Chrysler expands 300 lineup for 2012 to six trim levels

Chrysler is hoping a re-engineered and expanded lineup will restore the 300's excitement and sales success.

The automaker is doubling the line for 2012 to six models -- keying on what Chrysler says is buyer lifestyles.

The 300 was re-engineered and restyled for the 2011 model year, and sales just began early this year. With the abbreviated model year, the line was limited to three trim levels: 300, 300 Limited and 300C.

The expanded line for the 2012 model year is an effort to generate buzz and attract younger buyers. The S version is designed to reach younger buyers who do not respond to the chrome and wood trim for which Chrysler is known.

Struggling sales

The 300's sales have struggled.

The car was introduced as a 2005 model and was largely unchanged though 2010. The top sales year was calendar 2005 when 144,068 units were sold. Last year 37,116 cars were sold, a 4 percent drop from the previous year. Sales plummeted 39 percent in the first quarter this year from a year earlier.

The three new trim levels for the 2012 model year:

* The 300S aims at younger, urban-centric enthusiasts wanting a mixture of sophistication and street machine.
* The 300C Executive Series is what Chrysler calls the most luxurious sedan ever offered by the brand. The car has leather seating surfaces and trim associated with Italian luxury cars, Chrysler says.
* The 300 SRT8 returns, aimed at enthusiasts wanting a high-performance sedan.

Sales of all 2012 300s begin this fall.
Chrysler 300 SRT-8

The 300 SRT8 was created by Chrysler's Street and Racing Technology engineering team. Chrysler touts the 300 SRT8 as the brand's most powerful and best handling car ever produced.

For enthusiasts, the 300 SRT8 is about performance and talking points. A top speed of 175 mph is promised. Chrysler also promises zero-to-60 mph acceleration in less than five seconds, and the quarter mile in less than 13 seconds. Zero-to-100-mph-to-zero is expected in less than 16 seconds.

Chrysler says the car will stop from 60 mph in 120 feet. The car has 14.2-inch (front) and 13.8-inch (rear) vented/slotted rotors with four-piston Brembo calipers, painted silver.

Under the hood is the automaker's new 6.4-liter Hemi V-8, producing an estimated 465 hp and 465 pounds-feet of torque. The engine has 40 more hp and 45 more pounds-feet of torque than the 6.1-liter V-8 that powered the previous generation 300 SRT8. The transmission is a five-speed automatic.

Despite the power boost, Chrysler says the car's highway fuel economy is 25 percent better than the previous generation 300 SRT8. Estimated miles per gallon will be released closer to the sales date, sometime this fall.

The 2012 300 SRT8 also gets an adaptive damping suspension system. The system uses inputs from vehicle speed, steering angle, steering speed, brake torque, throttle position and lateral and vertical accelerations to automatically adjust the suspension. The driver can choose between Auto and Sport settings that adjust shock damping for a performance or boulevard ride.

Buyers of SRT models receive a one-day driver instruction course from the Richard Petty Racing School.
Chrysler 300S
The 300S touts "Radar Red" leather.

Chrysler says the 300S provides a youthful and aggressive appearance with athletic style and sophistication.

"No chrome. No wood. Matte carbon fiber finishes, unique black or Radar Red leather, our biggest wheels, and world's first integration of Beats by Dr. Dre audio technology," Olivier Francois, Chrysler brand CEO, said in the introductory press release. "It has an attitude that comes through loud and clear."

The 300S has 20-inch polished aluminum wheels with black painted pockets, wider all-season performance tires and touring-tuned suspension.

The exterior has body-color fascia accents and mirrors, and black-accented headlamp bezels with matching sculpted horizontal grille blades in black chrome.

An 8.4-inch Uconnect touch screen display incorporates infotainment, connectivity and multimedia features.

The 300S is available with two engines. The V-6 model has Chrysler's new 292-hp 3.6-liter engine, combined with an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission.

The V-8 version uses Chrysler's 363-hp 5.7-liter Hemi linked to a five-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The V-8-equipped car adds a 160-mph LED-illuminated instrument cluster, rain-sensing windshield wipers, rear back-up camera and other equipment.
300C Executive Series
The interior of the 300C Executive Series contains real wood accents and a hand-stitched Italian leather dashboard.

The 300C Executive Series is designed to be Chrysler's most luxurious sedan ever, the automaker says.

"With hand-sanded real wood accents, hand-stitched Italian leather dash, two-tone ultra-soft nappa leather seats, uniquely polished 20-inch wheels and state-of-the-art Uconnect Touch, our flagship provides passengers with the sense of pure old-school craftsmanship combined with innovative technology," Francois said.

On the exterior, the chromed fascia, mirror and door handle accents are replaced with a platinum chrome finish. The car's front end has a platinum-chrome finished grille surround with platinum-chrome sculpted grille blades.

The 300C Executive Series has a 363-hp 5.7-liter Hemi V-8. All-wheel-drive is optional.

First Drive: Mosler Photon

Hovering one notch above Lamborghini and Ferrari on the automotive specialness chart is a gaggle of companies whose exotic names could just as easily be typos. Koenigsegg. Pagani. Gumpert. Spyker. Donkervoort. They come from faraway places like Sweden, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands and produce all-conquering, supercar-slaying hyperexotics that generate far more horsepower, carbon dioxide, and attention than they do sales.

Concerned with show as much as they are with go, hyperexotics are a braggart's dream come true, and they act as high-octane patriotic fuel for their country of origin. So who's representing the good ol' U.S. of A.? Well, there's SSC, which likely infuriated half of Germany and France when its Ultimate Aero proved even faster than the world-champ Bugatti Veyron. And then there's Mosler -- the other American supercar company without a crazy, unpronounceable name. If you don't recognize the Mosler moniker, it might be because some of their past products weren't exactly sexy. The Consulier was a visual train wreck, and the twin-engine, long-wheelbase Cadillac Eldorado, as cool as it was, was also pretty. Pretty flippin' ugly, that is.

When you hear the name Mosler, you should instead immediately think of the MT900S, the supercar that the company began selling here at the end of 2006. The MT900S is indeed quite nice to look at, but this car's ace in the hole lies hidden on a spreadsheet. Buried in the specifications for the track-focused but street-legal variant of the MT900S, the Photon, is one astonishing measurement: its curb weight is a scant 2394 pounds. This is a car as long as a Toyota Camry and as wide as a 4Runner, but it weighs about 50 pounds less than a Mazda Miata -- and that's despite having a 7.0-liter V-8 engine.

While mainstream exoticar makers (now there's an oxymoron!) like Lamborghini are just now starting to get serious about lightweight construction methods, Mosler has been quietly building featherweight monsters crafted from carbon fiber and Kevlar for years. This kind of cutting-edge engineering isn't what you'd normally expect from a tiny, low-volume manufacturer from Florida, but it's the result of founder Warren Mosler's clear mission: to build amazing cars, not to sell them. Mosler doesn't seem to care if people buy his cars. "I want to do something great because I can," he says. "If we sell some, great. There will be some happy owners." And during a recent visit to Palm Beach International Raceway, Mosler Automotive made sure there was at least one happy journalist.

Director of engineering J. Todd Wagner surprised us by showing up and handing over the keys to a $394,500 Photon. At the time, we knew basically nothing about the car. As we were strapping ourselves in, every eye in the paddock was on the orange thing with the exhaust note so violent it could set off air-raid alarms. Wagner yelled over the exhaust, rattling off a ludicrous horsepower number (550), that ridiculous curb weight, and explaining that the Photon -- which has a custom Hewland sequential-manual racing gearbox -- uses a flywheel with about as much rotational inertia as a spinning, dying housefly. It'll stall if you look at it sideways. No pressure.

Having never once been around PBIR's track, and not even knowing if the Photon had antilock brakes (it doesn't, we would learn), we begged for a pace car. When a volunteer stepped forward, he hopped into his track-prepped Porsche 911 GT3 on slicks. When we were told that he was the local Porsche club's fastest instructor, we asked him to take it easy.

He didn't bother -- and we're glad he didn't. The Mosler's vast, curved windshield provided a first-class, front-row view of the rear-engine Porsche scrambling its way around corners, oversteering, understeering, and countersteering. The Photon followed along happily, nowhere near its limits, with a big-block scream from the General Motors LS7 easily drowning out the 911's flat-six wail -- but only for a second at a time. Any longer wide-open-throttle blasts and the Porsche would have had a whole car shoved up its engine-filled arse. In steady-state corners, the Photon might understeer and its steering might not transmit much information about what the front tires are doing, but at the g-forces it generates, your author's spinal cord wasn't transmitting much useful information, either.

We had time for only a few laps, but the Photon's speed, cornering, and composure is dramatic. The Photon is clearly more than a big engine strapped into a light car -- indeed, a decade-long relationship with Siemens has given Mosler access to supercomputers for seriously advanced engineering. Mosler has just announced a new partnership with Santa Fe Digital Media that will allow it to perform computational fluid dynamics and structural engineering on an ORCA supercomputer capable of five petaflops. That's computer-geek-speak for five quadrillion calculations per second -- or the computing power of something like a billion and a half iPhone 4s.

"Just wait until you see the 2012 Raptor," says a giddy Wagner. "It's going to blow your mind. It gets a massive injection of sex appeal -- in fact, I designed the nose after the face of the most beautiful, exotic woman I've ever seen. The powerplant adds another level of exotic to the surface, featuring twin Garrett turbos as an integral part of the exterior design. With 100 more horses and weighing 500 pounds less [than the Photon], the Raptor is going to whip the Pagani Huayra. And with the turbos just inches from the atmosphere, it sounds like you're driving a fighter jet."

And here we were, not even done being excited about the Photon yet. Stay tuned.

The Specs
ON SALE: Now
PRICE: $394,500
ENGINE: 7.0-liter V-8, 550 hp, 515 lb-ft
DRIVE: Rear-wheel

What (and who) is Mosler?

You know the adage about joining them if you can't beat them? In Warren Mosler's case, his defeated -- and disgruntled -- rivals got together to ban him instead.

Mosler got started in racing with his Consulier GTP. In 1991, after successes in SCCA club racing, Mosler moved up to the professional ranks. In the inaugural race of the IMSA Supercar series, Consuliers finished first and fourth. But IMSA didn't want to see such a weirdly angular (read: incredibly ugly) car embarrassing exotic Porsche 911 Turbos and Lotus Esprits, and weight penalties eventually rendered the car uncompetitive.

A radically reworked Consulier called the Intruder won the One Lap of America in 1996, and a rebodied version dubbed the Raptor prevailed in 1997 before being "absent by popular demand," in the felicitous phrasing of Car and Driver's Tony Swan, the following year. After a Raptor won again in 1999, it was "disinvited"-car scribe Dan Neil's description-by race organizer Brock Yates. Starting to see a trend here?

The lightning-quick carbon-fiber MT900R qualified on the class pole for the 24 Hours of Daytona three consecutive years and scored a GTS win in 2003. The reward for this achievement? The car was essentially banned by Grand-Am, and it no longer races in the United States. But the MT900R and the MT900GT3 continue to win GT races and championships in Europe, Asia, and Australia. Ironically, the chassis of these all-American cars are assembled at Rollcentre Racing in England. At last report, no fewer than twenty-five cars were being campaigned worldwide.


-- Preston Lerner

2011 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Executive

I drove some 565 miles over an early-April weekend, about 200 miles of which was on two-lane, northern Michigan roads; the rest was mostly freeway. My average fuel economy was 26 mpg, as indicated by the trip computer, so if I had been driving solely on the freeway and kept my speed in check, I suspect I could have achieved the 28-mpg EPA highway figure. I was going 78-80 mph on the freeway and I've been told by automotive engineers that SUVs and crossovers suffer a dramatic loss in fuel efficiency above 70 mph.

This is the second weekend I've spent in the new-generation Volkswagen Touareg with an alternative-fuel engine; over the Christmas holidays I had a Touareg Hybrid. Both the hybrid and TDI powertrains are quite innocuous for normal driving, by which I mean you won't miss your conventional gasoline-powered internal-combustion engine. As for the TDI (which stands for turbocharged direct-injection diesel), my brother Greg, a longtime VW mechanic, was astounded that the vehicle he was riding in was powered by a diesel engine, because it is so quiet. Other random people I encountered over the weekend were also amazed to learn that this Touareg's powertrain was a diesel. It goes to show that the general American public still doesn't have a clue as to how good modern diesels can be.

Anyway, I had the opportunity to drive on some pretty good roads, with lots of different surfaces and some dipping, curvy sections through the northern Michigan woods, which were just emerging from winter. The Touareg handled it all quite well, demonstrating accurate steering, a compliant but not too soft ride, very good body control, and excellent on-road comfort. Greg, who is quite tall, sat in the back seat and had plenty of legroom; my 88-year-old mother was very comfortable in the front passenger's seat, and her ingress/egress maneuverings were much less tortured than they have been in many other SUVs I've driven her in.

The Touareg offers excellent visibility, with a big, broad windshield, and you don't feel like there are yards of dash spreading out in front of you; the A-pillars are a reasonable size, unlike those of many other crossovers. The optional panoramic glass roof brings lots of light into the rear-seat area.

The challenge in considering the diesel Touareg is that it is a mid-size luxury SUV with a mid-size luxury-SUV price but without a luxury badge. If you can get over that and can become accustomed to the idea of a $58,000 Volkswagen, you most likely will love it. If you squint, you might think you're in an Audi, anyway; that's how nice the interior is. I particularly like our test example, which is a medium brown exterior over a tan and brown interior, mostly tan with a brown dash and brown uppers on the interior door panels, all accented with wood trim. The stereo is superb, the steering wheel and gauge cluster are handsome and upscale looking, and my Blackberry synched very easily with the Bluetooth. All in all, I can easily recommend this vehicle to anyone who can afford it.

I was going to comment on the price of the Touareg and the fact that it's encroaching on Audi Q7 territory, but after driving a BMW 535xi that costs almost $10,000 more, this VW suddenly seems like a relative bargain. Admittedly, there's probably not a lot of (if any) cross shopping between a 535xi and a Touareg, but both vehicles have all-wheel drive and a turbocharged six-cylinder engine mated to an eight-speed transmission. And they return very similar fuel economy (19/29/23 for the BMW, 19/28/22 for the VW) despite the fact that the Touareg outweighs the BMW by almost half a ton. Plus, the Touareg can tow up to 7700 pounds. Credit goes to VW's TDI diesel V-6. If any engine could make Americans forget about the rattly, underpowered, unreliable diesels of the early '80s, this is it. In fact, if you put someone behind the wheel of this Touareg and didn't tell them that it was diesel-powered, I'd wager they'd never realize it until they saw the label on the inside of the fuel filler door.

Inside, materials and the way they're put together are first-rate. The large navigation screen is easy to read, and I like large, legible buttons located just below the screen for each of the functions: radio, media, phone, climate, nav, car, setup, etc. No need to fiddle with a dial, like with BMW's iDrive or Audi's MMI. Last but not least, when I got in the Touareg, the readout between the tach and the speedo said that the range was 710 miles. Surely that's not possible, I thought. But then I looked up the capacity of the fuel tank (26.4 gallons) and multiplied it by the vehicle's highway EPA mileage rating (28 mpg) and came up with 739.2 miles. Even at its city rating (19 mpg), the Touareg could travel 500 miles on a tank of fuel. Very impressive - even when you consider that, at today's prices, it'll cost you close to $100 per fillup.

This redesigned Volkswagen Touareg is so much smaller than the previous generation that I had to look twice at the model name on the key chain to make sure that I wasn't getting into VW's smaller sport-ute, the Tiguan. Not surprisingly, it felt smaller and more nimble from behind the wheel, too, despite only a minor reduction in overall weight. But while downsizing was good for vehicle dynamics, it might seem a bit counterintuitive in terms of vehicle sales as the Touareg's passenger and cargo volume is within 10 cubic feet of the much more affordable Tiguan. The advantage of stepping up to the more expensive Touareg though, was evident once I stepped on the throttle. While the Tiguan only has one available engine, the Touareg offers a roster of three powertrains, the most notable player being the responsive turbo-diesel in this example. It's completely unobtrusive and gives the Touareg a significant bump in fuel economy -- it's actually rated at 28 mpg highway, 4 mpg better than the Touareg Hybrid. It's 400+ lb-ft of torque would also be a boon to those who plan to tow a trailer.

Jennifer Misaros, Managing Editor, Digital Platforms

The Touareg feels like a collection of everything this company does well: high-quality interior, superb diesel power train, premium German driving dynamics. Like Jennifer, I could have sworn I was driving the smaller Tiguan with how nimble and responsive the Touareg feels. It helps that the diesel, paired with the eight-speed automatic, always feels like it's in its ideal rev-range when you step on the gas pedal. Some might argue that a sumptuous $60,000 SUV has little place in VW's American lineup, but I'd counter that it's a perfect counterbalance to the brand's push down market.

2011 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Executive

Base price (with destination): $58,320
Price as tested: $58,320

Standard Equipment:
Side curtain protection head impact airbags
Electronic stability control
Climatronic dual-zone automatic climate control
12-way power & heated front seats w/ driver memory
40/20/40 split folding rear seat, heatable on outside positions
Wood interior trim
Multi-function steering wheel, heated
Height adjustable, telescoping steering column
Cruise control
Rearview camera and park distance control
Homelink
RNS 850 touchscreen radio navigation system w/ single CD player
Media device interface w/ iPod cable
Sirius satellite radio w/ limited-time complimentary subscription
Bluetooth mobile telephone connectivity
Power windows w/ auto up/down and pinch protection
Rear side & tailgate privacy glass
Power liftgate
Power adjustable heated exterior mirrors w/ memory
Bi-Xenon headlights w/ AFS & LED daytime running lights
Automatic headlights w/ coming & leaving feature
Rain-sensing, variable intermittent front windshield wipers
Variable intermittent rear wiper
Trailer hitch preparation
115V power outlet & four, 12-volt power outlets
Panoramic sunroof w/ power tilt/sliding
DYNAUDIO premium sound system
Keyless access w/ push-button start

Options on this vehicle:
Toffee brown metallic exterior - No charge
Cornsilk beige interior - No charge
8-speed automatic transmission - No charge

Key options not on vehicle:
Trailer hitch -- $500
V6 TDI clean diesel luxury package -- $3850

Fuel economy:
(city/hwy/combined)
19 / 28 / 22 mpg

Engine:
Size: 3.0L turbocharged diesel V-6
Horsepower: 255 hp @ 3500-4000 rpm
Torque: 406 lb-ft @ 1750-2250 rpm

Drive:
Four-wheel

Transmission:
8-speed automatic

Curb weight: 5186 lb

Wheels/tires: 20-inch alloy wheels
275/45 R20 all-season tires

Competitors: Mercedes-Benz ML350 Bluetec, Lexus RX450 hybrid, BMW X5 xDrive 35d

First Look: 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0

 

Apparently not satisfied with five, ten, 15, or even 20 variants of the 911, Porsche has launched yet another version of its vaunted sports car. The 2011 911 GT3 RS 4.0 is a halo performance machine limited to just 600 units worldwide. It is a step up from the 911 GT3 RS and was inspired by the 911 GT3 RSR race car.

Porsche set the stage for the RS 4.0 as nothing less than an all-out performance machine, noting that it packs the largest displacement engine ever to come in a factory-baked 911. As the name suggests, that engine is a 4.0-liter version of Porsche's flat-six, equipped with forged pistons, titanium connecting rods, and the same crankshaft as found in the GT3 RSR racer. The result is a solid 500 horsepower at 8250 rpm (and an eyebrow-raising 125 horses per liter), with 339 pound-feet of torque available at 5750 rpm and a power-to-weight ratio of 5.99 lbs/hp.

The car is, natürlich, fitted only with a six-speed manual transmission, which has gear ratios specifically designed for track work. Porsche says the car can hit 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and 124 mph in 12.0 seconds, with a maximum velocity of 193 mph. Of course, those are the exact same benchmarks as Porsche specifies for the standard GT3 RS, which offers 450 horsepower from its 3.8-liter flat-six. That means the 4.0's quoted times may be on the conservative side, but we'll have to wait until we're offered some track time with a RS 4.0 to know for certain.

Straight-line blasts aside, the car should be just as competent on the track as its GT3 RS progenitor. Porsche says the RS 4.0 reportedly lapped Germany's famed Nürburgring in 7:27, a time that will no doubt light up Internet forums for the next six months (look out, Nissan GT-R). The rapid time was facilitated in part by a low curb weight of 2998 pounds, 22 fewer than the GT3 RS. Dietary measures include carbon-fiber front fenders and front trunk lid, lighter carpeting, and carbon-fiber bucket seats. The large rear wing and front "dive plane" aerodynamic add-ons keep the car stuck to the road at speed, conspiring for a claimed 426 pounds of downforce at 193 mph.

With flared fenders to accommodate the wide rear track, a massive rear wing, and gray racing stripes, the RS 4.0 has a commanding stance. It comes only in Carrera White paint, with red and gray accents and white center-locking wheels. The aggressive wide-body appearance and big rear wing are deliberately reminiscent of the GT3 RSR race car. As in the regular GT3 RS, a roll cage is standard, and a blend of Alcantara and leather helps spruce up the stripped-down interior.

The performance figures and visual amplitude are sure to make the 911 GT3 RS 4.0 one of the most desirable factory-issued Porsches in years. With just 600 to be divided among Porschephiles worldwide, you'd better hurry if you want to order an RS 4.0. It goes on sale later this year in the U.S. for a cool $185,950, including destination.

2011 Dodge Durango Citadel

The Dodge Durango slipped under the waves during Chrysler's bout with bankruptcy, tossed overboard as the mother ship took on water. Now the floodwaters of financial duress have receded, and Chrysler has brought back the Durango. Formerly a pickup-truck-based, body-on-frame SUV, the new version is based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee architecture, which means it has the unibody construction of a crossover vehicle.

Who you callin' a crossover?
Despite being a technically a crossover vehicle, the Durango does a convincing approximation of a traditional full-size SUV. First of all, it's big. At 119.8 inches, its wheelbase is within an inch of a Ford Expedition's; the overall length of 199.8 inches is half a foot less than an Expedition's but is a couple inches more than a Ford Explorer.

Second, it can be had with a V-8 engine, Chrysler's venerable Hemi -- although the company's new Pentastar 3.6-liter V-6 is standard.

Third, it offers a choice of rear-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive rather than front-wheel drive/4-wheel drive. That, combined with the available V-8, helps give it the muscle to tow like an old-school SUV. The maximum tow rating is 7400 lbs (6200 lbs with the V-6).

Fourth, the Durango sits up pretty high, which makes step-in a bit of an issue for little kids or short adults. It also means you have to hoist luggage up to heave it into the cargo hold.

What's within
As a big SUV, the Durango has a lot of room inside, including sufficient space for adults its third-row seat, which is standard on all but the Heat model. Getting back there is a bit of a climb (that step-in height again) but there is sufficient room for adults up to six feet. Space in the second row is expansive and the second-row seats recline. Unfortunately, like many three-row crossovers, there isn't much cargo space with the third-row seats in place -- but they do flop down easily to create a flat load floor, their headrests automatically tucking in on the way down.

We've been saying it a lot about the post-bankruptcy Chrysler products, but that's because it's true: This interior is a night-and-day improvement over the cut-priced shlock the company served up previously. There are padded surfaces everywhere and precious little hard plastic. Electroluminescent gauges, bits of chrome trim, and blue mood lighting liven up the space, which is simply and tastefully laid out. Only Chrysler's UConnect nav-screen interface could use an update. It has lots of functionality -- my latest discovery: you can program favorite artists and it will alert you when one of their songs is playing anywhere on the satellite radio spectrum -- but the hard buttons and the menu logic could be improved.

Welcome redesign
Outside, the styling of the new Durango also owes nothing to its predecessor, and is better off for it. Instead, the exterior carries a hint of the Charger with its leaning-forward nose and connected taillights. Thick pillars -- as common in today's cars as thick waists are on today's drivers -- hinder visibility somewhat, but this top-spec Citadel model has a back-up camera, a blind-spot warning system, and rear cross-path detection to help cope. (The latter two items are exclusive to the top two trim levels, while a backup camera is available on all Durangos.)

Six is enough
My test example was equipped with the V-6 engine and rear-wheel drive, the most economical powertrain. The EPA says to expect 16/23 mpg from that combo. On a dead-flat 80-mile highway cruise up I-75, taken at about 75 mph, low and behold, I got an indicated 23 mpg. With a similar return trip and lots of suburban slogging in between, my average over five days was 20 mpg -- not bad at all for such a big boy. It might have done even better if Chrysler offered an automatic transmission that had more than five forward speeds. As it is, the V-6, with 290 hp and 260 pound-feet of torque, has muscle enough to move the Durango's considerable heft, but it doesn't exactly sound inspiring doing so. The low rumble of Chrysler's Hemi would be a vast improvement, but it's probably not worth the considerable fuel economy penalty -- the V-8 quaffs regular at a rate of 14/20 mpg (RWD) or 13/20 mpg (4WD).

There were precious few curves or bumps on my path, so I won't pretend to pronounce on the Durango's ride and handling. I will say, however, that I was impressed with the steering, which is perfectly weighted and was happy to discover that maneuverability isn't too horrible for such a big machine.

A player in the big leagues
With its available V-8 and big-truck look, this modern-day family wagon has a bit more testosterone than most three-row crossovers. Looked at against a different competitive set, it makes a somewhat more reasonable alternative to truly obese old-school SUVs like the Ford Expedition, Nissan Armada, Toyota Sequoia, and Chevy Tahoe/Suburban, with only the Suburban and the Expedition L offering meaningful additional capability.

We didn't feel too sad when the old Durango went away, but as it turns out, this new Durango was worth resurrecting after all.

2011 Dodge Durango Citadel

Base price: $42,100
Price as tested: $42,100

Standard equipment:
Third-row seats
Power windows/locks/mirrors
Stability control with trailer sway control
Three-zone air-conditioning
Power sunroof
Power liftgate
Remote start
Keyless entry/ignition
HID headlamps with automatic high beams
Power tilt/telescoping steering column
8-way power driver and passenger seats
Nappa leather seating
Heated + cooled front seats
Heated second-row seats
Heated steering wheel
Navigation system
Sirius satellite radio
Bluetooth connectivity
Backup camera
Blind-spot warning system
Rear cross-path detection system
20-inch chrome wheels
Adaptive cruise control with forward collision warning

Options on this vehicle: None

Key options not on vehicle:
5.7-liter V-8 engine
Four-wheel-drive
Rear-seat DVD player w/satellite TV
Trailer tow package

Fuel economy: 16/23/19 mpg (city/highway/combined)

Engine:
3.6L V-6
Horsepower: 290 hp @ 6400 rpm
Torque: 260 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm

Drive:
Rear-wheel

Transmission:
5-speed automatic

Curb weight: 4905 lbs

Wheels/tires:
20 x 8 in wheels
Goodyear Fortera HL 265/50 R20 tires

Competitors: Chevy Traverse, Chevy Tahoe, Ford Explorer, Ford Expedition, Honda Pilot, Nissan Armada, Toyota Sequoia

First Drive: 2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet

The conference room at Santa Monica's Fairmont Miramar Hotel is filled with bewildered journalists. Nissan's marketers and product planners have brought us here to explain the Murano CrossCabriolet, but it's not working. They point to the screen and slowly repeat the words "no compromise" over and over, but it's like sitting through an advanced calculus class taught by Charlie Brown's teacher. Waw-WAW-waw-waw. Yes, ma'am, we're paying attention, but we just don't understand you.

Then, on the thirty-first slide of Nissan's interminable PowerPoint presentation, we're given a pop quiz. Oh, great. Next to each of the four questions is a grouping of photographs -- a happy family at the beach, couples enjoying their country club, two people skiing, and tall buildings doing whatever it is that buildings do. The bizarro Murano is nowhere to be seen, but the questions ask whether the world's first convertible crossover fits into each scenario. Clearly the teacher isn't paying attention, since the answer key is right on the screen (it says YES! in bright red letters). We run outside and jump into the CrossCabriolet anyway, lest we miss an opportunity to come up with our own answers to Nissan's questions...

QUESTION 1: When the beautiful weather beckons your attention, can the Murano CrossCabriolet offer the perfect response?

It's the middle of winter, but the sun is shining and it's eighteen glorious degrees above freezing in Los Angeles: consider the weather beautiful and beckoning vociferously. Nissan's three photos for this question were all taken at the beach, so we head out in search of sand, sun, and maybe some surfing.

Problem is, there's no roof rack, so bringing a surfboard is out of the question. Ditto a large beach umbrella. Still, the CrossCabriolet's trunk is almost big enough for a sizable cooler -- but almost doesn't count. The cooler instead goes into the back seat, which might be a problem for the happy family of four in the photo but isn't for us. Since it's 8 a.m. on a Friday, we're going to the beach alone.

Putting the top down (a process that's fully automatic but requires that the car be completely stopped) deactivates the navigation system's excellent voice-recognition system. The LCD touch screen is virtually invisible in the morning sunlight's glare, so it can't help us find the beach. Typing an address wouldn't have worked, anyway, since Nissan's heavy-handed lawyers have locked out all useful functions while the vehicle is in motion. Pulling over to enter an address, we take solace in the knowledge that, if we get rear-ended while sitting on the side of an interstate under a shady overpass, the Murano CC can choose to deploy its front, side, or side curtain air bags, and maybe even the two pyrotechnic pop-up roll bars in the rear headrests.

Once under way again, we're fairly cozy, because the CrossCabriolet has heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. Sadly, they become warm only momentarily and then inexplicably stop producing heat. On top of that, since there's no available wind blocker, there's a big breeze coming from the back, even at L.A.'s grindingly slow rush-hour speeds.

Still, like all convertibles, the Murano CC captures the magic of open-air motoring, and arriving at the beach with the top down is a quick reminder that life is good. So, yes, when the weather beckons, this Murano offers a response. It says you can't bring your friends if they're thirsty, because the cooler won't fit in the trunk. And you can't surf. That's a response all right, but it's not the one we were hoping for.

QUESTION 2: Can you take a weekend getaway to the mountains with confidence?

Even though the sun is shining and we're on the beach, there's a winter storm warning in effect -- the perfect time to load up the skis and head to the mountains. This is the quintessential SUV scenario, the one that every marketer has dreamed of -- and the CrossCabriolet should be able to perform this task with ease. After all, it's a crossover (that's where the "cross" in its name comes from), and it has standard four-wheel drive and a powerful V-6.

On the highway slog out of L.A., the CrossCabriolet rides great, its cloth roof insulates the cabin from wind noise, and its continuously variable transmission keeps the engine speed remarkably low. The Bose stereo sounds great, except when you've tuned to FM radio, which sounds like AM. Time to hook up the iPod.

Driving the CrossCabriolet is not significantly different from driving a regular Murano, except when there are other cars around. Our sincerest apologies to the Honda Civic we nearly lane-changed into (the Murano's frameless doors have 46-inch-high upper sills). Oh, and also to the BMW we accidentally brake-checked. You see, the rear window presents itself in duplicate, with two tiny openings that allow the top to fold into five smaller sections. Unfortunately, neither opening allows you to see the cars behind you -- the upper window is positioned for stargazing, the lower for bird watching.

The curvy mountain roads prove no challenge for this Murano, which carves corners just fine on its twenty-inch wheels. In losing its roof, the CC has gained only 229 pounds over a four-door Murano, and with an additional 5 hp and 8 lb-ft of torque, acceleration feels similar. Off the line, that's not a good thing, since the CVT's shortest ratio is more like a second gear. Starting out on a hill as we ascend past 5000 feet, the Murano performs a spectacularly unimpressive eleven-second run to 30 mph and can't pull away from our leadfooted photographer racing us in a four-cylinder Nissan Rogue.

We make it to the ski resort without any problems, and we even return to the city before the roads become too treacherous. However, we don't go skiing -- that would have required skis. The Murano's rear seats don't fold down and there's no pass-through, so our only choice would have been to lower the roof and put the skis upright in back, an impractical solution, at best. Yes, you can take a Murano CC to a mountain ski resort with confidence. Just not with skis.

QUESTION 3: Is the Murano CrossCabriolet ideal for everyday use?

If there's one thing that we appreciate in an everyday car, it's a solid, rattle-free interior -- and that's even more important in a convertible, whose structure is inherently weakened because it lacks a roof. With more cowl shake than a Ke$ha video, the Murano CrossCabriolet features a stunning lack of structural rigidity, the likes of which we haven't seen in years.

We would have gladly forgiven an additional couple hundred pounds of weight gain from the CC if it came in the form of more structural reinforcements. At least the Murano's wiggly interior looks great, with soft, diagonally stitched ivory leather, matte aluminum trim, and glossy, blond wood. It seats only four -- one fewer than the Murano crossover -- and because it's a two-door, back-seat riders can't get in without first unsnapping the fabric ties that keep the front seatbelts within reach of the front passengers.

Once you're seated in the rear, there's more than enough space, despite losing 3.6 inches of legroom, 8.0 inches of hip room, and 7.0 inches of shoulder room versus the regular Murano. The four-door's optional headrest LCD screens aren't available, but for entertainment purposes and an added dose of danger, the left-rear passenger can play with the driver's seat controls, which are located right on top of the seatback. They don't deactivate while the vehicle is moving, apparently because the lawyers were too busy neutering the navigation system and disabling the roof to notice.

Answer: Yes, you could live with it every day, but the Murano CC's cabin is far shakier -- and no more usable -- than any other two-door's.

QUESTION 4: Are you free to enjoy a day out at the country club with room for friends and gear?

The quick answer is no, but rounding up some friends for happy hour and dinner seems like an appropriate substitution. Nissan says that the CrossCabriolet "resonates across gender lines." Kind of like Adam Lambert does? OK, sure! Destination: West Hollywood, a place that's accepting of screaming deviations in traditional gender roles and whose residents may be less apt to make fun of this particular Murano's disco-stick blue metallic pearl paint.

Go-go-gadget Gaga! We crank the tunes and feel like we're in a hot music video cruising down Santa Monica Boulevard. All eyes are fixed on the Murano as we pull into a tight parking spot -- or, rather, try to pull into it. The CrossCabriolet's gargantuan turning radius means we'll need a couple of passes. Then we realize that we need to abort the mission completely when the 53-inch doors prove to be far too long to open without smacking the cars next to us.

We again extend apologies, this time to the Corvette we nearly backed over. The driver, a fashionable man wearing a skintight designer muscle shirt, looked the Murano up and down and then referred to us as a bunch of "big Nancy bottoms." To avoid such abuse, we recommend driving a Murano CC in a slightly more masculine color -- you should probably skip the flaming flamingo pink mica that Nissan offers. Either way, the parking-lot near miss wasn't really our fault. The CC's rear deck is taller than a Vette's roof -- even with the top down, you can't actually see cars behind you, and the backup camera washes out in daylight.

Flustered, we finally find a spot on a side street, push the heavy doors open wide enough to get out, walk over to the meter, and see that it, too, disapproves of the Murano -- the display is flashing FAIL.

It's hard to enjoy your day out when neither the parking meters nor the other parkers are nice to you. In fairness, during the course of the day, many people did stop to take pictures of the CrossCabriolet. One fascinatingly farsighted lady thought it was the prettiest car she'd ever seen. Perhaps the distortion in her half-inch-thick eyeglass lenses performed visual orthodontistry on the CrossCabriolet's underbite front end. Or maybe, like so many other people who stopped to talk to us, she thought it was just a concept car.

As a concept car, there's something cool about the Murano CrossCabriolet -- and we admire Nissan for taking the risk in making it. But when reality hits, it isn't the no-compromise convertible that we were promised -- it's the all-compromise crossover. If you love the way it looks, good for you -- buy one. But don't expect it to be much more useful than any other convertible, and the CrossCabriolet is certainly no substitute for a conventional crossover. If anyone tries to tell you otherwise, put your hands over your ears and say, "waw-WAW-waw-waw." AM

Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet
Price $47,190/$47,690 (base/as tested)

Powertrain
Engine 24-valve dohc v-6
Displacement 3.5 liters (213 cu in)
Horsepower 265 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque 248 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
Transmission Continuously variable
Drive 4-wheel

Chassis
Steering Hydraulically assisted
Suspension, front Strut-type, coil springs
Suspension, rear Multilink, coil springs
Brakes Vented discs, abs
Tires Toyo Proxes a20
Tire size 235/55tr-20

Measurements
L x W x H 190.1 x 74.5 x 66.2 in
Wheelbase 111.2 in
Track F/R 63.4/63.4 in
Weight 4438 lb
EPA mileage 17/22 mpg

At the Geneva auto show, we talked to Nissan chief creative officer Shiro Nakamura about the Murano CC. It wasn't his baby, that's for sure.

Where did the idea for a convertible crossover come from?
[CEO] Carlos Ghosn was the instigator. He came up with the idea three years ago. The sketches were promising, so we went ahead with it. Murano is an upmarket product, and with this version we were targeting affluent, aged customers.

How much of the car is new?
Pretty much everything behind the firewall had to be done over. Murano is a four-door, of course, so all the bodywork is new, and we had to make the structure stiffer. The top is automatic, so it's practical, and the great advantage over all other convertibles is in rear seating space. -- Robert Cumberford

REVIEWS 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4x4

Jeep engineers and designers paid attention to the details with the 2011 Grand Cherokee, and we've come to appreciate them now that we've spent so much time with our Four Seasons test vehicle. All of the Grand Cherokee's new luxury touches elevate the Jeep flagship from its former status as a commodity crossover to a vehicle that can mix with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz M-Class, the Lexus RX350, and the Land Rover LR4. We're talking about amenities like automatic high-beam headlights, and heated and cooled front seats, and a remote start system that turns on the heated seats and steering wheel and rear defroster when the temperature is close to the freezing point. Great stuff.

The Jeep folks were also smart enough not to ditch features from the old Grand Cherokee that still worked, like the steering wheel-mounted audio controls. "Jeep has had these back-of-the-steering wheel buttons forever, and they're great once you've memorized what they do," says senior editor Joe Lorio. "The left rocker is for volume, the right rocker is for seeking. It's that simple, and they fall right to hand, positioned at nine and three."

As much as the Grand Cherokee has evolved into a serious luxury vehicle, it still has its rough-road chops. Our Grand Cherokee Overland is equipped with Jeep's Quadra-Trac II four-wheel-drive system, which features a two-speed transfer case and five off-road modes. We've also got an adjustable air suspension and a full set of underbody skid plates. It's all easy to control via clearly marked dials and buttons in the center console, something copy editor Rusty Blackwell appreciated when he encountered flooded roads in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area during the NCAA men's ice hockey Frozen Four in April.

Finding his way around the MSP metroplex proved to be a frustrating endeavor for Blackwell, though, as he found the outdated navigation system to be too slow to refresh and hard to decipher: "The cartoonish car icon is dozens of miles long when you zoom out," he complained. However, assistant editor David Zenlea counters all of our kvetching with a very astute point: "It offers a big security advantage over a store-bought Garmin -- this one is impossible to lose and much harder to steal." Thank you, Zenlea, for bringing us back down to earth and reminding us that the navigation interface is only one minor problem in an otherwise impressive vehicle.

Associate editor Eric Tingwall aptly sums up our feelings so far -- "If you can forgive the sluggish five-speed transmission, the Grand Cherokee nails the fundamentals. The chassis and development teams have done a great job, with great ride, admirable handling, and fabulously weighted steering. They really sweated the small stuff."

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4x4

Base price (with dest.): $42,690
Price as tested: $45,805

Overview
Body Style: SUV
Accommodation: 5-passenger
Construction: uni-body

Powertrain
Engine: VVT Pentastar V-6
Displacement: 3.6 liters
Power: 290 hp @ 6400 rpm
Torque: 260 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm
Transmission: 5-speed automatic
Drive: Four-wheel
Fuel economy: 16 / 22 / 18 mpg (city/hwy/combined)

Chassis
Steering: Electronically-assisted power steering
Turning Circle: 36.7 ft
Suspension, Front: MacPherson strut/ coil spring
Suspension, Rear: Multi-link/ coil spring
Brakes F/R: Power-assisted ventilated disc/disc; ABS
Wheels: 18 x 8.0-inch polished aluminum
Tires: Michelin Latitude Tour
Tire Size: 265/60R18 109T

Measurements
Headroom F/R: 39.9 / 39.2 in
Legroom F/R: 40.3 / 38.6 in
Shoulder Room F/R: 58.7 / 58.0 in
Wheelbase: 114.8 in
Track F/R: 63.9 / 64.1 in
L x W x H: 189.8 x 84.8 x 69.3 in
Cargo Capacity: 36.3 / 68.3 cu ft (rear seats folded)
Weight: 4850 lb
Fuel Capacity: 24.6 gal
Est. Range: 440 miles
Fuel Grade: 87 octane

Standard Equipment
3.6-liter V-6 engine
5-speed automatic transmission
Quadra-Trac II 4WD system
Hill descent control
Electronic stability control
Selec-Terrain system
Quadra-Lift air suspension
ParkView rear backup camera
ParkSense rear park assist system
Trailer tow group
Keyless enter-n-go
Hill start assist
Trailer swap damping
Remote start system
Rain-sensing windshield wipers
Heated front and rear seats
Vented front seats
8-way power front seats
60/40 rear split/fold seats
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Uconnect hands-free phone system
30 GB hard drive with 6700-song capacity
9 premium speakers with 506-watt amp and subwoofer
Sirius satellite radio
Heated steering wheel with audio controls
Wood/leather wrapped steering wheel
Power tilt/telescoping steering column
115-volt auxiliary power outlet
20-inch wheels
Command view dual-pane panoramic sunroof
Power liftgate
Smartbeam headlamps
Bi-Xenon headlamps with auto-leveling
Power heated mirrors with memory
Daytime running lights

Options
Rear DVD entertainment center -- $1495
Rear overhead console
Rear seat video overhead system
Power single-pane sunroof
Advanced warning and adaptive cruise control -- $1295
Blind spot monitoring and rear cross path detection
Adaptive speed control
Forward collision warning
Off-Road adventure II package -- $295
18 x 8.0-inch aluminum polished wheels
P265/60R18 on/off-road tires
Skid plate group
Tow hooks
Trail rated badge
Engine block heater -- $50

Audi Releases New Q3 detail Video

Audi AG launched its newest model Q3 detailed information through audiovisual media.

From the official video alerts Audi, Q3 has a dynamic design that fits the characteristics of urban residents. Design of thin eyebrows shaped headlights with projector lamp light colored futuristic impression. Beside the exterior, Audi also explain what is offered in the car cabin. Form of the dashboard, steering wheel, seats fold up to the composition.

“The interior of Audi’s latest model is very roomy; its ergonomics and its workmanship are exemplary. Just as for the exterior, customers have many opportunities to express their very own style in the interior: Audi offers a wide selection of materials and colors. The luggage compartment offers 460 to 1.365 liters (48.2 cu ft to 16:24) of capacity – ideal for sports and leisure, “the Germany carmaker says.

Audi Q3 is produced using the same chassis with the Tiguan and is offered in four variants: two petrol engines and two diesel engines. All the machine with a 2.0 liter four-cylinder, only differ in power and torque. Audi Q3 Seat manufactured at the plants near Barcelona, Spain, and went on sale in June with the cheapest price (in Germany) 29 900 Euros.

2011 Alfa Mito UK Latest Prices Released

Italian car manufacturer, Alfa Romeo, through its divisions in the UK has revised the price of one of its flagship product, Alfa Mito a ready market this May.

Any name change occurred in the two models such as the Turismo and Lusso who replaced Sprint.

Not only that, the entry-level product that is now known as progression, Distinctive and Quadrifoglio Verde replace the Veloce and CLOVERLEAF.

Price On The Road (OTR) for 1.4 8V progression priced £ 12,250. While TB 1.4 Quadrifoglio Verde dimensionless MultiAir with power 170bhp priced £ 17,955.

For the specification also increased for both versions of Distinctive (Veloce) and Quadrifoglio Verde (CLOVERLEAF). These additional components such as Cruise Control, sport peddles and rear parking sensors.

Alfa Romeo prepares three types namely 1.4 8V engine-powered 78bhp for the type of progression and Sprint which replaces type 1.4 16V with 95bhp.

Both types 105bhp 1.4 MultiAir prepared to Sprint or Distinctive trim and a new type, 1.3 JTDM-2 are prepared only for the Sprint-powered 85bhp and produces CO2 of 95g/km. This type replaces the 1.3 16V engine with 95bhp power.

Alfa Mito also get the latest color Bronze Metal ever shown at the Geneva Motor Show. As for the version provided by the mode of progression and Sprint Bronze.

Alfa MiTo MY2011	Total OTR Price
1.4 8v 78 bhp Progression	£12,250
1.4 8v bhp Sprint	£12,950
1.4 TB MultiAir 105 bhp Sprint	£13,955
1.4 TB MultiAir 105 bhp Distinctive	£15,155
1.4 TB MultiAir 135 bhp Distinctive	£15,950
1.4 TB MultiAir 135 bhp ALFA TCT Distinctive	£17,250
1.4 TB MultiAir 170 bhp Quadrifoglio Verde	£17,955
1.3 JDTM-2 85 bhp Sprint	£14,450
1.6 JTDM-2 120 bhp Distinctive	£16,850

Porsche Panamera diesel launched

Porsche AG, this week launched the latest variant of the Porsche Panamera diesel. The latest models go on sale next August.

Porsche Panamera diesel using a 3000 cc V6 diesel engine equipped with devices turbocharger and common rail technology. Pressures reach 2000 bar injection and variable geometry turbo-charging technology makes more power at every engine speed.

Energy produced Porsche Panamera diesel achieving 247 horsepower and 406 lb ft of torque at 1750-2750 rpm.

Power is channeled to the wheels through an automatic transmission device Triptronic eight levels of acceleration. Armed with that power, the Porsche Panamera is a diesel accelerates from 0-100 kilometers per hour (kpj) in just 6.8 seconds. In fact, can be driven up to 240 kpj.

Porsche also claims to have added some new features to cut fuel consumption rate. Between other devices that feature start-stop system, tires with low rolling resistance level, and lightweight materials.

Another feature that is not less interesting is the Porsche Active Suspension Management, Bi-Xenon headlights, parking guide devices on the front and back of car, tire pressure monitor, to the satellite navigation system with touch screen. In fact, the Porsche Panamera diesel offers air suspension devices to replace the suspension spring.

Pricing for the Panamera diesel will start at £62,134, slightly more than Jaguar’s 3.0-litre diesel XJ.