2011 LA Auto Show Lincoln Refreshes the MKT

The flagship MKS sedan isn’t the only revamped Lincoln model on display at the 2011 LA Motor Show. The MKT crossover has also received a makeover to bring it in line with the rest of the brand’s offerings.

Like the MKS, the MKT now has an all-new split front grille with more densely placed vertical slats and reshaped bumper.

Max Wolff, Lincoln design director, says: “The effort behind the new look was to change the proportion of the MKT from the front view. We helped make it feel wider and a bit less tall, less vertical. The execution of the new MKT’s grille is a lot more refined an elegant.”

Inside, Lincoln claims that the changes it has made to the three-row interior, which is still available in six- and seven-seat configurations, give it a more luxurious, as well as technologically advanced feel.

Noticeable upgrades include the new instrument panel with a central speedometer flanked by two configurable 4.2-inch LCD screens that are controlled via steering wheel-mounted buttons.

An 8-inch LCD touch screen in the center console enables the driver and front passenger to view, as well as to control, the climate control and the upgraded MyLincoln Touch infotainment system. The latter, apart from its usual functions, can be combined with either the standard 210-Watt audio system of the optional THX II-certified, 700-Watt one with SiriusXM satellite radio.

In the powertrain front, the base 3.7-liter V6 has received a 32HP boost, for a total of 300HP, while the 3.5-liter, 355HP EcoBoost V6 carries on unchanged.

The most important change as far as the MKT mechanical components are concerned is the addition of the Continuously Controlled Damping system on the EcoBoost model.

The system receives data from 46 sources and can make 500 calculations per second, adjusting the suspension’s settings in just 11 milliseconds.

The MKT, which goes on sale in the States in spring 2012, is also available with the Drive Control system that offers three driving modes: Normal, Comfort and Sport. In the Comfort setting, the MKT’s suspension is up to 15% more compliant than the (default) Normal, while selecting the Sport mode stiffens up the dampers by 25-30% for better handling.

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New Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Spyder

Once upon a time, sports cars and rear-wheel drive layouts were synonymous terms, but not anymore - especially when it comes to the Volkswagen Group that has essentially built an empire of all sorts of front- and all-wheel drive models.

But every so often, even the VW Group succumbs to the allure of rear-wheel drive. Today, its Lamborghini brand introduced the new Gallardo LP 550-2 Spyder, which combines the open-top body style with rear wheel drive.

"With the Gallardo LP 550-2 Spyder, we are expanding the Lamborghini lineup with a purist model that adds yet another dimension of driving fun," says Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Lamborghini.

"This will appeal in particular to a very special group of customers that enjoy a spirited driving style and also like to experience the sheer pleasure of open-air driving," he adds.

As the name implies, the Gallardo LP 550-2 Spyder is powered by the firm's 5.2-liter V10 engine tuned to produce 550-horses.

Lamborghini says that its engineers have carried out extensive modifications to adapt the car to rear-wheel drive such as applying specific dampers settings and tweaking its aerodynamics to take into account the change in the distribution of forces.

The Gallardo LP 550-2 Spyder tips the scales at 1,520 kilograms (3,351 pounds) and can accelerate from standstill to 100km/h (62mph) in 4.2 seconds en route to a top speed of 319km/h (198 mph).

Story References: Lamborghini via Autoblog.com

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LA Auto Show: 2013 Lincoln MKS Grows

For many years now, Ford has been trying to transform its Lincoln brand into a credible contender in the luxury car market, though unlike its Cadillac foe, it just can't seem to get it right.

Set to make its world premiere later today at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show is the refreshed 2013 Lincoln MKS sedan. The first thing that you'll notice on the 2013MY is the reworked split front grille, though as Lincoln points out, every exterior surface from the A-pillar forward is new including the bumper, hood, headlamps and front fenders.

At the back, the 2013 MKS gets a new fascia, LED tail lamps, reshaped exhaust tips and a new decklid design that is said to improve access to the trunk, while the sedan also rolls on newly designed alloy wheels.

“The original MK vehicles were, in some ways, deliberately provocative,” said Max Wolff, Lincoln Design director. “The styling of the new MKS adds both refinement and elegance to the car while visually lowering and widening the front end. The continuous bright surround linking the grille and headlamps is particularly rich and adds something significant to what is already an expressive, balanced design.”

Inside, the cabin sports a new instrument panel and center console, higher quality materials and a revamped version of the MyLincoln Touch infotainment system.

Underneath the skin, the engine line-up stays the same, albeit with some power boosts: the 3.7-liter V6’s output has increased by 26HP to 300HP, while Lincoln claims that the front-wheel drive version returns 19 mpg in the city and 28 mpg (+3mpg over this year's model) on the highway.

The 355HP 3.5-liter Ecoboost V6 returns 18mpg city and 26mpg highway in the FWD model and 17mpg city and 25mpg highway in the AWD version.

On the hardware front, the revamped MKS gets an upgraded brake system with 13.86- (350 mm) front and 13.58-inch (340 mm) rear discs, as well as standard 19- or optional 20-inch alloys.

Perhaps the most important changes are the recalibrated steering and the addition of the Continuously Controlled Damping (CCD) system, which can adjust the suspension’s settings 500 times a second to offer both comfort and sportier handling.

Apart from the CCD, the 2013 MKS also features a torque-vectoring differential as well as the Lincoln Drive Control. This system has two modes, Comfort and Sport, which change steering, throttle response, shifting speed and traction control settings depending on the driver’s preferences.

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Bentley Launches Redesigned Continental GTC

As Bentley is on track for a new annual record of 7,000 sales, the U.S. continues to be the number one market for its open top models, accounting for almost half of Bentley convertible worldwide sales.

And in the whole of the U.S., California and more specifically its southern part, is the place to go if you want to see a convertible Bentley. Therefore it makes perfect sense to choose the LA Auto Show for the new Continental GTC's North American debut.

“Los Angeles is the ideal location for Bentley to launch the luxurious and powerful GTC convertible”, said Bentley’s member of the Board for Sales and Marketing Alasdair Stewart. “Southern California remains the most successful market for Bentley in the U.S., and the U.S. remains the largest market in the world for the company.”

The second-generation GTC, which goes on sale at the end of the year, has adopted Bentley’s new “face” first seen in the Mulsanne. Under the hood of what Bentley claims is the stiffest open-top car in the world is a hand-built, turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 with 567HP and 516 lb-ft of torque that powers all four wheels via a Quickshift automatic transmission.

The interior is swathed in high-quality leather and wood, while an 8-inch touch screen infotainment system reminds you that this is the 21st century. And just so you can open the top whenever you feel like it, the GTC even has neck warmers in the rear headrests.

Of course, with an MSRP of US$212,800 sans any options, you wouldn’t expect anything less…

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