MOTORPINION

Lexus is not normally put on the same plateau as fast powerful sports sedans such as the BMW M3, Mercedes C55 AMG, or Audi S4. Nevertheless, their new offering, the IS-F, should bring this company to a whole new level.

The current Lexus IS 250 and 350 are definitely nice cars; they’re easy on the eyes, have two decent engine choices and great reliability. The 250 is even reasonable on gas, but who gets excited about that? Not me. It seems the engineers down at Lexus were getting a little bored with it too. As a result, they have done the same thing car makers have been doing for years…take a popular small car and cram a huge engine, beefed up suspension and tranny in it. Add the ubiquitous extra letter, “F”, and you’ve got yourself a truly exciting car.

It seems Lexus has aimed this new beast directly at some of the most recognizable names in this ever popular market, the aforementioned Bimmer, Audi, and Mercedes. Offering 416 HP and 371 lb-ft of torque from a 5.0L V-8, this car comes equipped with astronomical power and some cool technology to keep it all firmly planted on the road.

First up is the transmission. The IS-F will not have a manual gearbox. Instead it comes with the world’s first 8 speed (that’s right 8 speed!) automatic with paddle shifters and manual mode. Lexus claims that if put in manual mode the car will shift in 100 milliseconds; I’ll bet that’s a little faster than you or I could shift a regular manual. For perspective, that’s roughly equivalent to the Ferrari F430. Lexus’ traction control “VDIM” promises to keep you out of trouble. In sport mode it will allow you to have plenty of fun without letting things get Eddie Griffin crazy. Although I don’t foresee many runs to the ski slopes in a car like this, it does comes with normal and snow mode. With the suspension promising an adequate amount of firmness to keep track day interesting, it seems a lot of input came from Toyota’s racing departments while this car was in development. It definitely shows!

Aside from all of the performance, this car is gorgeous. Check out the official Lexus website for pics and videos. Subtle changes from the base IS, including its $56k base price, definitely makes it stand out and should put it right in line with its German counterparts.

For a brand who’s average buyer is 55+, it will be interesting to see how a tire-shredding, back-end sliding, road-eating monster like this will sell. I for one think you get the best of both worlds. With bulletproof reliability and world class fit and finish on one hand then fire breathing, muscle car performance on the other, a surefire win-win is my forecast.

I have had a thing for Infiniti for a few years now including the original Infiniti FX all the way back to 2003. Now the 2009 model is in play and is all new both interior and exterior. I will admit the new exterior is an acquired taste - which I acquired like the original FX - but the interior is a beautiful masterpiece of simple but tech savvy style. 

While I have not had the opportunity to drive the new ‘09, Popular Mechanics took it for a spin through the the Hollywood Hills. Naturally they opted for the FX50 with its new 5.0 liter V8 with 390 hp and 369 lb.ft. of torque. The V6 in the FX35 is a respectable 303 hp, 3.5 liter toy; nothing to cry about (especially if you are already crying about your gas bill in your Honda Civic). All models come equipped with a new, standard 7-speed automatic transmission that is reported to be smooth even at low speeds. I will reserve my judgement until the day I demo.  

As usual, Infiniti packs the new FX with enough tech to keep any electronics fanatic happy for years! The spec sheet includes options such as Intelligent Cruise and Distance Control, Around View Camera System, 11 speaker Bose audio system and an adaptive front lighting system.

To see the original review from Popular Mechanics, just click here.

First look at the 2008 Nissan Rogue leaves me wanting for 1 thing, a chrome grill. On every model of the Rogue the grill matches the body colors. Maybe they chose this to be different from the new 2009 Nissan Murano; whatever the reason, it’s just lacking. However, the market that this crossover settles in is highly competitive with neighbors like Toyota’s Rav4 and Honda’s CR-V. 

Nissan has taken a few pages from its more upscale child, Infiniti. Granted you have to opt into a package or two for some of the “high end” options like HID (High Intensity Discharge) headlights, bluetooth phone connectivity with a very long list of compatible cell phones, intelligent key system, paddle shifters, Bose stereo and leather seating. Now if you do not opt for any options you can slide into a front wheel drive model for only $19,250 and only $1,320 extra for All Wheel Drive. 

The interior of the Rogue is oddly upscale for a $20,000 crossover. It is competently pieced together with everything working in harmony. Lets face it, it is not playing in the same sandbox as it’s $35,000 Infiniti EX cousin but it’s good for its class. The gauge cluster is a handsome blue and red combo with a center LCD info display. The LCD display in the dash does have a tendency to wash out on a sunny day with sunglasses on. The eight speaker Bose system is decent with good base response from its subwoofer and it eats MP3 and WMA disks also.

Dropping the rear seats down reveals an abundant storage area enough for a mountain bike and all the accompanying camping gear and coolers. Honorable mention is the cavernous glove box up front; I didn’t have one to experiment with but I think a small laptop could be stored inside! The front seat also has a fold flat feature to transport all those long items that you might have otherwise needed to borrow your friends truck.

All that said, this is not a sport crossover as much as Nissan markets it that way form a style standpoint. Granted it has sport paddle shifters on the up level model but it is mated to a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). This type of transmission has no “gears” and is one smooth ride. It is belt driven and constantly changes to match the engines needs at every speed. I did find on my demo drive that it felt a bit numb and obviously not sporty feeling like a standard or even a conventional automatic. Nissan has been successful with this transmission for years now and they are about the only automaker that has tackled the CVT for mass production.

The AWD is not a simple stripped down system. It is an intelligent system and will adapt to the changing road conditions of the US. To save gas, the Rogue is primarily front wheel drive but every time it accelerates from a stop, the AWD system transfers 50% of the power to both the front and rear wheels. This helps on nearly every road surface and eliminates wheel slip when racing off the line.  It also has a AWD Lock feature that can be used for short times. This is not going to let you rock crawl on the Rubicon Trail but it will help in those sketchy winter situations.

Bottom line: if you are looking into a compact car or even a small waggon, check this out.  The reliability should be good as has been historically true with Nissan’s that are built in Japan as the Rogue is. Fortunately they did not choose Mexico, like some of their cars, where the reliability often suffers.

I have had so many questions in the past about who runs who. No, I’m not talking about men and women but about car manufacturers. For as long as I can remember, it has always been a tough job to figure out who is bankrolling the “other guy”. There are some long time obvious ones like Toyota owning Lexus, Honda owning Acura, and Ford owning Lincoln. Good news is TooManyCars.info and Jalopnik.com have clarified the whole picture and helped us out with even the most obscure! Below is a preview of the map of how all the auto manufacturers are tied to each other. If you would like to view the full high res copy, click the map below. Don’t forget to subscribe to us and keep up to date on Motorpinion.com through email or your favorite RSS reader.

I confess, it has been a while since I have had a serious case of car lust. This morning innocently surfing the web, I fell in love. I was on the Porsche website (http://www.porsche.com/). I was simply perusing their models, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Like David Ortiz hitting the game winning run or the first time you heard a Ferrari at 6500 RPM. The Porsche 911 GT2!! 

If these pictures are not enough, then you need to watch this video. http://www.porsche.com/usa/models/911/911-gt2/gallery/?gtabindex=4

But for those of you that refuse to bow before the 911 here are the high points:

• 6 cylinders
• 3.6 liters
• 530 hp
• 505 lb/-ft. of torque
• 204 mph

This car is absolutely amazing! I have not had a car steal my attention like this in a long time! This is my ultimate dream car…at least until the next one!

If you know anything at all about cars, I’m sure by now you’ve heard of the new Nissan GT-R. This offspring of the famous Skyline GT-R is due here in America in a few months. What a monster this thing is. A few specs for the uninitiated; 480HP, 0-60 mph in 3.3 Seconds, AWD, twin-turbo 3.8L V-6.

Just to give an idea, this thing will give a Corvette Z-06 a run for its money. That my friends, is very very fast. Its Hand Crafted, V-6 engine produces about 430lb-ft of torque from 3200 RPM, also not a bad little statistic. The combination of 6 speed Dual Clutch transmission and All Wheel Drive make it a beast on the track. Perhaps the best statistic is that it will actually be available here in the US, unlike the old Skyline.

Bottom line, I want one. Bad. So, what will one of these run you? Somewhere in the neighborhood of $72k. Not bad considering that Motorweek.com reports that a 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 will cost about $121k and only gets you 1 more MPH (193 for the Porsche vs. 192 for the GT-R).

On a side note, Nissan is already working on the Nissan GT-R Spec-V which is expected to be released in 2010. Autoblog.com reported last week, April 8th, the new Spec-V was spotted on the Nürburgring in Germany with an unofficial lap time of 7:25! If you are unfamiliar with the Nürburgring, it is nearly 13 miles long race track with some of the most notorious corners in the world. For comparison, back in 2005 a Corvette C6 Z06 lap The Ring in 7:42. The Spec-V is lighter with more horsepower than the original, can’t go wrong!

My Opinion - awesome car for relatively short money. Styling may not be for everyone, but I’m the guy who loves the fact that the coefficient of drag is close to the awkward Honda Insight’s. Function over form I always say. Actually I’ve never said that, but for this car I just might start.

Hyundai’s new flagship model the “Genesis”, due out in 2009, gets a pretty standard reaction from most people who see it; “That’s a Hyundai?!”

I’m definitely not one to assume that lowest price automatically equals best value, take for example the Kia Amanti. In this case though, I think the Hyundai may be worth looking at. For a long time Hyundai has been trying to shed its very negative image in the Automotive Market. Lately they have been doing a great job and I for one think this car goes a long way towards that goal. The styling is very similar to the latest Lexus LS series. The Hyundai may not be able to park itself, but for about $35,000 less, I’ll park it myself, thanks. With cool features like Adaptive cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity, stability control, heated and cooled seats, and nav system, I doubt you’ll even notice the one time a year when you actually have to parallel park.

Hyundai is directly targeting cars like the Bimmer 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class. It does this well in terms of features, drivetrain (it’s rear wheel drive!) and even out-does them in terms of warranty. I especially love the fact that the Hyundai is going to be available with a 375 HP engine which Hyunda is calling their “Tau V8.” Just for comparison, the newest BMW 550i only has 362 HP. Another bit of interesting news is their Coupe version of the car is available with your choice of a turbo four cylinder or high output V-6 which produces more HP than a 4.6L Mustang GT. Either way, it should be a fun car.

All that being said, am I going to be the first one at the dealer signing my name on the line? Psssh, I can’t be seen driving a Hyundai.

With reviews abounding on the web touting or outright protesting the new 2008 Subaru WRX STI, is the world ready to jump ship? Everyone has an opinion (including us here at Motorpinion) about the move toward the hatchback in place of the iconic sedan that has graced our hearts and America’s back roads since 2003. The decision to move to the new platform for the 2008 WRX STI was not made lightly by our Japanese friends. On the contrary, they decided that the slide to the hatchback, although not popular with many Americans at first glance, was in the best interest of the STI nameplate.

Follow me here…in the recent past, more and more rally teams have been opting for hatchbacks such as the Ford Focus hatch and Suzuki SX4. The most significant reason for this gradual change is aerodynamics. Lets face it, the original boy racer “wing” on the original WRX STI was a love it or hate it wager by Subaru. Truth is that it was necessary for it to be so tall for the best performance due to the innate architecture of sedans. Now with the move to the hatchback STI, no more boy racer wing but better aerodynamics overall. 

The longer roof line of the hatch and the addition of frames around the windows has also increased rigidity of the new model. Window frames may seem like common sense to many people who are not Subaru fanboys (or fanpeople… since we are obviously so obsessed with political correctness at Motorpinion) but the frameless windows have been part of the experience for years now.  Good news is that I think that we can accept this change if it increases the car’s performance. 

Bottom line is that the hatch STI is growing on most of us despite our initial stampede to Google to see if what we heard on the street was true. Check out the STI video below. Yes, I know it’s a Subaru ad but it gives a true rally feel to those uninitiated few.

Many people drool over BMW’s.  Granted, they do have some good exterior styling and some kickin’ motors but they have a huge flaw. It’s taken a few years but this week I finally figured out what is wrong with the BMW brand.  THE INTERIOR.  They simply never look as good as the Lexus, Acura and Infiniti interiors with whom they compete.  Here’s my “expert” opinion… 

BMW’s interior looks like a $15,000 car’s interior in the way that all the dash components (radio/cd, climate controls, etc) look like “inserted, pop in” items.  In an Infiniti for example, the whole dash looks like one piece of equipment.  A BMW looks like some high school kid installed their own Panasonic CD player, a TomTom nav system and climate controls from a totaled junkyard car and air vents from a 1986 Ford Escort.  BMW thinks they can slap some premium walnut wood trim around these disjointed parts and make it a premium car. 

Now many of you will defend this trait of BMW by saying that it is a clean, uncluttered design.  I must say after my rantings, I can nearly accept that. You have a good point in regards to simple functionality in place of dozens of buttons and scroll wheels splattered everywhere. OK, you may think that was harsh but now the good news about BMW.  Their engines are only getting better!  The newest twin turbo V6, although still new to the market, appears to be bullet proof with awesome response from the 300 horses.  The 2 turbos eliminates most of the turbo lag since they are tuned to work at different speeds and therefore can cope with different driving situations.  BMW’s vehicles have not been the most reliable in the past but they seem to be coming out of that slump. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed and wait.

Infiniti FX

BMW

“The MDX is the ultimate in performance, technology and style in the luxury SUV class,” said Dick Colliver, executive vice president, sales.

I know.. kinda cheezy starting with a quote from a marketing director about his own car. But this is a little different; I agree with him. The MDX is at the top of my “Must have for 2008 list”. There is no vehicle better suited for life in New England than this amazing vehicle. I am making some bold statements here, but I will back them up. 

The MDX of course looks great. For a vehicle that seats 7 (that’s right…this beauty is a family car) this is one of the best looking vehicles out there. Who are we competing against? Ford Expedition?? Chevy Tahoe?? Seriously… the MDX is far superior to those vehicles in so many areas, and it looks much better.  Also, we have all heard about the legendary Acura AWD system. This is an absolute must for those living in winter states. The SH-AWD that comes standard with this MDX is awesome.

Of course, you have best in class power with the 3.7 liter V-6, and the active damper system for improved handling. This is a great vehicle! Oh yeah, and it is made by Honda so you know two things are true…great gas mileage, and awesome reliability. Can it get any better?

Come on…. Name me some vehicles that are more fun to drive, more reliable, fits the whole family, and you still look like a stud driving it! I bet you can’t… but if you think you can, comment!