Concept Car

Specifications prices Modifications and Image 2011 Smart fortwo
The 2011 Smart Fortwo is a car of contradictions. In many of the ways that people expect it to suffer -- interior space, passenger comfort and crash-test scores, for instance -- the Fortwo actually does quite well. But in other aspects that youd otherwise take for granted, the Fortwo disappoints.

The Smart Fortwos 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine puts out 70 horsepower -- an unimpressive figure in todays world. Its not a major drawback, though, as the Fortwo generally feels surprisingly energetic around town. No, the drawback is the transmission to which its connected. This single-clutch, automated manual transmission shifts gears so slowly and clumsily that the noticeable shift shock will make passengers wonder whats wrong with it.

There are other contradictions, too. The Smart cars small footprint means its easy to fit in the smallest of parking spaces, but the jumpy driveline engagement during the parking process makes doing so a real adventure. Fuel economy is very good, but the engine requires premium gas. And though its certainly not an expensive car, the 2011 Smart Fortwo is pricey for what you get, which is essentially a two-passenger runabout with a one-dimensional, city-oriented personality.

Considering all this, the Smart Fortwos competition looks pretty attractive. Even if we were to forgive the Fortwo for some of its flaws, wed still recommend any number of basic (although slightly more expensive) cars with more well-rounded personalities. That group includes the Honda Fit, the Ford Fiesta, the Hyundai Accent and the Mazda 2.
INTERIOR
Hop in the Fortwo, grip the small steering wheel, and you are confronted with a minimalist interior. There are no luxury amenities, and the materials are largely plastic.

Behind the steering wheel is the speedometer, printed on a white background with black numbers. Below it in the same bezel is a digital readout that displays the current gear, odometer, trip odometer, outside temperature and time. An analog clock and a tachometer are available as separate gauges that sprout from the top of the dash in their own pods. There are no water temperature or oil pressure gauges in this spartan interior. For 2009, there is a separate warning light to indicate a loose gas filler cap.

The dash is made of reasonably well assembled plastic, some of which is dressed in cloth that matches the seat upholstery. The climate controls are located at the top of the dash, with sliders for the fan speed and available automatic temperature control. A radio is optional in the Pure model, but is standard in the Passion. It is located below the climate controls and has large, easy to operate buttons and a central volume knob. The radio and climate controls move easily enough, but they are light to the touch and lack a quality feel.

Interior small items storage space is minimal. It consists of two cupholders in front of the gearshift, a small glovebox, and new-for-2009 expandable storage nets in each door, which replace the rigid map pockets used previously. There is no center console. Small trays are also found on the dash on either side of the steering column. These areas lack rubber mats to hold items in place, so items can slide around rather easily. We would recommend against using these areas for storage.

Though the Fortwo is a small car, there is a lot of room for occupants. Head room and leg room are plentiful. I drove with a 6-foot 6-inch friend who had just enough room in both dimensions. The one dimension that is lacking is shoulder room. The Fortwo isnt very wide, so two linebackers will have a tough time sitting next to each other.

The seats are fairly comfortable, with built-in headrests, but they lack the contour for best long-trip comfort. Visibility from the drivers seat is generally good in both models. The convertible has a smaller rear window and the drivers view to the rear is partially blocked at the bottom when the top is down.

Out back, the coupes rear glass opens separately and both body styles have a tailgate that folds down to allow for a low liftover height. The tailgate itself opens to reveal a shallow storage tray. Behind the seats there is 7.8 cubic feet of cargo room, which leaves enough space for groceries or a couple of gym bags. Smart says that cargo room expands to 12 cubic feet if the rear hatch area is filled to the roof, and it expands further with an available fold flat passenger seat. You wont be able to haul around TVs in your Fortwo, but it should have enough room for most weekend errands.
EXTERIOR

The Smart Fortwo has plastic body panels around a tridion safety cell that is made of steel, half of which is of the high-strength variety.

According to Smart, this structure has longitudinal and transverse beams that displace impact forces over a large area of the car to protect occupants in a crash. The tridion safety cell is available in black or silver, as elements of it, including the front pillars, are visible from the outside. Smart says that slip tubes up front and a steel rear structure will prevent front and rear crashes of up to 10 mph from affecting the tridion cell. Smart also says the wheels and tires, as well as side braces, will help dissipate energy in a side crash.

The Smart design features wheels pushed outward to the corners of the car. Up front, the Fortwo seems to be grinning, with its high-set headlights, central grille and open lower fascia that is also home to the optional fog lights. The short hood leads to a tall windshield. Along the sides, the exterior portions of the tridion safety cell trace the shape of each door. The car ends shortly behind the seats, leaving a small hatchback opening at the back and giving both the coupe and convertible an egglike shape.

At only 106.1 inches overall, 61.4 inches wide, 60.7 inches tall and 1808 pounds, the Fortwo is the smallest car offered in the United States. By comparison, a Mini Cooper is nearly 40 inches longer and more than 750 pounds heavier. While the length and width are quite small, the Fortwo is slightly taller than a Honda Fit, which gives it plenty of interior headroom.

The convertibles top is power operated and has a heated glass rear window. It has no latches to work and can be operated at any speed. With the top down, a pair of structural beams can be removed from the roof above each door, creating an even freer open air feeling. The up-level Passion coupe is available with a fixed glass roof with a manual sunshade.
ENGINE
 The Smart ForTwo is the most efficient gas-powered car sold in the US. (Hybrids, which run on a combo of gas and electricity, are the only cars that beat the Smart on MPG.) With a combined city/highway fuel efficiency rating of 36 mpg, the Smart ForTwo deserves at least a passing consideration from a green-leaning car buyer.

The key to the Smart ForTwo’s high mpg ratings is its small 1-liter three-cylinder engine that delivers 70-horsepower. That might provide sufficient power for darting about town to run errands, but the Smart’s so-called “automated manual” five-speed transmission, controlled by a single, computer-controlled clutch, is a big problem. Like most reviewers, Bloomberg News said, “The transmission...is so lousy it verges on being a deal breaker...While other manufacturers talk about shifts that take 10ths of seconds, this one feels like tens of seconds.” ConsumerGuide Auto echoed the sentiment: “Acceleration is sluggish from a stop and is plagued by annoying bogging and surging at every shift whether transmission is in manual or automatic mode.” The New York Times quipped, “You could practically squeeze a half-inning of baseball into the maddening delay between the release of one gear and the engagement of the next.”

Reviewers almost unanimously said the ForTwos small engine fails to provide adequate highway passing power. Handling and braking received equally low scores. You have to wonder how you would fare with the ForTwo on streets so heavily populated with big pickups and oversized SUVs. The wind from larger automobiles passing by at higher speeds sways the tiny ForTwo, challenging the car’s directional stability and forcing the driver to course-correct.

SAFETY
The 2011 Smart Fortwo is built by Mercedes-Benz, and as such, it offers ample occupant protection. Standard safety equipment includes side curtain airbags for the coupe models and side airbags for the cabriolet, knee bolster airbags, antilock brakes (front discs and rear drums), hill-hold assist, stability control and traction control. the Fortwo Passion came to a stop from 60 mph in 124 feet -- a better-than-average distance for a subcompact.

The Smart Fortwo has not been rated using the governments new, more strenuous 2011 crash-testing procedures. Its 2010 ratings (which arent comparable to 2011 tests) resulted in four out of five stars for frontal crash protection of the driver and three stars for passenger protection. In side impacts, the Smart was awarded a perfect five out of five stars. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the Smart its highest rating of "Good" for both frontal- and side-impact protection.
reference:autos.aol.com,www.edmunds.com,www.hybridcars.com

Specifications prices Modifications and Image2011 Chrysler 300
Although we may rhapsodize over the beauty of our favorite cars, precious few of them could be considered art. Whistler didn’t refresh his painting of his mom four years after completing it. Nor did he completely redo it every seven years for the rest of his life. And as much as the 300 might have looked like Chrysler’s chef-d’oeuvre in 2004, the company couldn’t just sit back and let it be. For 2011, the 300 receives a refresh rather than the redesign for which it is due, but the update addresses the most important things.
Much of the money allotted to the 300 rework went to the interior. Like the rejuvenated interiors in other recent Chrysler redesigns, virtually everything you can see or touch inside is improved by an order of magnitude: the dash, the center stack, the steering wheel, the door panels and seats—the list goes on. And the materials are light-years better, too. The dash is soft, the buttons on the new steering wheel actuate with a satisfying click, and the HVAC knobs slip from detent to detent as if lubricated by a film of oil.

Nestled in that updated dash, the new tach and speedometer are stunning, highly readable, and not overly ornamental. A new touchscreen navigation/infotainment display rides atop the center stack, beneath the classy trapezoidal clock that is emerging as a signature of Chrysler interiors. The optional Garmin-based nav system’s bold colors and large graphics make it easy to use, but they lend it an almost juvenile appearance. Still, we prefer basic and useful to elegant and stupefying.
 INTERIOR
Gone is the center stack that resembled a desktop computer tower. Gone is the enormous four-spoke steering wheel removed from the U.S.S. Constitution. Gone are the Indiglo gauges and the brittle plastic switchgear. The Chrysler 300 now has a cabin that might (just might) make luxury car shoppers think twice about paying extra for a fancy badge. While the look is hardly what wed describe as groundbreaking (or even especially interesting), its classy enough and the controls are well laid-out. Perhaps most impressively, the materials are top-notch, with surfaces that are soft-touch and pleasantly textured. The difference is really night and day compared to last years car.
Chryslers new Uconnect Touch interface is standard. This 8.4-inch touchscreen controls the cars many infotainment features and is a vast improvement on the substantially smaller screen presently found in other Chrysler Group vehicles. When equipped with the optional Garmin-sourced navigation system, the 300 comes with Sirius Travel Link, a technology previously exclusive to Ford that features real-time information for traffic conditions, weather and even movie times. However, if were to nitpick, the standard iPod interface curiously omits "Playlist" from its available menu options, which is irritating, though were told Chrysler is considering a fix.
Rearward visibility continues to be compromised by the thick rear pillars, though on the upside, this years more rakish windshield has improved forward visibility. Passengers should continue to find an abundance of space in all dimensions, and the trunks volume of 16.3 cubic feet is pretty generous.
 EXTERIORYoull have to look closely at the old and new 300s to sense the subtle injections of drama that have replaced the big, almost cartoony, elements that abstracted themselves on the pre-2011 Chrysler sedan. It starts at the front: the first 300 became the "bougie Bentley" when buyers started swapping out its tall grille for synthetic Brit-looking ones. It wasnt always an improvement, but it pointed out exactly how exaggerated the 300s front end and shoulders had been drawn, intentionally.

This time Chryslers toned most of that down. The grilles now shrunk into a softer shield. Smaller headlights wear LED eyeliner. The fenders are more rectilinear, especially on the rear where theyve picked up some of the intricate stamped-in details seen on the current Ford Taurus, Buick LaCrosse, even the most recent E-Class. From dead on, the rear ends vertical-tube taillamps have never glowed as expensively. If they were any thinner, theyd strike a distinctly Caddy note. Point of taste: polished chrome 20-inch wheels hit the proper blingy note on the old car, but on this one, the more subdued 19-inchers seem more fitting.

Theres more love to go around once you step inside the 300. The expensive-looking cabin wears new shapes, new trim and new materials, most of it emphatically better than ever. The cockpit doesnt look so plain anymore, with its timepiece-faced gauges, elm trim and matte-finish plastics. The big metallic ring around the LCD screen and air vents looks more like a thought balloon than a styling element, though--an unfinished idea, though well-finished. And while the textures all feel swell, the rubberized dash cap has the gummy grip that lint loves to call home.
ENGINE
Underhood, the headlining 5.7-liter Hemi is only slightly changed (it carries over with modest upgrades of 3 hp and 5 lb-ft of torque), but the new base 3.6-liter six-cylinder effectively replaces two V-6s (an anemic 2.7-liter and a more capable 3.5) and betters the old 3.5’s 250 hp by 42. (It tops the 2.7 by 114 hp.) Along with its 292 horses, the Pentastar V-6 offers 260 lb-ft of torque. Both hp and torque peak late (6350 and 4800 rpm, respectively), so downshifts are necessary for meaningful acceleration while rolling. It sounds a bit coarse at idle, but the Pentastar finds its voice as the revs—and output—climb. Although not the thrill ride of the V-8, the six is more than competent, something we could almost say about the old 3.5 but never about the 2.7.
The same five-speed automatic pulls duty behind both engines, but an eight-speed will begin to spread across the lineup later this year. Chrysler is aiming for a 30-mpg highway rating with the new transmission, which is a ZF design (the best the Pentastar manages with the old five-speed is 27 mpg). Although the five-speed automatic does allow for manual shifting, it has no dedicated manual shift gate. As in the previous-generation 300, the driver taps the lever left and right from its resting place in D to shift, but the new 300’s taller center console gets in the way—not that using the function is particularly satisfying anyhow.
 SAFETY
The all-new 2011 Chrysler 300 features more than 70 safety and security features, including standard Keyless Enter-N-Go and electronic stability control (ESC) with segment-exclusive Ready Alert Braking and Rain Brake Support safety features to improve overall vehicle handling and performance.
Chrysler brand’s signature SafetyTec Group is available on the 2011 Chrysler 300 Limited, 300C and 300C AWD models and packages many first-time-available features including adaptive-forward lighting (AFL), high-intensity discharge (HID) projector high and low-beams with automatic headlamp leveling, Forward Collision Warning (FCW) with adaptive-cruise control (ACC), Blind-spot monitoring (BSM) with Rear Cross Path (RCP) detection, ParkSense® front and rear park assist system, LED-illuminated rear fog lamps, exterior mirrors with supplemental turn signals and approach lamp (300 Limited adds HomeLink universal transceiver, rain-sensing wipers and SmartBeam® headlamps to the package group).
In addition, standard front-row reactive head restraints, standard full-length side-curtain air bags, driver’s knee bag and standard front seat-mounted side-thorax air bags offer enhanced occupant protection to passengers in the event of a collision.

Specifications prices Modifications and Image 2011 Lexus GS450H
2011 Lexus GS450H – Since its initial release back in 2006, the GS450h has recently received several updates including exclusive grille, clear tail lamp covers, and 18-inch wheels to differentiate it from its tight gas-powered GS-mate. The Lexus GS 450h has a short history, but proud because it holds the title of the first mass-production rear-wheel hybrid luxury car. Fuel economy rated at 22 mpg in the city cycle, with a hybrid return 25 mpg on the highway, as predicted by the EPA. The, conventional gas re-GS350 19 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway, respectively, so that the GS450h hybrids suffer from the additional weight of the hybrid drive system on the open road.

Combining hybrid technology and fuel efficiency with supreme power output and high-end luxury is a rare feat.  That being said, it has been done and done extremely well with the 2011 Lexus GS 450h luxury hybrid sedan.
INTERIOR


Sitting on 18-inch wheels and featuring a moonroof, high-intensity-discharge headlights and rain-sensing windshield wipers, the GS 450h is identical to the GS 460.  Interior amenities for the 2011 Lexus GS 450h include perforated leather-trimmed power front seats featuring heat and ventilation.  Dazzling wood trim, polished metal and leather are draped around every corner to create a delightful visual experience.  Once you are comfortably situated, reach for the Lexus Premium Audio System with its ten speakers, six-CD changer and USB media device connectivity.  An available 330-watt Mark Levinson Premium Sound System comes with 14 finely calibrated speakers and the seven-inch display screen can display DVD movies when the vehicle is parked.  The Lexus navigation system features casual language voice commands, so you can speak normally and get directions easily.

EXTERIOR
The GS 450h is equipped with the brands highest level of dynamic handling technology: the Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system that goes beyond the capability of other stability and traction-control systems. VDIM is designed to anticipate the onset of a vehicle slide while cornering and then help to automatically correct the situation with a combination of braking, throttle and steering control in a way that is essentially transparent to the driver.

Apart from the hybrid mechanicals and extra computers, the hybrid GS gets more standard features compared to the GS 350, which is expected considering the hybrid commands a $10,000 premium. Buyers do get standard 18-inch wheels and tires instead of a 17-inch wheel and tire package, active suspension is standard fare also, and not at all available on the 350, a power rear sunshade is standard as are ventilated front seats, and bigger front brakes.

Hybrid buyers also get standard adaptive headlights, high-pressure headlight washers, a back-up camera, parking assist and a rolling code remote as opposed to a rolling code key.

ENGINE
Gas engine by itself rated at 292 hp at 6400 rpm and in 134 kW electric motor. This power flows through Continues Variable Transmission The electronically controlled to the rear wheels. GS 450h is also slightly faster to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds, compared with 5.4 seconds of a V8-powered GS 460. Power comes from a combination of sources, including 3.5-liter V6 used in other places in the Lexus range. In this application, powered by an electric motor. Lexus Hybrid powertrain was dubbed Drive and rated 340 horsepower at 6400 rpm and 267 combined lb-ft of torque at 4800 rpm.

The 2011 Lexus GS 450h hybrid powertrain delivers 22 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway, while achieving the Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle II rating from the EPA.  The GS 450h receives comparable fuel economy to the gas-only GS 350 sedan but more exhilarating performance, thanks to its hybrid powertrain.  Drivers can choose between Power, Normal and Snow modes to focus on acceleration, everyday smoothness, or relaxed throttle response for low-traction driving.  The hybrid system can also run in gas-only, electric-only and dual-drive modes.  The Adaptive Variable Suspension system offers Normal and Sports settings for cruise or spirited ride tuning of the shocks.

SAFETY
When it comes to safety, the 2011 Lexus GS 450h hybrid boasts Lexus’s Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management system, which incorporates variable gear ratio steering, antilock brakes, brake-force distribution, brake assist and Vehicle Stability Control helping the GS 450h maintain grip and avoid accidents.  A useful Lexus Enform™ system with Safety Connect™ includes stolen vehicle location and crash notification functions.  The available adaptive cruise control senses possible collisions and alerts the driver.
reference:hybridcarspecs.com,www.newcars.com,www.leftlanenews.com

First review of 2011, this one may be of some interest.


Introduction: The Ford Fusion was introduced in 2005 as Fords newest vehicle for the important midsized car market. Ford used to use the Taurus for this important segment which originally sold very well to tie the Honda Accord for the #1 most sold car(not vehicle since the F-150 truck dominated this). Unfortunately Ford never continued with the success of the first Taurus and allowed the car to age eventually losing even the Taurus iconic jellybean shape for conservative. Ford decided to use the Fusion name for this new midsized car even though a completely different car uses the same name in Europe. The Ford Fusion is the first of the cars introduced by Ford of America to use the 3-bar grille. The Fusion saw enough success to be redesigned for the year 2010. The new redesigned Fusion sports a newer look and while retaining much of the architecture of the older car has for the most part been completely changed. Sales of the Ford Fusion have managed to pass 200,000 a year during 2010, a feat last seen by a Ford car all the way back in 1986 in the Ford Taurus debut year when it was tied with the Honda Accord for Americas best selling car.

If youve read my old Ford Fusion review the lasting memories of that car for me was how bland and slow the car was. Although a somewhat competent effort by Ford to regain its position in this segment it long lost. This new one caught my eye with its new tri-bar styling and considering many Ford products have increasingly gotten better over the years I had similar expectations for this car.



Performance: In this review Ive actually driven two of the three engines offered on the Ford Fusion. Ive driven many Fusions with the standard 2.5L 4-cylinder engine, but Ive also driven a few with the 3.0L V6 flex fuel engine. The third engine available is the Sport trims 3.5L V6. Starting with the 2.5L engine, this engine produces about 175 hp and 172 lb.ft of torque which is a modest power increase over the older cars 2.3L but more noticeable torque increase. Acceleration numbers from 0-100 km/h is about 8.9 seconds, so its faster than the older car and it also doesnt feel that slow. Its a bit buzzy at the higher rpm range and thus better off for cruising. The 3.0L V6 produces 240 hp and 223 lb.ft of torque which should mean a better time, it accelerates from 0-100 km/h in about 7.3 seconds which is quite a bit better than the 4-cylinder. To drive the V6 is much more quieter and smoother, its not as razor sharp quick as Nissans 3.5L V6s but for ordinary driving its good and sounds nicer too. It may be the automatic transmission thats causing some of the delay in the engine. I personally liked the 3.0L quite a bit better than the 4-cylinder, you dont suffer much on fuel economy either for it since it uses the same fuel saving technology as the 2.5L does.

My Score(SE): 7/10 - A good engine, particularly good on fuel economy although lacking on performance.

My Score(SEL V6): 9/10 - A very very good refined engine, capable of running on flex fuel, good fuel economy for its size, obviously not as quick as competing 3.5L V6s.

Handling: The old Fusions best item was how it took corners over the likes of some of its competitors apart from the Mazda6 its based on. This new Fusion doesnt really change this, although I must say the ride comfort is better on this model. This car is pretty confident on the corners for the most part. The steering is relatively heavy compared to its competition but this is one of the better drivers cars in its class as it actually has steering feel many of its competitors dont have. As expected from a modern front wheel drive car, understeer is present when pushed into corners hard. Not a whole lot of roll though, which is nice in a car like this sometimes. Personally I wish it felt more sharp than it does, perhaps this is solved on the Sport model.

My Score(both): 9/10 - Better ride quality from last time, still pretty good on the corners, just lacking some of the sharpness on nicer handling cars.


Interior: Heres a big change from before, gone are the bland buttons, also gone is the lack of colour since theres now a few and boring dials of the old car have disappeared. Youre now greeted with a new digital dash(analog displays), the new SYNC system and Ford also didnt follow other automakers in keeping cheesy knobs. Many of the controls are now simple buttons. The touches are all nicer and styled with purpose. Having tried both leather and cloth seats, the leather seats are much nicer. The cloth seats are a bit on the stiff side. The biggest downside to this interior is mainly the interior materials could have been even better, there isnt a whole lot of soft touch plastic that youll find in a 2011 Sonata for instance. The interior spacing is pretty average and the trunk is a reasonable size. This comes down to the fact the Fusion isnt actually very large in its segment. On the build quality, the Fusion is still built in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico like before, this is one of the best assembled vehicles Ive seen from Mexico. Normally Id find several build quality issues, but Ford must have very good quality control since Ive never encountered one poorly made or falling apart.

My Score(SE): 7/10 - Well equipped, smarter console design, well built but material choices questionable, no SYNC and interior spacing is just average.

My Score(SEL V6): 8/10 - Same as the SE but with good leather seats and has SYNC.

Styling: Ill be honest I actually think this Fusion from the front actually looks pretty good. This is one of the first Fords I think the tri-bar grille actually flowed with the styling with that headlight design. While I quite like the front, the rear makes it hard to tell the difference from the old car and the new one since theyre very very similar. The wheel covers on the SE do seem to look a bit weird in my opinion. Overall I think this is a pretty well styled car...I just wish they went beyond just half the car.

My Score(both): 7/10 - Nice unique front but same boring rear from before.

Value for money: Im actually surprised about the cost of the basic Fusion S, it actually starts out rather low. The SE is about the starting price of cars like the Camry and Accord. To get the SEL V6 you do have to pay nearly 30K where its price advantage does go away. Surprisingly it appears its pricing was designed to target the Chevrolet Malibu trim by trim ensuring it was less expensive each time. The Fusion can be had in AWD, but you have to then buy the SEL V6. Still if you want AWD this is one of the few midsized sedans with it, youre only other options are the Subaru Legacy, Suzuki Kizashi, and the VW Passat. All things considered the Fusion is a rather good package, as it has good driving dynamics, a decent interior, some unique styling and a reasonable price all in one.

My Score(SE): 8/10 - A pretty good value considering its better equipped than some of its rivals which are base models at that price.

My Score(SEL V6): 7/10 - While better equipped a tad pricey since rivals at this price point are better equipped...fortunately AWD is available that isnt an option on several rival products.

Overall(SE): 38/50 - A pretty good value packaged car, one can understand why its one of the best selling vehicles today.

Overall(SEL V6): 40/50 - Despite the higher price, I feel this is an even better trim level particularly with the V6 which is a nicer engine overall.