Article file under http://www.edmunds.com/ford/edge/2009/testdrive.html
Performance
Our front-wheel-drive 2009 Ford Edge Limited test vehicle was powered by the same 3.5-liter V6 found in every Edge. This capable engine cranks out 265 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque, and it's hooked to a six-speed automatic — the only available transmission. At our test track, the portly 4,312-pound Edge sped from zero to 60 mph in 8.1 seconds, a few paces behind segment luminaries like the Nissan Murano and Toyota Venza V6. The culprit here is the copious curb weight, up about 400 pounds on competing front-wheel-drive crossovers.
For the most part, the Edge's powertrain is solid. Shifts from the six-speed automatic are unobtrusive, yet kick-downs in passing situations are satisfyingly quick. The engine note won't rouse your inner Earnhardt, but it's refined enough for most tastes. In any case, the numbers don't tell the whole story: Flooring the front-drive Edge's accelerator from a stop produces tire-roasting wheelspin, even with traction control on, and the power doesn't really fall off until you've hit highway speeds. Fuel economy is a bit below average at an EPA-rated 17 mpg city/24 mpg highway and 19 mpg combined.
Sedanlike handling is supposed to be one of the selling points of crossover SUVs, and here the Edge falters. Its steering is annoyingly light and vague, with lots of play on-center. Body control around corners is adequate — note that our tester had the optional sport suspension — but the Edge always feels large and unwieldy. In our slalom test, the Edge sauntered through the cones at a decidedly SUV-like 56.5 mph.
Braking is another trouble spot. Unlike past examples, this 2009 Ford Edge produced acceptable 60-mph-to-0 stopping distances in its first few runs, though 134 feet isn't anything to write home about. However, by the fifth stop we encountered significant brake fade, with stopping distances rising to 152 feet. Obviously, most people aren't going to do five panic stops in a row in real-world driving, but even here the Edge's brake pedal is characterized by excessive dead travel and a general sense that the brakes aren't quite up to the task
Cure Your Diabetes
Sunday, January 4, 2009
2009 Ford Edge
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Porsche prototypes caught testing by Google Streetview
Article file under http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/
porsche-prototypes-caught-testing-by-google-streetview-ar68710.html
Who knew Google could do car spy photography? As it turns out, Google’s Streetview had the jump on the 2009 Porsche Boxster, Cayman, 911 Targa, and 911 Turbo. These cars were out doing high altitude testing out in Colorado.
This little gem was discovered after the debut of all the models (except the 911 Turbo which we expect at the Detroit Auto Show), but its still very funny.
2010 Ford Shelby GT 500
Article file under http://www.topspeed.com/cars/ford/
2010-ford-shelby-gt-500-ar68792.html
While Ford may be excited about the 2010 Mustang it’s the special editions that get us all hot and bothered. Ford knows this because the 2010 car was revealed back in November, and only a few months later the Shelby GT500 is peeking its head out of the barn.
What makes this car special is the engine. It’s a supercharged DOHC 5.4-liter V8 that puts out 540 horsepower and 510 foot-pounds of torque. That’s the same figures from the 2008 GT500 KR (take that, KITT!) The car also comes with other goodies to help enjoy the engine like a cold-air intake, aluminum “power dome” hood with engine heat extractor, six-speed manual transmission, and larger 250 mm disk brakes.
We’ll get the first live glimpse of the car next week at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The first Shelby GT500s are scheduled to roll off the assembly line and into showrooms this spring
Friday, December 26, 2008
2009 BMW Z4
Article and picture file under www.bmw.com
A classic - redesigned.
The exterior of the BMW Z4 Roadster.
A roadster designed the way only BMW can: the classic proportions of the stretched bonnet and short overhangs are complimented by the low seats near to the rear axle to grant the driver a perfect feel for the road. 
The modern shape, an interplay of striking contours and soft mergers, fully captures the character of this vehicle from its characteristic kidney grille to the powerful wheelarches at the rear.
However, it's the way this roadster effortlessly negotiates straights and bends that makes it truly like no other.
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