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Also, Stefan Jacoby, president and CEO of Volvo Car Corporation, says the Chinese market, a key market, Volvo, second, and a secure future and a key role in building successful company, and not affect the activity and employment in Europe represents will decide. He also announced that production in China to its potential use plants in Belgium and Sweden, the decision has no effect. Retrieved Ford Geely 2010 Sino-Swedish automaker’s product development, design and resources for the Shanghai-based Volvo Cars and China, and is preparing to use the center. Another key priority in Sweden Volvo Volvo Research and Development Foundation, hybrid and electric cars far as the development, support and Volvo in Shanghai - China Technology Center of the full product development turns out internationally Freeman, Sean, the sub-Volvo Cars Corporation, China’s chief executive, according to the head of operations. Thus, the Volvo to sell 200,000 units annually by 2015 in China, and the company’s sales in China, which by 2009 represents 11.2 percent increase compared to 30,000 sold in the retail world with the amount of 373 525.

WMG has fucked me over for the first, and FINAL, time. They have ruined my magnum opus, the video I put my heart and soul into. Now, all people have for sound effects are the ones they can produce with their imagination. I am immeasurably pissed at what has happened. Please, just try and enjoy what is left. That’s all I ask for. IGNORE?!!! gta iv 4 mods mod pc wheelie modded mod race Call of Duty 4 3 2 1 cod3 cod2 cod h2 h3 halo 3 CE Gears of War Infinity ward xbox360 xbox 360 ps3 gta iv san andreas 4 race car mods race modification hp fast mclaren pc audi honda porshce PC wii doggietreats machinima digitalpheer melee marytdom steady aim mp5 desert eagle 50 cal m40a3 r700 m21 dragunov outstanding superb awesome the shit lol lmao rofle no scope head shot gears of war 2 rainbow six vegas ACOG m4 skorpion g3 g36c m14 ak47 mini uzi shotgun sniper rifle zzirGrizz iceman IGNORE THE FOLLOWING— xfycnx dizastor xfycnx iceman snowman gdawgum shadowpunish3r xfycnx iceman xbox angel of evil 360 rape ownage boom headshot pure pwnage ps3 elite halo 3 best sniper ever insane amazing blindfire no scope off host scope shot longshot rifle gears gridlock general ramm tutorial glithes ultimate funny chronicles marcus feenix multi kills clan mlg skill sex GOW gow nizmojoe nismojoe redux XxgdawgumxX headshot montage gears of war 2 gears of war film gears of war sniper montagexbox live amazing no-scope blindfire awesome nismojoe angelofevil69 angel of evil SHADOWPUNISH3R shadowpunish3r …

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today unveiled Nissan LEAF, the worlds first affordable, zero-emission car. Designed specifically for a lithium-ion battery-powered chassis, Nissan LEAF is a medium-size hatchback that comfortably seats five adults and has a range of more than 160km (100 miles) to satisfy real-world consumer requirements. See More details at www.autoblog.gr

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today unveiled Nissan LEAF, the worlds first affordable, zero-emission car. Designed specifically for a lithium-ion battery-powered chassis, Nissan LEAF is a medium-size hatchback that comfortably seats five adults and has a range of more than 160km (100 miles) to satisfy real-world consumer requirements. See More details at www.autoblog.gr

What a difference 20 inches and 1,000 lbs makes. The latest occupant of the Autoblog Garage is the Mercedes Benz C63 AMG. You might recall that a few months ago we tried out one of the big dogs from the Benz lineup, the S63 AMG and came away somewhat awed by the technology but distressed by the driving experience. This time around we got the baby brother of the family and found what may well be the best driver’s car in the current Daimler lineup. Ever since the C-class was born as the 190E back in the ’80s, Mercedes and BMW have had a back and forth rivalry in the high performance compact sport sedan/coupe segment. As the M3 has grown and evolved over the past two decades, so to has the Stuttgart challenger.

Just like the original M3, the lineage started with the four-cylinder 16-valve 190E-2.3-16 and has grown through a succession of V6 and V8 engines. Despite the nomenclature, this latest edition is stuffed full of 6.2L of AMG V8 dripping with power and torque. Can the latest C63 finally topple the M3 from its throne? Find out after the jump.
Over the years, BMW has grown its M3 lineup to include sedan and convertible body styles in addition to the original coupe, and has offered manual, automatic and automated-manual gearboxes. Mercedes Benz on the other hand has seemingly kept things comparatively simple. From the original 190 through its eventual name change to the C-Class, the line has always had four-door sedans (along with wagons in Europe and occasionally here in the U.S.). Technically, that original 190 was not an AMG model, but it makes the parallel to the M3 more obvious. Over in Europe, buyers can also opt for the C63 Estate for those who want their speed fix with a bit more utility.

The latest generation of the C-Class debuted in early 2007 wearing a sharper set of clothes than its predecessor. The W204 generation inherited some styling cues of the big S-Class but in a slightly more toned down form. The character line that begins behind the front wheel arch and sweeps back over the rear wheels is borrowed from its big brother, while the prominent wheel arches are scaled down in proportion with the smaller overall size of the car. The vents at the outboard ends of the front fascia are also shared with all other AMG branded cars. The C63 even picks up a design element from the latest SL that hearkens back to the 1953 original: the two longitudinal ridges along the hood.

The C63’s sporting pretensions are visually enhanced by some of the usual elements like rocker panel extensions, a rear lip spoiler and four oval shaped exhaust pipes. The corners of the car sit on 18-inch wheels and tires, the fronts 8-inches wide with an extra half inch in the back. Fittingly, those wheels are filled with serious braking hardware: 14.2-inch drilled-and-vented rotors in the front and 13-inchers in the rear with 6- and 4-pot calipers, respectively.

When you open the door, it’s immediately apparent that the C63 is built for business. The seats have huge side bolsters that are adjustable for width. Slip in between those lateral supports, snug them to your torso width and you will remain firmly planted directly in front of the thick-rimmed steering wheel. The only issue with the seats comes for those with a broader torso. While the bolsters are adjustable, the maximum width is limited so some will be unable to fit properly. Speaking of the steering wheel, that rim shows its racing heritage with a flat bottom, presumably making it easier to slide under it and into that seat. The gauges are clear and easy to read and like other modern Mercs, the central speedo has the needle attached to the outer perimeter leaving the central portion free for the information display.

The back side of wheel has those de rigueur shift paddles. In recent years, Mercedes has had an aversion to manual gearboxes in its high performance cars and this example is no exception. The seven-speed automatic in the C63 AMG is dubbed AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS. It has the usual Comfort, Sport and Manual modes, but AMG engineers have added something new to the control strategy: double declutching. In the old days before synchronized gearboxes, double declutching was something every driver learned and is still taught at racing schools (at least it was at Bondurant in the mid-90s when I went there). During a down shift, the driver would press the clutch pedal, shift from the gear to neutral, release the clutch, blip the throttle, press the clutch again and then shift to the lower gear.

This was necessary to ensure that everything was spinning at the same speed to prevent crashing gears and jerky shifts. Synchro gearboxes have largely eliminated the need to do this, but double declutching can still lead to smoother down shifts and less wear on the gears. The lack of jerkiness also helps prevent upsetting the car if shifting while cornering. AMG claims the automatic in the C63 is doing this now too for better balance. Frankly, we’ve never really experienced an issue with other automatic cars during a down shift while cornering, but we’ll take Merc’s word for it until we experience a C63 on the track. On the road, the transmission responds quickly to taps on the shift paddles whether going up or down through the gears. Switching from Comfort to Sport mode causes the transmission to downshift during deceleration, which enhances engine braking.

The C-Class has always been the smallest Benz available in the U.S. market, but the AMG crew has learned over the years how to stuff it full of the same big bore V8s that normally go into its bigger brothers. The 6.2L AMG V8 was designed and built specifically for these high performance applications and isn’t based on any other existing Mercedes engine. In the C63 it cranks out 451 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque, which is down from the 518 hp / 465 lb-ft it produces in the S63. This is likely due at least in part to less space available for the intake and exhaust systems in this smaller car. Not that you’ll really notice, because this is one seriously fast car.

Unlike the S63 where it felt like the car was being operated by remote control, the C63 feels much more direct. When driving hard, the exhaust note is loud and raucous and never lets you forget what you have at your disposal. Around town it’s more subdued but still more aggressive and deep sounding than the screaming M3 under similar conditions. The S63 offers very similar performance capabilities to the smaller C, but oddly doesn’t feel as fast. The active body control of the bigger car keeps everything on such an even keel that you lose much of that feedback on which you normally rely to judge speed.

The steering in the C63 has decent if not exceptional feedback about what’s going on at the front corners. The 18-inch Pirellis provide tremendous grip and the chassis feels nicely balanced. The traction control and stability control also don’t intrude as aggressively as on most other Mercedes. Punching the gas through a corner kicks the back end out and let’s it hang there without jerking the car around. The C63 is a genuinely fun car to drive on a twisty road, though ride is a bit on the harsh side as we discovered cruising on some of the nastier roads around these parts.

The C63 is equipped with all the usual amenities that one would expect in a $67,000 (as tested) car, such as heated leather seats, dual zone climate control, rain sensing wipers and more. In the glove box you’ll find an iPod connector that goes straight to the audio system. Normally this is a good thing that allows the iPod to be controlled from the head unit. Unfortunately, Mercedes engineers seem to have overlooked one major detail. Nowhere in the clumsy menu structure of the Mercedes COMAND system is there any interface to actually control the iPod. You have to unplug it, select a play-list and then plug it in to play.

Overall the C63 is probably the best drivers car in the current U.S. Mercedes lineup. If only it were available with a good manual gearbox, we would be completely sold. As is, the C63 is a reasonably sized sports sedan with an outstanding engine. Europeans also have that aforementioned station wagon body style, which would make this a great high speed road trip machine. Acceleration to 60 mph goes by in the mid-four-second range and a C63 won’t find itself outclassed by many other machines, especially those with four doors and room for four (five in a pinch). Anyone considering an M3 who doesn’t really want a manual gearbox should take a look at the Mercedes Benz C63 AMG. This one truly is a viable alternative.

Oh, you thought it was over, didn’t you? Well, you (and I) should be so lucky. Last week, Knight Rider was pre-empted by the Obamercial, so your humble blog host got a much-appreciated bye. Tonight, however, the 8:00 hour on Wednesday is once again hijacked by the KITT crew.

The official NBC.com episode synopsis:
“Knight of the Living Dead” Halloween turns deadly when a tech is murdered inside Knight Industries headquarters.

And the expanded version, according to my Tivo:
“Knight of the Living Dead” A tech is murdered at Knight Industries headquarters; while they are stuck on a flight during a storm, Sarah and Mike must try to stop KITT before it self-destructs.

Oh, goody — a week-too-late Halloween episode featuring problematic air travel. On the upside, maybe Billy is the tech who gets murdered. Keep hope alive.

It says something when an automaker sees fit to give the tachometer a place of prominence in the gauge cluster. “We’re serious,” it implies. Unamused sports cars like the Porsche 911 assign the rev counter a level of gravity beyond being a glorified “engine is running” idiot light. Fortunately, the Paprika Red Subaru Impreza GT 5-door that recently arrived in the Autoblog Garage stated its intentions clearly by placing this most important gauge in its “proper” place. New to the Impreza range, the GT model is a chafing dish full of original WRX simmering through an automatic transmission. An autobox may seem anathema to the 224 horsepower turbo-fed boxer, but we were pleased to discover that all the fun is not sopped up by a spongy tranny.

While the WRX is now defined as a manual-only model packing 265 horsepower, there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with the original spec car. Indeed, even with an automatic, there’s a firm shove that starts just below 2,000 rpm and surges the sharply creased hatchback forward smartly. The autobox doesn’t blunt the turbo powertrain’s edge so much as bring some refinement and, dare we say it, maturity.

Everyone has calmed down about the Impreza’s new clothes, and the Impreza GT is subtle, even when tinted a shocking persimmon like our test car. Telltale signs of the car’s potential are the slightly aggressive front airdam with foglamps in the lower extremities, and a functional hoodscoop that funnels air across the intercooler. The bulge in the hood from its singular nostril creates hypnotic reflections at speed, and it’s a bit of visual muscle to remind you that this ain’t no Outback Sport. Even with the flared cyclops nostril in the hood, the 2.5 GT flies under the radar more easily than the bulged and bescooped WRX. Handsome 17-inch alloy wheels finish off the GT, and the more you look at it, the better it gets.

A phrase like “sport tuned suspension” might make your rear end run for the nearest pillow, but Subaru has gone far enough to satisfy stiction junkies with a tenacious chassis that doesn’t bash occupants into renal failure. The ride has a level of firm control that we expect from a vehicle birthed in the Black Forest. Impacts are absorbed without a visit to bump-stopville, and higher frequency pavement irregularities are mostly filtered thanks in part to a new multilink rear suspension.

The Impreza GT keeps what was good about the last WRX; the punchy drivetrain and trusty handling are even improved this time around. The 2.5 liter force-fed boxer has been twiddled and tweaked to shift the torque peak down a few hundred RPM, and power delivery is satisfying right from idle. Swing the needle on that prominent tachometer past 4,000 RPM, and the engine’s normal gravel throat takes on a steely edge as the engine room delivers “full ahead”. 224 hp is plenty capable of yanking around the 3,200-lb Impreza 2.5 GT with authority. This car is fast and handles well with well-weighted steering that keeps you clued in on what the tires are up to and allows the driver to precisely dissect corner apexes. There is a reason why the boosted Impreza has been popular among enthusiasts, and it’s because the modest car with the Pleiades badges can run rings around lots of iron. An exciting history of motorsports victories doesn’t hurt, either.

Accelerate hard, and the 2.5 GT plants and goes. The AWD system’s torque marshaling efforts are more noticeable when the go pedal has been flattened, but that was the only time we noticed it working. While the four-speed automatic transmission doesn’t scream for extra ratios, they would be welcome. But the auto is tuned well in this application - staying out of the way and not enraging the driver. The Impreza’s hardware just does its thing and the car obediently goes where you point it at as high a rate of speed as you’d like. The helmsman gets a chunky leather-wrapped steering wheel with which to do business that offers a pleasing tactile sensation. Tilt and telescope adjustments makes it easier to fit the driving environment to your physiology, too, and the rest of the ergonomics are satisfyingly simple. Simplicity doesn’t mean basic; there’s automatic climate control, a panoramic moonroof, power windows, a six-disc stereo with aux jack, heated seats and steering wheel controls.

While there’s little to want for equipment-wise, the interior materials could be better. The dashboard has a delightful silver swoop reminiscent of the stylish Tribeca’s interior, and the innards present well if you ignore the door panels. Scuff-prone and shiny, they feel cheap, which is unbecoming for a vehicle that’s otherwise well turned out and comprehensively equipped. The seats, too, feel a bit low-rent on the keister. We’d have liked a few cents more padding and bolstering, especially since the starting price for the Impreza 2.5GT is just shy of $27,000. Other makes are capable of putting nicer interiors in cars costing less, but we can imagine that the Impreza’s powertrain is more expensive, so a bargain must be struck.

Putting performance aside, underneath it all, it’s still an Impreza. Our five-door tester proved eminently useful, with plenty of front seat space and superb hatchback functionality. Throw four snow tires on this puppy when the white stuff flies, and you’ve got a vehicular billy goat. It’s quieter than we expected, and the power is “just right”. The Impreza WRX has traded its bug-eyed visage and frenetic demeanor for lines that are more reminiscent of an Alfa Romeo and a manner that’s calmer and more grown up. Subaru is wise to broaden the appeal of the turboed Impreza, and there’s still the more hardcore WRX and STI for the young demographic that’s been typically associated with these capable cut-rate M3s. It may seem anti-enthusiast to say that we could live every day with a version of a car that’s deliberately down on power and carrying an automatic (a four-speed at that), but the 2.5GT packs more performance than you could ever fully exploit during a daily commute. That makes for a car that’s civilized but never caught off guard on the street and can mix it up at weekend track events. Add in the practicality of the five-door, and we’re happy to see Subaru usher the Impreza into young adulthood.

The best Ferrari is the next Ferrari. Whether you consider that to be a statement of fact or an opinion largely depends on how you define the term. It’s an opinion like a Supreme Court justice’s ruling is called an “opinion”. Or better yet, like billions worldwide would view the Bible as God’s “opinion”. Coming from the mouth of the legendary Enzo Ferrari himself – famously expressed in response to a journalist’s query – for the congregations of the faithful around the world, it’s the gospel truth.

The Commendatore’s statement was – as it remains to this day – backed up by a spirit of progress, by the constant pursuit of technical perfection that continues to drive his company into the 21st century and which makes each new Ferrari better than the last. Follow Enzo’s declaration to its natural end and you’ll conclude that the best Ferrari must be the new California, unveiled earlier this month at the Paris Motor Show, brimming with the latest in performance automotive technology and ready to hit the market next summer. But some 20 years after his passing, would Enzo Ferrari’s truism still hold true? That’s exactly the answer we sought as we boarded a flight for Italy to drive the new California along the twisting mountain passes, scenic coastal roads and wide open autostradas of Sicily. Follow the jump to read what we discovered.
From a technical perspective, the California certainly lives up to Enzo’s idiom. The product of ceaseless development, racing dominance and collaboration with its technical partners, the California comes standard with all the bells, whistles and bar-room bragging rights you can shake an aluminum-alloy stick at. The brakes, developed with Brembo, are carbon-ceramic. The 460-horsepower 4.3-liter V8, based on the same engine architecture that motivates such lust-worthy machines as the Alfa 8C Competizione, Maserati GranTurismo and Ferrari’s own 430 Scuderia, incorporates direct injection for optimal fuel delivery. The lightning-quick transmission, specially developed by Getrag, features seven speeds and twin clutches. The ingenious roof mechanism is the fastest and lightest in the industry. We could go on and on, but like many of the finer things in life, the whole of a Ferrari is more than the sum of its parts.

The styling of contemporary Ferraris is a divisive issue, some remaining enamored with Pininfarina’s pen, others deriding an incongruity to their design. Critics point to rival Lamborghini’s more aggressive styling, Aston Martin’s more classical design, and Porsche’s cleaner and simpler lines. But telling a Gallardo apart from a Murcielago, a Vantage from a DBS or a Cayman from a 911 remains a relative challenge even for the trained eye, while each Ferrari looks completely different from one another, yet still remaining unmistakably and instantly identifiable as a Ferrari. And that’s no mean feat.

The California, for its part, is not immune to the controversy. Initial public reaction focused primarily on the rear end, which had to rise to the challenge of accommodating the complex folding roof mechanism while retaining a usable trunk. But like its stable-mates, the California’s is a design that grows on you. Although to many, Ferrari remains inextricable from its iconic red livery, the subtlety of the California’s lines comes into its own better in darker hues, a trait it shares with other gran turismo Ferraris of late, including the previous 456 GT and the current 612 Scaglietti. That may be more than mere coincidence considering the ethos behind the California.

Understanding the California’s position requires proper historical perspective. While its racing cars were racking up trophies and championships in the early years on circuits across Europe and around the world, Ferrari earned its reputation on the road with the iconic 250 series of the 1950’s and 60’s – including the eponymous 250 GT California – that remain the epitome of the classic GT. But even after the later Daytona gave way to the mid-engined supercars of the 80’s, Ferrari never lost touch with its stoic GT heritage. The California, for all the cutting-edge technology, is the latest embodiment of that legacy, not as a superfluous sibling to the F430 but as a more compact alternative to the elongated Scaglietti.

Any lingering questions over the vehicle’s purpose or styling instantly slip away as soon as you slide into the cabin, thanks in part to the thousand hours Ferrari’s aerodynamicists spent honing the California’s shape in the wind tunnel. Coddled in the most exquisitely-crafted hand-stitched leather, you’re instantly met with a sense of occasion. A grand tourer it may be – in juxtaposition to the track-focused 430 Scuderia – but it’s clear from the start where the California’s cockpit places its emphasis. The seats are aggressively bolstered. The tachometer dominates the instrument binnacle, framed by over-sized shift paddles. The steering wheel, though fully adjustable, sits right in your chest for optimal control, its prancing horse dominating the hub flanked by the manettino chassis control switch and bright red starter button.

The engine comes alive with the sweetest rasp that only grows more vivacious under way. Feathering the throttle hints at how much power lies under the command of your right foot, and summoning up even just half demonstrates vividly and instantly that the California has earned its Prancing Horse as much as any that have come before. Throttle response is instant and speed builds urgently with the next corner coming up fast as you thank the boys from Maranello for including state-of-the-art carbon-ceramic brakes as standard equipment.

Brake feel is as tactile as its grip is astounding. Speed scrubs off as fast as it built up and you turn in to discover the steering as precise, communicative and direct as the splendid brakes. It’s a sensation with which the driver becomes intimately familiar as the miles pass by like mere meters. The chassis is poised and smooth, but make no mistake about it: the California is eager to demonstrate its pedigree. Even with the manettino set to “comfort”, the tail is all too happy to step out, leaving any skeptics flattened by an arc of burnt rubber. “Sport” mode lets it play even more, but on unfamiliar public roads, we were happy to leave the “CST off” setting to Ferrari’s legendary test drivers Dario Benuzzi and Luca Badoer who joined our team for the drive.

After showing its more playful side, the California is happy to oblige more relaxed cruising, dismissing highway miles with authority. Our minds soon wandered to epic cross-continental journeys, leaving us with little doubt that the California would be a rewarding choice for such an adventure. With the roof up, the California slips through the air like a hot knife through warm butter, only the roaring engine note and a faint whisper of the rushing wind permeating the cabin. With the roof down, the experience becomes more visceral, but not so disruptive as to prevent civilized conversation even at highway speeds.

Ferrari calls the California a 2+. That’s not a typo, and while the California is homologated as a four-seater, the rear seats are severely short on leg room – like those found in the Aston DB9 Volante, Porsche 911 Cabrio or Lexus SC430 – leaving them usable only by small children or for a spin around the block with friends. They’re more useful for extra baggage and can fold flat to allow pass-through from the generous trunk, which together with the trick folding hard-top makes the California the most versatile Ferrari in the company’s range, if not in its history.

A removable wind deflector screen can be snapped into place over the rear seats to reduce wind buffeting, but its removal did little to impede our discourse over the pleasure of the experience. When we stepped out of the car we found the prevailing currents, which hadn’t so much as budged the cap from atop this writer’s head, had comically turned up the collar on our polo shirt like some divine welcome to the world of Italian open-air motoring.

Reluctantly walking away from the car also gave us perspective to answer the essential question: Was Enzo right? Is the next Ferrari really the best Ferrari? After spending a day behind the wheel of the latest to roll out the factory gates at Maranello, we’re left with little doubt. But even that would be erased if one day behind the wheel turned into every day. Of course that’s just one writer’s opinion… but opinion can count for a lot.

Over the past decade, virtually every automaker in the world has first introduced an SUV (or two) and more recently a crossover utility vehicle (or two) in an attempt to address every possible market niche. Volkswagen is no exception, although the German brand was a relative latecomer to the party. Its first attempt, the mid-sized but decidedly heavy-weight Touareg was the first entry, and earlier this year VW added a second smaller CUV called the Tiguan. Unlike the Touareg, which was built on an all-new platform shared and co-developed with Porsche, the Tiguan is more closely related to VW’s mainstream car models.

When the Tiguan was introduced in Europe at last years Frankfurt Motor Show, VW made a big deal of the fact that it was the only CUV in the world powered exclusively by “charged” engines. Technically this is not true, as the Acura RDX currently has only one powertrain available, a 2.3L turbocharged four-cylinder. Nonetheless, all five of the engines available in the European Tiguan have either turbocharging or both a turbo and supercharging. While Europeans get a choice of four-cylinder engines running on gas or diesel, buyers here in the U.S. are stuck with only the most powerful gas engine, a 200-hp turbocharged and direct-injected unit. Find out what it’s like to live with VW’s new compact soft-roader after the jump.

The Tiguan is a fairly conventional-looking compact crossover. It doesn’t have any glaring design flaws that will make you recoil in horror, nor does it have anything all that compelling that will cause you to continue staring. The sides, however, have enough contouring to catch the light and prevent it from looking slab sided. The Tiguan’s face, meanwhile, is a clean interpretation of the current VW family appearance and doesn’t suffer for lacking the huge swath of chrome below the grille that the Jetta and Passat have.

Perhaps the only real complaint about the Tiguan’s appearance is its nose profile. From certain angles the front overhang appears a bit long and ungainly. In comparison to the nearly identically sized Ford Escape, both axles have been shifted rearward under the body. This is likely a result of designing for both lower aerodynamic drag and meeting European pedestrian protection regulations. Since the Escape is not offered in Europe, it doesn’t have to meet those requirements and has a more blunt nose. In plan view, the the Tiguan’s front corners also have a prominent rear sweep.

On the inside, all the major dimensions are again largely the same as the Escape, but the similarity ends there. Where the Escape’s interior motif is in keeping with its big brothers on the truck side of the family, the Tiguan is pure contemporary VW. That means even this entry level Tiguan S has materials that look to be of a higher grade than its price suggests and the layout is generally very good. The audio and climate controls are placed up high in the center where they are readily visible and accessible, and the seats are firm, supportive and comfortable in typical German fashion.

One area where the Tiguan has a big advantage over the Ford is the back seat. The rear seat of the VW has the ability to slide fore-aft and the seat back angle has some adjustability, as well. This allows the rear seat to be used while providing some extra cargo volume in the back. The rear seats can, of course, fold forward 60/40 and the front passenger seat can do the same for extra long cargo.

There are a couple of minor ergonomic issues in the Tiguan. The door arm-rests sweep right up to the window line and the window switches are mounted right up near the top. The more annoying thing to us was the angle of the steering wheel. The wheel is adjustable for both reach and height, but no matter where you put it seems tilted a bit too far from vertical and just never quite feels right. It’s certainly nothing like driving an old micro-bus, but does take some getting used to compared to most modern vehicles.

The Tiguan does have an interesting new feature called Auto Hold. When the button behind the parking brake switch is pressed to engage Auto Hold, the system will keep the brakes applied when the vehicle comes to a stop. As the vehicle slows to a stop, the brake pressure is retained so that the brake pedal can be released and the vehicle won’t move. As soon as the gas is pressed the brakes are automatically released. This is really more useful on models equipped with a manual transmission rather than an automatic, but it does have utility when stopped on a hill.

Under the hood, all U.S.-bound Tiguans get VW’s latest 2.0L TSI four-cylinder with 200 hp and a very respectable 206 lb-ft of torque at just 1,700 rpm. The base S model can be had with a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission, though all other models are automatic only. Our base S model had the Tiptronic automatic. Tapping the shifter to the right from the D position allows for the usual up and down tap shifting, and you can push it backwards from D to engage Sport mode.

The engine always feels like it has plenty of power, but the responses just feel a bit lethargic in Drive. Stabbing the throttle to accelerate down an on-ramp or pass someone on a two lane road elicits leisurely down shifts. This is actually a pretty common phenomenon of late with automatic transmission cars. We’ve never been a fan of Tiptronic manu-matic type gearboxes because they typically aren’t all that responsive. However, one side benefit of such electronically controlled transmissions is the ability to use multiple calibration sets.

Pulling the shift lever back into Sport mode transforms the Tiguan’s behavior entirely. All of a sudden shifts are quick and precise, accelerating causes it to hold gears to near red-line and downshifts are readily available. What doesn’t change is the steering or suspension. Compared to the Escape, the Tiguan is definitely a soft-roader with emphasis on the soft. Body-roll, pitch and squat are all more pronounced than its competitors like the Escape or Saturn Vue. The damping is reasonable so the CUV doesn’t rock back and forth, but the spring rates do allow the body to move quite a bit before settling down. The plus side is a fairly plush ride. We haven’t tried the higher trim levels to see if they are tighter, but the Escape certainly feels more spritely on the road compared to this Tiguan S.

The only option on our Tiguan S besides its automatic transmission were $350 rear airbags that brought the bottom line up to $25,340 including a destination charge. That make it about $3,000 more than a similarly equipped four-cylinder Escape. The Escape has a little less power (171 hp vs 200) but feels similarly brisk in performance. Also, the Escape’s ride and handling has a more sporting feel at least compared to the base Tiguan. The interior design and materials are certainly a big plus on the German and also compare very favorably to the similarly priced, slightly larger and significantly heavier Saturn Vue. At 18/24 mpg from the EPA, the Tiguan also splits the difference between the Escape’s 20/28 and the Vue’s 16/23 mpg. If the softer nature and German price premium of the Tiguan are not issues for you, it’s definitely worth a look in this segment.

[Source: Chrysler LLC]