In the hyper-competitive mid-size family sedan market, simply coasting between major model changes is a sure way to get left behind, so Hyundai has given its Sonata a comprehensive mid-cycle makeover for
the better to face up to pumped-up rivals like the all-new 2008 Honda Accord and the upstart Chevy Malibu.

Keen Hyundai observers might notice the subtle exterior modifications (Well okay, maybe not), but there are more substantive changes. Both the four-cylinder and V-6 engines make more power, and do so while yielding better gas mileage. The 2.4-liter four gains 13 hp (now 175 hp) and achieves 22/32 mpg. The 3.3-liter V-6 adds 15 hp (for a total of 249 hp) and returns  mpg. These figures are at or near the front of the pack.

In a welcome change, Hyundai has also quickened the Sonata’s steering and firmed up its standard suspension (on the GLS and Limited models) while treating the SE to an even stiffer set-up. The interior sees some changes in color and design, and adds two modern-day essentials: an available navigation system and iPod/USB input jacks for the audio system

aving trouble finding the right set of 22s for your Edge? Ford has your back with hot rims available from the
The Ford Edge Sport is a dressed-up crossover utility designed to help buyers stand out from the crowd long as everyone else in the crowd doesn’t go out and buy one. The big wheels are the most obvious difference, with painted 20-inchers standard and the aforementioned polished aluminum 22s as an option. Low profile rubber is a must with rolling stock that big, so the new wheels get Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires.

If you’re able to move your eyes from the big shiny rims you’ll notice some more subtle exterior changes. An eight-piece body kit circles the lower portion of the Edge, adding side skirts, a rear skirt, and a front air dam. Twin polished exhaust tips peek out from below the rear bumper, while black bezels on the headlights and taillights round out the more aggressive look. Shown here in Sport Blue, the Edge Sport will also be available in Ebony, Brilliant Silver, and Redfire.

Sportiness continues on the inside where seats get a covering of dark gray leather with patterned light gray suede-esque inserts. The center console gets special metal-look trim.
After making its first public appearance at the 2008 Chicago auto show, Edge Sport will be available in dealers this fall.

If you’ve traveled in Europe at all during the past forty years, you may recognize the Transit name. Ford has been selling the ubiquitous White Van there since 1965. A smaller version - Transit Connect - was introduced in 2003 to extend the line. For 2009, us Yanks will get to share in the cutesy commercial van fun.

Ford sees the Transit Connect as a good choice for those making deliveries or service calls in congested urban areas. The van’s unique proportions make it good for carrying a lot of stuff - 143 cubic ft - in a small footprint. It’s also an eye-catching design, much like Scion’s xB, that Ford thinks will turn heads and act as an effective mobile billboard for businesses.

North American Transit Connects will be powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a four-speed automatic. Expect to see fuel economy in the neighborhood of 19 mpg in the city and 24 mpg in highway driving.

These mini work vans will be available in either a two- or five-seat configuration, depending on your preference for stuff- or people-carrying. Rear doors that open 180 degrees and dual side sliders should aid in the input and removal of said stuffs and/or people.

Judging by Freightliner’s and Dodge’s success with selling the Sprinter in North America, we think buyers will appreciate this European-designed-and-engineered Ford van. And who knows, if it’s popular, maybe we can convince Ford to replace the Econoline van with the full-size Transit.

Ford will show four Transit Connects outfitted for specific customers (wine merchant, catering company, blues band, and home theater installer) at the 2008 Chicago auto show. The vans will be built in Turkey alongside their European mates and will go on sale here in the middle of

Click the link below for high-resolution Transit Connect images

The current A4 is on its way out, but Audi found time to put together a value package to send it off in style.
The Special Edition package is available on 2008 A4 sedans and Avants equipped with the 2.0-liter TFSI engine. Exterior changes number four - the number of 17-inch y-spoke wheels that are fitted.

Titanium and S line packages can be added on top of the Special Edition group. Twelve months of musical variety is ensured with the included Sirius subscription. Buyers opting for Quattro all-wheel-drive get heated leather-trimmed seats and metallic paint standard.

It’s that simple. If you were looking for a deal on the outgoing Ago see an Audi dealer this March. Not into old tech? Wait for the 2009 model. Those are your optionschoose wisely
Click the link below for high-resolution A4 Special Edition images

The Equator is first being shown at the 2008 Chicago auto
show in the form of three concepts based on the production version. Each is geared toward a different Suzuki buyer: one for the dirt biker , another for ATV ridersand a third for those towing a boat powered by a Suzuki marine engine

The Equator is all about branding. Suzuki is banking on the idea that their powersports customers want to move their toys around in a truck with the same badge on it. So they put their badge on a truck - a Nissan Frontier to be exact. The Equator will be mechanically identical to the Frontier, and differ only in exterior styling. We think it looks better than the Frontier, too.

Engine options are the same as those of the Frontier. The four-cylinder 2.5-liter makes 152 hp and 171 lb-ft of torque, and the optional 4.0-liter V-6 develops 261 hp and 281 lb-ft. Both manual and automatic transmissions will be offered with either engine.
The Equator will be available in extended and crew cab bodystyles. A bed rail system will be available to help tie down all of your Suzuki gear, and a roof rack will be an option on crew cab models. A toned down version of the RMZ-4 concept will make production.
Look for the Equator in Suzuki showrooms later this year.
Click the links below for high-resolution Equator concept ima

After two years of waiting, the modern version of the Dodge Challenger is finally here. Chrysler launched the Challenger concept car at the 2006 Detroit auto show, but this year it waited until the Chicago auto show for the reveal of the road-ready version.

The Challenger lands at dealerships in April and, for the 2008 model year, only the SRT8 model will be offered. This is the first time Chrysler offers the SRT version first. Usually these hot versions come later in the model cycle. All 6400 cars for the USA will have a numbered plaque mounted inside the car (another 800 cars will go to Canada and Mexico). The base price including gas-guzzler tax is $40,095. You may want to get down to your local Dodge dealership soon because the Challenger isn’t going to sit on dealer lots for long.

Powering the SRT8 is Chrysler’s familiar 6.1-liter pushrod “Hemi” V-8. The beastly engine puts out 425 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque and sounds fantastic. Those wishing for a manual transmission will have to wait until late summer and the 2009 model year, as the initial cars are only available with a five-speed automatic. Look for less-powerful (and less expensive) versions of the Challenger to also be launched for 2009.

For now, buyers can choose a Dodge Challenger sprayed in Hemi orange, silver, or black. If we can give you a bit of advice, go with the orange. It looks fantastic with all the black detailing on this rear-wheel-drive coupe.

Inside the Dodge Challenger SRT8, the only real retro touches are a canted center console and a basic dash design that harks back to the original Challenger introduced for 1970. We’re a bit disappointed that Dodge didn’t step up their game on the interior but at least there’s a decent amount of room for four adults and the trunk is quite large. Buyers can add an optional sunroof as well as a navigation and media storage system if they choose.

Dodge handed us the keys to a couple of near-production-ready development cars just before Christmas in Texas and you can read all about that drive as well as the rest of the story on the Challenger SRT8 in our April issue. The new Dodge muscle car is on the cover - you won’t miss it.

Spicing up its Eclipse, Mitsubishi decided to do away with one sports car styling cue and add another.
Previewed at the  Chicago auto show, the updated ‘09 Eclipse loses the model’s unique “light focuser” headlights in favor of projector-style beams, while gaining a new, blacked-out front bumper resembling the latest Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and Nissan GT-R.

For 2009, Eclipse GT models also get a new dual exhaust system that boosts the 3.8-liter MIVEC V-6 engine’s output to 265 hp (a 2 hp bump), standard Active Stability Control, a new rear wing, and HID headlamps.

The Eclipse GS continues with its 162-hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, teamed with a five-speed manual or an optional four-speed automatic transmission. The Eclipse GT comes standard with a six-speed manual and optional five-speed automatic transmission (both automatic transmissions feature Sportronic shifters to allow manual gearshift control).

Four-wheel disc brakes are standard on all models, with anti-lock brakes and electronic brake-force distribution, plus larger, ventilated rear discs on the GTAwatt Rockford-Fosgate sound system is
Click the link below for high-resolution Eclipse images

he rich man’s Accord gets some upgrades for 2009 in an attempt to make a more aggressive luxury sedan.
New front and rear clips along with larger wheels and tires give the RL a different look, one that Acura says will become the brand’s new style. Officials want their cars to be unmistakably Acura when seen from afar.

Engine displacement is bumped up to 3.7 liters, bringing V-6 output to an even 300 hp with torque at 271 lb-ft. That newfound power is routed through an upgraded transmission. An improved all-wheel-drive system and modified steering and suspension round out the dynamic changes.

The interior has been given a once-over with a focus on better ergonomics and legibility, a sign that Acura buyers continue to age gracefully, not unlike the RL. The navigation system can display current weather and will also reroute drivers based on traffic conditions. Front seats have six levels of heating and cooling while rear seat passengers are afforded more room

d test from the auto experts at Motor Trend Magazine. Read this technical article by Honda Tuning magazine about how to install an AEM intake on an Acura RSX Type-S. I have read the entir
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