Games City: April 2009

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Highlights and Driving Shots

The latest evolution of Jeep's Grand Cherokee takes a stride towards crossover territory promising to offer significant improvements to on-road handling thanks to its Mercedes ML underpinnings that grace Jeep's flagship model with an all around independent suspension. In addition to the 5.7-liter V8 HEMI, the 2011 Grand Cherokee will also be offered with Chrysler's all-new 3.6-liter V6 Pentastar engine that cranks out 280HP. Hit the jump to watch the first videos of the new Jeepthat made its world premiere at this week's NY Auto Show.

BMW to Unveil new 760i and 760iL with Twin Turbo V12 at Shanghai Show

BMW has revealed details on its new flagship models, the V12-powered 760i and its long-wheelbase sibling, the 760iL, that will make their world premiere at the Shanghai Auto Show in China that runs from April 22 to 28, 2009. Taking over the top position within BMW's model portfolio, the 760i and 760iL are powered by an all-new 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine that cranks out 544 horsepower and is mated to an also new, eight-speed automatic transmission.

Developed as a completely new engine from the ground up, the V12 also forms the base for the new Rolls Royce 200EX's 6.6-liter V12. In the BMW 760i and 760iL, the 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged V12 makes 544 hp at 5,000 rpm, with maximum torque of 750Nm or 553 lb-ft from just 1,500 rpm.

At the same time, the 760i and 760iL with its extended wheelbase by 140mm or 5.5", are the first models in BMW's portfolio to feature the newly developed eight-speed automatic transmission.

According to the German automaker, the 760i accelerates from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in just 4.6 seconds and goes on to an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h or 155mph. The luxury sedan's average average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle is 12.9 liters/100 kilometers or 18.2mpg US.

Both the 760 and 760iL are expected to arrive in showrooms during the second half of the year.

My Two Dents on Hyundai's Lexus LS Rival, the Equus

Two words I never would have expected to hear in the same sentence five years ago: Hyundai and luxury. In fact, I would have thought you were a little confused. Well, I guess that's egg on my face. Over the past few years the little Korean automaker-that-could has been turning itself into a powerhouse brand with impressive quality, price points, design, engineering, and performance. The automaker whose dealerships I tried to avoid like the plague only a short time ago now has a lineup that has me wanting to take a second look.

First came the Genesis, a lux-ish sedan that provides a V8 and rear-wheel drive to compete with the big boys from Germany and Japan while undercutting their prices by a wide margin. Then, hot on the Genesis sedan's tail came the Genesis Coupe with its 2.0-liter turbo four or big 300HP+ V6, again offering performance by mating both to a 6-speed stick and RWD.

Finally, just this week in New York Hyundai had their new home-market flagship on the podium, the new Mercedes S-Class sized Equus sedan, you know, just for show (yeah right). No doubt if reactions are good they'll be bringing this puppy across the Pacific to start recruiting Mercedes and Lexus buyers. If prices for the six-cylinder were really to start in the 40k's as rumors suggest, I can imagine a loaded model with the V8 would still come in under most competitors' prices.

I'm not quite sure where Hyundai got the nerve and the skills to leapfrog some of Japan's best attempts at top tier status (Acura and Infiniti, for example), but boldly bearing down on Lexus and Mercedes has definitely gotten consumers' attention. Never in a million years would I have thought that serious people would be comparing Hyundai with manufacturers from the inner circle of luxury.

From the looks of it, the Equus is just the next stage in Hyundai's grand scheme to show people the Japanese aren't the only Asian automotive force to be reckoned with. Having seen its flagship, now I'm (I can't believe I'm saying this) eagerly anticipating the Tiburon's replacement. Mercedes and Lexus, watch your backs. It's looking more and more like Hyundai will be a real contender in the years to come.

Back to the Future: Lamborghini 350 GT and 400 GT

Our classic car tribute continues this time with a more upscale and exclusive sportscar, Lamborghini's first ever production model, the 350 GT / 400 GT. Story has it that back in the early 1960s, Feruccio Lamborghini was so disgruntled with his personal Ferraris that he decided to build his own line of supercars. At the time, most thought that Lamborghini was foolish to even think that he could rival Ferrari but the strong-willed Italian who had amassed a large fortune through his successful Lamborghini-branded tractors as well as from other businesses, was to prove them wrong.

Ferrucio didn't waste any time and by 1963 he not only established 'Automobili Lamborghini SpA' but he also built a new modern factory in Sant'Agata Bolognese, near Ferrari's birthplace, Modena...

For the development of the company's first project Lamborghini hired Giotto Bizzarini who had designed some of Ferrari's most recent engines along with two young but extremely talented engineers, Giampaolo Dallara and Giampaolo Stanzini. As for the vehicle's styling, the vote went to ex-Bertone designer, Franco Scaglione who had was responsible for many Italian masterpieces such as the Alfa Romeo B.A.T.s and the Giulietta Sprint.

The combined efforts of this talented team of petrol-heads lead to the creation of the Lamborghini 350 GTV concept car that made its world debut at the Turin Auto Show in November of 1968. The two-door, two seater prototype with its seductive lines featured a Bizzarini designed 343HP 3.5-liter V12 engine mounted on the front axle that sent power to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox.

At the Geneva Salon in March 1964, Lamborghini presented a near production variant called 350 GT with the final version following a few months later at the 1964 Paris Auto Show. Compared to the 350 GTV prototype, the production 350 GT's styling was toned down by Carrozzeria Touring of Milano which was also responsible for building the car.

The most notable change on Scaglione's original design was the overhauled front-end that lost its shark-like nose and pop-up headlights. Seeing the two cars today, we reckon that Lamborghini should have left Scaglione's work intact.

Underneath its elongated hood, the 350 GT featured the same 3.5-liter four-cam V12 engine as the prototype tuned to deliver an output of 280HP at 6,500 rpm or 320HP at 7,000 rpm on special demand, and 325Nm or 241-lbs/ft of torque at 4,500 rpm. According to Lamborghini's official figures, the 320HP 350GT could accelerate from standstill to 100 km/h (62mph) in 6.8 sec, to 160 km/h (100mph) in 16.3 sec and go on to a top speed of 250km/h or 155mph.

From 1964 to 1966, Carrozzeria Touring had built a total 120 cars, 23 of which were updated with Lamborghini's revised version of the V12 engine sporting a displacement of 4.0-liters with the same output but more torque (385Nm instead of 325Nm). For those that like details, the Italians also built two drop-top Spyder versions of the 350 GT.

1966 saw Lamborghini presenting the 350 GTs replacement called 400 GT. As you may have already guessed, it featured the updated 4.0-liter V12 with 320HP at 6,500 rpm and 375Nm or 276-lbs/ft of torque at 4,500 rpm, as well as a new five-speed gearbox designed in-house by Lamborghini.

But those weren't the only change as the 400 GT featured a different body from the 350 GT with a longer wheelbase that helped add another two seats behind the front passengers making it a 2+2 seater.

A quick look at Lamborghini's books reveals that the 400 GT accelerated from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in 7.5 seconds and to 160km/h (160mph) in 17.8 sec while achieving a top speed of 270 km/h or 168mph. Production of the 400 GT stopped in the summer 1968 with a total 'output' of 250 models.

Even though the 350 GT and 400 GT didn't quite manage to bash Ferrari, they did create a name for Lamborghini and ultimately, paved the way for the creation of one of the most exotic and sought after supercars of all time, the 1969 Miura which established the firm as an exotic supercar maker.

Lamborghini 350 GTV Prototype

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