The exotic Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 is currently available in a coupe body style and as a spyder convertible. The name LP560-4 refers to its engine position ("longitudinale posteriore" or longitudinal rear), its European horsepower measurement (560 ps) and that all four wheels are powered. There are also two lightweight versions: the Lamborghini LP 570-4 Superleggera coupe and Lamborghini LP 570-4 Spyder Performante The Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 is powered by a 5.0-liter V10 good for 552 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque. Lamborghini six-speed manual transmission with gated metal shifter is standard, while an automated six-speed sequential-shift manual transmission known as e-gear is optional. The Lamborghini LP570-4 models benefit from some clever tuning to produce 562 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque. The Lamborghini e-gear transmission is standard. Expect 0-60 times in the high 3-second range for the Lamborghini LP560-4 and the low 3-second range for the LP570-4.
Lamborghini
In terms of layout and design, the Lamborghini Gallardo is a true exotic. To keep weight down, the chassis is a composite blend of alloy stampings, extrusions and castings. And except for the traditionally opening steel doors (no scissors), the exterior is constructed of thermoplastic-formed panels. To Lamborghini further reduce weight, the Superleggera and Spyder Performante receive carbon-fiber exterior and interior components, polycarbonate rear and side windows and lighter 19-inch wheels.Inside, the Lamborghini Gallardo's handsome furnishings sublimely marry form with function and offer a surprising level of comfort for a vehicle of this type. Credit is certainly due to the influence of parent company Audi, whose expertise with interior design has been of no small benefit since the Volkswagen Group purchased Lamborghini in the late 1990s. The impact is obvious given the precisely fitting leather and soft-touch materials. Despite the fact that this is an exotic sports car, seating is comfortable enough to accommodate the occasional road trip. Though not as flamboyant as its extroverted exterior, the Lamborghini interior styling still befits a vehicle in this price range. Lamborghini storage space is tight, though, with a minimal amount of room available behind the seats and in the nose-mounted trunk.
Lamborghini
But once behind the wheel, you'll gladly leave everything behind in exchange for the sweet, sonorous symphony of its V10 at full throttle. With 500-plus horses at your command, the Lamborghini Gallardo is capable of spine-compressing speed in any gear. At wide-open throttle, the lusty V10 plays a veritable mechanical symphony in keeping with the car's Italian heritage. The Lamborghini big V10 and all-wheel-drive system add quite a bit of mass, but in return the AWD system gives Lamborghini Gallardo drivers extra traction when the road ahead is slick and unfamiliar.
courtesy by http://www.edmunds.com/lamborghini/gallardo/
The 2012 Honda CR-V styling will have to abandon the impassive look of the third-generation Honda CR-V and become more expressive if Honda wants it to look fashionable next to flamboyant newcomers like the recently redesigned 2011 Hyundai Tucson and 2011 Kia Sportage and the all-new 2012 Ford Escape. The vast majority of Honda CR-Vs sold in the U.S. are assembled at Honda’s plant in Ohio, but this crossover is marketed in some 160 countries and the fourth-generation’s styling is likely to take inspiration from the animated shapes of Hondas sold in Europe and Asia. Honda would be wise to not sacrifice interior roominess in the name of swoopy styling, however. It should not abandon the packaging acumen it demonstrated with the 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, which had mid-pack exterior dimensions but an airy cabin and a cargo hold that were among the most spacious in the class. By sharing Civic’s platform, the 2012 Honda CR-Vwill continue to qualify as a crossover. Crossovers combine an elevated, SUV-like body with a car-type understructure. This one-piece “unibody” construction is in contrast to pickups and older-style SUVs that employ truck-type engineering in which the body is attached to a separate frame. Unibody design isn’t as suited to heavy-duty hauling, but its lighter weight benefits ride, handling, and fuel economy. Note that the Acura RDX compact crossover from Honda’s premium division also shares Honda CR-V’s basic unibody structure, though it has different styling and a more powerful engine.
Honda CR-V
The 2012 Honda CR-V will continue its basic formula of a four-cylinder engine working through front- or all-wheel drive. Sources suggest Honda will essentially carry over the third-generation Honda CR-V’s engine for the first few years of the new design, then transition to a new powertrain as part of a mid-cycle update, probably around model-year 2015. That would mean the 2012 Honda CR-V would reprise a 2.4-liter four-cylinder that would again be rated around 180 horsepower and 161 pound-feet of torque. (Think of torque as the force that gets you moving, horsepower as the energy that sustains momentum.) That would allow the 2012 Honda CR-V to retain a competitive horsepower number but would keep it behind the class curve for torque. The 2012 Honda CR-V would also remain off the pace if Honda chooses to continue fitting a five-speed automatic as the sole transmission. Top new rivals of Honda CR-V use more efficient six-speed automatics. Honda CR-V’s default drivetrain layout will again be front-wheel drive, which puts the weight of the engine over the wheels that propel the car. That benefits wet-pavement traction. AWD will continue available at extra cost as a grip-enhancer on snow or loose surfaces. It’ll again be a crossover-typical system that normally operates in front-wheel drive and automatically reapportions power to the rear wheels when the fronts begin to slip. Honda CR-V’s design brief will never include severe off-road duty, but Honda would enhance the next-generation’s backwoods mobility by fitting it with a driver-selected switch to lock AWD into a 50:50 front-rear split at low speeds. Many rivals offer such a feature. While the 2007-2011 Honda CR-V wasn’t known for responsive acceleration, it was a compact-crossover benchmark for sharp handling and composed ride. That leadership is likely to continue, given Honda’s suspension-design expertise, though some reduction in wind and road noise is necessary to keep the fourth-generation Honda CR-V in line with more refined new rivals.
Honda CR-V
The 2012 Honda CR-V also could benefit from a new philosophy toward features. Not that it’ll lack the most popular basics: In Honda CR-V such amenities as a navigation system, Bluetooth hands-free cell-phone connectivity, USB iPod interface, leather upholstery, automatic dual-zone climate control, power moonroof, heated front seats, and a backup camera will return. But Honda needs to reassess a policy that reserves many of these features for the most expensive models in the Honda CR-Vlineup. The competition’s egalitarian approach is a selling point, and the trend is to make features such as USB linking standard and a navigation system optional on even entry-level models. Honda ought also to consider filtering into the Honda CR-V such gee-whiz technology as lane-departure-warning, adaptive cruise control, even automatic parallel-parking. These have been the province of premium brands, but a few mid-priced crossovers are beginning to offer them, and more will follow as buyers reorient to smaller cars and SUVs but refuse to lower expectations about available features. To Honda’s credit, it’s never skimped on Honda CR-V safety, and the 2012 model will continue standard with such vitals as an antiskid system to combat sideways slides. Hopefully, Honda won’t backslide on the 2012 Honda CR-V’s cabin design and décor, either. This SUV’s always been a benchmark for high-quality interior materials, seat comfort, and ergonomics.
The BMW Z4 is one of the more intriguing sports cars available. It's a successor to the original Z3 and is the company's only two-seat sports car. BMW Z4 features traditional characteristics such as a front- engine/rear-drive layout, a hunkered-down stance, a long hood and rearward positioning of driver and passenger. While the first BMW Z4 featured a traditional soft top, the current BMW Z4 model has a sleek retractable hardtop that makes this fun-loving roadster a more viable all-year car choice. The current BMW Z4 also represents a slight change in philosophy for BMW's roadster, as it sacrifices ultimate handling for greater ride comfort and overall refinement. The BMW Z4 result is a grand touring coupe and roadster, and one of the most rounded sports cars money can buy.
BMW Z4
The BMW Z4 is offered in three trim levels: sDrive30i, sDrive35i and sDrive35is. The BMW Z4 30i gets a 3.0-liter inline-6 that produces 255 horsepower and 220 pound-feet of torque. The 35i comes with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 good for 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. Both cars have a six-speed manual transmission as standard. BMW Z4 six-speed conventional automatic is optional on the sDrive30i, while the optional transmission for the sDrive35i is a seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual (DCT). The BMW Z4 35is gets a revised version of the regular 35i's engine, boasting 335 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque with a temporary overboost function that pumps torque up to 369 lb-ft. DCT comes standard. Though the primary distinction among the trims involves their engines, there are some equipment differences. The BMW Z4 sDrive 30i and sDrive 35i come standard with xenon headlights, HD radio, six-way manually adjustable seats, and adjustable driving settings that change the programming for the steering, throttle -- and if so equipped -- automatic transmission. The BMW Z4 sDrive35i adds sun-reflective leather upholstery, automatic climate control and fancy aluminum interior trim -- all of which are optional on the cheaper model. The BMW Z4 sDrive 35is is similar but comes standard with the M Sport package. Other options include Bluetooth, power seats with driver memory functions, heated seats and steering wheel, an iPod interface, an upgraded stereo and a navigation system (includes the iDrive electronics interface).
BMW Z4
In reviews, we've found the BMW Z4 to be an impressive and highly refined sport touring car. The interior is surprisingly spacious, as is the trunk when the retractable roof is raised. When it's lowered, though, there's only room for a small suitcase. Every Z4 has high handling limits, but its reflexes and communication with the driver are a bit of a letdown due to a numb electric power steering system, a fairly hefty curb weight and the Z4's predilection for understeer. Still, we think most buyers will be appreciative of the Z4's firm yet compliant ride and sensational engines that make a drive up a winding coastal or country road a wonderful
