Обзоры лучших машин

Archive for Октябрь, 2009

The current BMW X3 will have to soldier on for just over a year more until the arrival of an all-new model, previewed here in this computer-generated rendering.

Recent spy shots of BMW’s next-generation X3 prototype indicate the company may be moving the crossover’s development forward to match the competition. With the release of the newer Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLK, BMW will almost certainly be a little a worried about losing its leadership position.

The rendering shows a car with completely finished headlights and tail lights, slightly expanded dimensions for added interior space and styling borrowed from the recently revealed X1 compact SUV.

In addition to the revamped exterior, a full array of gadgets and features are expected to be available for the X3 to help keep its edge against Audi and Mercedes-Benz. It’s even possible that BMW could make the night-vision heads-up display currently found in the X6 and other models available on the X3. Bi-xenon headlights with around-corner capability and new seats that feature massage functions and ventilation are also expected for the new model.

Engines will remain largely the same, with a choice of four diesels ranging from 177 to 300-horsepower for Europe, and most markets, including the U.S., getting the option of two gasoline engines rated at 231-horsepower and 306-horsepower. A new hybrid model is also tipped to be on the table, though specifications are still forthcoming.

The new X3 is expected to appear in showrooms in the second half of next year as a 2011 model, joining the smaller X1 crossover as well.

The Japanese automaker Nissan has announced that the new Fairlady Z Roadster is already on sale in the sports car’s home market. Intended to be a convertible from day one, Nissan’s engineers designed the 370Z in a way that the loss of structural rigidity and added weight of a retractable canvas roof would have no effect whatsoever on the drop top Z car’s performance. Their goal was to blend the pure exhilaration and sporting appeal of the Z34 and seamlessly combine it with the excitement of open air driving by offering the same high performance power plant and curvaceous bodylines that make the fixed roof Nissan 370Z such a desirable sports car.

Just like the Fairlady Z Coupe, the new Z Roadster features a shorter wheelbase and an increased track to make the sports car more nimble while at the same time keeping the weight down. The same 3.7 Liter V6 engine that propels the standard vehicle to the tune of 330 HP and 270 lb-ft of torque also powers the Nissan 370Z Roadster. By combining the high performance VQ37VHR with the Z34’s dynamic chassis, Nissan has instilled the 370Z Roadster with remarkably high levels of acceleration and handling, while providing a quiet and comfortable interior even with the top down.

It is a tall order for a design team to build a convertible that looks just as nice with the top up as it does down. In most cases it looks like a vehicle’s designers decided to focus on only one of the drop head’s personalities; either by leaving the car with a bulky looking roofline or like there is just too much junk in the trunk when it is retracted. However thanks to careful planning and some very intuitive foresight, the hamburger logo has been able to once again avoid turning one of their premier sports cars into a cow of a convertible with the Nissan 370Z Roadster.

It’s still car show season, and although Frankfurt is in the past, The Tokyo Motor Show is looming on the horizon. Of interest is a limited run WRX from Subaru called the Subaru Impreza WRX STI Carbon. Clearly, a car slathered with this much of the wonder material is not aimed at moms toting around the kids or the junior level business exec who wants to tell people he’s “made it”. No, that’s not who the WRX is for to begin with, let alone the WRX STI, let alone a show car special like the WRX STI Carbon.

No, the WRX STI Carbon is aimed at the boy racers out there. The Fast-n-Furious set, if that’s not too dated of a reference. Unlike a lot of older car guys, I’ve never had that much of a problem with the import tuner crowd. ‘Hey, at least they’re into cars’, was what I normally thought. I was a little puzzled by someone who’d drop that much money into an Evo or a Civic to go drag racing with it (V8s are a LOT more cost effective). But cars like the WRX STI Carbon I can sort of understand.

The WRX STI Carbon features a carbon fiber roof as it’s biggest difference/selling point over the normal STI. Subaru says that by adding a carbon fiber roof, the WRX has a “significant weight reduction” and a “lower center of gravity.” Although no specs are provided, you don’t have to be Stephan Hawking to know that will turn out to be true. And those things are important, sure, but other than an expensive roof over your head, it would seem that the WRX STI Carbon doesn’t offer that much more over the more run of the mill STIs.

It has the JDM-spec five-speed automatic transmission with the paddle shift option (can we get that over here?) and also those really attractive Recaro chairs (that we can’t get here, sadly). The STI Carbon also has a very nice suede dash as well. So what this breaks down to is a normal STI that has a special roof and designation.

To a certain extent, it sort of like all those “different” cars you can get in the Gran Turismo games for PlayStations. You could get something like a Subaru WRX STI A-Spec Rev. C/2 ZR, which as we all know is a WAY different car from a Subaru WRX STI A-Spec Rev. F/2 ZR. Only it ain’t. You’d look at the specs for the two cars side by side, and the only difference would be the shock settings or the color or something. That’s not much of a difference.

And I guess you could say the same thing concerning the Subaru Impreza WRX STI Carbon. Yes, adding a carbon fiber roof is a pretty nifty, but you could have done more.