Quiz: How Much HP will the 2009 VW Golf GTI’s 2.0 TFSI Make?

As soon as Volkswagen released official pictures and details on the new Golf VI that’ll debut at the Paris Show in October, it was just a matter of time when car sites of all sorts would turn their attention to the forthcoming GTI. And while it is evident that the sixth generation Golf GTI will be equipped with the VW Group’s 2.0 TFSI engine, the million dollar question is how much horsepower it will have. We’ve read everything from 200 to 207 and from 211 to 245 HP.

If you want our opinion, we really doubt that VW has revealed to anyone specific details on the GTI VI’s output. Plus, we’re talking about the VW Group – a company that changes the output of its turbocharged engines more often than a chameleon in plaid factory…

Design Poll: Fiat 500 vs Ford KA

Our first thought when we saw the 2009 KA was what an excellent job Ford did to disguise the minicar's Fiat 500 origins. Even though Ford’s designers were limited by the architecture of the car, the KA bears no resemblance to its Italian sibling. But different doesn’t necessarily mean better - or does it? What we want to know is if you prefer the Fiat 500’s retro looks or the Ford KA’s modern “Kinetic” design. Yep, it’s a tough question but someone had to ask it. Enlighten us with your answers in the comment section. (Image: CarScoop)

What’s Your Favorite Production Rally Car?

A lucky friend in Germany just bought a used Toyota Celica GT-Four Carlos Sainz and it made us wonder what production rally car we’d like to see in our dream garage. Since we wanted to keep it realistic, we sorted out any specialty cars like the Lancia Stratos HF and narrowed it down to two vehicles: the Lancia Delta HF Integrale (given that only a handful of Club Italias were produced, we’d take the Evoluzione II Martini 5/6) and the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO (preferably the IX or the Tommy Makinen VI).

Now that you know what we’d like to see parked in our garage, tell us what your all-time favorite production rally car is by leaving us a comment here. You might also like to refresh your memory by checking out our rally-car image gallery after the jump. -Continued

What’s Your Favorite “Ugly” Car?

There’s ugly and there’s ugly; a Pontiac Aztec or a BMW 7-Series E65 are just plain hideous whichever way you see it while a 1990’s Alfa Romeo SZ or its roadster sibling, the RZ, are ugly in an alluring kind of way that’s hard to be explained in words. The best description that we’ve ever heard about the Zagato penned “beast” is from a 1990 issue of Car Magazine that stated, “Ugly as a sin and just as tempting.” Now that you know what our favorite “ugly” car is tell us what’s yours by leaving us a comment here. (More images after the jump).

Why the Corvette Z1’s Nurburgring Time Shouldn't be Compared with the Nissan GT-R

We’ll give GM plenty of kudos for creating a sports car that officially lapped the famous Nurburgring in a mere 7 minutes and 26.4 seconds as it puts plenty of supercars costing double its price to shame, but ultimately, its somewhat unfair to compare the Corvette ZR1 with the Nissan GT-R. True, in our article on the ZR1’s Nurburgring time we mentioned that GM’s sports car beat the Nissan GT-R (7 minutes and 29.03 seconds), but we only did it to give you a comparable example of how good the Corvette is.

However, we must put things into perspective. The 640Hp Corvette ZR1 is priced from $103,300, the 480Hp Nissan GT-R from $69,850. That’s a huge price difference -$33,450 or nearly 50% more. Practically, the GT-R should be compared with the 505Hp Corvette Z06 that starts from $72,125. Although this is not an official time, various sites (including Motortrend) have stated that the Z06 lapped the Nurburgring in 7 minutes and 42 seconds or 13 seconds more than the GT-R. -Continued

But to be totally honest, a sportscar’s Nurburgring time would be the last thing that would matter if we were in the market to buy one. Well before that we’d take into consideration a variety of factors including the emotional impact that the car has on us, the way it communicates with us on the road -maybe even on the track, and of course, the price tag. (Pic: Carscoop)

GM to Merger with Ford? The Idea was actually thrown on the Table!

Some could see it as a “MegaMerger”, others as a “MegaDisaster”. Either way, BusinessWeek magazine learned from an unnamed source that at a few recent meetings, unammed General Motors executives shared their thoughts about the possibility of a merger with arch American rival, Ford Motor Company.

However, some narrow minded fellow execs (before you start commenting, we’re being sarcastic now…) dismissed the idea as they believed a merger with a company that has even worse problems than GM would be a huge distraction at a time when management needs to focus on a turnaround.

Commenting on the report, David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research said, "I don't think a merger is likely. But you'll see a lot of options considered if they think bigger problems will come by." -Continued

What do you think about the idea of a “MegaMerger” between Ford and GM? Would GMF (that stands for General Motors Ford and not for Genetically Modified Fords…) be something worth looking into or would it be the end of both automakers?

Via: BusinessWeek

U.S. vs Europe: Top 10 Selling Vehicles in 2008

We’ve gathered the sales figures from Europe and the U.S. during the first five months of the year (January through May 2008) and compiled a list with the top 10 best selling vehicles from each side of the Atlantic. Having lived on both continents, here are a few thoughts that came up to mind:

If you’re an American, you’ll probably be surprised with these facts: A) 9 out 10 cars are subcompact hatchbacks or as Europeans call them, B (Ford Fiesta) and C (VW Golf) Segment cars; B) The European top 10 list consists of vehicles exclusively from domestic automakers; C) A premium mid-size sedan, aka the BMW 3-Series, has made it the top 10 list selling more examples in Europe than the popular Dodge Ram does in the States and D) GM’s and Ford’s European counterparts have 4 models in the top-10 list. -Continued

Respectively, Europeans would raise a few eyebrows because: A) Despite the surging fuel prices, 3 out 10 vehicles belong to the large pick up segment, including the number 1 model in the U.S., the Ford F-Series; B) Half of the top 10 best selling vehicles come from Japanese automakers; C) From the 5 “all-American” vehicles in the top 10 list, the only car that has a future if fuel prices continue to surge is the Ford Focus which is actually based on the previous generation Euro model and D) Not one European carmaker has managed to penetrate the top-10 U.S. market

Check out the complete top-10 list from both markets and drop us a line with your thoughts in the comment section below. (Pic: Carscoop)

	U.S.	Jan-May '08	Europe	Jan-May '08
1	Ford F-Series	235,924	VW Golf	208,800
2	Toyota Camry	198,309	Peugeot 207	204,379
3	Chevy Silverado	197,030	Ford Focus	176,698
4	Honda Accord	166,158	Opel Corsa	174,667
5	Honda Civic	164,994	Renault Clio	162,816
6	Toyota Corolla	152,308	Opel Astra	161,166
7	Nissan Altima	133,465	Ford Fiesta	151,050
8	Chevy Impala	122,281	Fiat Punto	151,050
9	Dodge Ram	112,795	VW Polo	125,427
10	Ford Focus	105,499	BMW 3-Series	114,203

How Many Gallons / Litres of Petrol can you buy with a Month’s Paycheck?

Rising gas prices have been in the centre of talk here in the U.S. the past few months and not without a reason. However, despite the daily headlines, even at $4 a gallon, we have to admit that compared to most countries in the world, gas remains cheap here in the U.S. In Europe for example, prices are between $6 and $10 a gallon –see details here.

In fact, out of 155 countries surveyed in a recent study from AIRINC, a research firm that tracks cost of living data, U.S. gas prices were the 45th cheapest or the 108th more expensive if you prefer. But that’s just one side of the story as these studies do not take in account salaries or exchange rates for that matter. What we’d like you to tell us is how many gallons or liters of unleaded petrol / diesel you can buy with a month’s paycheck. And to help you out, 1 US gallon equals 3.7854 liters. Leave your answer in the comment section below.

$10,000 Used SportsCar: Help Us Choose!

Time’s up for this old lad to get a new ride but while it would have been great to be able to buy a brand new set of wheels, this month’s (and the previous…) bank statement has set a limit on the budget: under $10,000. In most parts of the world, that wouldn’t buy you much of car but luckily here in the States, there are plenty of sub-$10k sportscars to choose from.

A couple of days ago we started our sportscar-hunt in the greater Boston area searching simultaneously on eBay, Craigslist and Autotrader. Up until now, we’ve found a few presentable BMW E36 M3s, one or two 1990’s Corvettes and, the one we liked the most, a mid 1990s Nissan 300ZX –albeit overpriced at $11k especially for a non-turbo model.

We’re going to keep you updated as we continue our search, but we’d like to hear what sub-$10,000 sports car -or GT for that matter- would you propose we’d search for. Give us your answers in the comment section.

Q: Who Makes The Best Engine in the World Today?

In about 12 hours from now (May 7, 2008), the results of the tenth International Engine of the Year Awards will be announced at Engine Expo in Stuttgart, Germany. Being the “car-scoopers” that we are, we already know the winners but we’ll restrain ourselves from spilling the beans as the official announcement is planned for tomorrow afternoon.

Regardless of the official winner, we’d like to ask you which production engine is worth the first prize in your opinion. Is it for example, BMW’s 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged straight six or the M3’s 4.0L V8 or the Nissan GT-R’s twin-turbo 3.8L V6? Maybe you prefer GM’s new 6.2-litre V8 turbo that powers the Corvette ZR1 and Cadillac CTS-V or even Fiat’s punchy 1.4-litre Turbo engine. Perhaps you believe that the Prius’ hybrid synergy drive or Subaru’s new boxer diesel engine is the “one”. Have your say in the comment section below.

$70k Sportscar Poll: Nissan GT-R Takes… Pole Position

The Nissan GT-R was by far the most popular choice among Carscoop readers in our latest poll that asked a simple question: at $70k, which one of these four sportscars would you buy: the Nissan GT-R, the Corvette Z06, the BMW M3 or the Porsche 911?

From a total of 1,013 participants, the GT-R smothered the competition by gathering 438 votes or 43%. Second up, but with a significant difference from the GT-R, was the Porsche 911 Carrera with 220 votes or 22%, while the BMW M3, despite being the most economical proposition here at $56k, took the third place with 212 votes or 20%. In the last place we find the Corvette Z06 that gathered a mere 113 “ticks” or 13% of the total votes.

$70k: What Sportscar Would You buy?

In our latest poll, we’re trying to figure out what would you do if you were lucky enough to have about $70,000 (that’s approx €45,300 with the current exchange rates) lying around your bank account. The reason why we chose the specific sum is no other than the U.S. prices of Nissan’s highly anticipated 473Hp GT-R sportscar: $69,850 (€45,200) for the GT-R and $71,900 (€46,500) for the GT-R Premium model.

For about the same amount, U.S. buyers have the choice to include in their list the 505Hp Corvette Z06 ($72,125 or €46,650) and the entry-lever 325Hp, RWD Porsche 911 Carrera ($73,500 or €47,550). Though significantly cheaper, we also consider the $56,500 (€36,550) BMW M3 with its 414Hp V8 engine as a logic alternative – plus we’re pretty sure that BMW will find a way to get another $10k out of your wallet.

Have your say in the comment section and don’t forget to vote on the poll we added on the sidebar.

New Generation Compact SUVs: Who's the Fairest of Them All?

In less than two months time, the premium compact SUV segment welcomed no less than three new memebers: the Volvo XC60 that premiered in Geneva and the Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLK, both of whom made their world debut at this week’s 2008 Beijing Auto Show.

Since design is a major plus in this segment, what we want ask you is if, and which of the three compact SUVs impressed you the most in terms of styling. You can see pictures of the Volvo XC60 here, of the Audi Q5 here and of the Mercedes Benz GLK here. Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

Carscoop 3.0: What Do You Think About Our New Look?

We weren’t planning on fully redesigning our site but as we were searching for ways to optimize our template, one thing lead to another and two weekends latter, voila; the all-new Carscoop 3.0. Designed in-house (literally….) this is a brand new template that’s based on an XML and not HTML platform as the two previous facelifts.

Upon designing the new Carscoop, we set two basic goals: function and aesthetics. If we were to pick out the most prominent changes from each category we’d choose the new header with the Carscoop logo that was inspired from car badges (hence the glossy, chrome look) and the “previous” and “next” page function. The latter allowed us to reduce the number of posts on the first page since all you have to do to see our previous articles is to simply press the “next page” button.

We’re still working on some minor cosmetic details along with adding more goodies on the side bars, but for time being, we would really like to hear what you have to say about our redesign and most importantly, let us know any suggestions you may have to better improve Carscoop. Have your say in the comment section below.

$40k Buyers: Dodge Challenger SRT8 or BMW 335i Coupe?

A couple of weekends ago we asked you to tell us if you had about $20k+, what would you buy; a base Dodge Challenger SE V6 or a VW Golf GTi – see here. To be blunt, neither of those models have that something special. The Challenger that we all openly want is of course the top-end SRT8 with its 425 Hp 6.1-liter HEMI V8

However, at about $38k, it’s just a mere $2k cheaper from one of the best RWD 4seater-coupes in the market; the BMW 335i Coupe with its high-tech, twin-turbocharged six-cylinder unit. At a first glance, the bimmer’s 305 Hp straight-six seems no match for the HEMI’s 425 Hp.

And truth is, that according to the manufacturers’ official data, the SRT8 is manages to beat the 335i in the zero to 60 MPH sprint by nearly half a second (SRT8: 4.9 sec vs 335i: 5.3 sec). On the other hand, Motortrend managed to lower the 335i’s 0-60 time to just 5.1 sec while C&D did even better with just 4.9 sec (the SRT8 hasn’t been tested yet). So having said that, where would your $40k go: the retro-styled V8 American muscle car or the sleek, high-tech German GT? Have your say at the comment section.

What’s The Most You’ve Ever Paid For a Car Service?

Our question of the day is rather simple but also quiet interesting; we’d like to know what’s the highest sum you ever paid for a planned service on your car. For example, I still remember with ache the equivalent of 700 USD that I paid in Europe to service my E30 bimmer back in the 90’s… Give us your worst "service-nightmare" in the comment section below.

Pontiac G8 Sport Truck: What Would You Name It?

Whilst Pontiac introduced its all-new, Holden Ute based vehicle to the public at the New York Auto Show as the G8 Sport Truck (details here), that will not be the car's name when it enters the North American market in late 2009. As many of our readers are already aware, Pontiac has launched an online competition where consumers can propose a name for the G8 Sport Truck. According to GM, the winning entry will be announced on April 30.

Even though we warmly support our "amigos" over at Jalopnik who have launched a campaign supporting the name "El Camino", we'd like to hear what you think is the most appropriate name for the G8 Sport Truck. Mind you, since we deeply appreciate people with a good sense of humor, your naming propositions don't have to be serious... (Pic: Carscoop)

Top 5 Station Wagons we’d Love to Own & Drive

While I figure that I still have a few years in front of me until I settle in, open up a house, get two or three dogs, make a couple of kids and if all goes well, get married too (…), I’ve spotted a few station wagon models out there that I wouldn’t mind at all owning right here, right now. First of all, it goes without saying that just because you want a practical station wagon model, it doesn’t mean that it has to look like your uncle Tom’s Buick Roadmaster…

With that said, I picked out the two most beautiful SWs in my opinion: the Audi A4 Avant and the Alfa Romeo 159 SportWagon. While both models are available with punchy V6 gasoline engines, I’d opt for a diesel version and in particular, the 240 Hp 3.0 TDI quattro for the A4 Avant and the 200HP 2.4 JTDM Q4 (AWD) for the utterly sexy Alfa 159 SW (in Ti spec).

If money isn’t an issue, then all roads point to the trio of German powerhouses: the 507 Hp V10-powered BMW M5 Touring; the 580 Hp twin-turbocharged V10 Audi RS6 and the 453 Hp 6.3-liter V8-powered Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Estate (it looks so much better than the E 63 AMG). Now, would you have a problem tying the knot if your future father in law promised you one of these supercars dressed in sheep’s skin? That is, unless you have reasons to beleive that the bride is in fact a wolf dressed in a sheep's clothing... (Pics edited by Carscoop)

New York Show Déjà vu: Remind You of Something?

The term déjà vu is French and it literally means, “Already seen”. As with most auto shows, we got that overwhelming sense of familiarity with some of the vehicles that made their debut at New York’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center too. Leaving aside the 2009 Acura TSX and the Pontiac G8 Sport Truck that are re-grilled versions of the 2009 Euro Honda Accord and Holden Ute respectively, we found several cars that reminded us of other vehicles in one way or another.

Just to set things straight, we’re not saying that these vehicles are the product of cloning, but they do share a number of common design elements with other cars. Sometimes, this is more obvious like for example the front-end of the Kia KOUP Concept with that of the Euro Honda Civic Type-R, other times, less apparent, like the overall shape of the Hyundai Genesis Coupe compared to that of the Infinit G37 Coupe. –Check out our comparisons right after the jump

Saleen Raptor vs Lamborghini Gallardo

Scion Hako Concept vs Rolls Royce 101EX (Coupe)

Kia KOUP Concept vs Acura RSX

Kia KOUP Concept vs European Honda Civic Type-R

2009 Acura TSX vs 2009 European Honda Accord

Pontiac G8 Sport Truck vs Holden Ute

Hyundai Genesis Coupe vs Infiniti G37 Coupe