Audi Locus

Audi Locus designed by Ugur Sahin is a concept car envisioned to have a curvy structure and the main characteristics of the design are the way its surface shapes are formed with a continuous flow from front until the back of the car.

2010 Ford Mustang - Sneak Preview 2008

Sometimes, cash cows simply can't be milked any longer. Ford has produced (or, in the case of various Shelby vehicles, helped produce) a dozen different variations of its iconic Mustang since 2005 - some of which cranked out upward of 600 hp. And while special-edition Mustangs are a powerful novelty, the blue-oval brass decided that a newer, refreshed 'Stang should battle the upcoming Dodge Challenger and Chevrolet Camaro.

Enter the 2010 Mustang that will hit showrooms in spring 2009. America's original pony car won't get a complete revamp, but it will at least get a reshaped front and rear, a freshened grille, new headlights, and updated vertical taillights. Although the 2010 Mustang's styling is still hidden under heavy camouflage in spy photos, a close look shows exterior features inspired by the sleek, Italdesign-penned Mustang by Giugiaro concept (below) that debuted at the 2006 Los Angeles auto show. A full-glass roof like the one from that car may be offered.

Powerplant options - largely influenced by the recent rise in CAFE standards - likely will include a twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6 and a 5.0-liter V-8.

THE OLD GRAY MARE, SHE AIN'T WHAT SHE USED TO BE: The current-generation Mustang is getting old, and while we like the idea of a turbo V-6, we'd still rather that Ford spent the money to reduce NVH and polish the rest of its aging horse.

2010 BMW X5 M and 2010 BMW X6 M

The arrival of the controversial X5 M and X6 M might be confirmation that BMW has dumped every engineering principle that made its M cars so distinctive and consistently good for the last thirty years. Until now, all M cars have had a high-revving, normally aspirated engine, a manual or automated manual gearbox, rear-wheel-drive, and a sedan or sports car shell. You won't find a single one of these qualities in M's latest efforts.

The M versions of the X5 and X6 sport-utes go on sale in the fall, but BMW allowed us to drive prototypes at their winter test center in northern Sweden several months ago. Under their skins, the two trucks are the same: both use an M-massaged version of the twin-turbocharged V-8 and the trick rear differential from the X6 xDrive50i. The 4.4-liter V-8 engine has been boosted from 400 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque to 550 hp and about 500 lb-ft of torque.

Unlike other M cars, there's no delicate balancing of clutch and revs to hinder a clean getaway, and no fiddling with the launch control system, either. Engage 'D' in the regular six-speed automatic transmission, boot the throttle, and the mighty engine slings you forward with a loud, raspy roar - and complete disregard for the behemoths' 4800-pound mass. BMW promises their wundertrucks will be quicker and cheaper than the Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo.

The xDrive all-wheel-drive system has been reprogrammed to send more torque to the rear axle and keep it there. It lets you indulge in long drifts that an M3 would be proud of. Low-grip surfaces emphasize the precision and delicacy of the steering and brakes.

One engineer slipped - doubtless deliberately - that in testing, the X6 M is as quick around the Nürburgring as an M3. You can be as upset as you like about the inherent absurdity of a 550-hp sport SUV, but it's hard to argue with how good these particular ones are to drive.

Price: $95,000 (est.)
Engine: 4.4-liter turbocharged V-8
Power: 550 hp
Torque: 500 lb-ft
Drive: 4-wheel

2010 Nissan GT-R Premium

Who says Friday the 13th is an unlucky day? Not at Automobile Magazine, where we just took delivery of a brand-new 2010 Nissan GT-R for a one-year test. Our silver test car is finished in black leather and has huge, smoky gray, twenty-inch Rays wheels shod with meaty, nitrogen-filled Bridgestone Potenza tires, 255/40ZR-20 front and 285/35ZR-20 rear.

Our test car has Nissan's newly calibrated launch control setup, explains Bruce Robinson, senior development engineer for Nissan Tech Center North America, who delivered the car to our offices. "Previously, [our launch control] came out at 4500 rpm in first gear with one foot of rear-wheel spin, and then the fronts would grab," Robinson continues. "With our new calibration, we launch at 3000 rpm because there's more midrange turbo boost. It works [with the dual-clutch automatic transmission] in either manual or automatic mode, but the quickest way is just to leave it in automatic and let the engine shift at redline." In short, Robinson says, put one foot on the brake and floor the accelerator with the other, but be sure to leave VDC (stability control) on, lest we void the warranty.

Other changes for the 2010 Nissan GT-R include five more horsepower for its 3.8-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine, which now makes 485 hp. The brakes have been updated with more rigid brake lines for improved durability, and the brake calipers now carry both the Brembo and Nissan logos. The suspension gets redesigned Bilstein dampers with a new valve body design and revised spring and damper rates. Before leaving, Robinson directed us to take our GT-R to service at 1000 miles so that the engine can be balanced, the transmission calibrated, and the alignment checked. Fluid changes are due at 6000 miles, and another suspension and powertrain calibration is due at the 12,000-mile mark. Our local Nissan dealer in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is not an authorized GT-R agent, so we'll have to visit Dick Scott Nissan in nearby Canton to get our GT-R serviced.

2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

The marriage between Mercedes-Benz and McLaren has been something of a disappointment. Their co-created product, the SLR McLaren, has never met sales expectations, and its marketers have resorted to increasingly gimmicky special models in order to reach their contractually obligated goal of 4000 total units. There's been the convertible, the 722 edition, and most recently the totally topless, essentially windshield-less, and all but pointless SLR Stirling Moss, which is the final special edition before SLR production shuts down forever later this spring.

Mercedes has finally announced its next supercar, which will reach showrooms in 2010. As detailed in the pages of Automobile Magazine more than 2 years ago, the new ultimate sports machine, the SLS AMG, is a modern-day take on the classic Gullwing of the 1950s. In contrast to the SLR, McLaren is not a part of the project, which is instead being engineered entirely by Mercedes' long-time in-house tuner, AMG.

With the SLS, AMG for the first time ever is responsible for the development of an entire vehicle, and the new Gullwing is an ambitious, ground-up effort. The car uses an aluminum body draped over an aluminum spaceframe chassis, which is a first for Mercedes-Benz. The extensive use of lightweight metal helps it reach a target curb weight of 3571 pounds. And, of course, the two-seater will use the characteristic gullwing doors, made famous by the Mercedes 300SL more than fifty years ago.

The new car uses the familiar 6.2-liter AMG V-8, set back behind the front axle. Here it will produce 563 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque, an increase of 38 hp and 15 pound-feet compared to the current V-8. AMG claims that the handbuilt engines have more than 120 new parts, largely in the intake and exhaust system, the dry sump lubrication system, and the crank mechanism. The engine is also lighter (only 454 lbs), due in part to the use of aluminum instead of steel for the crankcase and the engine bolts, forged rather than cast pistons, and a magnesium intake manifold. The dry sump lubrication system uses a remote reservoir, eliminating the oil pan and allowing for a lower profile.

2011 Chevy Volt

The 2007 Chevrolet Volt concept dazzled, even more than General Motors expected. For 2010 production, however, it has to use existing component sets, which naturally make the Volt more mainstream and cheaper to build. The changes also give the car lower drag, more cabin space, and a tighter turning circle. The designer of both vehicles, Bob Boniface, says that concept cars are "not a contract with the general public" and that the commercial product is a much better car. We tend to agree with him. Polarizing design can impress but lose sales. GM needs this car to succeed. So do we all.

From Concept to Production

1 The deeply inset grille and the sharp crease from the lower lamps were terrible for aerodynamics, and the recessed lamps were neither adequate for illumination nor legal.

2 Multiple hard surface-change lines on the front of the concept tended to confuse and retard oncoming air molecules. Smoothing the front end helps aerodynamically and simplifies production.

3 Saab 99-like, the tank-slit wraparound windshield was deemed likely to compete with plans for future Saab products. But GM may sell Saab anyway.

4 The sharp break from windshield to roof was likewise considered too Saab-like, and it was also aerodynamically undesirable, thus the change to uninterrupted flowing glass.

5 Big bulges for oversize - 21-inch - wheels were another drag-increasing styling element that had to go for the production car.

6 The grille shape was retained, but air flows into the engine compartment only through peripheral slots around the grille shield, which retains its diamond texture. Most air enters below the bumper.

7 Headlamps had to be bigger for adequate lighting, and wrapping them around the front end let side markers be incorporated.

8 The impossible-to-clean transparent fairings from the show car have been replaced by painted sheetmetal, which visually extends the height of the side glass.

9 These 17-inch wheels look much like the show car's 21-inch units, but in fact, they have been refined to reduce aerodynamic drag. Small details count when there's not much power available.

10 The continuous sweep of glass from windshield to roof is excellent for aerodynamic drag reduction, but it also gives the car a softer, safer appearance, desirable for a family car.

2012 Opel Corsa

The visionary who slipped an Opel Corsa onto General Motors' stand at last January's North American International Auto Show in Detroit is the individual currently strutting corporate halls with the "I told you so!" look on his face. If only Saturn's general manager, Jill Lajdziak, had mustered the courage to splash an ARRIVING THIS FALL banner over the electric-blue Corsa OPC hatchback. A fun, affordable fuel-sipper would be the perfect addition to the Opel-sired Astra, Aura, and Vue models already gracing Saturn showrooms and an excellent alternative to the Korean-built Chevy Aveo and Pontiac G3 at the gimme-mileage end of GM's product range.

Last summer, an Opel Corsa Sport served as our support vehicle during a weeklong Ferrari fest in Italy. Equipped with a 1.4-liter Twinport Ecotec four-cylinder generating 90 hp, it was no ball of fire, but this two-door hatchback felt solid and sure-footed, as you'd expect of any subcompact engineered to hum flat-out on the autobahn for hours on end. We clocked a top speed of 112 mph, recorded 24 mpg over 800 miles of hard driving, and thoroughly enjoyed the Corsa's congenial spirit.

Although most Americans consider 90 hp barely enough to power their air-conditioning, the Corsa's 1.4-liter gasoline engine is one of eight power sources ranging from a 60-hp, 1.0-liter puddle jumper to a spunky 192-hp, 1.6-liter turbo. To supplement five gasoline engines, there are three turbo-diesels ranging from 75 hp (1.3 liters) to 125 hp (1.7 liters).

Offering a hint of its future plans, GM presented a diesel/electric hybrid Corsa at the 2007 Frankfurt auto show. Combining a 1.3-liter turbo-diesel engine with a belt-driven starter/alternator increases fuel efficiency to a claimed 63 mpg. Shutting down the engine at stoplights, employing regenerative braking to convert unwanted momentum to electricity, and using the starter/alternator to boost acceleration are standard hybrid operating procedures. The only part of this concept that's not quite ready for production is the Corsa's lithium-ion battery pack.

Regrettably, GM probably won't roll Corsa-sized cars and crossovers into Saturn showrooms until the next-generation design is ready in three or so years.

2010 Audi R8 V-10

What's the difference in the V-10 engines that power the top Audi and Lamborghini's crown prince? As it turns out, not much. Both share the same basic components and architecture: a 90-degree V-angle, DOHC 4-valves per cylinder top end, mostly aluminum construction. The forged-steel crankshaft and connecting rods and forged aluminum pistons providing a 12.5:1 compression ratio are also shared by both sports cars.

According to Volkswagen AG's powertrain head Wolfgang Hatz and Audi's V-8 and V-10 chief Jurgen Jablonski, the differences are subtle and restricted to intake and exhaust details. Engine mapping-combinations of ignition timing, fuel delivery, valve timing, and operation of the muffler bypass valves-differs to give the Lamborghini engine a more urgent and aggressive personality versus the Audi's slightly steadier, more sedate characteristics. Minor differences in the shape of the intake ports and the configuration of the twin intake plenums topping each engine are also present. While exhaust headers are basically the same, the layout of the mufflers differs significantly according to the space available under each car and the auditory flavor desired by each brand.

Lamborghini chose an untamed in-your-face howl that starts early and lasts until the revs run out at 8700 rpm. Audi R8 engineers selected a deeper, less frenetic voice. Stand on the gas in the Gallardo and the V-10 overwhelms the cockpit with an Italian serenade. In the Audi, triggering the throttle hurtles you expeditiously away from a wake roiling with dust and commotion.

The stats tell the rest of the story. The Lamborghini engine tops at with 552 versus the R8's 525 horsepower at 8000 rpm. The more expensive Gallardo also tops Audi's torque with 398 lb-ft versus the R8's 391 lb-ft at 6500 rpm. While both cars are quick, R8 drivers will enjoy a clear view of a rapidly shrinking Gallardo's rear bumper when the green flag drops.

2012 Hummer H4 - Sneak Preview 2008

With gasoline surging toward $4 per gallon and massive SUVs falling massively out of favor, it would seem that GM's Hummer division would be entering the autumn of its years. But according to J. D. Power and Associates, the brand captures and retains owners better than most, so it's worth nurturing. The trick is making hugeness less of a calling card - a process that started with the demise of the H1 - but preserving extreme off-road ability. As anyone who has done any serious off-roading can attest, size is your enemy on the trail, so a smaller but still off-road-ready Hummer, perhaps like the HX concept (below), makes perfect sense. The HX gives us a good look at the upcoming H4, and if that new entry has all the off-road gear of the show car, it'll be a strong addition to the lineup. The HX sports full-time four-wheel drive (naturally) with locking front and rear differentials, 35-inch tires, a 3.6-liter direct-injected V-6, and an electronically disconnectable front antiroll bar - not to mention that unmistakable blocky styling.

HONEY, I SHRUNK THE HUMMER: And not a moment too soon, given the state of the economy. At last, proof that Hummer doesn't operate in a vacuum. Sort of.

2012 Lamborghini Estoque - A Four-Door Bull.