Cars

The Altima has been one of the Nissan Motor Co.'s hot selling cars since its introduction in 2001. The second generation, introduced in 2006, toughened the sedan's popularity. To broaden its overall appeal, Nissan introduced a hybrid version of the car in January. And now the much-awaited coupe has arrived.

Compared to other coupes, the Altima is not just a two-door version of the sedan. Nissan engineers has shortened the wheelbase by 101 mm, cut the overall length by 185 mm and lowered the height by 66 mm. The modifications gave the coupe a handsome look that could turn heads.

How distinct is the coupe from the sedan? Well, the only sheet metal shared between two- and four-door Altimas is the hood. The Coupe has been endowed with a pair of idiosyncratic bucket seats with striking side bolsters for extra lateral support. In the back, a 60/40 split rear bench extends the cargo space. The feature is ideal for a weekend of skiing or to hold few odds and sods from the store. Also, a more conventional parking-brake hand lever has also been added to the Coupe, substituting the sedan's foot-operated control. Read more

Swedish automaker Volvo has always been known for the safety of their vehicles. Thus it is not a surprise that every auto model in its lineup is equipped with advanced safety features designed to protect consumers. One of Volvo’s cars though stands out among the rest. The Volvo S80 is the carmaker’s flagship sedan which means that it is just logical that it should have a complete lineup of safety features.

The latest redesign of the flagship sedan not only made it one of the safest cars today but the performance has also been improved. The S80 sedan offers a more comfortable ride compared to its predecessor.

While the S80 does not have the capability to navigate corners at breakneck speeds like sports cars, it can stand its own ground in terms of steering responsiveness. The suspension setting of the redesigned S80 has been designed so that the car’s stability will enable it to navigate corners without twisting which could thus ruin the ride comfort. Read more

The 2007 Suzuki SX4 compact sport X-over (crossover), named "Best Kept Secret of 2007" by Autobytel, is designed for those who live an adventurous life and is sure to be a year-round standout in any driving conditions. The all-new SX4 (the name stands for (S)port (X)-over for (4) seasons of weather) features a five-door hatchback design, a standard all-wheel-drive system, excellent stability and crisp handling characteristics. Built in Japan, the SX4 features a 2.0-liter, in-line four cylinder, 16-valve DOHC engine rated at 143 horsepower. SX4 is also fitted with intelligent all-wheel drive (i-AWD) as standard equipment. The i-AWD system operates in three modes for maximum fuel economy on dry pavement or to facilitate traction in case of snow or mud. Read more

Paydirt. That's what Volvo Car Corporation has hit with the highly anticipated new three-door C30. Just a few weeks after the car's unveiling at the 2006 Paris Motor Show, Volvo Cars, in conjunction with three aftermarket tuning companies, unleashed the ultimate expressions of free will at the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) tradeshow in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The three cars, all modified iterations of the production Volvo C30, are the separate visions of Evolve Cars, Heico Sportiv and Burton Snowboards, and ipd, and represent what could be the ultimate dream cars for the growing number of C30 enthusiasts in the U.S. and around the world. Read more

What do you get when you take one of Toyota’s best selling models of all time (Camry), remove a couple doors and add a ragtop? Answer: The Solara Convertible. This family friendly sportscar is both fun and practical because the rear seats are not an afterthought like in most “four seater” coupes. Read more

The Solara is not just a Camry with a ragtop. Thanks to special enhancements like restyled LED tail lamps, HID headlamps, 17-inch alloy wheels, front rear under bumper spoilers, side rocker moldings, rear spoiler and tailpipe diffuser, this car will get you noticed when you hit the road.

Comprehensive Coverage Validates Dramatic Improvements in GM Quality, Durability

What a great show of confidence for new car buyers: General Motors offers the best warranty of any full-line automaker, with coverage of 100,000 miles or five years across its entire 2007 car and light-duty truck lineup in the United States and Canada. This reflects GM’s success in dramatically improving the quality and durability of its vehicles. Just a few months ago, everyone thought GM was “on the ropes”, but as recently as last month, among the domestics, only GM had sales increases. Why is this story on Best Stuff? We review many cars, and GM’s quality over the past few years has been greatly improving---we take notice, but sometimes the public doesn’t. It takes years to build a “quality” reputation and lately GM has been hard at work doing just that. Read more

The Saturn SKY is one of the hottest and affordable convertibles to hit the American auto market in 2006. With its head turning European styling and upscale interior, this roadster is arriving just in time beautiful weather. The SKY’s soft convertible top folds neatly into the rear compartment. While inside, you’ll experience a driver-focused cockpit fitted with integrated controls and displays. Powering the rear-wheel drive SKY is a 170- horsepower 2.4L Ecotec engine with variable valve timing. New for 2007, is the Red Line version of the SKY. It is powered by a turbocharged 260 horsepower motor and goes 0-60 in 5.5 seconds! Base MSRP $23,690. www.saturn.com

How about this: For about an extra $1,090 you can have the fastest Lexus (0-60 in 5.2 seconds) AND get about 30% better fuel economy than on competitor's V-8 models in this class. What: More power and better fuel economy? Well, Lexus pioneered hybrid technology and this is the world's first front engine, rear wheel drive, full hybrid luxury vehicle. The Lexus GS 450h is the flagship of the GS line and fits right in between Lexus' smaller IS series and their larger LS series, but it is quite roomy inside. Recently, I had an opportunity to visit with some of Lexus' top brass and drive their new superstar. Bob Carter, Lexus General Manager, and all-around good guy, took time to explain the significance of this new vehicle. He told me that "As a total high-performance package, the new GS hybrid will be without rival in the industry in terms of matching its combination of outstanding driving performance, environmental efficiency and its refined, ultra-quiet ride." And guess what...I think Bob is right.Read more

All that’s ahead of you is the open road. Sunglasses on, radio up, and, with the wind in your hair, you’re flying down the highway with the top down. The life of the convertible owner is a good one—and sometimes, a dangerous one. Volkswagen, known for adding a little safety to its Cabrio/let convertible line (discontinued in 2002) by adding a rollbar, has done it again. Introducing the Volkswagen Eos—a hardtop convertible named for the Greek goddess of Dawn. Read more

I was not privy to GM's strategy when they introduced the Hummer into the civilian lineup, but I'll venture a guess that "smaller and lighter" were not words sprinkled throughout the conversation.
Yet they find themselves here in '06 talking about those very things vis-à-vis the Hummer. Having become a household name in brute vehicles, the Hummer had only to shed some of its intimidation and gas guzzle to work its way from deep stream to mainstream. Enter the H3, a mid-sized vehicle that shaves dimensions off the H2, yet retains the icon looks, swagger and off-road muscle.

Read more