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Soon afterwards communicable its Mercury affinity out in the wild, the aboriginal photo of the 2010 Ford Fusion fabricated its way to the internet, forth with data on the revised powertrain offerings.

A Bold Front

Though abundant of the sheetmetal amid the A- and C-pillars carries over unchanged, the ahead and aft ends of the 2010 Fusion do accept ample corrective changes. The three-bar grille grows beyond and plays into a ample ability appendage on the hood, agnate to the Interceptor abstraction apparent at the 2008 Detroit auto show.

Ford alone showed a buried archetype during our preview, but from what we could tell, change in aback is rather limited. We’re assured hardly beyond taillights (with an absorbing bore pattern) and large, chrome bankrupt tips - even on the amalgam model.

Yeah, that thing’s got a hybrid.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Fusion Hybrid. For 2010, Ford’s adapted the amalgam powertrain from the Escape Amalgam cute-ute to both the Fusion and the Mercury Milan - admitting it’s aswell added a few new appearance for the sedan.

For starters, there’s the affair of the arrangement pack. Yes, it’s still a nickel metal hydride backpack supplied by Sanyo, but allure changes acquiesce it to backpack 20 percent added ability than the Escape’s pack. That’s a cogent feat, because it’s 23 percent lighter and appreciably smaller, acceptance it to constrict in abaft the Fusion’s rear seats.

But the better change lies with the manual itself. Yes, it’s akin to the aforementioned 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle I-4 begin in the Escape/Mariner hybrids, but the amalgam electric CVT (e-CVT) has been essentially recalibrated. With a affable appropriate foot, drivers will be able of accelerating up to 47 mph in authentic electric mode. An absorbing figure, but Ford promises appropriately agitative numbers if it comes to ammunition economy. The Fusion Amalgam should best the Toyota Camry Amalgam - which already attains 33 mpg in the city-limits - by at atomic 5 mpg.

That may be abundant to allure die-hard hypermilers, but they’ll aswell abatement in adulation with Ford’s SmartGauge apparatus cluster. Consisting of an analog speedometer belted by accompanying high-definition LCD screens, the arrangement can affectation a boundless arrangement of information, including arrangement levels, ammunition abridgement plotting, and more. Perhaps a lot of advantageous is a tachometer which displays a capricious EV-mode “threshold,” allowance drivers accumulate the engine off for as continued as possible

Though a amount of high-horsepower, rear-wheel-drive programs accept been shelved as a aftereffect of the new Corporate Average Ammunition Abridgement mandates, the electric-powered 2009 Mini E may be the aboriginal car developed as a aftereffect of the callous ammunition abridgement standards.

Shortly afterwards the new CAFE law was ratified, BMW Accumulation accustomed a aggregation - accounted ‘Project I’ - to investigate bearing smaller, eco-friendly city-limits vehicles. Though abounding activities aural the skunkworks accumulation are captivated in top-secret, the Mini E - appointed for an addition at November’s 2008 Los Angeles auto appearance - is the aboriginal to be about unveiled.

Each Mini E (there will be 500 in all) begins activity on the aforementioned Oxford, England, accumulation band as its Mini One, Cooper, and Clubman cousins. While those models are ultimately adapted with either a gas or agent engine afore abrogation the factory, Mini E models cycle off the band afterwards any anatomy of motive ability whatsoever.

For that, they’re again alien to Munich, Germany, area scientists aural the Project I labs install the electric powertrain. In abode of the I-4 lies a 150 kW (204 hp) direct-current electric motor, army beyond in the Mini’s engine bay, and powering the foreground auto - afterwards all, it is still a Mini…

The Mini’s diminutive rear seats are again replaced with a behemothic bank of lithium-ion batteries. The three array packs, rated at 35 kilowatt-hours, forward a aggregate 380 volts to the DC motor in front. All three can be answerable via 120 or 220-volt outlets, or with a specially-designed charger - aka the “WallBox” - which comes with anniversary vehicle. Using the WallBox, a full-charge is able in two-and-a-half hours, affairs as little as 28 kilowatt-hours from the electric grid

Seven years afterwards the admission of the 350Z, the Z-car is thoroughly re-worked both central and out for 2009. We’re conceivably aflame a lot of by the automated change active by its classification - ambuscade underhood is the 3.7-liter VQ37VHR V-6 that aswell admiral the Infiniti G37. Nissan’s not appear specs on what the motor produces in Z-tune, but it manages to pump out 330 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque in the G37 - 24 ponies added than the 350Z’s 3.5-liter V-6.

For those who don’t ascend underhood or barge on the throttle, the a lot of arresting change will acceptable be the Z’s new curves. Sure, it still carries the 350Z’s accepted shape, but the car’s anatomy is appreciably different. From what we can tell, the 370Z’s accommodation and close physique curve accomplish the car attending lighter and added affiliated to the aboriginal 240Z.

We hope, however, the 370Z’s autogenous isn’t a footfall aback in time, but a footfall advanced inline with the new 3.7-liter engine. We can’t adjudicator actual feel and superior until we in fact lay our easily on the car, but the autogenous apprehension absolutely looks attractive, what with leather-clad action seats and analogous suede aperture inserts. Though there’s absolutely a few locations copped from the Nissan accumulated locations bin, we’re animated to see the nav arrangement interface from the G37 (and hopefully its automatic iPod interface) yield its abode in the Z.

We’ll apperceive added about the car’s specifications, looks, and feel already Nissan clearly unveils it at the 2009 Los Angeles auto appearance in November - but if you’d like to yield a able at “driving” the car, aces up a archetype of “Need For Speed: Undercover.”

Stay acquainted to Automobile Magazine for all the latest account surrounding the 370Z and the 2009 Los Angeles auto show.

If there’s one French compound we love, it’s this: yield a banal Renault abridgement car, fit it with agrarian bodywork, and admit a able motor in lieu of a rear seat. That action formed wonders for cars like the 5 Turbo and Clio Renault Sport, and it looks as if the new 2009 Renault Megane Trophy, apparent at this week’s Paris motor show, will be no exception.

We’ll accord Renault some acclaim - we were assured to see the new Megane, absolutely restyled and re-worked for 2009, but we weren’t assured to see this. And how could we not? With a clue as advanced as the Champs-Elysees and an acutely chopped roofline, the Megane Trophy has the beheld gravitas of a accurate sports car - or at atomic its 5 Turbo ancestor.

It does, thankfully, backpack some achievement accreditation to match. Behind the cockpit lies a Nissan-sourced 3.5-liter V-6, acquainted to the key of some 360 hp. Renault claims that 30-hp addition comes address of forced-air induction, which is ducted through a beat army just aloft the windshield.

Incredibly, Renault says the Megane Trophy can about-face agnate lap times to a Porsche 911 GT3, but we may never see for ourselves. The Megane Trophy will be relegated to Renault’s one-make Eurocup Megane Trophy alternation - and while that may accomplish for some absorbing spec-racing, we’d adulation to see one of these mix it up with a GT3 out at Le Mans.

Last year, afterwards against Volkswagen Group architecture arch Walter de’Silva’s affirmation that Audi’s A5 is his best-ever design, we went on to affirm that he had absolutely created a admirable car. Just how admirable has been antiseptic by seeing A5s on the road, but no one absolutely absolutely appreciates the superior of its absolute architecture afore active it.

The aboriginal point of acknowledgment comes if you access the car, award it bigger and added abundant than it seemed in changeless auto-show conditions. The additional comes if you accessible the aperture to acquisition one of the best interiors offered today, for any car at any price. Audis accept had accomplished interiors for abounding years, but the A5 surpasses antecedent models. A disciplinarian senses that a appropriate accomplishment was fabricated just to amuse him, yet passengers, too, are flattered by the basement abundance and the accessible affliction in accumulating the details. This is acutely a car fabricated for traveling places, a accurate admirable tourer.

Everything one touches feels acceptable to the fingers. Tactile acknowledgment is too generally abandoned in car design, but while traveling in an A5, one could absorb hours acclaim caressing its controls, its armrests, even its ample bench contours. It helps that actuating the knobs and buttons is smooth, precise, and physically satisfying. The alone added car as tactilely adorable is an earlier pre-German Rolls-Royce, with its few but altogether accomplished organ-stop aperture knobs and able atramentous council wheel.

The exoteric is not arch and amateur aloft added cars, but it is alluringly handsome and added affecting in anatomy than antecedent Audis. Germanic accuracy is accurately choleric by Latin romanticism. The key band on the exoteric is the aciculate apparent breach active from the high alien headlamp bend to the agnate point on the taillight, cautiously ascent aloft anniversary wheel. It is complemented by the ascent band on the flanks that carries through the rear caster aperture and sweeps about the aback of the car to ascertain the bumper.

All U.S.-spec A5s affection Quattro all-wheel drive, so they’re decidedly acceptable in bad acclimate situations, authoritative them accomplished choices in abundant of the United States, not to acknowledgment arctic Europe. Whether adverse snow and ice or not, the elegance, stability, and arduous beheld attendance of the A5 are adorable to owners. For us, it is a bright Architecture of the Year winner.

If you’re feeling the pain at the pump but just can’t see yourself in a four-wheeled eco machine, there are plenty of efficient two-wheelers to help you choose the right bike to save a few bucks scooting around town. Just about every sport bike offers both spectacular performance and decent mileage. But the most effective way to be like a hypermiler on a motorcycle is to choose a bike with a small displacement engine and a light weight—characteristics crystallized in the pint-sized Kawasaki Ninja 250R we rode recently.

The Ninja 250R is playfully referred to as the Ninjette, and has been considered one of the better beginner bikes since its introduction over 20 years ago. This year’s redesign is radical, with new bodywork, more power, beefed up brakes, and—most tellingly—the inclusion of a gas gauge. The Ninja 250R is a great commuter bike for those willing to trade some horsepower for fuel efficiency. Best of all, the Ninja is priced at only $3499. —Basem Wasef

The Specs

One of the most important features to consider for new riders is seat height, and the 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250R’s saddle sits only 30.5 in. from the ground. It has a rear cowl that can be replaced with a passenger seat for an extra $99. Hidden underneath its sporty bodywork—which is available in green, red or blue—is a carbureted, liquid-cooled, DOHC 249 cc parallel twin engine with exhaust routed through a 2-into-1 system.

The powerplant is now quieter and packs better low- and midrange power—oh, and a tastier exhaust note too. Retuned intake and exhaust ports smooth out the power delivery, and maximum torque is a modest 16.2 lb.-ft. at a stratospheric 9500 rpm. But with only 333 pounds to haul around (plus rider), that number becomes bigger than it sounds. The engine is mated to a traditional six-speed gearbox.

Slowing this tiny package is easy with a two-piston, 290 mm petal-disc setup mounted up front, and a 220 mm disc at the rear wheel. The 37 mm fork is nonadjustable, but the rear Uni-Track suspension has five-way preload adjustability. Larger 17 in. wheels not only accommodate the larger brakes, they also enable vast possibilities for tire fitment.

The Ride

Though it looks like a scaled-down superbike, the Ninja 250R is a rather diminutive and confidence-inspiring motorcycle to throw a leg over. The smallish seat positions the rider’s body at a forward tilted angle, and the adjustable preload settings on the rear suspension help keep heavier passengers from compressing the suspension too much.

Taller riders might find themselves folding their legs a bit because of the Ninja’s compact proportions, but the upside becomes apparent at speed. The parallel twin engine starts up with ease, but requires a slight tug of the choke lever (remember that?) on cold mornings, and a minute or so of idling to completely warm up. The clutch lever is light, and twisting the throttle yields modest but deliberate acceleration. You have to rev hard for maximum forward momentum and revs get somewhat buzzy at higher rpm. Since peak power is close to 10,000 rpm, it’s not uncommon to find yourself shifting at or near the bike’s 13,000 rpm redline.

Ridden with gusto, the Ninja squirts ahead with enthusiasm. Though it will never be confused with a larger displacement sportbike, careful gear selection will ensure that the stronger parts of the powerband are always within reach. The Ninja can accelerate fast enough to merge safely with traffic and ride on highways—if you ride it right. Our time spent on L.A. freeways routinely saw bursts of speed up to 90 mph—more than sufficient for keeping up with fast-paced traffic.

And speaking of traffic, the Ninja 250R is adept at dodging in and out of lanes easily, thanks to its small size and featherweight poundage. Winding up the small engine is fun, but jousting the Ninja through traffic or maneuvering it through canyon roads is a thrill. In fact, its power to weight ratio can be more fun to ride than bigger, heavier motorcycles. Our only beef with the Ninja’s performance was its balky shifter: occasionally we hit false neutrals, and a few times the gearbox was in neutral but the green “N” didn’t light up on the dash.

The Ninja’s official fuel economy rating of 61 mph is completely attainable (and some owners claim numbers as high as 80 mpg). But our aggressive riding produced fuel economy in the low 50s. In order to make decent acceleration, there’s a natural tendency to redline the engine, which makes the ride a lot more fun at the expense of fuel economy. Great cruising range comes courtesy of its 4.8 gal. fuel tank, another boon for commuters.

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Here at the annual Concours d’Elegance car exhibit, Cadillac gives us a sneak peek at what lies beyond the full-size Escalade SUV. The Escalade has been a hit for Caddy, but with fuel efficiency on the minds of every buyer (even Cadillac buyers), the brand needs more wagons that can transport people and stuff—only with better gas mileage and a bit more poise when the road bends, too. So Cadillac has two truck alternatives on deck, ready for consumers looking to make that switch. —Ben Stewart

2010 SRX

The current SRX, which launched in 2004, did an admirable job of providing fuel-efficient and sporty transport. However, it hasn’t been the runaway hit Caddy was hoping for. It could have been the styling. To our eye, the SRX looked a bit like a Caddy wagon on stilts, instead of the cohesive crossover—a look pioneered by Lexus and adopted by Acura, BMW and even Lincoln.
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VANCOUVER, British Columbia — It’s tough playing second fiddle to a fire-breathing, rally-bred superstar like the Subaru WRX STi. The Impreza WRX has always been a trusty sedan with the utility to slog its way through brutal winters, but with 81 fewer horses than the STi—more than a Smart car’s worth of stallions—if you wanted brutal thrust, there was only one game in town.

Well, that’s changed a bit now.
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NEW YORK — Last year, there was only one flavor of Dodge Challenger available­—the raucous SRT8 version packing 425 hp from a 6.1-liter Hemi V8 and five-speed automatic transmission. It was quick, loaded with equipment and expensive—since Dodge built only 6400 cars. For the 2009 Dodge Challenger, we have three flavors and five powertrains to choose from, including the fuel-sipping SE model, the R/T with the “small” 5.7-liter Hemi engine, and, of course, the aforementioned SRT8, which returns with the option of a six-speed manual. Giddyap. —Jim McCraw

The Specs

The new entry-level SE Challenger, powered by the well-proven 3.5-liter V6 engine, churns out 250 hp and 250 lb.-ft. of torque, backed by a four-speed automatic. This combination is rated at 18 mpg city and 25 mpg highway even without a more desirable fifth or sixth gear to boost the highway mileage. And with a 0-to-60 time of only 7.8 seconds, this might be a very popular choice in these days of high-priced fuel. The SE is distinguished by its smooth body, no SE identifiers on the front or rear end, no rear spoiler, and simple five-spoke alloy wheels mounting P215/65R-17 tires. In other words, the look is clean. And SE prices start at a mere $21,995.
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Long-rumored but yet to show its face to the public is the upcoming convertible version of Audi’s game-changing super sports car, the R8. These beautiful and clear spy shots show us a lot about Audi’s next stunner, including its long, slinky, clean bodysides and the new front and rear grille treatments similar to, but more tastefully rendered, than those on the diesel-powered R8 V-12 Le Mans concept.

What we don’t see, however, is just as interesting. For starters, thanks to the prosthetic buttresses and rear window, we can’t tell for certain what the folding top actually looks like, but we’re relatively sure it’s made from canvas, not metal, since the dedicated sports-car chassis—at least insofar as it shares key engineering traits with the Lamborghini Gallardo coupe and its softtop Spyder variant—was not engineered to accommodate a folding hardtop.

Also missing are separate sail panels around the side air intake, or any sort of body panel that would easily lend itself to the contrasting paint schemes that are a signature element of the coupe’s design.

Finally, we still haven’t seen the soon-to-be-optional LED headlamps we’ve been promised since the coupe’s launch nearly two years ago.

We’re certain, however, that the R8 roadster will be as quick, and as sexy as the coupe. The softtop’s interior also is certain to lose some or all of its behind-the-seats cargo space, but with the top down, sight lines will improve dramatically.

We’ll reserve judgment until we see the production version roll out during the fall auto show season, likely in Paris this October, followed by a start of production by the end of 2009. But based on what we see here, we’re thinking we’ll remain coupe fans when all the dust settles. Then again, on a gorgeous day and with the mid-mounted V-8 at full wail, we’d probably find no reason to complain about the lack of a roof. Bring it on.