2009 Audi TTS

Audi TTS

SPECIFICATIONS
Model: Audi TTS
Price: £33,390 coupé, £35,390 Roadster
Engine: 1,984cc, four cylinders, 16 valves, direct injection with turbo, 272bhp at 6,000rpm, 258lb ft at 2,500-5,000rpm
Transmission: six-speed manual, four-wheel drive
Performance: 155mph, 0-62 in 5.4sec, 29.4mpg average, CO2 191g/km (all with super unleaded; normal unleaded will reduce performance)

THE RIVALS

BMW 135i M-Sport coupé: £29,755
It looks dumpy, but it has a 3.0-litre straight-six with twin turbos and 306bhp, plus wonderfully interactive rear-wheel-drive handling. Good value next to TTS.

Nissan 350Z: from £26,795
A bargain in this company, with its 3.5-litre, 313bhp V6, great looks and enjoyable rear-wheel-drive dynamics. CO2 of 280g/km is its downfall.

Porsche Cayman 2.7: £36,220
One of the most dynamically pure cars you can buy, but this 'base' 2.7-litre version isn't particularly quick. Unusually, costs more than its open-top relative, the Boxster.

Lexus IS F

Having set new standards in terms of quality, reliability and refinement for almost two decades, Lexus now wants a piece of the prestigious high-end performance market cornered by its German rivals. The first salvo is a muscular and taut, V8-powered, 416-horsepower version of the sleek IS sport sedan. It was conceived by a passionate chief engineer and developed under his guidance, with outside help from engine specialists and long-time partners at Yamaha.

The IS F is the first Lexus production model to fly the F. This high-performance version of the current IS sedan was created in the time-honored tradition of hot-rodders: by dropping in a big 5.0-liter V8 where lesser engines had once purred. It is the brainchild of chief engineer Yukihiko Yaguchi, a 30-year veteran at Toyota and Lexus.



Per standard Lexus practice, there is only one very well-equipped model of the IS F, carrying a current base price of $56,000. The major options are a 14-speaker, 300-watt, Mark Levinson entertainment system with a six-disc DVD/CD changer that can play both the DVD-audio and DVD-video formats, priced at $3,990; a $2,850 Pre-Collision System; and a voice-activated navigation system with backup camera and Bluetooth technology that adds $2,550 to the sticker. Lexus will also add Intuitive Parking Assist for $500 and your choice of SIRIUS or XM satellite radio for $486.



The IS F carries three stylized F badges with a silver contour on a blue background; two on the front fenders behind the wheels; and the third on the trunk lid. The front fascia is beefier with larger air intakes than the IS 350. The side panels are more sculpted, with subtle skirts and functional scoops cut vertically behind the front wheelwells. They help cool the engine, not the brakes as one might presume.

The rear fascia is also unique to the IS F. The two pairs of vertically stacked, chrome-finished oval “pipes” are not real exhaust tips (alas), which will probably disappoint serious gearheads. Lexus says the four oval tubes are designed to ease the underflow of air at the rear, for better aerodynamic efficiency. A quartet of 19-inch, forged-aluminum, titanium-colored BBS wheels nicely complete the package.

[Source]
Lexus IS F Pictures Credit: © Marc Lachapelle / MSN Autos

Priced: 2009 Chevrolet Aveo

Chevrolet today announced pricing for the 2009 Chevy Aveo lineup – including the redesigned 2009 Chevy Aveo5 five-door hatchback – begins at $12,120 (including a $660 destination charge) for Aveo LS and Aveo5 LS, making it one of the most affordable cars on the market. It costs hundreds less than many competitors and comes standard with features such as side-impact air bags and OnStar.