2009 MINI Cooper Convertible ( 2 door )

MSRP: $23,900 - $34,300

For those unfamiliar with the brand, the2009 MINI Cooper Convertible a two-door2009 MINI Cooper Convertible that, despite recent size increases, is still one of the smallest vehicles available for sale in the United States. The 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible and its naturally aspirated base model brother hide their diminutive size well, however, thanks to styling that ConsumerGuide says "[brims] with character." The 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible lineup is "available in mild, medium and caliente flavors, officially designated as the Cooper, Cooper S and John Cooper Works edition" models, according to Autoblog reviewers. The styling across the lineup is virtually identical, however, and all three models boast a 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible top that Road & Track says "can be fully opened in just 15 sec. at speeds of up to 20 mph."

In keeping with the all-new theme for this2009 MINI Cooper Convertible a couple of exterior changes materialize. Autoblog points out that "the nose is a bit higher and rounder, but still utterly familiar and instantly recognizable as a 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible" Motor Trend also reports that the 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible "silhouette seems longer and sleeker, although no change to its length has been made." Rather, the roofline has been lowered and the side windows enlarged, which gives the 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible the slightly more aerodynamic look. One feature that carries over from the previous generation of 2009 MINI Cooper Convertibleis the sunroof function of the2009 MINI Cooper Convertible top. Autoblog reviewers find that if you "press the switch above the mirror...the portion of the roof above the front seats slides back," leaving the rear roof in place but opening up the cabin directly above the front occupants.

Interior styling on the 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible lineup can vary wildly according to personal preference, as Automobile Magazine reports "more than a dozen interior trim choices," including "two- or three-spoke steering wheels." Some reviewers surveyed by TheCarConnection.com continue to be turned off by ending quest for retro styling; for example, Motor Trend mentions the "questionable ergonomics" of the interior. The most dominant characteristics of the2009 MINI Cooper Convertible interior, like that of the rest of the lineup, is the "center-mounted speedometer" that Cars.com reviewers report is the same as the one found in the hardtop model (first-gen 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible had their own unique speedometers).

2 Door MINI Cooper Convertible 2008

MSRP: $21,950 - $25,400

The Mini cooper convertible 2008 version of the Cooper Mini cooper convertible 2008 falls into a special category of car, Car and Driver says: “They attract attention mostly for their snappy styling." The Mini cooper convertible 2008 always been "replete with British charm," as Edmunds says in their review, and theMini cooper convertible 2008 no exception. It does the unimaginable: It takes the effortless fun of the hatchback and one-ups it with a roof that lowers or opens like a sunroof. The basic Mini cooper convertible 2008 is left mostly undisturbed--a good thing--but the Mini cooper convertible 2008roof does slope a little at the rear, adding to the retro style. And as Motor Trend notes, “the colorfulMini cooper convertible 2008 is irresistible.”

Not only is the outside of the car appealing, but the interior of the Mini cooper convertible 2008 continues the retro funk that very few cars achieve. Edmunds raves, "the modernistic interior is a design student's dream," reminding one of this car's appeal for younger generations, while still maintaining its old fan base as well. Cars.com reports that “the interior shares the same whimsical design as the hardtop, characterized by a large speedometer in the middle of the dashboard rather than in front of the steering wheel — which seems to drive some people into a rage.”

[Super Cars] New Ferrari Store Opens in Athens, Greece, More to Come

Lately, Ferrari stores are popping up like fast-food chains all over the globe. Joining the other Prancing Horse retail locations around the world, including those in Milan, Rome and Venice in Italy, London in the UK, Barcelona in Spain, San Francisco and Miami in the U.S., Macao in China and Dubai in the U.A.E., is the company's first store in Greece, located at the heart of Athens in Kolonaki street.

According to the Italian exotic supercar maker, the Ferrari Store development programme includes plans to bring the number of openings to more than 50 within the next to two years in Europe, America, and the Middle and Far East.




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Posted By tyson9500 to Super Cars at 11/25/2009 01:49:00 AM

[Super Cars] 2010 Dodge Viper ACR to Debut at LA Show, Breaks Lap Record at L...

The subtly revised 2010 Dodge Viper ACR, which is set to make its world premiere at next month's Los Angeles Auto Show, has set a new lap record at the Laguna Seca with a time of 1:33.915 as recorded by Motech in-vehicle data recorder (1:33.944'' as unofficially recorded by trackside clock) breaking the previous lap record of 1.35.117 set by a Devon GTX this past August. The 2010 Dodge Viper ACR was piloted by SRT vehicle dynamics engineer, Chris Winkler.

"It was definitely exciting but a somewhat uneventful lap overall from behind the steering wheel," said Winkler. "The Dodge Viper ACR has amazing power and handles like a dream, so following my first practice here last month, I came away pretty confident that we'd be able to set a new record."

In the final year of the Viper's production, the hardcore ACR, (first introduced in 2008), receives a series of upgrades including a shorter fifth gear ratio that changes from 0.74 to 0.80 for improved high-speed acceleration and higher straightaway speed, a new short-throw shifter and a redesigned rear wing to further optimize aerodynamics and improve rear yaw downforce.

Dodge says that these improvements result in an increase in top speed of 4 mph, to 184 mph (296 km/h) for the 2010 model.

There are no other changes for the Viper ACR that is powered by an 8.4-liter V10 engine with 600 horsepower and 560 lb.-ft. of torque, for a 0-60 mph (96km/h) acceleration in under 4 seconds, quarter-mile time in the mid 11-second range and 0-100-0 mph in 11 seconds flat.

Ralph Gilles, President and CEO, Dodge Brand and Senior Vice President, Product Design Office, Chrysler Group LLC, said that the company plans to release several special edition models during the last year of the Viper including a Laguna Seca edition to commemorate the record lap. All in all, around 500 Vipers will be produced in 2010.







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Posted By tyson9500 to Super Cars at 11/24/2009 11:47:00 PM

2010 Kia Forte Koup

Next generation Mercedes C-Class to be built Stateside, CLC will be axed

Updated: 16/12/09

Mercedes will move U.S production to Vance, Alabama in 2014. World-wide production will commence at the Bremen plant in Germany.

Mercedes is set to add the fourth generation C-Class saloon to the list of cars already produced at its Tuscaloosa plant in Alabama as part of a program aimed at fighting slumped profitability in its second biggest market.


With the continued strength of the Euro against the U.S dollar eating into margins on models produced in Germany and sold in the U.S, Mercedes insiders say efforts are underway to provide protection from unfavourable currency exchange rates in the form of increased North American production.

“We’ve reached a window of opportunity where we can now consider producing the next C-Class in the U.S,” a source revealed. “We’re mid-cycle on the W204 (the current C-Class) and need to decide if we want to push ahead with its successor at Tuscaloosa.”

Mercedes already produces the M-, R- and GL-Class at Tuscaloosa – a plant that opened in 1997 and expanded in 2005 to meet growing demand. While nothing is official, annual U.S production of the C-Class would likely reach 80,000 units.

During a press conference, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche said "It's no secret that a decision for the new C-Class has to be made in the near future".

But with sales of large SUVs down in most markets owing to the miserable state of the economy, the currency balancing effects of U.S production are not as significant as they have been in recent years, leading the German car maker to consider the addition of other models.

The earmarking of the next C-Class saloon, due in 2014, for North American production is significant as it could ultimately pave the way for other mechanical similar models, including the GLK to be built there. However, it would come as major blow to Mercedes-Benz’s worker union which fought hard to ensure production of left-hand drive versions of the current C-Class saloon remained in Germany despite high labour costs.

Additional North American production would unlikely affect the UK as right-hand drive versions of the C-Class saloon are supplied from Mercedes-Benz’s East London plant in South Africa, while the GLK is only available in left-hand drive form owing to difficulties in re-engineering its four-wheel drive system for right-hand drive markets, although Mercedes is still trying to find a way.

An official decision is set to be made in January 2010.

Meanwhile, in related news, Mercedes is preparing to axe the CLC to make way for a new C-Class coupe in 2011. The C-Class coupe will be the second two-door car based upon the existing C-Class but the first to take its name into production.

Set to go on sale in the UK at the same time as facelifted versions of the existing saloon and estate reach showrooms in early 2011, the new C-Class coupe has been conceived to replace the CLK, discontinued earlier this year after 12 years and two model generations.

The introduction of the C-Class coupe spells the end for the CLC, a small sports hatch that was only recently updated. Sources indicated the model will be phased out and will be replaced by the new coupe.

The forthcoming two-door will avoid having a unique bodyshell and individual styling that made the CLK such a success for a comparatively upright look that draws heavily on the silhouette and detailing of its four door siblings.

“We went back and studied what made our coupes so popular in the past. If you look at some of the more successful two door models Mercedes-Benz has produced you can see a direct relationship between them and their four door stable mates,” said an insider describing the new coupe’s appearance. Don’t expect the new Mercedes-Benz to have a very long life, though. With engineering of the fourth-generation C-Class already underway at the German car maker’s R&D centre near Stuttgart, the new two door is planned to be sold for a maximum of four years before it is replaced by a much more curvaceous model that’s likely to follow the example of the CLS in boasting a more practical four door layout.

The upcoming C-Class coupe will be the second two-door model to be based on today’s C-Class. Unlike the E-Class coupe, however, the C-Class version will not be modified and offered in cabriolet guise.

“We did look at an open top version but in the end the costs were too high given the short model life,”

Car's Position

The South Korean designer Jung Hoon Rhee focused on ergonomics and preferred to eliminate the rigid seating position in cars. Noah car would give the occupants the sensation they are light and carried by the water.
The wave seats “can cope with various body sizes from infants to obese people providing equal comfort everywhere” said he.

Kia KND 5

News in brief

The U.S spec Chevrolet Cruze will debut at the forthcoming LA motorshow. 10 airbags, XM Satellite Radio & Bluetooth will be standard. Powering the car will be a 1.4 litre turbo petrol 4-cylinder engine delivering upto 40mpg. Sales start Autumn 2010.

A Porsche dealer from the Netherlands decided to drape a brand-new 911 Carrera S in smooth milk chocolate. 3kg of white chocolate was used to cover the headlamps, fog-lamps and tail-lights. 175kg (386lbs) or 1,100 bars of chocolate were melted down and used on the exterior.

The car will be on display untill the end of the year and will be kept at tempretures of under 27°C to prevent melting.

Volkswagen's forthcoming Amarok pick-up truck will be supplied to the 2010 Dakar Rally as an official event vehicle. A total of 35 Amarok units are to be used, with 20 going to the organiser and 15 scheduled for press and shuttle services.

The 2010 Dakar takes place in South America from 1st - 17th January. It starts off in Argentina, goes through parts of Chile and ends up back in Argentina. The race course covers about 9,000km (5,592 miles).

The 2011 Mazda2 supermini will also debut at the LA autoshow on the 2nd December. "Bringing Mazda2 to North America completes the bookends in our line-up," said Jim O'Sullivan, president and CEO of Mazda North America. The newcomer will hit showroom floors late next year with either a 1.3 litre or 1.5 litre petrol engine.

Mercedes-Benz is set to launch a smaller, two-seater, affordable version of the SLS AMG supercar in 2013. "The feedback we've received since showing the car at the Frankfurt motor show has been extremely encouraging. A second model that will project a similarly exclusive image but be more accessible in terms of its pricing is already in planning." - Via Autocar.

Groom crashes £233k Lambo (UK)

Any wedding, another supercar, another Lamboghini and another British driver. This time, it's a Murcielago Roadster, not a Gallardo.

A bridegroom's dream drive to his wedding ended in catastrophe when he crashed the £232,990 Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster that his bride had hired for him.

David Gallucci and his best man walked away from the wrecked car with nothing more than bruising after crashing on a roundabout near Bradford. The car suffered more than £160,000 worth of damage and has reportedly been written off. Gallucci's new wife, Abi also lost the £5,000 deposit that she'd paid to cover the insurance excess for hiring the car.

Mr Gallucci opted not to tell his wife-to-be about the damage until after the ceremony, instead saying that the supercar had broken down. When he eventually came clean, his new wife saw the funny side. She said: 'I get in trouble with him if I get the slightest scratch on an alloy. It cost me £8,000 to hire the car for 1 hour but thankfully I paid the excess insurance, otherwise we'd have to sell the house.'

The hire company refused to comment on the incident.