2010 Audi S5 Cabriolet

2010 Audi S5 Cabriolet SpecificationsDrivetrain
Layout Front Engine, AWD
Transmission 6 Speed Manual or 7 Speed DSG
Differential quattroSport rear differential dynamically varies torque between the rear wheels
Engine
Type: TFSI supercharged V6
Engine & Transmission
Displacement cu in (cc): 3.0 liters
Power bhp (kW) at RPM: 333 bhp
Torque lb-ft (Nm) at RPM: 325 lb-ft.
Exterior
Body Type 2 Door, 4 Seat Convertible
Performance
Top Speed 155 mph (electronically limited)


The new 2010 Audi A5 and S5 Cabriolet open-top luxury GT convertibles have been announced, and when it comes to the S5, we like what we see. Offering a new Audi motor that will make its way into the S5 Coupe as well, the 2010 S5 Cabriolet should be good for some serious wind-in-your-hair thrill rides.

Bucking a Trend - Audi S5 Cabriolet With a Soft Top

While some convertible competitors to the 2010 Audi S5 Cabriolet, such as models from Mercedes-Benz, have gone toward the hard top method for their convertibles, the Audi S5 retains the soft top. We think it gives the S5 Cabriolet a certain degree of distinction not found in hard top convertible models, which often show jagged breaks in their lines where the top folds. The S5 Cabriolet convertible top looks clean as can be, and right in place when raised.

Better still, the S5 top folds into a literally tiny amount of space when it is lowered, using only a tiny fraction of the trunk space and leaving behind 11.3 cubic feet of trunk space. Audi has incorporated 60/40 split folding rear seats into the S5 Cabriolet, giving it an even greater degree of utility.

Alfa Romeo MiTo

2009 Alfa Romeo MiTo SpecificationsDrivetrain
Layout Front Engine, FWD
Transmission 6 speed Manual with Alfa Romeo Autonomy Program
Final Drive Ratio 4.18:1
Engine
Horsepower 153 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque 170 lbs.-ft @ 3000 rpm
Displacement 1368 cc
Bore X Stroke 72.00 mm × 84.00 mm
Engine Type 1.4 Liter Turbocharged 4 Cylinder
Compression Ratio 9.80:1
Exterior
Wheelbase 2511 mm
Front Track 1483 mm
Rear Track 1475 mm
Width 1721 mm
Height 1446 mm
Curb Weight 2524 lb. (1145 kg)
Performance
0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) 8.0 sec
Top Speed 134 mph
Coefficient of Drag 0.290


The Alfa Romeo MiTo, brand new for 2009 from the Italian luxury car manufacturer, makes a true attempt at being an accessible and affordable Italian sports car. While calling it a "sports car" is a bit of a stretch, the MiTo should offer spirited driving and decent power in a sport compact car package.

Scarcely larger than a Mini Cooper, the Alfa MiTo pulls 153 horsepower from a tiny 1.4 liter 4-banger, due to advanced turbocharging technology. Designed to be a sporty yet affordable alternative to the 2009 Alfa Romeo 8C, the MiTo sport compact car weighs less than a Honda Civic and should be a joy to throw through the esses, and easy to drive in traffic as well.

Alfa Romeo has not released cars for the US market in several years, but both the 8C and the MiTo are coming back to the United States. Look for the Alfa Romeo in Europe as a 2009 model and in North America for 2010. Look for a 1.8 liter MiTo model soon to follow.

2010 Acura ZDX

2010 Acura ZDX SpecificationsBody
Wheelbase 108.2 inches
Chassis
Wheels 9-spoke custom alloy wheels
Tires Front Michelin Latitude HP 275/40ZR 20
Tires Rear Michelin Latitude HP 275/40ZR 20
Drivetrain
Layout FWD
Transmission 6-speed automatic transmission with Sequential SportShift
Engine
Type: All-aluminum VTEC® V-6
Exterior
Length 192.4 inches
Width 78.5 inches
Height 61.8 inches

A prototype of the provocative Acura ZDX luxury four-door sports coupe made its world debut at the New York International Auto Show today. The production version of the dramatically styled prototype goes on-sale in the fall of 2009. The segment bending ZDX features stunning coupe-like styling with the added benefit of a commanding presence and flexible utility.

"The ZDX is truly a luxury performance coupe - plus," said Jeff Conrad, vice president of Acura sales. "The emotional coupe styling coupled with a luxurious and dramatic interior and surprising versatility, allows the ZDX to define its own segment and attract an entirely new customer."

The ZDX is designed to break new ground for Acura in the areas of provocative styling, contemporary luxury and meticulous refinement. With its sensuous curves, sharply raked roofline and bold fender flares, the ZDX blurs the distinction between coupe, sedan and sport utility vehicle. Clean, flowing lines start from the headlights and run the length of the car, accentuating the cars presence and grace. In keeping with the coupe-inspired styling, the rear door handles are cleverly concealed in the C-pillar. The all-glass tailgate opens wide to reveal a highly functional cargo space with integrated under-floor storage. The prototype is finished off with stylish dual chrome exhaust outlets and 9-spoke machined wheels fitted with 20-inch Michelin tires

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.