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Until the new Rolls-Royce convertible becomes available next year, the Bentley Azure sits alone as the only open-top four-seater in the $300,000 class. As those who are inclined to automotive extravagance might say, "It's reassuringly expensive." |
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Murphy's Law states that if something can go wrong, it will. Bentley's PR types might have considered that before having board member Ulrich Eichhorn demonstrate the power top of the Continental GTC to the assembled press at the car's introduction in Napa, California. |
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As far as the U.S. car market goes, BMW isn't just late to the turbo party - it missed the first round of soirées entirely. While its other markets got a turbocharged 2002 model back in the 1970s, a turbo 7-series in the 1980s, and a steady stream of turbo-diesel engines, Americans got the forgettable diesel-burning, 114-hp 524td. Twenty winters have passed since that turbo-diesel wallflower decorated showrooms, and all the while, BMW preached the gospel of high-revving, naturally aspirated, high-output engines. While Audi and Mercedes-Benz forced air into their engines to produce stupefying horsepower and torque figures, BMW kept increasing power by upping displacement and producing engines with extraordinary redlines. |
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Albert Biermann, the X5 Project Manager, was also project manager for the M3 GTR race car that handily gutted the Porsche 911 in ALMS GT racing in 2001, so when someone of his credentials is excited by a vehicle's dynamics, we listen. The X5's chassis is stiffer than the outgoing model by 15 percent, and according to Mr. Biermann, stiffer than the fully caged and seam-welded factory E30 M3 race cars he worked on in the 1980s. High-strength and ultra-high-strength steels are used liberally, and trick bits like cast aluminum strut tower tops and a triangulated strut tower brace do much for rigidity. Biermann is also proud of the stuff you'll never see, like the carrier for the instrument panel, which is a light, stiff one-piece magnesium casting. |
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Debuting in Detroit is Mercedes' 2009 SLK-class. Don't get too worked up; this is merely a midcycle refresh that might only be recognized by Benz worshippers and SLK owners.
The exterior changes are exceedingly minor and primarily limited to the plastic front and rear fascias. The biggest change is up front. The snout has been redesigned to look more like the McLaren Formula 1 race car. A cleft air dam mimics the front wing of the F1 car, with new headlights rounding out the changes.
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Who would have predicted that this gratuitous union of a Chevy Avalanche with a Cadillac Escalade would have survived long enough to see a redesign?
Certainly not us. When we first drove Cadillac's pickup truck, we thought it made about as much sense as "an office desk that converts into a Hovercraft" or "mint-flavored Drano."
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When cultural historians get around to sorting out the golden age of bling, we'd bet big money this vehicle will emerge as the era's poster car. It's not a distinction Cadillac set out to achieve, and the term makes at least some folks from the engineering and product-planning ranks wince when they hear it. But there's no denying the Escalade's popularity with various high-visibility individuals - professional athletes, X-gamers, pop stars - and there's no denying that, as a consequence, the new Escalade had to upstage the bling quotient of its predecessor. |
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When you are purchasing your next used car, it is important to have some handy tips for the decision. After all buying a car new or used is one of the most important purchases that you will make in your life. You deserve the very best and most for your money when purchasing a car from used car dealers. Here are some tips to make the purchase go more smoothly. |
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Looking for a used hybrid car for sale may not be as difficult as one may think. These cars have, after all, been available since 2001. However, looking for the right used car dealers on the internet is entirely another thing. |
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If you are looking to buy cheap used cars or trucks at Government auctions or police auctions, then you're reading the right article. Specifically in this article I will give you some of the best tips for beginners when it comes to using Government auctions to get vehicles at a real bargain. After reading this article, you will have all the basics you need to know in order to approach government auctions intelligently. |
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