Ford offers glass roof Mustangs

Posted by Candace Lombardi

Here's some bright news to go with your daily dose of bad these days.

It may sound like sacrilege, but owners of new Ford Mustangs may actually have a chance to look cooler than Steve McQueen while driving.

The $1,995 factory-installed panoramic glass-roof option that Ford announced last December is now available on its 2009 V-6 and GT models, the company announced Wednesday.

From the photos, this really looks like more than just your typical moonroof.
Not only will the glass roof look cool, it might also help you stay cool. Ford claims that the specially tinted glass actually "reduces energy used by the vehicle's air conditioning system by 20 percent."

Originally posted at Planetary Gear

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Review: 2009 Jaguar XF

Posted by Wayne Cunningham

On first getting into the 2009 Jaguar XF, the car seems like the ultimate in automotive tech. A red backlight on the engine start button pulses with a heartbeat cadence. Push it, and panels over the air vents open up while the shift dial rises from the console. That's right, a shift dial. Recognizing that most automatic transmissions are electronically controlled, the XF does away with a big legacy shifter, opting for a big dial that you turn to the different drive modes. The touch-screen interface uses a nicely designed set of menus, reminiscent of the LCARS computer interface from Star Trek.

But there are a few signs that Jaguar isn't quite ready for this tech future. The touch-screen interface is slow, taking a few moments between the time you touch a button and the resultant action. The information architecture is also poor, with too many actions required to access the iPod integration screen, for example. It's too bad Jaguar isn't still a Ford property, as the XF could really benefit from Ford Sync. Driving tech is better, though, as the XF can be had with a blind spot warning system and adaptive cruise control, not to mention the excellent audio produced by the Bowers and Wilkins stereo system.

Read the review.

Originally posted at The Car Tech blog

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Nissan announces G37 convertible, sedan

Posted by Antuan Goodwin

Infiniti announced some new additions to its G lineup this Wednesday. The 2009 G37 Convertible will be based on the current G37 Coupe and will feature a three-piece automatic retracting hardtop. Infiniti also states that it will be upgrading the audio and HVAC systems to compensate for this new exposure to the elements, but did not supply details as to how.

Infiniti's 330 horsepower, 3.7 liter V6 would be also be transforming the G35 sedan into a meaner G37 sport sedan. Joining the G37 coupe and convertible, all models will receive as options Infiniti's new 7-speed automatic transmission, offering downshift rev-matching. The ATTESA E-TS all-wheel drive system will also be an option in G37x sedan and coupe trim.

Regardless of configuration all new Gs will get Infiniti's self healing paint as a standard feature. The Infiniti G37 convertible will debut at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show in November, while the sedan will be introduced mid-2009.

Originally posted at The Car Tech blog

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2009 VW Golf details, new tech revealed

2009 VW Golf details, new tech revealed
Posted by Antuan Goodwin

After having images of the 2009 Golf Mk VI leak to the Net ahead of the official Wednesday reveal, Volkswagen has gone ahead and released the details surrounding the new Golf, which will launch in Europe in October.

Among the details outlined in the press release are side mirrors that are aerodynamically designed to get less dirty and reduce wind noise; but we're not interested in side mirrors. We want the tech!

Firstly, VW has replaced its conventional automatic option with its dual-clutched DSG transmission in all but the most basic trim levels. The DSG will be either a 6- or 7-speed unit, depending on the engine with which it's paired. Altogether removing the conventional automatic from the better equipped Golf models is a bold move by VW, but I think it's a good one.

As expected, VW has lowered fuel consumption (by up to 28 percent) using a lineup of new turbocharged and/or supercharged diesel (DSI) and gasoline (TSI) engines. According to VW, in its thriftiest DSI/DSG trim, the new Golf will get up to 52 mpg. That puts the 2009 Golf into hybrid territory, but isn't surprising based on what we've seen in the Jetta TDI.

Volkswagen also announced new tech for the 2009 Golf in the form of safety features. Automatic distance control, adaptive chassis control, and park steering assist sound like options for a much higher-end vehicle than the entry-level Golf. In fact, they are features that trickled down to the Golf from the up-market Passat CC. Rounding out the safety tech features are a new stability control system, seven airbags (including a knee airbag) and special head restraint that snaps forward during an accident to prevent whiplash.

Originally posted at The Car Tech blog

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