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Dodge Viper
Entering the automobile world in 1992, the Dodge Viper has had undergone many changes as well as many obstacles. This year, 2006, the Dodge Viper is already on its third generation of vehicles. This time around, the vehicle is introduced as an all-new coupe.
Dan Knott, the director of Street and Racing Technology (SRT) for the Chrysler Group states, “Demand for a Dodge Viper Coupe started the day we introduced the Dodge Viper SRT10 Convertible for 2003. The all-new 2006 Dodge Viper SRT10 coupe is a natural evolution of the heritage of the Dodge Viper, and gives enthusiasts exactly that they’re looking for in the ultimate American sports car.” He also adds, “Dodge Viper SRT10 customers want to go beyond the level of the regular enthusiast, to the level of outrageous performance. Our all-new 2006 Dodge Viper SRT10 coupe gives our customers that performance in a stunning new package.”
The most obvious change for this new vehicle is that it now holds the aerodynamic “double bubble” roof. This roof holds a unique shape that provides a smooth airflow over the vehicle as well as assists in accommodating a large amount of space inside. Other new things for this new 2006 Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe include the door glass, the rear quarter panels, the integrated rear spoiler, and the wraparound tail lights. It is very much similar to the original Dodge Viper GTS coupe’s look but this new one owns up to a more contemporary flair. Also added in are a set of unique alloy wheels which measures 18 inches for the front end and some 19 inches on the back.
The 2006 Dodge Viper SRT10 coupe holds an 8.3 liter all-aluminum motor that works with ten cylinders. This engine has the power to produce some 500 horsepower and around 525 pound feet of torque. To help it all up is a six speed manual transmission.
Backing up Knott’s statement regarding this new vehicle, Trevor Creed, Chrysler Group’s senior vice president for design exclaims, “It was important for us to sustain the emotion in the design. We wanted the 2006 Dodge Viper SRT10 coupe design to include a nod to the original Viper GTS coupe, but in a contemporary way. The Dodge Viper SRT10 coupe owner is often a racer, and the car has to scream that, even when it’s idling at the stoplight. The bottom line is that the new Dodge Viper SRT10 coupe’s design says a lot about its unique character, and the car’s performance.
Acura ZDX
The 2010 Acura ZDX is one of the most recently designed luxury cars from the house of Acura. It has been equipped with all the latest luxury amenities, along with the necessary safety features, so as to make it capable of competing with the most prestigious luxury cars in the market.
Featuring a 3.6 L SOHC VTEC V6 mated with 6-speed manual transmission, the ZDX will be more than capable of satisfying the power hunger of most of the sports enthusiasts. Its 300bhp throughput is going to be enough to cruise along the city premises, and also rock the highways in style.
As far as the exterior looks are concerned, initially when Acura had leaked some teasing pictures of Acura ZDX it had a slider moon/sun-roof, which looked very much similar to the BMW X6 coupe, though later on it neither happened to be a crossover nor an SUV.
Moving on towards pricing part, the 2010 Acura ZDX will start at US$ 45,495 and will extend up to US$ 56,045. The add-on packs will cost you extra, and the hard core sport enthusiasts may want to shell out a bit extra on getting custom wheels, stylish body covers and few more accessories for their latest speedster.
It is closely related to Honda Crosstour and Acura MDX, and will be one of the most prestigious luxury cars in the line-up of Acura.
Turning the focus towards the dimensions of this luxury coupe, the wheelbase will be about 108.2 in (2,748 mm), while the length, width and height of the 2010 ZDX will be 192.4 inches (4,887 mm), 78.5 inches (1,994 mm) and 62.8 inches (1,595 mm) respectively.
Marketers for Honda’s luxury division call their brand-new ZDX a “four-door sports coupe.” Serious coupe fans might dispute that designation, insisting that true coupes have only two doors. Still, several manufacturers introduced the “four-door coupe” theme earlier, including BMW with its X6 and Mercedes-Benz with its CLS sedan.
According to Acura, the ZDX features the world’s first continuous glass surface, extending from hood to bumper to bracket the panoramic sunroof. When closed, the power roller sunshade allows only three percent of outside light to reach occupants. With the shade open, 20 percent of light reaches the interior. Acura promises two-passenger comfort inside the ZDX, but with seating capacity for up to five occupants.
Beneath the low hood, a 3.7-liter VTEC V-6 engine develops 300 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque, driving a new six-speed automatic transmission. Paddle shifters are mounted at the steering wheel. In Drive mode, a touch on the paddle provides a gear change. S-range gives the driver full control of shifts. When operating automatically, a double-kickdown can occur when necessary.
Front/rear torque distribution from the Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system ranges from 90/100 to 30/70, taking place automatically. Left/right, the torque distribution stretches all the way from 100/0 to 0/100: all to none, applied to wheels on either side.
Enhanced intake and exhaust sounds yield “a little bit of exciting flavor in the upper rpm areas,” said principal engineer Jason Widmer. Otherwise, Active Noise Cancellation and other engineering features help keep the ZDX pleasantly quiet. All models roll on 255/50×19-inch tires, but the ZDX suspension may be set for either Comfort or Sport mode. Fifteen sensors react to road conditions, altering the suspension’s effect as needed.
On the whole, the ZDX doesn’t yield a truly car-like experience, because its SUV underpinnings are too evident. Handling is a prime enticement, as the ZDX driver enjoys appealing steering feel and fine feedback, along with the bonus of Acura’s SH-AWD system, in case the weather turns foul.
Delivering a comparatively firm ride overall, the ZDX hits an occasional bump hard. Such incidents are appropriate for an SUV-based vehicle, but less so for what’s deemed a sports coupe. Sufficiently supple in suspension capability, this four-door recovers nicely from any excess reaction. Acceleration qualifies as enthusiastic, if not exactly startling, perhaps not quite as dramatic as some sport-coupe enthusiasts might crave.
Getting inside demands a moderate climb?almost like some actual SUVs. Substantial side bolstering cradles the driver snugly, but these serious yet comfortable seats are abundantly cushioned, augmented by superior thigh support. The rear seat is more comfortable and roomy than anticipated, but substantial head-ducking may be needed to twitch one’s body into the back. Cargo space totals 26.3 cubic feet with the second-row seats up; 55.8 with those seats folded.
Gauges are readable but dim in darker light conditions. Over-shoulder views are somewhat impaired. Visibility directly astern is split by a thick horizontal bar; nearly everything is seen through the upper pane, which is adequate but squat. The driver faces Acura’s first hand-stitched leather dashboard.
Aston Martin Rapide – The Four Door Supercar
Aside from its stunning styling and looks, you may be wondering what all the fuss is about the Aston Martin Rapide. You might say that it is a competitor to the Porsche Panamera and the Maserati Quattroporte however, the Rapide’s price tag is far, far higher than its two rivals coming in with a price tag of over two hundred thousand dollars. The Aston Martin CEO has dubbed the Rapide as the worlds first four-door super-car – a pretty grand claim when you consider it is not nearly as quick as the Porsche Panamera Turbo.
The Rapide shares its six liter, four hundred and seventy horse power V12 engine and six speed auto gear box with the DB9, and can muster a 0-60 time of around five seconds. The Rapide’s weight distribution, low center of gravity and its immensely rigid chassis meld together to form a true four-door sports car.
The Rapide is actually more of a Grand Tourer to drive than a thoroughbred sports car and the steering feels correspondingly light. However unlike high-end luxury sedans such as the BMW 7-Series or the Mercedes S-Class there are none of the meandering side to side motions that you might experience whilst cornering. In the Rapide the suspension can be tightened up even further to give a very firm ride. Engage sport mode and you can increase throttle response and the six speed transmission holds the revs even higher making acceleration sharper.
The Rapide is the type of car you could drive around in all day-long – as long as you are in one of the front seats. Despite being a four door the back seats are fairly snug, although to be fair they can actually seat an adult passenger in relative comfort. The interior is drowned in leather and everything within the interior that looks like metal is metal – no cheap plastic trim sneaking in here. Most of the dash is in common with the Aston Martin DBS and as well as the room for rear passengers there is a surprising amount of boot space, almost on par with an everyday sedan.
It is difficult to know where exactly the Aston Martin is going to fit in to the market. Considerably more expensive than its main rivals but without the performance gain to match the higher price, the Rapide is most likely to rely on exclusivity as its main draw to potential buyers – a limited production run of around only three thousand means prices and desirability will remain high for years to come.
Cars produced by british producer Aston Martin have always been fascinating and breath taking sports vehicles. Owning one of these cars is a fantastic experience. But now Aston Martin is going to give us something very special and different. The new concept car Aston Martin Rapide. This vehicle is a pure sports car, but with four door. It also comes with high performance and remarkable poise and grace.
This beautiful sports car should be produced from 2010, but this date is not for sure yet. The car is built based on unique vertcal / horizontal design which enables to combine power, soul and beauty with large space and practicality for every day use of the vehicle. Many new stylistic, innovations and flexible manufacturing features were used to create the automobile. New features were also used in the interior as well as exterior.
Aston Martin comes to the new century with almost unlimited potential. The company belongs to the group of strongest brands in the automotive industry also as in the history and now has all it needs to produce best segment cars (products, facilities, technology, distribution networks). The company is able to move fast from the concept and prototypes stages to the final production stage of its models. As mentioned before, the all brand new concept car Aston Martin rapide should come to the final production. It will be produced in limited numbers only, so owning one of these excellent sports cars will be a very exciting experience as well as a very good investment.