The Demo Site

Barack Obama’s auto task force is highly disappointed in GM and Chrysler and has given both automakers failing grades for their turnaround efforts. We’ll get more official details later today, but White House officials have said that President Barack Obama is willing to provide an additional $6 billion to Chrysler, only if it can wrap up its proposed alliance with Fiat S.p.A in 30 days.

If Chrysler fails to close a deal with Fiat and give it a 35 percent stake by the end of April, it will be forced to survive as a stand-alone business.

Government officials said that there is still a lot of work to do on the proposed partnership and that agreement terms would need to be modified.

Chrysler has so far declined to comment on the requirements set by the government. We’re scheduled to get an official statement later today after President Barack Obama’s announcement.

A woman uses virtual-reality technology to preview a vehicle's options.

(Credit: CATER)

Many new-car buyers face a similar dilemma: You want to customize a new car but don't know if you'll like the maroon leather interior that looks great in the catalog but always seems too ...

Today is my “what to do in case of Automotive Industry emergency” news day. All of the major news networks are steadily reporting today updates of the Obama administration’s plans for the automotive industry. It seems they already want federally regulate everything else so why not do it with the Automotive industry. I mean, heck, they already gave Rick Wagoner, GM’s CEO, the boot and now they will guarantee the federal government paying for any warranty repairs on a General Motors or Chrysler vehicle if either company can’t because of financial problems or a bankruptcy filing. That’s actually good news now that I think about it because all my neighbor has to say about his Chevy Tahoe other than it is gas guzzler is that GM may not be able to fulfill their 100,000 mile warranty if they go under.

This has been the topic of discussion for thousands who happen to drive a GM or Chrysler vehicle currently. Many of these cars are still under warranty considering the 100,000 mile warranty offered in the past couple of years by both GM and Chrysler.

“Given where the industry is, these highly unprecedented actions are consistent with the unprecedented times we’re in,” Standard & Poor’s analyst Robert Schulz told Reuters today.

Let’s face it, bankruptcy is a very feasible option for Chrysler and GM and many are finally realizing this. We all knew it may come to this. I guess for now it is good that the government and/or Obama administration is on our side… or are they?

We already knew everyone was going after BMW right? Even Honda’s luxury division, Acura, has its eyes on targeting the Bavarian pacesetter even when it comes to BMW’s latest sports crossover vehicles including the X6. What is Acura’s answer to the BMW X6? It is the Acura ZDX crossover which is slated to debut at this year’s New York International Auto show this week. Also news about the new Acura ZDX is that it will be going on sale this fall. Expected power plants may include a turbocharged version of the widely used 3.7-liter 305hp V6 found in the MDX and RL or it could be derivative of the TL’s 3.5-liter engine with the addition of a turbo.

[source: Acura]

Images and Press release below after the jump:

All-New Acura ZDX to Debut at New York International Auto Show

Acura announced it will debut a prototype of the all-new ZDX luxury four-door sport coupe at the New York International Auto Show. The prototype features striking coupe-like styling with the added benefit of a commanding presence and flexible utility to define a new luxury category.

“The ZDX prototype is unlike anything you have ever seen before from Acura,” said Jeff Conrad, vice president, Acura sales. “The prototype showcases a new level of luxury, style and refinement for Acura and speaks volumes towards our commitment to advancing the brand.”

The production version of the ZDX prototype will bring a new level of prestige to the Acura lineup when it arrives at dealerships this fall and offer the latest advancements in performance, technology and safety.

The ZDX prototype will be introduced at the New York International Auto Show on April 8, 2009 at 11:00 am in the Acura booth.

Known lately for its sleepy, leaping cats, Jaguar has taken its fangs off the nightstand and stuck them back in. The sporty “R” designation gets pinned to the tail of the pretty and still-pretty-new $52,000 XF, the mid-size sedan below the big XJ. The result: 510 tech-infused horsepower and a price hike to $80,000. The driving sophistication is high, and some test numbers we managed to quickly extract during the XFR’s introduction are 10 degrees north of wow: 4.3 seconds to 60 mph, a quarter-mile pierced in 12.7 seconds at 115 mph. The M5 flinches.

Jaguar likes to talk about root icons such as the shark-finned Le Mans D-types and the blaze of XK120 headlights on the rain-swept Italian roads of the Mille Miglia. Ah, cracking good stuff—buried under a manure pile of more recent mediocrity. Arriving in late June, the 2010 XFR, like the aluminum-bodied XKR coupe, which also receives the supercharged, 5.0-liter direct-injection V-8, is a solid start at redemption.

Keep Reading: 2010 Jaguar XFR - Short Take Road Test

Maybe it was the perfect place for a Lamborghini Gallardo—about 5000 feet above Tenerife island in the Canary Islands off Morocco, where the winding climb finally levels off onto an utterly empty, treeless moonscape of volcanic desolation. Welcome to God’s frying pan, this one with a two-lane blacktop running across its center. In the ’60s, Raquel Welch madeOne Million Years B.C. one island over, because that’s what the place looks like.

Towering into view up ahead on this plateau is the cone-perfect peak of the El Tiede volcano, 12,000 feet from the Atlantic waters below. It looks like a Salvador Dalí playground without the melting clocks, and we expected at any moment some prehistoric killing bird to come screeching and flapping out of the sky, snapping and biting and hissing, providing a real moment for that busload of tourists that just pulled off the road behind us, all of them now padding around in their Nikes on the crunchy volcanic ash.

About a half-mile up the road, a brand-new, chalk-white Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder makes a U-turn. Its driver can see there is no place for cops to hide in this sorrowful emptiness. In a moment we hear the first explosive sounds of the guy laying into it. Suddenly the car’s howl seems to split the sky open. The tourists turn fearfully, and begin to move to the road’s edge. The paddle shifts comeone-two-three and there’s that piercing cry of an F1 car that a moment later turns into an eye-bulging Pavarotti high note—and yes, itdoes look like some killer pterodactyl coming at you, hugging the ground, hawk-eyed, closing quickly, just wailing. And when it blows by flat out, it whips a whoosh of wind across the faces of a busload of open-mouthed but definitely thrilled Spanish tourists.

That would sell about anybody, this mid-mounted, 5.2-liter V-10 engine in full song. All 552 hp just flung out of the box, it honks to 60 mph in about four seconds and to 100 mph in just over seven. Given enough room, it will go a claimed 201 mph.

Keep Reading: 2009 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder - First Drive Review

The Hyundai Genesis sedan keeps adding to its already impressive resume. Already the 2009 North American Car of the Year and a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS, Hyundai is now playing in the big league if it wasn’t already before.

Images of the Hyundai Genesis Prada edition have been released prior to the car’s debut at the 2009 Seoul Motor Show. That’s right - Prada, the Italian fashion label has joined forces with Hyundai for a special edition of the Genesis saloon (just sounds more exquisite than sedan).

Two images were released showing the upgrades which include a dark-blue matte-finish paint on the outside along with 20-inch wheels, illuminated flooring and white “Saffiano” leather seats and dash.

Hyundai and Prada worked on only three examples of the Genesis Prada. The one you see here will be in Seoul and will be later put on display at Hyundai’s headquarters. The other two units will be auctioned off at Prada Transformer with the proceeds going to charity.

Hyundai Genesis Prada:

- By: Kap Shah

Source: Hyundai-Blog

New Volvo SC90 Concept is imagined as a four-door luxury coupe meant to be the automaker's flagship model. The SC90 adds more "emotion" to Volvo design, intended to keep the automaker competitive with the European premium brands.

Bugatti will make only 300 Veyrons and 150 Grand Sport, an open-top version of the Veyron supercar. Production of the Grand Sport is slated to begin in March. Several special editions of the Veyron were also made, including five Hermes editions.

Now that the press preview for Detroit’s 2009 North American International Auto Show is over, here is a quick video recap of the show’s highlights and biggest introductions.

Wandering around the Autosport Show last week, I had a strange bottle of fluid thrust into my hands. "Put this in your engine," advised its bearer, "and not only will its performance be improved, but its fuel consumption and emissions will be cut too."

We have, of course, all been here before and for the avoidance of all doubt I should say now that this stuff, which rejoices in the name Bor Power, has yet to visit the inside of any engine of mine, so I am in no position to say whether the outrageous claims for it – a nine per cent increase in engine performance, a 15 per cent reduction in emissions and fuel consumption – will withstand the slightest scrutiny.

Besides, I am cynical in general about all quick-fix solutions and suspicious in particular of engine additives such as this. As you might imagine, quite a few of these alleged miracle cures have floated before my eyes in the last couple of decades working for Autocar and, while in fairness I can’t remember any reducing an engine to shrapnel, none stand out as having made a blind bit of difference.

In fact the only reason I mention this product now – which comes from the world of nanotechnology and claims to line your engine with boron diamond powder crystals 100,000 times narrower than the width of a human hair – is that it’s been tested and certified by one of the four German ‘TUV’ independent validation organisations. Their tests did not extend to measuring performance gain, but they did show that Bor Power reduced the fuel consumption of a Merc S320CDi from 24.8mpg to 27.0mpg, while reducing CO2 emissions from 300g/km to 276g/km.

With this apparent recommendation, I’m going to drop the contents of the bottle into the engine of my wife’s ten-year-old A-class Merc and see if it makes the smallest difference. It costs £50 and should last 60,000 miles or, put another way, more miles than its engine has left in it. If the car blows up or takes off I shall let you know. In the meantime I wonder if any of you has used an additive which in any way did what it said on the, er, bottle?

(Credit: Mio)

In mid-December, Magellan entered into a definitive agreement to sell its consumer products division to Taiwanese-based MiTAC International Corporation, which owns Mio Technology. The news was unexpected and at the time, there were questions about what would happen to the Magellan GPS brand. Fear not, Magellan fans, it ...

Originally posted at Miss Direction

Carbon Fiber Lotus Elise

Some crazy rich guy (named Jimmy, apparently) wasn’t happy with the scale-busting weight of his Lotus Elise, so he gave it to some tuners in Hong Kong to fabricate a new one - completely out of carbon fiber! Ok, it’s not all made from carbon, but it’s damn close.

As expected, the whole body is constructed from the lightweight and super-strong material, as is a good portion of the interior, the seats, the roof, and the side mirrors. The interior is a mix of raw black and silver carbon so there could be some design element in there, I assume.

So how much weight did Jimmy save from this long and expensive modification? It weighs about 66-88 lbs less than the stock Elise. Doesn’t seem quite worth it, but after all, he now has the only Lotus Elise made almost completely out of carbon fiber.

More pictures below…

After all that, and still doesn’t have a cabon fiber steering wheel. For shame.

(Credit: Mercedes-Benz)

Alpine announced partnerships with GM, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. The maker of car audio equipment will be supplying technology to the three OEMs in three very different ways.

Starting with the most robust system, Alpine Electronics of America announced it is supplying head units to a global Mercedes-Benz program. ...

The world may be feeling the pinch of a weak U.S. economy, the automobile industry perhaps keenest of all, but Lamborghini has found a niche that appears to be almost impervious to the pain. The Italian supercar company has returned record results for both sales and profits for the past 12 months. Lamborghini sales in the United States fell during 2008, but the brand still had a record year worldwide thanks to growing demand in the Middle East, China and Southeast Asia. Lamborghini sold 741 cars in the U.S.

Some have already said that the new 2010 Buick LaCrosse is the best looking Buick yet. Some will also say it is a day late and a dollar short for GM in introducing such a car. Either way, it is here NOW and it is nice!

The new 2010 Buick LaCrosse, as explained in our History of Buick Design, has a strong history backing and is still headed in the right direction.

Maybe if Buick was a car company separate from GM it would not need a bailout. Regardless, the new Buick LaCrosse deserves a serious look from all car enthusiasts.

Hyundai has released sketches of what their next generation flagship sedan should look like. I saw this on some other blogs online and I could not resist posting the sketched images because I truly admire what Hyundai is doing. Many have said it could not be done by a Korean car company but they have really grasped a market here in America and abroad.

The Hyundai Equus was first made back in 1998 believe it or not and has not been changed much. It was originally developed in part with Mitsubishi and was named the Proudia in Japan although originally produced for the South Korean market. It may also be known as the Hyundai Centennial.

The Hyundai VI Equus sports rear wheel drive and is much bigger than it’s predecessors. Some believe this may be a long wheel base version of the Genesis but is thought to be a replacement for the outgoing Equus which could be slated for an American debut one day in the future.

The modified 5.3 liter V8 with sports exhaust system features an output of 423 hp. Additional add-ons include lowered springs, brakes from Stoptech and carbon fiber interior.

The 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit will have plenty to offer despite our economic downturn. GM still plans on rolling out it’s latest and greatest which will include the new 2010 Cadillac SRX.

The new styling of the Cadillac SRX is reminiscent of other new Cadillac models where it will share other components including the CTS’s 260hp 3.6L direct injection V6. A smaller version will be a 300hp turbocharged V6 with 295lb-ft or torque. We would not quite call that “smaller” hence it puts out more power. AWD will be an option once again.

The new SRX will be well balanced and all Cadillac continuing to set that benchmark of the new performance age from GM.

Someone has to tell NASCAR that you can take that branding thing too far … not to mention this is kind of disturbing. Not that I have anything against helmets as decorator items, actually, they’re one of my favorite decorating items, but there’s a control panel where Tony Stewart’s face should be. Is Stewart a cyborg of some sort? Hardly, he’s one of the most human drivers out there, if anyone’s a cyborg, I’m betting Jimmy Johnson (humans normally aren’t that consistent).

And another thing: It’s got a CD player in it? Look, I know that NASCAR is into old tech, what with the carburetors and what not, but CDs? I thought those things were in even worse shape, market-wise, than Chrysler (or Ford or GM). But hey, if you’re going to make a radio that looks (sort of) like the decapitated head of a fan favorite, why not add a CD player I guess. It also has a radio. And it also sells for $140. Does that strike you as a lot of money for what this is? I know, I know, at this point analogies could be drawn between what a NASCAR fan pays and what they get, but I won’t go there (until we get that racing site up, THEN I’ll go there).

Oh, and the punchline: Available exclusively at WalMart.

Source: BoingBoing Gadgets

Finland is known throughout the motorsports world for its production of some of the all-time greats to ever step behind a wheel, but also for its treacherous and enticing roads. Bentley will be capitalizing on both factors in February and March 2009, when it begins its 'Power on Ice' driving experience, which puts drivers on a frozen Finnish lake with 560-610hp (418-455kW) Continentals. That much power in a rear-drive car is sure to make for some powersliding excitement, and Bentley hopes students of the school wil come away with a new appreciation for the cars.

Nissan’s luxury brand looks to the future as it celebrates 20 years in style.

BY MARK GILLIES

This swoopy luxury sports coupe, which looks like a cross between an Aston Martin DBS and a Fisker Karma S, was ostensibly built by Infiniti to celebrate 20 years of the brand's existence. Based on the FM platform that underpins the G37 coupe and sedan, the FX crossover, and the M35/45 sedan, the striking Essence previews Nissan's forthcoming hybrid drivetrains, as well as Infiniti’s future design thinking.

At 186 inches long and 77 inches wide, it's a big car, and sits on suitably outrageous 22-inch wheels and tires. Despite its physical size, it seats just two people. Under the hood, there's a direct-injected, twin-turbocharged version of the 3.7-liter VQ V-6 that makes 434 hp, which is mated with an electric motor that generates 158 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, for a combined output of 592 hp in “power assist” mode. Now that’s our kind of green thinking.

Keep Reading: Infiniti Essence Concept - Auto Shows

Audi is pressing forward and releasing it’s new, smaller Q5 SUV to the public. Not the road behemoth like the Q7, the Q5 is somewhat smaller, and aimed squarely at a more urban buyer (i.e. yuppies).

Let’s take a look under the hood, shall we.

Audi’s Q5 seeks to build on the foundation established by the Audi Q7, an SUV that shares a common platform with its corporate siblings, the VW Touareg and the Porsche Cayenne. Audi is hoping the Q5 will strengthen the brand’s presence in the SUV segment in much the same way that BMW has successfully expanded into the same segment with its X models (X3 & X5).

Unlike a lot of Euro offering, the Q5 was intended for the North American market from the get-go. It will show up in the USA in March 2009 with a 3.2 V6 FSI direct injection engine, quattro® all wheel drive, and a six speed Tiptronic transmission. This is essentially a real no-brainer. America is still the biggest world market for both cars as well as SUVs, so Audi has to make this model variant stick here in the US if the Q5 is to succeed.

The drivetrain is all pretty standard stuff for both an SUV and for an Audi. Of course, word of a diesel mill under the hood has been rumored for a while, and naturally, this will be an option from the get go for the home, European market. In America? Not so much, or at least not just yet. Audi should bring it over though, and sooner, rather than later.

Also of note is that the Q5 will be the first Audi offering with Generation 3 MMI, and navigation with real-time traffic information. MMI is Audis answer to the all-in-one car computer controller first marketed by BMW with their iDrive. Very much of the Monkey see/monkey do philosophy that has been affecting German carmakers for the past several decades, Audi at least had the sense to make their MMI much more user friendly and intuitive than BMW’s much panned first-gen iDrive system.

So, there you have it, more or less. There’s more full detail in Audi’s press release, but the real question is the viability of this car at this time.

With sales of almost every kind tanking, and with lots of people looking at SUVs as not being the smartest of vehicle choices over the past while, why would Audi continue to plow ahead with the Q5? It doesn’t take much of a Kreskin to predict that there will be fewer SUVs on the road 5 or 10 years hence, so wouldn’t it have been smarter of Audi to plan ahead with something not an SUV?

Sure it would have, but look at Audi’s position. The product planning and development for this ride has been in the pipeline for years. The tooling has been done for months and the factory space has been earmarked for just as long. For Audi NOT to go ahead would have meant they would have not amortized that heavy, heavy capitalization.

So, even if SUVs are rarer than Lambos by this time two years from now, better for Audi to go ahead, do a production run, make as much dough as they can, and THEN quit, rather than quit beforehand.

Here’s Audi’s Press release.

All-new 2009 Audi Q5 Quick Reference: USA Data
VERSION DATE: January 28, 2009

INFO IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Key Summary Points
• The Audi Q5 builds on the foundation established by the Audi Q7, and strengthens the brand’s presence in the SUV segment.
• The Audi Q5 will be offered in the USA in March 2009 (2009 model year) with a 3.2 V6 FSI direct injection engine, quattro® all wheel drive, and a six speed Tiptronic transmission.
• The Audi Q5 will be the first Audi offering with Generation 3 MMI, and navigation with real-time traffic information.

Competitive Advantage Summary
• Best-in-class city fuel economy of 18 mpg with 23 mpg highway (amongst AWD traditional powertrain competitors).
• Best-in-class 4,400 pound towing capacity (most have 3,500 lbs or less).
• Longest wheelbase in its class.
• Audi drive select option (unique to segment) helps the driver customize engine/throttle mapping, transmission shift characteristics, steering, and suspension.
• 3-zone climate control standard (the only competitor in the segment w/ rear zone climate control).
• Standard reclining / sliding rear seats.
• 40/60 split rear seats fold from levers located inside cargo area.
• Ski/snowboard pass-through within the split fold rear seats (unique amongst German luxury competitors).
• Clamshell shape trunk opening allows low and wide rear cargo entry point, and a very clean design execution for exterior rear lighting area.
• Standard 12-way power front seats with leather seating surfaces throughout.
• Innovative ESP system recognizes when roof rail cross bars are in place and adjusts accordingly.
• Electronic dipstick allows customers to check the oil from inside the cabin.
• 3G MMI shows latest evolution of 3D navigation.

Market
• The Audi Q5 belongs to the IHG Small SUV segment, which is forecasted to grow dramatically over the next few years as new entrants arrive and customers replace their luxury sedans for luxury crossovers.
• Key competitors are the Acura RDX, BMW X3, Infiniti EX35, Land Rover LR2 HSE, current generation Lexus RX350, Mercedes Benz GLK350, and the upcoming Volvo XC60.

Design
• Based on the current Audi A4 platform.
• Sporty proportions and muscular stance due to long wheelbase and wide body design.
• Reduced front overhang adds to visual sportiness.
• Elimination of roof joint strip, which lends to a high visual quality and minimized airflow noises.
• Typical Audi interior design is modern and sophisticated, with clear attention to detail
• Standard 18” wheels (235/60 all-season tires), full body monochromatic paint, LED taillights, and aluminum exterior trim.

Dynamics
• New modular chassis architecture with longer wheelbase and wider track
• Blending four cars into one, Audi drive select adapts the dynamics of the Audi Q5 to suit the driving experience you desire. The system controls the adaptive suspension, the dynamic steering, the transmission shift characteristics, and the engine response. Four operating modes are available: Comfort, Automatic, Dynamic, and Individual, which allows a custom response profile.
• Consistent use of high-strength and ultra-high strength steel grades for a highly rigid occupant cell with optimized deformation properties.
• Hood and tailgate made from aluminum for lower weight and reduced opening and closing forces.
• Extensive aluminum suspension componentry to reduce unsprung weight and enhance steering feel.
• Compact trapezoidal-link rear suspension which enables a low cargo load floor and high luggage capacity.

Powertrain
• 3.2L V6 specifications:
o FSI direct injection
o Audi Valvelift System (AVS) variable intake valve lift
o 270hp @ 6500 rpm
o 243 lb-ft @3000 rpm
o Track: front – 63.7 inches / rear – 63.5 inches
o 0-60 mph in 6.7 seconds (USA estimated)
• quattro® AWD – latest generation with asymmetric rear-biased torque split (40/60)
• Tiptronic fast-shifting six-speed automatic transmission
• Towing preparation standard; available through dealer

Towing
• All U.S. cars have towing preparation standard, which includes trailer brake controller wiring for use with trailers over 1500 lbs.
• A trailer hitch receiver for the Audi Q5 is available through all authorized Audi dealers with a total capacity of 4,400 lbs.
• Audi Q5 is best-in-class regarding towing capacity.
o Acura RDX = 1500 lbs
o BMW X3 = 3500 lbs
o Land Rover LR2 = 3500 lbs
o Lexus RX = 3500 lbs
o Mercedes GLK = 3500 lbs
o Infiniti EX = towing not recommended
o Volvo XC60 = n/a

Innovations and available features
• MMI operating logic standard (with central display screen)
• Audi side assist
• Dynamic ESP configuration (on road, off road, and roof cargo configurations)
• Power tailgate
• Audi Intelligent Key – stores service information in the key
• Audi advanced key keyless entry and starting
• Audi music interface – world renowned iPod connectivity
• Bluetooth hands-free telephone interface
• Mercury-free Audi xenon plus headlamps with LED daytime running lights
• LED tail lamps
• Audi parking system advanced with rearview camera
• Electromechanical parking brake
• HDD-based Navigation system with real-time traffic information
• Generation 3 MMI system
• Thermo heated/cooled cupholder
• Bang & Olufsen 505W 14-speaker sound system

Dimensions

(inches) LENGTH WIDTH HEIGHT WHEELBASE
AUDI Q5 182.2” 74.8” 65.2” 110.6”
BMW X3 179.9” 73.0” 66.0” 110.1”
INFINITI EX35 182.3” 71.0” 61.9” 110.2”
LAND ROVER LR2 177.1” 75.1” 68.5” 104.7”
LEXUS RX350 186.2” 72.6” 66.1” 106.9”
MERCEDES GLK 178.3” 72.4” 66.9” 108.5”
VOLVO XC60 182.2” 74.5” 67.4” 109.2”

Launch Timing and Pricing
• USA Audi Q5 goes on sale in March 2009 as a 2009 model year vehicle, with pricing in line with its competitors. It will be built in Ingolstadt, Germany.

The next generation MMI from Audi: top-level multimedia and communication
• Introducing a new generation of the market’s best system
• Even higher performance and easier operation
• First appearance stateside in the all-new Audi Q5

HERNDON, Va. January 28, 2009 – Audi is increasing its lead in infotainment technology even further. A new generation of the MMI, the supreme solution for multimedia, communication and operation, has been announced. With a high-capacity hard disk, a DVD drive and an automotive grade NVIDIA™ chip for graphics processing, it is much more versatile and its performance is higher than ever before. The new MMI’s first appearance will be in the all-new Audi Q5.

New joystick control- The basic operating principle has been retained, but the innovative joystick makes it even more convenient. This joystick is located on the central knob and can be moved in eight directions within the navigation map screen – with high precision and the sense of quality that the Audi driver expects. For example, now you can easily navigate to a location on the screen and just point and click for directions.

New Display- For the new MMI, Audi has provided a large TFT display measuring seven inches from corner to corner. It is located in an ergonomically favorable position high up on the center console.

With the very high resolution of 800 x 480 pixels and LED backlighting, this monitor supplies an exceptionally sharp image with plenty of contrast. Even in poor light conditions, the colors are intense and the text is crisp.

3D map displays- The driver can choose between the conventional two-dimensional view and the new 3D images. These modes feature a birds-eye perspective of the map area, with plenty of carefully presented detail including real-time traffic information, and while in 3D orientation, the various topographies are shown throughout the entire US. Another new feature is that the outlines of buildings in many major cities are displayed to help with orientation while navigating. Additionally, the most important buildings in large cities appear in near-authentic-detail, as well as several branded point-of-interest icons.

Vocal Input- If the driver uses voice input to load a destination into the navigation system; this can now be done without spelling out the individual letters. The new MMI understands complete words in a number of languages.

The same applies to the new high-performance telephone directory, which can store up to 2,000 entries each with five numbers for each user. The telephone is even more convenient to use with the new MMI. Additionally a speech-to-text engine is used so you no longer have to create voice tags for every name in your directory. A digital voice processor ensures the best hands-free quality; while voice outputs are through the car’s sound system.

Music and Entertainment: the DVD drive- The new MMI has an integral drive for video DVDs; the new joystick function on the control knob is especially practical for this, as it enables you to quickly navigate title menus and screen selections. When played back with the optional sound systems, DVD soundtracks can be heard in Dolby Digital 5.1 multi-channel sound and other frequently used formats. For safety reasons, the picture is only displayed when the car is standing still. The system also plays music from CDs and SD cards, including those coded MP3, AAC and WMA.

Additional technical modules have made the MMI even more attractive. The optional Audi Music Interface makes a perfect connection with an mp3 player, for instance the customer’s iPod. The complete menu structures and contents appear on the MMI display, and control is at the MMI terminal or the multifunctional steering wheel.

The Sirius Radio display has also been updated on the new MMI. Without interrupting music, or changing stations, users are now able to preview the artist and track title on other Sirius stations.

MMI Tech- One of its key components is the hard disk; 10 GB of its 40 GB capacity can be used as a jukebox, to store up to 2,000 tracks, all sorted for easy access. The hard disk also contains navigation data and an electronic logbook for the car.

Two processors, an 800 MHz chip and a 500 MHz digital signal processor, allow all applications – navigation, voice input, telephone and audio functions – to operate simultaneously. Using the 3D graphics processor from Californian 3D chip manufacturer NVIDIA™ gives the MMI access to the third dimension. Audi has used this chip’s outstanding performance with graphics for the first time to provide a genuine 3D map display – a ‘digital topographical model’. With this processor, the screen display sets new standards with its attractive display layout, high resolution, and presentation quality, smooth animation and cross fading.

So what do Infiniti fans have to look forward to? Besides the Infiniti G37 Convertible and a four-door Nissan GT-R (that’s if they Nissan every makes one), Infiniti fans can anticipate the arrival of a new M and a new QX.

According to John Capps, chairman of the Infiniti National Dealer Advisory Board, Infiniti is tweaking a couple of models including the M sedan and the QX large SUV. In an interview with Automotive News, Capps said that the luxury Nissan brand is also looking to bring a hybrid to the market by 2010.

Capps did not say which Infiniti model will go hybrid or whether Infiniti would go to the Lexus route and create a dedicated hybrid like the 2010 HS 250h. If Infiniti forgoes the dedicated hybrid, we expect them to offer an Infiniti EX hybrid or G hybrid.

The first of two 2009 Texas 24 Hours Of LeMons races will take place next month, and our 2002-driving mole inside LeMons HQ has leaked the official team list to us.

LeMons Supreme Court Justice Lieberman couldn't wait for the team website URLs, so he got the scoop over his erstwhile employer, but I wanted to get more info about the Index Of Effluency Kings before dropping this bombshell: an Opel GT and an MGB-GT have been signed up for the race! Sadly, both teams are operating under the radar- no doubt because they're cheating like crazy- and I can't get any details on how they plan to totally dominate this race. LeMons Texas, as you may recall, tends to be heavy on the Mustangs and Camaros, though the usual hurricane-flooded BMW suspects are out in full force as well. Here's the complete-as-LeMons-HQ-can-make-it team list, as well as an Opel-vs-MG poll for you Effluence Handicappers; I've got a fair amount of time behind the wheel of both MGBs and Opel GTs, so I can say they're both hopelessly underpowered, ill-handling, unreliable heaps excellent race cars!
2nd Gear Racing: 1992 Pontiac Grand Prix
Apex Vinyl TX Racing: 1978 Toyota Pickup
Bangers and Mash: 1986 Honda Prelude
Beermer: 1976 BMW 2002
Bio-Hazard Racing: 1995 Ford Ranger XLT
Boehm Racing: 1987 Saab 900S
Brawndo, The Thirst Mutilator: 1986 Nissan 200SX
Bubba Drift: 1992 Nissan 240SX
Charlie's Ugly Angels: 1976 Ford Mustang II
Cupcake Racing: 1988 Ford Thunderchicken
Def Leppard Still Sucks: 1986 Ford Mustang
Delinquent Road Hazards: 1993 Acura Integra
Detroit Bailout: 1987 Toyota Supra
Doggie Style Racing: 1985 Toyota MR2
Dukes of Hiroshima: 1993 Nissan Sentra SE-R
Dyin' Tryin'
El Toro Loco
eLemonators: 1992 Toyota Celica
Evel Kweasels: 1982 Toyota Corolla
Flying Asses: 1994 Mazda Miata
Flying Hoondee: 1987 Merkur XR4Ti
Formula M: 1984 Ford Mustang
Four Jerks and a Squirt: 1990 Pontiac Camfirerobird
Frogmasters: 1972 MGB-GT
FUBAR Racing: 1998 Ford Escort
Geargrinders: 1988 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Gold Member: 1987 Toyota MR2
Green Hornet Bimmer Racing: 1995 BMW 318i
Griswold Racing: 1979 Ford Pinto wagon
Guano by Desmodus Rufus: 1984 Mazda RX-7 GSL-SE
Guild of Calamitous Intent: 1987 Mazda RX-7
Half-Assed Safety Fast: 1991 Infiniti Q45
Junk Punch Racing: 1990 Ford Mustang
Lemoncello Racing: 1986 Honda Quaalude
LeMons Racing Experiment (LRE): 1973 Datsun 240Z
Longhorn Raceworks: 1992 Toyota Celica
Los Cucaroches: 1986 Ford Mustang
Los Diablos Racing Team: 1974 Chevrolet Camaro
Lost in the Dark: 1989 Mazda MX6
Low Budget Racing: 1979 Datsun 280ZX
Margarita: 1996 Dodge Neon
Medically Challenged: 1991 Mitsubishi 3000GT
Mustank Racing LLC, POS: 1985 Ford Mustang
Never Give Up: 1971 BMW 1600-2
Norwegian Slaabs - Part Två: 1982 Saab 900
One Point Twenty One Jiggawatts!: 1980 Mazda RX7
Opular Dependence: 1972 Opel GT
Out of Town Racing: 1986 BMW 325es
Polizei und Banditen: 1986 BMW 325e
Prison Break Racing: 1986 BMW 325
Project Yellow Racing: 1986 Honda CRX
Punisher Racing: 1995 Chevy Caprice wagon
Purple Pin Pall Lefty: 1996 Dodge Neon
Purple Pin Ball Righty: 1997 Plymouth Neon
Pwnage Racing: 1988 Mazda RX-7
Race Hard Race Uglier: 1987 BMW 325i
Race Hard Race Ugly: BMW 325i
Rear Impact: 1991 Mazda Miata
Rebel Z: 1982 Datsun 280ZX
Red Pig Racing: 1994 Mazda Miata
Rotorheads: 1983 Mazda RX-7
Rum Runners: 1980 Chevy Malibu Classic
Saabs Gone Wild: 1987 Saab 900 Turbo
Scuderia Scooter Trash: 1987 Alfa Romeo Milano
Scuderia Suino Rosso: 1991 Mazda Miata
Shake and Bake 4-Cylinder Mustang Mafia: 1991 Ford Mustang:
Sheila and the Sheiks: 1985 Ford Mustang
Smilin' Bob Racing Team: 1995 Honda Accord
State Pooper: 1989 Ford Mustang
Stiff Competition : 1984 Mazda RX-7
Stop, Drop, and RickRoll: 1985 BMW 325e
Team Blue Goose: 1985 Honda CRX
Team Fat Cat Racing: 1991 Jaguar XJ6
Team Kachow: 1990 Eagle Talon
Team Lemonade: 1991 Toyota Celica
Team Mazdarati Corse GTA: 1992 Mazda Protégé:
Team Screwdriver: 1979 Pontiac Bonnelinabird:
Team Sour Puss: 1991 Acura Integra
Team Supraleggera: 1983 Toyota Supra
Team Zip Tie: 1992 Ford Taurus SHO
Tetanus Neon: 1995 Dodge Neon
The Cajun Coonasses: 1995 Saturn SL2
The Ghostbusters: 1987 Toyota Corolla FX16 GT-S
The Smoking Eunuchs: 1990 Ford Mustang
TnT Racing: 1989 Volkswagen Golf
Toxic Asset Racing Program: 1986 Toyota MR2
TSOL: 1992 Saab 9000
Unintended Acceleration: 1990 Audi 90 Quattro
Viva Las Vegas: 1990 Honda CRX
Warthog Racing: 1985 BMW 325e
White Lightning Racing: 1982 Toyota Celica GT
Witchdoctor Motorsports/bikiniracer.com: 1987 Chevrolet Camaro
Z-Wrecks: 1982 Datsun 280ZX
Zebra Razing: 1985 Toyota Truck