Drop-Top Perfection: The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster

If you were setting out to build the best ragtop in the world, a good place to start would be with Mercedes’ SLS AMG coupe. The uber-fast luxury GT car boasts a 563 horsepower, 6.3-liter V-8, surrounded by some of the sexiest sheetmetal on the planet. Intended as an homage to the Mercedes 300SL “Gullwing” coupes of the 1950 and 1960s, the car spares no expense in design or construction, and now Mercedes-Benz has announced a roadster version of the SLS AMG. Read more…

Reminder: June Is ‘Lane Courtesy Month’

If you’re a regular reader of Automotive Addicts, I’ll go out on a limb and say, “you’re not the problem.” You already know that the left lane of a multi-lane highway is for passing and not traffic flow, and you know enough to keep an eye on your rearview mirror for oncoming traffic. Sadly, you’re the exception and not the general rule when it comes to drivers in the U.S., which is why the National Motorists Association has proclaimed June to be “Lane Courtesy Month”. Read more…

2011 Audi Q7 TDI Quattro SUV Review & Test Drive

‘KEEPING IT CLEAN’

Audi has revamped its lineup of full-size Q7 sport utility vehicles this year by downsizing the engine displacements, adding an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission enabling all Q7 models to increase their fuel efficiency and lower their emissions.

I tested the new Q7 TDI (turbo diesel injection) Quattro Premium Plus model and it is the best of the three models available with more torque and higher mpg specs.

Read more…

So How Does Chevy Test The Camaro Convertible Top?

There was a time in the not-too-distant past where American cars didn’t get a whole lot of validation post assembly. I’ve driven nearly new convertibles that leaked like a sieve in the rain, and I’ve had low mileage cars with more creaks and rattles than a haunted house. Fortunately, those days are in the past, and most of todays cars are tested to the point of failure before they even see production. Chevy wants you to know that they go well beyond “reasonable” in testing the top of the new Camaro convertible, running it through over ten years of simulated hard use in testing. Even production cars don’t get loaded for shipment until they’ve been tested under water spray of 900 gallons per minute. Like the video says, don’t try climbing into the trunk of your car at home. From personal experience, I can tell you that it’s not a particularly comfortable ride. Read more…

VW’s New Passat Starts Under $21,000

Volkswagen’s newest Passat, now built in their Chattanooga, Tennessee factory, costs over $7,000 less than the 2010 model it replaces. It’s bigger, too, with an emphasis on increasing leg room for rear seat passengers. Best of all, it’s going to be available in a turbodiesel variant, which gives buyers a legitimate alternative to hybrid vehicles. Like the Jetta, the lower price comes at a cost: expect to see more hard plastic on the inside, but Volkswagen insists that the bulk of the cost savings comes from domestic manufacturing. This much is certain: with three powertrains and a variety of trim levels, there will likely be a Passat to suit almost any budget. Read more…

Mazda Builds Their Three Millionth Mazda3

The Mazda3 has been built for just under eight years, and Mazda recently announced the production milestone of three million cars assembled. A global product, the car is built in three factories (one each in Japan, China and Thailand) and sold in roughly 90 countries and regions around the world. Over 1.1 million Mazda3s have been sold into North America alone, and the Mazda3 has become the fastest-selling model in Mazda’s current lineup of passenger vehicles. Read more…

Gone In Less Than 52 Weeks: BMW’s 1 Series M

When then-head of BMW’s M Division, Dr. Kay Segler, showed the 2011 BMW 1 Series M at this year’s North American International Auto Show, he referred to it as their “offer(ing) for the young enthusiast, which we need to cater for, because they would love to have something for which they can afford.” That’s a great sentiment, but the starting price for the 1 Series M was $47,010, before you began adding accessories. I haven’t seen many BMW’s on dealer lots that aren’t optioned to the hilt, and a well equipped 1 Series M can easily sticker over $52,000.I don’t know many “young enthusiasts” who would find a $50,000 car “affordable”, or even within reach once you factor the realities of rent (or mortgage) payments, student loan payments and the cost of food other than ramen and peanut butter. Read more…

Gender Reassignment In the Automotive World

Specifically, can we please once and for all reassign the gender of every car to “neutral”?  After all, the last time I checked they are not organic beings and are typically inanimate objects while parked (unless Stephen King is involved).  Don’t get me wrong, by all means continue to lovingly assign a name to your Precious and refer to it as “she”.  As in, “I rode her hard and put her away wet” after a good flogging on a track day. Read more…