Tag Archives: Horsepower

Mazda Speed3

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VEHICLE: 4-dr., 5-pass. Hatchback, FWD

ENGINE: 2.3.OL I4 DOHC Turbo HP (@ RPM): 263@5500

TORQUE @ RPM: 280@3000 TRANS 6M

FUEL CONSUMPTION (L/100 km): CITY: 11.8 HWY: 7.6 FUEL GRADE: Prem TANK (L) 55

TIRES: 215/45R18

SPECIFICATIONS (mm): WB: 2639 L: 4491 W: 1765 H: 1466 CURB WEIGHT (kg): 1439

Ah, power. It corrupts absolutely, right? Well, not in the case of this car. Usually in front-wheel-drive cars, more than 260 horsepower is too much to handle. Check this out Eagle Ridge New GMC Trucks Chevs Used low km Toyota Nissan . Not here. And really, who doesn’t like driving a sleeper “wagon” that will do 240 km/h without breaking a sweat?

Porsche GTS

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What does a trip down memory lane have to do with the 911 Carrera GTS? It comes from Stuttgart, not Detroit, and it sure isn’t V8-powered, true. But that big-displacement (for a Porsche) 3.8-litre boxer-six, unfettered by a turbocharger a la 911 Turbo, pounds out a very Detroit-like 408 horsepower which is sent to the massive rear wheels. And since the engine is sitting over that same grippy rubber, hookup is instantaneous. With the optional Sport Chrono Package and Sport mode engaged, the 1,420-kilogram GTS will blister to 100 kilometers an hour in less than 4.5 seconds.

While nobody will mistake the banshee wail of the boxer engine in flight with the basso profundo of a seven-litre V8, the electrical charge it sends to your nerve endings is just as visceral.

The thing about the GTS is not just the fact it is one of the most potent non-turbo production 911s, but that it also satisfies the requirements I have come to appreciate with that aforementioned maturity. Yes, I cursed like a sailor when I had to fill up – 93 octane or better is required – but the 13.3 litres per 100 kilometres I averaged for the week wasn’t horrid for something with the GTS’s performance bona fides. Much of the enjoyment comes from interacting with the six-speed manual tranny. Yes, Porsche’s PDK double-clutch manumatic gearbox is as slick as they come – and will actually hasten the GTS to 100 km/h in less time than with the manual – but there is just something proper about doing it yourself. While the sports car is perfectly compliant when puttering about town, there is some notchiness when sliding the stubby shifter gate to gate. It’s when you get a little more authoritarian with the Porsche that the action becomes fluid as the engine/transmission duo finds its sweet spot. The musicality of the boxer engine sitting behind you rises with the revs; a quick dab of the clutch and a perfectly slotted shift provide the requisite push back in the deeply bolstered, Alcantara-swathed sport bucket seat.

It’s quite addictive and please do check out Eagle Ridge New GMC Trucks Chevs Used low km Toyota Nissan .

Marry this powertrain with the GTS’s wider track – two millimeters at the front, 32 mm at the rear over a regular 911 – fat rubber and optional Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) system and the car will slice corners with the keenness of a carving knife.

Before you fork over the $1,090 for PASM, though, consider the roads on which you normally drive. The GTS is already stiffly sprung; switching to the Sport mode ramps up the stiffness.

 

Preview: 2012 Porsche Cayman R

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PALMA DE MAJORCA, Spain – With the new Cayman R, available in Canada as a 2012 model, Porsche has borrowed just about every page from its Boxster Spyder playbook to create the lightest and fastest Cayman ever. The power-to-weight ratio is the end-all of automotive performance, so making the car lighter while giving it more power will significantly improve its dynamics. This is precisely what the engineers at Porsche have done with the Cayman R, which is 55 kilograms lighter than the Cayman S. And its engine develops 10 more horsepower for a total output of 330 hp. The Cayman R’s chassis is also 20 mm lower and its centre of gravity is 22 mm lower than the Cayman S. And its engine develops 10 more horsepower for a total output of 330 hp. The Cayman R’s chassis is also 20 mm lower and its centre of gravity is 22 mm lower than the Cayman S. The numbers might not read like much, but, believe me, this new car raises the bar significantly in terms of performance. Here at the RennArena race track, the Cayman R proved to be totally at ease, thanks to its perfectly weighted and exceptionally communicative steering. With the optional ceramic brakes, the braking action was stellar, with immediate response and very good pedal feel, while the standard locking rear differential made for quicker corner exits. The Cayman R is available with a standard six-speed manual gearbox, which delighted thanks to the very precise, short-shift lever throws. But Porsche’s latest track-day weapon can also be had with the seven-speed double-clutch PDK gearbox, which now features proper steering wheel paddles that are set up exactly like those on its competitors – upshifts selected via the right paddle and downshifts via the left. Porsche has finally seen the light and ditched the previous arrangement consisting of awkward and counter-intuitive steering wheel buttons.

Acceleration times are quicker with the PDK gearbox, but the Cayman R is more satisfying to drive with the manual transmission.

Aside from a few laps of the race track, most of my time with the Cayman R was spent driving on the extremely slippery, wet roads of Palma, which compared with snowy or even icy roads in Canada. Under these conditions, the car’s electronic aids proved to be very useful, especially given the fact that it comes standard with a locking rear differential and high-performance tires.

The electronic stability control was very busy on the drive up mountainside switchbacks – not only when power was applied but also during the turn-in phase to help overcome the prevalent understeer. Applying power at mid-corner, with the locking rear differential sending power to both rear wheels, had the electronic stability control working to effectively control acceleration.

Under these treacherous conditions, the challenge was to drive just fast enough to remain below the threshold where the electronic stability control kicks in. This was easier said than done, given the peculiar pavement I was driving on, but I was secure in the knowledge that the electronics were constantly on the alert should the need arise.

With its standard fixed rear wing and more pronounced front spoiler, the Cayman R certainly looks the part and can easily be differentiated from a run-of-the-mill Cayman or Cayman S. Check this out Eagle Ridge Chevrolet GMC Trucks Buick.

Inside, the extreme weight-saving measures mean the car does not have regular door handles but red cloth pullers. It’s also devoid of an air conditioning system (which can be added as a $2,010 option) or even a radio (a basic unit can be added as a no-cost option). The standard one-piece sport bucket seats are very form-fitting and can be adjusted fore and aft. Wide adjustable seats are available from options list.

 

Volvo C-70

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The C70 Coupe and Convertible look almost too good to be Volvos. Indeed, the Volvo badging is the only thing with a straight line on these cars. See and check out Eagle Ridge Chev Maple Ridge Canada.

Two new variations are added for a total of four models this year. The HPT models are highly “motorvated” by a 236-horsepower 2.3-litre high-pressure turbo-charged in-line “five”. LPT models do almost as well with the 190-hp 2.4-litre low-pressure turbo motor. In either case, the engines drive the front wheels. For 1999, a new 4-speed electronic adaptive automatic transmission adjusts to the driver’s individual driving patterns. The selectable winter mode is still included. Volvo’s Stability and Traction Control (STC) is available. Increased security is provided by larger Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) airbags and the addition of a Whiplash Protection System.

 

 

Lamborghini Diablo

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For many people, the Diablo (the word is Italian for “devil”) is still the archetypal over-the-top Italian “hero car.” And in Canada, especially, it is quite possible the last word in automotive exclusivity.

The two models sold in Canada are the rear-wheel drive SV coupe and the all-wheel drive VT roadster. Check out Eagle Ridge GM Auto Financing . Both are more than effectively propelled by a mid-mounted 5.7-litre V12 rated at an intoxicating 492 horsepower. This surfeit of horsepush is sufficient to rank the Diablo among the tiny handful of cars capable of topping out on the naughty side of 200 mph (322 km/h).

Big changes are probably in store now that Lamborghini is owned by Audi. But for now, the existing Diablo – which, hard to believe, has just celebrated its ninth birthday and still looks sensational – continues as is in 1998 guise.

 

Lotus Esprit V8

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The mid-engined Lotus 2-seater began life in the ’70s with a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine. More than 20 years later, after a process of constant evolution not unlike that of the original Porsche 911, this glass-fibre-bodied lightweight has evolved into one of the world’s best-handling and fastest-accelerating cars check out Eagle Ridge Chevrolet GMC Trucks Buick. The handling comes from Lotus’s renowned mastery of suspension development. The acceleration ( 0-100 km/h in under 5 seconds) is owed to a 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V8 delivering 350 horsepower at 6,500 rpm. Recent revisions have included a twin-plate clutch that is more user-friendly, a reworked shift linkage, and a renovated interior to rehabilitate the hopeless ergonomics. Early Esprits were notoriously fragile. Today they are much improved, but a Lotus is probably still not synonymous with bulletproof reliability.

Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

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Drive in a hybrid-specific fuel-sipping manner, you will garner significant fuel savings. However, drive it conventionally, as I do all my cars, and a hybrid is little different than a conventional automobile of the same size and power. That’s in complete contrast to diesel-powered cars, which show a modest advantage when driven timidly but really shine if you have a lead foot.

I averaged, 8.4 litres per 100 kilometres in the Hyundai, a far cry from the 5.6/4.6L/100 km city/highway rating from Transport Canada. More specifically, it’s about half a liter more per 100 km than I averaged in a BMW 335d turbodiesel, which is faster and more powerful.

BH: David, did you do all of your driving on a racetrack, or just on the highway at some illegal rate of knots? I spent a fair amount of time motoring about the city, which is where hybrids really shine, and averaged 6.9 L/100 km during my week with the car. And I didn’t drive in a specific manner either.

That said, I wasn’t looking for scintillating acceleration, just a car that keep up with the steady flow of traffic without being a hindrance. The fact is, except for a few occasions when a heavier foot was called for – such as merging on to the highway – I drove the Sonata in Eco mode. It’s no dilettante – not with a net output of 206 horsepower from the combination of 2.4-litre gasoline engine and 40-horsepower electric motor.

DB: I have to admit the Sonata surprised me with its more-than-acceptable highway mileage (a typical hybrid soft spot). At 110 km/h, it was still metering out a totally credible 5.9 L/100 km. Moving up to a keeping-up-with-the-Jones 130 km/h, though it started sucking back close to eight litres for every 100 km. That’s not half-bad, but it’s about a litre more than the aforementioned 335d. Better, yes, than most conventional cars but still not as good as a simple diesel on the highway.

That said, the Sonata drives better than any hybrid I’ve sampled. The key really was Hyundai’s decision to stick with the conventional six-speed automatic transmission. In most circumstances, the Sonata Hybrid feels totally conventional. There is some throttle lag in some passing situations – as if the car is deciding whether it wants to let you consume that much gasoline. Nonetheless, it’s the most pleasant hybrid experience I’ve had.

BH: Agreed. There was a – dare I say it – sportiness to the Sonata I haven’t experienced with other hybrids. Hyundai makes much fuss over the fact the car’s Hybrid Blue Drive is the first and only system using lightweight lithium-polymer battery technology, rather than the nickel-metal hydride and lithium-ion setups used by competitors. According to the automaker, lithium polymer offers the benefits of lithium ion, but it adds robustness, power density and package flexibility. That remains to be seen, but the lithium-polymer battery pack does help make the Sonata Hybrid the lightest vehicle in the segment at just 1,574 kilograms. That’s more than 100 kg lighter than the Ford Fusion Hybrid.

DB: That feeling of conventionality also lets you notice that the basic Sonata platform is another giant step forward for Hyundai. From its almost radical good looks to the spacious cabin with a near-premium appearance, the Sonata has truly left the cheap and cheerful motif behind. I could do without the de rigueur green displays – a little digital tree monitors the environmental impact of your driving style – but the rest of the dashboard display is top-notch.

BH: Come on, David, those displays are the real reward for driving a hybrid. I absolutely geeked out on the Eco level scoring system, which acknowledges green-focused motoring with eight levels of sky colour ranging from grey to bright blue. That said I was disappointed there was no payout for accumulating points in Total Eco.

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’64 Corvair and ’64 Corvette

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New Corvair Power! Nearly 19% more horsepower in the standard engine. A full 110 horsepower in the extra-cost engine. And 150 hp in the Monza Spyder. You’ll want to climb a hill just because it’s there. Some nice new interior refinements, too – like softer, more deeply tufted seats in the Monza and sporty map pockets on the front doors. Outside of that, it’s still very much the same easy-to-park, easy-to-handle, hard-to-keep-your-hand-off-of Corvair.

New Corvette Ride! Smoother and quieter than it’s ever been, but by no means any less of a sports car than it’s always been. New extra-cost V8 engines up to 375 hp. And note the new one-piece rear window in the sport coupe, so you can see who’s behind you better. You’ll be surprised at what a beautiful boulevard car Corvette is. Yet it’s one of the world’s few great sports cars, too… Chevrolet Division of General Motors, Detroit, Michigan.

In the sports car of merit is the 2011 Mazda RX-8 Sports test drive Park Mazda Sherwood Park
 

Coupe and Convertible

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Body styles: 2-door convertible . 2-door sedan . 4-door sedan

Engines: 2.5L 4-cylinder . 3.0L V6

Transmissions: 5-speed manual . 3-speed automatic . 4-speed automatic/front-wheel drive

Fuel consumption: 1993 LeBaron convertible: 2.5L 4-cylinder with 3-speed automatic: 10.7 L/100km (26 mpg) . 3.0L V6 with 5-speed manual: 12.4L/100km (23 mpg); with 4-speed automatic: 10.5L/100km (27mpg) . 3.0L V6 with 3-speed automatic: 11.1L/100km (25 mpg)

The LeBaron name stems from the New York custom coach-building firm founded in 1920 and purchased by Chrysler in the late 1940s. The name was appended to so many disparate vehicles that the public became confused as to what a LeBaron was, and it was eventually withdrawn.

The LeBaron that emerged in 1987 spawned an attractive convertible that was produced until 1995, two years after the coupe had been retired. The LeBaron coupe was replaced by the Sebring coupe in 1995, and the convertible LeBaron was superseded by the Sebring convertible in 1996.

The LeBaron coupe and convertible could be propelled by a 100-hp 2.5L four-cylinder engine or a 3.0L V6 with 141 horsepower. Transmissions offered for 1993 and 1994 included a five-speed manual and three-or four-speed automatics. In 1993 the V6 LeBaron two-door models were offered with either a five-speed manual transmission or an automatic with four speeds. The 2.5L four-cylinder engine was available only with a three-speed automatic in 1993. Convertibles sold in 1994 and 1995 were delivered exclusively with the V6.

The LeBaron two-door was a very attractive car that was updated skillfully and whose lines aged well. The interior of the two-door is pleasantly styled and upholstered in attractive fabrics or leather. The seats are comfortable and there is sufficient room in the car for four adults, but those in the front will be happier. The rear passenger quarters can become claustrophobic because of the wide C-pillar of both coupe and convertible. A few examples of late LeBaron convertibles can still be found in good condition, and they provide a cheap entry into the world of top-down motoring. If you have the money, early examples of the chic Sebring convertible are worth the extra dollars.

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More Clout for Calibra

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Sleek, attractive, and well finished, the Opel Calibra coupe came out of the box a pretty strong offering for the GM Europe team. Its 150-horsepower 2-liter 16-valve twin-cam four gave the top-line model an 8.2-second 0-60-mph capability and a top end of 138 mph. But the playing field changes quickly in the sport coupe game, and with Volkswagen fitting its new Corrado with a 178-horsepower 2.7-liter V-6 and Ford launching the 227-horsepower Escort RS Cosworth, GM felt it was time to give the Calibra a stout under-hood upgrade. Enter the Calibra Turbo. With the addition of a force-feeding system, engine output jumps to 204 horses and torque to 207 pound-feet. Matched with a new Getrag six-speed gearbox, it’s sufficient to propel the Calibra-in either front- or all-wheel-drive configuration-0-60 mph in under 6.5 seconds and push it to speeds in excess of 150 mph. Torque is so plentiful that sixth gear is useable from as low as 2000 rpm. Comfortable, quiet, and competitively priced, the Calibra Turbo is destined to be one highly sought player.

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