Subaru Impreza WRX STI

2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STi 330S SpecificationsDrivetrain
Transmission 6 Speed Manual
Layout Front Engine, AWD
Differential Front and Rear LSD, Multi-mode Driver Control Centre Differential
Engine
Engine Type Turbocharged Flat 4 "Boxer"
Displacement 2.5 Liters
Horsepower 325.5 bhp (330 PS) @ 5400 rpm
Torque 346.6 lb-ft. @ 3400 rpm
Performance
Top Speed 155.3 mph (Electronically Limited)
0-60 mph 4.4 Seconds


The new Subaru WRX STi 330S, just announced for a UK release at the British International Motor Show, is exactly the car last years WRX STi should have been. Put it slightly more drastically, and the WRX STi 330S is the car Subaru needed. The polarizing new "standard" STi has more buyers turning toward Mazda and Mitsubishi, and the once-lofty WRX brand has now been victim to descriptions such as a "tuner Corolla." Not exactly what Japanese AWD specialists Subaru had envisioned.

The Subaru WRX STi is at or near the top of every young car fan's list, and with good reason. The Subaru WRX series, in the last 10 years or so, has provided unmatched driving excitement in its base price point, and the WRX STi takes the formula even further, creating a true hardcore sports car that happens to come in four-door compact form.

This is why many Subaru diehards and automotive fans were more than a little disappointed when the other Blue Oval decided to soften the WRX and WRX STi for 2008, in attempt to make strides in ride comfort and mainstream styling, a move not embraced by many of Subaru's most vocal fanatics and critics.

Volkswagen Scirocco R

2008 Volkswagen Scirocco SpecificationsChassis
Brakes F/R ABS, vented disc/vented disc
Driveline Front Wheel Drive
Engine
Type Turbocharged Inline-4
Displacement cu in (cc) 122 (1984)
Power bhp (kW) at RPM 200(147) / 5100
Torque lb-ft (Nm) at RPM 207(280) / 1800


Volkswagen Chief Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn: "In the Scirocco we will be bringing the kind of sports car into the showroom that people dream of. Yet it is a dream that an exceptionally large number of car drivers will be able to afford - despite all of the high-end technologies we have implemented." The Scirocco will already be entering the market across Europe in late summer, and other countries will follow over the course of the next year.

Avantgarde Design of the Scirocco

A calling card of the ambitious global concept is the new sports car's avant-garde design. The fact being that the lines of the Scirocco study presented in August 2006 have been transferred to the production car nearly unchanged. This includes the long wagon/coupe roof whose form here is unique, and which pays tribute to the C-pillar design of the first Scirocco, the car's athletic side profile, its distinctive engine hood and the entire rear end with its extremely broad shoulder sections. Only the design of the radiator grille has been changed for a more stylish and timeless solution.

With a length of 167.8 inches, the Scirocco is on par with the Golf. However, it is built significantly lower to the ground (55.1 inches) and is nearly as wide as the Passat (71.3 inches). Four adults can be seated with plenty of space inside. Once they are all aboard, the Scirocco provides 292 liters of cargo capacity; when the two seatbacks of the rear individual sport seats are folded down, capacity increases to a considerable 755 liters. This contemporary Scirocco demonstrates unfettered everyday utility, and it can be clearly recommended as a sports car for every day of the year.

Ferrari 458 Italia

Ferrari 458 Italia SpecificationsBody
Wheelbase 2650 mm (104.3 in.)
Chassis
Tires Front 235/35 ZR20 8.5”
Tires Rear 295/35 ZR20 10.5”
Engine
Type: V8 – 90°
Compression Ratio 12.5:1
Engine & Transmission
Displacement cu in (cc): 4499 cc (274.5 cu in.)
Power bhp (kW) at RPM: 570 CV (425 kW)** @ 9000 rpm
Torque lb-ft (Nm) at RPM: 540 Nm (398 lbs/ft) @ 6000 rpm
Exterior
Length 4527 mm (178.2 in.)
Width 1937 mm (76.3 in.)
Height 1213 mm (47.8 in.)
Performance
Acceleration (0-100 km/h) <3.4 s
Emissions 320 g CO2/km
Fuel Consumption 13.7 l/100 km



The new model is a synthesis of style, creative flair, passion and cutting-edge technology, characteristics for which Italy as a nation is well-known. For this reason Ferrari chose to add the name of its homeland to the traditional figure representing the displacement and number of cylinders.

The Ferrari 458 Italia is a completely new car from every point of view: engine, design, aerodynamics, handling, instrumentation and ergonomics, just to name a few.

A two-seater berlinetta, the Ferrari 458 Italia, as is now traditional for all Ferrari’s road-going cars, benefits hugely from the company’s Formula 1 experience. This is particularly evident in the speed and precision with which the car responds to driver inputs and in the attention focused on reducing internal friction in the engine for lower fuel consumption than the F430, despite the fact that both overall displacement and power have increased. However, Ferrari’s track experience makes its presence felt in the 458 Italia not only in terms of pure technological transfer but also on a more emotional level, because of the strong emphasis on creating an almost symbiotic relationship between driver and car. The 458 Italia features an innovative driving environment with a new kind of steering wheel and dashboard that is the direct result of racing practice. Once again input from Michael Schumacher - who was involved from the very start of the 458 Italia project - played an invaluable part.

Honda CR-Z

2011 Honda CR-Z Sport Hybrid Coupe SpecificationsChassis
Brakes standard anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake distribution (EBD)
Wheels 16x6-inch aluminum wheels
Drivetrain
Transmission six-speed manual transmission is standard equipment and a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is available
Engine
Type: 1.5-liter i-VTEC
Horsepower @ RPM 122 horsepower at 6,000 rpm
Engine & Transmission
Torque lb-ft (Nm) at RPM: 128 lb-ft.
Exterior
Headlights High-Intensity Discharge (HID) Headlights
Interior
Steering Wheel perforated leather-wrapped steering wheel
Other Upgrades
Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™)
Performance
Fuel Economy 36 city/38 highway miles per gallon


The CR-Z may look nothing like the Honda Civic, but its insides are a bit more comparable. The new hybrid will have a 140-horsepower, 1.8-liter, single overhead cam (SOHC) i-VTEC engine which comes from the Civic and would be much bigger and more powerful than most current hybrid gasoline engines. The gasoline engine alone, according to Honda's Web site, gets 25 miles per gallon (10.6 kilometers per liter) in the city and 36 miles per gallon (15.3 kilometers per liter) on the highway for a combined average of 29 miles per gallon (12.3 kilometers per liter). That, coupled with an electric motor that would presumably power the car at lower speeds and assist during uphill climbs, will most likely further increase the fuel efficiency of the CR-Z. Executives also plan to offer both automatic and manual transmissions, and the throttle system for the SOHC i-VTEC engine uses drive-by-wire technology.

The system that includes the electric motor and battery will come from the Honda Insight and is called the Integrated Motor Assist system, or IMA. The IMA's design is thin, allowing it to fit between the engine and transmission to allow for more space, a boon for compact hatchback cars like the CR-Z. Another option taken from the Insight is a continuously variable transmission, or CVT, which would be coupled with the drive-by-wire technology.

By taking these various elements from other vehicles and combining them into one package, Honda is attempting to reduce costs. Honda has also cut down on weight: the CR-Z weighs just 2,800 pounds (1,270 kilograms) -- fairly light for a hybrid car. This is mainly due to a lighter body and a smaller battery. Many older hybrids are weighed down by extremely heavy battery packs, which, ironically, results in poor fuel economy.

Ferrari 5

Ferrari 4