Nissan Maxima] trunk. Could you bring the minivan?"

"I’ll be right over," I said. But he had no idea I’d be rolling up in the new 2010 Kia Soul that I was testing.

When I tooted the horn to catch his attention he looked surprised and said, “You’ve got to be kidding. There's no way the fridge will fit in that." Boy was he wrong. I folded the rear seatbacks down and my Soul tester’s tall cargo area easily gobbled up the fridge.

I said, "Look, there’s still plenty of room for more stuff. Do you need anything else while I’m here?"

After unloading the fridge, my son asked if I could take him for a ride in the Soul. He usually only asks for rides when I’ve got a sports car or an ultra-luxurious model. But he was quite enamored with the Soul.

He wanted to check out the lighted speakers. They’re part of the upgraded audio package and you can turn them off if you find them distracting. He thought they were awesome.

The 315-watt audio system with lighted speakers and nifty Bluetooth connection might help you forget about things like the rest of the cabin being plain or the seats being a bit firm and uncomfortable.

I do like the large bilevel glove box, but it needs a light more than the speakers do.

When it comes to safety features, the Soul comes standard with antilock brakes, electronic stability control, traction control and full-length side-curtain airbags.

Take a close look; you might be Soul(d).

2010 KIA SOUL+

ENGINE: 142-horsepower 2.0-liter I-4

TRANSMISSION: four-speed automatic

DRIVETRAIN: front-wheel drive

FUEL ECONOMY: 24 city/30 highway

BASE PRICE: $15,900

AS TESTED: $17,890 (includes $695 for destination)

Jaguar Museum re-launch

Jaguar museum was built in conjunction with Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust. It has been sitting alone in Coventry for a while now after the organization went through some restructuring. It was originally founded in 1983.

The new museum is likely to be bigger and better than the old one. The opening hours will be longer and the on site facilities are likely to be far superior to the old ones, making it extremely welcoming.

If you are a Jaguar enthusiast then visiting the museum is an absolute must. There will be plenty of eye candy, such as a Swallow side car that started Jaguar and a career for Sir William Lyons.

Alongside this there is the first Jaguar badged car, which is the 1937 SS Saloon. Of course, there is a huge range, including the XJ13, which was meant to hit the Le Mans circuit, but never did, and a V12 E-Type.

f that is not enough then Jaguar has decided to display all its latest and best concepts!
The museum will be open 5 days a week, and will also on the last Sunday in each month. It isn’t expensive, at just £8 for a family of four, so it is well worth a visit!

Infiniti G37 Convertible

Sublimely sleek, sexy and seductive, the 2010 Infiniti G37 convertible is an absolutely gorgeous car.

"Aw man, I shoulda waited!" is the phrase that ran through my mind the first time I saw the 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible. (Yes, it happens to me too...) I was referring, of course, to my long term G37 S coupe, a car I love dearly, but once I saw the G37 in convertible form, I suspected I'd love it even more.

After spending a day driving the sleek, wedge-shaped car in and around Beverly Hills, Malibu, Santa Monica, and on the Mullholland Highway, I can affirm I’d definitely be loving it even more if it were the convertible. Infiniti’s first convertible since 1992’s M30, the G37 Convertible is a worthy addition to the Infiniti G line of cars.

The hardtop stacks itself into three sections before lowering and stowing itself beneath the trunk lid in approximately 30 seconds. Infiniti’s engineers went with this method to avoid raising the rear deck lid of the car the way so many other engineers have done with hardtop convertibles. This keeps the appearance of the rear of the car nicely balanced with the front, retaining the sleek and purposeful appearance.

In fact, from the windshield frame back (the A-pillar), the entire car was redesigned to make the proportions come out right. If you look at the coupe and the convertible side-by-side, you’ll note the rear overhang of the convertible is diminished and the rear track is wider, as is the overall width. Additionally, the rear suspension was redesigned to accommodate the folding roof.

The convertible is powered by a 325-horsepower version of Nissan’s VQ-series V6 engine that makes 267 ft-lbs of torque. Power is transferred to the rear wheels via either a six-speed manual, or a seven-speed automatic transmission with a manual mode that matches revs on downshifts.

Three models are available, G37 Convertible, the more aggressive G37S Convertible Sport 6MT and the luxurious G Convertible Premier Edition. Only 200 of the latter were built and sold exclusively through Bloomingdale’s Holiday Catalog.

As you probably guessed, the most interesting driver of the three is the G37S, which comes with 19-inch wheels (as opposed to the standard 18’s), sport tuned steering, a firmer suspension setup, a limited-slip differential and a six-speed manual transmission. I spent most of my introductory drive day in this model and am happy to report that it, in large measure, drives similarly to my G37 S Coupe.

The convertible picks up some 400 pounds and gives up 12 horsepower compared to its fixed-roof sibling. You don't need to be an MIT graduate to know this is going to cost the car performance wise. And indeed, in back to back comparisons with the coupe, it does feel less crisp. However, the delightful balance we’ve come to expect from Nissan’s front-midship platform is strongly in evidence and the open G acquitted itself with remarkable ferocity attacking the varied twists and turns of Mullholland. Even with the top folded and stacked out back, balance and agility are still quite good. If you drove the convertible without having ever experienced the coupe you’d be quite satisfied with the G37 Convertible’s handling and performance.

Interior-wise, comfort and convenience abounds.

Leather upholstery for the seats is standard. A power walk-in feature moves the heated eight-way adjustable front seats out of the way so passengers can access the rear of the cabin at a touch of a button (a cooling function is also available as an option). Not a lot of room back there though, so keep four-person drives brief.

The interior can be trimmed in your choice of a special Silk Obi aluminum trim, (treated to look like fine silk) or African Rosewood. If you are of a mind to acquire one of the 200 Bloomie’s Premier models, you’ll get red leather complimented by red-tone Maple wood (an absolutely stunning combination).

The list of comfort and convenience items is suitably lengthy and includes smart A/C that considers the ambient temperature, the position of the roof, and how fast the car is moving, before adjusting the airflow accordingly. The usual suspects like keyless entry and start, steering wheel mounted audio and cruise controls are standard as well. An available 13-speaker Bose Open Air Sound system incorporates speakers in the headrests as well as an iPod interface system. Other options include Active Cruise Control, Bluetooth, XM RealTime Traffic Navigation, a rear backup camera, and a nine-gig Music Box Hard Drive with a CompactFlash slot.

While it may have taken Infiniti 17 years to bring a convertible back to North America, one drive will reveal that time was put to good use. The G37 Convertible is fast, agile, good looking, well equipped, and remarkably comfortable. And, while it is a bit slower and less agile than the coupe I love so dearly, I'd gladly make room for the convertible in my dream garage.

The Ghost in the Infiniti

POSSESSED Infinitis and leaky Chrysler minivan radiators are among the latest technical service bulletins from automakers.

WRONG BATTERY 2008 BMW X6

RADIATOR LEAK 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

RUST PROBLEM 2008 Subaru Impreza

Technical service bulletins, known as T.S.B.’s, are compiled by alldatapro.com and offer automakers’ insights into some recurring problems with various models. The bulletins are not recalls; they are information provided by manufacturers to dealer service departments and mechanics. Unless otherwise noted, the manufacturers do not offer payment assistance for these repairs beyond normal warranty coverage.

Alldata.com sells a more comprehensive version of the service bulletins to consumers. Here are a few recent examples:

ACURA Owners of some 2009 Acura TSXs may notice a popping or clicking sound from the rear when driving over bumps. In T.S.B. 09-019 issued on May 18, Acura says burrs from spot welds at the rear jacking points may be coming into contact with other sheet metal. Inserting a wedge to separate the pieces should quiet things down.

Also, some 2009 TSXs may be missing windshield trim pieces and retainers, and the fuel-filler doors may fall off. In T.S.B. 09-016 issued on April 25, Acura says it will replace both side trim pieces and all retainers. Acura blames a faulty hinge for the problem with the fuel door. The hinge should be replaced.

BMW Some 2008 X6s may have the wrong battery. In T.S.B. 610909 issued on May 1, BMW says some of the xDrive 50i models may need a battery with the correct capacity ratings.

CHRYSLER Some 2008-9 Grand Caravan and Town & Country minivans may seep coolant from around the radiator cap. In T.S.B. 07-001-09 issued on May 5, Chrysler says the wrong cap may have been installed in some vehicles. The cap should be replaced.

FORD Some 2006 Explorer and 2007 Explorer Sport Trac models with the 4-liter V-6 may leak coolant from the radiator. In T.S.B. 09-8-1 issued on May 4, Ford says a new radiator is needed.

GENERAL MOTORS Some 2007-10 Chevrolet Silverados and GMC Sierras may make a clunking noise in the rear. In T.S.B. 09-03-09-001 issued on May 6, General Motors says the problem is loose joints in the leaf spring assembly. Retorquing the bolts should quiet things down.

HONDA Some 2008 Civics may pop or clunk when turning. In T.S.B. 09-028 issued on May 2, Honda says the noise, which comes at slow speeds, may be from incorrectly torqued mounting bolts, which need to be retorqued.

INFINITI Is the G37 possessed? In T.S.B. 09-025 issued on May 12, Infiniti says the windows on 2008-9 models will lower an inch and then rise again when someone closes the glovebox. Apparently, a sensor wire is plugged in at the wrong spot. Putting this wire in the right place should purge “Christine.”

LAND ROVER Owners of some 2002-5 Freelanders may be eligible for a new fuel-pump module. In T.S.B. Q0572 issued on June 10, Land Rover says problems with the fuel filter may cause premature wear in the fuel pump. The company says that modules will be replaced regardless of warranty status through Jan. 11, 2011. Reimbursement may be approved for owners who replaced the module at their own expense.

LEXUS Some Lexus owners are finding their seats uncomfortable. In T.S.B. 0071-09 issued on June 9, Lexus says 2007-9 LS 460 and LS 600h L models may benefit from a new lower seat cushion.

SUBARU Some Imprezas may have a rust stain on the trunk or rear gate. In T.S.B. 12-110-09 issued on April 28, Subaru says that on some 2008 models, the rear trim piece running from taillight to taillight above the license plate may have been installed with slide bolts that did not get proper rust protection. The bolts need to be replaced and the rust removed.

Hyundai HDC8 Concept Car

Hyundai unveiled the concept vehicle from the Hyundai Kia Design and Technical Center for 2004, the stylish and functional HCD8 sports tourer. The HDC8 is the newest concept vehicle from the Hyundai Kia Design and Technical Center Design studio and is the first concept vehicle to come from Hyundai’s new $30 million Design and Technical Center in Irvine, Calif.

Highlighting the exciting design elements is the Ballistic Yellow tri-color paint from Nippon. The body color is complemented with anthracite color ground effects trim and road wheels. The exterior trim is polished nickel. The interior is finished with two-tone Vapor Gray leather seating surfaces accented by wood flooring and wood and aluminum accented steering wheel rim and shift lever knob. The aluminum trim is accented with a nickel finish.

The HCD8 with its supercharged 2.7-liter V6 engine, 6-speed manual transaxle and tuned dual exhaust provides performance to match its styling. For real world driving, the driver can adjust the ride height a total of four inches through the air suspension. The vehicle can sit low for high-speed touring or can be raised to handle inclement weather, avoid parking wheel stops, handle a car wash or any other situation where additional ground clearance is needed.

The HCD8 also features state-of-art lighting. The LPI-supplied optics use Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology from Osram Opto Semiconductor to illustrate how future automotive lighting systems will work. The LED lights burn brighter, and are more energy efficient than current lighting systems. In addition, they are expected to last for the life of the vehicle. Unlike incandescent bulbs, LED lighting performance does not deteriorate during its life.

Hyundai Scores Early With Cash for Clunkers

Hyundai became the first automaker to honor the government's Cash for Clunkers program-officially called Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) — even though program rules were just released on Friday morning. At that same time, dealers began to sign up to administer the vouchers, which range from $3,500 to $4,500.

Even though processing for the vouchers does not begin until Monday, Hyundai began honoring the CARS incentives on July 2, by backing dealerships with short-term cash advances as the rules were being written for the program. Since then, the Cash for Clunker trades have accounted for about 11 percent of Hyundai's sales so far this month, the company said.

The Hyundai Elantra was the most popular model purchased under the new CARS program, making up nearly 33 percent of sales. With manufacturer incentives and a full CARS rebate for a qualifying "clunker," consumers can purchase a new Elantra for as little as $8,620, Hyundai noted.

Behind Elantra, the Hyundai Sonata was the next most popular at 27 percent of clunker trade-ins, followed by the Accent at 19 percent.

Hyundai Motor America said its early statistics on Cash for Clunker trades show an average 59-percent fuel economy gain between the clunker and the new vehicle purchased.

Hyundai reports that 86 percent of the initial trades taken were a truck, SUV or van, and those trade-ins were replaced with a car. The average age of a trade-in model was nearly 14 years old; the average odometer reading was more than 140,000 miles. The average "clunker" achieves about 16 miles per gallon according to EPA data, while the average new car sold under the program achieves more than 25 mpg.

Hyundai's data shows 32 percent of the trade-in models reported by dealerships were Ford vehicles, followed by Dodge at 23 percent.

In addition to being credited for the government's clunker voucher, Hyundai buyers are covered by Hyundai Assurance, which allows buyers to return the vehicle if they lose their income and the Hyundai Assurance Gas Lock program, which offers a year's worth of gas at a guaranteed price of $1.49 per gallon.

The Cash for Clunkers program received $1 billion from Congress in funding and runs through November, or whenever the money runs out. Some buzz in Washington has the program being expanded with more funding beyond that point.

Hyundai: Veloster new star in Hyundai universe

Hyundai's new three-door is aimed at the younger

Hyundai has announced that its three-door Veloster will be re-engineered to suit both right- and left-drive markets, despite the enormous additional cost required. The coupe has three hinged doors, but the third will now open to the pavement in every market - unlike the Mini Clubman, in which the extra door opens to the traffic in right-drive vehicles.

Veloster - which replaces Hyundai's aged coupe - is a two-plus-two car that will share parts of the front-drive i30 platform. It will be powered by a range of four-cylinder engines from 1.6 to 2.0litres in capacity, and the 1.6 turbo with stop-start from Hyundai's ix-onic concept is also under consideration. Hyundai NZ says the car will also get the 156kW 2.0-turbo from the Genesis coupe.

Veloster's focus will be very similar to VW's Scirocco - a hatch with cutting-edge looks and a sporting flavour to its everyday abilities.

The car - named from a combo of "velocity" and "roadster" - aims to impart a younger flavour to the brand. The concept variant first appeared in 2007, with the production car expected at September's Frankfurt Motor Show.

'Cash For Clunkers' Program Could Boost Hummer

The government's so-called "cash for clunkers" program goes into effect Friday. People who trade in their gas guzzlers for more fuel-efficient cars can get a government subsidy — even if they trade in old pickups for ones that get just 2 miles per gallon more. Which means the program could provide an unexpected boost to the beleaguered Hummer brand. Its H3T pickup gets 16 mpg.

Is the Hummer H2 dead?

Rumors are spreading like wildfire about the future of the Hummer H2. Some have reported the boxy full-size SUV was to be overhauled relatively soon, getting an updated and heavy-duty-ized GMT900 platform -- the one that currently exists underneath the new Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon, Yukon XL, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Sierra 1500, and Sierra Denali. Others are saying GM will kill the beast (or fashion statement) as soon as three years from now. Currently, the Hummer H2, as well as the Suburban 2500 and Yukon XL 2500, still use a version of the previous-generation GMT800 platform, providing GM with some cost savings along with the ability to cater to a shrinking, yet profitable, tow/haul vehicle segment.

Hummer H3T

The 2009 Hummer H3T is possibly the last, and by default the best Chevy-based Hummer. It rides on the crude Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon crew cab architecture (with a wheelbase stretched nearly eight inches) and is available with those pickups' 3.7-liter I-5 or 5.3-liter V-8 engines. The "T" turns the H3's paltry cargo area into a useful pickup bed, good for mountain bikes and other outdoor gear you can throw in back to mitigate the emissions-spewing image. That's something you can't get in the bigger H2T, which has a useless bed for the truck's size.

Forget the V-8-powered Alpha, which comes only with a four-speed automatic. Ours also came with an as-tested sticker price of $45,195, making it the antithesis of value. It's no quicker to 60 mph and only slightly more refined than the I-5, which, at least, is available with a five-speed manual. Technical director Frank Markus prefers the Alpha's 4x4 system, which engages 4H Lock and 4L Lock easily, and it goes where you point it through deep sand and ruts. The H3T can equal most Jeeps off-road, except that its long chassis translates into a poor break over angle. Markus continues. "The passenger seat rocked so violently on the axle-hop hill that I wondered if it was missing a mounting bolt or two."

Its off-road capabilities are as good as the best out there; Jeep and Land Rover and maybe the 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. Like the Jeep, the H3T gets better the farther away you are from any pavement.

Every staffer preferred the I-5 stick to the Alpha automatic. Even with its less sophisticated 4x4 system, the base I-5 "feels, and is, lighter than the Alpha," senior editor Ron Kiino says. "Engine is anemic and course; GM's 3.6-liter V-6 would be a big improvement."

The general feel and quality of the cabin didn't help, much. While we like the white contrasting double stitching on the leather seats of the overpriced Alpha, the blocky, chopped-top look of the Hummer brand works no better on the H3 than on the H1 or H2.

Can the 2009 Hummer H3T overcome its flaws to score the 2009 Motor Trend Truck of the Year award? Find out Tues., Dec. 16. at midnight EST.