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Friday, May 15, 2009

2010 Ford Mustang - Starting MSRP $20,995 – $35,995

By Kelsey Mays - www.Cars.com

It's a bit odd that Detroit's healthiest automaker makes Detroit's least appealing muscle car. That said, the 2010 Ford Mustang isn't all that bad. Restyled inside and out, it boasts better cabin quality than the competing Dodge Challenger and Chevy Camaro, and it wins a number of small victories elsewhere, too. Many will find it a perfectly reasonable choice. An exciting one, though? Not so much. Muscle cars are chiefly about performance, and from the racetrack to the highway, the Mustang's aging architecture keeps it a few steps behind the competition.

The rear-wheel-drive Mustang comes in V-6 and V-8 variants (the V6 and GT, respectively), each with a base and Premium trim. Compare them to the 2009 model here. Either engine teams with a five-speed manual or five-speed automatic; a convertible version is also available. I tested a stick-shift Mustang GT coupe and an automatic convertible with the V-6. There's also a six-speed manual available in the Mustang-based Shelby GT500, whose supercharged V-8 makes 540 horsepower.

Styling
The 2005-09 Mustang ranks as one of the great styling successes of its decade — a muscular interpretation of the mid-1960s original that's iconic even while ubiquitous. Its reskinned successor leaves me cold. The tail leans forward at an awkward angle, and the contoured taillights look less commanding than their rectangular predecessors. The reshaped hood encroaches too much on the grille and driving lights, which were among the outgoing Mustang's best-looking elements.

Fundamentally, of course, this Mustang doesn't stray too far from that one. The essentials remain — namely the blockish bumpers and '60s-throwback nose. Seventeen-inch alloy wheels replace last year's 16-inchers on the V6. Eighteen-inchers are optional on the V6 and standard on the GT and GT500 convertible; 19s are optional on the GT and standard on the GT500 coupe.

At 188.1 inches long, the Mustang is a couple inches shorter than the Camaro and nearly 10 inches shorter than the Challenger. The V6's turning circle, at 33.4 feet with the 17-inch wheels, is impressive. The available 18- and 19-inch wheels render a more average 37.7-foot circle.

More articles, please visit www.cars.com

Thursday, May 14, 2009

2009 Nissan 370Z

Article file under http://www.topspeed.com

When I found out that Top Speed would be getting a 2010 Nissan 370Z in our test fleet I was excited to say the least. I have been a Nissan fan since I found out about drifting and an owner for the last five years. You could say that I love Nissans. So although I had dreams of clutch kicking the new 332 HP VQ in the Z car, and run up and down the 6 speed gearbox, taking full advantage of the new Syncro RevMatch transmission that is said to be able to replace the need for heal-toe while down shifting.

I am proud to say that the updated Z car is the first car I’ve ever gotten to take on the Top Speed Test Track. Unfortunately, being a first timer I could only muster up the courage to stand on the throttle at corner exit. I can confirm that the Nissan 370Z has no problem stepping the back end out.

More pictures, please visit http://www.topspeed.com