“…Audi of America today released pricing for the highest performing TT models ever brought to market – the 2009 TTS Coupe and TTS Roadster. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price for the TTS Coupe will start at $45,500 and $47,500 for the TTS Roadster. The ultra-efficient, direct-injected, turbocharged 2.0 TFSI engine rewards TTS Coupe owners with both class-leading acceleration and fuel economy. The TTS Coupe races from 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds, and achieves a combined fuel economy of 24 mpg. The TTS Roadster offers comparable performance with a 0-60 mph time of 5.1 seconds and a class-leading combined fuel economy of 24 mpg. Both versions of the TTS achieve an exceptional 29 mpg in highway driving and 21 mpg in city driving based on government fuel-economy ratings. The electronically governed top track speed for the TTS is 155 mph…”

Via [Auto Spies]

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“….As we’ve known for a while, the Hyundai Genesis coupe will have two engine options: a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and a 3.8-liter V-6. Both will be available with either a manual or automatic transmission feeding power to the rear wheels.  Turbo-four models will be labeled with the 2.0T moniker, and will be available in base, Premium, Track, and R-Spec trims. All will feature the same low-pressure turbocharged and intercooled mill, which Hyundai says will generate 220 horsepower on premium fuel (210 on regular) and 223 lb-ft of torque, all while returning a respectable 30 mpg on the highway. If those numbers don’t sound quite like what you’re after, there’s hope; according to Derek Joyce, Genesis coupe product manager, Hyundai “could have opted solely for big performance numbers, but our focus for the 2.0T was a more balanced package.” Translation: once tuners get their hands on the four-banger Genesis, all they need to do is turn up the boost and “unbalance” things to their heart’s content…”

Via [Motor Car News]

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“…The story broke Friday morning that the treasury department turned away General Motors on its widely reported, not very substantiated deal to buy Chrysler with $10 billion in federal bailout money.  And with that, the GM-Chrysler deal may be dead. Done. A huge swing from my report yesterday quoting Grant Thornton that a deal could happen before Tuesday…”

Via [Motor Trend Blog]

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Yeah, I thought so.  If you’re in the same position I’m in you can’t find one anywhere online either.  All Infiniti QX4s made from 1997-2003 should have come with a rear wind deflector above the rear glass on the rear end.  Some, however, don’t have one for one reason or another.  Since the model has been retired, they’re aren’t any being made anymore, only from infiniti-parts.com which costs several hundred dollars.  If you know anything about this situation, or have found yourself in the same position I’m in right now, leave a comment and tell us what you did or where you found one.

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“….Nissan has announced a new version of its Versa sedan today, which it claims is now the lowest-priced car in the U.S. For a base MSRP of $9,990 (excluding a $695 destination and handling charge) you can get your hands on the new Nissan Versa Sedan 1.6, which includes a standard 1.6L four-cylinder producing 107 horsepower. It’s smaller in displacement than the Versa’s other 1.8L engine that produces 122 hp, but is also more efficient returning 26 mpg city/34 highway with a five-speed manual and 26 city/33 highway with a four-speed automatic. The larger 1.8L achieves 26 city/31 highway with a manual, 24 city/32 highway with an automatic and 27 city/33 highway with Nissan’s Xtronic CVT transmission. So the new Versa Sedan 1.6 will be slightly more frugal with fuel, but we also expect it will include less standard features in order to keep the starting price below $10,000. The new lowest-priced car in the U.S. will go on sale November 18th….”

Via [AutoBlog]

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“….The styling of contemporary Ferrari’s is a divisive issue, some remaining enamored with Pininfarina’s pen, others deriding an incongruity to their design. Critics point to rival Lamborghini’s more aggressive styling, Aston Martin’s more classical design, and Porsche’s cleaner and simpler lines. But telling a Gallardo apart from a Murcielago, a Vantage from a DBS or a Cayman from a 911 remains a relative challenge even for the trained eye, while each Ferrari looks completely different from one another, yet still remaining unmistakably and instantly identifiable as a Ferrari. And that’s no mean feat….”

Via [AutoBlog]

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BMW has dropped all other versions of its 7-series to offer only the 750i.  Other than a facelift and some new technology, it remains relatively unchanged.  The reason for the cut-back is likely to showcase its new 4.4 liter twin-turbo V8 engine that was originally showcased in the X6, that churns out 407 hp and 442 lb-ft in Euro trim.  Here’s what Motor Trend had to say about the new engine decisions;

“…..The two 7s we won’t get, initially at least, are the 740i, with its twin-turbo 3.0L six pumped up to 326 hp, and the 730d, an all-new 245-hp 3.0L turbodiesel. With BMW promoting the twin-turbo V-8 as a V-12 replacement and the twin-turbo six worthy of a V-8, that smaller gas engine should be U.S.-bound in time for 2011 Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards. Despite the quickly changing market, BMW’s V-12 isn’t dead. BMW considers it necessary for certain Asian luxury markets. U.S. import chances look slim and unnecessary. The new V-8 launches the 750i very quickly. With the turbos located inside the eight’s vee, there’s a much shorter distance between the turbos and the inlet manifold, so it spools up seamlessly……”

If you ask me, the new 7 looks much better than the previous, mainly due to the rear-end re-do.  Since day one of the current model, I’ve never liked the rear end styling- especially from the side.  The 09 model actually looks like a longer and taller 5 series from the side.

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Autospies has posted a list of the top 10 cars with the highest resale value.  Again, it’s no surprise the MINI Cooper has the top spot, retaining nearly 63% of its value, but there were also some surprises.  Audi’s new S5 made the list, as did the new Nissan Rouge.  Smaller “eco-friendly” models seem to have the majority…

“Economy cars are improving,” says John Blair, chief executive officer of Automotive Lease Guides (ALG), a market research firm headquartered in Santa Barbara, Calif. “The outlook for small, fuel-efficient vehicles is much brighter today versus a year ago. And the outlook on SUVs has changed dramatically in the other direction.”

Anyways, here’s the list…

1. 62.7% Mini Cooper
2. 60.6% Infinti G37
3. 59.6% BMW 1 series
4. 59.0% Jeep Wrangler 4×4
5. 58.8% VW R32
6. 57.9% Honda CR-V
7. 57.8% Scion XB
8. 56.8% Honda Civic Hybrid
9. 56.4% Nissan Rogue
10.  56.4% VW Beetle Convertible (Tie)
10.  56.4% Audi S5 (Tie)

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I’ve always kept a close eye on anything going down with the main three Japanese automakers and their subsequent luxury brands. For those who aren’t familiar, I’m talking about Nissan, Toyota, and Honda, along with thier luxury US counterparts Infiniti, Lexus, and Acura respectively.

Something in particular that I’ve always had an interest in, is the way each automaker uses technology and gadgetry to enhance their offerings. Especially when it comes to what technology is available as standard equipment, and what you have to pay an arm and leg for as options.

When each automaker launched its luxury counterpart in the US in the late eighties and early nineties, it was a race to see which brand would win, with both consumers and media alike. This made for some innovative automotive technology, and a new era of standard OEM equipment being sold on luxury vehicles.

Infiniti’s Q45 and Lexus’s LS400 were both introduced around the same time and fit into the same consumer category. They were large, powerful sedans that offered the latest in technology and engine refinement along with a combined luxurious and sporty feel to boot. Both vehicles shared similar bones, each offered a V8 that boasted right at 270-300 hp along with a long-list of OEM equipment and niceties.

My question to all the Jap-brand fans out there- Which automaker do you think has offered the best technology and gadgetry over the years…Infiniti, Lexus, or Acura?

Personally, I’m an Infiniti fan all the way. From BOSE stereo systems to the most technology available as standard equipment, they stand out in my book. For example, if you take a base-model Infiniti G35 and then take a BMW 335 and equip-it with options to match the base-option set of the G35, you would simply price yourself out of a comparison. $37k for the Infiniti compared to around $48k for the BMW.

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Toyota has been at Germany’s Nurburgring track testing it’s luxo-brand’s long-anticipated supercar dubbed the LF-A.

The appearance is a bit interesting, as it suggests Toyota is still not entirely sure of how to position the LF-A in it’s lineup.  The regular version will be a semi-luxury supercar, more a Ferrari 599GTB than a Nissan GT-R. The price here in the U.S. is likely to be in the $120,000 to $150,000 range, which puts the LF-A in a different segment to the Nissan GT-R. There’s no doubt the GT-R’s impressive performance, and the likelihood of an even faster V-Spec version, has Toyota wondering whether the LF-A is going to be perceived as the best of the Japanese supercars.  In my opinion the GT-R is all over the LF-A, but I’m a Nissan guy at heart…

Toyota has apparently reverted to the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V-10 powerplant and rear drive for the regular LF-A. Transmission is said to be a version of the worked eight speed automatic with fast torque converter lockup used in the Lexus IS-F.

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