Pete Scamardo Car Dealer

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A new five-door body, named "Sportback", was introduced in June 2004.
Unlike the previous generation, the new A3 Sportback is 80 mm (3.15 in)
longer than the base three-door body, and includes improved rear cabin
space and a larger luggage compartment (370 litres). It also received
the new "single frame" front grille originally introduced in the A8
W12.

In April 2006, the lineup was expanded with the introduction of a
more powerful 2.0 TDI with 170 PS (168 hp/125 kW). In August 2006, Audi
announced the arrival of the S3 version, which became the new range
topper. The 2.0 TFSI engine was re-engineered and uprated to 265 PS
(261 hp/195 kW), and is available with standard quattro and a 6-speed
manual gearbox. The second generation S3 is capable of accelerating to
100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 5.7 seconds. The springs and dampers were tuned
for a harder setting, and ride height lowered by 25 mm (0.98 in).
225/40 ZR18 tyres are standard.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2009 Nissan Maxima is a midsize entry-level luxury sedan
available in S and SV trim levels. The base model S comes standard with
18-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, cruise control, a sunroof,
keyless ignition/entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, a
tilt/telescoping steering column, eight-way driver and four-way
passenger power front seats, a 60/40-split rear seat, cloth upholstery,
a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a trip computer, an auto-dimming
inside mirror and an in-dash six-CD changer with an auxiliary audio
jack.

The Maxima SV adds foglamps, a driver seat manual thigh-support
extender and power lumbar support, leather upholstery, a compass, a
Homelink universal garage remote and a nine-speaker Bose stereo
upgrade.

The SV can be equipped with either the Premium or Sport packages,
which offer much of the same equipment but differ in key areas. Both
add transmission paddle shifters, xenon headlights (available
separately, but curiously, this requires adding Bluetooth, too), a
driver-side auto-dimming outside mirror, heated front seats, driver
memory functions with automatic entry/exit, a power tilt/telescoping
steering column, a heated steering wheel, rear bucket seats with a
center trunk pass-through (60/40-split feature deleted), upgraded
leather upholstery and trim, Bluetooth (available as a stand-alone
option) and satellite radio.

The Premium Package is differentiated by a dual-panel sunroof, a
rearview camera, a seven-inch LCD screen, a cooled driver seat,
rear-seat audio and HVAC controls, automatic up/down rear windows, a
power rear window shade, wood trim, an audio-visual auxiliary audio
jack and a dedicated iPod interface. The Sport Package features a
sport-tuned suspension, 19-inch wheels, a rear spoiler and
metallic-look interior trim. High-performance summer tires are an added
option with the Sport Package.

The Technology Package available on the Maxima SV adds a
voice-activated navigation system with real-time traffic, a rearview
camera, an auxiliary audio-video jack, a dedicated iPod interface,
satellite radio, a single in-dash CD player (which replaces the
six-disc version) and 9.3GB of digital music storage. This package is
cheaper when combined with the Premium Package, since several features
overlap. The heated front seats, steering wheel and outside mirrors can
also be had in the Cold Package.

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Driving Impressions

A re-engineered suspension with lightweight aluminum pieces and a
new steering system make the 2009 Nissan Murano a willing and
surprisingly communicative partner in daily driving. No doubt the
combination of these chassis upgrades and a new predictive (not
reactive) all-wheel-drive system (first introduced by the Nissan Rogue)
contribute to the Murano's genuine agility and overall feel of
predictability. And, contrary to what some might expect, the 20-inch
wheels and tires standard on the LE trim don't degrade the ride either.

The 3.5-liter V6 provides plenty of power for almost all
situations. Of special note is the revised CVT, which incorporates
adaptive shift control software and boasts ratio changes 30 percent
faster than before. As a result, the reactions of the CVT are so good
that Nissan decided that it's unnecessary to offer a manual-shift mode
with this CVT -- and we totally agree.

Powertrains and Performance

The standard engine in the Chevy Silverado 2500 is a 6.0-liter
gasoline-fueled V8 making 353 horsepower and 373 pound-feet of torque.
A six-speed automatic transmission is standard. Optional is a 6.6-liter
turbodiesel Duramax V8 that boasts 365 hp and 660 lb-ft of torque. It
gets a different six-speed automatic and is the go-to choice if you
require a burly tow vehicle (it also gets better fuel economy).
Properly equipped, the 2500HD can haul up to 3,458 pounds and tow up to
13,000 pounds.

Rear-wheel drive is standard across the board, with four-wheel
drive optional. Although the Work Truck 4WD gets a traditional
floor-mounted transfer case, the two other trim levels available on the
Silverado 4WD get Autotrac, a knob-controlled electric transfer case
that features an automatic setting that engages 4WD when wheel slippage
is detected.

Pete Scamardo - Porsche

Driving Impressions

Most buyers will be content with the base 1.8-liter engine, which
delivers respectable acceleration in normal traffic situations. We
recorded a 9.1-second 0-60-mph time in a manual-shift Corolla with the
1.8-liter, and our test car returned an impressive 29.8 mpg in mixed
driving. Although the five-speed's shifter feels firm and decisive
moving through the gates, we suspect its abrupt, at-the-floor clutch
engagement will push many buyers to the automatic. Upgrading to the
2.4-liter engine provides a gratifying increase in low-end torque,
though it does come at the expense of fuel economy.

Regardless of which trim level you choose, the 2009 Toyota Corolla
excels as a commuter car, as the suspension delivers a comfortable,
controlled ride. Handling is uninspiring, however. Body roll is
decently controlled, but the electric steering on non-XRS models
provides so little feedback, you may find yourself making corrections
simply to keep the car traveling in a straight line. Toyota retuned
this setup for the XRS, and indeed its steering feels crisper and
weightier. Driven on a back road, the Corolla XRS is undeniably a
capable compact sedan, but compared to rivals like the Mazda 3, Civic
and Lancer, it's not a very entertaining one.

Powertrains and Performance

The rear-wheel-drive BMW 328i and all-wheel-drive 328i xDrive are
powered by a 3.0-liter inline-6 that produces 230 horsepower and 200
pound-feet of torque. The 335i and 335i xDrive get a different
3.0-liter inline-6, this one twin-turbocharged to produce 300 hp and
300 lb-ft of torque. The 335d will be powered by a twin-turbocharged
diesel engine rated at 265 hp and a pavement-rippling 425 lb-ft of
torque. All models come standard with a six-speed manual shifter, while
a six-speed automatic is optional. Paddle shifters can be added to the
latter.

In performance testing, we've spurred a 328i sedan with the manual
transmission from zero to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds, while the heavier
convertible is a few tenths of a second slower. We've tested a variety
of 335i sedans and coupes, and they consistently do the sprint in just
a shade over 5 seconds.

Despite its potent power plants, the 3 Series remains relatively
fuel-efficient. The 328i gets 17-18 mpg in the city, 25-28 mpg on the
highway and 20-21 mpg combined, depending on the body style and
drivetrain. The 335i with the automatic achieves 17 mpg city/26 mpg
highway and 20 mpg combined. The manual transmission or all-wheel drive
will lower those numbers slightly. BMW estimates fuel economy for the
335d will be an impressive 23 mpg city and 33 mpg highway.

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