2008 SAAB 9-3 Vector Review

Engine: 1910cc four-cylinder turbo diesel
Power: 110kW @ 4,000rpm
Torque: 320Nm @ 2,000 - 2,750rpm
Transmission: Sentronic Six-Speed Automatic
Driven Wheels: Front
0-100km/h: 11.0 seconds (Claimed)
Top speed: 210km/h (Claimed)
Safety: ESP (with TCS); ABS (with BA, CBC & EBD); Front, Side and Curtain Airbags
NCAP rating: 5 Stars
Turning circle: 10.8 metres
Wheels: Alloy 17? x 7.5? (As Tested - Usually 17? x 7?)
Spare Wheel: Space Saver
Fuel tank: 58 litres
Fuel consumption : 6.8 litre / 100km (ADR Combined Average)
Fuel type: Diesel
Towing Capacity: 1,600kg (Braked)
Weight: 1,509kg (Tare)

Take the 9-3 on face value and the car is quite impressive, rather stunning to look at and surprisingly comfortable to ride in, but start blending the various parts and practicalities together as a whole and you soon realise a few things could have been done a little better. Smooth parallel shoulder and hip lines carry unbroken through the length of the vehicle to a well finished rear end sporting frosted tail lights and high boot line.

Upfront the 110kW 1.9 litre common-rail turbo diesel does a brilliant job of keeping things on the boil once moving and with thanks to a healthy 320Nm, pulls rather strongly mid gear. The down side however is that the performance suffers incredibly from (initial) turbo lag.

Braking though is good, reassuring, and a lot better than the 9-5, but the pedal feel is still somewhat firm and requires far more input than similarly priced European or Japanese rivals. Still the ABS with Brake Assist, Cornering Brake Control and Electronic Brake Force Distribution, brings the 9-3 to rest confidently and drew little in the way of messy black dust all over the sporty 17? alloys which was nice for a change come clean up time.

In all though SAAB 9-3 is a great looker, is cheap to run and is surprisingly comfortable. Whilst it does lack some of the driving finesse you?d expect of a premium brand, and though it could do with a little tweaking to satiate the needs of a fiercely fought price bracket, it?s has one unique thing going for it - people just love to admire it.

� Source: caradvice
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2008 Ferrari F430 Coupe Review

Specifications
? Engine: 4.3-litre V8
? Power: 360kW @ 8500rpm
? Torque: 465Nm @ 5250rpm
? Transmission: 6sp Seq. Manual Auto-Clutch
? 0-100km/h: 4.1 seconds
? Max speed: 315km/h
? Fuel tank capacity: 95 litres
? Fuel type: minimum 95
? Fuel consumption (combined): 18.3-litres/100kms
? Weight: 1290kg (Tare Mass)
? Built in: Italy
? CO2 emissions: 420g/km

The F430 bears a strong resemblance to the 360 that it replaces, however it?s a totally different creation. The two front intakes are not only inspired by the 156 F1 car that Phil Hill drove to victory n 1961, but also to cool the carbon-ceramic front brakes.

There are several features of the car that show just how scientific the design process was ? the air flows in a vector between the twin struts of the wing-mirror, along a groove in the door and neatly into the rear intake cowls. Similarly, another aerodynamic work of genius draws air along the shut-line at the bottom of the doors and into another set of intakes, which service the rear brakes. A completely flat underside and rear splitter help to provide more down-force.

The biggest miracle of design is that the renowned Italian automotive designer, Pininfarina managed to achieve all of this and still managed to make this Berlinetta look fantastic, in an athletic kind of way. Unveiled in 2004 at the Paris Motor Show, this F1-inspired mid-rear engined super car was launched in 2005. It?s powered by a naturally aspirated 360 kW, 4.3-litre V8 (456 Nm of torque), has a lightweight aluminium chassis and body panels and is bristling with technology developed on the race track.

Advanced aerodynamics, suspension and the electronic differential (E-Diff) ensure that performance dynamics are nothing short of astounding. Ferrari F430 has a maximum speed of 315 km/h.

A welcome addition to the F430 is the Manettino switch. Explained briefly, this is an F1 style set-up selector on the steering wheel. In ?Sport? mode the suspension height is lowered and damping stiffness is increased, the engine management is reigned in and safety systems and traction control become less intrusive.

?Race? mode gives you a bit more and will let you slide enough to make you look like a superstar but there?s still enough safety stuff looking after you if you overcook it. In ?CST/OFF? mode, everything?s off and if you?re not a superstar, you?ll probably kill yourself.

� Source: caradvice
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European Commission extends review of Nokia?s planned acquisition of NAVTEQ

Nokia Corporation
Stock exchange release
28.3.2008 at 16.30 (CET+1)


Espoo, Finland - Nokia announced today that the European Commission has initiated a Phase II review of the pending acquisition of NAVTEQ. This is part of the Commission's review process, and does not in any way signal the ultimate outcome.

"We have engaged in an open and constructive dialogue with the Commission in order to find agreement on the acquisition of NAVTEQ. We have listened to the Commission's concerns, and look forward to finding a common understanding that will enable the transaction to be closed," said Rick Simonson, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Nokia.

"Nokia remains strongly committed to this acquisition, which will play a key role in our Internet services push," Simonson added.

The Commission now has 90 working days to make a final decision on the transaction. However, the review period may be extended to 125 working days under certain circumstances. The completion of the acquisition is subject to the receipt of European regulatory approval. Nokia has received all other necessary regulatory approvals.

About Nokia
Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the transformation and growth of the converging Internet and communications industries. We make a wide range of mobile devices with services and software that enable people to experience music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games, business mobility and more. Developing and growing our offering of consumer Internet services, as well as our enterprise solutions and software, is a key area of focus. We also provide equipment, solutions and services for communications networks through Nokia Siemens Networks.

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iZ3D 22? LCD Monitor Review

We have reviewed the iZ3D LCD monitor in the past, but that was the 17" version of yore. Fast forward in time and you get a larger screen real estate as the most notable of improvements. One thing you'll notice about this monitor when you first take it out of the box is its thickness and weight. In order to fit in the necessary technology to support 3D viewing, that's about as thin as it gets, but fret not - it won't take up as much space as those chunky CRTs anyway, but it will take a while for you to get used to seeing something this chunky sitting on your desktop after having a slim LCD monitor all this while. Head on after the jump for the full review, but in the mean time do check out the system specifications.

• 22" widescreen LCD display


• 1,680 x 1,050 resolution


• Viewing angle of 120/90


• 5ms response time


• 250 nit brightness level


• 600:1 contrast ratio


• Interface: 1 x DVI, 1 x DVI/VGA

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Review of GSM/UMTS-smartphone Sony Ericsson G700

Mobile-review posted their review of the Sony Ericsson G700 smartphone. HEre is the final impression.

Impressions
Despite having only one loudspeaker onboard, the G700?s ring tones are pretty loud, actually above the market?s average volume level, being in line with the Sony Ericsson P1i, so it is very hard to miss a call with this phone in pocket. The G700 is a living proof that even a sole speaker can sound very well. The vibro alert isn?t strong enough, though, and you might not feel it on certain occasions.

The Sony Ericsson G700 is set to hit the shelves this June, retailing for around 300 Euro, which automatically makes it the cheapest touchscreen-enabled smartphone around. It packs in a quite decent camera, fairly good sound with, however, very few settings available in the music player, and, more importantly, the paneled interface that makes moving around the G700 a snap, allowing you to control it single-handedly without having to take the stylus (even when texting with the on-screen keyboard). As for the virtual keyboard, it is bigger now, and while it doesn?t seem huge, it turns out to be quite comfortable even when typing with bare hands ? the misclick count won?t go way above that of the iPhone that boasts a substantially larger display. So chalk one up for Sony Ericsson.

On the downside, which is inevitable on any phone, the G700 has no EDGE and for many who can?t benefit from 3G data this will be a critical letdown. The lack of WiFi is another feature we would like to have here, but, on the other hand, there is the G900 that gives you that plus a 5 Mpix camera for 50 Euro more, which is a reasonable tradeoff.

Does the G700 have any sort of direct competition offering the same punch for this money? I see none. As far as Windows Mobile based devices are concerned, they come with heftier price tags, plus finger-based navigation is enabled only in specific applications, whereas in the G700 you can take advantage of it throughout all menus and apps of this device. On top of that, its panels are a very compelling option ? in fact they can well make the phone?s menu pretty much useless.

However, it is worth comparing it with the Nokia N82, which will be viewed as an alternative to the Sony Ericsson G700/G900 by many? So what are its trump cards? First and foremost, imaging department, for it is a photography-centric solution. But if you take the entire package into consideration, including the ability to input data from the screen, then the G700 seems like the winner. Basically, it has adopted a lot of strengths from Sony Ericsson?s feature phone, like the flashlight (which many loved so much in the Sony Ericsson K750i), XPict Story feature, conventional applications and utilities, etc. So on balance, the G700 is an amazingly viable marriage between the flexibility of smartphone and straightforwardness of feature phones.

Is there any point for the owners of the Sony Ericsson P1i swap their devices for the G700? As far as I see it, they might want to take a look at the G900, but going for it won?t make much sense. The thing is, they would be better off waiting a little more for the company?s new flagship that will come in a superior casing (with metal accents), with better camera and sound and richer sales package (desktop cradle, memory card). Among all other things, the P1i?s hardware thumbboard gives it a certain edge over the G700/G900. They are different positioning-wise, that?s it.

Wrapping it all up, I should note that the Sony Ericsson G700 is one of the finest offerings on the market ? it has no alternatives; furthermore, first counterparts to it going for the same money will only appear in a year?s time, which is really long while. While it has no bundled GPS, extra accessories will easily make up for this omission. The developers set off to design a straightforward device and apparently, they have succeeded. The G700 is a treat to use. So you should definitely put it on your short-list if you are keen on touch-sensitive displays in any way.

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Review of GSM-handset Samsung L320

Mobile-review have posted their review of the stylish Samsung L320. Here is the final impression.

Impressions
The reception quality put up by the L320 is in line with other Samsung-branded devices. The ringtone volume is quite decent, as it can be heard in various environments. The silent alert is average strength-wise, no significant improvements have been made here.

Going for the L320 are its supreme battery time and a neat design. The cues it has taken from the Samsung E570 are not all that screaming, so it makes a nice change from bog-standard designs available for feminine phones. However, the L320 has quite a list of competitors employing similar concepts in design, these are the Motorola ROKR U9 and the Sony Ericsson Z750i (in a way). Both outdo the Samsung?s offspring in the feature department, yet go for pretty much the same money.

Samsung is banking on impulse-driven purchases, assuming that women who could go for the L320 are not savvy about functionality or technological talents of their phones like dated resolution, old player application and dated platform. The same approach was exercised with the original La?Fleur collection, where it worked out nicely, allowing those models to sell in substantial quantities. That?s why we are quite confident saying that the Samsung L320 will garner some following, although it doesn?t stand a good chance to close in on the Samsung E570?s numbers. Its price tag of 350-400 USD will put many off, since it doesn?t have the punch to take the owner?s breath away and that?s what the L320?s problem is.

This handset?s fate will also be affected by whether Samsung will launch the L420 (the third La?Fleur collection is already finished) or not, as it boasts a similar design, touch-sensitive player controls and updated software, the same as what comes inside other Samsung-branded solutions. All up, as soon as the L420 arrives, the Samsung L320 will kiss its career on the market goodbye. That?s how we come to an obvious conclusion that the L420 won?t debut or at all or will come out when it won?t pose any threat to today?s solutions, meaning that once again we will have another phone that will look already long in the tooth on its release day, compared to Samsung?s own products. Somewhat bizarre approach, but it looks like it has worked out for Samsung.

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2008 Volkswagen Passat V6 4Motion review

One Euro option to consider in the Estate/Avant/Wagon market is the Volkswagen Passat V6 4Motion. With more of a split dash layout, looking more like an Audi A4 in style, it pushes the conservative image away, moving more into modern territory.

The exterior has also been upgraded, with the V-shaped chrome front end, echoing the Jetta and Golf R32, without looking too much like a boy-racer. The styling of the wagon actually suits the car?s front end better than the sedan, especially when looking at a three quarter view. There?s more of that sports-estate look and less of the droopy slater rear guards that the sedan has.

It?s essentially the same engine as in the VW Golf R32 and Multivan, just slightly muted to suit the ?family? image. Yet, at 184kW and 330Nm, there?s enough poke to haul the kids and the dog across the quarter mile in 15.3 seconds. 100km/h is gone in 7.2 seconds.

The 4Motion system is also a winner. A joy on dirt and gravel, it sends plenty of power to the rear for some ?hope the wife doesn?t notice? fun. Even on bitumen - with the ESP off - enter a corner at speed and just before you hit the apex, press the throttle. Load up the steering, feel the front wheels pushing wide and straight after the apex, lift off. Welcome to oversteer city.
This is a genuinely fun car to drive with adjustable handling that?s completely predictable. The Haldex coupling is used to drive the rear wheels, and is absolutely imperceptible when it kicks in, meaning it really does feel like a full-time all wheel drive vehicle.

The brakes are also excellent, slightly overdone, but the initial grab makes highway work a joy. They will fade when really pushed though, but recover quickly. The steering is electric, so it lacks feel, but it?s precise and reasonably direct. Of course, the ride is firm, but not uncomfortable and the body control is commendable.

Then there?s the kit. Rain-sensing wipers, auto lights on, eight airbags, electronic park brake, automatic hill hold, parking sensors front and rear, Xenon headlights, LED tail-lights, perforated leather seats, fold-flat floor, and of course, the most important ? an umbrella holder in the drivers door. $56,990 is par for the course too, for Euro wagons in todays market.

Combine that with a rocketship engine, plenty of space, good looks and proper driveability. It has a few shortcomings, but to live with day to day the V6 Passat is good, no question.

� Source: caradvice
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2009 Nissan GT-R Review

Technically, the 2009 Nissan GT-R isn't a Skyline -- that distinction now belongs to what we know as the Infiniti G series, which is marketed as the Nissan Skyline in Japan. But we suspect that this distinction will be of little matter. From its familiar twin-turbocharged engine and all-wheel-drive layout to its telltale circular taillights, there's no mistaking the new Nissan for anything but a modern-day Skyline GT-R.

Of course, the big deal for Americans is that the 2009 GT-R marks the first time that this legendary performance car will be officially sold stateside. We also happen to be getting the best one yet; the great-granddaddy of the new GT-R, the "Godzilla" R32 Skyline GT-R produced from 1989-'93, was designed to equal the performance of the iconic Porsche 959. Nissan's benchmark for the 2009 GT-R? The mighty Porsche 997-series 911 Turbo.

That's a tall order under any circumstances, but Nissan's President and CEO, Carlos Ghosn, sent the degree of difficulty skyrocketing when he agreed to green-light the GT-R project on two conditions: first, the base price had to be about $70,000; and second, the car had to be profitable, i.e., not merely an image-boosting "halo car" that would be sold at a loss. Improbably, the GT-R has succeeded on all counts. Ghosn's conditions have been met, and we can confirm that the 2009 Nissan GT-R is indeed a match for its Bavarian benchmark at the track. Never before has such stratospheric factory performance been available at such a reasonable price; in fact, you'd have to look long and hard to match the GT-R's performance at any price.

How does the GT-R do it? As far as that bargain-basement price tag is concerned, we'd put it down to a mixture of modern mass-production techniques and magic. Performance-wise, the gnarly Nissan has a long list of co-conspirators to thank, among them a 473-horsepower twin-turbocharged V6, a thoroughly revised version of the previous GT-R's ATTESA ET-S all-wheel-drive system, a trick suspension with adjustable dampers and a dual-clutch transmission that ranks right up there with the best in the business.

Demerits are few and mostly insignificant next to the GT-R's colossal capabilities. First off, the car is a bit heavy given its sporting mission, tipping the scales at 3,800-plus pounds -- but in light of the GT-R's physics-defying cornering ability, who cares? Probably the only time owners will really notice the extra weight is at the pump, and folks who buy 473-hp sports cars aren't likely to lose sleep over a few miles per gallon. Likewise, the angular exterior styling isn't for everyone -- but then, when a $70,000 car can get you to 60 mph faster than any Ferrari or Lamborghini currently in production, does it really matter how it looks? At the end of the day, the only unequivocal complaint we can lodge against the GT-R is that it lacks a manual transmission option. As good as the GT-R's exclusive automated manual is, you can still shift many competing models the old-fashioned way if you want, and we wish the same were true of the GT-R.

� Source: edmunds
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Mio launches the Moov product line ? Mio Moov 310 Review

Today, Mio unveiled four new GPS: Mio Moov 200, 210, 300 and 310, for a MRSP of $179.95, $199.95, $229.95 and $249.95 respectively. The 200 and 210 have a 3.5 TFT Anti-Glare Touch Screen (320 x 240) and the 300 and the 310 have a 4.3" TFT Anti-Glare Touch Screen (480 x 272). All the units come with the text-to-speech functionality, the 210 and the 310 include a one year free Traffic Messaging Channel (TMC) subscription subscription that gives real-time traffic updates. That's a good list of features for a relatively low price point.

This time, Mio has decided to get rid of all the non-navigation features that are usually present in their devices like MP3 player, video playback or photo browsing. We think this is a good news, since the majority of users do not use their GPS for entertainment - they all have a phone for that.

We tested the Mio Moov 310: it has a sleek and neutral look that fit most car interiors; I personally prefer the look of the Sony Nav U, but at that price, it is ok. The mount is small and discreet, but does not stick on all dashboard materials; I had to fix it on top of the instrument cluster since it would not stick on the dashboard texture (see photos). If you buy one, make sure that the texture of your dashboard is compatible with the mount adhesive.

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