.SSC Ultimate Aero: 257 mph+, 0-60 in 2.7 secs. Twin-Turbo V8 Engine with 1183 hp, base price is $654,400. Tested in March 2007 by Guinness world records, The SSC Ultimate Aero takes the lead as the fastest car in the world beating Bugatti Veyron.

The F-150 is still the best-selling pickup of all time.

Its unbroken 26-year streak as the nation's best-selling car or truck — easily whipping the Accord, Camry, whatever — speaks for itself: Americans love their pickups. All-new for 2009, the F-150 is as eager to please as ever, offering a dizzying range of choices in engines, cab layouts, bed Flengths and more. With its class-leading capacity, user-friendly features and pleasant driving dynamics, the F-150 remains one of the easiest half-ton pickups to live with on an everyday basis. And with the wide range of available body styles, trim levels and equipment, you're sure to find one that meets your needs.

The latest Chrysler 300 offers distinctive styling, roomy interior and powerful performance capabilities.

Whenever you think Chrysler might be sunk it pulls a hot-selling rabbit out of its hat. The company that invented the minivan and cab-forward LH sedans made magic again with the 300, a sinister, chopped-roof sedan that dazzled buyers young and old, urban and suburban. It helps that the 300 is more than a pretty face: The slick-driving Chrysler benefits from extensive Mercedes-Benz technology, including a rear suspension borrowed from the E-Class sedan

Today's Corvette is an outright bargain when compared to sports cars from Europe, offering the performance of an all-out exotic at a quarter to a third of the price

From the 430-horsepower basic 'Vette to the $105,000, 638 horsepower ZR1, this machine is arguably the best American sports car ever built. True Corvette connoisseurs treat their rides as part of the family, not just four-wheeled friends. When the 'Vette was introduced in 1953 it was an instant sensation. Original production models carried a $3,498 sticker price and all 300 were sold. But it didn't become a true favorite among car buffs until the classic Sting Rays emerged in the 1960s. (Did you know that "Sting Ray" was originally two words? It didn't become one until the '70s.) After suffering long fallow periods in the '70s and '80s, the Corvette roared back with the fifth-generation C5 model of 1997, and it's improved ever since. Today's Corvette can go toe-to-toe with the typical Ferrari — at a fraction of the price.

2009 Gullwing-America 300SL Panamericana

The classic Mercedes-Benz SL Gullwing design is one of the most iconic sports car shapes in history. Benz tuner Gullwing-America has rebodied and modernized this classic with a brand-new AMG motor!
Chassis
Wheels
17 X 8 AMG wheels
Tires
235/45/17 Continental Sport
Drivetrain
Layout
Front Engine, RWD
Transmission
6 speed manual
Engine
Type:
AMG Handbuilt V8
Displacement
5.5 liters
Horsepower
370 bhp
Torque
530 Nm (390 lb-ft.)

Classic Gullwing SL Car Reinvisioned with modern AMG Technology

The classic Mercedes-Benz SL Gullwing is one of the most sought-after cars of all time, with its rarity and car collector appeal raising auction prices into the stratosphere. German tuner and coachbuilder Gullwing-AG and its American subsidiary, Gullwing-America, have just announced plans to offer a rebodied and thoroughly modernized variant of the classic SL to customers beginning soon.To kick off the campaign, Gullwing-America has released images and official specifications for its 2009 Gullwing 300SL Panamericana, and the car is an absolute stunner. The shape clearly follows the most hallowed Benz ever's body lines, also displaying modern touches to go along with the technology within.The 300SL Panamericana concept car gets a genuine-article Mercedes-Benz engine and driveline, a retuned version of the 5.5 liter 8 cylinder that has seen duty in AMG and SLR McLaren models. For the 300SL Panamericana, the powerplant spits out 370 horsepower and 530 Nm torque @ 5400 rpm.With a light steel frame and an aluminum-fiberglass body, all that power will not have a whole lot of car to push around, and performance numbers should exceed those of the AMG Benz cars sharing this engine.For potential 300SL Panamericana buyers who are more interested in looking good than going 200 mph, Gullwing-America will also offer a Mercedes-sourced V6 as an engine choice. Production run will obviously be small, but with several companies building replica and modernized Shelby/AC Cobra cars with modern components, the 300SL Panamericana does have a roadmap for success.The real test for the fledgling car builder will be to see if the Panamericana has that not-quite-together kit car feel or conversely the spit and polish of a brand new Mercedes-Benz. The real story will probably fall somewhere in between, but we wish this interesting experiment in the cult of car the greatest possible success.-RSportsCars

Official Gullwing-America Press ReleaseHere is the the rebirth of an Icon, the 2009 300 SL Panamericana, based on a Reproduction from Hoope'r, Gullwing-AG in Germany, who produce the closest model you can get to the real thing. Arturo Alonso and his company, Gullwing-America , modified this already outstanding automobile into an exotic for the 21st century.A combination of the Glorious Carrera Panamericana cars of the 50's and new technology, they came out with this incredible sports car, Alonso himself raced the Carrera for years in a Mercedes 300SE, where the passion for this legendary Race and the Mercedes was born.The 300SL body is constructed with the use of aircraft composite technology. This construction comprises of a sprayed layer of aluminum to a thickness of .5mm into the mold over which an epoxy adhesive is laid and several layers of 7oz woven glass cloth are then applied with epoxy resin.Chassis is made from RHS steel reinforced and powder coated, has independent suspension with adjustable coil overs, four wheel disk brakes, a 5.5 liter Mercedes engine, (M-133-55) the one used on the AMG Mercedes models and the SLR, mated to a six speed transmission, special made radiator and exhaust system.The Panamericana will have a re tuned electronics raising the HP about 370, 530nm of torque @5400RPM. The car will sit lower, have speedtronic transmission, side mufflers, no bumpers, a special grill, four spoke leather steering wheel with power assist, a start button, A/C , a four point harness, Becker Mexico Radio with CD and I pod adapter, and fitted leather luggage. It also includes specially made old school 17 X 8 AMG wheels all around with 235/45/17 Continental Sport contact tires, AMG calipers painted in red, HID headlights, and stripes on the fenders like the "Works" Cars from La Barrera.For 2010 there will also be the option for the new V6 Mercedes engine (M-272-E35) used on the 350 Models, which has almost the same power of the V8 ( 320HP And 360nm torque @4900RPM)) and could be ordered with a manual six speed.The cars will all be painted in silver with blue accents in the front fenders like the race cars of the Panamericana, there is the option of a white with red stripes and a Black version. The interiors will be red cover in leather and plaid cloth, typical from that model; The instrument panel is identical as the original 300Sl.Gullwing-America thinks that this is a true rebirth of the legendary 300SL Gullwing. Updated with technology from 50 years later, the car will be more powerful and handle better than the original. It will be a very drivable car with all the convenient accessories like air conditioning, power steering, etc. from modern cars.For price and more information contact Arturo Alonso at info@gullwing-america.com

Toyota Crown 2008

Manufacturer
Toyota
Production
1955-present
Assembly
Toyota City, Nagoya
Class
Full-size luxury car / Executive car (UK)
Body style(s)
Sedan (1955–current)4-door hardtop (1974–1999)2-door hardtop coupe (1967–1983)Wagon (1962–2007)Pick-up (1967–1971)
Platform
S-series
Related
AristoCrown Majesta

The Crown has evolved into a line of full-size luxury sedans by Toyota. The range was primarily available in Japan and some other Asian countries, originally designed to serve as a taxi. It was in later years sold in the United States during the late 1950s and up until 1971. The Crown is Toyota's oldest sedan still in production. It is outranked only by the Century and the Majesta in social status. The Crown is used by many Japanese companies as the company limosiune. Exports to Europe began in 1964 with the first cars going to Finland. Other European countries which saw imports of the Crown included the Netherlands and Belgium. The United Kingdom was another market until the early 1980s. It was also exported to Canada for a few years—1965–68. In many markets the Crown had become very expensive and was replaced by the Cressida when that model became available for export in the early 1980s.
Australia was another important export market for the Crown—to the extent that it was manufactured there from the mid-1960s until the late 1980s using many local components.
Most models of the car are distinguishable by a front "Crown" badge, but the common Toyota badge is usually used on the rear.
The Crown has existed in some form since after the war and Toyota uses the "Crown" name as inspiration for their primary sedans, the Corolla which is Latin for "small crown", the Camry a phonetic transcription of the Japanese word kanmuri that means crown, and the Corona which is also Latin for crown.

New Lexus IS-F

Lexus IS-F
Price Range: $56,000 - $56,760
Body Style: Sedan
Sum Up: Most engaging Lexus to date.
Motor Trend Rating:

Lexus IS-F Performance & Efficiency Standard Features

-
4,969 cc 5.0 liters V 8 front engine with 94.0 mm bore, 89.4 mm stroke, 11.8 compression ratio, double overhead cam, variable valve timing/camshaft and four valves per cylinder 2UR-GSE
-
Premium unleaded fuel 91
-
Gasoline direct injection fuel system
-
16.9 gallon main premium unleaded fuel tank 14.1
-
Power: 310 kW , 416 HP SAE @ 6,600 rpm; 371 ft lb , 503 Nm @ 5,200 rpm

Whats New: A mid-gen update for the IS 250/IS 250 AWD/IS 350 brings a new grille/fascias/taillamps/wheels plus interior cosmetic/functional tweaks. Retuned suspension/steering improves control and response, the paddle-shifting logic has been upgraded, and VDIM stability becomes an IS 250 standard. The hot IS-F variant gets minor interior trim changes.

Lexus SC430

Price Range: $66,355 - $66,805
Body Style: Convertible
Sum Up: another not-quite SL.
Motor Trend Rating:

Lexus SC430 Performance & Efficiency Standard Features
-
4,293 cc 4.3 liters 8 V front engine with 91 mm bore, 82.5 mm stroke, 10.5 compression ratio, double overhead cam, variable valve timing/camshaft and four valves per cylinder
-
Premium unleaded fuel
-
Fuel economy EPA highway (l/100km): 10.2
-
Multi-point injection fuel system
-
Main 75 liter premium unleaded fuel tank
-
Power: SAE and 224 kW , 300 HP @ 5,600 rpm; 325 ft lb , 441 Nm @ 3,400 rpm

2009 Honda Accord EX Specs

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2,354 cc 2.4 liters in-line 4 front engine with 87.0 mm bore, 99.0 mm stroke, 10.5 compression ratio, double overhead cam, variable valve timing/camshaft and four valves per cylinder

-

Unleaded fuel 87

-

Multi-point injection fuel system

-

18.5 gallon main unleaded fuel tank 15.4

-

Power: 142 kW , 190 HP SAE @ 7,000 rpm; 162 ft lb , 220 Nm @ 4,400 rpm

MILWAUKEE April 23, 2009

Emily Fredrix writing for the AP reported that there seemed little chance U.S. car makers could look any worse, but moves like General Motors' announcement Thursday that it will cut production this summer risk scaring off remaining potential customers and eroding decades of brand loyalty.

When General Motors said it plans to idle 13 factories in the U.S. and Mexico for two months to reduce its inventory, it renewed fear that longtime customers will abandon American car companies.

Consumers tend to be staunchly loyal when it comes to their auto brands, but bad news surrounding a brand and concerns about a company's future can eventually tip the balance, said Deborah Mitchell, a marketing professor at Wisconsin School of Business.

"They feel sick. They're heartbroken. But they're not stupid," Mitchell said.

Addie Kidd, who planned to buy a used car before interest rates dropped, is trying to keep an open mind and consider new American cars as she makes her purchase, probably next week.

But the 28-year-old from Wauwatosa, Wis., doesn't like their design and felt the risk of buying from a company that could vanish was too great.

"I would want something that was going to be around for the long haul, and a company that would back it up too," said Kidd, a magazine editor. "So if they're not going to be there, it's concerning."

General Motors is trying to allay consumer fears -- not just about whether it will be around to honor warranties -- but to coax cash-strapped consumers to buy new cars now. It's in the midst of a monthlong GM Total Confidence marketing campaign -- which includes protections for car buyers if they lose their jobs or if the value of their vehicle slips.

Spokesman John M. McDonald said the promotion -- the first of its kind for the maker of brands like Buick and Chevrolet -- is bringing more traffic to dealerships. April sales are trending better than the company predicted, and GM may extend the deal, which ends next week.

He downplayed concern that consumers would shy away from the brand based on plant closures.

"I don't know any consumer who wouldn't buy a computer because a computer plant was reducing production," he said.

But Mitchell said the production halt could be the final straw in a large stack of bad news consumers are hearing about the venerable automaker. The news is chipping away at the brand's standing, said Mitchell, who used to consult for GM.

Promises -- including warranties, OnStar safety monitoring and payment protections for customers who lose their jobs -- don't address the looming bankruptcy or other issues facing the automaker, she said.

"GM is saying, 'We're going to take care of you,' but the consumer is wondering if it will be around to take care of itself," she said.

GM is deeply troubled and relying on $13.4 billion in government loans as it faces a June 1 deadline to restructure and cut labor costs and debt. Its CEO has said the company will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection if it misses the deadline.

Some experts said car makers may have no choice but to offer still more incentives beyond thousands of dollars in price cuts and rebates and guarantees. But Jesse Toprak, executive director of industry analysis for the auto Web site Edmunds.com, said GM may not want to offer more because they dilute the brand.

Incentives reached a record across the industry in March -- an average of $3,153 per car purchased, according to data from Edmunds.com. For GM, they were at an all-time high of $4,772. Toprak said that helps bring in traffic and potential sales, but the costs of those incentives can be negative for the brand later on.

"What happens with consumers now is that you're selling them the incentive, not the car," Toprak said. "And that's not an optimal way for an auto maker to operate for a long time."

Besides, consumers expect incentives all the time now, said David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research. So giving them a year-end rebate is nothing new.

"We've built so much overcapacity that it turned it into a true buyer's market, and literally incentives became a way of life," he said, adding that cutting inventory will give sellers more power in the market.

The incentives, low financing and a longer warranty are cementing Jessica Cosby's interest in a GM purchase. The 33-year-old massage school student, who wants to replace her 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix, a GM vehicle, with a Pontiac Vibe if possible. After test driving a 2005 Chevrolet Equinox Thursday at a dealership in Wausau, Wis., she said bankruptcy won't deter her.

At the Community Chevrolet lot in Burbank, Calif., Thursday, Phil Brierley, a 33-year-old entertainment cameraman from Santa Monica, said his confidence in GM was not shaken by the temporary plant shutdowns.

"If GM has a glut of cars that they can't sell, then they can't sell them at premium value," he said. Brierley, who said he's owned "more Pontiacs, Trans Ams and Firebirds" than he can count, plans to return when the Camaro he wants is in stock.

Toprak said he expected General Motors to continue its Total Confidence plan since it costs relatively little -- he estimates $300 a car -- and helps assuage consumer fears. The third-party program is actually must cheaper than a typical discount or rebate or curate financing, he noted.

But what's needed most is clarity about the future of the business, which should come in June.

Until then, General Motors must go after its remaining loyal customers any way it can, said Mitchell, adding that one way would be to offer more promotions and generate more positive news coverage.

"Within autos, once the loyalty is broken, it's difficult if not impossible to get it back," she said.

AP Business Writer Tom Murphy in Indianapolis, Associated Press Writer Robert Imrie in Wausau, Wis. and Associated Press Writer Lorinda Toledo in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Plug-In Vehicles May Lead To More Power Plants

New study says planning is needed to avoid raising electricity demand

Jeff Johnson

The time of day when plug-in electric cars are charged will determine the impact they will have on the national power grid, says a new study by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

istockphoto

The Department of Energy lab study assumes that by 2025, one-quarter of U.S. cars will run on a combination of electric and liquid fuels and will require plug-in charging. If all cars are charged at 5 PM, when electricity demand is high, some 160 large power plants will be needed nationwide to supply the extra electricity, according to the study. However, it says, if the charging is done after 10 PM, when demand is minimal, as few as eight—or possibly no—new power generation facilities will be needed, depending on the availability of regional electricity.

The study comes at a time when several automakers are exploring plug-in electric vehicles. Earlier studies, including one by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, found that off-peak, idle capacity at existing electric utilities could provide enough power to fuel 84% of the U.S.'s 220 million cars if all of them were shifted to hybrid plug-in electric vehicles (C&EN, Dec. 18, 2006, page 40).

"That assumption doesn't necessarily take into account human nature," says ORNL's Stan Hadley, who led the study. "Consumers' inclination will be to plug in when convenient, rather than when utilities would prefer.

"Utilities will need to create incentives to encourage people to wait," Hadley continues. "There are also technologies such as ‘smart' chargers that know the price of power, the demands on the system, and the time when the car will be needed next to optimize charging for both the owner and the utility. That can help too," he adds.