Reva NXG and NXR

Scheduled to enter production in early 2010 is the NXR (NeXt Reva), an electric car powered by a lithium-ion battery. Carmaker REVA Electric Car Company (REVA) displayed the car alongside the NXG (NeXt Generation), REVA’s supercar that is believed to be produced starting 2011. The NXR is a three-door, four-seater hatchback that could reach a maximum speed of 104 kph (65 mph) and could travel for 160 km (100 miles) per charge. Recharging can be completed in 90 minutes due to a special fast charging system, with the normal restoring process lasting around eight hours. The NXR is claimed to offer an effective range of 320 km per day. On the other hand, the NXG is a two-door two-seat model with a targa top that has an autonomy of 200 km (125 miles) per charge. In addition, official records of the company say that maximum speed is around 130 km/h (80 mph).

2010 Maserati GranCabrio at the Frankfurt Motor Show

This is the 2010 Maserati GranCabrio, which was launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show. It will go on sale next March after several years of revisions to the car’s size and mechanical make-up.The new Maserati GranCabrio, is essentially a GranTurismo minus the roof rather than the shorter car that was originally developed.

That car formed the basis of the Ferrari California, retaining the first Maserati’s folding hard-top.. The convertible Maserati now has a fabric roof instead, which will help to compensate for the extra bracing that engineers will have added to retain the car’s stiffness.That bracing will add weight, and with the GranTurismo S weighing in at 1880kg, the GranCabrio could get very close to two tonnes. As a result it uses the more powerful 4.7-litre V8 from the GranTurismo S, with 433bhp at 7000rpm and 362lb ft at 4750rpm. Maserati’s torque converter automatic gearbox will be available with paddle shifters.There’s no confirmation of performance from Maserati but expect it to be slightly slower than a GranTurismo S; it should crack 0-60mph in around 5.5sec and a top speed of around 180mph.

The 2009 Eclipse Spyder is a 2-door, 4-passenger convertible, or convertible sports car, available in two... read more trims, the GS and the GT.

Upon introduction, the GS is equipped with a standard 2.4-liter, I4, 162-horsepower engine that achieves 19-mpg in the city and 26-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard, and a 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional. The GT is equipped with a standard 3.8-liter, V6, 265-horsepower engine that achieves 16-mpg in the city and 25-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard, and a 5-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional.

The 2009 Eclipse Spyder is freshened for 2009.

Ford will bring its sixth-generation Fiesta subcompact to the U.S. in the first half of 2010, the first time since the first-generation Fiesta landed here 30 years ago. We expect it to be priced in the mid-teens alongside the Chevy Aveo, Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, Smart ForTwo, and Toyota Yaris, and be very competitive.

One of the best-selling cars in Europe, this latest-generation Ford Fiesta has earned product awards from European journalists and European engineers.

We're expecting to see both the four-door sedan and five-door hatchback here in the North American market.

The 2011 Ford Fiesta come with 1.4-liter (95 hp) and 1.6-liter (118 hp) four-cylinder engines and five-speed manual, automatic or dual-clutch transmissions. We've found these engines smooth and flexible, never thrashing and deliver good performance and mileage; home market diesels, rated up to 65 mpg, are cost prohibitive here, so we're not expecting them.

Driving characteristics of the Fiesta are excellent and quite refined; we suspect the Honda Fit is the only car in the class that could give it a run around a winding road and wouldn't feel so polished doing so. Steering is nicely weighted and precise, the ride an ideal blend of comfort and control, the brakes quick to act yet easy to modulate.

The shape mimics Ford's recent Verve show car, very sleek and aerodynamic without being bland or boxy; it looks considerably better than the average $14,000 car. Despite the rakish roof line we put four six-footers in one simultaneously without looking like a circus act. There's also decent space behind the folding rear seat, with a deep trunk well and easy access.

While other markets have myriad trim choices we anticipate only the top tier stateside. Figure seven airbags, central locking, pushbutton start, projector headlamps and trip computer as standard, power windows and air conditioning probable, and options likely to include leather upholstery and navigation. The cabin layout is contemporary and functional, with good fit and finish to the materials.

Fiestas will be built for the electronically mobile generation and sport audio input and USB ports. The only nit we could find was the location of the USB port: right where cupholder contents will empty in a hard stop.

Intrigued by the Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss? You can't buy one unless you already own one of the other SLR models, even if you have a spare $1,000,000 burning a hole in your pocket.

The SLR Stirling Moss is the last in a line of big, mega-performance Mercedes SLR sports cars developed with the McLaren Formula One race team and first introduced in 2004. Exactly 75 copies of the SLR Stirling Moss will be built between June and December 2009, when all SLR production ceases.

This SLR is a tribute to renowned British race driver Stirling Moss, who famously won the 1955 Mille Miglia race in Italy in the original Mercedes 300 SLR, in what remains a record time. Yet the SLR Stirling Moss is as much a reward for loyal Mercedes customers. Only those who have purchased previous SLR models (for a minimum of $495,000) will be offered a chance to buy the new SLR Stirling Moss.

The Stirling Moss is what's known as a speedster, though it is almost deliberately cartoon-ish in its exaggerated, arrow-shaped styling. Speedsters typically dispense with most of the windscreen, and with the roof entirely. The Stirling Moss will be equipped with two wind deflectors, less than an inch in height, strategically shaped to direct airflow away from its occupants' faces. It will also come with hard tonneau covers that can be placed over the cockpit opening or stored in the trunk. That for the passenger side can be used when the car is driven, though of course the driver's side tonneau can be installed only when the car is parked.

The Stirling Moss body and chassis are fashioned almost entirely from carbon fiber, which is formed in large ovens at extreme temperatures. Carbon fiber is much lighter than most metals, yet it's incredibly stiff, and it offers outstanding crash protection properties. The car is sculpted with a long hood, short rear overhang and functioning air scoops inside the bars that provide rollover protection. Its high, deep side skirts require side doors that swing upward in front, rather than outward like the typical car door.

Inside, the SLR Stirling Moss is an exercise in minimalism. Most of the exposed surfaces are polished carbon fiber, with a bit of aluminum trim and rugged leather on the seats. Those seats adjust manually, to forgo the weight added by electric motors, and there is no radio, telephone or phone interface included. Each car will have an aluminum plaque engraved with its number and Stirling Moss's autograph, next to the gear selector on the console.

Under its long, arrowhead hood, the SLR Stirling Moss has a supercharged, 5.5-liter V8 hand built by Mercedes' AMG performance division. The engine generates 650 horsepower and about 605 pound-feet of torque. Power flows to the rear wheels through a heavy-duty five-speed automatic transmission that can be shifted manually.

So equipped, the SLR squirts from a stop to 60 mph in about 3.2 seconds, with an unrestricted top speed of 217 mph. Of course, a driver shouldn't expect more than about 12 mpg traveling at a snail-like 75 mph.

Buyers who haven't purchased one of the 1500 SLRs already produced won't have a shot at the Stirling Moss; those who do have a chance to buy one may have to go to Europe to do so. It isn't clear at this point whether Mercedes will be able to certify the Stirling Moss for sale in North America without modifying the tiny wind deflectors, and it has no intention of doing so.

The soon-to-be-released Soul wagon is the Kia for Generation Y.

When the 2010 Kia Soul debuts in the spring of 2009, Kia Motors will move into a market dominated by Japanese manufacturers, competing directly with the Scion xB and xD, the Honda Element and to a lesser extent the Honda Fit. The 2010 Soul is a value-priced, five-passenger five-door geared toward trend-conscious, 20-something buyers. With the typical price advantage Korean brands offer, it promises a lot of youth-oriented transportation for the money.

Like many of its established competitors, the Soul is a twist on basic, two-box automotive design, with a bit more adornment or body jewelry than either the Scion xB or Honda Element. It's appearance can change dramatically, depending on which wheels, color combos and dealer accessories an owner chooses.

By most exterior dimensions, Soul comes within an inch of both the xB and Element. It's built on the same basic underpinnings as the Kia Rio sedan and hatchback, but it's packaged more like Kia's Rondo mini-minivan. It's much taller and bit wider than the typical subcompact sedan, and it delivers an impressive amount of interior volume for the footprint it makes in a parking space.

Soul's back seat provides ample room for six-foot passengers, even when the front seats are positioned for occupants of equal stature. There's decent cargo space behind the back seat, too, and the seat folds flat quickly for expanded hauling capacity, accessible though both the rear side doors and the rear hatch.

Overall, the interior is one of Soul's strengths. The dashboard features a prominent center pod with large knobs for the climate controls and audio system, and there are several storage spots available to front-seat passengers. The finish doesn't seem cheap, either. In general, the plastics and fabrics look good.

The Soul will be offered with two engines. The base model comes with a 1.6-liter inline four generating 122 horsepower and 115 pound-feet of torque, while three upgrade trim levels feature a 2.0-liter four delivering 142 hp and 137 lb-ft. Both engines have continuously variable valve timing, and they come standard with a five-speed manual transmission. An automatic will be optional with the 2.0-liter engine.

Soul's front suspension applies an independent strut design, like virtually every small, front-drive vehicle built today, while the rear uses a solid, torsion-beam axle. This design keeps the rear suspension mounts from seriously encroaching on interior space, but it typically means at least a slight decrease in ride comfort compared to an independent rear suspension.

A test drive in a pre-production Soul provided some predictive impressions. The 2.0-liter engine is neither the smoothest nor the crudest four-cylinder currently sold. It delivers torque evenly across its rev range and pulls strong up to its 6,000-rpm power peak. The Soul accelerates with as much verve as any of its competitors, at least with the manual transmission, and Kia predicts class-leading EPA mileage ratings.

The test drive didn't include an automatic-equipped Soul, but experience does not bode well. The optional automatic is a four-speed, rather than the five-speed offered in some competitors, and it could work to zap some of the engine's energy. It's no accident that the automatic will not be offered with the smaller Soul engine.

When in goes on sale in March 2009, the base Soul will come with 15-inch steel wheels, plastic wheel covers, a standard USB connection and power points inside. More expensive variants will offer alloy wheels up to 18 inches in diameter. Specific content for the four trim levels is still being sorted, but Kia says all but the base model will come with features like Bluetooth connectivity and dark-tinted solar glass. The 325-watt audio upgrade sounds like it belongs in a more expensive car.

Exact prices are expected in December 2008. Meantime, Kia executives say the Soul will start in the "low teens," and it "won't break 20" with all the factory options. The company promises a host of dealer-installed accessories, including body kits, stick-on graphics and snazzy, aftermarket-style wheels, as soon as the car debuts.

Nothing about the Soul suggests it can't hold its own with more familiar competitors for even less cash. Considering Kia's lengthy warranty, Soul could hit spot-on its Gen-Y target.

An all-new 2010 Honda Insight is expected to arrive in Honda showrooms by April. Honda hopes its 2010 Insight will re-establish the company as the leader in dedicated hybrid cars, and at a bargain price.

The original Honda Insight, built from 1999 through 2006, was the first gasoline-electric hybrid car available in the United States. It was almost experimental in look and character, a two-seater with limited mainstream appeal at a fairly hefty price.

The all-new 2010 Insight is a compact five-passenger, five-door sedan.

It's much closer to the mainstream than the original, and it's expected to sell for about $4,000 less than the class-leading Toyota Prius or Honda's own Civic Hybrid.

Like other current gas-electric hybrids, the new Insight will run on a combination of power from its four-cylinder gasoline engine and an electric motor fed by an on-board battery pack.

A key to overall fuel economy for all hybrid gas-electric cars is in what situations and how long they can run on just the electric motor, and how well the complex electronics manage transitions from gasoline power to electric or a combination of the two. Manufacturers are making substantial progress in these areas. These cars can offer fantastic fuel economy when they are able to run strictly on battery power in heavy, stop-and-go commuter traffic.

The Insight's 1.3-liter engine and electric motor combine for a total 98 horsepower, with a substantial 123 lb-ft of torque.

That should mean brisk acceleration in a car of Insight's weight (about 2700 pounds). Its electric motor, though, generates 13 horsepower by itself, which is substantially less than what the Toyota Prius motors can generate. That means the Insight will be able to run on just the motor only at lower speeds than Prius. Yet Honda says the Insight package has been optimized for efficiency at higher speeds. That could work better for drivers who spend more time on the open road than plodding in city traffic.

The current Prius, for example, is rated higher by the EPA for City mileage (48 mpg) than for Highway, and it's real-world highway mileage tends to drop substantially.

Honda projects the Insight's ratings at 40/43 mpg City/Highway. It could prove to be a more efficient choice for drivers who are moving more than they're stopped.

All Insights will come with something Honda calls the Ecological Drive Assist System, or Eco Assist. This system includes a driver-activated ECON mode that optimizes control of the continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), engine and air conditioning to maximize fuel efficiency. It also features a dash display with real-time guidance intended to help drivers improve mileage. With a 10.6-gallon fuel tank, the Insight should deliver per-tank range beyond 400 miles.

The Insight's hybrid goodies are packed in a practical, if not particularly original looking, car: The Honda Insight looks a lot like the Toyota Prius.

Like the Prius, the Insight is shaped to accommodate five passengers and luggage with minimal mileage-robbing aerodynamic drag. That may be why, in profile, the Insight looks like the Prius, particularly through its roofline and tall, flat rear end. It front three-quarter view, it looks a lot like a Prius with a Honda-style grille and light treatment. In dimensions, the Insight is shorter than both the Civic Hybrid and the Prius, with about 11 cubic feet less passenger volume.

Still, the Insight's battery pack and electronic control unit are smaller than those in the Prius or Civic Hybrid, and they are packaged smartly below the floor with the gas tank.

As a result, there's good interior and cargo space. The rear seat offers excellent headroom and shoulder room; legroom is a bit tight, at least compared to the Civic Hybrid. There's a substantial 15.9 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats in use, and 31.5 cubic feet with the rear seat folded.

The Insight's dash design isn't exactly mainstream. It features a big, prominent wing over the gauge cluster, while switch placement is a bit new-age. The plastics and fabrics in the show car revealed at Detroit's North American International Auto Show in January seemed cheap, but they may improve by the time Insight hits production.

All Insights will come with a long list of standard features, including a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, automatic climate control, power windows, mirrors and door locks, a tilt-telescoping steering wheel, and AM/FM/single-CD with four speakers, 160 watts of output and an auxiliary audio jack. The upgrade Insight EX will add 15-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, six-speaker audio and electronic stability control. A voice-activated navigation system will be optional on the EX.

Safety features include dual-threshold front airbags, front passenger side-impact airbags with a passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System, head-protection curtains and anti-lock brakes.

Honda says improvements to its hybrid drive system (called Integrated Motor Assist) and new, more cost-efficient production methods will allow the Insight's price edge on the competition. The company also claims that this new level of affordability and Insight's dynamic character will attract more buyers under the age of 30. By comparison, the average age of Toyota Prius customers exceeds 50.

We'll see. Buyers are often older than marketing folks predict.

In any case, the Honda Insight looks to be a practical hybrid-powered five-passenger sedan.

Due to go on sale this spring, the next Ford Shelby GT500 benefit from lessens learned from the ultra high-performance 2008-2009 Ford GT500KR. The next GT500 will also be improved inside thanks to interior developments applied to the updated base models. It'll come in coupe and a convertible versions.

The 2010 Shelby GT500 was developed by Ford's Special Vehicles Team (SVT) in consultation with race car legend Carroll Shelby. The GT500KR's influence starts with the 32-valve, dual overhead cam 5.4-liter V8, which gains 40 horsepower to 540 and 30 pound-feet of torque to 510. The power increase can be traced to a lower restriction exhaust system with four-inch outlets and a new open element cold-air intake ram air system, a version of which debuted on the GT500KR.

SVT officials say the GT500's performance has been improved in every way. A higher numeric rear axle ratio (3.55:1 versus 3.31:1) should aid acceleration. The six-speed manual transmission's twin-disc clutch is larger (250 mm versus 215 mm), and the transmission has revised fifth and sixth gear ratios for better highway fuel economy.

The KR also contributed to the new GT500's suspension. The 2010 GT500 gets new stabilizer bars and shock damping, and the spring rates are 13 percent stiffer up front and seven percent stiffer in the rear. The standard wheels will be cast-aluminum 18s, and forged alloy 19s will be optional. Ford's AdvanceTrac electronic stability control will be standard, and it will come with three settings: on, Sport, and off. Anti-lock brakes will also be standard, as will front and side airbags.

Designers also worked to improve aero balance and therefore improve handling. New designs for the front splitter and rear spoiler increase front downforce and decrease it in the rear. This moves the center of pressure forward and closer to the center of gravity, which aids handling.

The 2010 Shelby GT500 also gets the revised body from the updated 2010 Mustang, as well as a new powerdome hood with a large functional air extractor, a large mouth front end design with hints of Shelby's iconic AC Cobra, and new body side stripes. Inside, the GT500 adds some neat touches and the higher quality interior materials used for the revised base Mustang, including a soft-skin dashboard. Muscle car fans will appreciate the striped cue ball-style shift knob. Also new are satin aluminum trim and suede-like alcantara material for the seat inserts, shift boot, parking brake boot, and steering wheel. The seats and shift knob will also have striping that matches the exterior color. Ford's Sync system and ambient lighting will also be standard. A voice-activated navigation system will be optional.

The launch of the highly anticipated 2010 Chevrolet Camaro is expected in the spring of 2009. It'll feel a bit like back to the future, as GM's iconic pony re-emerges to compete with the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger.

The new Camaro will be available with a 3.6-liter V6 aided by a six-speed automatic, a combination expected to be rated at 26 mpg on the highway. Enthusiasts will gravitate to the Camaro SS, equipped with a powerful V8 and a choice of manual and automatic transmissions and 20-inch wheels. The Camaro will be built on GM's new global rear-wheel-drive architecture.

The production version looks essentially identical to the concept first shown at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, a remarkable achievement given the demands a modern design must meet. Compared with the retro-styled Mustang and Challenger, the Camaro has a more contemporary and angular appearance that looks more cutting edge.

This is not a reissued '69 Camaro. In fact, some might have wondered if this car was designed in the Chevy studio at all. It's edginess looked Cadillac inspired.

Underneath, it's thoroughly modern, offering the latest in technology.

While the exterior has a modern edge and attitude, the interior has more retro styling cues with two large main gauges and with other gauges located at the front of the center console.

The Camaro SS comes with a 6.2-liter V8 with a choice of six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. Cars with manual transmissions use GM's LS3 V8 expected to produce 422 horspower and 408 pound-feet of torque. The LS3 debuted on the 2008 Corvette and uses high-flow cylinder heads based on the Corvette Z06's LS7 engine for strong low-end torque and high-rpm power. Camaro SS automatics come with a new L99 V8 based on the LS3 that carries all the high-performance design features but also includes GM's fuel-saving Active Fuel Management feature, enabling the engine to run on only four cylinders when cruising on the highway to improve fuel economy.

The 3.6-liter V6 standard on the Camaro LS and LT is direct-injected and features variable valve timing. It's expected to generate 300 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual comes standard, a six-speed automatic optional.

The new Camaro rides on a 112-inch wheelbase and will be 190 inches long. The Camaro SS is expected to weigh 3,866 pounds with the manual gearbox.

When the all-new 2010 Buick LaCrosse goes on sale this summer it will be more stylish and luxurious.

The LaCrosse, you may or may not recall, is a midsize sedan. Launched as a 2005 model, we liked it. And the new design is part of a plan by General Motors to revamp the Buick lineup much as it successfully did with the Cadillac lineup. The change to the Buick line started with the Enclave midsize crossover SUV, a vehicle that impressed us greatly.

Part of the GM's goal is to win younger, more affluent buyers for the Buick brand. The new LaCrosse was created with great attention to detail, craftsmanship and advanced technology, says Buick, and it builds on the success of Enclave and serves as the next step in Buick's renaissance.

The 2010 LaCrosse is built on the next generation of GM's global midsize car architecture, formerly known as Epsilon. The Buick LaCrosse is the first domestic car on the new platform, so it doesn't share with the Saturn Aura or Chevrolet Malibu, as you might suspect. Overseas, the Opel Insignia, which recently won the European Car of the Year award, uses the same architecture.

The new LaCrosse was developed globally. The architecture was designed in Europe, the interior styled in China, and the body design and vehicle integration completed in the United States. Compared to the outgoing model, the 2010 LaCrosse is about an inch shorter with a wheelbase that is 1.2 inches longer. This moves the wheels farther to the corners and results in a more athletic stance. The exterior styling employs cues of the Buick Invicta concept car shown at the Beijing auto show in China in 2008. The sculpted sides and waterfall grille are influenced by the Enclave.

Buick says the new LaCrosse will be the quietest Buick yet thanks to Quiet Tuning, which involves acoustic laminated glass, triple-sealed doors, liquid-sealed sound deadening, and special designs for the suspension bushings, engine cradle and mounts, and steering and induction systems.

The 2010 Buick LaCrosse will be offered in CX, CXL, and sporty CXS models. The V8-powered Super model will not return.

All models will use direct-injected V6 engines. Standard in the CX and CXL will be a new 3.0-liter V6 that will find its way into several other GM vehicles. In the LaCrosse, it will make 255 horsepower and 211 pound-feet of torque, and Buick estimates fuel economy ratings of 18 mpg city and 27 mpg highway.

The CXS model will come with GM's proven 3.6-liter V6, which will produce 280 horsepower and 261 pound-feet of torque in the 2010 LaCrosse. Buick estimates fuel economy numbers of 17/26 mpg for the CXS and says it will be capable of reaching 60 mph in less than seven seconds. Both engines will use a six-speed automatic transmission, and the CXS will have a manual shiftgate.

Front-wheel drive will be standard. The CXL model will also be available with an all-wheel-drive system with an electronic rear limited-slip differential that can send power side-to-side along the rear axle, which is a sophisticated setup.

CX models will have cloth seats and 17-inch wheels, while CXLs will be get leather upholstery, 18-inch wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control and fog lights. The CXS will heated and cooled seats and chrome-plated 18-inch wheels with optional 19s. Also standard on CXS will be a real-time damping system with three settings to adjust ride quality, as well as steering, throttle, and all-wheel-drive system calibrations.

That sounds all sounds very good. We loved the handling of the outgoing LaCrosse but thought the ride quality was a little choppy on rough metro freeways.

Inside, the 2010 LaCrosse will be more pleasant than the outgoing model, with real wood trim, blue-lit instrumentation and ambient lighting, and stitched leather trim on the dash. Other available features will include Bluetooth connectivity, a USB audio interface, a rearview camera, adaptive headlights, a head's up display, and GM's new Side Blind Zone alert system.