Cadillac CTS Coupe 2011

We first witnessed the new Cadillac CTS Coupe at the 2008 North America International Auto Show in Detroit last year. Remaining true to the concept revealed there, the ready for prime time CTS Coupe is as stunning in person as it is in front of the camera lens.

“CTS Coupe is the new focal point of Cadillac, expressing both our technical and design capabilities,” said Bryan Nesbitt, Cadillac general manager. “It is intended to appeal to a new generation of car enthusiasts.”

Available in both rear-wheel and All-wheel drive format; the CTS Coupe is intended as a classic 2+2 layout. Power comes in the form of a direct injection 3.6L V6 engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. A 6-speed automatic transmission with Driver Shift Control (and available steering wheel mounted shift buttons) is optional. Performance is rated at a stellar 304 horsepower while still achieving a respectable 27 mpg highway.

Inside, features include integrated iPod/MP3 compatibility, a 40 gig hard drive, pop-up navigation system and BOSE 5.1 sound. Front seats are supremely comfortable with back seats providing adequate space for small to medium-sized occupants. Sales of the new CTS Coupe are expected to begin in spring 2010 with a “V” model making its debut later in the year.

2010 Ford Taurus

The Ford Taurus sedan was criticized for being too conservative and boring when it was redesigned and introduced as the Ford Five Hundred for the 2003 model year. When sales suffered, Ford went back to the Taurus name for 2008 and spiffed the car up with some minor freshening. But that didn't change its overly conservative looks. In spite of its new name, or rather a return to the old name, it was still a staid family car with a high seating position and a tall roof.

Now, Ford is aiming to turn the Taurus into sportier, more attractive car that can be the company's flagship.

The 2010 Ford Taurus has a lower, sportier design. The roof line was dropped three inches and the driving position was lowered two inches. The exterior design is more interesting, with a new three-bar grille, shorter front and rear overhangs, a wedge shape defined by the beltline, and a rear end influenced by the Ford Interceptor concept shown in Detroit in 2007.

The Taurus continues on the D3 platform developed by Volvo and also used for the Lincoln MKS sedan. That's good news because it's a solid platform.

The Taurus is expected to be sportier than the Lincoln, however, thanks to a new rear suspension design and larger brakes. The Taurus uses a suspension configuration called SR1, which Ford says provides a superior balance between cornering and handling, reduces weight and enables the use of 19- and 20-inch wheels, though 17s and possibly 18s will also be offered.

The 2010 Ford Taurus will continue with a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and it'll come in the familiar SE, SEL and Limited trim levels.

The standard engine will be Ford's proven 250-horsepower 3.5-liter V6. Ford's EcoBoost twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6, which will make 355 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque in other products, will also be available, though not initially. All models will come with a six-speed automatic transmission, but SEL and Limited models will add Ford's SelectShift, which adds manual shift capability through the shifter or a pair of steering wheel paddles. SelectShift also includes a rev-matching feature to make downshifts smoother for performance driving.

The flagship and sportier design themes extend to the interior. Ford says the interior has some Mustang trim cues, and that the materials are worthy of a German luxury sedan. The center console is laid dramatically forward, flowing seamlessly into the center console.

Amenities and technologies will abound. Among the luxury options will be lumbar-massaging multi-contour front seats and Sony-brand audio. Technology features will include a voice-activated navigation system, Ford's Sync system, Ford's MyKey parental programmability and radar-based adaptive cruise control. MyKey will allow parents and fleet managers to activate a restricted driving mode that keeps all safety systems active and has a persistent Beltminder and an earlier low-fuel warning. It can also be set to limit top speed to 80 mph and sound warnings at 45, 55 and 65 mph.

The high-tech cruise system also includes collision warning with brake support. This system provides a warning when traffic ahead slows quickly and precharges the brakes, which can help reduce stopping distances.

But that's not all for high-tech safety features. Also available will be Ford's Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) and Ford's new Cross Traffic Aler. BLIS uses radar modules in the rear quarter panels that monitor traffic in the blind spot zones. When detected, the blind-spot warning alerts the driver with lights in the side mirrors. We've found this feature useful on the Audi Q7, Range Rover, and other vehicles. Cross Traffic Alert uses the same radar modules to monitor traffic crossing behind when the vehicle is backing out of a parking space. It also warns the driver with lights in the side mirrors.

While the starting price of $25,995 isn't higher than the current Taurus, all those tech and safety features will certainly raise the price for a fully equipped model.


On Sale: Summer 2009
Expected Pricing: Starting at $25,995

The 2009 Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S

The 2009 Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S will be the definitive sedan in Maserati's lineup.

Maserati describes the Sport GT S, which goes on sale in March 2009, as "the ultimate expression of Maserati's sportiness in the Quattroporte range." In short, it's a big, sensuous four-door that goes fast and handles sharply.

Up close, this Quattroporte has the sheer presence of even more expensive cars like the Bentley Arnage or Continental GT. It's the most visually striking car available in this price range.

The Sport GT S isn't a lot different from Maserati's current sedans, the Quattroporte and Quattroporte S. Changes to the GT S are subtle, but they work to create a noticeably different bent. Perhaps this car is more sinister, and certainly more self possessed.

The Sport GT S is equipped with Maserati's larger 4.7-liter V8, like the Quattroporte S, rather the 4.2-liter engine in the standard Quattroporte. The V8 is tuned to deliver 433 horsepower, or eight more than the Quattroporte S, thanks to a freer-flowing (and deeper-sounding) exhaust system. Its electronic throttle is tuned to respond more aggressively to movement on the gas pedal.

The Quattroporte's six-speed automatic is one of the most effective conventional automatics anywhere, and in the Sport GT S it will be tuned for sportier, more aggressive gear-change strategies. The Sport GT S suspension has firmer springs and a lower ride height than the other Quattroportes, with no-compromise single-rate shock absorbers. Such shocks are better than variable rate shocks for responsive handling, but they invariably mean a stiffer ride.

Styling tweaks are subtle, too, but there's nothing on the Sport GT S body that can be called bright work. Its grille is black, featuring concave vertical fins and a red-trimmed Maserati Trident, and it's eye-catching. The headlights have a metallic titanium finish, and the wheels and other adornment have a deep metallic finish that Maserati calls Shadowline. It's all very shiny, but not really bright.

Inside, the Sport GT-S has the same bespoke, hand-stitched quality as the other Quattroporte sedans, but the trim is a deep gray carbon-fiber weave. The seat inserts and door panels are rich, suede-like material in dark hues. It's all very luxurious, with a subtle hint of danger. Sliding into the back seat means ducking under the low roofline. It requires a bit more work than climbing into the typical large sedan, but once inside rear passengers are treated to acres of legroom and a form-fit seat as comfortable as the best sport buckets anywhere.

Months before the Quattroporte Sport GT S debuts, Maserati has established its price at $133,700. The company expects to sell a limited number, perhaps in the hundreds, out of about 8,000 total annual sales, worldwide. The limiting factor is less the price increase from the Quattroporte S (about $8,000) and more the flipside of the Sport GT S's sporting enhancements (like a harsher ride and more noise).

Still, if someone seeks a big, Italian sedan that everyone will look at, why not choose the fastest of all? There should be no shortage of Quattroporte Sport GT-S models in the United States, as America remains Maserati's largest market.


On Sale: Spring 2009
Expected Pricing: $133,700

2010 BMW X6 M

When BMW introduced the X6 not too long ago, it was touted as a Sport Activity Vehicle instead of a SUV because of its emphasis on performance rather than utility. For the New York International Auto Show, BMW is upping its game again by unveiling the BMW X6 M for the first time to public, driving home the point that its Sport Activity Vehicle is sporty enough to stand next to its better-known speed demons such as the M3 and the M5, which share the same legendary M-designation.


How do you get a 2.5-ton X6 up to speed in a hurry? The standard BMW X6 xDrive50i's twin-turbo V-8 does the trick pretty well, using its 400 bhp and 450 lb.-ft. of torque to propel this X6 to 60 mph in mere 4.8 sec. Now just imagine what the X6 M's 547 bhp and 500 lb.-ft. of torque can do....


BMW engineers extracted more power from the 4.4-liter twin-turbo engine thanks to 21 psi of boost from the twin-scroll turbos that are complemented by a patented pulse-tuned exhaust manifold. The result is a responsive engine with a broad torque band that doles out power linearly with minimal lag. According to BMW, the X6 M can sprint to 60 mph in a lightning quick 4.5 sec.


Reigning in all that power and making sure it's all put to good use on asphalt is the 6-speed M Sports automatic transmission, which is coupled to the xDrive all-wheeldrive with a sportier electronic algorithm. There is even a launch mode available for owners who want to impress the neighbors. Standard on the X6 M is self-leveling air suspension and Adaptive Drive with Electronic Damping Control (EDC) that can lower the ride height for better road-hugging abilities.


Expect the X6 M to show up in the dealers later this fall, likely priced in the high-$80s.