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BMW rolled out the red carpet for the debut of the new 2009 BMW 7-Series and BMW Concept 7-Series ActiveHybrid , both driving across the carpet under power of BMW's twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8. The difference is while the 2009 7-Series moved with the force of 400 HP and 450 lb-ft of torque, the 7-Series ActiveHybid had an additional 20 HP and 155 lb-ft of torque on tap thanks to the addition of an electric motor. The former will go on sale early next year while the latter is but a concept, though one we believe is close to the design of a future BMW hybrid. Press releases and live photos below. galleryPost('BMW7LiveLA08', 9, 'BMW 7-Series Live'); galleryPost('BMW7HybridLiveLA08', 9, 'BMW 7-Series Hybrid Live'); Check out more on the BMW 7-Series from CarandDriver.com BMW Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid: The BMW of hybrids As an integral part of the BMW EfficientDynamics strategy, the BMW Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid previews the potential of BMW ActiveHybrid...
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Ahead of its official reveal at the LA Auto Show , the official details on the BMW Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid have finally been released after months of us sitting on the edges of our seats, waiting with bated breath. The ActiveHybrid (as opposed to the other name considered "LazyHybrid") is a "preview of potential" for things to come from BMW and shows off a mild hybrid operating from a motor integrated transmission, which was jointly developed with Chrysler and General Motors. The motor "assists" a 400 HP, 450 lb-ft, 4.4 liter V8 with it's own 20 HP and 155 lb-ft of torque providing oil barons with cognitive dissonance the feel-good benefit of 15% better fuel economy. Complete details in an uncompromisingly self satisfied press release below. galleryPost('hybrid7', 9, 'BMW Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid'); Check out more on the 7-series Hybrid Concept from CarandDriver.com BMW Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid: The BMW of hybrids As an integral...
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The next generation 7-Series has officially arrived, though if you've been paying attention you've already seen the 2009 BMW 7-series and therefore know that the design team has gone to great effort to correct the car's awkward-looking posterior. A new twin-turbocharged, direct-injection 4.4-liter V8 manages 400 HP and 450 lb-ft of torque, which should make the chauffeur happy. If you find yourself behind the wheel there's a plethora of technology to keep you from killing yourself including Active Cruise Control, Active Blind Spot Detection, BMW Night Vision and cameras on the side and rear of the luxo-yacht. The new 7-series is also the first BMW with a multi-link double-wishbone front suspension. It's something to think about on the way to the appointment with your increasingly distressed stock broker. galleryPost('09bmwsevenpre', 3, '2009 BMW 7-Series'); Check out more on the BMW 7-Series from CarandDriver.com BMW 7 Series again sets the benchmark...
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Why you should buy the 2009 MINI Cooper Clubman S : You're extremely wealthy and like small cars. You never liked going around corners that much anyways. The most exciting thing that could possibly happen to you in the course of a day is spotting another Mini in exactly the same color and getting the driver of it to wave feverishly at you. You used to have a regular Mini, but now you have a small dog. Why you shouldn't buy this car: You consider value an important part of the car-buying process. You drive aggressively. You hate rear barn doors. You live near curvy roads. You hate suicide doors. You enjoy the way the MINI Cooper S handles. You realized you could buy a well-equipped Chevy HHR SS for half the price and without the waving. galleryPost('clubmanexterior', 6, '2009 MINI Cooper Clubman S, Exterior Details'); galleryPost('clubmaninterior2', 9, '2009 MINI Cooper Clubman S, Interior Details'); galleryPost('SuperClubman', 9, '2009...
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Exterior Design: **** The 2009 MINI Cooper Clubman S preserves much of the styling moxie possessed by the original while hiding much of the added heft. At a distance, it's nearly impossible to differentiate between the two variations, causing us to do more than one double-take. The only major giveaway is the 50/50 split rear barn doors with through-door tail lamps and the suicide door on the passenger side. But a front 3/4 view will make you swear you're looking at the original "S." Interior Design: *** The interior of the Clubman is mostly identical to its smaller brother from the cockpit-view forward. Rail-protected flight switches control much of the electrics while a delightfully gaudy speedometer dominates the center console. Every compartment, toggle and switch functions with the usual high level of BMW confidence. But don't even get us started on the Toys R' Us-grade plastic. In this price range, a buyer deserves a little better. Also, the color-selectable...
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As interns at Jalopnik , we've got a pretty sweet gig. Admittedly, there are occasionally humdrum duties such as cleaning the tire debris off of Challengers and Corvette ZR1s , but at the end of the day, the perks outweigh everything else. Heavily. When two of us were tossed the keys to a fully-fueled 2009 MINI Cooper Clubman S so fresh its interior plastics were still off-gassing, and the only spoken rule was that it had to be at the airport the next morning to meet the boss man with most of its important bits still attached, our minds ran wild. A full trunk of camera gear in tow, we did what anyone would when presented the keys to a MINI S. We went straight to Hell. galleryPost('SuperClubman', 11, 'Straight to Hell'); Hell, Michigan is a microscopic town just 15 miles outside of Ann Arbor. It was founded in 1838 by George Reeves and back then, Hell was actually bigger than it is now: It had both a general store and a mill. Only the general store — selling mostly...
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Writing in his weekly column in the ever-so-slightly left-of-center Sunday Times , Jeremy Clarkson expressed his love for the 2009 Corvette ZR1 before claiming “after three days the damn thing was beginning to disintegrate.” He may have just been "doing it wrong." Of course, this being Clarkson, the rest of the column was about the Chrysler Sebring , the War of Independence and his own insecurities that arise from him being a balding, fat idiot from a backwater nation who’s made a career on the tenuous appeal of his jackassery, so we don’t know if he was talking about the overall build quality (which we found to be peerless) or the interior (which we agree is unfittingly cheap for a $103,300 car). The rest of what Clarkson had to say and more of our analysis after the jump. I spent most of my time in America this time in a new Corvette ZR1. It is a fabulous car. Mesmerisingly fast, good looking and amazing value. But after three days the damn thing was beginning to disintegrate...
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Ford has apparently seen stocks of existing F-150 trucks depleted more quickly than it expected, leading the Dearborn automaker to move up the marketing launch of its critical 2009 F-150 by a month to November — after moving it back by two months from October to December. Confusing? Yeah, but considering the roller-coaster ride the economy and fuel prices have taken over the past three months, it's no surprise that Ford marketing mavens are throwing darts at the calendar. If you're a truck customer looking for a deal on the outgoing F-150, now's probably the time to act. If Ford is confident enough in declining inventory to start shipping the new model, deals on the '08 are probably as good as they're going to get. galleryPost('FordF150new09', 6, '2009 Ford F-150'); [ Edmunds Inside Line ]
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The Opel Meriva has been spotted undergoing development in the run up to its expected debut in about a year. The Meriva, if you recall, is a compact MPV sporting "flexdoors," which, in the parlance of our times are really suicide doors — apparently including the word "suicide" in the name of any feature of a new car is a marketing faux pas. Who knew? The car seems to maintain most of the styling present in the concept we first saw at the Geneva Auto Show , though the accompanying booth professional is tragically nowhere to be seen in the spy photos. galleryPost('opelmerivageneva', 9, 'Opel Meriva Concept In Geneva'); [ WCF ]
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This is what passes for a small, budget sedan in Europe. The 2009 Skoda Octavia can be fitted with an optional 1.4 TSI or 1.8-liter turbo, both of which can be equipped with the same 7-speed DSG transmission as the 2009 Audi S3. There should also be a range of punchy, economical diesels. The Octavia looks like it’s based on a lengthened VW Jetta platform, sharing many of its interior features with the 2008 and prior Jetta and Golf. That’s a good thing, especially in a car that will be bigger, more practical and cheaper. We’ll have full details tomorrow or Friday as our Paris Motor Show coverage continues. galleryPost('skodaoctavia2', 9, '2009 Skoda Octavia'); [ NetCarShow ]
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Audi’s fancy seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox will be an optional extra on the Euro-market 2009 Audi S3 , reducing the 0-60 time and upping fuel economy. The 2.0-liter TFSI engine makes 265 HP and 258 lb-ft, scooting the hatch to 60 MPH in 5.7 seconds and delivering 27.6 MPG when equipped with a boring old manual transmission. Spec the $2,610 twin-clutch and that time drops to 5.5 seconds and economy increases to 28.3 MPG. It’s the exact inverse of the effect usually achieved by adding an automatic transmission, in which mode the twin-clutch is capable of operating. The full release follows the jump. galleryPost('2009s3twinclutch', 6, '2009 Audi S3'); AUDI S3 BOXES CLEVER WITH NEW S TRONIC TRANSMISSION OPTION Acclaimed double-clutch transmission’s rapid fire changes perfectly complement fast-paced 265PS sports hatch - S tronic seven-speed twin-clutch transmission available to order at an extra cost of £1,450 from October 1st for S3 and S3 Sportback models - S3 three-door...
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Like the 2009 VW Golf VI , the 2009 VW Golf GTI is a lot like the old car, just a little bit better. Power comes courtesy of the same EA888 2.0-litre turbo used in the Edition 30 MK V, making 207 HP and 206 Lb-Ft. Looks-wise VW wanted to make the new GTI looks lower and meaner than the MKV. Thank the wide lower air dam for that. Of course, the question in everyone’s mind is: how fast is it? galleryPost('2009golfgti', 6, '2009 VW GTI'); 0-60 come in at a somewhat disappointing 7.2 seconds, while it’ll hit a top speed of 149 MPH. Handling will be boosted by DCC active damping. There’s also talk of both a 265 HP 4WD R-version to replace the outgoing R32 — the new one will use a turbo-four instead of the heavy V6 — while VW itself is hinting at a GTI version of the 2009 VW Scirocco . Please VW, bring the Scirocco GTI stateside, we’ve been extra good this year.
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Fancy a bit of buck-toothed big Acura style? The 2009 Acura TL starts at $34,995. That will buy you a 3.5-Liter V6 and an automatic transmission (a manual is coming next year). Speed freaks will want to spend up to the $38,505 Super Handling All Wheel Drive-equipped model with the 3.7-liter, 305 HP V6 (the most powerful Acura ever). The truly committed can plump for the $43,235 TL SH-AWD with 19-inch wheels, summer performance tires and Technology Package. None of those prices include the $760 destination and handling fee. Click through for full details from Honda’s press release. galleryPost('2009AcuraTLPress', 6, '2009 Acura TL'); Acura Announces Pricing For All-New 2009 TL Acura's Best Selling Sedan Poised to Set the Benchmark for Luxury Performance Acura today announced pricing for the all-new 2009 TL performance luxury sedan that will go on sale at Acura dealerships nationwide on September 24th, with all-wheel-drive models planned for sale in November. For the first...
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Why you should buy the 2009 BMW 135i : You like the idea of a driver’s car, but you don’t really like driving that much. You heard the 135i was the car to drive this fall. You’re a life-long BMW fan and you have a penchant for blinders. You’re a badge snob. You’re all of the above and you really don’t have an eye for a deal. Why you shouldn't buy this car: You want a four-seat coupe that drives like a sports car. You have a collection of old BMWs and want the modern equivalent to use as a daily driver. You’re one ticket away from losing your license. Your garage floor is only rated to hold 3383 LB. You’re spending your own money. galleryPost('bmw135iexteriordetail', 6, '2009 BMW 135i Exterior Detail'); galleryPost('135ireviewinterior', 6, '2009 BMW 135i Interior'); galleryPost('bmw135ireview', 6, '2009 BMW 135i'); Suitability Parameters: Speed Merchants: No Fashion Victims: Yes Treehuggers: No Mack Daddies: No Tuner Crowd: Yes Hairdressers...
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Exterior Design: **** Easily the best-looking Bangle BMW, the 2009 BMW 135i excels in proportion, if not in detail. Straight from the front, there’s little indication of the 135i’s purpose, but from there back it’s classic BMW two-door updated for the 21st century. Interior Design:*** Restraint and simplicity do the 135i’s interior many favors. Still, it would have been nice to see an even simpler approach taken without sacrificing the quality. Leather-clad Recaro sport seats would have been a good starting point. The 1-series European economy car roots show in the cheap secondary plastics used on the center console and dash. Not something we’d want in a $46,000 car. galleryPost('135ireviewinterior', 6, '2009 BMW 135i Interior'); Acceleration: ***** The twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six is the pick of BMW’s range, providing its bigger, heavier cars with ample acceleration. Here, it’s ridiculously fast for a non-M car, and much, much torquier too. You can pretty much leave...
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