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First-in-segment coil-spring, multilink rear suspension fitted to a solid rear axle provides ride and handling capabilities unexpected in a pickup truck Detroit, Jan 13, 2008 - Emerging from a herd of 120 long horn cattle driven by 10 cowboys on horseback down Washington Boulevard in downtown Detroit today, the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram made its debut at the 2008 North American International Auto Show. 2009 Dodge Ram Sport "Since the dawn of the 'big rig' look, Dodge Ram has always been a game-changer," said Jim Press, Vice Chairman and President, Chrysler LLC. "And this is our all-new game-changer -- the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram, which is packed with full-size pickup firsts and best-in-class features." In 1994, Dodge introduced a revolutionary Ram in the light-duty pickup market, with its “big rig” styling and iconic crosshair grille. “We put a truck on the market that tripled our market share,” said Ralph Gilles, Vice President – Jeep®/Truck Design Studio,...

- All-New Design with Improved Comfort, Space and Utility - All-New Platform With Sport-Sedan Dynamics - Standard Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) DETROIT, Jan. 13, 2008 -- Subaru of America, Inc. today introduced the all-new, third-generation 2009 Subaru Forester, a total re-design of the award-winning crossover utility vehicle (CUV) that has built a strong reputation as an icon of safety, dependability and versatility. 2009 Subaru Forester 2.5 XT The 2009 Subaru Forester, which arrives in Subaru dealerships this spring, builds upon that reputation while projecting a bolder, more SUV-like design and making a major leap in safety technology, comfort, refinement and driving dynamics. As with all Subaru models, the 2009 Subaru Forester comes equipped as standard with Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive. An all-new platform featuring a 3.6-inch longer wheelbase (now 103.0 inches) and double-wishbone rear suspension improves crash-worthiness and at the same time provides crisper handling, a quie...

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) and Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. debut the MITSUBISHI Concept-RA and the Lancer Ralliart to the world at the 2008 edition of the North American International Auto Show. Building on Mitsubishi's global history of exciting two door sports coupes, the MITSUBISHI Concept-RA takes the sports coupe design theme in a new direction and brings the ROAD ALIVE. Mitsubishi Concept-RA The exciting MITSUBISHI Concept-RA is an athletic pure coupe concept that allows a passion for dynamic performance driving to coexist with a heightened sensitivity for the environment thanks to high output clean diesel power. Also making its global debut, the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart is a turbocharged, all-wheel-drive compact sports sedan that will be in showrooms in the summer of 2008. Concept-RA The MITSUBISHI Concept-RA continues a long tradition of sporty coupe concepts dating back to the 1972 debut of the Galant GTO R73-X show car, which showcased high r...

Bolder styling and more accommodating interior highlight changes to 2009 Honda Pilot 01/13/2008, DETROIT -- A prototype of the next-generation Honda Pilot is being unveiled at the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today. 2009 Honda Pilot Prototype The prototype conveys design features of the more boldly-styled 2009 Honda Pilot, set to debut in spring 2008, which emphasizes authentic SUV styling, clever and more accommodating interior packaging and advanced technologies for safety, fuel efficiency and convenience. "The Pilot's pioneering formula improves for 2009 by enhancing its combination of refinement and efficiency with even more traditional SUV strengths," said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda. "A powerful exterior design communicates strength and allows for more space inside." Functional eight-passenger seating, a hallmark of the Pilot, becomes even easier t...

- Hyundai crafts a rival to $60,000 sports sedans...with a starting price under $30,000 - Rear-wheel drive and high-output V8 engine deliver world-class driving experience FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., 01/08/2008 -- Hyundai aims to shatter premium automobile paradigms with the North American International Auto Show introduction of its new flagship, the all-new Genesis sports sedan on January 13. With capabilities and features comparable to $60,000 premium sedans, Genesis will be offered at a starting price under $30,000 when it goes on sale this summer. 2009 Hyundai Genesis Genesis is built on Hyundai’s all-new, performance-driven rear-wheel-drive architecture. It offers three powertrains, including 3.3-liter and 3.8-liter V6 engines, and Hyundai’s all-new 4.6-liter Tau V8. Tau will produce an estimated 368 horsepower on regular fuel, and lead all its competitors in specific output with 80 horsepower per liter. With technology rivaling more expensive luxury sedans, Genesis showcases feat...

The four-cylinder Vue and Aura Green Line s have been on sale for months, offering drivers a practical, low-cost green option. An even greener choice (in terms of MSRP) will be the Vue Green Line 2 Mode . It arrives in dealerships later this year, and showcases GM's first front-wheel-drive application of their two-mode hybrid technology that was co-developed with BMW and the old DaimlerChrysler. The 2009 Green Line 2 Mode is built on an excellent foundation. You likely know the Vue is an unrepentant clone of the Antara sold in Europe through GM's Opel division. Our miles spent in the Vue/Antara have been singularly pleasing, and based on our experience in GM's full-size SUVs with the two-mode technology, we have high expectation for the more sophisticated Vue 2 Mode. While we can't comment on how the new Vue hybrid drives, we can tell you what GM told us leading up to the little ute's Detroit auto show introduction. The powertrain combines GM's corporate 3.6-...

What's special about it? In case you haven't noticed, German's carmakers aren't big on the idea of hybrids. Sure, BMW and Mercedes-Benz collaborated with GM on the two-mode hybrid transmission, but what they would really like to sell you is a car like the 2009 BMW 335d. Yes, that "d" stands for diesel and although BMW already sells several diesel models in Europe, only now has emissions technology advanced enough to get the EPA's seal of approval in all 50 states. This is a good thing, as the BMW 335d 's twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-6 generates a healthy 265 horsepower. More impressive is the staggering torque output — 425 pound-feet at just 1,750 rpm. So in other words, the 335d's inline-6 generates as much torque as Chrysler's 6.1-liter Hemi V8. It's enough power to get the 335d from zero to 60 mph in just 6.2 seconds, BMW claims. All that power doesn't torpedo the 335d's fuel economy, as BMW claims mileage figures of 23 mpg city...

Audi’s R8 is already being celebrated as one of the most savory, slippery, sexalicious supercars ever to roam our roads. And, to our delight, the luxury automaker is acting more like such sports-car makers as Ferrari or Porsche by continuing to evolve the flagship sports model. In addition to the simplified grillwork front and back and that military-grade flat gray paint job, modifications to this particular R8 mule include widened sail panels—implying the need for more air into the mid-mounted engine than satisfies the standard 4.2-liter V-8 in the regular R8—and a high-performance parts-bin braking system, complete with what appear to be Gallardo-sourced carbon-ceramic rotors coupled with large S-line calipers. Our spy’s guess is that this is the rumored V-10 model, which makes sense, given how much the R8 shares structurally with the V-10–powered Lamborghini Gallardo. We think there’s an equal chance, however, that this car might be powered by a high-performance diesel V-8 like that...

Tall wagon. Small crossover. Sleeper rocket. Lesbo-chic whisk-about. The Subaru Forester has been called a lot of things, but one thing it’s never been called is good-looking. That all may change for 2009, when the Forester undergoes its first ground-up redo, featuring a three-inch-longer wheelbase, three inches of additional length, and gratefully, all-new, more macho styling. What won’t change is its tall wagon, raised-suspension program, but the ’09 model’s off-roading capability should be heightened—literally—thanks to no less than 8.9 inches of ground clearance. Helping on-road demeanor is its stiffer, all-new platform, which utilizes a new double-wishbone rear suspension for improved cornering prowess. As with the current model, the ’09 Forester will be powered by a choice of four-cylinder boxer motors, each displacing 2.5 liters and available in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged forms. Better news still is that it will continue to be offered with a manual transmission,...

Base price: $15,000 (est.) Engine: 1.8-liter four, 132 hp/128 lb-ft; XRS: 2.4-liter four, 158 hp/162 lb-ft Transmission: Five-speed manual or four-speed automatic (base models); five-speed manual or five-speed automatic (XRS); front-wheel drive Length x width x height: 178.7 x 69.3 x 57.7 in Wheelbase: 102.4 in Curb weight: 2,723-2,965 lb Fuel economy (EPA city/hwy): 27/35 mpg (1.8-liter); 22/29 mpg (manual 2.4-liter), 22/30 mpg (automatic 2.4-liter) Safety features: Dual front, side and curtain airbags anti-lock brakes; stability control standard on XRS Major standard features: Air conditioning; power steering; tilt/telescopic steering wheel; 60/40 split folding rear seat; AM/FM/CD (XM satellite ready) radio; outside temperature gauge; two 12-volt power outlets; driver vertical seat height adjuster Warranty: Three years/36,000 miles For starters, we think this new Corolla is far better looking than the near-invisible car it replaces early next year. And it steps up in power and to...

When it arrives next summer, the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will be the most powerful and fastest production car ever produced by General Motors, with performance enabled by a new, supercharged 6.2L LS9 small-block V-8 engine. Incorporating the engineering experience already found in the Corvette Z06’a LS7 engine and the new-for-2008 6.2L LS3 of the Corvette, GM Powertain is targeting 100 horsepower per liter for the LS9, or 620 horsepower (462 kW), and approximately 595 lb.-ft. of torque (807 Nm); final SAE-certified power levels will be available in early March 2008. It is, indeed, the ultimate small-block engine for the ultimate Corvette. “When you experience the LS9 in the Corvette ZR1, the terms performance and refinement take on a new meaning,” said Tom Stephens, group vice president for GM Powertrain and Quality. “The LS9 demonstrates an outstanding performance range, with smooth driveability at low speeds, and surprisingly fierce performance when the customer wants more...

Ford of Europe is confirming its plan to deliver an exciting all-new, high performance Focus RS model for launch in 2009. A design image released by the company today hints at the exciting direction the new model is taking. 2009 Ford Focus RS The new 2009 Ford Focus RS will be based on the dynamic new Focus ST. It will be developed by Ford Team RS, a specialist team led by Jost Capito who, as previously announced, is being appointed to the new role as Vehicle Line Director for Ford of Europe Performance Vehicles from January 1, 2008. "With two consecutive Manufacturers' World Rally Championship titles under our belt, the time is right to create a new Focus RS," said John Fleming, Ford of Europe's President and CEO. "With the Fiesta and Focus ST models, Jost and his team have proved already that they can deliver exciting and practical performance road cars. The success of these models, combined with Jost's experience in motorsport and Ford of Europe's po...

We're 20 feet from a production-spec 2009 Nissan GT-R at Sendai Highland Circuit, a raceway north of Tokyo. After years of staring at various concepts, prototypes and Nürburgring test mules of the GT-R , it's finally time to drive the finished product.An engineer waves us over after making his final checks, then hands us the keys with a smile so big you'd think he'd been knocking back Kirins since sunrise. We suspect he already knows what we came here to find out. Does the 2009 Nissan GT-R really deliver the performance of the Porsche 911 Turbo for half the price? Time to find out for ourselves. Getting Acquainted With Godzilla Unlike most supercars, the GT-R doesn't sit only 2 inches off the ground, so it's easy to slide into the driver seat. This is a Japanese-market car, so we're on the right-hand side, which makes everything feel awkward. The seat is firm and narrow, and the high center console gives the cabin a tight, cockpit-style feel. Start buttons...

The new era of clean diesel in America will officially be ushered in by the new VW Jetta TDi when it goes on sale in a few months. Powered by a 2.0-liter four-banger that produces 140 hp and 236 lb.-ft. of torque, it will be the first automobile to meet the world’s most stringent emission control standards, California’s Tier II, Bin 5. Although it won’t be wearing the “BlueTec” badge, the Jetta will be using emission-cleansing technologies developed under the cooperative formed by Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen to make it 50-state legal. Most BlueTec vehicles control NOx emissions—one of the biggest environmental hurdles facing diesels, along with particulate matter—by injecting a urea-based solution into the exhaust system upstream from the catalytic converter, where NOx is then converted into nitrogen and water. The Jetta will instead use a NOx-storage catalyst, which is basically a reservoir that temporarily holds the noxious emissions, like a particulate filter, until they ca...

As the 2009 Nissan Murano proves, Nissan figured out this whole crossover thing before the rest of us. It's pretty uncommon for a vehicle to actually gather increasing steam when it comes to sales as it gets older, but the Murano has done exactly that. Introduced as a 2004 model, sales of the Nissan Murano have climbed every year since then, reaching 81,000 units in 2006. Evolution, Not Revolution Now that the Murano has developed a loyal following, Nissan has been careful to evolve, improve and upgrade the all-new 2009 Murano without compromising the things responsible for its success. As we see it, these things have been the Murano's untraditional exterior style, its ample second-row accommodations and its engaging driving dynamics. Good Performance At the test track, the powerful 2009 Murano LE accelerates to 60 mph in 8 seconds flat, while its capable four-wheel disc brakes stop it from 60 mph in just 122 feet. These performance figures place it near the top of its clas...

If you’ve been waiting for the all-new 2009 MKS with quiet patience, then the new Lincoln flagship is for you. This is a car all about refined luxury for the responsible types who want a little pampering and a little power—but it must be guilt-free.Ford will start building the full-size luxury sedan at its Chicago plant next summer. Volume should be in the 40,000 range annually, with a starting price below $38,000. On the style spectrum, the MKS lands between the Lincoln MKZ (formerly Zephyr) and the sexy MKR concept that kept bringing us back to the Lincoln stand at the Detroit show in January to double-check that it was really wearing a Lincoln badge. The MKS will launch with a new 3.7-liter V-6 that won’t be shared with Ford or Mercury brand vehicles, says Derrick Kuzak, group vice president responsible for global product development. It produces 270 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque, which is up 20 lb-ft over Ford’s 3.5-liter V-6 upon which it is derived. It is similar to the 3.7-liter...

Hyundai has begun testing redesigned prototypes of its future luxury car that are similar in appearance to the Genesis concept car that debuted earlier this year at the 2007 New York Auto Show. The latest prototype's grille is trapezoidal, instead of the former prototype's round-cornered rectangle, and the grille slats are no longer vertical, but horizontal like the original concept. The new car's headlights are more pointed, and they stretch back along the fenders, again mimicking the shape of the Genesis showcar's lights. The prototype's front bumper has been toned down, with more conventional foglamps integrated with a rounded lower air intake. Although the sedan's profile hasn't been altered since the first prototype, the latest version shows a shark-fin antenna mounted on the roof. Nine-spoke wheels are nearly identical to those used on the showcar.

Dodge offered short test-drives of the 2009 Durango Hybrid earlier this week, and provided a few specifications as well. The Durango and Chrysler Aspen will use the same two-mode hybrid system that we experienced earlier this year in the hybrid Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon The system was developed in cooperation with General Motors and BMW. This means it can run on electric motor only (as it does in reverse and for low-speed forward trundling) or it can use the electric motor to augment the big gas motor. Think of it more like a Prius than a Honda Accord Hybrid, which is a so-called mild hybrid. Chrysler estimates that the Durango Hybrid will get about 40 percent better fuel economy in the city. The average Hemi Durango can't even manage 15 miles on one gallon of fuel around town. One similarity to Honda's soon-to-be-discontinued Accord Hybrid is that both use cylinder deactivation to improve highway fuel economy. Dodge says that the addition of the electric motors mean that th...

Nissan 's 2009 Skyline GT-R made an unexpected appearance at this past weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed, completing the hill climb in the rain twice on Saturday and twice more on Sunday. Despite its numerous runs, Nissan made no effort to publicize the effort. In fact, the GT-R was conspicuously absent from the event announcer's script. Every other car was formally introduced prior to its ascent, including the Audi R8 that went before the GT-R and the Ford GT that went after. When the GT-R appeared at the starting line, however, the speakers went silent and it took off in silence. And we mean silence, as the GT-R was virtually inaudible compared to the rest of the field. It was enough to compel spectators to ask each other, "What was that thing?" When the car returned to the staging area on Sunday, our on-site reporter said that it appeared as though Toshio Suzuki was at the wheel. He was the test driver we spotted running hot laps at Laguna Seca Raceway an...

Honda 's Ridgeline pickup truck is due for an update, and spy photos prove that an overhaul is on the way. A new front-end design consists of a new grille and a revised front bumper, which looks similar to an early prototype of the next-generation Honda Pilot . No major modifications are revealed yet for the Ridgeline's rear end, but that could change closer to production. Technical details have not yet been released. Hybrid power was rumored as a possibility in 2009, but it's unlikely before the second-generation Ridgeline debuts in 2011.