RPMGO Car Blog |
- Quick Look – 2011 Cadillac Escalade
- History Lesson – 1989 Lamborghini LM002
- 2011 Chrysler 300 Revealed
- Quick Look – 2011 Nissan Rogue
- Fisker Karma Gets Price Hike
- For Sale – Xenatech Maybach 57S Coupe
| Quick Look – 2011 Cadillac Escalade Posted: 30 Dec 2010 03:51 AM PST  2011 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid Cadillac Escalade, the most stolen vehicle in the United States, is back for the 2011 model in many flavors: standard, ESV, EXT, Platinum and Hybrid. The most powerful engine available for the car is a 6.2-liter V8 all-aluminum engine that is capable of delivering 403 hp and 417 lb.-ft of torque. The standard and ESV versions are available in both all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive configurations. The EXT is available exclusively with the full-time AWD system. From the long list of features, we have to mention the side blind zone alert, the rear vision camera system, automatic headlamps, power liftgate, adaptive remote start, heated and cooled seats, magnetic ride control and others as well. With the new model, Cadillac has made several changes, like introducing new noise reduction components: modified row door weather strip, laminated front windshield and front row side glass. For a limited period of time, the Escalade is offered with two special colors: Blue Frost and Evolution Green Metallic. The 2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV comes as standard with a 8-inch touchscreen navigation system, Bose 5.1 digital surround sound system and XM Satellite Radio along with CD audio/video and MP3 support. The EXT offers the Escalade a SUT – Sport Utility Truck body style, while at the same time giving it a part-SUV, part-pickup profile. The car sports a Midgate panel which allows the owner of the Escalade to convert the car from a 5-passenger sport utility vehicle into a 2-passenger pickup, offering 8 ft of protected and secured storage. The midgate is placed behind the rear seat and can be folded into the cabin. Doing so, it will enable the cargo area to expand from 5 ft. to 8 ft, reaching a respectable total of 101 cubic ft.  2011 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid The Hybrid version of the Escalade will do 20 mpg in the city, according to EPA ratings, which is a considerable 33% improvement over the regular model. The rear wheel drive models have a towing capacity of 5,800 pounds while the 4WD can tow 5,600 pounds. In the city, at low speeds, the car will use only the electric power and once the vehicle reaches 0 mph, the conventional power unit will automatically shut down, conserving fuel and protecting the environment. The car is fitted with a 300-volt electrically driven air-conditioning compressor which reduces the vibrations and permits the HVAC system to cool the passenger compartment, including the periods when the gas engine is not running. The car features a tri-zone climate control system. The 2011 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid Platinum has a unique front fascia with unique upper and lower grilles. In addition, it has exclusive 22-inch rims as well as LED headlamps. Another feature available only on this model is the full Aniline leather for the first and second row seats. The energy storage system as well as the hybrid drive line and the emission control system are offered with a warranty for 8 years or 100,000 miles. The energy storage system which cools the system's internal fan was designed to be quite when the car is running at low speeds. Post published on Rpmgo.com   |
| History Lesson – 1989 Lamborghini LM002 Posted: 30 Dec 2010 03:19 AM PST  1989 Lamborghini LM002 What most people don't know is that Lamborghini wanted to get a United States military contract a few decades ago. Back in 1977, they made the Cheetah but failed to grab a contract with the US government. They didn't give up and came back with another model, dubbed LM002. The car didn't have a chance in front of the Hummer H1 which was a huge hit back in the days. The Lamborghini LM002 was equipped with a V8 power unit developed by Chrysler. Due to this setup, the car had a very unpredictable handling and the prototype was completely destroyed during the testing procedures. Lamborghini made another one, the LM001, which was fitted with an AMC V8 engine. Unfortunately, the car had the same destiny as the first one. The company did not give up and made an updated version of the LM002 which was powered by a Countach V12 engine, front-mounted. The car was introduced at the Geneva Auto Show in 1981. The car became somewhat popular in the Middle East in both civilian and military versions. The first ones were introduced in 1986 in Brussels and were very attractive in the eyes of the Arab sheiks. These units had air conditioning, stereos and elegant leather interiors. With the very powerful V12 Countach engine, the car was capable of reaching 60 mph in only 7.7 seconds, onto a top speed of 125 mph. The car had to be equipped with a generous gas tank (76- gallon) taking into consideration that it was able to do only 8 mpg. The Lamborghini LM002 was fitted with Pirelli Scorpion run-flat tires that had an incredible price of $1,600 / tire.  1989 Lamborghini LM002 As far as the military version of the LM002 is concerned, it was more basic, but it did have opening roofs and mounts for machine guns (quite cool if you ask us). Lamborghini sold 100 units to Moammar Ghadafi and 40 cars to the Saudi Army. The Italian automaker only manufactured 301 units of the LM002. According to ConceptCarz.com, the car in the pictures was in a private California collection for several years and it has been well-maintained. This year it was offered for sale at the famous RM Auctions as part of their Sports & Classics of Monterey. Before the auction, it had an estimated price of $80,000 – $100,000 and was offered without reserve. In the end, the car was sold for $77,000 (including buyer's premium). Source: ConceptCarz.com Post published on Rpmgo.com  |
| Posted: 30 Dec 2010 02:47 AM PST  2011 Chrysler 300 The Chrysler 300 is back with the 2011 model and looks breathtaking in our opinion. The car borrowed a couple of things from the 2005 generation if we look at the boxy roofline, the upright proportions and the purposeful stance. The windshield of the new model is now more steeply ranked while the muscular wheel arches were kept. The car now has smoother arcs and softer lines at the trunklid and hood while the chrome-trimmed taillights look very appealing. In the company's honor, the LED daytime running lights have a "C" shape. Similar to the Charger, the 2011 Chrysler 300 received a significant update inside. The new model boosts HVAC controls and a very generous 8.4-inch infotainment screen, as an optional feature with the Garmin navigation system so that you don't get lost. Other optional features include the dual-pane sunroof, heated/cooled seats and cupholders as well as new 20-inch rims. The plastics used for the interior are of reasonable quality, similar to the ones used for the Charger, but are styled in another way, more classy. To make it even classier, the engineers at Chrysler did a little bit of work on the interior cabin noise. For this reason, they equipped the 300 with two premium-composite underbody panels that can guarantee more than 8 ft of acoustic insulation while at the same time, smoothing lower airflow.  2011 Chrysler 300 Similar to the outgoing generation, the 300 will be available in both rear and all wheel drive. The AWD system consists of an active transfer case and a seamless disconnecting front axle which according to the automaker allows a 5% boost in fuel economy. The Limited and Touring models are fitted with a Pentastar V6 power unit that is capable of outputting 292 hp and a torque of 260 pound-feet. For those drivers that want more muscle under the hood, the new generation of the 300 can be equipped with a V8 5.7-liter HEMI (with Fuel Saver Technology) that will offer 360 hp and 390 pound-feet. All of the engines will be linked to a 5-speed automatic transmission. The car will do about 16 mpg in the city and 26-28 mpg on the highway. According to Chrysler, the suspension geometry has been updated in order to permit a better and firmer handling. In addition, the electro-hydraulic power steering has been modified for the driver's touch. The car will be available for sale in the first quarter of 2011 at a starting price of $28,000 for the models equipped with the V6 engine and $38,000 for the ones fitted with the powerful V8 HEMI. Post published on Rpmgo.com  |
| Quick Look – 2011 Nissan Rogue Posted: 29 Dec 2010 07:43 AM PST  2011 Nissan Rogue Rogue is the first small crossover developed by Nissan and was launched back in 2007 as a 2008 model. The styling of the car was inspired by its bigger brother, the Murano and came fitted with a good and efficient powertrain that was able to suit various tastes. Three years have passed since then and Nissan had to freshen up the model a little bit until the next generation arrives in a couple of year. Although it isn't certainly a huge hit in North America, there is a solid market for this car as the fact of the matter is it does the job quite well. For those of you looking for a special and out of the ordinary design, look elsewhere as the Rogue has a rather plain design. For a more exciting look, you might pick up the Nissan Juke as it has indeed a very interesting styling, not very common for cars that belong to this segment. With the Rogue you get the normal CUV shape with a couple of Nissan accents here and there, nothing eye-catching. Compared to the first generation, the facelift doesn't bring that much to the table except for the massaged grille, larger fog lights and the fascia which now wears a rather subtle crease below the headlights. On the side of the car, Nissan fitted the Rogue with chrome strips which in our opinion don't look that good, on any car as a matter of fact. With this facelift, Nissan has added a new set of 17-inch bifurcated 5-spoke alloy rims that really make the Rogue look much nicer. Most of the customers that choose the Rogue have the following reasons to do so: reasonable price, tall seating position and lots of cargo room. Speaking of space available for your stuff, the Rogue offers 58 cubic feet of storage when the rear seats are folded. According to Nissan, you can also stow something 8.5 feet long out back, which is quite impressive if you ask us.  2011 Nissan Rogue The SV trim will get you Bluetooth hands-free calling, 6-way power adjustable seats, satellite radio, rear-view camera and power mirrors; nothing out of the extraordinary, but enough for most of us. Unfortunately, the overall look of the interior is not that great because of the dull colors used for the various components and the cheap plastic insertions. Nissan should have fitted the Rogue with lighter colors as well as materials of higher quality. The Rogue is offered with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder power unit that is capable of outputting 170 hp and 175 pound-feet of torque. The engine is linked to a CVT transmission that has an overdrive function. The car is available both in front wheel or all wheel drive. The engine will do the job very well in city traffic and is basically an engine that is quite responsive and agile. More than that, according to the EPA ratings, the Rogue will do 22 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway, which are nice figures for a car in this class. Another advantage of the 2011 Nissan Rogue is the fully-independent suspension, which gives the car a more planted feel during interstate clovers or when doing slaloms. The most affordable Rogue starts at $20,810 for the S trim. The mid-range SV will set you back about $23,220. These figures are quite good for a CUV, but having a quick look at the competition in this segment, like the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson, it doesn't seem to be that appealing anymore as many of these cars have a smaller price tag and come with a top-notch warranty that nobody could resist. The 2011 Nissan Rogue offers a good package for a CUV, but it doesn't bring anything new to the table, something that would make it more attractive than its most important rivals. With a more interesting exterior look and higher quality materials used for the inside, the Rogue could grab a couple more customers that are looking for a CUV. Of course this does not mean that the Rogue is a bad car, on the contrary, it offers a pretty good package at a more than affordable price tag, but there are other better alternatives to it. Post published on Rpmgo.com  |
| Posted: 29 Dec 2010 07:06 AM PST  Fisker Karma One of the most delayed cars in the world, the Fisker Karma, just received a significant price hike – $8,000. When the car was first announced at the 2008 North American International Auto Show, it had an estimated price of $80,000. Later on, the price went up by $7,900 and this figure was dubbed as "estimated price range." According to the company's spokesman, Russell Datz – "with a starting price of $95,900 the Karma is hands down the best value combination of style, performance, efficiency, luxury, sustainability and exclusive powertrain technology." He added that the Karma has an MSRP of $95,900, which is within the 10% of the originally announced MSRP of $80k. Regarding the launch date of the car, nothing is certain at the moment, some people say that the car is slated for spring 2011, but taking into consideration the fact that the previous estimate was for late 2009, nothing can be certain.  Fisker Karma The Fisker Karma was developed exclusively by Quantum Technologies for Fisker Automotive and offers emissions-free driving of up to 50 miles per charge. The car is able to reach 100 km/h in 5 seconds, onto a top speed of 125 mph (200 km/h). The first 99 units of the car will be numbered and signed by Henrik Fisker and will be manufactured in the trim and color of the show vehicle. The car will have two driving modes: stealth mode and sport mode. The former will tweak the setup of the car for providing a quiet and economical ride while the latter will give the driver full access to the car's power. The car will also feature regenerative braking which will be employed to regain power otherwise lost from braking. As an optional feature, the car can be fitted with a solar roof which will fill the battery. This certainly looks like an interesting car but with all of these delays and price hikes, the interest is starting to fade away as other interesting car are announced and go into production, unlike the Fisker Karma. Post published on Rpmgo.com  |
| For Sale – Xenatech Maybach 57S Coupe Posted: 29 Dec 2010 06:42 AM PST  Xenatech Maybach 57S Coupe If you thought the original Maybach 57 was something to die for, well take a look at the Xenatech Maybach 57S Coupe dubbed "Cruiseiro". You don't see every day one of the longest 4-door limos turned into a 2-door sports coupe. The car was developed in close collaboration with the original manufacturer, Maybach, part of the Daimler Group. The new model received some serious changes in comparison to the 4-door variant as the A-, B- and C-columns had to be completely redesigned for the new look. The hardest job was with the B-column which had to be moved back by 200 mm. The roofline is now sharper and the body was widened. The wheelbase of the car remained the same at an impressive level of 3.39 m. This new design belongs to Burch Fred Hardt, the man who also is the author of another great Maybach design, the Exelero concept (too bad that the car never went into production). From the looks of these pictures you will notice the sporty look of the 57S Coupe, but at the same time it does inspire a very conservative styling, traditional to all Maybachs.  Xenatech Maybach 57S Coupe Under the hood of the car a massive V12 6.0-liter engine was mounted, an engine that is capable of outputting 603 hp (612 PS / 450 kW) and an incredible torque of 738 lb-ft (1000 Nm). The engine allows the car to do the 0-60 mph sprint in just five seconds, onto a top speed of 171 mph (275 km/h). With a price tag of $890,000 (675,000 Euros), this won't be a car for the masses, especially when we take into consideration the fact that only 100 units of the Xenatech Maybach 57S Coupe will be produced. The current orders for the coupe already cover the next 9-12 months for the global markets. Post published on Rpmgo.com  |
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