Subaru Impreza makes its way onto eBay (U.S)

One of the first Subaru Impreza WRXs in America found its way onto eBay.com.

No bids were made for the black WRX, which comes with seven miles on the clock plus air-conditioning and electric seats, and was posted with a starting price of £13,400 ($27,164).

Whether this was a result of suspicion over the car, which reached the online auction site before any official dealers even got the brochures, or simply a lack of interest in the new Impreza it's hard to tell.

Either way it's ironic that the turbo-charged WRX the UK wants but won't be getting, hasn't impressed in the U.S.

New Dodge Challenger spy photos

There have been several recorded sightings of the upcoming Dodge Challenger and most of the pictures were taken with mobile phones by suprised motorists. Well, a couple boys from the KGP posse back in Michigan caught another Challenger prototype and snapped some new shots with a proper digital SLR. The results are a pretty nice look at Dodge's insertion into the pending Muscle Car Wars of 2009.

The test driver got annoyed with these young spy photographers, going so far as calling the police. Four Auburn Hills cops showed up for no apparent reason, they soon realised the situation and everyone parted ways without incident. You'd think a guy lucky enough to be driving one of the most anticipated cars of 2009 would be in a little better mood...

The new Challenger will go on sale early next year in the U.S and will make its way into European showrooms in early 2009.

Hyundai Elantra Touring coming soon...

In one of the few bits of true product news to come out of this week's Center of Automotive Research Management Briefing Seminars here, Hyundai announced that its Elantra variant, a tall wagon dubbed "Elantra Touring," will make its debut in spring 2008 as a 2009 model.

The five-door Elantra Touring will be a sister vehicle to the Elantra sedan. The Elantra Touring is expected to be priced under $15,000; the 2007 Elantra GLS starts at $13,995, including a $600 destination charge. The previous-generation Elantra included a five-door model.Hyundai said the Elantra Touring will use the same 2.0-liter inline-4 found in the Elantra sedan. The engine makes 138 horsepower and 136 pound-feet of torque. It is linked to a standard five-speed manual transmission. The Korean automaker said the Elantra Touring will be tweaked with a "unique sport suspension and steering tuned for greater response and handling." It will also offer the company's first USB port, along with a standard auxiliary jack and standard XM Satellite Radio.The key competitors will include the Dodge Caliber, Mazda 3 and Toyota Matrix

Fiat Fiorino spied undisguised

Couple of days ago, I reported on a upcoming Fiat Doblo but it turns out that "Doblo" is in fact a smaller commercial van. Fiat's Turkish affiliate Tofas is in the final stages of testing a new compact delivery vehicle/people mover that's expected to go on sale next spring in European markets.

The passenger version of the Panda based people mover may be called the Fiat Fiorino, which ran unofficial photos of an engineering prototype. Other names that were given to this van were Panorama, Ludo and Mini-Cargo.

The small van is being jointly developed with PSA Peugeot Citroën under the code name Minicargo and will be marketed as a smaller, less expensive companion to the Fiat Doblo. Eventually, it could be built and sold in various markets around the world, including China, India and Latin America.

Equipped with a choice of 4-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, the Fiorino will compete with the Citroen and Peugeot variants which is scheduled to reach European dealers in late Spring 2008.

Car Review: 2007 Audi Q7 S-Line V8

When I was given the Audi Q7 S-Line with a 4.2 litre V8 petrol engine I was excited because I always wanted to see the Q7 in person so this was my first chance. At a glance it looked big and I thought it would be big inside. As I climbed inside the SUV I personally thought it felt small. The driving position was good and I can reach everything with ease in the drivers seat.

Our test car was accessorised with air suspension, S-Line bodykit, electric mirrors, seats, heated leather seats, 6 speed automatic gearbox, satellite navigation etc. The second row passengers have limited leg/knee room and the third row passengers suffer from limited headroom, leg/knee room. I think the third row seating is suitable for younger children. Headroom was suitable all round expect for the third row seats.

The air suspension was useful if you were loading heavy objects as it goes down slowly and gracefully. The V8 is very punchy and powerful but like I've said before, economy is low and emissions are high just like the Audi S5 Coupé we reviewed yesterday. Just like the Mercedes GL420 CDI we reviewed yesterday aswell, when the SUV is accessorised to your taste it can be very pricey.

Pros:

Great driving position, versatile, air-suspension, 7 seats.

Cons: Costly options,3rd row seats are cramped, fuel economy, no manual.

Image shown for illustration purposes only

Car Review: 2007 Mercedes GL420 CDI

I ventured into my local Mercedes-Benz dealer and I saw the GL-Class. I got into the SUV and I was surprised at how big it felt behind the wheel. Our car had the full works; V8 4.2 litre diesel engine, Nappa leather seats, electric seats, satellite navigation system, heated seats and more. Behind the wheel the SUV felt like a minibus mainly because the vehicle is measuring just over 5 metres and thats how it accomodates its 3rd row seats aswell.

The seats are indeed very comfortable on the derriere. The engine is very punchy and is responsive. The interior is well laid out and everything is within easy reach of the driver. The rear passengers have lots of knee/leg room themselves along with the 3rd row seated passengers.

Overall the SUV feels solid and is pratical but it doesn't come cheap. Our test car had a price tag of £70,000. It isn't cheap to run it either with poor fuel economy and high emissions.

Pros: Very comfortable leather seats, spacious leg/knee room all round, well laid out cabin, pratical

Cons: Thristy engines, very big, expensive, costly extras, expensive to own and run

Image for illustration purposes only