Okay, so you’ve seen the list of the cars that impressed me during 2009. But what about the cars that disappointed me; the cars I wanted to love, but instead let me down?  There were a few, and they’re on this list because they could have — should have — been better.

Chevy’s Camaro was the most-hyped launch of the year, and while the car was good enough to beat both Mustang GT and Mustang V-6 in our comparison tests — better engines and a more sophisticated rear axle counted — I was bitterly disappointed with the relentless understeer when you started actuation it hard, especially as I expected more from a car using most of the hardware from Holden’s neat-handling Zeta platform. I’ve been told changes prefabricated to the suspension geometry are the problem, and they’re not easily fixed, though GM is working on a new suspension and tire package in an effort to get the Camaro’s handling closer to that of the Mustang GT Track Pack.

Ford product development supremo Derrick Kuzak reckons the 2010 Mustang GT Track Pack is the car he’s proudest of in terms of suspension development. And rightly so, for it is a remarkably well sorted chassis, with the best steering I’ve ever experienced in an American car. But every time I drove the Mustang GT this year I couldn’t help wondering how truly great it might have been had Ford not cheapskated and switched the S197 platform to an independent rear suspension setup instead of the live rear axle. The move, championed by Kuzak’s predecessor Phil Martens, was supposed to save $100 a car. But here’s the kicker: a well-placed source closely involved with the program says by the time the NVH and driveline angle issues were solved, the live axle ended up costing $98 a car more. Sigh.

The Ford Taurus SHO was another disappointment. Blame the weight of expectations – and, perhaps, the portly 4405 lbs it carried — but against cars like the Cadillac CTS-V, the SHO felt more like a quietly competent full-size sedan than a ball-tearing bitumen burner. Honda’s loud and flimsy Insight seemed an unduly cheap and cynical effort from a company usually more engineering-led, as did Mercedes-Benz’s disappointingly ordinary E550 Coupe. Both cars were based on hardware from a segment below (the Insight on the Fit, and the E550 Coupe on the C-Class), and it showed. The Ferrari California: why, why, why, oh why did it have to look like that?

The great thing about this business is there’s always the promise of next year, and new cars that will be better, faster, more stylish, more interesting than last year’s offerings. So what cars do I most want to drive in 2010? Here’s the short list:

Aston Martin Rapide — will it be a true four seat GT, or just a glamorous show-pony?

Bentley Mulsanne — it has a turbocharged pushrod 6.75-liter V-8 because, well, that’s what traditional Bentleys have had for the past 20 years. But will that be a reason to own it?

2011 Buick Regal – will this be the breakthrough Euro-style, American branded car that banishes the ghost of Merkur forever? And will it make Buick relevant to buyers under 60 again?

2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe — the current CTS-V is one of the greatest American sedans ever built; can Caddy repeat the illusion with the Coupe?

Chevrolet Volt — it’s conceptually the most interesting car from GM since the Corvair, but will it really work, and will USA get it?

Ferrari 458 Italia — it’s the most exciting new Ferrari since the Enzo; you need to ask why I want to drive it?

2011 Ford Mustang – will the new 412-hp V-8 and 305-hp V-6 engines comprehensively crush Camaro?

McLaren MP4-12C — can it beat Ferrari and Lamborghini out of the box?

Yes, it’s going to be an interesting year, and I hope you’ll come along for the ride. Happy New Year.

The car was built by Late Model Racecraft in Houston, TX. It runs an LSX V8 with a Procharger and a 6L80 automatic transmission.

Source: Camaro5 

"The music is so serene…" croons the sleepy Coldplay-infused soundtrack, but as we noted when official photos came out in November, the 2011 Volvo S60 is far less bland than that. It's downright attractive. It goes on understanding here in the third quarter of 2010. And here's the first official video for the car.

Facebook, Autoblog

The tuning potential of the 2011 BMW 5 Series is undeniable, what with the twin-turbocharged, direct-injected V8 in the 550i and the single, twin-scroll turbo (N55 inline-6) in the 535i. The Netherlands-based tuner Racing Dynamics has announced its primeval plans for the F10 5 Series, and big horsepower numbers top the list.

BMW rates the 2011 550i at 407 horsepower from the factory, and Racing Dynamic claims it can find 612 hp. The 535i will make 306 hp in stock form, but the tuner plans to get 405 hp out of it on its way to a 5.3-second 0-to-60-mph time — 0.7 second quicker than BMW's claim for the stock sedan.

Wisely, a limited-slip differential will be on offer as well, along with the expected big brake kit, lowered suspension and forged 21-inch wheels.

Bimmer Today (in German) via BMW Blog

Remember when we gave you the scoop on the 2012 Hyundai Veloster coupe about six months ago? Well, now what looks to be the first spy photo of a image has surfaced. Just look at that sloping roofline and tiny footprint, what else could it be?

Seems about right given that we were told that the production coupe would be "Accent-sized" and come powered by a 1.4-liter four-cylinder with 140-horsepower. Compared to the concept, the only noticeable difference is the addition of a B-pillar compared to the concept's hardtop.

Production is still two years away, so expect to see many more spy shots of the 2012 Hyundai Veloster, or whatever they decide to call it, over the next 24 months.

Bobaedream.co.kr via Autoblog

Unless you're afraid of flying cars or really hate energy drinks, you're understandably excited about watching Travis Pastrana attempt to jump a Subaru WRX STI rally car from the Pine Street Pier in Long Beach, California, out onto a barge floating in the harbor on New Year's Eve. That's tomorrow. Today we took a few minutes to talk to Pastrana and his top tech, Gregg Hamilton, who formerly wrenched for the Subaru WRC team. We also looked at the cars (there are 2) and walked part of the jump ramp. And we learned it's 240 feet from the end of the pier to the barge.

The STI on the right in the above photo is the primary jump car, because "it's the most expendable," says Hamilton. This is the car that is said to have "crashed" in practice, though whatever happened, the alteration was only cosmetic, Hamilton told us. In addition, this STI was driven by Dave Mirra in the X Games. The second STI is a back-up in the event of a mechanical failure.

Evidently, the cars are exactly like any other Subaru Rally Team USA car, though a different restrictor plate lets the 2.2-liter boxer four-cylinder make more power — about 400 horsepower and 451 pound-feet of torque. Unnecessary stuff like the navigator's seat, the spare tires and the underbody endorsement have been deleted to lighten the car to 3,000 pounds from 3,400.

Also, the front aero package has been removed to enable Pastrana to better "fly" the car…

More photos and info after the jump.

 

 

Pastrana is no stranger to flying, but he has alway flown bikes. He claims the STI is surprisingly adjustable in midair, though

"We took the aero off the front to keep the back end down because we've got no weight in the back," he told a group of journalists gathered in his Red Bull trailer.

This has the effect of actuation the nose of the car up, he said. "The first time I pulled the handbrake, I almost cartwheeled it."

There's some work to be done at the wheel to counter crosswinds. "During practice we had a 17-mph sidewind so you actually had to aim for right to the edge of where the landing ramp would be and kind of play the wind. If you turn into whatever way you're going and gas it, it stands it straight but then it gets [the nose] flying high, so the day with the wind, I'd turn the wheels, give it some gas, pull the handbrake and level it in… like in Space Cowboys, 'bring the nose in.'"

Headwinds and tailwinds are also a factor, which is why Pastrana forsaken his original, perfectly insane idea of jumping between New York City skyscrapers. "A 5-mph headwind is 40 feet on the back side of a jump. Can you imagine on a skyscraper if there was a gust, a 10-mph gust and all of a sudden, you're 80 feet short?"

Pastrana expects to touch down on the barge at 95 mph, give or take a couple mph depending on the wind. (The STI is fitted with BF Goodrich gravel rally tires, which Hamilton told us can better withstand a hard landing than harder-compound tarmac tires.)

"If I don't grease that landing, if that car bounces at all… flying [nose] high actually kind of sets down pretty nice. Flying low, it bounces. If it's long and it hits the bottom, that car does not settle. If it doesn't look smooth as in 'that was way too easy,' there's no way I'm stopping…. I could slide it in sideways, but I'd hate to do this big jump and then crash on the landing."

Fortunately, there's a scuba tank on-board the STI in case Pastrana goes into the drink and has the presence of mind to equip himself. In addition, there's a camera mounted on the passenger-side B-pillar to record the priceless look on his face.

Inside Line Feature: Travis Pastrana: Rallying With Brutal Speed and Graceful Landings

It’s been a rough year for the auto industry. But for all the turmoil and upheaval on the business side, it’s been a good year for great cars. So, as the Year That Everything Changed draws to a close, these are the cars I enjoyed most in 2009.

Audi R8 V-10. I thought the two extra cylinders and 105 extra horses wouldn’t be worth the money. I was wrong. The 5.2-liter V-10 amps the R8 experience up into true supercar territory without compromising the 24/7 usability that makes it a genuine alternative to a Porsche 911 Turbo as an everyday driver. Its one weakness? Transmissions. The clackety-clack faux-Ferrari metal gate slows shifts in the regular manual, while the R-tronic single clutch automated manual is outclassed by the newer dual clutch transmissions. But rest of the car is so unsaved good, complaining about the trannies is a bit like dissing Heidi Klum for having a bad hair day.

BMW M3. Every time I get into our long term M3, I start in love all over again. There is so much that is just so right about this car, from that glorious high-revving V-8 up front to the sublime steering, indestructible brakes, quickfire seven-speed dual clutch manual transmission, and finely balanced chassis. Our M3 is a plain vanilla white sedan, with dark finish 18in wheels, instead of the usual coupe on shiny 19s. While the practicality of the extra doors is nice, what I like most about our M3 is how it tends to run under the radiolocation in blinged-up LA traffic. It’s perfect for pouncing on loafing 911s.

Buick LaCrosse. Buick’s glory days ended decades before I arrived in America, and until this year my experience with Buick cars had been limited to the Lucerne and previous generation LaCrosse, both relics of a Detroit mindset that believed American automakers could get away with foisting hopelessly outclassed machinery on Americans too patriotic — or dim-witted — to buy an import brand. A front drive luxo-cruiser, the new LaCrosse is not my sort of car. But it looks sharp inside and out, and is — in top of the range V-6 form, at least – very pleasant to drive. Better than a Lexus ES350? Probably. I climbed in a skeptic, and climbed out impressed.

Cadillac CTS-V. It’s vanquished the BMW M5, and taken down Jaguar’s XFR. Make no mistake, the Cadillac CTS-V is a benchmark sport sedan. Even now, after a lot of miles in CTS-Vs over the past 12 months, I find it astonishing I can write that sentence. The CTS-V’s supercharged V-8 delivers a tidal wave of power; the steering is crisp and accurate; the chassis equilibrise superb; ride and refinement first rate. The CTS-V shows the American auto industry is capable of building a no-excuses, world-class automobile when it puts its mind to it. Is it good enough to beat the impressive new Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG? Log on to motortrend.com next week to find out. But win, lose or draw, the CTS-V will remain one of my all-time favorite American cars.

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. From a blog I wrote back in June: “I’m still tingling from this morning’s 300 mile cross country-blast in the Corvette ZR1. I didn’t go over 140 mph, but Lordy, what a car! Punch the gas and the LS9 bellows like a lion kicked in the balls, delivering a surge of pure, weapons-grade thrust… The massive Michelin Pilot Sport tires grip like leeches, the steering is accurate and nicely weighted, and the huge carbon brakes are simply bulletproof, hauling the ZR1 down from unfeasibly fast velocities time and again without a hint of fuss and fade. This is without doubt the most accomplished Corvette ever; the first that could be considered a true Ferrari rival. I adore it, so much so I can forgive its cheap-looking, made-by-Mattel interior and the fearful whiff of Dogtown surf shop when I open the rear hatch.” Says it all, really…

Ford Fusion. Of course we auto writers love driving all the fast and chanceful stuff. After all, most of us are only car guys who’ve been lucky enough to parlay our passion into a profession. But we also love cars that are great all-rounders; the honest and accomplished everyday cars that deliver a dash of inspiration as well as transportation. The heavily reworked Ford Fusion, our 2010 COTY, is one of those cars. The fuel efficient Fusion Hybrid is a more refined and entertaining drive than a Toyota Prius, and the headline grabber in the range. But in many ways the star car is the entry-level SE four banger with the six-speed manual transmission. It’s great fun to drive; peppy, and light on its feet, like Honda Accords used to be before they got fat and ugly.

Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. Trying to turn pickup trucks into muscle car alternatives never prefabricated much sense. Sure, rigs like the GMC Syclone, F-150 Lighting, and Ram SRT-10 were great fun to drive. For about 15 minutes. Then you realized you’d bought a pickup truck that wasn’t actually as fast and buttoned down as a proper muscle car, and wasn’t much use as a pickup truck. Okay, the F-150 Raptor isn’t a real load lugger, either. But it can do something no muscle car, sport sedan or supercar could ever do – charge flat out crossways desert whoop-de-dos like a genuine Baja racer. This is the pickup truck world’s answer to a Porsche 911 GT3 — a properly engineered, race-focused ride you can drive everyday on the street during the week, and hammer on — er, make that off — the track on the weekend. Forget the anemic 5.4-liter version, though. Go for the new 411-hp 6.2.

Lamborghini Murcielago LP670-4 SuperVeloce. Ever since the white-on-white LP500S Countach, big-banger Lambos have always exuded a fearful aura of gold chains and chest hair, and whispered threats of grievous bodily harm if you dared tried to drive them as fast as they looked. The LP670-4 blows those stereotypes out of the water. It’s still big, and it’s still ohmigod fast when that 661-hp V-12 starts shrieking towards redline. But it’s more balanced, more communicative, more… trustworthy than any big-banger Lambo in history. It looks like a supercar, sounds like a supercar, and makes the driver feel like Superman.

Land Rover LR4.I’m driving one right now, and very nice it is, too. The LR3 was our 2005 SUOTY thanks to its unique combination of stunning off-road capability and remarkable on-road refinement, plus clever packaging that allowed a truly useable third row in a relatively compact vehicle footprint. The LR4 builds on that basic goodness with an upscale new interior, and a punchy new 375-hp 5.0-liter V-8 that has banished the old LR3’s slightly lazy rolling response. It’s like driving a more practical Range Rover. And despite all those luxury goodies, it’s still one of the most capable rigs you’ll ever take off-road.

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. I got some wheel time in this a couple of weeks back, on Abu Dhabi’s incredible Yas Marina F1 circuit. It’s stunningly fast without being fearsome, and feels utterly bulletproof, like a proper Mercedes should. That mighty AMG-built 6.2-liter V-8 thunders like a WWII fighter plane on a strafing run when you nab the gas, the steering has same wonderful clarity as the new E63 sedan, and the brakes feel like they could stop a freight train. You could argue the 1950s Gullwing-inspired SLS walks a fine line between homage and parody in terms of styling, but I love the fact it’s not another formulaic mid-engine supercar. It oozes character and presence, and is a car only Mercedes-Benz could have built.

Nissan GT-R.Speaking of character, here’s an excerpt from a blog I wrote after hustling our long-term GT-R from LA to Vegas — the long way — for the SEMA Show last month: “The coolly calculated Nissan GT-R may not have the rosso romance of a Ferrari Daytona, the charming peculiarity of a Porsche 911, or the aw-shucks muscle of a Corvette ZR1. But in form and function it is a supercar that deftly defines both its era and its origin. All gigabytes and manga, GT-R is a supercar like no other; a supercar that only Nihon could have created. I’d call that character.” And as for the performance… No matter how often I drive it, the GT-R’s supercar-slaying capabilities never cease to amaze me. It is the world’s best bang-for-the-buck performance car. Period.

Porsche Cayman S PDK.The Cayman S PDK nailed our 2009 Best Driver’s Car award, beating a calibre field that included Audi’s R8 and the ZR1 Corvette. How? Because it’s one of the most beautifully balanced sports cars ever built. Everything — everything — in the Cayman S PDK works in harmony, delivering a rare combination of useable performance, accessible handling, and driver-friendly design. This is a car with a multidimensional personality that will delight and reward the enthusiast driver on any road at any time, regardless of weather and traffic conditions. A Ferrari is out of my reach. But I keep thinking that once the last of the kids are through college and gainfully employed, I might just be healthy to accumulate the Benjamins to actually own one of these.

Rolls-Royce Ghost.I love the Rolls-Royce Phantom. It’s an in-your-face, ultra-luxury car that captures the essence of the stately Rolls-Royces of the 20s and 30s, and reworks it for the 21st century. So perfectly wrought is the Phantom that conjuring a follow-up act, especially one that’s intended as an “entry-level” sibling, would seem an almost impossible task. But BMW, surely the best interpreter of classic British brands ever, (better, I would argue than the Brits themselves, given a resume that includes the new Mini, current Range Rover, and even the misunderstood Rover 75) has pulled it off with the Rolls-Royce Ghost. The Ghost puts spirit into the Spirit of Ecstasy with a powerful twin-turbo V-12 and adroit handling, yet it oozes down the road like warm chocolate down Penelope Cruz’s …er, you get the idea. This might be the best riding car ever built.

Volkswagen GTI.Volkswagen invented the hot hatch with the original GTI back in 1976. Like the sainted original, the sixth generation GTI is a car that’s greater than the sum of its parts. There are hot hatches with more power and more driven wheels, but none has quite the same sweet equilibrise of performance and handling as the GTI. It’s a blast to drive, especially when the 200-hp 2.0-liter turbo four is hooked to the lighting-fast dual-clutch six speed automated manual. It looks great too, thanks to Walter de Silva’s new wide-screen VW corporate grille, and an interior that’s classy enough for an Audi. I loved the new GTI, so much so that I’ve just traded Mrs. Mackenzie’s Mini Cooper on one. It’s dark grey metallic, with 18-in wheels, DSG tranny, no nav, and no sunroof.  And plaid cloth interior, of course.

Ken Cole, vice president of governmental relations for General Motors, will retire after 8 years on the job. In his place, GM's interim CEO, Ed Whitacre, will install his own men, John Montford and Bob Ferguson, both former AT&T executives.

Cole was tangled up in all the Capitol Hill battles during the year of upheaval at GM; his counterpart at Chrysler, John Bozzella, has already moved on to take a position with Cerberus Capital, former owner of Chrysler. Cole will stay on with GM as an advisor "until his retirement later in 2010," according to GM.

Montford (top headshot) will serve as a special advisor to Whitacre, while Ferguson (lower headshot) will hold the formal of title of vice president of government relations. They'll both be on the job Jan 1.

Detroit Free Press

Nope. Tesla still doesn't have a plant to build the Model S electric sedan, as John O'Dell of Green Car Advisor reports that the company hasn't worked out a deal with the city of Downey, California. Last month Downey's mayor, Mario Guerra, announced that Tesla would build its second model at an 80-acre site there that formerly housed a Boeing/NASA factory.

Keep in mind Tesla has said it will start selling the Model S sometime in 2011, so the clock is ticking rapidly. The company was approved for $465 million in federal loans this year, and most of that sum is designated for developing a plant to build the Model S. The loan agreement stipulates that Tesla must refurbish an existing U.S. factory.

Green Car Advisor: No Deal Yet For Tesla 'Model S' EV Manufacturing Plant, Company Says

Although it just debuted for 2009, Kia has place its seven-passenger Borrego SUV on cover for 2010: There will be no 2010 Kia Borrego. The long-term prognosis appears doubtful, too, as a Kia official told the Car Connection's Marty Padgett, "TBD."

We questioned Kia's decision to launch a traditional, body-on-frame SUV, particularly one with a V8 engine, in mid-2008. Fuel prices were uncomfortably high when it launched, and though they've since moderated, most people aren't looking to old-school trucks anymore for family transportation. This makes it doubly hard for a newcomer to get noticed, and evidently, the Borrego hasn't. Only 9,500 have been sold in 2009 as of November.

Car Connection

Full Test: 2009 Kia Borrego EX V8 4×4