Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG

Following the recent introduction of the W212 E-class, Mercedes wasted little time in introducing its performance flagship model, the E63 AMG at the New York auto show last month. The published figures, though not unexpected, still make for interesting reading: 6.2 litres, eight cylinders, 525 horses, and 630Nm - a formidable force by any reckoning.

For the next round of engagements in the super saloon arena, the manufacturers are veering away from battling each other with just brute horsepower. A greater emphasis will be placed on efficiency and economy, with efforts on weight reduction and various energy saving measures coming to the forefront. Mercedes quotes improved consumption figures compared to the W211 E63, thanks in no small part to efforts such as brake energy regeneration, and a concerted effort to reduce in-engine friction
From the initial info made available to us, this car holds little surprises. It’s standard AMG fare here, but that’s fine, because there’s little wrong with AMG’s usual handiwork. Like all good AMG Mercs, the E63 cloaks its nuclear firepower under a skin of understated aggression in its bodywork.

Like before, Mercedes has opted to go with high capacity and natural aspiration in the engine for their latest AMG E, with the M156 engine under the hood once again. For the W212, the 6,208cc V8 produces a useful 525bhp and 630Nm, while achieving an impressive 12.6 litres / 100km fuel consumption figure.


Among new features engineered into the powerplant include an improved water cooling system, brake energy regeneration, and on-demand fuel delivery and generator management - all pointing to the direction of improved efficiency. The cylinder walls are finished by a twin-wire arc spray coating process to keep in-engine friction down to a minimum.
Drive to the rear wheels are channeled by a 7-speed semi-automatic transmission dubbed the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT, which uses a wet clutch in place of the usual torque converter. Featuring four driving modes (Controlled Efficiency, Sport, Sport Plus & Manual), Mercedes claims shift times as quick as 0.1 seconds in manual mode. On the road, this translates to a century sprint lasting 4.5 seconds en route to the electronically limited 250kph top speed.

Tasty Volvo P1800 custom

Retro can be so yesterday but then again there is nothing new in this world so everything must be retro at some level and with this in mind we now look at the handiwork of one Mattias Vöcks. Vocks is a Swedish-born designer who spends his working hours assembling Koenigsegg’s delicious supercars and on his time off, he creates stunning works of automotive art. He has found enough free time to come up with a fresh interpretation of the elegant Volvo P1800 coupe and it looks gorgeous.

Vock’s last Volvo was a 1967 Volvo Amazon custom that he showed off at SEMA some time ago and that was promptly voted “Sweden’s Hottest Volvo.” That title may soon go modern interpretation of the Volvo P1800 made famous in part as the car driven by Roger Moore in the British television series The Saint from the 1960s.

With help from Bo Zolland from Swedish design firm Vizualtech, Vöcks has added a few modifications to bring the shapely Swedish beauty to modern standards.  Aerodynamics is improved by a rear diffuser, flat underbody tray and a front fascia that’s been smoothed out and lengthened by 70mm.

Powering the beast is a 4.4-liter V8 borrowed from a Volvo XC90 SUV that’s been force-fed by a   urbocharger and feeds its 600 horses through a six-speed manual transmission to the rear wheels. Good news for those with fat wallets: The car may go into limited production in the near future.

Nissan NISMO 370Z

Japanese-based Nissan has unleased the NISMO-tuned 370Z Coupe. The in-house tuner has performed a number of upgrades on the NISMO 370Z which includes modifications on key areas including the exterior, suspension, and most importantly, under the hood.
On the outside aerodynamic body pieces are evident with an extended front nose design with a canard design at each corner for improved downforce and a fully integrated chin spoiler, special side sills and a unique rear bumper as well as a rear spoiler that helps increase downforce. Available in five body colours including Pearl White, Brilliant Silver, Magnetic Black, Solid Red and Platinum Graphite, the NISMO 370Z looks more aggressive thanks to a lower and wider stance. Just like the standard 370Z, this up-rated version comes with “boomerang” shaped headlights (with High Intensity Discharge (HID) bi-functional xenon design with an auto on/off feature) and tail lights.

Minor modifications were performed on the interior, with the NISMO logo visible on the seats which were finished with black/red fabric and red stitching, a NISMO tachometer, steering wheel with red stitching, leather-wrapped shift knob and aluminum trimmed pedals. As standard the NISMO 370Z comes with front seats with 8-way driver’s/4-way passenger manual adjustments and adjustable front seat Active Head Restraints, Nissan’s Intelligent Key with Push Button Start, power windows with one-touch auto up/down feature, power door locks with auto-lock feature, a center console box with a new non-intrusive cover design, automatic climate control, rear window defroster with timer, two 12-volt power outlets, four cupholders, dual overhead map lights and a AM/FM/CD/AUX 4-speaker audio system with illuminated steering wheel-mounted controls.


Safety and security fitments are made up by Nissan’s Advanced Air Bag System (AABS) with dual-stage supplemental front air bags with seat belt and occupant classification sensors, front seat-mounted side impact supplemental air bags, roof-mounted side-impact air bags, seat belts with pre-tensioners and load limiters, Active Head Restraints, Nissan’s Vehicle Immobilizer System, Vehicle Security System and a Tire Pressure Monitoring System.

Now onto what is under the hood. Well, first of all, the NISMO 370Z uses the same 3.7 liter V6 powerplant found in the standard 370Z, but with upgrades to help offer a higher output figure. These upgrades include a H-configured exhaust system design and muffler tuning, along with optimized ECM (Engine Computer Module) control. This means, power is up to 350HP (at 7,400 revs) from 332HP and torque is now rated at 374Nm (at 5,200 revs) instead of 366Nm.

Tesla 520 Model S and Roadster

Tesla says that 520 S Model all electric sedans have been reserved by customers in first week since it was announced. Each customer must pay a $5,000 reservation fee, which is refundable if they choose not to buy the car. The base price for the Model S, which will be available starting in 2010, is $49,900 after a federal tax credit of $7,500. A limited editon of the Model S is available for a $40,000 reservation fee.

The Model S is the second car unveiled by Tesla after the sportier Roadster, and it’s half the price. But it’s no slouch on performance. The car will do 0-60 in 5.6 seconds (the Roadster is 3.9 seconds) and has an electronically limited top speed of 130 mph. The car should go up to 300 miles between charges. Best of all, I believe I may actually fit in the Model S. The Roadster isn’t fully compatible with people my size.

If you want one, you can reserve it here. You should get it by late 2011.

Tesla says they delivered 104 Roadsters in March and about 320 all time. The company has raised $186 million in capital to date, and has applied for $350 million in federal loans.

Here is the Model S and Roadster side by side:

2010 Mazda 3

The 2010 Mazda 3 is an all-new car. The only exception is that the base engine and transmission will be brought forward from the 2009 model. This latest generation of the Mazda3 will debut as a four-door sedan; a new five-door hatchback will arrive later.

Styling of the new Mazda3 follows current Mazda trends with a smiling face, sculpted front fenders and LED taillights, and dual exhaust on top models. There is a decided forward slant to the window line that's doubled in the lower doors, the net effect being a small-scale version of the 2009 Mazda6. It's a little bit larger outside, with a roomier rear seat and trunk. The low-aero-drag bodywork should pay dividends in wind noise; Mazda claims best-in-class for that and road noise.

The 2010 Mazda 3 will be offered in five four-door variants: the 2.0-liter Mazda3i SV, Mazda3i Sport and Touring trim levels, plus the 2.5-liter Mazda3s Sport and Grand Touring models.

The 2.0-liter engine is expected to be rated at 148-horsepower with city/highway fuel economy expected to be about 25/33 miles per gallon. Mazda 3i models offer a choice of five-speed manual or a new five-speed automatic; the automatics allow manual selection in the racing format forward-to-downshift, back for upshift.

A new 167-horsepower 2.5-liter engine goes in the Mazda3s with a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic. The 2.5-liter is expected to get fuel economy around 22/29 mpg city/highway. The 2.5-liter Mazda3s can be identified by its dual exhaust outlets.

The cabin is all new for 2010, with larger, more contoured seats, revamped control gear and a split-layout dashboard that provides engine data and road speed directly ahead of the driver and ancillary information in shaded brow along the top center of the dashboard. We've looked at it and found the materials and finishes to Mazda's contemporary and comfortable standards.

Suspension and steering systems have been refined for 2010 to deliver the agile handling characteristics the previous model was noted for while improving ride comfort and road isolation. Six airbags and active front head restraints are standard across the board.

All models use the same suspension and steering layout and come equipped with antilock disc brakes. All come with power windows and mirrors, split folding rear seat. All come with six airbags.

The base SV model will come with a black cloth interior and five-speed manual gearbox. Top models will come with heated leather seats, electronic stability control, alloy wheels, automatic bi-xenon adaptive headlights, rain-sensing wipers, Bluetooth, power driver seat with memory, and electroluminescent gauges. A moonroof and 6CD 242-watt Bose surround sound system will be offered on 2.0-liter Touring models, while 2.5-liter models also offer navigation, Sirius satellite radio, and keyless operation. No official word yet on the possibility of a new MazdaSpeed3 performance model.