Peugeot 508 GT

At $52,990 the topline GT has no shortage of gear - quad-zone filtered climate control, sunblinds for the rear and rear-side windows, parking sensors front and rear, hill-start assist, an electric parking brake, reach and rake adjustable steering, alarm, folding and heated exterior mirrors, and auto-dipping rear-view mirror.


The GT also gets the little head-up display screen with colour output, keyless entry and go, cruise control with speed limiter function, satellite navigation, a top-quality eight-speaker audio system with Bluetooth and USB connectivity, controlled via the slightly busy leather-wrapped steering wheel, and 18-inch alloys, not all of it standard.


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Leather seats with position memory are a $2500 extra. Satnav with head-up display is $1500, or $2300 with audio system upgrade - that's pretty cheeky in a $50K plus car, even one as well loaded as this.


Peugeot 508 GT

Porsche unveils Panamera GTS

Porsche has added to the Panamera range a harder, more aggressive GTS model that boasts 424 bhp and a more fast-driving-biased chassis setup.

The traditional GTS letters stand for Gran Turismo Sport, which explains the car’s intentions. As well as being a car designed to cover large distances in comfort, the GTS is, more than any other Panamera, designed as a performance car.

Engine response from the 4.8-litre naturally-aspirated V8 has been tuned to be more intense and exciting than it is in the Panamera S and 4S. With 30 bhp more it isn’t significantly faster in the real world, but it’s designed to feel it.

The GTS uses the four-wheel-drive system from the 4S, alongside a PDK gearbox as standard. At its launch, Porsche showed a promotional video showing the GTS enjoying some long and wild powerslides, so the initial suggestion is that more power is sent to the rear wheels than in the Panamera 4S.

Despite weighing nearly two tonnes, the GTS will hit 62 mph in 4.5 seconds and go on to a top speed of 179 mph.

2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S

The 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S is known internally at Porsche, and to those bowing at the altar of the iconic German automaker, as the 991. The biggest change from the 991’s predecessor, the 997, is efficiency and growth.

The wheelbase itself is about 3.9 inches longer, with the body growing 2.2 inches. This means the car’s overhangs are shorter as the wheels are essentially pushed closer to the corners of the 991. A key reason for this added length is an increased stability at high speeds, something drivers of the 997 will tell you they would appreciate.


Covering these new dimensions is all-new sheet metal. The front looks nearly identical to the 997’s on paper, but in person the 991 front wears a patina of refinement that the 997 lacks. But it’s still a bit too conservative for my taste. Meanwhile the back of the 991 is seductively graceful with thinner, longer LED taillights. If only Porsche designers had managed to capture the allure of the 991 rear and apply it to the front.

2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost Recalled for Fire Risk

Rolls-Royce is recalling 589 Ghosts because of a defective electric auxiliary water pump that could lead to a vehicle fire, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.


"The circuit board for the electric auxiliary water pump can overheat," said NHTSA in its recalls summary of the problem. "This could lead to a smoldering of the pump or an engine compartment or vehicle fire."


All of the affected vehicles are equipped with turbocharged engines.

The Ghost recall is related to a recent BMW recall of 32,084 2008-'11 vehicles for the same issue.

Electric Rolls-Royce 102EX

Geneva, Rolls-Royce showed off the 102EX, and insisted it could drive under its own power. As it was confined to the show floor, I had to take Rolls-Royce's word for it.


Now I have proof. Rolls-Royce had the car, the only one of its kind in the world, sitting curbside at the convention center. I got behind the wheel, adjusted the mirrors, and was ready to go. As I moved the stalk to drive, the car just sat there, Rolls-Royce having disabled its ability to creep. I gave it a little pedal and this massive machine moved forward with the slow grace of an ocean liner.


Wonder of wonders, it could move. And even better, the electric power train made it move quietly and smoothly, more so than the gas-engine Phantom. This silky drive quality is exactly what Rolls-Royce engineers have spent decades trying to engineer into cars.


Moving out onto the gritty streets of Los Angeles, I turned the wheel and was treated t

Skoda Yeti Diesel to hit Nepal

Skoda Yeti, which is already popular in the market as a compact SUV, will now be available in diesel version as well. Morang Auto Works (MAW) is planning to formally launch the new version in Nepal on Nov 24.

“Yeti with petrol engine was introduced in the market in June this year. As the vehicle is doing well in the market, we decided to launch the diesel version as well,” Deepak K Agrawal, general manager of MAW-Skoda Division, said. “Moreover, the demand of vehicles like Yeti is higher when it has a diesel engine.”

2012 Infiniti FX35 Limited Edition

The 2012 Infiniti FX35 Limited Edition's tech may not be cutting-edge, but there is a lot of it. The car works well for suburban cruising and weekend ski trips.

Stuck in a nasty San Francisco traffic snarl in the 2012 Infiniti FX35 Limited Edition, I encountered a cop supervising the road full of stopped cars strolling up on the passenger side. Rather than haul me down to the station, he commented on how good the Iridium Blue paint on the FX35 looked. Then he went on to praise the 21-inch graphite-finish wheels. And this is a guy who sees thousands of cars go by each week.

Infiniti JX SUV coming next spring

Infiniti pulled the cover off -- yes, they still do that at auto shows -- its new family size crossover SUV, called JX, at the Los Angeles auto show today.

Due in showrooms next spring, the seven-passenger, four-door crossover starts at $40,450 for the front-wheel-drive version, $41,550 for all-wheel drive.

It'll come with a 3.5-liter, 265-hp V-6 engine rated 23 mpg on the highway in fwd form. It'll also have an interesting bit of gee-whiz technology. If you are about to back into traffic, sensors warn you of the situation adn trigger alerts. If you don't halt, to avoid getting hit, the vehicle will apply the brakes for you.

Infiniti JX SUV