2012 Porsche Cayman R

The 2012 Porsche Cayman R was one of the most-anticipated cars to ever come through the Roadfly office.  The car’s stats are simply stunning: 0-60mph in 4.7 sec. 330hp @ 7500rpm, 2855 lb.  Even the door handles have been replaced with nylon tabs to reduce weight.

The results are predictable.  The Cayman R is virtually telepathic, to the point that it nearly bores you.  It’s so free of vice that you start to feel that it’s just like a normal, civilized car, with a tad more immediacy…and you wonder what the big deal is.  Only when you go back to your daily driver do you realize how responsive the Cayman actually is.

It’s a nearly perfect machine.  It makes few compromises that interfere with spirited driving, but still manages to be completely docile, tractable, and even practical with its two trunks and stellar reliability.  It also gets great fuel mileage, at 19 city and 27 highway when equipped with the 6-speed manual.

Ever gone to a movie that didn’t blow you away at first, but weeks later you’re still thinking about it and can’t get it out of your head?  That’s what my days with the Cayman R left me with.  This car is definitely on my ‘short list’ of cars I want to own before I die.  It’s slightly expensive with a starting MSRP of $66,300, but given how well-built Porsches are in general and how good their resale values are, the price is fair in my opinion.

YouTube Video link: 2012 Porsche Cayman R

Visit the Roadfly forums for a downloadable window sticker.

Vehicle: 2012 Porsche Cayman R
Base Price: $66,300
Price as tested: $73,280
Engine: 3.4L Horizontally opposed 6 cylinder
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Horsepower: 330 @ 7,400 rpm
Torque: 273 lb-ft. @ 4,750 rpm
0-60 MPH: 4.7 sec.
Curb Weight: 2,855 lb.
Warranty: 4 years, 50,000 miles (vehicle)
Fuel Economy: 19 city / 27 highway MPG

2012 Audi A7

The 2012 Audi A7 may very well be the best-looking car Audi has ever built. And it’s close to being the best Audi built, period.

There isn’t a weak spot in its design. In person it’s sexy from any angle, and the interior is one of Audi’s best and most logical.

The navigation now uses Google Maps, and that alone makes the system worth the extra money in my opinion.

Performance is stout, if not stirring: the A7 uses a 310-hp version of the S4′s supercharged 3.0L V6. It goes from 0-60mph in around 5.5 seconds, which is darn quick…but it does it in such a smooth, subdued fashion that I hardly noticed. It’s very difficult to keep your freeway speeds under 90mph in this car.

There’s a well-designed hatchback with lots of tie-downs and a monstrous opening that extends the functionality of the cargo area beyond its nominal capacity of 24.5 cubic feet—six more than a BMW X5!

The A7 is fast, fun to drive, and practical with the huge hatch and standard Quattro all-wheel-drive. It’s a sporty luxury car you can drive quickly in nearly any kind of weather and get decent mileage doing so (18 city/28 highway mpg). That makes its as-tested price of $66,220 seem like a real steal.

To view the window sticker for the 2012 Audi A7 visit our RoadflyTV YouTube Lounge: 2012 Audi A7 Window Sticker

Vehicle: 2012 Audi A7

Base Price: $59,250

Price as tested: $66,200

Engine: 3.0L supercharged V6

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Horsepower: 310 @ 5500-6500 rpm

Torque: 325 lb-ft. @ 2900-4500 rpm

0-60 MPH: 5.4 sec.

Curb Weight: 4210 lb.

Warranty: 4 years, 50,000 miles (vehicle),

Fuel Economy: 18 city / 28 highway MPG

2012 Audi A7

Roadfly recently spent some quality time in the all new 2012 Audi A7 Sportback. The Roadfly.com editors and producers liked the new A7 so much they added it to their "Best Cars" list.

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For 2011, BMW completely redesigned the 5 Series. The 2004 – 2010 5 series was successful but wasn’t able to maintain the momentum of the previous generation 5 Series mostly due to its styling and the 2011 5 Series changes all that! The new car is styled similarly to the new 7 Series with a visually long hood and aggressive front end.

Host Ross Rapoport road tests and reviews the new BMW 5 Series and compares it to the Mercedes-Benz E Class and Audi A6 as well as Japanese competition like the Infiniti M56.

Vehicle: 2011 BMW 535i
Base Price: $49,600
Price as tested: $66,175
Engine: Inline 6 cylinder, twin turbo
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Horsepower: 300 hp / 300 lb-ft torque
0-60 MPH: 5.7 seconds
Warranty: 4 years or 50,000 miles maintenance included

EPA: 19 city / 28 highway MPG

Watch more car review videos at RoadflyTV.

The stylish and slick Audi A4 returns for 2011 with an all-new eight-speed automatic transmission that raises fuel economy to a remarkable 22 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway.

Its engine is a 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that musters 211 horsepower and a decent 258 pound-feet of torque but we would have liked to see more power out of the A4 considering its main competitors, the BMW 3-series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, easily outshine the A4 when it comes to power and acceleration. However, Audi’s standard all-wheel drive gives the ride a very stable and competent feel so you’ll never feel out of control in the A4.

The interior of the A4 is where Audi might just take the lead in its class in terms of quality. The standard leather is much more plush than you might find in a 3-series or a C-Class without adding more and more additional packages. The infotainment screen is well-implemented and convenient, making sure the driver is never at a loss for intuitive response from all of the A4′s amenities.

For those who perhaps prefer efficiency and style over raw driving power, the Audi A4 is a strong and beautiful competitor to the more expensive competition from other European manufacturers with a base price of $34,140.

For more car review videos, check out RoadflyTV.

The BMW M3 is one of the finest driver’s cars ever made, and I was finally lucky enough to spend a week with one.

The heart of the M3 is an exquisite 4.0L V8, making 414hp at a wild 8300rpm. Peak torque is 295 lb-ft, but that entire figure is available at just 3900rpm, a stunning mark of tractability in such a high-revving screamer.

2011 BMW M3

Our test car was equipped with a 7-speed DCT (BMW’s name for the fancy dual-clutch gearbox), and the transmission—like other vehicle characteristics like throttle response and suspension—can be adjusted from ‘nice and easy’ to ‘neckbreaking.’

2011 M3s equipped with this transmission have gone as low as 3.9 sec to 60mph, and 12.5 sec in the 1/4-mile. Yet due to the engine’s powerband, it’s remarkably civilized around town.

Gearing is perfect; even in 7th gear, the car is never caught flat-footed. In fact, at 2000rpm in 7th the car will be going just 50mph! That is great for acceleration, bad for fuel economy: the M3 manages just 14 mpg city and 20 highway and gets slapped with the gaz-guzzler tax.

That’s really the only chink in the car’s armor, and the M3 instantly became the car by which I measure all sports cars by.

Download the window sticker and see additional photos of the M3 at http://roadflytv.com

Vehicle: 2011 M3 Coupe

Base Price: $58,400

Price as tested: $69,925

Engine: 4.0L 32V V8
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch automated manual (DCT)
Horsepower: 414 @ 8300 rpm
Torque: 295 lb.-ft. @ 3900 rpm
0-60 MPH: 3.9-4.5 sec.
Warranty: 4 years, 50,000 miles w/free maintenance
Fuel Economy: 14 city / 20 highway MPG

More pictures:

BMW Forum Link: BMW Forum

M3 Forum Link: BMW M3 Forum

YouTube Link: 2011 BMW M3 Road Test & Review Video

The 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Tiptronic has been completely redesigned for 2011. The engine powering this new Cayenne is a 4.8-liter aluminum V8 which features VarioCam Plus, dry-sump lubrication and direct fuel injection. The engine produces 400 hp at 6500 rpm and 369 lb-ft of torque at 3500 rpm, which is up 15 hp from 2010. Combined with the new eight-speed automatic transmission, the Cayenne S happily runs from 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds. Top speed is a very fast 160 mph.

Watch the 2011 Porsche Cayenne review at YouTube.

The interior has received a major upgrade as well. Now resembling the interior of the Porsche Panamera, it’s much cleaner, sportier, and sexier.

The 2011 Porsche Cayenne S weighs about 400 pounds less than the 2010 model. This weight savings helps considerably with acceleration, braking, and handling and contributes to improved fuel economy.

Vehicle: 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Tiptronic
Base Price: $63,700
Price as tested: $92,935
Engine: 4.8 liter, 8 cylinder
Transmission: 8 speed Tiptronic
Horsepower: 400 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque
0-60 MPH: 5.6 seconds
Warranty: 4 years, 50,000 miles

EPA: 16 city / 22 highway MPG

Host: Ross Rapoport

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Roadfly tested the completely updated and redesigned sporty 2011 Volkswagen Jetta SEL that completes with the likes of the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, and Mazda3. When reviewing a car like the Jetta, one of the things we look for in the road test is how well the Jetta compares to others in its class as the relatively inexpensive compact car segment is crowded to say the least.

Host Emme Hall found the trunk to be plenty spacious, lots of leg room for rear seated passengers and fun and confident driving characteristics.

Watch the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta SEL review on YouTube.

Safety equipment includes six standard airbags, ABS, stability control, and a new crash response system that unlocks the doors, shuts off the fuel pump, and turns on the hazard lights in the event of an impact.

Engine: 2.5 liter, 4 cylinder
Horsepower: 170 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque

MPG: 23 city / 33 highway

Host: Emme Hall

2012 Porsche Cayman R

Porsche unveiled the raw and racy Cayman R at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show. It’s a lighter (by over 120lb) and more powerful (by 10hp, at 330hp) than the already-potent Cayman S. That gives the Cayman R a lip-smacking curb weight of 2855lb (6-speed MT), and nearly 100hp/liter from its 3.4L flat-6.

It’s raw inside and out, with unique colors and graphics for the exterior, and lots of visible weight reductions inside to give it a race-ready feeling. For example, the standard door handles have been replaced by cloth straps, both for a retro-racer feel and the all-important whittling down of any excess mass.

This is a hotly-anticipated car at Roadfly! We like Porsches, especially Porsches that hearken back to the golden age of club racing. The Cayman R will go on sale in the U.S. early next year with a MSRP of $66,300, excluding $950 for destination.

For more about the Cayman please visit the owners forum: Porsche Cayman Forum

Porsche Cayman R

2012 Porsche Cayman R

VW introduced the new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle at the New York Auto Show. This is the sportiest and most fuel efficient Beetle ever offered. The 2012 VW Beetle will offer three engines a 2.5L gasoline five cylinder, a 2.0L TDI clean diesel and a 2.0L turbocharged gasoline engine. Transmission choices include a 5-speed or 6-speed manual, or a 6-speed automatic, depending on the engine.

The 2012 VW Beetle diesel gets a very impressive 40 mpg highway, 29 mpg city.

VW even took the opportunity with the new Beetle to poke fun at themselves with the tag line “More power less flower” which is a reference to the original “new Beetle” which came with a flower vase mounted on the dash. Rather than referring to the 2012 Beetle as the new, new Beetle they’re terming it “the 21st Century Beetle.”

The 2012 Volkswagen Beetle will be available in two trim lines “Design” and “Sport.” Each with it’s own unique character.

Watch the video on YouTube: 2012 VW Beetle

For more information, pictures, and specs on the 2012 VW Beetle visit RoadflyTV

Roxie Roadfly brings a fun and humorous side to her overview of the new 2012 BMW 1 Series ActiveE Electric Car.

BMW first introduced the Concept ActiveE at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. Later this month BMW will unveil the BMW 1 Series ActiveE at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, and it will be available to a select group of customers under a special leasing arrangement. BMW plans 1,000 1 Series ActiveEs for North America, Europe, and China.

2012 BMW 1 Series ActiveE Electric

2012 BMW 1 Series ActiveE Electric

Vehicle: 2012 BMW 1 Series ActiveE
Motor: Electric
Horsepower: 170 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque
0-60 MPH: 8.5 seconds

YouTube Link: 2012 BMW 1 Series Electric on YouTube

BMW Forum Link: BMW Forum

BMW 1 Series Forum Link: BMW 1 Series Forum

Hosts Jessi Lang and Steve Hammes checked out the all-new 2010 Mercedes Benz CLS 63 AMG, the ridiculously powerful sports sedan whose class, the CLS, is being marketed by Benz as a “four door coupe”. Although this seems like a contradiction, once you see the 63 AMG for the first time, you realize that its sleek, sporty styling, while managing to fit itself into a four-door frame, rewrites the rules on both coupes and sport saloons.

Mercedes’ CLS lineup has been known for both its power, sportiness, and luxury, and the 63 AMG is the culmination and pinnacle for all three. Under the hood, the 63 AMG has a naturally-aspirated 6.3-liter V8 engine that gets an insane 507 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. This power will get you a blazing-fast 4.3 seconds in the 0-60 test, a drop in 1.2 seconds from the closest model in its lineup, the CLS 550. However, all this power comes at a steep price: you’ll be looking at 12 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway, and that’s with premium gas.

The handling is a thrill as well. The AMG-tuned suspension also takes things to the next level, with stiffer shocks and stabilizer bars–controlling this car is a thing of beauty. Taking to the curves of the backroads gives you confidence and drives at a level which Steve Hammes calls, “Like a star athlete on game day.” The 7-speed automatic transmission comes with paddleshifters on the steering wheel and seems to shift slightly faster than the base CLS models.

Our test car came with the performance package, which rounded up the price another $9800. The package came with 19″ alloy wheels, a limited slip differential, larger front brakes, a track-calibrated suspension system, and a sport steering wheel. All AMG branded. And with this package, the speed limiter was raised from 155 to 186 mph.

The interior is a little less than expected out of a hundred-thousand dollar sports saloon, the electronics are outdated and the backseat feels a little cramped. But the 63 AMG is still luxurious, and one buys this car for the German engineering, the beauty of its exterior, and its incredible driving experience, not the minor gripes that can be found inside the cockpit.

And the CLS 63 AMG is no cheap car, either. The base 63 AMG starts at $97,950 while our test car, with that performance package, came in at $116,775. On either, though, tack on the steep $2600 gas guzzler tax charge.

Although the CLS models are on the cusp of a redesign, this year’s 63 AMG is an incredibly tempting and powerful marriage of luxury sedans and sport coupes that is hard to resist.

Porsche has a long and legendary history when it comes to sports cars, but new for 2010 is their first addition to the growing luxury sports sedan market: the Porsche Panamera. Our host, Jessi Lang, spent a week road testing and reviewing the Panamera 4S.

With a noticeably Porsche-esque front end, many of the Panamera’s design cues, especially the noticeable sloping roofline that rises toward a high back end, have more in common with the Cayenne than perhaps the Boxster or the 911.

Although the look might be decidedly different from Porsche’s norm, its powertrain is not. Our test car, the Panamera 4S, boasts a 4.8-Liter V8 engine with 400 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, and does 0-60 mph in 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 175 mph. Fuel economy is decent, you retain 16 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. Not bad for a car that weighs nearly 5,500 pounds. The Panamera also uses a variant of its PDK dual-clutch transmission, one designed specifically for the Panamera in order to achieve a lower center of gravity.

Our test car’s interior is beautiful and high-tech as well as highly customizable, but also has a steep learning curve thanks to the dozens and dozens of dials and buttons that control every aspect of the car and its features. Digital gauges in the dashboard are classy and display all your pertinent information and then some. Hand-stitched leather seats and consoles really enhance the luxury aspect of the Panamera.

Be prepared, however, to spend a pretty penny on the Panamera. The base 4S model starts at $93,800 and our test car topped out at $114,515.

Other Links:

Porsche Panamera Forum

Porsche Panamera video on YouTube

Panamera pictures from the video shoot

Window sticker (Monroney Label) for our test car: 2010 Porsche Panamera 4S