Cars Reviews

Following this month’s reveal of the new facelifted 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S models comes latest spy shots of the updated Turbo Cabrio model due at the end of the year. It will be hard to spot the difference between the new and the old as the spy images reveal because most of the planned changes will be taking place under the sheet-metal.

The facelifted 911 Turbo range is expected to get an extra 20hp (15kW) to give it an edge over the new Nissan GT-R and return its supremacy at the Nurburgring. The bump in power is courtesy of a new direct-injection system, which is also expected to improve fuel economy. In line with the changes in the new 911 facelift range, the engine in the updated Turbo will also sport increased combustion chambers, a new crankshaft and an upgraded oil and water pump.

Power levels will likely fall close to the 500hp (373kW) mark, which combined with the quick-shifting Doppel Kupplung (dual clutch) gearbox should ensure quicker acceleration and track times.

Visually, the car is being enhanced with larger front air intakes and new fog-lights in the front bumper, giving a more aggressive look. At the rear are a new set of LED taillights and a new diffuser similar to that on the new GT3. Read More......

One of the biggest vehicles on the road is now available with flex-fuel capability across the range following the announcement on Friday that all 2009 Cadillac Escalades will be able to run on E85 ethanol blended fuel as well as petrol or any combination of the two. Cadillac won’t be charging customers extra as the feature is fitted standard on all 2009 models, including the new Escalade Hybrid.

The Escalade, Escalade EXT and Escalade ESV as well as the GMC Denali, join the previously announced 2009 Chevrolet HHR, Buick Lucerne and Hummer H2 and H2 SUT as additions to GM’s new flex-fuel lineup.

The latest E85 product announcements coincided with the opening of a dozen new E85 fueling stations in the Greater Atlanta area this week. According to GM there are already seven million vehicles in North America that can run on E85.

GM has already confirmed that half of its U.S. lineup will be flex-fuel capable by 2012 providing the infrastructure is in place, and the carmaker built more than a million flex-fuel vehicles in the past year alone.

Not only is the fuel cheaper than regular petrol, it’s also a cleaner-burning fuel. The Escalade running E85 produces up to 23% less greenhouse gas emissions than it would on petrol alone. Read More......

The Saab 9-5 is long overdue for an overhaul, with the current model first hitting streets as far back as 1997, but the next-generation model due late next year may not even be built at Saab’s traditional home in Sweden. Latest reports claim the new model will be sourced from Opel’s Ruesselsheim plant in Germany with production tipped to start mid next year.

The car will then debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September before going on sale towards the end of the year. According to Automotive News, the new 9-5 will be available with Saab’s new XWD traction system and electronic limited-slip differential and will also be offered with a range of flex-fuel turbocharged engines as well as a new V6 diesel.

The reason for the move to Ruesselsheim is because the next 9-5 will be based on GM’s new FWD Epsilon II platform, which has already debuted in the all-new Opel Insignia and is produced at the German plant. To differentiate Saab as a premium product engineers will provide a stiffer suspension set-up, a new steering rack and a different range of electronics. The car’s styling will also be heavily influenced by the original Aero X concept car pictured above.

Production of Saab’s next 9-3 will remain in Sweden. The car will move to the smaller Delta platform and isn’t expected to be launched until 2011. Read More......