Gearbox Surplus: Top Gear?s ?Where?s Stig? [Book Review]
Sometimes stuff just shows up here at the Car and Driver offices. Every once in a while one these items, like our web interns, ends up being useful or interesting. Most of this automotive driftwood (excluding the interns) ends up in my office and, while possibly compelling, doesn?t quite fit in the Gearbox section of the magazine. In an effort to share some of the delights (and, eventually, horrors) that clutter my workspace, I present to you Gea...
2011 Kia Sorento to Get Sportier SX Trim Level
Before you send nasty emails, yes, the above image has been doctored with the magic of Photoshop. (Pretty good, eh?) We might have had real pictures of the newest 2011 Sorento trim level if we’d been at the Atlanta auto show today, but, erm, we must have forgotten to mark the date on our calendars. Kia promises we’ll have official pictures once the car makes it to the New York auto show, which is just two weeks away. Anyway, here̵...
Chrysler Begins Production of All-New Pentastar 3.6-liter V-6 Engine
Today marks the start of production of an all-new Chrysler engine, a 3.6-liter V-6 unit that’s being built in Trenton, Michigan. Chrysler says the Pentastar V-6 is its most advanced powerplant ever. It?s a 24-valve, dual-overhead-camshaft design with variable timing for intake and exhaust valves. The block and head are aluminum, and it can run on either regular-grade gasoline or E85 biofuel. We?ll first see the engine in the 2011 Jeep Grand...
David E.?s Take: Remembering Jerry York
Jerry York died yesterday of a burst aneurysm in his brain. He was not a friend of mine, barely even an acquaintance, but I admired him greatly and always wished that somebody would hire him to run a major automobile company. Where the automobile industry was concerned, he was always a bridesmaid never a bride. He knew them better than they knew themselves and his suggestions and criticisms were always succinct and on the money. This last...
Tell C/D: Cars to Drive Before You Die
We?ve polled our office for an upcoming feature story on 10 cars to drive before you die, and our list is set. Now we want to know what you have to say. What cars do you think someone has to drive before they die? They can?t be just anything. We used two criteria to narrow our choices: It has to be something that wholly embodies an era or a certain type of car, or a vehicle that provides a singular, mind-blowing experience unmatched anywhere else...
McLaren Gives MP4-12C Acceleration Estimates: It?s Going to Be Fast
Following McLaren Automotive’s grand opening yesterday, the company has released more details on its upcoming supercar, the MP4-12C, and the preliminary numbers look quite promising. Utilizing the launch-control function of its dual-clutch, seven-speed gearbox (there’s no three-pedal manual available), McLaren claims the car is capable of a 0-to-60-mph time of under 3 seconds and a 0?124 time of under 10 seconds. Those acceleration nu...
Eddie Alterman: Affordable Cars are About to Get a Lot Safer ? Column
Continental’s bid to confound Darwinism relies on piggybacking new tech onto existing platforms. In November, I had dinner with the head of Continental AG?s global chassis and safety business, Dr. Ralf Cramer, and its NAFTA Region CEO, Samir Salman. These gents represent the component side of the conglomerate best known for its tires, and they came with a question they spent a couple of hours answering: Why is state-of-the-art safety avail...
Mazda Miata Black and Matte Debuts in Paris, Looks Just Like It Sounds
While much of the U.S. is enjoying its first day of productivity following an overindulgence of Black and Tans for Saint Patrick?s Day, Mazda is busy in Paris with the unveiling of its Black and Matte special-edition Miata. Unveiled at the Salon du Cabriolet, Coupé, et du SUV, the flat-black Miata is meant to celebrate the Miata?s 20th French-market anniversary. There are no mechanical changes, although the Black and Matte is based on the ...
2010 Audi A5 2.0T Quattro vs. 2010 BMW 328i, 2009 Infiniti G37, 2010 Lexus IS350C ? Comparison Tests
Tops down, prices up: Europe meets Japan at 50 grand. Let?s dispense with jingoism right here at the starting line. There aren?t any American entries in this four-seat-droptop derby because there aren?t any that fall into this price category. Okay, almost none. The base MSRP for Ford?s Shelby GT500?$53,575?does slide in below the as-tested ticket for one of our four contestants. But even though it has rear seats, the super-Mustang lacks an automa...
Mercedes-AMG Management Shuffle: Mornhinweg Out, Källenius In
The launch of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, the first dedicated AMG car, was his biggest triumph. Now Volker Mornhinweg, 50, is moving within the M-B organization to deal with bigger fish?literally. From April 1, the affable car enthusiast will head the Mercedes-Benz Van division, and thus be in charge of the Sprinter and other “white vans,” as they are called in some European countries. Mornhinweg’s post will be taken over by Ola ...