Automotive Area: June 2010

Thursday, June 24, 2010

2011 BMW 3-Series Coupe

2011 BMW 3 Series Coupe Rear View

The 3-Series Coupe is BMW's most popular two-door offering. It was also the automaker's least expensive two-door prior to the launch of the 1-Series in North America. The Coupe received a complete redesign for the 2007 model year, and now has yet again received a new refresh as well as a new premium twin-turbocharged V6.

2011 BMW 3 Series Coupe Interior

Internally known as the BMW E92, the new model is distinguished from its sedan counterpart by completely different headlights and taillights. Two models were initially offered on the E92 for North America -- the 328 and the 335, but now there is a new 335is trim level in addition to convertible variants in the mix as well.

2011 BMW 3 Series Coupe Front View

The 335i has a new 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder with a single twin-scroll turbocharger, high-precision fuel injection, and an all-aluminum crankcase, pushing the car to 60 mph in just 5.3 seconds. The motor produces 300 horsepower at 5800 rpm. Peak toque is 300 pound-feet, available from a mere 1,200 rpm, all the way up to 5,000 rpm.

2011 BMW 3 Series Coupe First Look

BMW says the new N55 engine replaces the N54 with was the same displacement, but required twin-turbochargers. The new N55 single turbo setup produces the same peak power but with a lower starting torque curve, as well as better fuel efficiency and reduced emissions.

2011 BMW 3 Series Coupe Exotic Car

The 335i will be joined in the U.S. by the 230 horsepower 328i Coupe, which hits 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, making it quicker than the previous top-of-the-line 330Ci. The available 328xi model offers xDrive all-wheel drive for the first time ever in a BMW coupe.

2011 BMW 3-Series Convertible

2011 BMW 3 Series Convertible Wallpaper

BMW says the engine, which now uses the automaker’s throttle-free Valvetronic system, is “more responsive, more fuel efficient and cleaner running” than the existing 3.0-liter turbo. We’ll have to drive the car to tell the difference. Neither BMW nor the EPA has published gas mileage figures yet, but we’d expect a nominal increase over the 335i’s current mileage — 16/25 mpg city/highway — to 17/26 mpg, depending on transmission and rear- or all-wheel drive.

2011 BMW 3 Series Convertible Seats Interior

The 328i’s 3.0-liter naturally aspirated engine carries over; it makes 230 hp and 200 pounds-feet of torque. Both engines work through a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic, and either coupe can be equipped with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive.

2011 BMW 3 Series Convertible Rear Angle View

Changes for both cars include updated LED headlight rings, new taillights and side mirrors, an updated grille and a reshaped hood. The front bumpers adopt a single, wider air dam with strakes similar to the redesigned Z4’s. Inside, left-right paddle shifters for the automatic transmission replace the previous push-pull design, and it appears the automatic gets BMW’s new electronic shifter. Here’s hoping it feels more natural than the less-than-ergonomic gearshifts in BMW’s other cars that went that route.

2011 BMW 3 Series Convertible Luxury Car

2011 BMW 3 Series Convertible

The 2011 3 Series coupe and convertible hit dealerships this spring. There’s no word on whether the sedan will receive similar changes; it last saw a number of updates for the 2009 model year. BMW hasn’t announced any pricing yet, but we’d expect the coupe and convertible to start near their current prices of $36,200 and $45,000, respectively.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

2011 Volkswagen Golf R

2011 Volkswagen Golf R Sport

Many in the U.S. are still lamenting Volkswagen’s decision not to bring the sporty Scirocco coupe and its high-performance Scirocco R variant across the Atlantic for local sale but as some solace the automaker will be bringing over its new 2011 Golf R, most likely in the first half of the year.The Golf R was in fact first revealed last year in Frankfurt and now we have new images and details following the car’s driving launch, which took place in Ellmau, Austria over the weekend.

2011 Volkswagen Golf R Side View

The aggressively-styled hot hatch is the replacement for the V-6 powered R32 but it makes do with a 2.0-liter TSI turbocharged four-cylinder mill. The new engine is rated at 265 horsepower--the most powerful production Golf ever. Combined with a sophisticated all-wheel drive system and either a manual or DSG dual-clutch gearbox, the Golf R should give cars like the Audi S3 and even the BMW 135i a run for their money.

2011 Volkswagen Golf R Photo

The Golf R is capable of propelling to 62 mph from rest in 5.5 seconds when equipped with the optional DSG dual-clutch gearbox (the standard manual gets it done 0.2 seconds slower). Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph.Average fuel consumption is about 21% better than the R32, up to 27.7 mpg combined according to Volkswagen--not bad considering the hatch tips the scales at more than 3,353 pounds for manual models and almost 3,400 pounds for DSG-equipped cars.

2011 Volkswagen Golf R Interior

2011 Volkswagen Golf R Front Angle View

2010 Toyota Hybrid Camry Car

2010 Toyota Hybrid Camry Sedan

The Camry Hybrid was introduced for the 2007 model year as part of the regular Camry's redesign. Since then, it has received revised front-end styling, a new instrument cluster and unique upholstery made of silk protein and synthetic fiber for 2010.

2010 Toyota Hybrid Camry Picture

As its name implies, the Toyota Camry Hybrid is a regular Camry sedan with a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain. The hybrid system is comprised of a 2.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine (producing 147 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque) and a 45-hp electric motor. The Camry Hybrid can run on any combination of the two power sources.

2010 Toyota Hybrid Camry Interior

Power is transferred to the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The CVT was chosen for its ability to keep the gas engine in its most efficient power band. We found that the Camry Hybrid's combination of the gas and electric motors felt surprisingly robust. Acceleration betters most four-cylinder sedans and is not far behind many six-cylinder ones.

2010 Toyota Hybrid Camry Image

Since the gas engine of the Toyota Camry Hybrid will shut down at a stop and under some driving conditions, the air-conditioning and power-steering systems are driven electrically and powered off of the vehicle's batteries. This maximizes fuel economy and guarantees that the air-conditioning will continue to operate.