2010 BMW X6 M Better Then Cayenne Turbo

BMW has finally made official the long-rumored M versions of the X5 and X6 "Sports Activity Vehicles". Of the two new power 'utes, which are closest competitors to the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, the 2010 BMW X6 M is the more exciting, with its rakish shape and a brand new BMW M Power engine finally packing enough ponies to give the X6 its day in the sun.

BMW M Power models have always been about so much more than straight-line speed, so to make the 2010 X6 M a well-rounded car with enough capabilities in the twisties to justify its lineage was part of the deal. The torque distribution and suspension systems that debuted on the X6 did not need a whole lot of modification to be up to the M challenge, but early drive reports should confirm that BMW has really gone the extra mile here.

The M engine in question, a brand new twin-Garett-turbo packing 4.4 liter V8, is an evolution of the naturally aspirated V8 used in X5 and X6 models. The 8 marks the first time a BMW M Model has received any type of force feeding. Output is pegged at 555 horses, which is not-so-coincidentally 5 more horsepower than the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S.

Torque is rated at 500 lb-ft., nothing crazy by the X6 M's competitor standards, but the innovative turbocharging system BMW has developed should make sure all that thrust is available at a moment's notice with little-to-no turbo lag.A complex intake and exhaust management system BMW is calling Cylinder-bank Comprehensive Manifold (CCM) makes sure that reused exhaust gases are passed through the turbo system and back into the manifold with every cylinder rotation rather than in the waves of power found in conventional turbos. The result is a promised constant stream of boost, and at 21 PSI there's plenty of it.

To prepare for all that boost, BMW has beefed up the new 4.4's internals dramatically. 4.5 super-smooth seconds through 60 mph tell the tale that such a heavy and tall monstrosity has true sporting potential.Price info has not been finalized. The Cayenne Turbo runs a hair under $100,000 to start, so expect something in the $90,000s.

2010 BMW X6 M Specifications

Chassis
Brakes (Front) 15.6 inch rotors
Brakes (Rear) 15.2 inch rotors
Tires Front 275/40-20 Bridgestone
Tires Rear 315/35-20 Bridgestone
Wheels 20 inch light-alloy M Sport wheels
Rear Suspension Integral four-link rear axle
Front Suspension Double-wishbone front control arms

Drivetrain Layout

Front Engine, AWD
Transmission 6 Speed M Sport Paddle-Shifted Automanual
Differential Electronic front and rear LSD

Engine Type:
Direct injection BMW M Sport V8
Induction Twin Garett turbochargers, 21.0 PSI
Displacement 4.4 liters
Torque 500 lb-ft. @ 1500 to 5650 rpm
Horsepower 555 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Compression Ratio 9.30:1

Exterior
Body Type 2 Door, 4 Seat SUV

Performance
Acceleration 0-60 mph 4.5 seconds

2010 Maybach Zeppelin

Mercedes-Benz' Maybach division, larger and more luxurious than anything from the Benz catalog, has the luxury and power to compete with the Rolls Royces of the world, but for one reason or another has not taken off sales-wise. A hard automotive economy has even hit cars that your standard everyman couldn't dream of affording, and Maybach's proposed solution has been... make our most powerful and expensive cars more powerful and more expensive.

The original Maybach Zeppelin line debuted in 1930. The Zeppelin of today, available as a complete package for both the 57 and 62 lines, adds a host of options and upgrades to a pair of cars with some of the most options and upgrades on the market.

Need a perfume atomizer that sprays the cabin ever so slightly with your choice of scents? No? Need a 640 horsepower AMG handbuilt twin turbo V12? Now we're talking.

Maybach says the 2010 Maybach 57 Zeppelin is meant to be owner-driven, while the longer and cushier 62 is designed to be chaueffered. Both have leather and wood everything inside with lambskin carpeting. Lambskin carpeting?

Does the world need the Zeppelin, a super-sedan with a base price equal to that of nearly 40 Honda Civics? Of course not. Maybach is betting that the exclusivity of a rich-man's car with a limited run of 100 units will boost sales, but while the Zeppelin certainly has its fair share of appealing features, Maybach may have trouble moving them.

2010 Maybach 57 Zeppelin Specifications

Chassis
Wheels	20 inch Maybach Chrome Shadow wheels
Drivetrain
Layout	Front Engine, RWD
Engine
Type:	Twin-turbocharged AMG-sourced V12
Horsepower	471 kW/640 hp
Torque	1000 Nm/ 738 lb-ft.
Displacement	6.0 liters
Exterior
Body Type	4 Door, 4 Seat Sedan
Performance
Acceleration 0-62 mp (0-100 km/h)	4.9 seconds
Top Speed	177 mph

Base Price: 2010 Maybach 57 Zeppelin: €406,000

2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG

Want a recipe for a super-exciting four door sport sedan? Drop in a handbuilt AMG powerplant from your most expensive sports car into the otherwise-tame 4 door E-Class, boost the suspension and slow-down-and-stop, add some bling and call it a day. The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG gets the same powerplant as AMG's own SL63, and on-road experience in the latter car shows this motor is truly breathtaking.

Say what you will about the new 2010 E-Class's styling, but in AMG trim the rather ordinary new E gets its chance to look good for the cameras, if you manage to catch one on the road going slowly enough to get a good look.

The E63 AMG is more than a new body and a big motor, and seems to have received the little touches that will allow it to finally compete with the best from BMW and Audi in the driving dynamics department. The E AMG no longer uses a torque converter psuedo-manual, canning that outdated technology in favor of a 7-speed automanual featuring a wet-sump clutch constantly submerged in an oil bath for smooth shifts and protection against wear.

The E63 suspension system is completely revised, with a new steel-springed strut setup up front and an AMG-specific air suspension out back, with all the expected launch and stability controls and other annoyances. Thankfully, the nannies can be sent home for the most part when the 2010 E63 AMG is put into sport mode.

Deliveries for the latest and greatest E-Class begin this August in Europe, with a US release date quick to follow in November 2009. Base price info has not yet been released, but expect something in the $70,000-$85,000 range.

2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Specifications

Chassis
Wheels	Available forged 19-inch AMG light-alloy wheels
Tires Front	255/35 R 19
Tires Rear	285/30 R 19
Suspension	AMG RIDE CONTROL sports suspension with steel-spring front struts, rear air AMG air suspension
Drivetrain
Layout	Front Engine, RWD
Transmission	AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission
Differential	Electronic locking LSD with ESP selectable suspension characteristics
Engine
Type:	Handbuilt AMG V8 introduced on SL63 AMG Roadster
Displacement	6.2 liters
Induction	Naturally aspirated
Horsepower	525 bhp
Torque	465 lb-ft. (630 Nm)
Performance
Acceleration 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h)	4.5 seconds
Top Speed	155 mph, electronically limited

2009 Jaguar XF Review

Reviewers were universal in their love of the new XF’s exterior and interior styling.

Edmunds.com credits its “crouching stance” and “coupelike roof,” that taper into a fastback-style tail, but thought the nose was “somewhat quirky.” Though both Edmunds.com and Automobile comment on the XF’s passing resemblance to the LexusGS series, Automobile thought that gave the new Jaguar a little less “drama than you’d expect...nice but not stunning.” Without the Jaguar hood ornament, they think, you wouldn’t know which company built the new XF. Kelley Blue Book felt the “unorthodox” look has a “sleek, flowing profile.”

From the rear, the high-mounted LED taillamps looked familiar to an Aston Martin, Cars.com said. Motor Trend sums up the exterior critiques by saying, “Make no styling judgments until you've seen the XF in person...in the metal the XF radiates a modernity and sexiness that simply don't translate to the printed page.”

Inside, Automobile thinks “the XF's interior really scores,” and that “the cabin overflows with neat details, such as the gear shifter, covered HVAC vents that rotate to open, a start button that pulses red when you enter the car, and blue lighting around the instruments and dials.” The tech mavens at C/Net were “most impressed by the dashboard components,” like that clever shifter dial that reminds TheCarConnection.com’s editors of a high-end audio system. It’s the combination of “traditional cues with contemporary touches,” in Cars.com’s words, that gives this new Jaguar an ambience completely different from the larger XJ sedan--and from any Jaguar before it.

TheCarConnection.com’s car experts think the 2009 Jaguar XF is without question the most attractive car Jaguar has accomplished in decades. There's nothing heavy-handed or retro about the look. Quite the contrary--it is an extraordinarily modern interpretation that traditional luxury benchmarks like Audi should note well.

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