Extreme Tuning of BMW 645i Convertible

Two designers of the Alpine USA team remodeled a BMW 6 Convertible and they named it Dark Sinister Six. For the engine they have chosen a 4.8-liter V8 which produces 367 HP and it accelerates the car from 0 to 60 in 5.7 seconds. They worked very hard on designing both the exterior and the interior.

As you can see their work on restyling this car was not in vain.The 5-spoke black-colored rims were designed by the hot-rod manufacturer Boyd Coddington and have a width of 10-inches to 13-inches. The rims are dressed with Falken ZiEX S/TZ tires and the 360mm vented brake discs were produced by Brembo.

It’s a very interesting concept from the guys at Alpine and they managed to draw and built a very cool and attractive car. We hope that they will come and give shape to many other cars.

‘08 Geneva - BMW X5 Vision EfficientDynamics Hybrid Concept

BMW kept its promise and unveiled the X5 Vision EfficientDynamics Concept at the Geneva Motor Show and I am proud to say that we gave you a preview a few days ago. We also have to remind you that this concept car is a hybrid powered by a twin-turbo 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine. The green X5 also features a 1 square meter photovoltaic solar panel mounted on the roof. Check out the gallery below consisting of live photos from the Geneva Motor Show.

2010 Aston Martin Rapide

It's been more than three years since the Rapide Concept made its debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, but it appears the wait for this elegant sport sedan is almost over.

The production model does not appear to have lost much in the translation from the concept and the large sedan is instantly recognizable as an Aston Martin. The Rapide is fitted with seating for four as well as adequate trunk space for luggage.

The rear doors have been artfully integrated into the classic Aston Martin design, and according to the company, access to the rear seats is made easy via “'swan wing' doors - rising upwards and outwards as they swing open.”

Aston Martin Chief Executive, Dr. Ulrich Bez said: “The Rapide will be the most elegant four-door sports car in the world. It completes the Aston Martin range conveying our established attributes of Power, Beauty and Soul.”

The Rapide’s power comes from a 6.0-liter V12 engine that will be hand built at the company's engine facility in Cologne. Output is rated at 470 horsepower with 443 lb-ft of torque which should put the Rapide in position to compete directly with Porsche’s new Panamera.

Currently in its final stages of testing, the Rapide is expected to make its public debut this fall with first customer deliveries in early 2010.

Upscale on a Budget: Near-Luxury Cars

Cadillac's sporty CTS gets a complete redesign for the 2008 model year.

Consumer demand for affordable luxury has placed more focus on the near-luxury category of passenger cars. This category includes cars from upscale brands such as Lexus, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Lincoln, as well as upper-end models from manufacturers such as Chrysler, Toyota and Hyundai. Starting manufacturer's suggested retail prices range from around $24,000 for a Hyundai Azera to approximately $34,000 for an Infiniti G37 Coupe.

MSN Autos defines near-luxury cars as well-appointed sedans and coupes with starting MSRPs at or below $34,000. Near-luxury cars offer trim configurations and option packages that provide luxury features and performance in price ranges that are lower than traditional luxury or high-performance cars.

If you do not find a particular vehicle you would expect to see on a list of near-luxury cars, please check our article on traditional luxury vehicles.

Photo Gallery: Near Luxury Cars

Hot Entries for 2008
Cadillac is bringing a redesigned CTS to market with fresh styling and several updates under the skin, including an available all-wheel-drive setup. Power for the new CTS will come from the current 258-horsepower 3.6-liter V6, or GM's new 300-horsepower 3.6-liter direct-injected V6 that produces 270 lb-ft of torque. A more luxurious interior features DVD-based navigation with a telescoping touch-screen, a Bose 5.1 Cabin Surround audio system, and an Easy Key system with remote start. For maximum comfort, front passengers are treated to heated and ventilated "thin-seat" technology, enhancing rear-seat leg-, knee- and foot-room.

Also sporting more power and a new look is the Infiniti G37 Coupe. The former 3.5-liter mill in the G35 Coupe has been bumped to 3.7-liters in the new G37, and power output jumps with displacement to 330 horsepower. Lower, longer and wider than its predecessor, the second-generation coupe's ride and handling is enhanced by a stiffer platform, optional 19-inch wheels, standard Vehicle Dynamic Control and an optional 4-Wheel Active Steer system.

From Germany, Mercedes-Benz has introduced an all-new C-Class for the 2008 model year. Offered in either Luxury or Sport versions, the Sport is easily identified by the three-pointed star incorporated into the front grille. With elegant new styling and a number of feature and powertrain upgrades, the new C-Class is quite a jump over the previous generation.

Features Are Plentiful
As their name implies, near-luxury cars can come extremely well equipped. Heated and cooled front seats — like those found in the CTS and Lincoln MKZ — are becoming more common, as is dual-zone climate control, available in models such as the Audi A4 or the Buick Lucerne. Even the Hyundai Azera can be equipped with a leather-trimmed interior. Technology such as bright, high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights, which a few years ago were found only on expensive, top-line luxury cars, has made its way into the near-luxury segment. Other near-lux tech includes Bluetooth connectivity, satellite radio, and high-end audio systems. The Acura TL sports all three, and its ELS audio system will also play DVD-Audio discs with impressive fidelity.

Enthusiasts will be happy to hear that several models in the category continue to offer the choice of manual or automatic transmissions. Among them are the Audi A4, BMW 3-Series, Infiniti G37, Cadillac CTS and Lexus IS.

Front-, Rear- or All-Wheel Drive?
The near-luxury segment reflects broader changes in the overall car market, including the proliferation of drive systems. As consumers have become accustomed to all-wheel drive on their SUVs, they've shown interest in having this feature on their cars as well.

Audi's A4 and Volvo's S60 have front- or all-wheel-drive trims, while BMW's 3-Series and Infiniti's G35 are rear- or all-wheel drive. Subaru's top sedan, the Legacy 2.5 GT spec.B comes standard with all-wheel drive, its only configuration. Chrysler has made all-wheel drive an option available on its 300 sedan. All-wheel-drive versions generally command a $1,200 to $2,400 premium over their two-wheel-drive counterparts.

In the market for a new car? MSN Autos is pleased to provide you with information and services designed to save you time, money and hassle. Click to research prices and specifications on any new car on the market or click to get a free price quote through MSN Autos' New-Car Buying Service.
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Pininfarina Ferrari P4/5 - Feature

The flat, tiled roof of the Pininfarina design studio in Turin, Italy, is a secret paradise. A short stairway above the third floor and hidden from public view, immortal automobiles appear here almost routinely. Weeks before arriving in this northern Italian city, we'd seen photos of the car standing before us now, and we'd drawn our conclusions, mostly enthusiastic. Yet seen suddenly in three throbbing dimensions, this four-wheeled aggressor seemed to morph before our eyes. Jason Castriota, an energetic native New Yorker and lead designer for Pininfarina special projects, had warned us how different a car can look in real life — and if you doubt it, consider the first Porsche Cayman you witnessed after seeing it only in pictures.

The car on the roof was something called the Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina — less formally, "the Glickenhaus car." Castriota and his colleagues also designed Ferrari's controversial new V-12 599GTB Fiorano and the show-stopping MC12-based Maserati Birdcage concept. We'd seen both downstairs — and they beggar the camera. In photos, Castriota's all-white Birdcage is neutral, almost formless. In person, it's one of the most muscular, sensuous automotive shapes ever, ever, ever.

And now the P4/5 is pulling the same trick. The longer we looked, the more bad-ass and pumped it got — a snorting, snuffling beast, restless on its haunches. Something said, "Get back!"

If you plan on seeing this wicked car in person (we'll tell you how you can), bring your upheld lion tamer's chair. (A camera is no defense at all.)

After-School Sports, Italian-Style

The story of the P4/5's conception is appropriately operatic, a tale of intrigue and artifice worthy of Giuseppe Verdi. But first, the background.

As in any long and very successful marriage, the prancing stallion of Ferrari and gracious Pininfarina are bound by ties of convenience and habit. They've weathered distractions and dalliances, and their progeny, dating back to the earliest post-World War II Italian grand-touring cars, are timeless. Then along came the 612 Scaglietti. Begun in 2002 and finalized in 2004, its birth was a wrangle between Ferrari and Pininfarina. When early images of the 612 found their way onto the Internet, the Ferrari faithful were not happy. Some said, "Ah, just look — Pininfarina has lost it!"

Only Ferrari and Pininfarina will ever know how much of the 612 was Ferrari's and how much Pininfarina's. But it would be understandable if Pininfarina wanted to prove it had not lost it. Bene! Pininfarina would do a very special hyper-car — a one-off Enzo-based Ferrari.

To do so, it needed a client.

The Pininfarina Rolodex is bursting with rich classic-car owners. Feelers were put out. However, the classic-car gentry only trust risk-free designs with established value, and few would risk involvement in a secret Pininfarina project that could anger Ferrari. Among world Ferraristi, one particularly wealthy American maverick came to mind — Jim Glickenhaus, 56. The Glickenhaus family's Wall Street investment firm reinvents money daily. And besides having the wherewithal, Glickenhaus is addicted to owning priceless racing cars, among them a former Donohue Lola T70, a former McLaren/Donohue Ford Mk IV, and three Ferrari racers — a 1967 330 P3/4, a 1967 412P, and a 1947 Tipo 166 Spyder Corsa, the oldest Ferrari in existence. Nice collection.

But Jim Glickenhaus takes it a step further. He, gawdamighty, drives them on the street! Concerning the Pininfarina P4/5 (a one-up on Glickenhaus's 1967 P3/4, get it?), Glickenhaus is clear: "I just wanted to do it — I don't care what anyone thinks."

Sold.

Glickenhaus is utterly crackers for Ferrari's voluptuous 1967 330 P3/4, arguably the most beautiful sports-racing car in history, and Castriota's first drawings of the new car evoked the P3/4. But the design began evolving away from the retro P-car toward an original design that looked forward while also looking back. And Glickenhaus wasn't sure he liked it. But seeing the new drawings, his son, Jesse, and daughter, Veronica, loved them. (Wouldn't you like to argue with your dad about the styling of a secret one-off Ferrari?) Glickenhaus took his kids' enthusiasm seriously. Maybe the car should be more than a homage.

Smart Fortwo Passion Cabriolet - Short Take Road Test

Take one practical two-seat city car and rip off its top. What do you get? Well, we were expecting the automotive equivalent of cutoff jeans, something designed to be useful with some, if not all, of its function lost in the name of fashion. What we found, however, is that compared with the hatchback, the Fortwo cabriolet requires little or no sacrifice in practicality and utility. We did find that the cabriolet has one thing in common with denim shorts: Men look really dorky in them.

For an added $3000—from a base price of $17,235, as tested $18,695—Smart basically makes the Fortwo Passion hatch into a targa. Getting the Fortwo into its open-air configuration is a multistep process. An electrically operated cloth top with a glass rear window rolls back and creates a vast sunroof. For most drives, we were content to open only that big sunroof, not bothering to remove—it’s a manual task—the roof rails and unlatch the rear portion of the top from the trunklid. Take those extra steps, and the Fortwo’s cloth top folds neatly into a furrowed stack, and the absence of roof rails gives the car a full-convertible feel, despite the fixed B-pillars.

Driving the convertible is much like driving the hatchback. Not surprisingly, the ragtop lets in a bit more noise. More surprising are the roadster’s quicker acceleration times, even though the cabrio, at 1852 pounds, is 37 pounds heavier than the hatch. We’re not sure why the roadster reaches 60 mph 0.8 second quicker (13.6 seconds versus 14.4), but maybe it was due to strong crosswinds during the hatchback’s testing, or maybe it’s just that our test ragtop was somehow blessed with a peculiarly strong engine. Otherwise, the roadster experience is identical to that of the hatchback.

The ragtop is plagued by the same slow-shifting transmission, a lack of power, excessive squat and dive, and sensitivity to gusts of wind. Fortunately, it’s also blessed with tour-bus-like visibility, a terrific seating position, and the quick reflexes of the three-door.

Aside from the price, the Fortwo cabriolet sacrifices little in the name of style. And although men can’t help looking a bit silly from behind the wheel, we found that women wear the Fortwo cabriolet like a good pair of “Daisy Dukes.”

2008 Smart Fortwo

Base Price: $12,235

If time is money, then time spent hunting for a parking space—20 minutes if you live in New York, 45 minutes if you live in San Francisco—will make the Smart Fortwo your best financial asset. Parking spaces that seem impossibly small aren’t. That sliver of macadam between the H2’s hitch and the crosswalk? The Smart will fit.

Smart-aleck “Where’s the other half?” comments do point out the capacitive limitations of the Smart: With eight cubic feet of cargo space, there will be no Costco runs in the Fortwo (although a jaunt through the store for drive-up food sampling would be fun and feasible). As light traffic in many carpool lanes indicates, the Smart would however very well meet most commuters’ needs. For driver and passenger, space abounds: The Fortwo features just slightly less head- and legroom than the gargantuan Mercedes-Benz GL.

A Lilliputian footprint, a subton curb weight, and a tiny engine should promise stellar fuel mileage, but the Smart does not deliver. We got 32 mpg in mixed driving. Unexceptional mileage might be excused if there were spirited performance to be had, but indeed, the Fortwo is the slowest-accelerating passenger car sold in this country, obliterating the quarter-mile in a tick under 20 seconds. Europeans and Canadians can buy the won’t-pass-U.S.-emissions diesel Fortwo that returns over 70 mpg on the Euro highway cycle. We hope the reliability issues that plagued the first generation’s turbocharged drivetrains were obviated by fitment of the larger, naturally aspirated 70-hp, 1.0-liter engine

2010 Porsche 911 GT3 - First Drive Review

in the 911 family, the top jock is the GT3. The current 997 family of 911s has been undergoing a major round of updates, and now it’s the GT3’s turn.

No Replacement for Displacement

Since GT3s are all about going—and feeling—fast, it’s no surprise that an upgraded engine is part of the changes for this second-gen of 997. A bore increase—from 3.9 inches to 4.0—raises displacement from 3.6 liters to 3.8. The bigger engine gets hotter cams with greater valve lift and the addition of variable valve timing to the exhaust cams (the intakes already had it). All together, these changes boost power from 415 ponies to 435 and torque from 300 lb-ft to 317. Despite the displacement increase, the engine’s redline climbs from 8400 rpm to 8500.

Oddly, the new engine does not get the direct fuel injection that is rapidly spreading through the rest of the Porsche lineup, mostly because the GT3 engine is a race-derived unit that remains distinct from the mainstream models. Unlike the Carrera and Boxster engines, the GT3’s has a proper dry-sump lubrication system with a remote oil tank and seven oil pumps. It also uses titanium connecting rods and is constructed with cylinder blocks that are separate from the crankcase halves. This engine is extremely robust and develops substantially more power in racing applications, revving to over 9000 rpm with standard components.

Grip Increases, Too

The next most important change is a set of bodywork revisions that roughly triple the car’s aerodynamic downforce. A redesigned front end provides a more efficient exit for the air flowing through the center radiator through new ducting to a vent just forward of the trunklid. The front splitter is lower and deeper. In the rear, a wider wing extends beyond its vertical supports and is tilted down at an angle of 7.8 degrees, which translates into about a 20-degree angle relative to the airflow, which is following the downward slope of the rear window. Together, these changes increase downforce from 66 pounds at 186 mph to 220 pounds.

A revised suspension makes the most of this additional force pressing the tires into the pavement. Front spring rates are stiffer by 12 percent, and the anti-roll bar drops from 1.1 inches in diameter to 1.0. In the rear, the anti-roll bar increases from 0.9 inch to 1.0. The PASM adjustable shock absorbers have been completely recalibrated, and the suspension pickup points have changed, thanks to new hubs. These hubs now accommodate center-lock wheels, employing the same large nuts introduced on the Carrera GT. This design makes for a lighter wheel, saving a total of 6.6 pounds. But with only one nut holding each wheel in place, the tightening torque is a massive 331 lb-ft. You can apply this by being really strong, using a very large torque wrench, or springing $400 for a trick socket that incorporates a small planetary gearbox to multiply the torque from a normal-size wrench. Nobody ever said Porsche speed was cheap.

Focused On Control

Other major upgrades include enormous 15.0-inch front brake rotors with separate aluminum carriers that actually reduce their weight slightly. The pricey, optional Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes also get lighter carriers, and their use shaves in the 911 family, the top jock is the GT3. The current 997 family of 911s has been undergoing a major round of updates, and now it’s the GT3’s turn.

No Replacement for Displacement

Since GT3s are all about going—and feeling—fast, it’s no surprise that an upgraded engine is part of the changes for this second-gen of 997. A bore increase—from 3.9 inches to 4.0—raises displacement from 3.6 liters to 3.8. The bigger engine gets hotter cams with greater valve lift and the addition of variable valve timing to the exhaust cams (the intakes already had it). All together, these changes boost power from 415 ponies to 435 and torque from 300 lb-ft to 317. Despite the displacement increase, the engine’s redline climbs from 8400 rpm to 8500.

Oddly, the new engine does not get the direct fuel injection that is rapidly spreading through the rest of the Porsche lineup, mostly because the GT3 engine is a race-derived unit that remains distinct from the mainstream models. Unlike the Carrera and Boxster engines, the GT3’s has a proper dry-sump lubrication system with a remote oil tank and seven oil pumps. It also uses titanium connecting rods and is constructed with cylinder blocks that are separate from the crankcase halves. This engine is extremely robust and develops substantially more power in racing applications, revving to over 9000 rpm with standard components.

Grip Increases, Too

The next most important change is a set of bodywork revisions that roughly triple the car’s aerodynamic downforce. A redesigned front end provides a more efficient exit for the air flowing through the center radiator through new ducting to a vent just forward of the trunklid. The front splitter is lower and deeper. In the rear, a wider wing extends beyond its vertical supports and is tilted down at an angle of 7.8 degrees, which translates into about a 20-degree angle relative to the airflow, which is following the downward slope of the rear window. Together, these changes increase downforce from 66 pounds at 186 mph to 220 pounds.

A revised suspension makes the most of this additional force pressing the tires into the pavement. Front spring rates are stiffer by 12 percent, and the anti-roll bar drops from 1.1 inches in diameter to 1.0. In the rear, the anti-roll bar increases from 0.9 inch to 1.0. The PASM adjustable shock absorbers have been completely recalibrated, and the suspension pickup points have changed, thanks to new hubs. These hubs now accommodate center-lock wheels, employing the same large nuts introduced on the Carrera GT. This design makes for a lighter wheel, saving a total of 6.6 pounds. But with only one nut holding each wheel in place, the tightening torque is a massive 331 lb-ft. You can apply this by being really strong, using a very large torque wrench, or springing $400 for a trick socket that incorporates a small planetary gearbox to multiply the torque from a normal-size wrench. Nobody ever said Porsche speed was cheap.

Focused On Control

Other major upgrades include enormous 15.0-inch front brake rotors with separate aluminum carriers that actually reduce their weight slightly. The pricey, optional Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes also get lighter carriers, and their use shaves 44 pounds from the braking system. A revised Porsche Stability Management system allows you to turn off the stability control alone or the stability control and traction control together. When these systems are shut down, they do not reactivate, as they do on other Porsches, when you start losing control in a corner under braking.

One innovative new option is PADM, which stands for Porsche Active Drivetrain Mounts. These are hydraulic engine mounts using magnetorheological fluid so their stiffness can be varied according to a programmed map. At high revs they get stiffer to provide a more precise feel by reducing the relative motion between the powertrain and body. Another new option is a front-axle lifting feature, which raises the car’s front end by 1.2 inches when you press a button on the dash. This should help you avoid shredding the effective new front splitter at that local service station with the clifflike ramp.

in the 911 family, the top jock is the GT3. The current 997 family of 911s has been undergoing a major round of updates, and now it’s the GT3’s turn.

No Replacement for Displacement

Since GT3s are all about going—and feeling—fast, it’s no surprise that an upgraded engine is part of the changes for this second-gen of 997. A bore increase—from 3.9 inches to 4.0—raises displacement from 3.6 liters to 3.8. The bigger engine gets hotter cams with greater valve lift and the addition of variable valve timing to the exhaust cams (the intakes already had it). All together, these changes boost power from 415 ponies to 435 and torque from 300 lb-ft to 317. Despite the displacement increase, the engine’s redline climbs from 8400 rpm to 8500.

Oddly, the new engine does not get the direct fuel injection that is rapidly spreading through the rest of the Porsche lineup, mostly because the GT3 engine is a race-derived unit that remains distinct from the mainstream models. Unlike the Carrera and Boxster engines, the GT3’s has a proper dry-sump lubrication system with a remote oil tank and seven oil pumps. It also uses titanium connecting rods and is constructed with cylinder blocks that are separate from the crankcase halves. This engine is extremely robust and develops substantially more power in racing applications, revving to over 9000 rpm with standard components.

Grip Increases, Too

The next most important change is a set of bodywork revisions that roughly triple the car’s aerodynamic downforce. A redesigned front end provides a more efficient exit for the air flowing through the center radiator through new ducting to a vent just forward of the trunklid. The front splitter is lower and deeper. In the rear, a wider wing extends beyond its vertical supports and is tilted down at an angle of 7.8 degrees, which translates into about a 20-degree angle relative to the airflow, which is following the downward slope of the rear window. Together, these changes increase downforce from 66 pounds at 186 mph to 220 pounds.

A revised suspension makes the most of this additional force pressing the tires into the pavement. Front spring rates are stiffer by 12 percent, and the anti-roll bar drops from 1.1 inches in diameter to 1.0. In the rear, the anti-roll bar increases from 0.9 inch to 1.0. The PASM adjustable shock absorbers have been completely recalibrated, and the suspension pickup points have changed, thanks to new hubs. These hubs now accommodate center-lock wheels, employing the same large nuts introduced on the Carrera GT. This design makes for a lighter wheel, saving a total of 6.6 pounds. But with only one nut holding each wheel in place, the tightening torque is a massive 331 lb-ft. You can apply this by being really strong, using a very large torque wrench, or springing $400 for a trick socket that incorporates a small planetary gearbox to multiply the torque from a normal-size wrench. Nobody ever said Porsche speed was cheap.

Focused On Control

Other major upgrades include enormous 15.0-inch front brake rotors with separate aluminum carriers that actually reduce their weight slightly. The pricey, optional Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes also get lighter carriers, and their use shaves 44 pounds from the braking system. A revised Porsche Stability Management system allows you to turn off the stability control alone or the stability control and traction control together. When these systems are shut down, they do not reactivate, as they do on other Porsches, when you start losing control in a corner under braking.

One innovative new option is PADM, which stands for Porsche Active Drivetrain Mounts. These are hydraulic engine mounts using magnetorheological fluid so their stiffness can be varied according to a programmed map. At high revs they get stiffer to provide a more precise feel by reducing the relative motion between the powertrain and body. Another new option is a front-axle lifting feature, which raises the car’s front end by 1.2 inches when you press a button on the dash. This should help you avoid shredding the effective new front splitter at that local service station with the clifflike ramp.

44 pounds from the braking system. A revised Porsche Stability Management system allows you to turn off the stability control alone or the stability control and traction control together. When these systems are shut down, they do not reactivate, as they do on other Porsches, when you start losing control in a corner under braking.

One innovative new option is PADM, which stands for Porsche Active Drivetrain Mounts. These are hydraulic engine mounts using magnetorheological fluid so their stiffness can be varied according to a programmed map. At high revs they get stiffer to provide a more precise feel by reducing the relative motion between the powertrain and body. Another new option is a front-axle lifting feature, which raises the car’s front end by 1.2 inches when you press a button on the dash. This should help you avoid shredding the effective new front splitter at that local service station with the clifflike ramp.