SEMA: Where Even the 2010 Ford Transit Connect Can Cool Down

By Marty Padgett November 4th, 2008

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2010 Ford Transit Connect Enlarge Photo

Rules are made to be broken at the SEMA aftermarket show. Take a car that's not known to be cool--say, the 2010 Ford Transit Connect--and it can be spun into a whole other universe of style, totally transformed by tuners.

The basics of this compact van aren't the stuff race weeklies are written for. There's a simple 2.0-liter four-cylinder with an automatic transmission, good for 19 mpg, under the hood. The Transit Connect's killer app is its height of 6 feet, 8 inches, which means it can fit into most urban parking structures, but also carry a surprising amount of cargo--loads of up to 6.5 feet in length and 4.7 feet in width, for 143 cubic feet in all.

Here at SEMA, the emphasis is on making a Transit Connect that even racers could use as a support vehicle. Tuners H&R have lowered the TC 3 inches up front and 4 inches in back, and added 19-inch wheels to go with the sky-blue paint job. Inside the TC concept has a Piloti-designed look with wood rails running down its cargo area, along with a roll bar system that looks perfect if you're trying to teach your infants the Bela Karolyi style of gymnastics.

The 2010 Ford Transit Connect arrives next April in showrooms, Ford says.

2010 Ford Transit Connect Enlarge Photo

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Posted in : 2008, 2010, Ford, Minivans, SEMA

SEMA 2008: Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Bows

By Marty Padgett November 4th, 2008

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2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Enlarge Photo

Funny, trucks were supposed to be a dead species two months ago when gas ran $4 a gallon. The 2009 Ford F-150 is running counter to those obituaries--Ford is actually increasing production of the best-seller--and with a new SVT-tuned Raptor edition, the F-150 is taking a defiant stand against extinction here at the SEMA show.

The Raptor edition wears a 2010 model designation and SVT initials--meaning, it's a real vehicle Ford plans to build, starting next year, alongside the more pedestrian versions of its most-popular F-Series truck. The Raptor is no regular Ford truck, though--it's made expressly for tramping around off-road while preserving some on-road talent for those of you who need a fun truck to deliver every day.

The obvious changes from F-150 to SVT Raptor come up front, where the F-Series front end is ditched for a new hood and fenders that are almost eight inches wider than the stock version. The new vented hood aids and abets performance, and the graphic come-on that is the "FORD" grille looks ready to stamp the company logo into much wildlife with poor timing. The electric-orange paint of the show truck is twinned with a black leather interior and more day-glo details.

Mechanical upgrades are all over the truck's chassis, though its 5.4-liter V-8 is shared with other F-150s. It delivers 320 horsepower in the Raptor and 390 pound-feet. Coming soon, Ford says, is a 6.2-liter V-8 engine that's been shrouded in secrecy and had been rumored as a fatality of new fuel-economy standards. Specially designed Fox racing shocks are the hallmark of the completely new front suspension, which sports about 13.4 inches of travel in the rear end and 11.2 inches in the front, for jouncing over Baja ruts and runs. Off-road tires are specified, but Ford engineers promise the Raptor will be polished enough to use in daily driving--by what kind of drivers, they left unsaid.

A version of the Raptor will compete in the annual Baja 1000 race, which begins in mid-November. The new Raptor goes on sale next year at an undisclosed price.

Ford says its SVT lineup--which had also been called dead, since there were no products in 2008 bearing the badge--will have one truck and one car from now on. What's to join the Raptor in wearing the SVT badge? More news is certain to come by January's 2009 Detroit auto show.

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Posted in : 2008, 2010, Ford, Pickups, SEMA

U.S. Soldier in Iraq Wins 2010 Ford Mustang

By colin November 4th, 2008

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2010 Ford Mustang Enlarge Photo

Describing his relationship with the Ford Mustang as "20 years of love, addiction and obsession," 22-year-old Kory Chesher of the Army's 101st Airborne Division was thrilled to find himself the winner of a 2010 Ford Mustang. Courtesy of Ford Motor Company, he will also be flown to the L.A. Auto Show on November 19 where the 2010 Mustang will first be revealed, provided he can take a leave of absence from service in Iraq.

Chesher's 242-word essay, one of thousands of entries to Ford's "Mustang Stories" online contest at www.the2010mustang.com was voted the winning story by site visitors. And indeed, this young man bleeds Mustang: "The only thing greater than a life loving Mustangs is a life with a Mustang," he raved in one part of his essay. One thing's for sure; Chesher's significant other is going to have to be cool sharing affection with a Pony Car, as he swears also that "Mustangs are my one true love."

Wow. And I thought I was obsessed with my Mercedes. Mr. Cheshire claims it all began at six years old when he spotted a '68 black Fastback and inquired as to what kind of car it was. "That's a Mustang," his dad told him, and thus the obsession took root.

Congratulations Kory, get home safe, and if we see someone drooling on the hood of a 2010 Mustang in L.A., we'll be sure and say hey.

Stay tuned as we present live coverage from the L.A. Auto Show, and watch as Ford finally pulls the wraps off of the new Mustang they've been teasing us with for months.--Colin Mathews
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Posted in : 2010, Advertising/Marketing, Contests, Coupes, Enthusiasts, Los Angeles Auto Show, New Products, Sportscars

Hyundai Touts “World-Class Weight Efficiency” In 2010 Genesis Coupe

By colin October 31st, 2008

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2009 Hyundai Genesis Coupe Enlarge Photo

What you will see over in Hyundai's territory at the sprawling SEMA show in Las Vegas next week is the firm's first rear-wheel drive coupe, the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe, arguably its sportiest automotive entry to date. What you won't see is the smart engineering that includes liberal use of high-strength steel to keep the coupe's curb weight well below its competitors while allowing torsional rigidity that they claim is even better than, say, the E46 BMW M3 (interesting that they compare with the last-gen M3). Still, that's no small claim, and a far cry from the competitive set claimed by the dowdy old front-drive Scoupe.

Just how much lighter is the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe than its competitors? Using the high performance 3.8 model as a means of comparison, which Hyundai claim weighs 3,402 lbs, the closest in weight is the 2009 BMW 335i, which tips the scales at 169 pounds more than the Genesis. True, the 335 is a twin-turbo powerhouse, but by the numbers the Genesis Coupe 3.8 makes 10 more horsepower than the BMW, and sprints to 60 mph in just 5.7 seconds, not too far off the performance of BMW's legendary coupe. Other competitors weigh even more: 2009 Infiniti G37 - 3,616 lbs, 2010 Camaro LS - 3,780 lbs, 2009 Dodge Challenger SE - 3,819 lbs. And all of the competitors above (including the BMW) have a lower power-to-weight ratio than the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8's of 11.0. They don't talk torque in this comparison, or at what RPM the Genesis' fortified corporate 3.8-liter V-6 makes its healthy 310 horsepower, and those nuances are what allow both the BMW and Infiniti to out-accelerate Hyundai's claimed 0-60 mph times. Still, at the Genesis Coupe's presumably modest price point, this is an impressive performance story.

Light weight also pays dividends in fuel economy, a big consideration for shoppers right now. The 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 will manage a 25 mpg EPA highway rating, while the base 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T garnered a 30 mpg EPA highway rating. We detailed the 3.8-liter's internal modifications for sporting Coupe duty recently, but the 2.0-liter turbo four was purpose-built for Genesis Coupe duty. Its light-pressure turbo spools up quickly (peak torque of 223 ft-lb available at 2,000 rpm), yields 220 hp, and employs continuously variable valve timing on both exhaust and intake camshafts to push the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T to a top speed of 137 mph. Notably, both 2.0T and 3.8 models may be run on regular unleaded gasoline, and on 87 octane the 2.0T makes 210 hp and the 3.8 makes 306 hp.

Both 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupes come standard with a six-speed manual transmission. Optional is a 5-speed automatic with the 2.0T, a 6-speed auto for the 3.8. Trim levels are as follows: 2.0T, 2.0T Premium, 2.0T Track (6-speed manual only), 2.0T R-Spec, 3.8, 3.8 Grand Touring, and 3.8 Track.

In its final push to distance its new, serious sportster from the infamous Excel of the dark econocar days of the 80s, Hyundai wants you to know you may wrap your svelte 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe in the following colors: Bathurst Black, Silverstone, Nordschleife Gray, Acqua Minerale Blue, Tsukuba Red, Mirabeau Blue, Lime Rock Green, or Interlagos Yellow. In associating the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe with famous racing circuits (and even treacherous chicanes) in Australia, the U.K., Germany, Italy, Japan, Monaco, Connecticut, and Brazil, respectively, Hyundai is making a strong claim about the performance of its first rear-wheel drive performance coupe. Let's just hope they got the suspension tuning better than its cushy platform-mate, the 2009 Hyundai Genesis Sedan.--Colin Mathews
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Posted in : 2010, Advertising/Marketing, Coupes, Enthusiasts, Hyundai, Industry News, New Products, SEMA, Sportscars, Technology

Driven: 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK

By Marty Padgett October 30th, 2008

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2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK Enlarge Photo

You probably saw it first in the "Sex and the City" movie. And if that appearance didn't telegraph Mercedes' intended targets with the 2010 GLK sport-ute, maybe this tidbit of information will drive it home--the GLK won't be coming Stateside with its excellent Off-Road Engineering package.

No hardcore ute like Land Rover's LR2, nor a flingy turbo whiz like the Acura RDX, the 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK is aimed squarely at one competitor and at a few distinct buyers. Pay no attention to the BMW X3 behind the curtain, it would seem to say--and by the way, you ladies who lunch need to drive it.

We don't lunch (Starbucks is all we can afford these days), and we kind of favor the GLK's Euro off-road package. But the GLK also feels pretty capable on-road, as we found out earlier this year when we drove it in Germany. I just posted our Bottom Line on the new GLK, and while it's less striking than Audi's sleek Q5 and a relative latecomer compared to the X3, it's a capable vehicle with an interesting style.

Decide for yourself if the shape is more like the big GL-Class than, say, the last Subaru Forester or Mitsu Outlander. It's grown on me, and reminds me of a high-top sneaker, but it's hard to say if Mercedes-Benz "clients" will look at it and think plush or glamorous--even with Kim Cattrall's endorsement.

It's entirely competitive on power and especially on driving feel--of all the expensive compact utes, it probably has the best ride motions and a lightness of steering that feels better than even the C-Class on which it's based. The 268-horsepower V-6 and seven-speed automatic are willing workers, and shift paddles give the GLK a sweet sporting tilt that's missing entirely from the likes of the LR2, for example. Good interior room, great visibility, and a ton of safety and entertainment gear make the GLK a rational competitor to all of the other SUVs in its class.

Even with its 26-mpg highway rating, the smaller, nimbler 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK sport-ute comes to America at just the right time. It gets more compelling next year, when a turbodiesel version hits the market.

You can find out more about the 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK and more about its performance, comfort, quality, and features in our Bottom Line--and find out what's behind our numeric ratings, too.

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Posted in : 2010, Crossover Vehicles, Mercedes-Benz, Sport-Utility Vehicles