Goodbye, V-10! Audi’s next S8 gets a turbocharged eight.

Audi claims it builds the sportiest cars in the premium segment, but another carmaker headquartered just 50 miles south, BMW, begs to differ. The battle is raging—and we couldn’t be happier. Early next year, Audi will launch its sportiest A8, the S8, as its latest volley. From what we know so far, it has the potential to become our favorite luxury car.

Powered by a twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V-8, the upcoming S8 will make 450 hp, matching the current model’s naturally aspirated V-10. But it will produce significantly more low-end torque, which is one of our few issues with the current S8. The V-10 never felt as strong as its power suggested, although we will miss the sweet sound, which suggests that of a distant Formula 1 racer. What we won’t miss is the V-10’s appetite for fuel; the turbocharged V-8 will bring considerable improvement in that regard.

Keep Reading: 2012 Audi S8 – Spied

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Japan creates its own Mercedes Sprinter, and it’ll be built in America.

There’s nothing terribly creative about the name of Nissan’s new commercial van—NV stands for Nissan Van—but the Japanese Sprinter-fighter is a fresh take on the commercial carryall box. Nissan will launch the van in three strengths with a choice of a V-6 or V-8 engine.

Keep Reading: 2011 Nissan NV1500 / NV2500 HD / NV3500 HD – Car News

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The Ford Motor Company has at last made Lincoln into something considerably more than the nicest car you can rent at the airport.  Meanwhile, Lexus is being tarred with the same brush that tars all Toyota products.  In Toyota’s case it is not the straightforward fact of unintended acceleration plaguing legions of Toyota and Lexus drivers. It is the backing and filling, confessing and unconfessing that most plagues Toyota’s reputation in North America and the world.

We are driving from Ann Arbor, Michigan, to the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance through the mother of all rainstorms in a Mercedes CL550 coupe.  Nine hundred miles in this phenomenally good car is proving that Mercedes-Benz, having utterly lost its way for a few years, is back on the high road with better-than-world-class luxury cars.  This car is as solid and tight as a steel billet. Its acceleration is massive. It has wonderful brakes. It is absolutely surefooted in this Biblical rainstorm through which we are now driving.

Yesterday we pulled into a McDonald’s in Ohio, and a young cook who had stepped outside for a smoke swept the restaurant door open for us, like the most regal of Parisian doormen and said “That’s a beautiful Mercedes you’re driving, Sir!”  Not bad.

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Just a month ago, the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD was revealed at the Chicago auto show. No big surprise here, The General has followed up with its GMC variant, the Sierra HD. Since the two are identical under the sheetmetal, we won’t go into too much detail (you can read about all the same improvements here). The biggest news for the Sierra HD is the addition of an upscale Denali trim package and newly exposed—and massive—power figures from the revised 6.6-liter Duramax diesel.

This marks the first time the Denali package has been offered on GMC’s heavy-duty pickup line. The package is all appearance, taking on the unique Denali chrome grille, body-colored bumpers, chrome accents and door handles, as well as 18- and 20-inch polished aluminum wheels. Inside, brushed-aluminum trim, power-adjustable pedals and seats, and a Bose sound system all come standard, while a heated steering wheel, and heated and cooled leather seats are available as options. The Denali package is offered only on the four-wheel-drive 2500-series crew cab standard box configuration which will allow bed payloads of up to 2959 pounds and a maximum tow rating of 15,600 pounds with a fifth-wheel hitch. Color choices are limited to black, Stealth Gray, and white.

Beating the 2011 Ford Super Duty by seven horsepower and 30 lb-ft of torque, the updated optional diesel engine now puts out 397 hp and a staggering 765 lb-ft of torque. An improved Allison six-speed automatic transmission will disperse all that power when the HDs goes on sale early this summer.

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Infiniti celebrates its 20th with some stylish Gs.

For its 20th Anniversary (gosh, has it really been 20 years?), Infiniti is providing more reasons to fancy its slick 2010 G37 line: special Anniversary Editions. Available as one of four models (sedan, AWD sedan, coupe, and convertible), the limited-edition G comes painted in new-for-2010 Graphite Shadow Metallic and wears aggressive new front fascias with black-painted grilles. Each Anniversary Edition also gets side-sill extensions, with the convertible getting a new rear fascia, too. New wheels wrapped in performance tires round out what’s “special” about these G37s, at least on the outside.

Keep Reading: 2010 Infiniti G37 Anniversary Edition Sedan / Coupe / Convertible – Car News

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The “mine’s bigger” war in the heavy-duty pickup truck market continues. We first saw the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD at the Chicago auto show about a month back, and now GM has laid the power figures from its improved 6.6-liter Duramax diesel on us: 397 hp and 765 lb-ft of torque—improvements of 32 hp and 105 lb-ft. The standard gas V-8 remains the 360-hp 6.0-liter. Both engines will also be found in the Silverado’s sister, the GMC Sierra HD, about which we’ll have more for you soon.

This, of course, comes just days after we sampled the 2011 Ford Super Duty trucks, whose diesel now makes 390 hp and 735 lb-ft of torque. GM wins. For now.

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A track-focused tribute to the Vette’s Le Mans heritage.

Chevrolet is launching a special Corvette Z06 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vette first competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1960. Called the 2011 Z06 Carbon Limited Edition, only about 500 examples will be available when it goes on sale in late summer.

While the Corvette ZR1 is the fastest and most advanced—and most expensive—model in the lineup, the lightweight, naturally aspirated Z06 is a favorite among track rats, some of whom consider it to be better balanced and more focused with its 505-hp, 7.0-liter V-8. (We preferred the departed Z51 Vette’s poise and livability to the Z06’s hairiness.) Many Vette enthusiasts, however, have been clamoring for the option to add some of the ZR1’s chassis goodies without paying that car’s $107,830 sticker price, according to the company.

Keep Reading: 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon Limited Edition – Official Photos and Info

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A track-focused tribute to the Vette’s Le Mans heritage.

Chevrolet is launching a special Corvette Z06 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vette first competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1960. Called the 2011 Z06 Carbon Limited Edition, only about 500 examples will be available when it goes on sale in late summer.

While the Corvette ZR1 is the fastest and most advanced—and most expensive—model in the lineup, the lightweight, naturally aspirated Z06 is a favorite among track rats, some of whom consider it to be better balanced and more focused with its 505-hp, 7.0-liter V-8. (We preferred the departed Z51 Vette’s poise and livability to the Z06’s hairiness.) Many Vette enthusiasts, however, have been clamoring for the option to add some of the ZR1’s chassis goodies without paying that car’s $107,830 sticker price, according to the company.

Keep Reading: 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon Limited Edition – Official Photos and Info

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