Mini Cooper S Clubman Performance
The front-wheel-drive 2008 Mini Cooper S Clubman is propelled by a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that generates 172 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. Flooring the throttle activates a brief "overboost" function good for 192 lb-ft. Our test car was equipped with the optional six-speed automatic transmission. We recorded a 0-60-mph sprint of 7.2 seconds — expect manual-shift cars to shave a few tenths off that time. The regular Cooper S is quicker, but not by much.
Mazda MAZDA3 Performance
On the skid pad, the Mazda3 managed an impressive 0.86g. Steering feel was very sporty, and it was easy for our driver to place the car and maintain its arc. The 3 was a superstar on the slalom, cresting a stellar-for-its-class 65 mph and offering the sort of responsiveness, agility and performance that places it head and shoulders above the norm in the economy sedan category. The car's superlative grip and balance make it fun to run through the cones. The 3 nabbed a "Very Good" rating from our evaluators in the area of skid pad and slalom testing.
Shamansky David Blog Volkswagen Tiguan
Maybe you've seen billboards or print ads hawking the wares of H&M, a European-based department store that opened its doors in the United States a few years ago. The glossy ad campaign does a great job of conveying the retailer's formula for success: clothes with a European feel, at prices that are more Kmart than Bloomingdale's. Volkswagen, of course, has long used a similar formula, offering vehicles with Germanic personalities at prices that navigate the distance between economy and entry-level luxury. The latest example of this strategy is the company's first compact crossover SUV, the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan.
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