Porsche Cayenne S

Porsche Cayenne S Making do with “good enough” seems the more likely result. In some regards, the refreshed version of the original Porsche Cayenne fell into that trap, with updates that didn’t solve the car’s design, weight and fuel economy issues.

Back to the drawing board for 2011, and more of those complaints have been dealt with. Especially visually – the Porsche Cayenne S no longer looks like a surprised 911 sitting on a kitchen table. The whole package is sleeker and better proportioned. Even though it looks smaller and more compact, the ’11 is actually two inches longer, with most of that stretch dedicated to an increase in wheelbase.

Under the skin, the Porsche Cayenne S retains its all-independent suspension setup, with front double wishbones and a rear multi-link setup benefiting from steel springs and height-adjustable dampers. Those are the real key to Porsche’s goal of retaining the old one’s off-road prowess while improving on-road performance.

Porsche Panamera Cabrio In The Works

Look for a price cut of more than $15,000 compared with the original 2010 Porsche Panamera S, when Porsche launches its entry-level versions of the Panamera in the U.S. in June. The 2011 Panamera and the Panamera 4, downsized with a new 300-horsepower 3.6-liter V6, will make their world debut in April at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show.

Porsche said the base Panamera will start at $75,375, including a $975 destination charge. The Panamera 4 will start at $79,875. In comparison, the 400-hp 2010 Porsche Panamera S starts at $90,775, including shipping, and the top-of-the-line 500-hp Panamera Turbo starts at $133,575, including shipping.

Porsche said official U.S. EPA fuel economy figures on the V6 Panamera models will be announced closer to the on-sale date. However, Porsche's home office released European fuel economy numbers on Tuesday, noting that the base Panamera will return the equivalent of about 25 miles per gallon, while the Panamera 4 will return the equivalent of 24 mpg. Porsche U.S. spokesman Gary Fong told Inside Line in a phone conversation on Tuesday morning that "We just don't know [what U.S. fuel economy numbers will be]. It just doesn't translate [interpolating the New European Driving Cycle numbers]. They test in an entirely different manner than the EPA."

Porsche Panamera V6 Models Debut

Just as one team at Porsche was readying the most powerful production 911 ever—the 2011 911 Turbo S—another was creating the company’s least powerful sedan. Model year 2011 will bring two flavors of the long-foretold V-6 Panamera, a rear-wheel-drive model simply named Panamera and an all-wheel-drive version dubbed Panamera 4.

The V-6 in question is said to be an all-new Porsche design featuring direct injection, and is the same one that will be installed in the next Cayenne. It displaces 3.6 liters and produces 300 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, and Porsche claims it is 66 pounds lighter than the V-8 in the Panamera S. Like all U.S.-market Panameras, the V-6 is paired exclusively with a seven-speed PDK transmission and gets an engine stop/start system.

After their formal debut at the Beijing auto show, the Panamera and Panamera 4 will join the V-8–powered Panamera S, 4S, and Turbo in U.S. showrooms this June. Prices will start at $75,375 for the Panamera and $79,875 for the Panamera 4.

Aston Martin DBS V8 Vantage DB9 or DBS

Aston Martin DBS – Click above for high-res image gallery

The National Highway Traffic Safety Adminstration has issued a recall for select Aston Martins. If you own a V8 Vantage, DB9 or DBS produced during the 2007 and 2008 model years, you should head on in to your local dealership. A cam bolt in the front bottom suspension arm could crack, allowing the lower control arm to move about in ways it shouldn't.

As always, dealers will replace the bolt free of charge. The recall is scheduled to begin on or before October 18th, 2010 and is said to potentially affect 1,090 vehicles.

GM boss Nick Reilly has confirmed that Opel and Vauxhall will introduce a new

It’s official! GM boss Nick Reilly has confirmed that Opel and Vauxhall will introduce a new, sub-Corsa-sized city car in 2013. The newcomer, which will be inspired by the 2004 Geneva Motor Show Opel Trixx concept pictured here, will be built at GM’s Eisenach plant in Germany.

Codenamed “Made in Eisenach”, the new car represents a 90 million Euro (£76.5 million) investment in the plant which currently builds the three-door Corsa. The new city car will take over the plant, while the next generation Corsa will be made in Zaragoza in Spain.

Speaking at a press event at Eisenach today, Reilly said, “This is a further milestone in the growth strategy for our business,” said Opel/Vauxhall CEO Nick Reilly. “Our €90 million investment in the Eisenach plant will significantly strengthen its role within our European manufacturing network, and will offer customers a brand-new model with innovative technology and exciting design.”

The new car will debut in 2013 with conventional powerplants, although it will be engineered from the start to accept alternative powertrains, including an all-electric version.

CCI Wheel Cover - 14 in., ABS plastic, 8 spoke

CCI Wheel Cover - 14 in., ABS plastic, 8 spoke
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Toyota loses bid to dismiss hybrid patent infringements from Paice

Things aren't looking good for Toyota in a legal battle over whether or not the Japanese automaker has infringed on a Florida-based company's hybrid drivetrain patents. A U.S. International Trade Commission judge recently ruled to deny Toyota's request to end the lawsuit brought by Paice LLC. Toyota's initial argument was that the plaintiff's patent was invalid, but so far, the courts have sided with the smaller of the two companies time and time again. Earlier in the legal battle, a judge ruled that Toyota must pay Paice LLC a royalty for every Prius, Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX400h model sold. Paice originally wanted Toyota to halt sales of those vehicles entirely.

In response, Toyota has begun the process of arguing against the royalty amount per vehicle, while Paice has filed a new complaint over the technology present in the third-generation Prius, Hybrid Camry, Lexus RX450h and HS250h.

Paice's base complaint is over how the manufacturer is supplying torque from both the electric motor and the internal combustion engine to the drive wheels on those vehicles at the same time. The company has also gone after Ford for the design of its Fusion Hybrid and Escape Hybrid models.