2010 Porsche Panamera 4S

A lot of noise has been made about the Porsche Panamera and naturally with all this fuss one is inclined to have a gander. Take a look I did. The Panamera has all the Porsche curves , but leaves one not sure, whether it is a sports car, or  a luxury one. Hard to tell by just looking at it without the drive. I personally think there was some exaggeration on the aerodynamics and such. Not very good looking to be honest. But then again looks can be very deceiving, because this car is packing all the heat, if you follow. It looks a bit small to be compared to the likes of the LS 460, BMW 750 or the S Class even, but believe me this Porsche is up there too. Another German masterpiece. Hats off to this ingenuity. As I mentioned earlier the exterior of the Panamera  does  this car no  justice at all, rather the inside tells a  different story. 

The interior of the Panamera looks like a miniature cockpit. Feels like you can take off at any time. Dials are all within reach and strategically placed. Impressed and surprised by how roomy the Panamera is.Enough leg room in the back and you could actually be chauffeured. And the leather interior which is standard blends in quite well with the whole interior. The seats feel like they are designed  for you ,the way they feel and hug all your curves. I have to admit this is the first Porsche I have ever driven, with all their history and I did not go wrong to start with this particular model. 

Very sturdy on the road, plus the Panamera has a very low Center of Gravity which makes it stable, and can take curves with ease at full pelt too. The sporty suspension is always a bonus and the way they combined the luxury feel and a solid sporty suspension is beyond me. All I can say is that the Panamera sits on the road and goes. I guess with a 400-horsepower 4.8-liter V-8 engine the Panamera can always give you that little bit extra. And if you want to kick it up a notch then there is the twin turbo and that will give you an additional 100 horsepower. All depends on how deep your pockets are. The Porsche  Panamera is an all wheel drive with a seven speed, dual clutch transmission. 0 - 60 in 4.8seconds and thats the 4S for you. You can only love this. 24 miles per gallon Highway. Like I mentioned earlier, this cocoon feels like a cockpit and that goes for the safety features too.Standard curtain airbags which seem to be the norm these days, nothing out of the ordinary really.

 But this car is not the norm with Posche , then again they pushed the boundaries with the Cayenne and that was a success so why not get in the Grand Turismo. Looking good from where I am standing.

Now for you to be ridding one of these bad boys your pockets have to be at least $80 000.00 deep. Well worth the price. I would charge more because this car awesome.

I think Porsche have the right people doing their bidding for them and should keep it up. I hear there is an even better Panamera coming in 2011.

http://www.porsche.com/usa/models/panamera/

Mercedes S550

The Mercedes S550. How do you describe this car? Simply elegant. A performer with grace and class. Brilliant Motor indeed. One of the premium luxury cars about really, I mean not looking at the ridiculously luxurious Rolls Royce or Bentley. The S550 stands out quite a bit in its class. 

The front grill is a noticable change, very pronounced and shaped more like an arrow. Then there is the bumper, real curvy with light catching contours and the chrome  strip below the cooling air  inlet. The back is a lot more solid and looks like the E and C class. A bit curvier with the lights more solid and representative of the Mercedes brand. Which is less than what I can say for the S Class predessesor. The backlights always put me off, looked like a cross between the Lexus and something hideous. This time the Mercedes S550 has come up trumps and has the right curves. Love the LEDs lights on the Mercedes that make it look like it has eyebrows.

 

The inside is very Spacious indeed. It feels like stepping into a  different world. Now I see why all these Dictators from the Third World are stepping over each other to bag one of these bad boys. You would think Mercedes would say no to this ill gotten money ,but I guess all money is the same color in the bank

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The S550 has a 482 horsepower V8 with 4matic all wheel drive as an option. This sweet baby has the get up and go you require and some after burners too. The fuel economy is not too impressive 14mpg City and 21 mpg Highway. A sweet 0 - 60 in 5.4seconds. Thats why the unfavorable fuel economy. I suppose if you want a big car like this to have such power, there is a price to pay. The drive was what I expected , only it was better. A cocoon of comfort, far removed from the outside world. Smooth control and a car this size usually runs away from you but this was solid. Loved the way the S550 hugged the road. In most cars there is the standard safety, like airbags and such, but the S class  has a few little extras. There the camera, and radar based Driver Assistance which includes Adaptive High Beam Assist, Lane Keeping Assist and the Pre Safe Braking System. This intervenes in case there is an impending rear end collision. Think the lane keeping assist is lame, because if you as a driver cant stay in your lane  , seriously you ought not drive. How rubbish can you get? This is a really good one though, the Assist Driver Drowsiness Monitor and Active Body Control which stabilizes the climate in the cabin to keep the driver awake.With The Pre Safe Braking System, Mercedes S550 comes to a halt in 0.6 seconds. The Night View Assist has the unique function of  detecting pedestrians a safe distance away.

Another quality product from Mercedes, Bravo again for a good products. Best in this class but with a Price tag of over a $91 000.00, I think I will stay with the Jaguar XJL and BMW 750Li , which offer equally  as good quality, but for 11K less. Lovely looking backside though.

http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/vehicles/explore/overview/class-S/model-S550V

VW Tiguan

The VW Tiguan, what can I say about this car. Not too sure, You know what, I am still trying to find out why this car is one the road. Personally I see no advantage of having it, but  guess  the pony look is appealing to some. It looks  very ill proportioned. It seems like BMW, Audi and VW  missed the mark on this car, BMW with the X3, Audi Q5 and then VW the Tiguan. Ghastly looking cars. Some would say an abomination. A bit brutal , but I am just saying... I suppose one has to have an acquired taste to really appreciate these cars. My theory is " polish a turd, still a turd" to be honest. the look is not appealing at all on the VW Tiguan, but nonetheless VW were confident enough to put it out there, clearly they have something that will not do any damage to their reputation.

The inside is very deceitful, not at all like what you expect after seeing the horrible exterior of the Tiguan. Very spacious. You could have five big adults in this little shoe box with no problem. I am sure I mentioned this with the Touareg, that somehow the driver always finds it hard to get into the best driving position. steering seems a little too far forward still. Once you have done the right adjustments you are nearly there. Not there but nearly there, but thats all you can get, regards to driving comfort.Controls are in the right places so you are not reaching out for unreachable buttons or dials. Very impressive interior in the Tiguan. 

The drive was pretty ordinary. Bearing in mind this is  a 2.0 liter 4 cylinder engine and that's the base and all there is for the VW Tiguan. 200 horse power. This car does 18 mpg City and 24 Highway on average, varying of course, depending on how heavy your foot is on the accelerator. There are nifty little things that the Tiguan does which impressed me like the electronic hand brake, which you engage when you stop and as soon as you put your foot on the accelerator the hand brake disengages. You also look at the Tiguan and it looks like it can flip easily, but no, I managed to go through a round about at 40 mph and  the drive never felt like it was mismatched on any of the wheels at all. On the freeway you still have that extra in the little Pony. Much more than I expected. Not sure I need to take it off road in the US though ,with all these monster trucks out there. Don't want to run risk some off roader running me over.

Safety is standard with airbags and such. Nothing  too outstanding on this little match box. there is sufficient trunk space for a small family but thats about it. Will do well in Europe this car, not in the United States. Not the best small SUV out there like some reviewers are saying. Again its an acquired taste this VW Tiguan.

I really dont like this car truth be told and would not recomend it to anyone at all.  Retails at just above $23 000.00 and not worth it at all.

http://www.vw.com/tiguan/completespecs/en/us/

2011 Chevy Camaro SS

Hmmmmmm. What does one say when they are faced with such a monumental task. One asks themselves again and again,  whether when the times comes, they will be able to take on the task at hand.Reviewing a muscle car that is in a class above all. Guess we will have to find out. They tried to make the Camaro look the part in Transformers, but I do not think they did this monster any justice at all. So something did come out of Motown that is worth talking about. The Chevy Camaro.This car does not just have  muscle under the hood, but the curves on this one are muscle too. It stands menacingly in front of you. I guess thats why they made it get up and go in Transformers, literally, because it has that look. For a car with a menacing look they sure gave it a good character,not, Bumblebee, are you kidding me? Injustice at its worst. I particular like the 20-inch ,5 spoke rims, and if you want it looking  the real deal it is , then  ghosted stripes are not a bad idea at all.

The inside however simple, comes top for the muscle cars I have been in. Very appealing to the eye yet maintaining that sporty menacing look, which is so adorable if you ask me. The Ford Mustang was impressive don't get me wrong but this Camaro has an interior to rival luxury motors. make sure you do not try and put people in the back sit, because they are going to be very uncomfortable, so much that after the journey , they will not want to talk to you again. You have the necessary gizmos and controls you need in a sports car, I mean why would you need more right.Visibility is a cause for concern in the Camaro because the design makes the whole outlook too compact. There is trunk space but not sure what anyone would want to carry in this car except golf clubs. This car is for those smug Yuppies cruising around on the weekend and those older gentlemen who are finding it hard to let go of their youth.

This is the look of a 6.2L 426hp V8 engine. One thing to be considered about how effective American muscle cars can be, is where you are driving them. In a straight line Muscle cars can out perform any car but when there are turns involved, evolution is a bit slow on these monsters because you can easily find yourself parked in a tree. It takes reducing your acceleration immensely just to make a turn in the Camaro. But while the turning maybe a bit tricky, I found the Camaro very solid and good to go. Response to the acceleration was not disappointing at all, like the muscle car it is. As you have come to expect the fuel economy is not too great but 16mpg City and 24mpg Highway is not bad for a muscle car. 0 - 60 in 4.5 seconds.  You can only understand this when you are sat behind the driver's seat. I am impressed by the Chevy Camaro. The Shelby  GT500 is a lot more agile than the Camaro but I am quite taken by the design and look of the Camaro. This is the only reason I would probably want General motors to stay in business because clearly some thought was put into this car and the transition from the old Camaro to this one is spectacular. Safety is nothing outstanding, just the usual package , airbags and Electronic Stability Control System.

Now I want to find out what all this fuss about on the Hyundai Genesis coupe and Nissan 370Z , and if they can measure up to my beloved Camaro. I know at just over $30 000.00, a Chevy Camaro SS is a very good buy. And if you are having a midlife crisis chaps out there, this car will make you bounce back with a bang without putting too much of a dent after that Alimony check.

We are also on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=141009175930108


http://www.chevrolet.com/camaro/

2011 BMW M3

Ladies and Gentleman, BMW is back. Please raise your glasses as we toast to this modern marvel. Please remain standing as we honor the BMW M3. Now BMW ( Bayerische Motoren Werke) which translates to Bavaria Motor Works in English know a thing or two about motors. I am not going to tell you how the company logo came to be, because you already know that BMW started off as an aircraft company in 1929 and the blue and white represent a propeller cutting through the blue sky. Catchy indeed.
Before this model there was the BMW M3 e46 and on this one I was convinced they could not do anything beyond this. It will be crazy right? Graceful and yet looked like a beast that is untouchable and cant be brought to heel. Very domineering indeed, ask the guys at Mercedes, Audi and Lexus in that order.

Now I am talking about the M3 e 46, the rest were pretty ordinary, disappointing actually.The model that came after the M3 e 46 was even worse, so bad I did not look at a BMW 3 series for a time. The designers had taken the BMW 3 series back to the stone age. I am hoping the designers and the whole team were put out of the equation.  The New M3 speaks volumes for BMW. Personally I think this is the best car in the BMW kitty.

These guys had to come back to reality, and what a way to make another grand entrance. The curves show innovation on the part of the design team. A sports car on the streets. Not saying when behind the wheel, go crazy, be advised this car will get you carried away and serious bother with. Inside the M3 is a whole array of BMW really.

Tell me , is there ever going to be a time when BMW will change that ghastly steering wheel? Think this is the time to do it , does my box in Still, it blends in well with the new look interior. Now is you are looking forward to having too much room in this car, I am afraid you will have to look elsewhere.The seats are well cupped to take you all in and fit one's curves. Very small gear shift on the driver's side, changing up is literally pushing the gear knob forward and then down is backwards.Or you can go Formula 1 on the M3, and start changing gears on the wheel with both hands on the steering, tapping the silver gear shift on the right up to change the gears upward and then the gear shift on the left for down shift.Or just let the rpms to below 1000 and the gears go down automatically. I have to say , there is a bit of congestion on the steering  wheel, because aside from the gearshifts, there is the  indicators and the wipers. Too much clutter. Not good guys
The engine of course,4.0, V8 and 414 horsepower.

The M3 is a small car, so its not carrying too much power, this means there is a few horses just hanging around to give it the extra kick. This car does 0 - 60 mph in 4.8 seconds. Blistering pace. Not out of the ordinary for a sports sedan but nonetheless impressive. Fuel economy, none at all, get ready to carry a gas station in the back of the car 13mpg City and 20mpg highway. I suppose you know what you are getting into when you purchasing this motor.
I drove the M3 hard top convertible. This one is a lot heavier than the coupe of course because structurally there has to be compensation for the lack of a solid top. Naturally one would assume sluggish driving, far from it. Nice and solid, suspension  very firm. The driver and the car are one in this baby. Very sporty feeling. Sitting in the driver's seat all I could have was that Hamilton feeling,  " I am ready, bring it on and I will give you some lemon." Now the old 3 series was very deceitful, you can put pedal to the metal and it response with a lot of noise, but that was not translated to distance traveled , if you follow my my drift. I was feeling in control and there was a soft purr under the hood. I felt content and put the car to the test. Respond it did, and in such fashion, I could not have imagined. I was satisfied with myself. Now bearing in mind the M3 engine has to be run in to 1200 miles before you can open it up, this baby had no problem making other drivers look like they had their reverse gear engaged. Handling was spectacular. Now I am not a BMW fan at all but, I have to give these guys their dues, because this car is out of this world. Handled like a true BMW darling, and people were serious when they put it out there. Just like the 750 Li and such the BMW has Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) which continuously monitor such variables as speed, steering angle, brake pressure and traction , and corrects them immediately if they are not insinc. This really works and where else would this be more desirable than on a luxury sports car. BMW are the only manufacturer with a Head Protection System(HPS),  which is an inflatable tubular structure that, on top of the airbags provides protection for severe  side impact for the front occupants. Stops the occupants from  hitting the side window and object penetrating from the sides.. Bravo BMW , Bravo.
Now if you want to have all this goodness, you can agree with me there is a price to pay and it is not a small one. The convertible is retails at just over $67000.00, the Coupe at $58 400.00 and the Sedan $55 400.00. Personally I think , when you get to such a range you should go all out. Maybe it might help during a mid life crisis. Now ladies and gentlemen again, please help me toast to this car of our time.You may take your seats.

http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Vehicles/2010/M/M3Sedan/Default.aspx

Nissan Altima

Very modest Nissan, the Altima is. Not very outstanding but it will definitely do the job. Small sedan and very comparable to the Hyundai Sonata. Not too outstanding, but the Nissan Altima appeals to the young families and students as well, or just those starting up the car ladder.There is enough room on the inside as well as in the trunk, well thats when you are not moving the whole clan. This car has a purpose and it serves the market well. The Altima does not stand out like a sore thumb but is positioned just right. I like this little sedan, Well this car might just shoot to the top of the market especially after recent news that the Hyundai Sonata has been recalled due to a fault with the steering components.Pretty modest on the inside but comfortable. One thing to remember is that if one is going for a low end car, there is no need for all the gadgetry. Its convenient to get you from one point to another, and the Altima does just that.

One thing I really like about the Nissan Altima is the Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT). Best thing about this system is you cannot feel the gears changing , only the acceleration. Nissan are the only ones with this technology in automatic transmission, Which I am sure they will be selling in to the others soon, as you do. Engine sizes are the base 2.5liter and then the 3.5liter V6, the later of course there to fit in the gas guzzling American market. Again no need because the 2.5 is sufficient and very fuel economic. Does 23mpg city and 32 Highway. This is not bad at all. Love the unique back lights.

Now the drive is not bad at all. This sedan is good to go and this is the base model. Most cars I talk about on the high end of motors, usually have to have the emphasis on performance. I mean who wants to race the streets with an Altima. Do not even think of doing it because the Highway patrol will run you down, and you will be worrying about dropping the soap. But one thing that has to be appreciated on the Altima is the Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT). You would not know if the gear changing smacked you right across the face. Smooth as a baby's bottom. I enjoyed the drive in the Altima.It has just enough power to get you out of those sticky situations, namely behind or beside a rig. People when you are in those situations , you need to either pass the rig ,or give the rig enough space to maneuver. I am saying this because a truck driver does not have as much vision as when in a small car. I mean these guys can drag you for miles without noticing you. There is the standard airbags, six of them, front head restrains that move up and forward in rear-end collisions to help cushion the blow , thus less whiplash. Vehicle Dynamic Control( VDC) to help compensate for over and under steer. There is also Traction Control System(TCS) And this applies the brakes or reduces engine power in slippery conditions. Then there is Electronic Brake force Distribution(EBD).Now this monitors weight distribution in the whole system so the rear brake force can be adjusted for more balanced braking. Now all this sounds a bit like out of Formular 1 tech talk but really it is simply a system to keep the car well balanced and safe.

To be honest Nissan have produced a modest motor and put it out for just over $19000.00. Not bad at all. Bravo Nissan. Keep this up and you guys will be alright in these troubled times

http://www.nissanusa.com/altima/

Dodge Challenger

When you see the Challenger straight away you think of the Dukes of Hazard, right. Well of course the Dukes of Hazard really did drive the Old school Dodge Challenger. Bit of a boys toy then, rough, rugged and raw. Yes it did look good then. Now I have a chance to look at the Challenger up close and personal. Forget what you saw on TV, this is the real deal in front of you. Not very appealing to the eye. I guess most people would say, ah well its a muscle car and Dodge have stuck to tradition and kept the look of the Challenger pretty much the same as its predecessor. Well thats true and thats not, at the same time true. Thing is, Dodge failed to infuse tradition and the future because with this design , no one can incorporate the modern aerodynamics. Basically this is a very ugly car.  The back is not too appealing either. Shows lack of imagination on the part of the design team. The length of the Challanger does not do justice to the car's sporty feel. Kind of feels like, the people at Dodge came out with the Challenger without engaging their brains in gear. More like panic production, because Chevrolet and Ford had managed to transform their muscle cars from the classics to the morden day powers they are.

Of course the inside is that of a real muscle car. Not much is needed inside except perhaps a stool , gear stick and steering.Well bit brutal there but the inside is really basic. Whoever came up wit the notion of having muscle cars with automatic transmission? It defeats the purpose of having so much power in a motor. So the inside is pretty basic. not sure I care about the wing mirrors,too old fashioned and hard to see out of.

The Challenger has a a distinct sound to it. Sound a bit tame though compared to the Mustang. the Mustang sounds more aggressive even though it has a smaller engine. The purr is that of a NASCAR. The challenger boasts a 5.7l  HEMI V8 357 Horsepower engine. Quite a powerful engine. You cannot exactly feel the power as  the Challenger is  carrying too much weight. Not as slim lined as the Camaro or the Mustang. Rather disappointing, but then again it is a Dodge, and they are not well known for their innovation are they? Had a tough time trying to adjust my view in the wing mirrors. On the road the Challenger was a bit slow for a muscle car. The get up and book is unimpressive. I would not recommend this car because there are better performers in the same class.

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