World of Wheels

Quick Spin ~ 2010 Audi S4

A Gentleman’s Express is what Europeans call a car like the Audi S4. It has to be discreet, fast, sure footed and, above all, with all the inputs and controls coming into focus at the eyes of the driver. It’s a combination North America, with its long and wide highways, has rarely understood. Shelby got it 40 years ago with the Mustang GT 350 and, maybe, you can include the current Cadillac CTS-V, but for a true Gentleman’s Express, you have to go to Germany.
Audi’s S4 builds on the A4, which is the company’s bread-and-butter vehicle in North America. The heart of the S4 is its 3.0-litre supercharged V6 and superb Quattro all-wheel-drive with optional sports rear differential. The engine uses direct fuel injection with lessons learned from Audi’s numerous wins at the LeMans 24-hour race.  With twin intercoolers for the supercharger, it produces 333 hp and 325 lb/ft of torque for a top speed of 250 km/h. It’s offered with a six-speed manual transmission ($52,500) and the new seven-speed, twin clutch S-tronic automatic ($54,100).

Exclusive Elegance

There are certain opportunities that come but once in a lifetime. For us mere mortals, spending time in a Rolls-Royce Phantom is likely one of them.

According to official literature, when a Phantom passes by the world stands still. There is truth to this statement. Even in such an affluent part of North America as Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, we found other motorists turning their eyes as the English White behemoth rode by. There’s no denying it has presence. The current Rolls-Royce Phantom measures 229 inches – over 19 feet – from stem to stern in standard form, an even more impressive 240 inches with the extended wheelbase, so by any stretch of the imagination, it is a big car. It’s also superbly finished. Each body has no fewer than five coats of paint and between each layer the entire surface is wet sanded by hand and final coat polished for five hours. The aluminum space frame on which the body panels are attached, features no fewer than 500 hand welds and has the torsional stiffness equivalent to a Formula 1 car. What this means, is that even on rougher pavement, the Phantom never loses composure and there is barely a creak to be heard.

2010 LaCrosse breaks new ground for revived Buick brand.

To paraphrase the old General Motors advertising slogan, “this ain’t your father’s Buick.” While the old ad slogan actually referred to your father’s Oldsmobile, it completely fits with Buick’s new-for-2010 LaCrosse, which features a coupe-like exterior styling in a four-door, five-passenger mid-size sedan. It’s a car that raises eyebrows, from both the curb and from behind the wheel. While the 2010 LaCrosse uses an existing Buick nameplate and carries a couple of old Buick design clues like the waterfall grille (dating back to the ’30s) and the porthole vents on the hood (dating back to the ’40s), this is a car that breaks new ground for Buick.

Alternative Auto

Is it a car? Is it a crossover utility? Whatever the definition, there’s no denying that BMW’s 5-Series Gran Turismo resonates to the sound of a different drum.

In the last decade we’ve witnessed an ever-swelling portfolio from Bavarian Motor Works – introduction after introduction of vehicles seemingly in search of a market. Take the case of the X6 and now this, the 5-Series Gran Turismo.

At a glance, even the name doesn’t seem appropriate. Traditional GTs are most often considered two-door coupes, so in BMW terms the 6-Series seems to fit the moniker more effectively. But who are we to judge? The car’s styling is just as intriguing as the choice of name. The sharp bangle creases are one thing, but the combination of car, crossover and rear end truckster treatment another, though to be fair, the 5-Series Gran Turismo looks better in person than it does in pictures.Seven Sharing

Hybrid Porsche 911 GT3 R to make world debut in Geneva

Porsche has developed an innovative hybrid drive to be unveiled at Geneva Show prior to racing at the Nurburgring in May. This development of 911 GT3 racer serves as a spearhead for technology and "racing laboratory" and serves as a showcase for Porsche Intelligent Performance philosophy.

A Porsche 911 GT3 R with innovative hybrid drive will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March, taking the evolution of the iconic sports coupe to new levels in motor sport and opening a new chapter in an illustrious racing record that has witnessed more than 20,000 victories in 45 years.

After its debut in Switzerland, the 911 GT3 R Hybrid will be tested in long-distance races around the Nurburgring, Germany. The highlight of this test program will be the 24 Hours race around the 14-mile Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit on 15/16 May.