2009 Dodge Charger

The Dodge Charger is a full-size, four-door sedan that makes a bold design statement and backs it up with serious horsepower. A wide range of models is available, but all are comfortable cruisers, offering drivers a friendly haven from traffic and bumpy freeways. The model line ranges from the sporty and entertaining 2.7-liter Charger SE to the 425-hp SRT8. Between them are 3.5-liter V6 and 5.7-liter V8 models. The 3.5-liter V6 delivers entirely adequate performance for the mid-grade SXT model, while the V8s generate thrilling acceleration performance and make all the right noises. All-wheel drive is available for all-weather capability. The Charger illustrates just how multi-talented and accomplished today's high-performance cars are compared to the unidimensional hot rods of yesteryear. The Charger has all the pavement-ripping, gut-thumping power of the old muscle cars, but it's packaged with modern creature comforts and tempered by handling competency. Put another way, it rides, turns and stops as well as it goes. The Charger is fun to drive and enjoyable for just cruising along. It's perfectly in its element when making time on a freeway. It is a big, heavy, full-size sedan measuring more than 16 feet in length and tipping the scales near two tons, but it's responsive and entertaining. For 2008, the Charger gets minor interior design changes and two new entertainment options. Newly available are Sirius Backseat TV for the rear entertainment system, and Dodge's MyGig, a 20 gigabyte hard drive that holds songs, pictures, and navigation system map information. The interior changes include a new instrument panel and center console, as well as upgraded soft-touch surfaces on the arm rests, center console and door trim. Dodge's UConnect hands-free cell-phone link is also upgraded with integrated iPod interface. The Dodge Charger was launched as a 2006 model in the spring of 2005.

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2008 Aston Martin V8

Aston Martin V8 Vantage even more driver-friendly for 2008. The low-slung sports car is powered by a normally aspirated V-8 that makes a none-too-shabby 380 horsepower. It looks much like Aston Martin's larger DB9. At around $120,000, the V8 Vantage competes roughly with the Mercedes CL63 AMG, BMW M6 and Porsche 911 Turbo.

Hardtop and convertible versions are available, both with a six-speed manual or six-speed auto-manual transmission. The car is built at Aston Martin's headquarters in Gaydon, England.

Exterior
Twin-bezel headlamps flank Aston Martin's trademark trapezoidal grille. Flared front fenders are trailed by inset side vents, and all lines flow rearward to the V8 Vantage's twin-bar taillamps. The integrated deck lid spoiler and twin exhaust pipes finish off the rear. The convertible has a fabric top that stows beneath a metal tonneau cover

Interior
The standard 10-way power seats feature occupant-sensing head and thorax side airbags and twin lumbar adjustment. Three-position memory and dual-stage heating for the seats are optional. For 2008, the steering wheel adds audio controls, and the stereo now has an auxiliary jack for MP3 players. The information display can now display Russian, Chinese and Greek in addition to the previous languages available. Bluetooth connectivity, a navigation system and satellite radio are optional.

2009 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder LP560-4

Lamboghini introduced an even more potent version of its five-year-old Gallardo. The new version earned the suffix LP-560, code for the V-10 engine's position (again at the rear with a north-south orientation, or Longitudinal Posteriore), output (560 horsepower), and drive wheels (four).

Now the Spyder gets the LP 560-4 treatment.The heart of the upgrade is the larger, more potent direct-injection V-10. Displacement rises from 4.9 liters to 5.6 liter; power increases by 40 hp from the standard Gallardo's 520 hp; and torque swells to 398 lb-ft versus 376 lb-ft. Aided by a 44-lb weight reduction, the larger engine gives the LP 560-4 Spyder full, 200-mph bragging rights (with a 201-mph top speed, versus 195 mph), and the car rockets from 0 to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds. For those who intend to put that performance to use on a track, fade-resistant carbon-ceramic brakes are a new option. Gas mileage, should your Toyota Prius-driving friends inquire, is 12 mpg city/20 highway (with the standard six-speed manual) or 13/20 with the optional eGear automated manual.

The Mercury Milan is virtually identical to the Ford Fusion in most aspects. It features two of the same engines as the Blue Oval version and the same transmissions.

The Milan's engines have the same horsepower ratings as the Fusion, but doesn't say gas mileage is the same, which we'd expect it would be. The lack of information may not be intentional; Mercury is often treated like the red-headed stepchild in the Ford family.

One notable difference, however, is the lack of all-wheel drive that's available in V-6 Fusions.

Mercury models usually come with more standard equipment than Fords to warrant their slightly higher prices, but, again, we don't have feature breakdowns yet.

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2010 Ford Fusion

The all-new Fusion has an even bolder chrome grille, as if announcing to the world, "Yes, bigger is better." The "better" part comes in the slew of improvements Ford has made to its new midsize sedan, from more powerful and efficient engines to a quieter cabin.

Besides the new design, the features that will get people most excited are under the hood. With a lineup of three engines — not including the Fusion Hybrid, which we'll detail separately — that are not only more powerful than the outgoing model but also get better mileage than the competition, shoppers will have two big reasons to check out the new Fusion.

The base four-cylinder is now 2.5 liters; it's also used in the 2009 Ford Escape SUV. Here it produces 175 horsepower, and Ford says it will get 2 more mpg than the four-cylinder Toyota Camry, which gets 32 mpg. We'll see if Ford updates its figures during the show this week, but if the Fusion four-cylinder gets 34 mpg on the highway it will be the most fuel-efficient midsize sedan on the market. The gains in efficiency are due to the new six-speed manual and automatic transmissions. Ford says it also gains a second in 0-60 tests, besting both the Honda Accord and the Camry.

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2009 Nissan 370Z

It took Nissan a few years to get the previous-generation Z just right. The company quietly refined the car almost every year after it debuted for 2003, but the 2009 is the first complete redesign. And it's a doozy.

Besides the new look — sharp headlights, a sharply slanting roofline and a short rear end — the car is also shorter. Both the wheelbase and overall length have been shortened, by 3.9 and 2.7 inches, respectively. This change radically impacts the look of the car.

There are some changes under the hood as well, as the Z moves from its 3.5-liter V-6 to Nissan's new 3.7-liter V-6. We've tested that engine in a number of cars and can attest to its "fun factor." Its application in the 370Z promises to be the most performance-oriented yet, with the car's revised brakes, steering and suspension.

Inside, the Z also gets a mild makeover. The look is still minimalist, but the materials have been upgraded, especially the center stack of controls. There is still the familiar three-pod gauge cluster, with a new electronic display taking up the left pod. The seats are also new and look radically bolstered to hold drivers in place when cornering.

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2009 Mazda CX-7

The CX-7 is a smallish crossover that shares its turbo four-cylinder with the hot-rodded Mazdaspeed3. Changes for the 2009 model, which you can compare to the '08 CX-7 here, include a handful of minor cabin and styling tweaks. In ascending order, trim levels comprise the Sport, Touring and Grand Touring, with all-wheel drive optional on all three.

Still Looking Good
Perhaps a bit over the top when it first hit the streets back in 2006, the CX-7's lines have matured well — especially considering that the compact-SUV field, with the possible exception of the Ford Escape, is looking more windswept by the year. The CX-7's oversized elements, from its flared fenders to its mustachioed air dam, create the illusion of an RX-8-turned-SUV. The 18-inch alloy wheels, which are standard across all trims, help maintain the image as well.

At 184 inches long and nearly 74 inches wide, the CX-7 has a slightly larger footprint than most of its immediate competitors, and its 37.4-foot turning circle isn't particularly U-turn friendly — only the Volkswagen Tiguan (39.4 feet) and Saturn Vue (40.0) rate worse; the Subaru Forester (34.4), Toyota RAV4 (34.8) and Mitsubishi Outlander (34.8) require a lot less room.

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2010 Ford Mustang

Ford has done a great job again. After making the Ford Fucos, The company has kept almost everything mechanical about the 2009 Mustang intact and created a new excellent, stylized exterior and an improved interior.Now they had made much better and a whole lot differently than the 2009 and it is the 2010 version of Ford Mustang.

That's because Ford says it has taken the improvements it made to last year's Bullit special edition — with its tweaked exhaust, suspension and other bits — and made it the basis for the 2010 Mustang. Ford says it has also added more sound-deadening for a quieter ride and moved the radio antenna to the rear so it creates less wind noise. We're happier to see the addition of standard stability control and seat-mounted side airbags.

Inside, the Mustang's interior gets improved materials and a new center stack of controls. The style, however, remains thoroughly retro, like the previous model. Still, Ford made a major leap with the Focus' interior, and that should translate here as well.

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2009 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500

The Avalanche upset the trend of making more SUV-like pickups. Chevy simply made its popular Suburban into a pickup; it gave the Avalanche more versatility, but it didn't lose any of the SUV's inherent creature comforts. Perhaps the ultimate vehicular multitool, the Avalanche features a midgate that expands the cargo area into the passenger cab. By removing the midgate and folding down the second-row seat, the cargo floor extends from 5 feet, 3 inches long to more than 8 feet long. The cargo bed also features lockable, side-mounted storage. A locking tailgate and cargo cover increase the secured-storage options even more. The Avalanche is available in LS, LT and LTZ trim levels and in two- and four-wheel drive.

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2009 Mazda 6

Mazda's midsize front-wheel-drive sedan benefits from a sportier nature than some of its competitors. For 2009, the Mazda6 has been redesigned, now sporting a more sophisticated exterior and interior design. It is also larger now, making it more comparable to its competition. Inline-four-cylinder (in "i" models) and V-6 ("s" models) engines are available in the Sport, Touring and Grand Touring trim levels. There's also a bare-bones SV trim level that gets only the four-cylinder. Competitors include midsize sport sedans like the Honda Accord and Chevrolet Malibu.

The Mazda6 has been completely redesigned for 2009 and is now available with two powertrain offerings, new transmissions and new technology features. The Mazda6 hatchback and wagon versions have been dropped.

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Porche Boxster 2009

Porsche's more-affordable midengine roadster, the Boxster, and its coupe counterpart, the Cayman, have been upgraded for 2009 with more power, better mileage, revised suspensions and upgraded interiors. The styling has also been tweaked, with an emphasis on the lights — headlights, taillights and side marker lights.There are also some subtle front-end changes to distinguish the coupe and roadster more. The Cayman has round fog lights and a larger grille opening. The Boxster has rectangular fog lights. Both cars now incorporate their turn signals into the halogen headlight clusters, and LED taillights are standard. An option package includes bi-xenon headlights, cornering lights and LED daytime running lights.The base Boxster's horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine has grown from 2.7 to 2.9 liters and from 245 to 255 horsepower. The 3.4-liter in the Boxster S now generates 310 hp, up from 303 hp. Despite the higher output, Porsche says the Boxster's mileage has improved. When a car's power and efficiency both increase, it usually means one thing: direct injection, and that's the technology that's been added. It's aided by a new seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission, called Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK), which improves efficiency over the conventional Tiptronic S it replaces. It offers an automatic mode as well as manual shifting using a lever or steering-wheel buttons — push forward to upshift, pull back to downshift. Porsche says PDK also improves 0-60 mph times over the manual: 5.2 seconds for the Boxster S. The manual base Boxster is claimed to hit 60 mph in less than 5.8 seconds.The Boxster also got suspension refinement and larger brakes that required the base model's 17-inch front wheels to be 1/2-inch wider. These and the Boxster S' standard 18-inch wheels are new designs across the board. A limited-slip differential is optional to supplement the brake-based traction control.

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2009 Maserati GranTurismo S

A year after the GranTurismo coupe’s debut, They had also come up a new car. The new GT S version can be recognized by its sinister alloy wheels and by its extra howl, coming from the exhaust pipes of the larger 4.7-liter V-8, up from the original 4.2 liters, which now packs a 440-bhp punch (up from 405).

Also new is an electro-actuated transaxle-mounted gearbox with sequential paddle shifters and an automatic clutch. The so-called MC-Shift system was adapted from Maserati’s exotic MC-12 mid-engine racer.

The GranTurismo S also benefits from new brakes, developed in conjunction with Brembo initially for the larger Quattroporte S sedan. The revised braking package feature front rotors made with a dualcast technology, which casts the units out of iron and aluminum. These discs are paired with aluminum mono-block calipers with six pistons.

The GranTurismo rides on a 115.9-in. wheelbase and is 192.3 in. in overall length. The GranTurismo’s sexy shape was created by the Italian design house of Pininfarina.

In addition to minor detail changes on the car’s body, the interior has been freshened with the use of Poltrona Frau leather and Alcantara inserts distinguished by horizontal piping on the seats and seatbacks.

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