Sporty Cars

Posts Tagged ‘bit’

An in-depth look at a 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport HSE with Chris Moran. Presented by D&M Motorsports. www.dmautosales.com The Land Rover Range Rover Sport is a premium SUV that represents a shift in focus for this SUV-oriented luxury brand. While traditional Land Rover models have combined unbeatable off-road performance with the amenities of a luxury sedan, the Range Rover Sport represents Land Rover’s first entry into the burgeoning high-performance SUV arena. It is designed to offer sporty road manners and traditional Land Rover luxury without completely sacrificing the go-anywhere abilities of other Land Rover models. Despite its name, the Range Rover Sport is actually a modified and shortened version of the old Land Rover LR3. As such, the Sport is the smallest and most nimble SUV in the company’s lineup. Overall, it is an enjoyable and luxurious vehicle to drive as well as look at. Shoppers seriously interested in getting maximum on-road performance out of an SUV would probably be better served by a few of this Land Rover’s competitors, however, as they are able to deliver better acceleration and handling. Handling performance is a definite step up from other Land Rover models. The Range Rover Sport is the first Land Rover to offer the company’s Dynamic Response suspension system, which is standard on the Supercharged model and optional on the HSE. Land Rover says that this computer-controlled system senses cornering forces and automatically adjusts the …

Test drive and walkaround of a PRISTINE 2008 Mercedes-Benz ML550 Sport with Chris from Chicago Cars Direct. Outside the change isnt so evident; the new M looks a lot like the old, re-rendered in hi-def. The corners and bodyside lines are a little more creased; the trim and sparse chrome bits a little more defined. The saw-tooth grille insert is reminiscent of machined industrial equipment. Jeweled taillamps and HID headlights complete the high-tech theme. One thing hasnt changed, thoughthat oversized, tri-pointed star on the grille is still suitable for Flava-Flavs accessory drawer. Under the skin, the M has grown up, too. Engine choices are mostly new or updated, from the bread-and-butter V6 ML350 to the tested ML500, with prices increasing concurrent to horsepower. Weve driven the 268-horse ML350 model (at around 000 to start), and found it to be smooth if not exactly powerful. Zero-to-sixty acceleration is claimed to be an utterly adequate 8.4 seconds. In other words, its entirely sufficient for the soccer mom stereotype that we often see behind the wheel of these machines. And then theres that V8. The heart of the 500 ML500, weve enjoyed this same motor in a number of Benzesand even in this second-heaviest of applications (the new R-Class non-minivan is just a smidge stouter), its a beaut. With 339 lb.-ft. of torque, theres no shortage of off-the-line gruntand the 302 horsepower rating means the M pulls to way beyond our own limits on public roads (self-imposed …