Fuel Infection
Automotive Reviews
2011 Scion tC
0439 days
When the Scion tC debuted in 2004, it was a bit of a departure even for Scion, a brand whose modus operandi is edgy and unexpected. Unlike the cheerfully angular xA and boxy xB, the tC was a brooding sports coupe with muscle-car lines. All-new for 2011, the tC’s gotten just a bit more hard-core. This is a car that lives in dark, neon-lit places, traversing perpetually wet concrete as the lights of the city wash over its bodywork and reflect from the glass roof.
It’s the environment that’s to blame, really. In 2004, the tC’s competitors were the Hyundai Tiburon and Toyota Celica GT, both of which cost more and had less power. Now, though the compact coupe market is still generally a small one, cars like the Kia Forte Koup, Honda Civic coupe, Nissan Altima coupe and the upcoming Hyundai Veloster are prepared to shoulder the tC aside. Scion’s ready for the fight, though; the redesigned tC follows the same general theme as before, but it’s got more aggressive looks and a new engine. (more…)
2011 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
0444 days
The Land Rover Range Rover Sport hulks quietly at the curb, looking like a bouncer next to the svelte performance cars parked near it. Land Rover’s hot-rod SUV doesn’t seem to have any idea what’s in store for it, but it looks like it’s confident it can take it.
Land Rovers are nothing if not confident, after all. The brand made its mark by becoming the motor vehicle of choice in places where there were no roads. In recent years, the luxury quotient has gone up dramatically, but Land Rovers have remained capable, unstoppable vehicles underneath the leather and satellite radio. The brand broke tradition slightly in 2005, when the Range Rover Sport debuted with a focus on on-road performance. The ante was upped for 2010, with new engines and improved chassis tuning. Has it succeeded? I’m about to find out, because Land Rover has agreed to let me take the Range Rover Sport for some hot laps around a real race track. (more…)
2011 Ford Edge
0449 days
Somewhere at the intersection of family sedans, SUVs and the good old woody wagon, there’s the Ford Edge. Ford’s crossover utility vehicle didn’t completely change the game when it arrived in 2006, but it went a long way toward defining the segment. The Edge is the result of a generation of family cars asked to perform a wide and often unpredictable variety of tasks. It’s almost impossible to take this vehicle by surprise; the Edge is ready for anything the suburbs can throw at it and more.
For 2011 Ford’s crossover receives a freshening, gaining a less anonymous face, new high-tech engines and an exciting new information system that’s borrowed directly from Ford’s concept cars. The crossover market has gotten more crowded in the past twelve months, but the updated Edge still stands out. (more…)