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Friday, June 17, 2011

We Drive Mercedes’ Burly C63 AMG Coupe, Start Planning Next M3 Comparo

2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe – Review – Car and Driver #pallet {margin:0;}#echoice li.category {margin:0;}Car and DriverIntelligence. Independence. Irreverence. VehiclesReviewsNewsFeaturesBuyer's GuideFollow UsSubscribeSearch Car and DriverHome › Reviews › 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe - First Drive Review

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2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe - First Drive ReviewIf you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.BY K.C. COLWELL, PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREAS LINDLAHR AND THE MANUFACTURER
May 2011

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2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe

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Since the 2008 C63 AMG went on sale, Mercedes has sold nearly 20,000 examples worldwide of the sedan and its not-for-the-U.S. wagon counterpart. Not bad for a hard-core enthusiast machine, but Mercedes still thinks it’s leaving something on the table. Enter the latest addition to the C-class AMG lineup, this C63 coupe. It just so happens that the C63’s biggest competition, the BMW M3, comes in coupe and sedan shells, too.

According to Tobias Moers, AMG’s “Dr. Frankenstein” and director of vehicle development, the C63 coupe was engineered according to a strict “no compromises” brief. When pressed, Moers admits that the Benz marketers added a two-pane glass roof as standard equipment. According to him, the added bulk barely affects the curb weight or center-of-gravity height. But the 17-year AMG veteran still claims he can feel it.

Most drivers won’t. They will be too busy basking in the glory that is 451 horses underhood bucking upwards of 7200 times a minute. Tack on another 30 with the AMG Development package (DP). Normally, when an option pack uncorks a few ponies, it does so with virtual octane, i.e., by remapping the engine computer. While the AMG DP does indeed include a reflash, it also throws in SLS-borrowed engine internals (forged pistons and a lightweight crank and connecting rods) for the 6.2-liter V-8. The new parts reduce reciprocating and rotating mass by seven pounds. Peak torque remains more than satisfactory, at 443 pound-feet, while the top-speed governor jumps from 155 mph to 174.

Pricing is still in limbo, but expect the AMG DP to add no less than $6000 to the estimated base price of $63,500 when the coupe hits showrooms in September. Those fluent in the styling language of AMG will recognize the AMG connection by the red brake calipers and the small carbon-fiber lip spoiler on the trunk. The really nosy ones will see synthetic-suede trim on an ovoid steering wheel.

Compared with the C63 sedan, the coupe is, well, short two doors and one seating position. As in the four-door, aggressive AMG styling cues start at the large, lower-grille opening and finish in back with a diffuser. The new coupe reaps the benefits of the sedan’s 2012 chassis tweaks, too. The wheels are aligned with increased negative camber, and every bushing has been retuned, as have the springs and shocks. The wet-clutch-pack engine-to-transmission coupler got the nod, thanks to its improved efficiency (fewer losses than a torque converter) and quicker shifts (as little as 0.1 second).

At 3900 pounds, the coupe is some 100 pounds lighter than the sedan. But as before, off-the-line traction is the limiting factor in initial acceleration. Thankfully, the updated transmission includes launch control, slingshotting the C63 with DP to 60 mph in no more than 3.8 seconds, with the quarter-mile mark passing in 12.1. Non-DP C63s will lag slightly behind in the quarter.

Speaking of traction, the old C63 was notoriously adolescent—it just loved ass-happy antics. Chassis updates quell this a bit, inching the balance closer to neutral. The back still comes around in lift-throttle situations and with salubrious applications of throttle. Catching the tail is child’s play despite light steering and the extra corrections needed to hold a cornering line. Plus, there is more wiggle room on center than we prefer.

If the firm ride doesn’t remind passengers that they are in a special Benz, the high-side seats and wicked exhaust wail will. A comparison with the M3 is imminent. Until then, let’s just call this another in a line of monster AMGs.

Specifications

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door coupe

ESTIMATED BASE PRICE: $63,500

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection

Displacement: 379 cu in, 6208 cc
Power (SAE net): 451 or 481 hp @ 6800 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 443 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 7-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 108.9 in Length: 185.3 in
Width: 70.7 in Height: 54.8 in
Curb weight: 3900 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 3.8 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 9.0 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 12.1–12.2 sec
Top Speed: 155–174 mph

PROJECTED FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST):
EPA city/highway driving: 14/20 mpg

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Monday, June 13, 2011

Volkswagen’s Transporter Sportline Van Has Us Eagerly Planning Bank Robberies

May 25, 2011 at 12:20pm by Alexander Stoklosa

Europe is filled with vans that we at Car and Driver constantly lament not being able to buy here in the U.S., and now Volkswagen has released its Britain-only Transporter Sportline to really zing our van love-o-meter. The sport van concept isn’t new—Ford offers a SportVan version of its ubiquitous (in Europe) Transit, and we recently finished our Mazdaspeed 5 project van—but it is ever cool, despite lacking the Ford’s go-faster stripes. The Sportline goes for a subtle, under-the-radar look enhanced by a subtle body kit, classy chrome-smattered headlights flanking a glossy black grille, smoked taillights, and 18-inch five-spoke wheels available in either silver or satin black. The van is available in three sporty colors: silver, the oh-so-cool black seen in the photo above, or white with a gloss-black roof. The interior receives two-tone leather appointments, a nav unit with a 7-inch touch screen, rear parking sensors, Bluetooth connectivity, power windows, and the intriguingly dangerous-sounding “semi-automatic air conditioning.”

The vans are powered by a 178 hp, 2.0-liter diesel four-cylinder engine paired with either a six-speed manual or an available seven-speed DSG dual-clutch automated manual. Performance is hardly impressive, but with quoted 0-to-62 mph times in the 10-second range, the vans are reasonably quick by cargo-carrier standards. The Sportline can be had in short- or long-wheelbase versions clad in either panel or passenger-van “kombi” bodywork. Prices start at $53,862 for a short-wheelbase Sportline panel van, after accounting for current exchange rates and the UK’s value-added tax. But it’s a sporty van, and just think of how cool you’d look fleeing a bank robbery in it.

Tags: Volkswagen, Volkswagen Transporter Sportline |

View the original article here

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Cadillac Planning RWD Sedan to Go After the 7-series and S-class . . . And Maybe Even the Rolls-Royce Phantom

April 25, 2011 at 3:17pm by Jens Meiners

Cadillac has talked about building a true flagship for years—the beautiful Sixteen concept, shown above, dates to 2003—and it appears that a rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan is finally taking shape. The brand’s bosses have realized that the XTS, a stretched derivative of the front-wheel-drive Epsilon platform also underpinning the Buick LaCrosse and Saab 9-5, will not quite be enough to scare the Audis and BMWs of the world, let alone cement the automaker’s position building the Cadillac of automobiles.

According to insiders, Cadillac’s new flagship model will be built on a standalone rear-drive platform, dubbed Omega, rather than sharing underpinnings with the CTS or upcoming ATS. As we predicted in the past, it will be powered by six- and eight-cylinder engines, and all-wheel drive would be optional. A hybrid version could follow later, a diesel— which would account for the bulk of the vehicle’s sales in Europe—won’t. The new, impressively styled sedan will be launched in 2014 as a 2015 model.

Naturally, offering rear-wheel drive and a V-8 won’t be sufficient for Cadillac to take on the world. A Cadillac flagship pointed squarely at the Mercedes-Benz S-class and BMW 7-series will need to be jam-packed with safety and comfort technology, and requires cabin accommodations indulgent enough to make Buckingham Palace’s interior designer weep.

And Now, to Rolls-Royce

We also have learned that General Motors is considering an even more exciting use for the Omega platform—though it’s one we’re skeptical will see the light of day. Our sources tell us that Cadillac is looking at building a super-luxury sedan to compete head-on with the likes of the Rolls-Royce Phantom. (Yes, someone at GM actually referred to Rolls-Royce’s locomotive.) It’s far from a done deal, but it would be great to see such a halo car fighting for American supremacy in billionairemobiles.

No matter what happens, we’re guessing the Cadillac Sixteen’s 13.6-liter V-16 engine won’t be nestled in the engine bay. What a shame.

Tags: Cadillac, Cadillac ATS, Cadillac Omega, Cadillac XTS |

View the original article here

Jaguar Planning Brand New V-6 Engine for XF (and Maybe XJ)

April 26, 2011 at 5:40pm by Justin Berkowitz

Perhaps you read in this week’s Financial Times that Jaguar is looking at building a new factory for engine construction in the UK. What the company hasn’t said—but thanks to our sources, we can now confirm—is that the added production capacity will allow the Jaguar to begin construction of a brand-new six-cylinder engine. The engine should come to the U.S. in the XF, and possibly even in the XJ.

At present, every Jaguar sold in the U.S. comes with an excellent 5.0-liter V-8 engine. Some are naturally aspirated and make 385 hp, while others are supercharged and produce 475 or 510 ponies. Europeans see more options for their cats: a 2.2-liter diesel four, a 3.0-liter diesel six, and the old Ford-based 3.0-liter V-6. You may remember that last engine from such groaning flops as the Jaguar X-Type 3.0 and the S-Type 3.0. Suffice it to say that the company needs a new gasoline V-6 for the U.S. market and for Europeans who want an engine designed during the current millennium. (Jag also needs all-wheel drive, but that’s not happening any time soon.)

Given that the outgoing lump makes 240 hp, we’d expect Jaguar’s new six-pot to produce significantly more power, something comparable to the 300-plus-hp engines from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi. It seems sensible that this engine would be paired to the eight-speed automatic that the company recently announced would be used in 2.2-liter diesel cars in Europe. We were told our wait for the engine wouldn’t be too long, so we figure that we’ll see it in the 2013 or 2014 model year.

Tags: Jaguar, Jaguar XF, Jaguar XJ |

View the original article here