Video(s): Mustang GT vs. BMW M3

Out of all the cars the Ford Mustang is compared to, most are rear wheel drive, V8 powered muscle cars. This is a natural comparison. Most people expect a little trade off in ride quality, fit and finish, and other niceties when driving a muscle car. It's just part of the deal, right?

Well, maybe not so much. Fit and finish, along with ride quality, are on the rise with each new iteration of pony car. The newest version of the Mustang has by far the nicest interior and highest quality of any previous version. But is it on par with the BMW M3, in both quality and speed?

Well maybe not quality. But in terms of not only straight line quickness, but cornering as well, the Mustang can certainly hang with its dramatically more expensive German brethren. Just how well, you ask? You'll just have to check out the videos to see.



Source: Motor Trend

Video: Nissan GT-R plays nice with other supercars

This video features a nice in car trailing shot in a Nissan GT-R following some pretty gaudy company. A little stroll through SoCal with some of it's friends, including a Viper, M6, and a couple of Ferrari's. The GT-R more than holds it's own through the course of the video.

G-Power sets new 4 door sedan top speed record with M5 Hurricane RS

Top speed numbers are all about bragging rights, but how many owners of said supercars actually drive them to even half of their limit? The likelihood that one can find a long enough track to sustain speeds over 200 miles per hour, let alone have the cahones to do so is slim. But if you could arrange a top speed race with someone that owns some form of two door supercar, this would be your opportunity to embarrass that someone with your four door speed demon.

Brabus has long held the four door speed record, first with E V12 that hit 206 mph in 1996 and most recently upping that mark to later upping the mark to 227.23 mph with the CLS "Rocket". With that number set in their sights, BMW tuner G-Power took an upgraded version of their M5 Hurricane to the ATP High-Seed test track in Papenburg, Germany last month hoping to set a new record. That they did, eclipsing the Rocket's top speed with a best run of 228.4 mph. Lest Brabus seek to take back the title, G-Power claims that they can improve on the number by increasing the boost from the twin superchargers mounted to the BMW's V10.


PRESS RELEASE:

After the record for the world's fastest BMW sedan, G-POWER did it again and broke the long-standing record of the BRABUS Rocket for the fastest sedan in the world.

In November 2008 the 750 hp strong G-POWER M5 HURRICANE RS realised a top speed of 228,4 mph. This speed has been clocked and certified at the ATP High-Seed test track in Papenburg. With it the since October 2006 valid record of 365,7 km/h has been broken.

The G-POWER high-speed world record has been realised with a 20 hp stronger evolution of the famous G-POWER M5 HURRICANE which has been clocked with 360 km/h earlier in 2008 and holds the record for the fastest BMW sedan. The extra power of the G-POWER M5 HURRICANE RS is the result of two modified superchargers from G-POWER's technology partner ASA, with enlarged capacity. In the following the boost level of the G-POWER BI-Kompressor system could be raised from 0,7 bar rel. to 0,8 bar rel.

But still the G-POWER BI-Kompressor system has not yet reached its limit. According to CEO and engineer Christian Stöber:" ...we can rise the boost level up to 1,0 bar rel. and more" and CEO Zoran Zorneke is of the opinion:" we can still improve, if we see the need for it."

We are curious if this will be necessary...

MT's first test 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP

Your bargain priced BMW M5 has almost arrived, and Motor Trend has just taken it out for a first drive. It's amazing that anyone and everyone that has had a chance to drive the GXP compares the $40K car to the previous generation $70K M5, but the proof is in the pudding.

By now, you know the G8 is based on GM global rear-drive-chassis architecture born and bred in Australia. The base V-6 and 361-horse V-8 GT versions are currently on sale and playing to solid reviews. The GXP is the only version you can get with a six speed stick, currently. The G8 wasn't designed or built in Detroit, but it's a true Pontiac, and variations on this theme are sold as Holdens, Daewoos, Opels, Vauxhalls-even Buicks in China and Chevys in the Middle East.

Under the hood is the latest version of the venerable Chevy small block, the LS3. Measuring out at 4.2 liters, it grunts out 415 horsepower and as much torque. Only the ZR1 and Cadillac CTS-v's supercharged version put out more power from the factory right now. The GXP even runs on regular gas, but it will carry a gas guzzler tax with it.

With all the added power additional upgrades are a no brainer. Increased stopping power comes from Brembo brake calipers, clamping 14.0-inch rotors front and 12.8-inchers aft. The already competent GT suspension is tuned for the GXP. the biggest change is larger front and rear anti-roll bars. The shocks are stiffer, and the rear balljoints are revised. Nineteen-inch alloy wheels are standard, as is summer-rated performance rubber (all season tires are also available). Calibration of the power rack-and-pinion steering is unchanged.

Styling updates are minor. The front and rear fascias are GXP-specific. Overall the car has a stronger, more muscular look, without giving it away as anything too special in those stoplight races.

Inside you'll find bolstered seats that hold you in place for the ride. Rubber trimmed pedals and a thickly padded steering wheels wrap up the interior mods.

The GXP is slightly bigger and heavier than the previous generation M5, but beats it in performance. The previous-gen M5 ran 0-to-60 in 4.5 seconds; the manual trans G8 GXPs match that. The Bimmer grips to 0.84 g on the skidpad, the Pontiacs stick to 0.88-0.90 g. The BMW stops from 60-0 in 116 feet, the Pontiacs from 111-117.

Overall, the G8 GXP represents a great value, and a nice car all around. It is by no means a world beater, but where else will be find it's level of luxury and performance for the price?

2009 PONTIAC G8 GXP
Base price $39,900 (est)
Price as tested $41,500 (6M, est), $40,800 (6A, est)
Vehicle layout Front-engine, RWD 5-pass, 4-door sedan
Engine 6.2L/415-hp*/415-lb-ft* OHV 16-valve V-8
Transmission 6-speed manual
Curb weight (f/r dist) 3969 lb (52/48%)
Wheelbase 114.8 in
Length x width x height 196.1 x 74.8 x 57.7 in
0-60 mph 4.5 sec
Quarter mile 13.0 sec @ 109.6 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph 117 ft
Lateral acceleration 0.90 g (avg)
MT Figure Eight 26.4 sec @ 0.70 g (avg)
EPA city/hwy fuel econ Not yet rated
On sale in U.S. February 2009
*SAE certified

Featured Foureye - Alejandro Manglano's '79 Mustang Turbo

Automotive restoration is an addiction. Restoring or modifying any car is a time consuming, often heartbreaking process that typically ends up costing too much money and taking too much time. But the appeal is unexplainable, a very rewarding experience indeed. And unlike those who pay to have a car restored, one can take a certain amount of pride in the fact that you can boast that you did all the work yourself.

Such is the case with Alejandro Manglano and his 1979 Mustang. Alejandro and his wife were on a mission to replace his wrecked BMW with a Mustang. They did a lot of looking around until they found a mint 1980 Ghia V6. Alejandro and his wife decided that this would be the one they would purchase.

The very next day, Alejandro was on his way to purchase the '80 with his friend when he spotted a brown '79 coupe that appeared to have seen better days. It sat motionless with a flat tire, no brakes to speak of, a ratted out interior, torn up suspension, and a rather dented up body from an apparent accident.

Alejandro saw past the sad state the fox was in and saw a large amount of potential in the little turbo coupe. He immediately changed his mind and decided to forgo the perfect '80 for the ratty '79. To compound matters further, the little couple wouldn't start or run so he and his friend had to load it up on a trailer and tow it home.

Alejandro arrived home to pretty much the same reaction that we all get at some point and time from his wife. All she wanted to know was "where is that pretty green car we looked at yesterday?" (Editors note: the reaction I got when I drove my '83 home was much worse than this). Alejandro explained to her that the '79 was a great project to begin with, and that it wouldn't take long since it was a solid, rust free car.

The restoration took 5 years. The mangled body was straightened out and covered with layers of tan/gold pearl. The ol' four banger was rebuilt and freshened up for the time being, Alejandro has future plans of completely going through it. Brake were upgraded with escort calipers and disks in the rear. Wheels are 15x7 American Racing Outlaws with Sumitomo tires all around.

The interior was completely restored from dash to console to upholstery. The steering wheel and shifter knob are custom units that have been painted to match the body color.

Now that Alejandro's foxbody is finished, it's being used in a TV show. How's that for having your car work for you? And instead of tooling around in a car that was perfect from the get go, Alejandro has a ride that's both unique and has history. That's what this hobby is all about.

AmericanMuscle.com has all the Mustang Parts you will need to spice up your 'Stang.

You can view the pictures of the restoration here.

2009 Cadillac CTS-V First Look

Cadillac is on a mission. Long have they played second fiddle to the likes of BMW, Mercedes, and other luxury auto makers. For a brand once known as the "Standard of the World," they weren't just going to lie down and give up to the Germans and the Japanese.

GM as a whole has been on a roll lately. The new Malibu is receiving praise, the Corvette ZR1 will be terrorizing roads soon. The new Camaro is making huge waves. The newly redesigned CTS sedan was crowned as Motor Trend's Car of the Year. And they follow up with a out of the park home run, the new CTS-V.

As you would imagine, the new "V" is powered by a small block. It was developed along with the ZR1's powerplant and features such racy items as a dry sump oil system and the saddle-mount twin intercooler bricks that allowed the LS9 to limbo in under the Vette's low hoodline.

The same quiet, efficient, four-lobe blower design is used, though it's a bit smaller and makes less boost (8.7 psi versus 10.5). Using LS2-like valvetrain restricts the Caddy's redline to 6200 rpm, while the ZR1's low-mass bits tolerate 6600 revs. Befitting the sedan's statelier nature, the Corvette's loud-mode exhaust is ditched in favor of a quieter system with four catalysts and a modest resonator (it's quiet, but for resonant drone at 1500 rpm). The sound is dominated by pleasing V-8 induction noise embellished with a bit of supercharger whine.

The bad Caddy puts out 556 hp at 6100 rpm and 551 lb-ft at 3800 rpm; that's down 82 horses and 53 lb-ft from the ZR1's power peak, but, more important, it trumps rivals like the M5 (by 56 hp and 168 lb-ft) and the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG (by 49/86). In Europe, the Audi RS6 has Cadillac outhorsed with 571, but that naturally aspirated spinner falls short by 72 lb-ft of twist, and AWD bloats its weight-to-power ratio to equal that of the CTS-V-7.7 lb/hp. And only Cadillac offers a no-cost choice of six-speed transmissions: paddle-shifted planetary automatic or a proper three-pedal stick.

Both the stick and the automatic cross the 60-mph mark in 4.1 sec, but taller gearing in the manual's first three gears blunts its quarter mile slightly (12.4 sec at 117.1 mph versus the automatic's 12.3 at 117.5). Either transmission performs comfortably ahead of the M5 (4.5, 12.5@114.9) and E63 AMG (4.3, 12.7@113.0). If you're looking for autobahn supremacy opt for the manual, which tops out at a reported 193 mph in sixth, while the automatic is limited to 175 to protect the transmission.

All of this power is routed through a heavily revised suspension. Second-generation Magnetic Ride Control shocks, like those on the ZR1, work magic in expanding the envelope of comfortable ride and sharp handling. Tour and Sport settings offer completely different control logic. Each has the bandwidth to go full-firm or full-soft in an instant, but Sport elevates the baseline damping control and lowers the thresholds of steering, braking, or road inputs that trigger a damping-rate change. Tour provides supple ride comfort with reasonable body-motion control on twisty, imperfect public roads, but when running hard on a smooth track or up a mountain pass, Sport curtails roll and pitch far more aggressively by instantaneously transitioning to high jounce-damping rates at the wheels on the outside of a turn and high rebound-damping on the inside, or full jounce front/rebound rear during braking.

The CTS-V uses Brembo brakes on all four corners, with six-piston front, four-piston rear calipers chomping on huge 15.0-in. front rotors featuring co-cast technology (iron braking surfaces and cooling vents cast around an aluminum hub and spokes). The 14.7-in. rears are all iron. An optional track package swaps traditional bolted iron/aluminum rotors for the co-cast ones, eliminates the surface grooves (they compromise pad life in heavy track usage), and paints the calipers red. 60-0 times are around 105 feet.

Cadillac's new super four door CTS-V may or may not entice buyers away from BMW and Mercedes showrooms. Those types of customers aren't always enamored with quarter mile times and other performance numbers. But it may make them think twice. For those of us who appreciate a little burning rubber smell with our cushy leather interiors, the Cadillac CTS-V goes on sale soon.