2009

Ford’s venerable luxo-barge, the Lincoln Navigator, has been updated for the 2009 model year, receiving a host of new features as well as a slightly more fuel efficient powertrain. The big news is the addition of a power lift gate, heated seats, parking sensors, a 14-speaker stereo, and E85...

Next week’s Paris Motor Show will see Bentley unveil the last hurrah for the flagship Arnage saloon in the form of a “Final Series” edition before the all-new model arrives in 2010. Derived from the sports-oriented Arnage T released last year, the Final Series models will get the...

When developing its fifth-generation 7-series flagship, BMW engineers focused on reducing complexity of the design in the hope of reducing overall production costs for the car. The end result was a halving in the number of suppliers as well as a 7-8% reduction in production times compared with the...

Mercedes-Benz and its security division have been building armored cars for the past 80 years and to mark the occasion the carmaker has released its latest S600 ‘Guard’ model based on the stretched Pullman limo. Targeted towards government ministers, tycoons and royalty – plus a...

BMW has finally released full details and images for its fifth-generation 7-series flagship following the premature leak yesterday of several images and sketchy details. As expected, the car picks up several influences from the previous CS Concept including new LED elements on the headlights, an...

General Motors has always been reluctant to bring the Pontiac G3 compact to the United States despite the car selling well in Canada and Mexico, but that has all changed as the car is due U.S. showrooms in the first half of next year. The decision to bring the Pontiac G3 was influenced by the...

The long-awaited Mercedes S400 hybrid has finally been officially unveiled, and the results are somewhat surprising. While the S400 BlueHYBRID is still billed as the first series-production car to market with a purpose-built lithium-ion battery, it's not as impressive a hybrid system as may have...

Updated with pricing information Completely redesigned for 2009, the all-new Acura TL features a number of firsts for the company and the car. The most notable change is the addition of Super-Handling All-wheel Drive (SH-AWD) to the performance model, which replaces the TL Type-S. Honda's luxury...

Earlier this week Evolution MotorSports announced the kick-off of its agreement with German supercar maker Gumpert as the sole U.S. assembly and testing arm for the Apollo. Now the company has revealed two new takes on the Porsche Cayenne Turbo and GTS, boosting power and performance with optional...

There was a time when aftermarket tuners would rarely even consider modifying something like a Cadillac. The brand was largely associated with retirees and boring business execs, hardly the type of buyers looking for aggressive bodykits and insane power mods. Then came the sharply styled CTS sedan...

The Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 hasn’t even arrived in some U.S. states but the first press car has already touched down in Germany and is just weeks away from competing in the annual Nardo high-speed shootout in Italy. Its German minders have now taken the 638hp supercar for a spin on the...

Earlier this month Chrysler revealed updates to the legendary 5.7L HEMI V8 engine to make it more powerful and more fuel efficient. Now that engine has been placed in the new 2009 Dodge Charger, which has also received a number of other updates including new colors and a special edition model. The...

More and more carmakers are considering diesel engines for the U.S. market, despite a traditional perception that the oil-burners would be unwelcome. The simple truth is that diesels are a cheaper and easier way to improve fuel economy without sacrificing much performance than just about any...

General Motors’ performance flagship for the Pontiac G8 range, the all-new 2009 GXP saloon, will arrive in showrooms in the first half of next year with a 415hp (309kW) version of the Corvette’s LS3 V8 engine nestled under its bonnet. Peak torque, meanwhile, is rated at 415lb-ft (563Nm)...

Audi’s 2009 facelifted A3 will go on sale in the U.S. later this month, with prices starting at $27,745 for the A3 FrontTrak 2.0L TFSI model and going up to $37,800 for the A3 Quattro 3.2L V6. In addition to the revised styling and minor engine upgrades, the entry-level 2.0L TFSI is now...

Previously we reported on Chrysler cutting back its lease incentives, and instead attempting to increase retail purchases of their vehicles. In a surprise twist, GM has decided not to do this with Cadillac, revealing to dealers on Friday that new lease incentives will be coming soon. The lease...

The current-generation Lexus IS sedan first went on sale in 2005 and in keeping with the carmaker’s practice of refreshing its models every three to four years the popular sedan has undergone a minor facelift for the 2009 model year. Changes to the car are minimal, and include a few minor...

The Hyundai-Kia automotive conglomerate is on a roll of late with its stong crash test scores. Just over a week ago the 2009 Hyundai Genesis scored a perfect five-star rating, and now the Kia Borrego SUV has scored the same, which should help the big vehicle with its recently-announced North...

To date, modified Jaguar XFs have been something of a hit-or-miss affair, with some of the end results arguably bringing the base car down, rather than kicking it up a notch. The Ecurie Ecosse XF, however, appears to be a tasteful and classy upgrade package that adds real value to the already...

Nissan has announced that its updated 3.7L VQ-series engine will make its way into the upcoming G37 Convertible as well as the 2009 G37 Sedan in the North American market, but the company never announced if there were any plans to update the M35 sedan as well. According to a new report, the...