First Drive: 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302

The Trans-Am series of the late 1960s and early 1970s could be considered the golden era of American motorsports. Not only did it showcase the most desirable American cars of the time, but it featured some of the world's greatest racing drivers engaging in this country's own brand of fender-banging racing.

It's why Ford is so proud of the Boss 302, winner of the 1970 Trans-Am season with legendary driver Parnelli Jones behind the wheel, and why the street car has become a legend. But ask Jim Farley, Ford's head honcho of marketing, about the 2012 Mustang Boss 302, and he'll tell you that it's not just about building a remake of the original. "This is not a nostalgia project," he told us. "This is not in any way trying to bring back the Boss. This project is so much more than that. If we wanted to do that we could take a 5.0-liter, put some stripes and spoilers and other upgrades on it and that would be it. It was not a means to an end. The Boss 302 was originally a means to an end. It was a production car to go racing. This is a completely different project. We were not going to do this project unless we could beat an M3 at this track." This track being the famed Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

With Bavaria's best sportscar in it sights, did Ford achieve its goal of building a modern day legend, or is the 2012 Boss 302 simply another one of the infinite variations of the Ford Mustang? Ford invited us out to Monterey for a full day with the car, including some track time at Laguna Seca, and we have the answer.

First Drive: 2012 Fisker Karma

Business partner Henrik Fisker and Bernhard Koehler are clearly nervous. While it every ounce of their focus on this important launch of their first baby, the 2012 Fisker Karma will devote their attention steadily away from her large of conference calls are moved over the money and logistics for the launch of the all Fisker Automotive Franchise. Are they really and truly the answer to a $ 95,900 - $ 108,900 question with this bold attempt to ask enough people? It is clear that they do just that we in love with her lux'd to plug-in electric car with extended-range fall sedan.
We have been in handling the infield circuit at California Speedway in Fontana to go by helicopter to an active in one of the first completed Fisker Automotive review prototypes of karma, by Valmet Automotive in Uusikaupunki, Finland made. We are already assuming that the build quality and finish of all the wonderful parts is good as Valmet has learned a lot about these things, while cars built to strict standards for Porsche in Stuttgart. We already know that the car is in fact pretty inside and outside, though particularly for some out there, because Fisker has designed lovely lady lumps forgotten as the Aston Martin DB9 and V8 Vantage not to mention the BMW Z8 roadster. Fisker Coach Build started back in 2005 when it had both Henrik and Chief Operating Officer Bernhard Koehler enough cycles of slow project in Orange County had Ford Advanced Design Studio. But she liked the area throughout the year remained about the weather and the surrounding plushness, so put it in the OC.

First Drive: 2012 Audi A6

Audi is on a roll. Need proof? Those who do not openly or secretly lust after an R8 Spyder? Would any of us a little kick with an RS badge in our garage? Did not think so. Audi sales are growing due to their products. The German car manufacturer recently broke the 100,000 unit sales mark in the States, with calendar year 2010 sales by 23 percent compared to 2009. The all-new 2012 Audi A6 - due in U.S. showrooms in September - to continue the aggressive expansion of the manufacturers to plan product and portfolio revival. Now we want to know if there good enough to even more buyers into the Audi A6 family.The debut at the Detroit auto show was to see everything and to bring no play. So for the latter, we traveled to Sicily, where we are on the A6 saw new lines in the daylight and it became even clearer that the Audi designers in Ingolstadt, the sedan styling brought in-line with the automaker developing corporate design language.
The shape and the details are similar to the new A8 - a large sedan, we abundantly. First, an A6 and A8 seen together in Detroit reinforced how similar the two are with their overall size and wheels are the fastest of differentiation. Technically, the new exterior is the revised A6 slippery aerodynamic face. The CD is a commendable low 0.26. Compared to the previous A6, the 2012 edition is slightly shorter and lower in length and height, but width by 0.7 inches. The most significant change is the wheelbase three-dimensional, almost three inches thanks to a revised front differential and axle. The extra space between the axles directly benefit roominess.Significant interior changes in the hybrid steel and aluminum unibody allow weighing less than 3,500 pounds of 2012, a comparatively small number for a 16 + foot mid-range luxury sedan. Although the new car is slightly larger and has more features than the previous-generation A6, the weight is down by modest amounts in most model-to-model comparisons. Aluminum is more than 20 percent of the body, while lighter hot-shaped steel, a high strength to weight ratio, are in the areas of the passenger compartment in front of the vehicle used to increase the safety of passengers.

First Drive: 2012 Nissan GT-R

Invincible. According to Webster's, the word "conquered not able to overcome or subdued." The adjective is often used to think something so that it is almost impossible to describe's overthrow. Want to know what feels invincible? Strap yourself into the driver's seat of the 2012 Nissan GT-R, and press the start button.
Only three years after the successful launch of its flagship performance car on our shores, the engineers at Nissan have introduced subtle but completely redesigned super sports cars. The engine has more power, the suspension was revised, the wheels are lighter, the seats were redesigned, the brakes are bigger, the chassis is stiffer and the aerodynamics have been reconfigured to provide better cooling and more downforce. This is not a manufacturer token "middle renew the cycle" to increase sales, these are changes which the entire handling and performance of the GT-R so much to improve that to most are inclined to take it for nothing less than a second generation of rebirth.
For starters, how does 0-60 in 2.88 seconds sound? This story actually began three years ago in April of this year. That was when we first drove the then all-new 2009 Nissan GT-R, the spiritual descendant of a long line of epic Nissan Skyline sports car.

First Drive: 2012 McLaren MP4-12C

Let's see now. You have your Italia Ferrari 458, Porsche 911 GT2 RS, 911 Turbo S and Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera was 570-4. After all, if we are the right course is the most important sports car inauguration in quite some time - the 2012 McLaren MP4-12 - we should go in this first privileged, at least keep our mind on Sub-12-cylinder mid-engine and rear wheel drive motor road beasts. For now, that is. So if someone brings the 2012 Nissan GT-R and Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR, that we will grab your back with a wet towel to the gym. I warned you.
Before getting into the Recaro seats support-o-rama of the MP4-12, one of the Queen's lords of the empire was already announced, "ready to go to the best handling sports car in history." What do you say to Sir Ron Dennis, McLaren chief of the newly formed Automotive Company (aka the MAC daddy) when he puts pressure on like that? It's like Bill Gates and ask us looks delighted: "So, not only the love that Windows 7" What happens if you do not?
But as luck would have it, the 2012 McLaren MP4-12 is probably the best handling supercar street and Weekend car in history. Yes, it certainly still has some "splainin", but be patient with us. We are just glad that no royal beheadings are now required, as is Sir Ron is not known for his compassionate treatment of dissidents. One thing that does is to explain the need, the more unconventional gallery of photos that we have lined up. First, the three cars we drive over to manufacture in southern Portugal were no cars and they were not even contemplated pre-production units were delivered. North American deliveries start at the beginning of September 2011 in the UK and western Europe starting in mid May.