AUDI A5 CONVERTIBLE

Click Video Audi A5 & S5 Video Review - Kelley Blue Book from Youtube

Unlike the A4 convertible that preceded it, the A5 convertible is styled much the same as the A5 two-door coupe. The body styles share the same interior and the same powertrains. Eschewing the folding metal hard tops found in some Swedish, German and Japanesse rivals, the A5 convertible features a fully insulated cloth top with a heated glass rear window. The top's lines roughly follow the roofline of the coupe, unlike many competitors.


At its 2010 launch, the A5 convertible offered a choice of 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged or 3.2-liter V6 engines. Front wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission is standard on the 2.0 TFSI, which also offers a six-speed Titronic automatic transmission with paddle shifters and quattro all-wheel-drive. The V6 model comes only with the Tipronic and quattro.

The 2.0-liter model puts out 211 horsepower and 258 lb-ft. Of torque from its turbocharged, direct-injected powertrain, while the 3.2-liter's V6 is rated at 265 horsepower and 243 lb-ft. Of torque.

Based on a similiar chassis to the A4 and Q5, the A5 features a sport-oriented suspension and an engine mounted further back in the engine bay than in a typical Audi, which gives the car a more even weight distribution for neutral handling.

Inside, the dashboard features Audi's latest MMI with a central display screen located above the radio and audio controls. The leather seats offer a head-level heating system for brisk weather open top motoring.

The A5 Cabriolet features active roll bars behind the seats, front airbags, knee airbags, seat-mounted side head/chest airbags, and ESP stability control. The A5 can also be ordered with an available head-level heating system built into the seats, enabling passenger to drive with the top down in less-than-ideal weather.

Sirius Satellite Radio Connectivity comes standard, as does the 3G MMI (Multi Media Interface), which features 3D map graphics, traffic information, and a joystick-based user interface.



Source: www.leftlanenews.com

2010 Ford Mustang V6-Second Short Take

The 2010 V-6 Mustang may have been redesigned, but its specific output makes it seem like a relic. In this segment, both the Chevrolet Camaro and the Hyundai Genesis couple offer V-6s of smaller displacement that nevertheless make more horsepower and more torque.


Chevy gets 304 horsepower and 273 pound-feet from 3.6 liters; Hyundai gets 306 and 266 from 3.8. The Ford manages only 210 horses and 240 pound-feet from 4.0 liters.

That may be because the Mustang' s V-6 dates from the first Bush administration. Ford reengineered the six in 1997, switching the valvetrain from pushrods to overhead cams.

The output was, and has been horsepower. In 13 years, don' t you think Ford should have been able to find-we don' t know-10 more ponies?

In this 3421-pound Mustang, 210 horses produce a 6.6-second 0-to-60 time (V-6 Accords will walk all over this pony car).

The Genesis and the Camaro are both quicker to that mark by 1.1 and 0.7 second, respectively. And although the Mustang is 386 pounds lighter, it stops nine feet later than the Camaro, at 182 feet. We got 19 mpg for both American; the Korean got 18.

The GT model, when fitted with the Track package, effectively hides the Mustang' s cost-conscious solid rear axle. The base suspension in the V-6 occasionally sounds like a John Bonham drum solo as it works to keep the tires in contact with the road.

When pushing the Mustang to its limits, initial turn-in is preceded by a healthy change in pitch, then a change in vector. Fact is, we prefer those operations in the converse order.

Starting at $21,845, the Mustang undercuts the Camaro by about $2000 and the Genesis coupe 3.8 by almost $4000. And that makes the Mustang a great value to the demographic group that cares only for looks. We are not among it.



By K.C Colweell, www.caranddriver.com

AUDI A6 SEDAN

The car received a significant 'facelift' for the 2009 model yeas onward, with a middly revised frond end and a heavily restyled rear. The rear is characterized by new taillights, complete with LED clusters that provide better reliability, visability, and asthetics.


The taillights have been augmented with R8-inspired lenses that effectively cut through the haze of blowing snow. The facelift also consist of a slightly resigned front bumper, new rectangular fog lamps and larger air-intakes left and right of the grille.

The most basic models can be had with front-wheel-drive, but most come equipped with the company's Quattro all-wheel-drive. The A6 also features Audi's Multi Media Interface (MMI), which provides access to a number of functions via a computer screen, rather than buttons and dials.

Engine choices in the United States range from a 3.2-liter to a 4.2-liter V8. The V6 model delivers 255 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 243 pound-feet of torque at 3250 rpm. The more powerful V8 model cranks out 350 horsepower at 6800 rpm and 325 pound-feet of torque at 3500 rpm.

The A6 can be ordered with a seven-speed multitronic CVT transmission or a regular six-speed automatic. (All-wheel-drive is not available on the CVT model.)

High-tech features include active bi-xenon headlights that point in the direction of a corner, and the new Multi Media Interface (MMI) that provides access to settings for in-car entertainment, satellite navigation, climate control, suspension configuration, and so on.


Source: www.leftlanenews.com