10 Cars to Look Out For in 2009 (Part 2)

6. Aston Martin One-77: The Aston Martin One-77 will be a completely customizable car. Prospective buyers will be in control of every aspect of production of their car. Want more seats? done! Under the hood will be a 7.3 liter V-12 cranking out 700 horsepower, pushing the car from 0-60mph in just 3.5 seconds to a top speed of 200mph. The body will be completely hand crafted out of aluminum and will sit on a carbon fiber chassis. However, only 77 cars will be produced, hence the name One-77. Oh yeah, and it’ll cost about £1 million.

7. Tesla Model S: Tesla is a new North American car company, located in California. Its first car was the Tesla Roadster, which was released in 2008. As with all Tesla vehicles, the new Tesla Model S will be a completely electric car (not a hybrid). It’s a 4-door sedan that can go 0-60 in 5.6 seconds, charge up in just 45 minutes, and can get either 160, 230 or 300 miles on a single charge (depending on the battery pack chosen). The new Model S will also be half the price of their first car. Don’t expect to see this puppy until 2011 or later though.

8. Chevrolet Volt: Although technically not a hybrid, the Chevy Volt will have a 4-cylinder gas motor to generate power for the electric motor. This gas generator will not be directly connected to the wheels though. The Volt will be able to go 40 miles on a single charge, but on a full tank of gas the range can be extended up to 600 miles. Chevy has a lot riding on this car, as it has been going head to head with Toyota on hybrids and electric vehicles since it lost to the Prius.

 

9. Ford F-150 SVT Raptor: Ford plans on releasing an SVT (Speed Vehicle Team) version of the Ford F-150 called the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor in 2010. It will be released with a 5.4 liter Triton V-8 with 320 horsepower. After release, another engine package will be available with a 6.2 liter V-8 capable of pushing 400 horsepower. Its wheelbase will be 7 inches wider than other Ford F-150s and it will be the first street truck to use internal bypass shocks (manufactured by Fox Racing Shox). A modified version of the truck will also compete in the Baja 1000.

 

10. Saleen S5S Raptor: Most noted these days for making the Saleen S7, the company is making a new vehicle, designed by Dave Byron from ASC Creative Services, dubbed the Saleen S5S Raptor. It will be a 5.0 liter supercharged engine producing 650 horsepower and going 0-60 in just 3.2 seconds. And the best part – it will “only” cost $185,000 (that’s $400,000 less than the S7). It’s also designed to run on E85 ethanol.

10 Cars to Look Out For in 2009 (Part 1)

1. Chevy Camaro: Chevy stopped making the Camaro in 2002. That wouldn’t last very long. Expect the new 2010 Camaro to hit showrooms in the first quarter of 2009 with a base model 3.6 liter V-6 that puts out around 300 horsepower. If that’s not enough there’s also a 6.2 liter V-8 SS model with 422 horsepower that gets 16mpg in the city and 25mpg on the highway. And yes, it’s the same Camaro they showcased in the transformers movie as “Bumble Bee.”

2. Cadillac CTS Coupe: The four-door Cadillac CTS got great reviews and won many awards when it was released in 2003. It has even been credited with rejuvenating the Cadillac brand name. Now Cadillac is going to create a two door coupe version, originally expected in fall 2009 but now pushed back until sometime in 2010.

3. Audi A7: Not much is known about the Audi A7 except that it will be based on the Audi A6 and that it could be in production as early as 2010. It is basically Audi’s response to the new “four-door coupe” craze that Mercedes Benz started in 2004 with its CLS-Class. Although it is a four door sedan it resembles a two door coupe and, of course, comes with all the Audi luxury items.

4. Lotus Evora: The Evora will be Lotus’ first new car since the Elise debuted, 13 years ago. It will also be their first 2+2 seater (all other Lotus’ were just 2-seaters). It will come equipped with a mid-mounted 3.5 liter V-6 that will produce around 280 horsepower. Lotus will also increase the size of the car and make it easier for taller people to get in, and out of, the vehicle.

5. Nissan 370Z: Nissan is replacing its 350Z with a new car – the 370Z. It will be about 90 pounds lighter and comes with about 30 more horsepower. It is powered by the same 3.7 liter V-6 that is in the Nissan G37, producing 332 horsepower. Buyers can chose between a seven speed automatic or a six speed manual. The six speed manual will be the first vehicle to offer synchronized rev matching downshift. Basically it matches the throttle with the engine speed to create smoother shifting.