Mazda RX-8 PZ: More Focused Coupe
This is to ensure exclusivity and power of the new vehicle. The company also contemplated on reducing the roll and pitch and to making a flatter cornering attitude hence special Bilstein dampers and Eibach coil springs were used. Moreover, Prodrive specifications were satisfied. The spring rates were also increased by 60 percent and the mono-tube dampers were given tighter body control. However, the superb compliance over ridges and bumps in the road was maintained. Mazda RX-8 PZ also comes with a bunch of unique features such as 18-inch OZ alloy wheels, rear silencer and aerodynamic rear spoiler, lowered suspension, grille mesh inserts on front and rear bumpers, door mirrors, and the one-of-a-kind 'Prodrive' badging. The distinguishing features of the latest of Mazda family include its color which is available in solid Brilliant Black and metallic Galaxy Grey. In addition, it also features black leather seat trim, plus black leather-wrapped steering wheel, gear knob and hand-brake lever, which make it more classy and sophisticated. About The Author Kimberly Meyer is an expert when it comes to automotive issues. She is the manager of her own car parts manufacturing company. This 33 year-old maiden is also a talented writer.
The sport utility market continues to expand despite higher than normal gas prices. Because, these do-almost-everything-vehicles provide just what consumers want. Sure, sales are down right now, but they will recover as more economical vehicles enter the mix. Fortunately, not all are gas guzzlers either. Chevrolets Equinox and the Land Rover Freelander are two that come to mind. Lets take a look at these two compact SUVs. Chevrolet Equinox 聳 I like the looks of the Equinox, Chevys car-based SUV that is only slightly smaller than the mid-size TrailBlazer. This means that the Equinox is built chiefly for the road, so if you want an off road experience you would need to opt for the TrailBlazer or get the Freelander. Okay, I digress. The Equinox is available as either a front wheel drive or all wheel drive vehicle. Seating five passengers, the Equinox comes equipped with a 3.4L V6 that produces 185hp. The engine is paired with a five-speed automatic transmission; no manual transmission is available. A traction control system is standard with the front wheel drive Equinox while all models come equipped with ABS and electric steering. Standard equipment for the Equinox includes power windows, power mirrors, and power locks with Remote Keyless Entry; AM/FM stereo and CD player with six speakers; and air conditioning. The Equinox has received a 5 star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for frontal crash and side-impact crash tests. Starting prices for the Equinox are very competitive with comparable models in its class. Base MSRP for the FWD is just over 22K; 24K for the AWD. Land Rover Freelander 聳 The smallest of all Land Rovers is the Freelander, a compact full time all wheel drive vehicle available as either a 3 or 5 door SUV. Unlike the Equinox, the Freelander has full off road capabilities as do every Land Rover model.
The engine is a supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 that makes 510 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque. The transmission is an 8-speed automatic. There are other variants in the full size Range Rover, including an economical V-6, but get real. You want the big guy. The fuel efficiency is characteristically poor (I never got better than 15 mpg driving around Brooklyn), but I didn't really care. Everything else about this SUV had me in its thrall. The two most important components of the Range Rover's success are its imperiously luxurious design and its precision performance off-road and on. You know you're in a big SUV because you sit above everything else on the road, and you feel wrapped in glass, with a better field of vision than any other car on the road. But once you fire up that V-8 and start weaving through traffic, the steering shrinks the SUV: It is sharper, more precise, better balanced than any other SUV, crossover, or even most sports cars on the road. No matter the road conditions, no matter the maneuver, there's never a moment where the steering doesn't place the big 5,000-pounder precisely where you want it.
And so, in 1966, development of a luxury Land Rover re-commenced. Before the year was out, the wagon project had grown into a five seat station wagon with P6 standards of comfort, on a 100 inch chassis that allowed unprecedented wheel travel. Designers were forced to develop a new gearbox capable of handling the torque of the new V8, a key change being the use of a lockable central differential rather than the dog-clutch mechanism used on the Land Rover. Long travel vertical coil spring suspension was fitted instead of the Land Rovers leaf springs to ensure a more refined ride. The second prototype featured a 2 door design, primarily in an attempt by Rover to reduce the cost of manufacturing the vehicle, although the resulting seat and seat belt arrangement made any such savings somewhat insignificant. Spen King and Gordon Bashford designed the body and interior, creating their own mock-up, with Rover stylist David Bache "cleaning up" the design with some very subtle surface treatments. Prototypes 3 to 6 quickly followed, the engineers determined to ensure the final release would leave no stone unturned in their quest to develop the ultimate "town and country" car.
The vents are made of sturdy-feeling plastic and move with incredible smoothness. If there was one part that made the LR2 feel expensive - it was the air vents (laugh all you want). The seats were very comfortable, and I found it quite easy to find a comfortable driving position. However, I found the side view mirrors weirdly positioned, and could not set them quite right; however, Melissa had no such problem. The steering was just the right size and had perfect feel to it - it was not over-assisted like so many other SUV鈥檚 and it controlled the car with purposeful precision. The overall cabin feel was very comfortable, with two overhead sunroofs, well isolated outside noises, and very well executed cabin. One note about the sunroofs: They are covered by mesh manual shades which can be closed even if the sunroof is open (a nice touch). However, the sunshade never blocks all the sunshine so the cabin easily overheats on a bright sunny day.
