2007 Rolls-Royce Phantom

2007 Rolls-Royce Phantom – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Rolls-Royce Phantom is one of those things that breathes air so rarefied, one's imagination runs wild. It's not hard to envision a factory perched atop Mount Olympus that's staffed by gods turning solid blocks of unobtanium into these individualized rolling spectacles. Remarkably, the Phantom is actually the work of mere mortals. Some are in Germany, the rest in England at Rolls-Royce's Goodwood factory where these cars are hand-assembled with an incomprehensible attention to detail. Massive in form, decadently appointed, stratospherically priced and absolutely, positively


unmistakable, each Rolls-Royce exiting this facility is an event in and of itself. The experience is reserved for the select few who can cover the significant cost of entry, but sometimes there are exceptions. Like me, for example. The Car Gods (and the good people at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars North America) saw fit to place a two-tone silver Phantom in my care for a weekend. When it pulled into my driveway, I couldn't help thinking my life had turned into a rap video.
Okay, maybe an otherwise very boring rap video. After all, I have no entourage of yes-men and bikini-clad dancers, no motorcade of Escalades and G-Wagens on standby, and no paparazzi giving chase. Nor are any of those things required. The Phantom transfers instant demi-celeb status to its driver and passengers. A car longer than a Chevy Suburban with a sticker price equal to a substantial mortgage tends to have that effect. Plus, the Phantom is awesome to behold, carrying with it a unique road presence, to say the least. If someone were to say that it had its own gravitational pull, we'd simply nod and avoid driving near shopping carts. Then, for kicks, we'd head to the seashore and investigate whether we could alter tidal patterns with a few drive-bys.

As mentioned earlier, ours was decked out in a classy two-tone silver finish -- dark on the bottom, lighter on top, with subtle contrasting pinstripes running along the coachwork's upper swage line. The car's mammoth physical proportions are best appreciated in profile. Despite a hood that looks expansive enough to support naval flight operations, the car's front overhang itself is actually very short. A rakish windscreen climbs up to a roofline that's taller than the angled side glass would suggest, and it arcs back down into the Phantom's signature, ultra-thick C-pillar. A longer rear overhang accommodates a spacious trunk, which RR says will swallow four golf bags. There are no unsightly antennae marring the Roller's bodywork -- they're all hidden beneath the radio-transparent composite front wings (that's "fenders" to you, my fellow Americans). The chrome 21-inch wheels' always-upright "RR" center caps are spaced 140 inches apart. Let that sink in for a moment, and then realize that this is the "short" wheelbase Phantom.

Moving forward, the car's expressive front end coolly sizes you up through its narrowed "eyes," which actually house the high-beams and turn signals. The round, low-mounted lamps are the Phantom's Xenon headlights, and they flank the iconic, Pantheon-shaped radiator grille. That highly-polished edifice is topped, as always, by the Spirit of Ecstasy, and when the sun hits it straight on, playing off the vertical slats and that flying lady, we're pretty sure it's visible from the International Space Station. The car's uncluttered rear is the only area that can be accused of coming up short in terms of visual drama. Aside from a substantial chrome trim plate on the bootlid, there's little flash to be seen back there, and the subtly detailed taillamps look small against the rest of the package. That stated, it doesn't matter. There are cars that make an impression when they arrive, and then there's this. This, dear friends, causes a commotion. And if the outside isn't impressive enough, opening the doors to the cabin introduces you to new, absurdly fabulous levels of luxury.

If you're the driver, a pull on the front door's chrome handle grants you entry into a cockpit that is a visual and tactile feast. Sliding into the the Consort Red leather seat, the first thing to cross my mind was, "so this is what 'no expense spared' looks like." How else can one react to the ambiance Rolls-Royce has created? Before you, the instrument panel is finished in splendid, warm Elm, which also dresses up the wide spokes on the thin-rimmed multifunction steering wheel and the lid to the front seat cupholders. Three round white-on-black gauges tell you what you need to know. In lieu of a tach, Rolls-Royce uses a Power Reserve % gauge. At idle, the needle sits at 100%. Give the car gas, and it creeps leftward as the engine uses more of its available power. You quickly learn that the Phantom always has a healthy power reserve available. It never breaks a sweat.

A 160-mph speedometer sits front and center, and to its right is a combination fuel/temperature gauge. A pair of small rectangular displays house the warning light cluster and the digital multifunction readout (fuel consumption, trip odo, etc.), completing the set of primary instrumentation. A handsome analog clock takes up the middle space, and tumbles out of sight to reveal the main LCD screen if the hidden iDrive controller is popped open (a nice touch) or if the "organ pull" located to its left is pressed. More often than not, I kept the LCD screen tucked away, preferring the classic look the clock bestows. The nav display isn't the only thing that's hidden, either. The power seat controls are placed out of view under a front-hinged leather lid in the center console.

While iDrive is required for a number of the car's myriad techno features like the navigation system and Tomahawk missile launcher, the things you're most likely to adjust while underway can be set with old-fashioned dash-mounted controls. (We're kidding about the TLAM, by the way. It's not standard, but we're sure Rolls can accommodate you via the Bespoke program.) The controls at hand (or on the steering wheel) let you tune the radio, change audio sources and manage the HVAC system without delving into a menu. Oh, and all that switchgear is high quality, too. Everything from the little "violin key" nubs used to control a variety of different functions (window lifts, radio presets, sunroof -- the list goes on), to the fan-control dials and HVAC temperature selectors have a robust feel. The same goes for the round air vents, which are heavy to the touch and, like everything else in this rolling salon, simply ooze sybaritic quality.

Now that we've established that the front seat's a nice place to be if you're driving, let's head to the back. Entering the rear passenger cabin is inherently dramatic. Tug the handle and the rear-hinged coach door opens wide. Light spills into the compartment and exposes the gorgeous, curved rear lounge. If you know to look for it, the "RR"-embossed handle of the Phantom's standard-issue umbrella sparkles at you from its in-door holster (there's one for each side). The contrasting black leather trim on the door panel itself accentuates the red primary leather beautifully, and a chromed lid hides a substantial ashtray. In a Rolls-Royce, your vice is accommodated without having to check an option box and give up a cupholder.

The reasoning for the "suicide" doors in back is obvious the moment you step into the car. That's because you really do just step into the cabin. There's no need to maneuver around the door once you open it, so entry is easy. After your tush is planted on the rear seat, you can take a moment to appreciate your surroundings. Your feet rest on an impossibly thick lambswool rug. It's so lush, in fact, that friends and passengers instinctively kick off their shoes to better appreciate it. It's easy to get lost in the moment at this point, when you realize that you forgot to close the door. From the rear lounge, this would be a long and inelegant reach, massive door pulls notwithstanding, as you're positioned behind the doorframe when seated comfortably. No worries. There's a button on the window pillar beside you. Hold it down and the motorized door glides shut with a satisfying thud. This is usually followed by surprised laughter and exclamations of "No %$#@ing way!" from the rear occupants.

Pulling up on the front seatback reveals an exquisitely detailed snack tray. When it's stowed, the part facing the passengers is the same red leather as the seat. When opened, it's presented in the same veneered wood finish as the rest of the interior trim, and it's held up by sturdy, highly-polished hinged supports. The pièce de résistance, however, comes when you then lift the front edge of the snack tray and it slides up, revealing a 12" LCD display (one of a pair -- each seatback has one). This impresses folks as much as the power rear doors. The screen automatically blinks to life, briefly displaying "Rolls-Royce - Goodwood" and then defaulting to the onscreen menu and currently-selected entertainment source. An iDrive controller built into the hideaway center armrest lets the passengers choose what they want to watch or listen to. Those options include AM, FM, Sirius, TV (there's an OTA antenna built-in), CD or DVD. The audio is delivered through the fabulous fourteen-speaker Lexicon audio system, which makes the opening theme from "Shaft in Africa" sound particularly awesome with the volume cranked.

With the interior tour complete, lets talk about how the Phantom drives. Dock the Bimmer-style fob in its slot to the left of the steering wheel, apply the brakes, press the white Start/Stop button above it, and the 6.75L V12 awakens with a muted thrush then instantly settles into a quiet idle. Pop the car into gear via the column-mounted shifter and you're off. The first thing you notice when underway is the almost total silence that envelops you. Rolls-Royce didn't play around, and the occupants are ensconced behind double-pane glass in a compartment surrounded by sound-deadening materials. The attention to detail here shouldn't be overlooked. The wheel wells, for example, are fully-carpeted. Preserving the serenity of the cabin environment was clearly a top priority, and the Rolls-Royce engineers did a predictably good job. Around town, all you'll hear inside is the occasional thump from a pronounced road imperfection. What you won't do is feel it, as the Roller's suspension sucks up just about everything thrown at it. Get out on the highway, and the car remains quiet despite its blocky shape. You do get some wind noise around the rearview mirrors when you get the car's speed up, and it's probably exaggerated by the fact that everything else is so damned quiet. A flick of the stereo volume will blot it out entirely, and the rear seat passengers won't even notice it to begin with.

The car's 450 horsepower and 531 lb-ft of torque conspire to make driving at any speed a completely relaxed endeavour. Most of that torque is available at 1000 rpm, and unless you drop the hammer from a stop, the Phantom will launch in second gear, floating away gently, leaving its passengers unruffled. If you're cruising on the highway and dig into the throttle to put some space between yourself and the unwashed masses, the V12 responds instantly and effectively. Don't pay attention, and you'll find yourself humming along at speeds where the explanation, "Seriously officer, it only felt like I was going around 70" will likely be met with great skepticism and a hefty fine -- one the local constabulary will assume you'll have no trouble swallowing, at that. (Fortunately, I don't report this from experience.) Oh, and fuel economy? Not that the Phantom owner cares, but we observed between 9 and 10 mpg over the 4 days it was with us.

Behind the wheel, the 50/50 weight distribution lends a real sense of balance, the steering effort is light but never feels overassisted, and the big Roller goes where you tell it to with no unwanted drama. Comparisons to Aladdin's magic carpet are apt, only the Phantom's a lot better-equipped. The tradeoff for this almost complete lack of road-induced cabin turbulence is some notable body roll if you try and fling it into a turn too aggressively. Of course, if you expect the handling of an Elise in a 19-foot-long, 5,500-lb car appointed like the Queen Mary 2, you're really not being a very reasonable person. At a relaxed clip, the Phantom glides through those corners in the dignified manner an owner would expect. Brakes that could halt a locomotive corral the Phantom with ease and complete the overall dynamic package.

Forward visibility is good, but getting used to the long hood might take a little time for some. Rear visibility is obviously impacted by the massive c-pillars, but if you use your mirrors like they taught you to in driver's ed, you won't encounter any problems. Still, the car's length can create situations that are initially vexing. For instance, while taking my Dad for a ride, I came to a stop sign where the quiet local road I was on intersected with a busier, more-trafficked route. Even though I had the car's nose lined up with the sign, I was set so far back, I couldn't get a clear read on what was coming from either direction. This was slightly unnerving, as blindly driving a car that cost more than my house into oncoming traffic didn't seem like such a hot idea. My dad, riding shotgun and thinking he had discovered a weak spot, weighed in with, "Aww, come on. You can't see the road."

"Watch this," I replied, knowing something he didn't. I flipped the clock back, bringing the LCD display into view. Then I pulled back on the short stalk poking out of the steering column's left side -- the same one used to flash the high-beams. In this case, however, that action activated a little dual-lensed camera mounted in the center of the front bumper. A split-screen image showing me views up the intersecting road in both directions popped onto the display. With this extra assistance, I was able to easily judge when it was safe to pull out of the side street. My Dad's jaw has yet to return to a fully-closed position. It's the littlest details that blow people away.

Dropping jaws are a common sight outside the Rolls, too. You see, in-the-wild sightings of Phantoms are kind of rare for the average Joe, and while you might be able to slip by quietly if no one's looking, the Rolls is a commotion-in-waiting for those whose field of vision it does cross. It's not something you miss when it comes into view, and be prepared to host impromptu Q&A sessions if you're ever fortunate enough to have one for a spell. A routine trip to Starbucks became a lengthy affair, as it took me an extra 10 minutes just to walk into the shop while I chatted with folks sitting at the outdoor tables. As this went on, a steady stream of people in the shopping center approached the parked Roller, peering into the windows and giving it a thorough walkaround. I think the entire kitchen staff of the local pizzeria came out before it was over. A nighttime trip to Dairy Queen saw several local kids' eyes turn into saucers as they comprehended what just cruised into their hangout. And after a trip to pick up some sushi, the denizens of a local cruise night -- and these were people with some seriously nice cars themselves -- all tracked the Rolls as it drove out of the shared parking lot, heads on swivels. Everywhere the car went, it became the focus of attention. People stopped me. They asked questions. I let them check things out. They smiled at the peek-a-boo hood ornament when she ducked into the grille on command, and walked away happy. Sometimes astonished. Mostly delighted.

There's a reason for that. The Rolls-Royce Phantom is rare and special. There are, at this moment, around 1500 of them in the United States. In most neighborhoods, you'll never eyeball one. You cannot buy one (a new one) without spending upwards of $330,000. That figure, gaudy though it may be, is perhaps its most irrelevant statistic. For the shopper considering a Phantom, our tester's $372,600 sticker might as well read $3,726. The Phantom shopper has the money -- it isn't even a consideration. For example, I had a Phantom for a weekend, but there are plenty of Phantom owners who keep a spare one at their weekend homes. Now, I now know why. The Rolls-Royce Phantom is one of the best cars in the world -- some would say it's the best. Exquisite detail, an effortless but rewarding drive, and an unparalleled, magnetic street presence make the Phantom unique, giving credence to that point of view. People often asked if I was intimidated by it. The answer is no. I embraced it for what it is and drove it everywhere I would drive my own car. source by autoblog.com

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Hyundai Tiburon Replacement First Headed to U.K. in 2011

The long-rumored successor to the Hyundai Tiburon will be stopping in the United Kingdom before coming to the States.

The compact Hyundai two-door, known as the Coupe in the U.K., is slated to go on sale in Britannia in early 2011 according to U.K. outlet Autocar. The British rag recently spotted the compact four-seater in the flesh on a trip to South Korea and noted the small Hyundai looks exceptionally similar to the oft-mentioned Veloster concept. The upcoming 2+2 Coupe will be equipped with Hyundai's direct-injected 1.6-liter inline-four developing around 140 horsepower.

If the Coupe makes it to the United States under the resurrected Tiburon nameplate, it will provide a more affordable (and front-wheel drive) alternative to the Genesis Coupe. Expected to arrive in Fall 2011 for the U.S., Hyundai hopes to achieve 40 mpg without a hybrid powertrain and take on the Honda CR-Z. A high-performance model may also be in the works.

The new Hyundai coupe will make its European debut at the Paris motor show this October.

Source: Autocar,automobilemag

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2010 Nissan Versa lives life large

2010 Nissan Versa SL – Click above for high-res image gallery

Small, affordable cars are like mushrooms. They quietly go about their business in the soggy bottom of the market, tolerated more than celebrated. Occasionally, the fungi mutates into a truffle, and so it is with this less-respected branch of autodom.


The Nissan Versa is no market newcomer. Introduced in 2007, it's trudged along unloved in the U.S. while faring better in markets outside the States as the Tiida. As with cuisine, some regional flavors are an acquired taste. The Versa hatchback has a decidedly "big in Europe" thing going on, with its distinctive shape and tall-hatch proportions. Taking into consideration Nissan's close relationship with Renault, the styling even seems Gallically influenced. We nabbed a pair of Versas, an S with six-speed manual and an SL with CVT, to see if Nissan's efforts are fetid or delicious. Make the jump to find out.
 Styling is one of the main weapons automakers have when prices are low. The Versa five-door comes off a little bubble-ish with its high-arching roof, but it's a boon to occupants. There's a squared-off C-pillar in back that doesn't consume visibility, and its reverse-cut suggests some Renault influence, as does the nose. New up front for 2010 is a redesigned grille, set between lamps that continue the European-influenced theme.

There will inevitably be detractors, but the Versa isn't styled for shock value. It's not so much pretty as it avoids the overt weirdness that can creep in when prices are low and hardware is pedestrian. Even in the flashy Metallic Blue that our SL tester wore, the Versa is relatively nondescript; the latest in a line of inoffensively styled Japanese hatchy things. Blending in isn't necessarily bad, and if you want more expressiveness, Nissan offers the Cube on the same underpinnings.



The interior follows the same design ethos of not rocking the boat. No element is overwrought on the cleanly-styled dashboard. The expanse of nothing that faces the front seat passenger cries out for a little something, though. At least it makes it easy to peg the quality of interior plastics and fit and finish, which is pleasing to the eye, if not the touch. All cars in this price range carry similar looks-decent-feels-nasty interior materials, and knocking the Versa for such would be unfair. While it's not an Infiniti-grade interior, the colors and materials come off as well-chosen. The dashboard and door pulls give an anti-style message, but they don't feel unfinished. The charcoal cloth upholstery and tan tweed headliner feel more luxurious than you would expect, and the whole interior milieu somehow evokes Golfs of the past.

The Versa's upwardly-bowed roof keeps the headliner off hairdos and also adds to an airy atmosphere inside. There's storage cubbies aplenty, and the ergonomics are a delight. The radio sits high in the dashboard, right at hand. Nissan offers a bargain-priced navigation unit in the Versa, a surprisingly high-end touch in a car that's in the $15,000 range. The Suzuki SX-4 offers standard navigation, but the Versa's integrated option is a slicker implementation.



Three big knobs for the HVAC are simplicity itself, and they back up their easy use with a tight, non-sloppy feel. It may seem a small thing, but controls without slack add to a feeling of build quality, and the Versa's HVAC controls feel better than those in some luxury vehicles we've tried. High-G cornering will send your beverages flying from the shallow cupholders, though the door cubbies accommodate bottled drinks.

Ergonomic complaints are few, indicating that the Versa's interior is a solid effort, overall. Some gripes include the steering wheel cruise control buttons, which could use identifying dots to lessen the need to look down while underway, and It would be nice to have some padding under your elbows, especially on longer drives. The gauges, however, are clearly seen through the steering wheel and the seats are a comfortable surprise. Plastics are hard to the touch, for sure, but there's not a cheap sheen on surfaces.

The base Versa comes equipped with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder that hums out 107 horsepower. Both Versas we tried had the up-sized 1.8-liter, 122-horsepower engine. From the gutless performance of the larger engine, we can only surmise that the 1.6 is an engine for drivers accustomed to planning every move. It could be that we're used to explosive horsepower, but even with its short gearing, the Versa feels light on torque. Fortunately the engine doesn't mind revving, and it's just boomy, not rough.



Surprisingly, the 1.8-liter engine is better when teamed with Nissan's XTronic CVT instead of the six-speed manual transmission. Unfortunately, the XTronic is only available in the SL trim level, sticking bargain hunters with a four-speed conventional automatic if they want a shiftless Versa S or 1.6. Nissan does some of the best CVTs in the business, and even with a smallish four-pot, the Versa avoids the breathless-rubber-bandy experience common of small engines and gearless transmissions.

A six-speed manual also isn't common in this class of vehicle, and the great promise from such a ratio-spread is phenomenal fuel economy. Nissan went the other route, with smaller ratio gaps between gears. This approach probably lends performance to the 2,700 pound Versa S, though it's not a point-and-shoot driving experience. On the highway the engine spins around 3,000 RPM at sane speeds, adding more boom to the zoom, and stirring the transmission is video-gameish with a disconnected-yet-smooth shifter action.



The Versa is softly tuned, making it a comfortable rider. Despite that, the chassis doesn't flail around if you force it to rough-house. Make no mistake, there aren't any sporting intentions here. A beam axle is used out back, enhancing the rear load area at the expense of all-out handling. Steering points the car without doing much else, like communicating tire grip. Braking is likewise unexceptional in use. The pedal is pleasingly firm, and the Versa's disc/drum setup with ABS, electronic brake force distribution, and brake assist brings things to a halt. Simple and straightforward.

The Versa's mission is to soothe your nerves as you appliance around. There's a lag time between turning the steering wheel and the chassis responding, and the general impression is that the Versa is tuned to feel bigger than it is. It's at the big end of its class, and the EPA even classifies it as a mid-size car. It's tough to argue with the idea that the Versa could convincingly stand in for cars with larger footprints. There's plenty of space inside, a useful hatchback body style and it's rather comfortable. There's also far less wind noise in the Versa than in the Cube, and its styling is also more mainstream – a plus in many books.



Despite the promise of a six-speed transmission and relatively low curb weight for these times, fuel economy for us was a disappointing high-20s in mixed driving. City mileage with the 1.8-liter engine, however, is definitely better than traditional mid-size cars, and the spacious interior and hatchback brings near wagon-like usefulness to your driveway for far less than $20,000.

The Versa is large for its class, for sure, and it's filled with class-appropriate materials while driving more refined than you'd expect from its position in the Nissan pecking order. Our only question after sampling the Versa is: Why is there still a Sentra? In the inexpensive-not-cheap car realm, the Versa has a lot to offer, and its substitution of calm where others go frenetic will please potential buyers – and steal a few Sentra shoppers in the process.
source by autoblog.com

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Rendered Speculation: Scion tC convertible cometh?

to go topless. The site names a handful of unnamed sources that say Toyota's youth-bent brand is looking for an easy way to inject some life into its lineup – something that could be easily accomplished by cutting the roof off of the newly unveiled tC coupe. The car just received its first significant redesign in six years, and as such, IL seems to think the time is ripe to add a convertible model to the mix.


The site makes a compelling case for the move, including the fact that there are very few affordable drop heads on the market right now. Throw in the fact that Toyota just sent its one and only convertible, the Solara, packing for good, and it seems to make sense.

We have to wonder exactly how many freshly-minted college grads would snap up a convertible tC, though. After all, Scion is easily as popular with the AARP crowd as it is with the younger set, thanks largely to the brand's vehicles that are bigger on function than they are on style. We're looking at you, xB. Would a convertible help to drop the brand's demographic by a few generations? Maybe so, but considering we haven't heard word one from Toyota on this front, we'll have to leave this one in the rumormill pile a little longer.
source by autoblog

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2008 Scion xB

2008 Scion xB – Click above for high-res image gallery

In the latter part of the 1990s, Toyota realized it had a problem on its hands. Although its sales had been climbing steadily for years, the average age of its customers was also climbing. That's fine in the short term, but over the long haul if a company isn't attracting some younger clientele into its showrooms, sales will eventually begin to dry up. After several years of unsuccessfully trying to attract more youthful customers with cars like the Echo, the Japanese behemoth tried a new tack in early 2003.


That was when Toyota announced a new brand called Scion that would be targeted at the so-called Generation Y crowd. Unlike Lexus, Scions would be sold in existing Toyota showrooms. The Scion roll-out kicked off in California and a few other markets in the Southwest and eventually spread throughout the country. The first two Scions were the xA and xB, which were both based on the previous generation Yaris/Vitz platform. By late 2006, the xA and xB were ready to be replaced as the first second generation Scions made their debut at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show in February. The new xB started appearing at Scion stores in early summer and landed in the Autoblog Garage in September. Find out what we thought of the xB Rev. 2 after the jump.
The first thing anyone familiar with the original xB will notice upon walking up to the new one is its size. While the car is still recognizable as an xB, it has clearly hit puberty and the growth hormones have kicked in. The new dimensions are due largely to the model trading in its little Yaris platform for the larger Corolla architecture.

The new xB still has a wagon-like shape but the details and proportions are very different. The car is a full twelve inches longer and almost three inches wider, but loses an inch and a half in stature. The nose looks longer and the roof-line now has a chopped look to it. The glass in the D-Pillars has also been replaced by solid steel. Where the original had an almost delicate look to it, the second generation model has far more visual heft. Unfortunately, the heft is not purely visual. The curb weight of the xB has ballooned by 636 lbs to 3,086 lbs. You might think all that extra girth would translate into increased interior volume. You would be thinking wrong. The only major interior dimensions that grow are shoulder and hip room. Head room drops by six inches in the front seats and four and a half in back. Front leg room also drops by six inches. Cargo room behind the rear seats, however, does grow by half a cubic foot to 21.7 cu. ft.

Styling as always is highly subjective and the new xB is no exception. The lower and wider stance of the wagonette certainly looks more aggressive and the flares around the wheel wells with their adjoining sills have a hint of PT Cruiser and HHR. The new look will probably be a good starting point for those who want to customize their rides. The base of the windshield has moved forward but maintains the fairly upright angle of the original, meaning it sits pretty far out in front of the driver. That enhances the impression of room inside, although it also means that the driver has a really long reach to adjust the mirror.

The more diminutive original was propelled by a 1.5L four-cylinder that just wouldn't cut it in the 2008 model, especially an extra 600 lbs. to carry around. So the Corolla architecture brings with it the 2.4L four-cylinder used in the tC coupe and the larger Camry sedan. Output jumps from 103 to 158 HP and twist goes from 101 lb-ft to 162 lb-ft. Whatever else we may think of the new xB, it can certainly get out of it's own way. Unfortunately, it's not all that refined in doing so. The initial throttle tip-in feels way too aggressive. Launching in any kind of dignified manner requires a very gentle toe on the accelerator. While some people may like the idea of chirping the front tires at every intersection, on wet or slippery surfaces the standard traction control will kick in regularly, but back to that later.

The automatic transmission only has four forward gear ratios that can be activated by the now almost obligatory sequential tap-shift mechanism, although this seems pretty pointless. Then there is the enclosure for the shift mechanism. It sits in a pod that protrudes from the center of the dash. A very wide pod! A pod much to wide to be necessary for the shifter. Upon noticing this pod (as if it could be missed!), I looked for a storage bin or something useful on the underside. Alas, it appears to serve no real useful purpose other than consuming an inordinate amount of space adjacent to the drivers right knee. While front seat occupants of the new xB may have more hip and shoulder room, thanks to the shifter they have less knee room.



Let us make this perfectly clear to anyone and everyone who designs vehicle interiors. Instruments (especially primary ones like the speedometer and tach) belong in front of the driver. In the era of MySpace, Facebook and Digg, it may seem like the social thing to do is share vital information with the passengers, but functionality must come first and foremost in a car. Another dubious decision was combining the clock display into the trip information display. If you want to monitor your fuel mileage, you can't see the clock. You have to toggle through all the bits of information to get back to Father Time. The lower half of the fuel and temperature gauges remains glaringly blank, so why didn't they just stick a dedicated clock into one of those. Again, the task of switching display modes is made worse because of the long reach to the switch.

The center position of the gauges is said to have a safety benefit, as you're not taking your eyes quite as far off the road, and noticed that it might indeed be true. The other nice touch about having the gauges in the center of the dash is that the panel is not shrouded at all by the steering wheel. The HVAC controls are wonderfully simple and elegant, and they are positioned well.

Our example had a premium sound system that was also iPod capable; a $389 dollar expenditure. There are dual auxiliary inputs, so you can interface directly with your iPod, via a specific jack, or you can use another flavor of player via the 1/8" mini jack. Once you do manage to figure out the Pioneer's control scheme, it's not difficult to operate. Unfortunately, the LCD display of the stereo doesn't play nice with polarized sunglasses.

Although we liked the direct control of the iPod through the head unit, our main complaint had to do with pausing. After a previous post, it became apparent that pressing the power button on the head unit would pause the iPod. The joystick controller on the right side of the head unit generally mimics the iPod click wheel with an upward push bringing up the menu and left and right being back and forward. So why not have a downward push be play/pause? Odd choice.

The xB we drove was also equipped with a dealer installed TRD drone amplifier. The accessory list labels it as a sport muffler, but any performance impact was probably negligible while the audible impact was just annoying.



The idle of the four banger was lumpy, but it loved to rev. A hard stab of the accelerator would keep the automatic in the same gear almost to red-line and acceleration was therefore adequate. The added torque of the bigger engine was much appreciated. As always though, it comes at a cost. What started out as an economy car is now anything but. While the environmental groups have been ripping Toyota lately for its "duplicity" on CAFE standards and bringing out big thirsty trucks like the Tundra, they apparently haven't yet noticed the change from xB Rev.1 to Rev.2. The original xB had EPA ratings of 26/31 mpg (after the adjustment for the new 2008 procedures, originally they were even higher). The 2008 model is rated at 22/28 and we averaged 23.4 mpg over our week with the car. My '05 Mustang averages 24 mpg over the same driving cycle.

On the road the xB does have reasonable grip when equipped with the larger 16-inch wheel/tire combination, and it now comes standard with electronic stability control. Stability control systems can be a good thing if done right. Maybe someday Toyota will get one right. I haven't driven every Toyota so-equipped, but every one I've tried so far from the first Avalon that had ESC in the late '90s to the current Tundra and xB has been downright awful. I know Toyota likes to stick by its suppliers that its mantra includes Kaizen or continuous improvement. But when it comes to slip control systems it might be time for Toyota to look elsewhere. When you have a stability control system as noisy as this one (and the Tundra, as well), there is absolutely no need to have a warning alarm going off, too. The Toyota engineers responsible for this system need to go try out a General Motors or Honda vehicle equipped with stability control. The system should not be jerking the steering wheel around in your hands to keep the car going where the driver intends. The ABS and traction control that share the same hardware also suffer from the same excess noise.

The second generation JDM Toyota bB

The original xB was based on the JDM bB, which also underwent a redesign recently. Unlike the US market xB the bB is still based on the smaller Yaris architecture and is comparable in size to the original. The car we get as the xB will also be sold as the Corolla Rumion in Japan. I suspect most fans of the first xB would have preferred that Toyota stuck with the new bB instead of growing the car. The 2008 xB that we get starts at $15,650 with a manual transmission and adds another $950 for the self-shifting unit. The exterior design has some nice details if you're partial to the overall look.

If Toyota sets the interior team to work on a revamp, it would probably be a big improvement. Following Volkswagen's lead with a smaller direct injected turbo under the hood and swapping the 4-speed torque converter box for a 6-speed DCT would probably do wonders for the mileage without hurting performance, as well. If you're after something closer in size to the original, the xD is now available and the Honda Fit offers lots of utility and a vastly more attractive and comfortable interior.
source by autoblog

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Saab announces plan to head back into Canada with 2011 models

2011 Saab 9-5 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Saab is continuing to claw its way back from the automotive grave. The company just announced that it will once again return to the land of maple syrup and Mounties in 2011. The svelte Swedish machines will be distributed by International Fleet Sales, and both Saab North America and IFS say that so far, around 20 dealers have raised their hands to sell the cars.


Our neighbors to the north will be able to sink their teeth into a total of five models once the new dealerships get off the ground, including all of the multiple flavors of the 9-3. If all goes well, the 9-3X crossover will also touch down on Canadian soil, along with the all-new 2011 9-5.

Saab expects to be doing business in Canada by fall of this year, so if you're north of the border and hankering for a slice of Saab-Spyker goodness, you don't have long to wait. Hit the jump for the press release.
source by autoblog.com saab

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