2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS Coupe test drive

2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS Coupe test drive plain vehicles on the market right now, perfectly suited to a wide range of buyers who need to get from point A to point B with the minimum of fuss and bother. The 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS is not one of them. Now in its second year back after an eight-year hiatus, the Camaro represents General Motors' salvo into the retro muscle car wars, following on the heels of the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger. There have always been Ford guys, Mopar guys and Chevy guys. Camaro is good enough to attract the faithful, but may have arrived too late to win over any converts from the opposing camps.


Pros
Gorgeous exterior
Potent engine
Retro roots

Cons

Monster clutch
Giant blind spot
Miniscule back seat

Description

Camaro is in its second year as Chevrolet's compact sport coupe
Price range (including options): $22,680 - $43,280

Powertrains: 3.6L V6/312 hp, 6.2L V8/426 hp, six-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission, rear-wheel drive

EPA MPG estimates: 18 city/29 highway (V6 AT); 17/29 (V6 MT); 16/25 (V8 AT); 16/24 (V8 MT)
Best rivals: Ford Mustang, Dodge Challenger, Hyundai Genesis Coupe

Porsche to take on Camry, Accord

In the wake of the success of the entry-level 2011 Panamera V6, Porsche has decided to launch an even less expensive version of their four-door sports sedan. The new Panamera V (for "Value") will be priced at $34,995, just $3,000 more than a top-of-the-line Toyota Camry.

"Mid-size, mid-priced sedans are one of the fastest-growing segments in the North American auto market," explains Porsche representative Ferdinand Ferry. "We feel we can grow our market share by offering Porsche prestige at a price that is competitive with mid-size offerings from Honda and Toyota."

The Panamera V will be powered by a Volkswagen-sourced 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, similar to the one found in the Volkswagen GTI, coupled to a 6-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. Other mechanical changes include a simplified live-axle rear suspension and front disc/rear drum brakes. Externally, the Panamera V is distinguished from pricier Panameras by black bumpers, mirrors and door handles and steel wheels with full-width plastic covers.

Inside, the Panamera V gets cloth upholstery, manually-adjustable seats and steering column, and a two-speaker AM/FM/CD stereo. Power windows and cruise control will be available as part of an $895 Value Deluxe Preferred Package, but buyers who want air conditioning will have to step up to the $75,350 Panamera V6.

2012 Nissan NV Van

2012 Nissan NV Van is no stranger to trucks. Commercial vehicles make up 20% of their sales worldwide, but they've never fielded a commercial-grade truck in the US or Canada -- until now. Nissan offers several large vans in Asia and Europe, so why not just bring one of those over here? Nissan did extensive research into the van market, and found that none of their existing products would fit our needs. The key result of their research was that most people who own or drive a Ford, Chevrolet or GMC van don't like it.
So Nissan set out to design a commercial van that would suit the needs of North American small business owner-operators -- and that's how the NV came to be. Did they succeed? Let's drive the 2012 Nissan NV and find out.

The NV certainly looks like a vehicle designed by committee. The reasons for the huge schnozzle are twofold: First, the NV is based (loosely) on the Titan pickup truck. Second, van drivers said they don't like having the engine with them in the cab, it generates heat and robs legroom. Nissan says the long hood makes for easier maintenance, although seeing how low and far back the engine is mounted, it doesn't look that way to me.

2011 Audi R8 Cabriolet

The new 2011 Audi R8 Cabriolet convertible version of the R8 iscalled the R8 5.2 Cabriolet. Power comes from the 525 hp V10 introduced for the 2010 model year.

2011 Audi A8

2011 Audi A8 all-aluminum flagship will be redesigned for the 2011 model year. Styling follows Audi's trend towards more angular lines, while all-LED headlights denote the A8's top-of-the-line status. The electronics are more advanced than ever, and the US version of the 2011 Audi A8 will feature a more powerful version of the familiar 4.2 liter direct-injected V8 with a new 8-speed automatic transmission.

2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon

2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon  is jumping on the Sport Wagon, um, bandwagon with the TSX. Like the TSX sedan, the wagon is based on the European-market Accord (which differs greatly from the Accord sold in the US. Unfortunately, the new load-lugger 2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon misses out on the sedan's V6; instead, it comes exclusively with a 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine and a 5-speed automatic transmission.

2011 Acura TSX Sedan

The 2011 Acura TSX Sedan gets mild updates to its grille, front bumpers and taillights. The cabin gets some trim and detail updates, most notably a revised center console, rear seat air vents, a higher-resolution display for the navigation system, and a higher capacity hard drive for the stereo's music server. 2011 Acura TSX Sedan updates to both four-cylinder and V6 engines result in EPA fuel economy estimates that are 1 MPG higher across the board.

2011 Acura RL

The 2011 Acura RL  gets a minor freshening with new front-end styling, new taillights, improved interior trim, and a 6-speed automatic transmission (in place of last year's 5-speed) which boosts EPA fuel economy estimates to 17 MPG city/24 highway (up from 16/22). The 2011 Acura RL  gets better sound insulation and an industry-first "quiet wheel" that reduces resonance inside the tire to diminish road noise.