Say what now? That’s right, Motor Trend pitted a 2011 Mustang GT against a 2011 M3. Before seeing the video, and the numbers, you might think that’s absurd. Surely a lowly Mustang can’t even come close to the M3 in performance. You sir, would be dead wrong. Check out one of the key stat comparisons:
1/4 mile times:
M3: 12.8 seconds
Mustang GT: 12.7 seconds
Spoiler: The Mustang is faster, has better brakes, and handles better. Not to mention it costs drastically less. Check out the video below for the full comparison.
According to Ward’s Auto , Nissan may be about ready to shut down Xterra production. Volume of the midsize body-on-frame SUV is down drastically since 2000. That year, Nissan moved over 88,000 Xterras. Through the end of July this year, they’ve sold just 12,000. That’s up quite a bit from last year, but last year was also the worst year in recent memory.
Why the case for alarm? A quote from Larry Dominique, VP of Advanced Product / Product Planning / Strategy is alarming.
With (new U.S. corporate average fuel economy rules) Xterra’s going to be a tough vehicle to keep around.
He’s right, of course. Traditional SUV sales are in the toilet, and manufacturers are moving to the unibody / CUV style vehicle across the board. With the stricter fuel efficiency requirements coming soon, the Xterra doesn’t make much sense.
Would-be Xterra buyers don’t have to leave Nissan, of course. There are plenty of offerings that may make sense, depending on the buyer’s needs. The Pathfinder is really a slightly larger version of the Xterra. Rogue and Murano are car-based CUV’s that could be a good fit. True hardcore off-road junkies will probably head over to the nearest Jeep dealer and pick up a Wrangler – still the best around for that job.
So, probably no more Xterra in the near future. Will you miss it?
Ford has updated the Edge for 2011, but is it enough? When you look at Ford’s lineup, one thing is strikingly clear – there are way too many midsize CUV type vehicles. In this single segment, Ford current has three entries. That’s not even counting Lincoln versions – this is just the Ford brand. Competing against [...]
Chevy has the 2012 Malibu out and about, undoubtable tweaking it for release next year. This won’t be an all out redesign – the Malibu is still very young. It is a refresh though, with some reworking of the sheetmetal. Beyond looks, Chevy is expected to finally dump the four speed auto, in favor of [...]
The ill-advised Kia Rondo will no longer be sold in the US market after the 2010 model year – at least it certainly appears that way. Kia officials say they’re still mulling it over, but according to Kia’s website: Thank you for inquiring about the Rondo. As the saying goes, ‘all good things must come [...]
If you’ve been dreaming of having an Infiniti G in your driveway, but couldn’t quite stomach the $33,250 starting price for the G37 sedan, good news is coming your way. Starting in September of this year, you’ll start seeing a new G at Infiniti dealers – the 2011 G25, priced from $30,950. Just like the [...]
Before you say “Zomg not ANOTHER special edition Mustang!?” wait. Did you see that this is a BOSS 302? A frickin Boss. And according to Mustang engineer Dave Pericak, We were either going to do it right or not do it at all – no one on the team was going to let Boss become [...]
When I say updated, I mean ever so slightly. Nissan didn’t go nuts on the Rogue, that’s for sure. It’s been selling well for them, so there was really no reason to go all out. Plus, the Rogue’s still a young model. So, what’s new? The front end gets a revised look. The bumper and [...]
