Safety
Standard safety
features on the 2009 Nissan GT-R include massive
Brembo brakes with antilock capability, stability
control and traction control. Front-seat side
airbags and full-length side curtain airbags are
standard on GT-R Premiums but unavailable on the
base model.
Interior Design and
Special Features
The 2009 Nissan
GT-R's interior is a somber but appropriately
driver-centric environment in which to make haste.
Snug sport buckets and a high center console
envelop the driver and front passenger, and rear
passengers won't complain as long as their legs
aren't long enough to dangle off the seat cushions
-- which is to say, as long as they're under the
age of 3. Ingress and egress -- for the front
passengers, at least -- is a piece of cake by
exotic-car standards.
The GT-R also
boasts a trick multifunction performance monitor
that features 11 different informational displays.
The monitor was developed in consultation with
Polyphony Digital, which created the Gran Turismo
video game franchise.
The GT has been widely acclaimed for its
attractive styling and purposeful good looks. The
design is by Bertone who have a long history of
collaboration with Alfa Romeo, the most notable
being the B.A.T series concepts of the 1950s. The
general coupe shape resembles that of the 1980s
Alfa Romeo Sprint but with clear design cues taken
from more modern Alfa Romeo products. The GT wears
16-inch alloy wheels as standard, with 17-inch
wheels as an option. There are 18-inch alloy wheels
available, but the extra width pinches from the
GT's 11.5 metres (37.7 ft) turning circle. Fitting
of the 18" wheel option also introduces torque
steer in the higher torque engines like the 1.9
diesel and the 3.2 petrol.
Anne Gelvin: Body Styles, Trim
Levels, and Options
The 2009 Dodge
Charger is a large sedan available in SE, SXT, R/T
and SRT8 trim levels. Rear-wheel drive is standard,
while the SXT and R/T are available with all-wheel
drive. Standard equipment on the SE includes
17-inch alloy wheels, air-conditioning, full power
accessories, a tilt and telescoping steering wheel,
keyless entry, cruise control and a four-speaker
stereo with a CD player and an auxiliary audio
jack.
Stepping up to the SXT nets you
a larger V6 engine, 18-inch wheels (AWD only), a
60/40 split-folding rear seat, foglamps, heated
mirrors, power-adjustable pedals, a power driver
seat and an upgraded six-speaker sound system with
satellite radio. The SXT popular equipment groups
adds 18-inch alloy wheels (RWD), automatic
headlamps, a power passenger seat, heated front
seats, leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped
steering wheel and dual-zone automatic climate
control. The Charger R/T includes all the SXT
popular equipment group items as standard and adds
the big 5.7-liter V8.
The SXT and the
R/T share much of the same optional equipment. The
protection group adds Bluetooth, self-sealing tires
and side airbags. A sunroof, a touchscreen stereo
interface with 30 GB of digital music storage, a
rear-seat entertainment system with Sirius Backseat
TV, and a navigation system with real-time traffic
(the last two items require the popular equipment
group on the SXT) are also available. The SXT DUB
Edition adds 20-inch chrome-clad wheels, DUB
exterior badges, embroidered leather seats and a
13-speaker Kicker sound system.
The
R/T popular equipment package adds 18-inch chrome
clad wheels, a compass, a trip computer,
steering-wheel-mounted audio controls and a
surround-sound audio system. Xenon headlights are a
stand-alone option on the R/T. The road/track
performance package includes 20-inch wheels,
sport-tuned suspension and steering, heated
performance sport seats and Alcantara upholstery.
Bluetooth can be added to this package. The Daytona
package is identical to the road/track package, but
it adds a higher-performance exhaust, a unique
exterior paint color and Daytona graphics. Chrysler
says it will release another high-performance
package later in the 2009 model year that will
further enhance the Charger's steering, suspension
and brakes.
The SRT8 is equipped a
lot like the R/T with the road/track package, but
adds the bigger Hemi V8, high-performance brakes, a
hood scoop, a limited-slip rear differential and
different exterior trim. The SRT8 Super Bee package
adds 20-inch ultra-bright wheels, bright yellow or
orange paint and Super Bee graphics.
Profile Anne Gelvin Anne Gelvin Read about Anne
Gelvin Powertrains and
Performance
The base Pontiac G8 is
equipped with a 3.6-liter V6 that produces 256 hp
and 248 pound-feet of torque. It sends its power to
the rear wheels through a five-speed automatic
transmission with manual shift control. The GT has
a 6.0-liter V8 packing 361 hp and 385 lb-ft of
torque that's mated to a six-speed automatic. The
GXP's 6.2-liter V8 puts out a prodigious 402 hp and
402 lb-ft of torque and utilizes either the GT's
six-speed automatic or a six-speed manual
transmission.
In track testing, the
G8 GT roared to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds en route to a
blistering 13.7-second quarter-mile. The GXP
promises to be quicker still -- Pontiac expects it
will shave at least half a second off the GT's 0-60
sprint. V6-powered base models should require
roughly 7 seconds. Thanks to a cylinder
deactivation feature, the GT V8's fuel economy is
close to the V6's; the EPA gives the V6 a 17 mpg
city/25 mpg highway rating and the V8 a 15/24 mpg
rating. The GXP will likely be slightly less
efficient than its GT stablemate. In short, the G8
is fleet-footed in any form -- and you'll pay for
it at the pump.
Anne Gelvin Anne Gelvin Credits: Driving Impressions
The Maxima's potent V6 feels very
strong, and unlike other CVTs, the Maxima's is
well-suited to the engine. Still, those who've
never driven a CVT-equipped car may initially feel
like the Maxima is stuck in a hopelessly tall 1st
gear.
While the 2009 Nissan Maxima
may not be the "four-door sports car" it's marketed
to be, it can be quite a lot of fun to drive, with
a competent chassis and well-sorted suspension.
Although the Sport Package offers a tauter
suspension and bigger wheels, we found that it
offers no dynamic advantage and ruins the Maxima's
otherwise nice balance between adept handling and a
comfortable ride. Steering on all Maximas is
excellent, exhibiting a nice blend of low-friction
weighting and a high level of road feel that should
satisfy both comfort-minded and enthusiastic
drivers alike.
About Anne
Gelvin 2009 Mazda MAZDA6 Vehicle
Overview
Introduction
If there's a moral to the fully redesigned 2009
Mazda 6's story, it's that there's more to life
than "zoom-zoom." The previous-generation Mazda 6
had plenty of it, yet Mazda had a devil of a time
getting the buying public to notice. That's because
American drivers typically don't care so much about
how their family sedans behave on winding country
roads. What they want is space, safety,
reliability, power and style -- and while the old 6
looked nice enough, its tight dimensions and
lackluster acceleration prevented it from
succeeding in an increasingly competitive
marketplace.
The new 6 demonstrates
that Mazda wasn't going to make the same mistake
twice. Want room to relax? It offers one of the
most accommodating cabins of any midsize sedan,
with Texas-sized front seats and a backseat fit for
6-footers. Got luggage, or perhaps four sets of
golf clubs? The midsize Mazda now features an
impressively large 16.6 cubic feet of trunk space.
Need power? Mazda's got you covered with the
largest and most powerful V6 in this price bracket,
though its fuel economy is disappointing. Want to
make a fashion statement? Then you shouldn't be
buying a family sedan in the first place. But as
such cars go, we think the new 6 manages to be
tautly attractive, particularly from the front,
despite its additional 6.1 inches of length and 2.3
inches of width. Unlike the previous model, the
2009 Mazda 6 was engineered specifically for the
North American market -- and it shows.
