2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible power drive

2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible





While Ford has been introducing a countless string of Mustangs that appeal to nearly every enthusiast on the planet, Chevrolet has had to make due with only three versions of the Corvette (five if you count both coupes and convertibles). Well, for 2010, Chevrolet is adding a new model to the mix, the Corvette Grand Sport. Bridging the gap between the base Corvette and the track-focused Z06, the Grand Sport – unlike the aluminum chassis Z06 and ZR1 – is available in both coupe and convertible form, giving 'Vette lovers another way to enjoy motoring al fresco.




After spending a few hours at General Motors' Milford Proving Grounds wringing out the GS on track back in August, we finally managed to snag some significant street time in a Crystal Red Grand Sport convertible. Lo and behold, when we looked inside we found a manual transmission, meaning this particular Grand Sport is packing the new-for-2010 launch control system. So now it's time to find out if this newest 'Vette variant is as livable on the road as it is fun on the track.

2010 Ford Mustang GT Convertible 'Car of the Month' for September

Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Convertible (2010)

Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Convertible (2010)

Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Convertible (2010)

NADAguides.com, the leading
provider of vehicle pricing and information, today announced the 2010 FordMustang GT Convertible has received the NADAguides.com "Car of the Month"award for September. The fading summer heat means the time is right forcruising with the top down, and there is no better way to do it than behind
the wheel of the new Mustang. The latest iteration of America's favorite pony
car takes performance and refinement to a new level with an aggressive new
exterior, stylishly designed cabin and even more power from the V8 engine.

"Since its debut in 1964, the Mustang has become perhaps the biggestautomotive icon in the United States. Ford deserves a lot of credit for beingable to continually improve the driving experience without losing any of theclassic feel or heritage," said Michael Caudill, NADAguides.com Auto Expert.
"The 2010 model is a perfect example, combining just the right look, sound andperformance. Pound for pound, the 2010 Ford Mustang GT is the best modern
muscle car that money can buy."

The star of the GT Mustang is the magnificent drivetrain. GT models areequipped with the 315 hp 4.6L V8 from last year's Bullitt Mustang which ismated to a 5-speed manual or optional 5-speed automatic transmission.
Respectable fuel economy figures of 16 city/24 hwy mpg hint at the Mustang'srelatively small displacement V8, but the sound coming from the stainless steel dual exhaust is pure '60s big block.

The 2010 Ford Mustang impresses on the inside as well. In premium trim, theMustang GT comes equipped with leather seats, Ford's SYNC voice-activatedcommunications and entertainment system, a Shaker 500-watt audio system with SIRIUS satellite radio and a leather wrapped steering wheel with integrated
controls. To offer even more refinement, available options include dual-zone
climate control, heated front seats and a voice-activated navigation system.

With a choice of body styles and powertrains, there is a Mustang to fit nearly anyone's budget and lifestyle. The base V6 Coupe has an MSRP of $20,995 whilethe GT Premium Convertible we tested starts at $35,995. All models are backed
by a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.

For the complete video review, blog post and image gallery, please visit NADAguides.com and click on the "Car of the Month" banner.

The NADAguides.com "Car of the Month" program is unique from any other review program in the automobile industry and provides consumers with expert commentary and practical information on the cars, trucks and SUVs they are
shopping for. Selecting one vehicle per month, NADAguides.com announces the "Car of the Month" through a multi-media platform including an online video review, press release and a comprehensive blog post where consumers can provide additional commentary.

Volvo C30 and C70 Convertible Get Refreshed

pair of Volvo’s more dapper offerings, the compact C30 and the C70 convertible coupe, have been cosmetically reworked for the 2010 model year. Both were introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The C30 gets a squared-off look. “We wanted the 30 to have more attitude,” said Clas Olhag, marketing manager for Volvo. “Sharp edges in front, the larger, more universal size of the grille. Very subtle changes, because we wanted to keep the references to the P1800.” The P1800, introduced in the early 1960s, was one of Volvo’s few outright sporty designs.

Volvo continues to offer a slightly racier version of the C30, dubbed the R-Design, fixed with side skirts, bulkier spoilers front and rear. Mechanical modifications include a lower steering ratio for a 10 percent faster steering response and 30 percent stiffer suspension all around.

Volvo C70 convertible.

As for the retractable-hardtop C70, it gets a softer refresh. The redo tweaks the front and rear ends, with a wedged-shaped nose, new headlamps and, like the C30, a larger, more forceful Volvo badge on the grille.

Mr. Olhag says that both models have “plenty of opportunities” for options, a marketing tool that the company employed when the first C30 was released. “We call it ‘a product of free will,’” he said.

2009 BMW M3 Convertible

In the case of the M3, the ultimate 3-series, the praise is typically amplified. Well, not so much for the convertible M3. You see, the automotive press has a penchant for very odd vehicles the general buying public simply doesn't understand, so we tend to eschew the cars "normal" people want. As a member of the press, I'm required to beg BMW for an M3 wagon instead of this goofy M3 convertible. The truth is, neither model makes much sense.

Chopping the top off a car doesn't do anything to increase performance, and it almost always reduces performance. It's very difficult, if not impossible, to maintain torsional rigidity without resorting to a bunch of heavy braces. Even then, most convertibles suffer from some degree of cowl shake, and folding hardtop convertibles, like the BMW M3, are prone to squeaks and rattles when the top is in place. Granted, Michigan's roads are particularly harsh on convertibles and most convertible buyers hail from warmer climes where the roads are in much better shape.

Ignoring my personal feelings that convertibles, like sunroofs, are a complete waste of money, the M3 convertible makes sense in a one-up-your-neighbor-at-any-expense sort of way. When driven on a public road, the M3 convertible will do anything the M3 coupe will do, plus the top can come off. There's no real value to this trick other than doing something your neighbor's M3 coupe can't. To some people, that's worth the $67,325 cost of admission. For these people, money is probably not a concern and it wouldn't be impossible to have an M3 convertible for cruising down the coast and a serious track toy in the garage.

New Mini Convertible

The presentation of the MINI brand at the 2009 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit is characterised in particular by the world debut of an unusually thrilling model and the breakthrough of the brand into a new age of mobility.

The first public appearance of the new MINI Convertible is leading up as a highly attractive highlight to the warm season, the open four-seater MINI offering lots of opportunities to start the convertible season this year at a particularly early point in time.

The public in Detroit will also have the opportunity from 17-25 January 2009 to experience the MINI E, with 500 units of the first all-electric MINI to be driven in California, New York and New Jersey by selected customers in everyday traffic. Introducing this revolutionary model, the BMW Group is setting a further milestone en route to individual mobility completely free of emissions.

Further highlights at the 2009 NAIAS are the current versions of the MINI and MINI Clubman. The focus in particular is on the latest additions to the range, the MINI John Cooper Works and the MINI John Cooper Works Clubman. Both of these top-flight athletes are powered by a 155 kW/211 hp four-cylinder with a twin-scroll turbocharger and direct gasoline injection.

Even more fun in everyday traffic: the new MINI Convertible.

Presenting the 2009 model range in Detroit, MINI is putting everything in place to continue the brand's unique story of success in the USA at a fast and dynamic pace. Particularly the new MINI Convertible scheduled to enter the market in March 2009 will establish new momentum, taking up the success of the former model already most popular in the USA, with loyal aficionados throughout the country: Out of a total production volume of some 164,000 MINI Convertibles in the first generation, more than 37,000 units - about 24 per cent - were sold in the United States.

The new MINI Convertible is based on the qualities of its predecessor, giving even greater emphasis to the characteristic strengths of the open-air MINI. And thanks to new engines as well as the suspension upgraded to an even higher standard, this one and only premium convertible in its segment offers all the driving pleasure so typical and characteristic of MINI.
At the same time the new model comes with a new, retractable rollover safety system and a wide range of detailed solutions for exceptional all-round functionality. The new MINI Convertible is therefore perfectly prepared for all the challenges of everyday motoring, inviting the driver and passengers to enjoy the pleasant moments of life more often than ever before. To open the soft roof, for example, all you have to do is press a button, the roof opening fully automatically within just 15 seconds (and closing again just as fast).

The new MINI Convertible is entering the US automobile market with two model variants. The new MINI Cooper Convertible powered by an 88 kW/120 hp 1.6-litre four-cylinder offers particularly sporting character and powerful performance. The power unit comes with fully variable valve management developed on the basis of the BMW Group's unique VALVETRONIC technology and ensuring an optimised torque curve, superior power and exemplary efficiency.

The new MINI Cooper Convertible accelerates to 100 km/h or 62 mph in 9.8 seconds and has a top speed of 198 km/h or 123 mph. Fuel consumption in the EU test cycle is 5.7 litres/100 kilometres, equal to 41.1 mpg US, and the CO2 rating is 127 grams per kilometre.

The new MINI Cooper S Convertible likewise featuring a 1.6-litre four-cylinder power unit but in this case with maximum output of 128 kW/175 hp thanks to the twin-scroll turbocharger and direct gasoline injection offers even more power and performance, accelerating to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.4 seconds, Top speed, in turn, is an equally impressive 222 km/h or 138 mph.
Average fuel consumption of the MINI Cooper S Convertible in the EU test cycle is 6.4 litres (equal to 36.6 mpg US), and the car's emission rating is 153 grams per kilometre. Compared with their predecessors, therefore, both the new MINI Cooper Convertible and the new MINI Cooper S Convertible offer a significantly higher standard of performance on substantially less fuel and with much lower emissions.

Apart from the fast-revving and powerful engines, modern suspension technology helps to give both new models a new dimension in agile handling. Both the MINI Cooper S Convertible and the MINI Cooper Convertible come with DSC Dynamic Stability Control featured as standard. As an option, Dynamic Stability Control may be further upgraded by the DTC optimised traction mode available exclusively on the MINI as the only front-wheel-drive car with this technology and an electrical locking function on the drive wheel differential.

Safety is raised to an even higher standard, inter alia, by the new rollover safety system moving up electromechanically whenever required. This single-piece rollbar rests almost out of sight behind the rear seats, moving up within fractions of a second only when the electronic safety control registers the risk of a rollover.

Thanks to the design and structure of the single-piece rollbar, the through-loading between the luggage and passenger compartment is particularly large and generous in size, increasing the maximum loading capacity of the MINI Convertible by 55 to 660 litres (23.1 cu ft).

The wide range of options for customising the new MINI Convertible has also been extended once again, new body colours, three different colour and trim variants on the roof and a large number of upholstery options, interior surfaces and trim bars enabling the customer to create his - or her - very own car in his personal style.

Setting out for emission-free mobility: the MINI E.

Yet another MINI highlight at the 2009 NAIAS likewise offers driving pleasure typical of MINI in everyday motoring: Immediately after the launch of a pilot project in a number of US states, the trendsetting MINI E is now being presented to the public in Detroit.

This unique new model boasts an electric motor developing maximum output of no less than 150 kW/204 hp. This kind of superior energy comes from a lithium-ion battery fitted at the rear of this two-seater and giving the car a cruising range of more than 240 kilometres or, respectively, 150 miles.

The energy reservoir may be recharged from any kind of power socket, with power reserves being replenished particularly quickly from a special Wallbox delivered to the customer together with the MINI E.

Extracting a maximum of 28 kilowatt hours from the power mains, the MINI E is able to cover a distance of 5.4 miles on each kilowatt supplied to the car.

The MINI E combines emission-free motoring with agility typical of the brand. Acceleration to 100 km/h or 62 mph comes in just 8.5 seconds, with top speed limited electronically to 152 km/h or. respectively, 95 mph.

Running 500 cars under practical, everyday driving conditions on the road in the USA, MINI will be gaining practical experience through a representative cross-section of users. At the same time the BMW Group will benefit from valuable experience in developing production cars running entirely on electrical power.

Motorsport know-how for the road: the MINI John Cooper Works.

The outstanding performance of the MINI John Cooper Works and the MINI John Cooper Works Clubman are likewise the result of the BMW Group's outstanding competence in the development of new engine technology. The 155 kW/211 hp four-cylinder featured in both of these models comes straight from the power unit raced in the MINI CHALLENGE Clubsport Series. The MINI John Cooper Works accelerates to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.5, the MINI John Cooper Works Clubman in 6.8 seconds. Both models have a top speed of 238 km/h or 148 mph.

Both of these top-flight athletes are built at the MINI Plant in Oxford together with the other models in the range. Through their particular character and qualities focusing without compromises on an active driving experience, these very special models add an important highlight to the brand's overall range. And like the new MINI Convertible, they also prove the diversity the MINI brand is able to offer.

Lexus SC 430 Convertible

Lexus adds interior technology and exterior enhancements to the 2010 SC 430, the pioneer of the retractable hardtop in the prestige luxury segment.

"To build on the driving experience, the 2010 SC is now equipped with an updated Lexus Navigation System and Mark Levinson Premium Audio System. The enhanced audio package now features iPod/USB connectivity, auxiliary audio input, Bluetooth hands free phone and music streaming capabilities, and an available XM satellite radio receiver (complimentary 90-day trial subscription). On the exterior, the 2010 SC is now outfitted with 18-inch six-spoke wheels with a dark finish, side mirrors with integrated puddle lamps, and Costa Azul Mica is a newly available exterior color," Lexus informed.

The rear-wheel-drive SC 430 is powered by an aluminum double-overhead cam (DOHC) 4.3-liter V8 engine that produces 288 horsepower and 317 lb.-ft. of peak torque. Power is channeled through a six-speed automatic transmission, enabling the SC 430 to accelerate from zero-to-60 mph in just 5.8 seconds.

Lexus IS F Convertible

Spurred and pepped up by the superb sales of its IS250 C and IS350 C convertibles, Lexus is now working on Lexus IS-F convertible. Yes, the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation – Lexus is reportedly gearing up to roll out “Lexus IS F Convertible”.

The Car and Driver website has reported that Lexus is building a convertible version of its IS F sports sedan, which will be followed by “F” version of its recently launched 2010 IS C convertible. The website has reported that the Lexus IS F Convertible is expected to come powered with the Lexus IS F sports sedan’s 5.0-liter V-8 and eight-speed automatic transmission.

According to the website, the new convertible versions of the Lexus IS series of sport luxury cars will not be replacing the SC430. The Lexus IS F Convertible will compete with the drop-top BMW M3 cabriolet and even Mercedes. The Lexus IS-F convertible is expected to be launched in the early first quarter of 2011.

The exact price information about the upcoming Lexus IS F Convertible is not available yet. However, the starting price of Lexus IS250 C with manual transmission is $38,480, while starting price of the Lexus IS 350 C with auto transmission is $43,940.