CHEVROLET CAPRICE PPV

CHEVROLET CAPRICE PPV

In the fall of 2009, General Motors announced their latest addition to the police vehicle market with the upcoming Chevrolet Caprice PPV (Police Patrol Vehicle). The previous edition of the Caprice targeted to law enforcement was produced between1991-1996. The updated model continues to be sold to law enforcement agencies, and it features the 6.0 L77 AFM V8 that was standard with the cars sold in 2011. Beginning in 2012, the standard 3.6 L LLT SIDI V6 engine was adopted as an optional package for law enforcement agencies who demand greater fuel efficiency from their police cruisers. Both engine models are designed to be compatible with E85 ethanol capable fuel, and the cars feature a wider wheel base than the Caprice models sold to the general American public. The PPV edition of the vehicle also features a dual engine exhaust, console floor shifter, and a touch screen for radio and HVAC controls of the vehicle.

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NEW NISSAN Qashqai £18,795

Exterior

Most SUVs, especially smaller ones, are about style above all else, and this is an area in which the Qashqai excels. The front end features crisp lines and bold details, the LED running lights and the deep, angular grille being the highlights. Things are just as fresh at the rear end, with swooping LIGHT clusters and muscular rear haunches. This is one very handsome car. Entry-level Visia cars miss out on alloy wheels, but they still look reasonably swish.

Interior

If you thought the Qashqai looked swish on the outside, you’ll be just as impressed by the interior. All the materials have a plush, high-grade feel, particularly on the main touch-points, and the design is modern and attractive.IMPORTANTLY, though, this hasn’t come at the expense of ergonomics. The various switches and buttons are logically placed and clearly marked, and the touch-screen infotainment system (standard on the top two trims) has sharp graphics and clear, logical menus. What’s more, the high driving position that SUV buyers love has plenty of adjustment, so life is very comfortable at the wheel. The limited rear visibility is the cockpit’s only real weak point.

Practicality

Even when compared with its best rivals, the Qashqai has no trouble on this score. The rear seats have plenty of headroom and legroom, making life very comfortable for four gangly adults, and five will cram in at a push. The 430-litre BOOT rivals those of the best cars in the class for capacity, and it also has some really clever features. We particularly like the two movable boards, which help give you a perfectly level load floor when the back seats are folded, and which can be slotted in vertically as well as horizontally, to stop small items sliding around. These boards are standard on all trims except entry-level Visia.

Ride and handling

On the road, the Qashqai’s focus is very much on comfort, with good bump absorption at low speeds and fantastic smoothness and stability at moderate and high speeds. Despite the Qashqai’s civilised character, the handling is also impressively neat. The body stays impressively flat in corners so you don’t get thrown around in your seat, and the car always feels grippy, stable and predictable. You can change the weight of the steering by selecting one of two modes, too. The Sport mode has an artificially heavy feel, but in Normal mode, the weighting feels just right and gives crisp responses.

Safety

All Qashqai models come with six airbags and stability control as standard, while Acenta Premium models have a few more clever safety features and Tekna models have more still. The Qashqai has also achieved the maximum five-star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests.

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2015 MCLAREN 650S SPIDER REVIE

The McLaren 650S Spider does absolutely everything well. This technological masterpiece will go from 0-62 MPH in 3 seconds flat, and a top speed of 204 MPH will have anyone in the passenger seat shrieking in delight (or maybe panic). On the road, the 650S turns and stops better than just about anything else, and no matter where you park it you’ll draw a crowd of earnest admirers

You want this car. Obviously. The only question is, do you want it bad enough to lay down one-third-of-a-million bucks for it, compared to everything else on the market

Power and performance

The 650S is the latest supercar from McLaren Automotive. The 650 stands for the car’s Pferdestärke rating (roughly equivalent to horsepower), the S is for Sport, and the McLaren means Magnificent. Like past offerings from the exotic car company, the 650S is a pure supercar where price is no object and performance is paramount

Digging right in where it counts, the 650S is powered by McLaren’s own 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, designated the M838T. The engine weighs just 438 pounds owing to its all-aluminum construction, and features a dry sump oiling system commonly found on racing cars. The engine also gets the usual array of nifty features including new development work on the heads, pistons, valve timing, and so on

Most of the engine work, but not all of it, is designed to bring more power to the car throughout the engine’s power band — which stretches all the way up to a shrieking 8,500 RPM. You get four engine/transmission modes: Normal for around-town driving, Winter for driving in poor conditions, Sport for enthusiastic driving, and Track for obvious purposes. Most of the difference in these modes comes in the transmission, which will change its shift points and behavior to match the mode 

you’ve selected

Sport mode contains a gimmicky feature that’s pure entertainment: In this mode, the engine will cut spark for a moment on full throttle upshifts. This produces a bolus of unburned fuel in the exhaust stream. That fuel is ignited when the spark comes back, creating a burst of flame out the back and a delightful pop. Sure, it’s a trick, but it’ll put a grin on your face every time

The transmission is McLaren’s own 7-speed twin-clutch Seamless Shift Gearbox (SSG). Development on this unit has made upshifts lightning fast. McLaren isn’t lying about seamless, either. Upshifts are so smooth you have to listen for them, because at anything less than wide-open throttle, you won’t really feel them

Downshifts give you a satisfying sense that someone (not you) is actually rowing down through the gears with a tight clutch. McLaren gives you a set of paddles to select your own gears, but don’t kid yourself; with the exception of knowing in advance that you want to take off like a bullet, the car shifts itself far more expertly than you can ever hope to achieve

Oh, you get launch control, too. Don’t use it at Cars & Coffee

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MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION VII

MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION VII

Seen in the second film 2 Fast 2 Furious, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII was used by Brian O’Conner for his undercover mission to take down drug lord Carter Verone. Turbo charged with all wheel drive, the Lancer easily handles corners at speeds that would cause most cars to crash, allowing O’Conner to win an audition street race set up by Verone to choose the drivers he will use for his money laundering operation. Only used for part of the movie, this is one of the few cars driven by a protagonist that remains undamaged during its time on screen. Due to the GPS monitoring system integrated into the electronics of the car, O’Conner ended up ditching the vehicle for a ride that wasn’t as easy to track.

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KIA SORENTO

KIA SORENTO

While Kia packs its cars with features at the standard level, the Sorento that best replaces the minivan includes optional equipment like a macho V6 engine and the third row seating. That brings the ability to haul kids to six or seven in number, and provides the horse power and torque to feel pretty darn good on the road. Because the ride is excellent, and it’s easy to operate, the V6 Sorento climbs to the top of the list of manly cars to replace the minivan. The third seat definitely works for kids, and the second row is roomy enough for the grandparents.

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MCLAREN P1

MCLAREN P1

When people think of electric cars, they don’t often think of speed — they usually think of them in terms of envirnoment, as of nice, silent, decent looking cars that are good enough, but not too impressive when it comes to power.  Therefore, McLaren P1 comes as a surprise. With a 903 horsepower engine, P1 is a powerful hybrid with a top speed of 217 miles per hour; if  you remove the inhibitor, it can reach speeds even higher than that. It hits 62 miles per hour in just 2.8 seconds, and 186 miles per hour in 16.5 seconds, which makes it faster than McLaren F1.

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AUDI A6

Starting price: $44,800

The Audi A6 is one of the best German cars sold in the United States today. Audi has put focus on making the A6 a more luxurious version of the A7 in recent years, but its performance is on par with the A7. One of the most technologically advanced cars on the market today, the A6 base engine is a 2.0 liter turbo-four cylinder rated at 252 horsepower, and it comes with front-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is an option to add to the A6, and there is a supercharged 3.0 liter V-6 rated at 333 horsepower, and a 3.0 liter V-6 diesel engine available for consumers to choose from when buying the car. The A6 can go from zero to 60 MPH in 5.1 seconds, and it gets respectable fuel economy at 19 MPG (city) and 28 MPG (highway) with a top overall speed of 129 MPH.

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1965 DODGE DEORA CONCEPT CAR

1965 DODGE DEORA CONCEPT CAR

The 1965 Dodge Deora was originally built for the Detroit Autoramain 1967 and is one of the oddest cars ever created. Created as a unique hot rod, the car does not have doors, and would actually become the model for one of the original Hot Wheels toy cars. One of the unique features of the auto is the manner by which the driver enters the vehicle. Instead of sliding in through the windows due to the lack of doors, the front of the car cab opens similar to a Venus flytrap. This allows the driver to seat his or herself before closing the cab of the vehicle and taking off. The vehicle is powered by a 2.8 liter, Slant-6 engine and uses a three speed transmission for shifting gears. The car is still around, and was sold in 2009 at auction for more than $225,000 USD.

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Alpine coupe

The Renault Alpine is another resurrection for Renault: the first Alpine was a rear-engined sports car with rallying heritage, while the Alpine GTA of the eighties was one of the most distinctive cars of its era, and a genuine rival to Porsches of the time. With the new Alpine, Renault is seeking to re-establish its sports-car credentials by building a mid-engined model, while the Alpine is likely to be one of the lightest cars in its class, too. This focus on weight-saving should mean the Alpine will have a relatively small engine, yet still be capable of 0-62mph in around 4.5 seconds.

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MCLAREN F1

MCLAREN F1

Once the crowned king of the road, the McLaren F1 was designed to be the ultimate road car, and in many respects it was. The McLaren F1 was produced from 1992 to 1998, a total of 106 cars were manufactured. In the 90’s the F1 was coveted by everyone who knew about it, and it adorned many walls in poster form. The top speed of the F1 was 243 mph, faster than many supercars that were built after it. The engine produced 627 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque, with the engine’s redline set at 7500 rpm. The McLaren F1 was the first car to use a complete carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) chassis structure. Aluminium and magnesium were used for attachment points for the suspension, injected directly into the CFRP. To this day this vehicle remains one of the coolest cars ever built.

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BRISTOL FIGHTER

 BRISTOL FIGHTER

Top speed: 200 MPH

The Bristol Fighter is a niche sports car produced by Bristol cars between 2004 and 2011. The car features a coupe body along with gullwing doors. The designer of the auto is Max Boxstrom who became known for his work as a Formula One engineer. The car is powered by a front-mounted V-10 engine based on the Dodge Viper model that is modified to an overall rating of 515 lb-ft of torque and 525 horsepower. The Fighter S model of the car is further upgraded to a power rating of 628 horsepower. The Fighter was built with rear-wheel drive, and consumers had the choice between a four-speed automatic and a six-speed manual transmission. The auto’s zero to 60 MPH time is 4.0 seconds, and the vehicle’s top overall speed is 210 MPH.

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JAGUAR XJ220

JAGUAR XJ220

Top Speed: 213 mph
Zero to Sixty: 3.7 seconds

The crown prince of six-cylinder cars, the Jaguar XJ220 was produced for only 2 years between 1992 and 1994. Only 275 were manufactured . Built by Jaguar with collaboration from Tom Walkinshaw Racing, the Jaguar XJ220 was at one time the fastest production car in the world; until the McLaren F1 showed up on the scene in 1993. The twin-turbo V6 engine puts out 520 horsepower, and reaches a top speed of 213 mph, with a zero to sixty time of 3.7 seconds. The transmission in the Jaguar XJ220 is a 5-speed manual, with triple-cone syncromeshing on the first and second gears to handle rapid starts, while still remaining easy to engage.

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Class of 2016: New Cars Ready to Roll

2016 LEXUS RX

2016 ACURA NSX

2016 CADILLAC CT6

2016 HONDA CIVIC CONCEPT

2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU

2016 MAZDA MX - 5 MIATA

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JAGUAR F-TYPE R

JAGUAR F-TYPE R

Price: $99,000

For more than two decades, owning a Jaguar has been synonymous with exotic cars. The company’s latest offering is the F-Type R sports car that features a supercharged, 5.0 liter, V8 engine rated at 550 horsepower with quicker acceleration than found in past models produced by the company. Starting in 2015, the F-Type R also comes in an all-wheel drive version for car enthusiasts who demand greater control of the vehicle and also includes faster acceleration. The F-Type R can go from zero to 60 in 4.0 seconds and gets respectable gas mileage for an exotic car at 16 MPG city and 23 MPG highway. Jaguar carries its standard four year or 50,000 mile basic and powertrain warranties on the auto which just looks cool to drive.

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NEW SEAT Alhambra From £25,380

Exterior

Many MPVs have a boxy appearance, and it’s no coincidence; boxy is always best when you’re looking to maximise space. The Alhambra follows this recipe unashamedly, but although its lines aren’t exactly what you’d call ‘flowing’, the looks aren’t too bland. All versions come with alloy wheels and colour-coded bumpers and DOOR handles, along with a chrome surround for the radiator grille. Go for the SE car, which most buyers will, and you also get chrome window surrounds, darkened rear windows and chrome roof rails. SE Lux and FR-Line cars, meanwhile, have a panoramic roof.

Interior

Life’s pretty sweet at the wheel of the Alhambra. You get a cracking view out in all directions – which helps you manage the car’s cumbersome size during low-speed manoeuvres – and all versions have the added security of front- and rear-parking sensors. Everything on the dashboard is logically located and really easy to use, and there’s a feeling of substance and solidity because most of the materials look and feel very nice indeed. Some of the plastics are a little hard and unappealing in places, but it all looks like it’ll last a lifetime.

Running costs

The Alhambra is significantly bigger and heavier than a lot of seven-seat MPVs, so it’s never going to be the cleanest option, but even so, it doesn’t do too bad a job. The cleanest version, the 2.0 TDI 150 Ecomotive S, returns 56.5mpg, along with CO2 emissions of 130g/km, and all versions bar the petrol will better 50mpg. Purchase prices are very competitive, especially considering the amount of space and kit you’re getting for your money, and resale values aren’t half bad, either.

Reliability

The Warranty Direct Reliability Index tells a bit of a mixed story where the Alhambra is concerned. As a manufacturer, Seat doesn’t do too badly, hovering around the mid-table mark in the brand rankings. Look at the results for the older version of the Alhambra, though, and the reliability score is about as low as it’s possible to get, with engine troubles being the biggest cause of mechanical issues. The owner reviews on our own website also report some rather nerve-wracking stories about the car’s dependability. A rather average three-year/60,000-mile warranty package is included.

Safety

We always like it when the safety kit you get in a car is the same no matter whether you have the most basic version or the range-topping version, and the Alhambra is one of those. Stability control, tyre pressure monitoring, tiredness recognition and multi-collision braking (which locks on the anchors after a shunt to prevent further collisions) are all provided, along with no less than seven airbags including a driver’s knee ‘bag and curtain ‘bags that cover all three rows of seats. 

The only thing that’s really missing is autonomous city braking, and it’s not even available as an optional extra. Nevertheless, the car has achieved the full five-star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests, even though that was back in 2010 and the tests have become considerably harder since then.

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