2010 Volkswagen Passat

Introduction

For most of its production run, the Volkswagen Passat has served as a pricier alternative to other popular family sedans like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. We've generally been fond of this niche approach, noting that the Passat's combination of a premium design, upscale features and strong engines usually proved to be worth the extra dough.

In its favor, the 2010 Volkswagen Passat receives some interesting tweaks, chief among them the replacement of the old conventional automatic transmission with VW's excellent DSG dual-clutch automated manual, a first for the family sedan segment. It still competes for customers with more potent V6-powered sedans, but there are numerous points in the Passat's favor.

On the road, the autobahn-bred suspension hits handling, a supple ride and utter composure at elevated cruising speeds. The interior is arguably the finest in this segment, boasting high-quality materials and a classy look. The new DSG transmission is a revelation, handily topping rivals with its quick yet smooth shifts. Another feather in the Passat's cap is the fact that there's a wagon version available, a rarity in this SUV-happy era.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2010 Volkswagen Passat is available as a midsize sedan or wagon. Both body styles come in Komfort trim only. Standard equipment on the sedan includes 17-inch alloy wheels, heated windshield washer nozzles, foglights, a sunroof, air-conditioning, a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, leatherette vinyl upholstery, a power driver seat, heated front seats, Bluetooth and an eight-speaker sound system with an in-dash six-CD changer, an auxiliary audio jack and satellite radio. The wagon features all of the sedan's standard equipment and adds chrome roof rails.That is a lot of features one can find in any sedan of this class.

Options include 18-inch alloy wheels, a variety of exterior appearance packages (sedan only), an iPod adapter (replaces the standard aux jack) and a hard-drive-based touchscreen navigation system with a USB port, an iPod interface and 20GB available for digital music storage.

Powertrains and Performance

The front-wheel-drive 2010 Volkswagen Passat is equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that pumps out 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. The only available transmission is VW's responsive DSG, a six-speed, dual-clutch automated manual.

Based on previous testing of a Passat with the conventional automatic, we expect the 2010 model to run from zero to 60 mph in the mid-7-second range.0-60miles in 7 seconds is faster than any other sedan of this range with 4 cylinders. This is a bit slower than V6-powered rivals but still plenty quick for most buyers, particularly with the engine's abundance of low-end torque.

Fuel economy is quite good given the Passat's peppy performance. EPA estimates stand at 22 mpg city/31 mpg highway which is little less compared to accord and Camry. and 25 mpg combined for both the wagon and sedan.

Safety

Antilock disc brakes, stability control, anti-whiplash front head restraints, front-seat side airbags and full-length head curtain airbags are all standard on the Passat, while rear-seat side airbags are optional.

In National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash tests, the 2010 Volkswagen Passat earned four stars out of five for its protection of front occupants in head-on collisions. Side-impact tests resulted in five stars for protection of front passengers and four for those in the rear. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rated the Passat as "Good" (the best rating possible) in its frontal-offset and side-impact crash tests.

Interior Design and Special Features

The VW Passat's comfortable and upscale cabin is one of its high points. Fit and finish is superb, and there's a feeling of precision to all the controls. Interior materials quality is first-rate -- the Passat is more akin to entry-level luxury sedans than family sedans in this regard. Even the leatherette vinyl upholstery looks and feels better than many cars' cow-sourced upholstery,which gives it an elegant look.

Trunk capacity stands at 14.2 cubic feet, which is about average for this class. The wagon has 35.8 cubic feet of cargo room with the second-row seats up, and a cavernous 72.6 cubic feet with the seats folded down -- that's about the same as compact SUVs like the Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4.

The 2010 Honda Insight sizes up Toyota Prius

The battle begins. The new Insight is Hondas attempt to further branch into the hybrid region dominated by the Prius. The second gen Insight is a good start too.

The Insight gets 40 mpg in the city and gets 43 mpg on the highway. To make the car seem more driver friendly, it also comes with paddle shifters that make the variable transmission into a fixed transmission. That really doesn’t make alto of sense to me personally because paddle shifters were developed for F1 cars, and now Honda has the guts to put it on a slower than a moped hybrid. Honda is so proud of the F1 acceleration on the cars 0-60 time that they don’t even post it on their site. Not that it matters though, it is a hybrid.

The powertrain for the new 2010 Insight is a 1.3 liter inline 4 cylinder that is matched to a permanent magnet motor and continuously variable transmission. The battery consists of seven module nickel hydride setup, which puts the total output is 98 horsepower and 128lb/ft of torque.

The suspension is said to be spongy and not that great, so the car isn’t the best to drive. Despite that, it is more interactive than other hybrids though. There is a green glow that is behind the speedometer that measures how “green” you are driving. If you have a lead foot, the meter goes blue to let you know you’re killing your mileage. Or, you can push the green button to the left of the steering wheel which switches it to econ mode, and the car will do everything it can to get you the most mileage.

Overall I would say this is a solid car to anyone who wants to save some mileage and the earth, while not being the Prius owner. And that god because Honda is trying to target a different buyer, one who wants a little more fun from their drive (it is better than a Prius), and someone who wants to interact with the car rather than be dictated by it. Breaking away from the pack isn’t always a bad thing. I’d say it’s a good thing here.

2010 Honda Civic vs 2010 Toyota Corolla

Introduction
Both the Civic and Corolla base sedans seat up to five passengers in front seats and a rear seat. The Corolla offers slightly more cargo room in the trunk at 12.3 cubic feet compared to the Civic's 12 cubic feet. The Civic boasts more front legroom with 42.2 inches compared to the Corolla's 41.7 inches; however, the Corolla offers nearly two more inches of rear legroom with 36.3 inches compared to the Civic's 34.6 inches. The Civic does have a longer wheelbase than the Corolla at 106.3 inches and 102.4 inches respectively. The Corolla is able to haul up to 1,500 pounds, while the Civic's towing prowess has not yet been rated.

Performance
Both the Civic and Corolla are equipped with a 1.8-liter 4 cylinder engine, but the difference is in output with the Civic putting out 140 horses compared to the Corolla's 132 horses. The Civic steps up to a 197-horsepower, 2.0-liter inline-4, while the Corolla bumps up to a 158-horsepower, 2.4-liter inline-4. Perhaps one of the greatest differences that separate the Civic from the Corolla is its 113-horsepower, 1.8-liter inline-4 natural gas engine option. The Civic's available transmissions include a five-speed automatic, five-speed manual and six-speed manual, while the Corolla's engines can be mated to a four-speed automatic, five-speed automatic with auto-manual shift and five-speed manual.The Civic's paddle shift is not even comparable.

Fuel Efficiency
When it comes to fuel efficiency, both the Civic and Corolla are at the best of their class with similar EPA estimated ratings. The Corolla ranges between 22-26 mpg in the city and 30-36 mpg on the highway, while the Civic can achieve between 21-26 mpg in the city and 29-36 mpg on the highway. If you're looking to reduce your carbon footprint, both the Civic and Corolla emit 6.3 tons of carbon annually.

Technology Features
Both the Civic and Corolla have a long list of optional technology offerings, including a navigation system with voice recognition, Bluetooth capability, USB audio interface, a power moonroof and XM satellite radio. However, where they differ is audio system offerings. While both are standard equipped with a six-speaker AM/FM radio with a CD player, the Corolla can be upgraded to a premium 440-watt JBL sound system. The Corolla also offers optional heated front seats.

Safety Features
As for safety, the Corolla comes away as the winner with more standard safety offerings than the Civic. Both are equipped with a full compliment of airbags, active front head restraints and antilock brakes (with electronic brake-force distribution on the Civic). However, the Corolla offers standard electronic stability control and traction control across all its models, while the Civic only makes electronic stability control standard on its upper trim levels. In NHTSA crash test data, the Civic beats the Corolla in front passenger impact and side rear-seat impact with a perfect five starts, compared to the Corolla's four stars. However, the Corolla beats the Civic with five stars in side front-seat impact. The Civic has not received crash test data from the IIHS.

BMW Z4 2009

Performance

2,996 cc 3.0 liters in-line 6 front engine with 85.0 mm bore, 88.0 mm stroke, 10.7 compression ratio, double overhead cam, variable valve timing/camshaft and four valves per cylinder

Premium unleaded fuel 91

Fuel consumption:city (mpg): 19, highway (mpg): 28, combined (mpg): 22

Multi-point injection fuel system

14.5 gallon main premium unleaded fuel tank 12.1

Power

: 190 kW , 255 HP SAE @ 6,600 rpm; 220 ft lb , 298 Nm @ 2,600 rpm

Handling

ABS

Brake assist system

Cornering brake control

Four disc brakes including four ventilated discs

Electronic brake distribution

Electronic traction control via ABS & engine management

Immobilizer

Driver selectable responsive suspension electronic

Stability control

Strut front suspension independent with stabilizer bar and coil springs, multi-link rear suspension independent with stabilizer bar and coil springs.

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

An all-new LS9 motor produces 620 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 595 pound-feet of torque at 4000 rpm, delivering 100 horsepower per liter, the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 is a close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox with a new high-capacity clutch designed for the increased power. The twin-disc 260mm design provides plenty of clamping power, while maintaining a relatively easy clutch action.

GM has not disclosed specific performance numbers, but the company admits a top speed of 200 mph. In terms of acceleration, the ZR1 most definitely beats its Z06 counterpart,all because of the 115-horsepower output advantage. Since the Z06 rockets to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds, it's a safe bet the ZR1 will be much closer to the 3.0 seconds.ZR1 clearly beats Z06 in this area.

"It all boils down to the power-to-weight ratio and the ZR1’s is exceptional," said Chevy's Ed Peper. "Better than the Porsche 911 GT2, the Ferrari 599 and even the Lamborghini LP640. In fact, the ZR1 is expected to be the first production Corvette to achieve a top speed of at least 200 mph."That is like 320 km/hr.

GM used the Z06 chassis as a starting point, but further tuned the front and rear independent suspension to work with the ZR1's ultra-wide tires for increased grip. According to GM, the car achieves 1g cornering grip.

Astonishing Looks and materials

The use of carbon fiber is pretty extensive throughout the ZR1. The wider fenders are made of the material, as are the hood, roof panel, roof bow, front fascia splitter and rocker moldings.

The roof and front fascia splitter have a raw carbon fiber appearance with a protective clear coat. The hood is painted like the rest of the car, but the underside is exposed carbon-fiber-weave for increased novelty,which makes the car look stunning.

Another standout feature of the hood is a clear polycarbonate "window" that provides a view of the top of the engine’s intercooler, with embossed "LS9 Supercharged" lettering.

Suspension

The ZR1 comes with GM's Magnetic Selective Ride Control (MSRC) suspension system. The MSRC shocks are automatically adjusted based on driving conditions and vehicle dynamics (cornering, braking, etc) for optimal handling. The system is adjusted every milisecond to provide sharp handling during spirited driving, and a smooth ride while cruising.

While the ZR1 is overall a more aggressive sports car than the Z06, it is actually less harsh over bumps, because of the MSRC technology. “The damping control of MSRC allowed for front and rear springs that have a slightly lower rate than the Z06, which enhances the car’s ride quality,” said Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer.

Interior features

There is very little optional equipment on the ZR1. Aside from the aforementioned chrome wheels, the only other optional equipment is a premium interior package. The kit includes power-adjustable leather-trimmed sport seats, leather-wrapped interior elements (including the dashboard), a navigation system, and Bluetooth Connectivity. The interior leather treatments are available in four colors.

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Audi R8 vs Porsche 911 Carrera

Audi R8 Specifications:

Make:Audi

Engine: V8 QOHC 40V

Torque:403Nm@3500rpm

Power:310kw@7000rpm

Specific Power: 74kW per liter

Specific Torque:103Nm per liter

Power to weight: 198kW per tonne

Torque to weight: 258Nm per tonne

Drive/transmission: AWD/6-speed

0-100km/h (c): 4.6 seconds

Maximum speed (c): 301km/h

Price: $109,000 CIA rating: 10

Fuel use overall (c): 14.6 litres per 100km

Fuel capacity:75 litres

Range: 514km

CO2 Emissions: 349g/km

Porsche Carrera 911 4S

Make:Porsche

Engine: Flat 6 QOHC 24V

Capacity: 3824cc Power: 261kW @

Torque: 400Nm @ 4400rpm

Specific power: 68kW per litre

Specific torque: 105Nm per litre

Power to weight: 168kW per tonne

Torque to weight: 258Nm per tonne

Drive/transmission: AWD/6-speed

0-100km/h (c): 4.8 seconds

Maximum speed (c): 288km/h

Price: $90,000 CIA rating: 9

Fuel use overall (c): 13.0 litres per 100km

Fuel capacity: 67 litres

Range: 515km

CO2 Emissions: 285g/km

ROUSHcharger For the 2011 5.0 Liter Mustang

The new supercharger that Roush has put out for the new 2011 Mustang will be a true monster. Roush claims that it will, given normal fuel, push the horse power up to 550, and given a few adjustments which include a new fuel pump should be capable of reaching well into the 600 hp range. The ROUSHcharger, as the call it, is made by TVS and is a variant of the TVS2300 blower.

This gives the car significantly more performance capabilities. First off, it will gain hardly any weight yet bump up the weight to power ratio significantly. This means that once you come out of a corner you have a lot more behind that right foot than usual. This will probably give it a better weight ratio than the Shelby Cobra, and if you know Mustangs you know this is a rivalry.

In an earlier Top Gear episode, they tested out a late 2000's Shelby GT500 and a Roush 427R. They like the Roush more because it was lighter and thus had a more overall stability in corners, yet excitedly hustled out of them. I have a feeling this will be the same thing for the new Roush’s and especially for this supercharger.

Basically it boils down to this: if you do happen to get a stock 2011 GT, get this supercharger and everyone will be running scared.