Nissan has constantly been know for making practical and reliable cars that , though they might not constantly look it, are immensely fun to drive as well. Over the past few years, Nissan has launched some exciting cars such as the GT-R, 370Z and even the Leaf, but their focus hasn’t just been on extreme ends. Somewhere in the design works and factories at Nissan, some people were busy creating a sensible family saloon that would cater to individuals seeking virtually everything, and put it altogether in a scarcely believable price tag as well. Enter the 2011 Versa Sedan SV Convenience.

Exterior
The design of the 2011 Versa sedan is nothing unusual, it looks compact yet large, with it’s bulbous proportions all round. A pleasing front grille greets you, with the headlamps and the air dam working up a smile that you will constantly feel fresh. There are several, not very pronounced, lines and curves along the bonnet and the sides of the car that make a lot of difference to the overall appearance. A sloping roof line and somewhat considerable rear tell you virtually right away that space is not something this car is short on – for people as well as luggage. The sweeping tail lamps add a nice contact too.

Interior
Step into the Versa, and chances are you will step out again to make sure you’re without a doubt stepping into the same car. The usage of available space is impressive to say the least. You’re treated to a simple, yet elegant dashboard structure with Fine eyesight electroluminescent gauges giving you all the info you need with various lights all around. The trip computer displays everything from distance to empty, average and current MPG to service intervals. Cruise handle is normal and features steering wheel fitted handles. Add the $350 Convenience package, and you get a lot of usable add-ons like a premium audio system with 4 audio system and audio handles on the steering wheel, as well as speed-sensitive volume handle. You also get support for CDs with MP3 or WMA structure tracks, an iPod interface, an RDS enabled radio and Bluetooth connectivity, apart from some convenient add-ons like a vainness mirror in the front passenger visor and front map lights. The seats, although simple looking and upholstered in material, feel comfortable and upmarket and offer good support. Rear passengers get great leg room and a pair of cup holders too. The 2011 Versa Sedan SV Convenience takes care of all the right bits on the inside.

Safety
It all comes together in the Versa Sedan SV with Nissan’s normal Advanced Air Bag System featuring dual-stage front airbags with seat belt and occupant-classification sensors, front seat fitted side airbags and roof fitted curtain airbags for front and rear passengers. There are 3-point seat belts for all positions as well as a latch system for child seats. All four disc brakes with ABS and EBD along with hydraulic brake support are normal, as are the vehicle Dynamic handle, Traction handle and speed-sensitive energy steering system to ensure maximum balance in all conditions. You also get a tire pressure monitor and rear defroster. The doors feature energy door locks with an auto lock system. remote keyless access is also normal. All the important boxes are checked then.

Performance
The 2011 Versa Sedan has an efficient 1.6L inline 4-cylinder engine energying it that makes a decent 109 horseenergy and with 107 lb/ft of torque, has more than adequate pulling energy for individuals highway drives with the family as well. The Versa SV also comes with Nissan’s Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission driving the front wheels that provides seamless energy delivery and good traction. It also delivers on the fuel economy front with a certified 38 mpg on the highway.

Overall, Nissan’s 2011 Versa Sedan SV Convenience offers a lot of car for the money and throws in some essential features that perfectly complement everyday practicality. It makes a great buy for a intelligent family saloon offering convenience, flexibility, safety and reliability all in one package.

Vehicle: 2012 Nissan Versa Sedan SV Convenience

Price: From $14,560, plus $350 for the Convenience package
Body style: 4 door saloon

Engine: 1.6L inline 4-cylinder DOHC 16-valve gasoline engine

Transmission: Xtronik Continuously Variable Valve Timing Control System

Power: 109 hp / 6000 rpm
Torque: 107 lb/ft / 4400 rpm
Curb weight: 2,424 lbs.
Wheels & Tires: 15 x 5.5″ steel wheels with 185/65 HR15 all-season tires
Vehicle Warranty: 3 year / 36,000 mile limited vehicle warranty
Powertrain Warranty: 5 year / 60,000 mile limited powertrain warranty
Fuel economy EPA: 30 mpg city / 38 mpg highway

If you know Nissan, you’ll know they have a reputation of developing cars as clean as their engines – engines that have won prestigious “engine of the year” awards in their categories. Apart from sensible family sedans, enterprise saloons and hot sports cars, Nissan also have a rather excellent minivan – the 2011 Nissan search LE – top of the line trim, with seating for more individuals to take pleasure in all that it has to offer!

Exterior
The first thing you notice is that distinct chrome outlay just above the front grille. You would be excused for thinking it’s a saloon, and not a 200 inch long individuals carrier! It is beautiful, and no less practical correct from the start, with automatic xenon headlamps, power sliding doors – not the power slides like other Nissan cars mind you, roof rails, 18 inch alloy tyres and even a moon roof, which is part of an optional package.

Interior
The equipment list on the 2011 Nissan search LE stretches even more on the inside, in tune with the three rows of seats. There’s an 8-way power driver’s seat, flat folding second row captain seats, and a 60:40 split-folding third row. You have tri-zone automatic climate management, a 120V AC power Storehouse, mood lighting, an in-cabin air microfilter, Bluetooth connectivity with streaming audio tracks, a hard drive Navigation process and HomeLink transceiver as standard. Also standard is the brilliant Bose audio tracks process with 13 speakers, DVD Entertainment process complete with wireless headphones and a 7″ in-dash monitor.

Safety
The 2011 Nissan search LE, being the top-of-the-line variant spares no frills offering the full complement of safety features. Nissan’s advanced airbag process features dual-stage front airbags with seat-belt sensors, side airbags for all three rows, and front seats with active head rests and pre-tensioner and load limiter equipped seat belts. Traction management and car Dynamic management are also present, as are four-tyre vented disc brakes with Anti-lock Braking process and digital Brakeforce Distribution. The power steering is speed-sensitive as well. The LE is also equipped as standard with the Blind Spot Warning process, which is very useful if you’re looking to do some highway miles.

Performance
Handling propulsion duty is a clean 3.5L V6 – one of Nissan’s finest engines. With 260 horsepower and 240 lb/ft of torque, it has ample push to make this search quite potent. It features Nissan’s CVTCS and is fitted as standard with iridium spark plugs. With independent suspension front and rear, featuring front stabilizer bars for added good measure, a light digital power steering process and with the digital aids, handling this big search is a breeze.

Overall, the 2011 Nissan search LE checks all the correct boxes. It’s comfortable, practical, spacious, safe, frugal yet has good power on tap, and more importantly, it’s fun and reliable at the same time.

Overview – 2011 Nissan Quest LE
Model: Nissan Quest
Trim: LE
Price: From $41,350
Body Style: Minivan
Engine: 3.5L V6 24V DOHC with Continuously Variable Valve Timing Control System
Power: 260 hp / 6000 rpm
Torque: 240 lb/ft / 4400 rpm
Transmission: Xtronix CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) Front Wheel Drive
Curb Weight: 4,568 lbs.
Wheels & Tires: 18 x 7.0 aluminum alloy with 235/55 TR18 all-season tires
Vehicle Warranty: 3 year / 36,000 miles limited coverage
Powertrain Warranty: 5 year / 60,000 miles limited coverage
Fuel economy EPA MPG: 19 city / 24 highway

With the most current XK design release, Jaguar faces some stiff competition from other European brands and will have to see off high excellent competitors from both Mercedes Benz and BMW if it’s to make a real impression. It’s tuned cousin the XK-R has currently won the sports activities car of the year award but how does the base mannequin fare?

From first glance, the new shape XK is a beautiful machine but it doesn’t seriously look that “Jaguar” anymore, it seems more like a copycat Aston Martin, which isn’t the worst issue in the globe but what about staying original? The curves lengthwise are extraordinary and the look is good from a 45 diploma angle however from the direct front, the Jaguar takes on the appearance of a basking shark with that low centered mouth-like front grill. It’s a matter of personal taste of course but many folk prefer the look of the older mannequins it would seem.

However we all know that the outside styling is only a small part of what makes a car a success or failure and I’m happy to article that the interior has been done in typical smooth Jaguar style. There is plastic, of course, but the a healthy amount of chrome and the expertise of the jaguars ergonomic team has created a real sense of style. The seats hug you nicely but aren’t overbearing like in some of the higher range BMW mannequins for example.

However it’s when you turn the key that the beast comes alive, all of the XK’s come with a 5.0 liter V8 engine in three grades of tuning. The base mannequin coupe produces 385 BHP and 380 Lb of Torque for a 0-60 time of 5.3 Seconds. surely no slouch on the tarmac! The two supercharged mannequins give stats from another globe, with 510 and 580 BHP respectively. The distinctive throaty Jaguar roar is also even now existing and as much of a enjoyment to digest as ever. The fuel consumption is actually rather good for a 5 liter engine standing at 22 MPG form the XK convertible whilst on the highway and the midrange acceleration is a unique feature of the engine set up. The tank capacity of 16.6 gallons or 72 liters must keep all 1700 Kilo’s of Jag on the road for a while. The handling, as with most European mannequins, is outstanding and although I’ve never been a fan of the paddle shit style automatic gearboxes the XK’s is almost always spot on in phrases of delivering power in smooth concentrated bursts. There is a little understeer on the non supercharged mannequin though, to be honest this only comes into play on the track on tight corners so I doubt this will be of any issue for the road. One could maybe upgrade the tires, the 2,752mm wheelbase is easily catered for.

The safety record of the Jaguar is good and the mannequin comes not only with affect protection bars but the most current in airbag and safety features. GPS monitoring is standard and as always with Jaguar the common sense practical aspects have been smoothly rolled into a grand touring package deal.

Overall, the XK is a perfectly formed item of engineering and other than a few styling choices on the front grill and the slight propensity for understeer whilst under extreme tension, is the market leader in its class. A good choice for the $90,500 starting price of the convertible.

2013 Bentley Continental GT V8

Okay, take my favorite ultra luxury Sports Tourer, the Bentley Continental GT, strip out the rock solid W12 motor, and insert a lower powered V8.

Recipe for disaster? – Negative.

Cheapens the brand? – No way.

Perhaps this is the classic, textbook case of “less equals more,” as the 2013 Bentley Continental GT V8 is such a terrific automobile, I would reckon that the Bentley Boys from Crewe, United Kingdom have another major sales success in the making.

Madrid and Logroño, Spain served as the backdrop for driving this latest Bentley masterpiece.  We arrived via motorcoach to the superb “Circuito de Navarro” racecourse near Logroño, stepped off the bus and listened to a song I’d never heard in a Bentley before.  Yes, I’ve heard similar songs written by other players: Corvette ZR1, Lexus LF-A, Audi R8, Porsche Panamera, Aston Martin Vantage V8 and others. If I could somehow translate the aural audacity of the song I heard in Logroño, it would read like this:

“You thought I was in this game for comfort and fun, but now you know who’s really number one, as there is plenty of power in this gun.”

The sound was of three Continental GT V8’s warming up for our track time, and the fury unleashed by those three under full power was mesmerizing.  Forget I was freezing my tail off under Europe’s surprisingly harsh winter.  I stayed outside watching the warm up laps to get my blood pumping for my turn behind the wheel.

When time came to volunteer for who would go on the track first among the 15 or so journalists present, my hand shot up quickly, and I asked to ride in the Dragon Red GT V8.  What I did not know at the time was the red car was the only right hand drive model of the three, and I had never driven at speed on a track on the “wrong” side of the car!

After the requisite safety briefing, I donned a helmet and under the instructive eyes of a pro driver, hit the course.  Circuito de Navarro is a very fast track, with long, sweeping turns and a straight where you can really open up.

Such is a formula for disaster if you are in a car not up to the task.

Let’s start with pure performance.  The 2013 Bentley Continental GT V8 is outfitted with a 4.0 liter motor outfitted with twin turbochargers and outputting 500 horsepower and 487 pound-feet of torque (the bulk of this prodigious torque is available beginning at just 1700 rpm).  Power is channeled to the tarmac through Bentley’s corporate all-wheel drive system (think Audi quattro), and a very impressive 8-speed automatic transmission with paddleshift capability.  Zero to sixty miles per hour comes up in an impressive 4.6 seconds, with a top end of 188 miles per hour under foot should you feel the need for ultimate speed.

Coming out of the pit lane, I quickly got the 5,060 pound GT V8 up to speed.  Touch the brakes to distribute weight and dive into the corner.  Hit the sweeping turn with your foot fully planted and watch as the big GT slides effortlessly using the throttle. Was I in a Bentley or a BMW M3?  The beauty of it all was just the week before, I had been in the M3 at Laguna Seca Raceway, and while the racetrack edge goes to the M3, one must factor in that the big Bentley weighs in at about 1300 pounds more than the Bimmer.  Tossing around a big, powerful car like the GT V8 was pure fun.

Back to Navarro, more aggressive turns, and then a straight with a pretty significant bump.  No loss of composure here.  A final series of turns, and then on to the straight, where the sounds of V8 fury are again unleashed with a full assault on the go pedal.  No issues driving on the wrong side, as my instructor and the Continental GT V8 had my back.

So we’ve established that the GT V8 goes hella fast and corners well, but what is all of this worth if your car cannot stop safely and securely?  On the racetrack, or on the roadway, clamping down from 140 plus miles per hour can create so much heat that brakes can fade away to the point of not being able to safely stop you.

So Bentley did the needful, dispatching the car with available Carbon Ceramic brakes with rotors so large at 16.5 inches, they’re bigger than the wheels on most economy cars.  Braking is forceful and fade free, even after mad romps around the track.

Style wise, the new GT V8 is very much a Continental GT. It’s distinguished from its 12 cylinder brethren by a radiator grille in gloss black mesh bordered by a thin chrome rim.  The lower grille features massive air intakes for engine breathing and brake cooling, divided by strakes into three distinct segments.  At the rear, figure eight exhaust pipes and a blacked out lower rear valance convey the power at hand.  In contrast to the black enamel winged “B” emblem on W12 models, the new GT V8 features a red winged “B,” reviving a badge hierarchy of earlier Bentley models from the 1920s.

Inside, you still get the full luxe Bentley treatment.  I was particularly impressed with the sonic quality of the “Naim for Bentley” audio system with its crisp highs and pounding lows.  Even the “lesser” base system comes with eight channels and eight speakers, 15 GB of storage for music, six disc CD changer and iPod capability. As one would expect in a Bentley, leather, wood and polished metal abound inside.  This is one well crafted motorcar.

After an impressive day at the track, we drove around Spain’s scenic countryside.  Again, the V8 did not disappoint, as Bentley estimates the new V8 is 40% more fuel efficient than the W12 equipped up-level GT.  I love the W12, but is does not sound as wicked as the V8, even though it’s a faster, more powerful motor. Ride quality is excellent, and you can dial in the fun factor using the adaptive damping system.  Full “Sport” was our mode of choice to tackle the myriad switchbacks we encountered during our drive.

So is less more?  At an expected price about $20,000 cheaper than the W12 GT, I’d have to say yes.  Unless you are a status freak, you’ll miss nothing from going “down” to the GT V8.

It’s all Bentley, and that means it is very, very good.

Should you desire the top down experience, the GT V8 is also available as the GTC V8 Convertible.