US Online America Group FAQ : Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2009 Honda Civic is a small car available as a sedan or coupe. For both, there are five main trim levels: DX, LX, EX, EX-L and Si. On the Civic sedan, Honda also offers the DX Value Package, the LX-S, the Hybrid and the GX.
The DX is meant for those on a very tight budget and offers little more than 15-inch steel wheels, power windows, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel and a height-adjustable driver seat. At least with this year's new DX Value Package, you get air-conditioning and a four-speaker CD/MP3 audio system with an auxiliary audio jack. The popular midgrade LX has the above features plus 16-inch wheels, full power accessories, keyless entry, a folding rear seat and cruise control. The LX-S adds alloy wheels, a chrome exhaust outlet, a rear spoiler and front sport seats.
Going with a Civic EX gets you 16-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof, six-speaker audio (with steering-wheel-mounted audio controls and a USB input jack) and a 60/40-split rear seatback with a rear armrest. The EX-L comes with leather upholstery and heated front seats. The sporting Civic Si has most of the EX's features plus a high-output engine, a sport-tuned suspension, 17-inch alloy wheels, foglights, a premium audio system, sport seats and special interior trim. High-performance summer tires are an option for the Si, and a navigation system with Bluetooth phone connectivity is offered for the Si and EX/EX-L models. Hybrid models are equipped similarly to the EX and have automatic climate control; they can also be equipped with the optional navigation system and leather/heated seats. The GX has a feature list similar to the LX's.
US Online America Group Prices
Powertrains and Performance
The standard engine in the Chevy Silverado 2500 is a 6.0-liter gasoline-fueled V8 making 353 horsepower and 373 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard. Optional is a 6.6-liter turbodiesel Duramax V8 that boasts 365 hp and 660 lb-ft of torque. It gets a different six-speed automatic and is the go-to choice if you require a burly tow vehicle (it also gets better fuel economy). Properly equipped, the 2500HD can haul up to 3,458 pounds and tow up to 13,000 pounds.
Rear-wheel drive is standard across the board, with four-wheel drive optional. Although the Work Truck 4WD gets a traditional floor-mounted transfer case, the two other trim levels available on the Silverado 4WD get Autotrac, a knob-controlled electric transfer case that features an automatic setting that engages 4WD when wheel slippage is detected.
US Online America Group Overview 2008 Chevrolet Corvette Vehicle Overview
Introduction
If you tell the average person that you bought a new 2009 Corvette, they'll likely scrunch up their face, as if they'd just gotten a whiff from a bad carton of milk. "Really, a Corvette?" they'll say. It seems there's a certain stereotype associated with America's sports car, one that involves a midlife crisis and gold chains on exposed chest hair, possibly accompanied by visions of the hideous Vette Mark Hamill drove in "Corvette Summer." However, you can reply with this: "Corvette Summer" was 21 years ago, gold chains haven't come back into fashion yet and the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette has nothing to do with the stereotypes -- it's simply a fantastic sports car.
While there are certainly historical kernels of truth in this stereotype, most of them were excised with the debut of the model's sixth generation (the C6) for 2005. Last year, Chevrolet made further improvements, including more power and a better interior. Even the stats for the base Corvette are enough to drool over. The 6.2-liter V8 cranks out 430 hp, just 50 hp shy of the almighty Porsche 911 Turbo. The track-ready Z06 model puts out even more power (505 hp) and weighs less than 3,200 pounds.
US Online America Group Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2009 BMW 3 Series is available in sedan, wagon, coupe and hardtop convertible body styles. All come in base rear-wheel-drive 328i trim, while the coupe, sedan and wagon also come in all-wheel-drive 328i xDrive guise. All but the wagon are available in rear-drive 335i trim, while the sedan and coupe can be had in 335i xDrive form. Later in the model year, a diesel-powered 335d sedan will arrive.
Standard equipment on the 328i models includes 16-inch wheels, heated side mirrors, a sunroof, leatherette vinyl upholstery, automatic climate control and a 10-speaker CD stereo with an auxiliary input jack. Coupe and convertible versions come with slightly more equipment, including a sport-tuned suspension on the coupe and a power-retractable hardtop on the convertible. In addition to its more powerful engine, the 335i adds 17-inch wheels, xenon headlights and power front seats with driver memory. The 335d should be similarly equipped.
Most 3 Series cars you find on dealer lots will be equipped with the Premium Package, which adds leather upholstery (heat-reflective in the convertible), auto-dimming mirrors, Bluetooth connectivity, BMW Assist telematics and, on 328i models, power seats with driver memory. The Sport Package specifies a firmer suspension on convertibles, sedans and wagons, and all get larger wheels, sport seats and steering wheel, and special "Shadowline" exterior trim. The Climate Package adds heated front seats and steering wheel, retractable headlight washers and fold-down rear seats (though the latter are unavailable in the convertible). Many of these items can be had as stand-alone options.
Among the à la carte options are a navigation system with iDrive controller, keyless ignition/entry, active cruise control, front and rear parking assist, an active steering system (335i only), paddle shifters for the optional automatic transmission, xenon headlights (328i), rear window shades, satellite radio, HD radio, iPod adapter and a Logic 7 surround-sound audio system.
US Online America Group Info 2009 Porsche 911 Vehicle Overview
Introduction
Few modern sports cars are worthy to be deemed icons. With its classic design and prestigious motorsports pedigree, the rear-engine Porsche 911 is one of the most enduring and historically important high-performance cars on the market today. A host of new features take the 2009 Porsche 911 to the next level, including more powerful and efficient engines, a revised entertainment system and an optional, state-of-the-art automated manual transmission. Combined with a refreshed exterior, the new 911 improves on an already superb combination of sharp looks, ferocious performance and daily drivability.
The 2009 Porsche 911 gets a power and fuel economy boost over its predecessor thanks to direct-injection, flat-6 engines. The 3.6-liter base Carrera gets 345 horsepower, up from 325, and the 3.8-liter Carrera S gets a 30 hp boost for a total of 385 hp. In addition, combined fuel economy has improved by about 10 percent. The new seven-speed automated manual transmission, known as PDK (an acronym for Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe), utilizes the same type of "dual-clutch" design that Volkswagen uses for its highly regarded DSG transmissions. While driving, PDK will pre-select the next gear, so when it comes time to shift, the next gear can instantly take over -- virtually eliminating the lag in shift time. Like other transmissions of this type, PDK can be placed in a fully automatic mode or shifted manually via steering-wheel-mounted buttons. Porsche says the software controlling the PDK also knows whether to plan for an upshift or downshift based on certain parameters, such as hard acceleration and braking.
US Online America Group Info Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2009 Chevrolet Corvette is available as a two-seat coupe or convertible. Trim levels include the standard Corvette, Z06 and ZR1. The standard Corvette coupe is actually more of a targa, as it comes with a removable body-color roof panel. Like Corvette roadsters before it, the convertible features a hide-away top.
Standard on the 1LT coupe and drop top are 18-inch front alloy wheels and 19-inch rears, xenon headlamps, cruise control, keyless ignition/entry, full power accessories, OnStar, leather seating, a six-way power driver seat, a tilting steering wheel and dual-zone automatic climate control. The standard seven-speaker audio system includes a CD/MP3 player, satellite radio, steering-wheel-mounted controls and an auxiliary audio jack. The 2LT Package adds Bluetooth and upgraded leather seating with a power passenger seat. The convertible gets a power-operated top with the 2LT Package. More equipment can be found on the 3LT; it includes a head-up display, a power telescoping steering column with manual tilting, heated front seats, driver-seat memory settings and a Bose audio system. The top-level Corvette 4LT is very similar to the 3LT but includes an exclusive two-tone leather interior (with leather covering the dash top, console top and armrests).
The 2009 Honda Civic is a small car available as a sedan or coupe. For both, there are five main trim levels: DX, LX, EX, EX-L and Si. On the Civic sedan, Honda also offers the DX Value Package, the LX-S, the Hybrid and the GX.
The DX is meant for those on a very tight budget and offers little more than 15-inch steel wheels, power windows, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel and a height-adjustable driver seat. At least with this year's new DX Value Package, you get air-conditioning and a four-speaker CD/MP3 audio system with an auxiliary audio jack. The popular midgrade LX has the above features plus 16-inch wheels, full power accessories, keyless entry, a folding rear seat and cruise control. The LX-S adds alloy wheels, a chrome exhaust outlet, a rear spoiler and front sport seats.
Going with a Civic EX gets you 16-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof, six-speaker audio (with steering-wheel-mounted audio controls and a USB input jack) and a 60/40-split rear seatback with a rear armrest. The EX-L comes with leather upholstery and heated front seats. The sporting Civic Si has most of the EX's features plus a high-output engine, a sport-tuned suspension, 17-inch alloy wheels, foglights, a premium audio system, sport seats and special interior trim. High-performance summer tires are an option for the Si, and a navigation system with Bluetooth phone connectivity is offered for the Si and EX/EX-L models. Hybrid models are equipped similarly to the EX and have automatic climate control; they can also be equipped with the optional navigation system and leather/heated seats. The GX has a feature list similar to the LX's.
US Online America Group Prices
Powertrains and Performance
The standard engine in the Chevy Silverado 2500 is a 6.0-liter gasoline-fueled V8 making 353 horsepower and 373 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard. Optional is a 6.6-liter turbodiesel Duramax V8 that boasts 365 hp and 660 lb-ft of torque. It gets a different six-speed automatic and is the go-to choice if you require a burly tow vehicle (it also gets better fuel economy). Properly equipped, the 2500HD can haul up to 3,458 pounds and tow up to 13,000 pounds.
Rear-wheel drive is standard across the board, with four-wheel drive optional. Although the Work Truck 4WD gets a traditional floor-mounted transfer case, the two other trim levels available on the Silverado 4WD get Autotrac, a knob-controlled electric transfer case that features an automatic setting that engages 4WD when wheel slippage is detected.
US Online America Group Overview 2008 Chevrolet Corvette Vehicle Overview
Introduction
If you tell the average person that you bought a new 2009 Corvette, they'll likely scrunch up their face, as if they'd just gotten a whiff from a bad carton of milk. "Really, a Corvette?" they'll say. It seems there's a certain stereotype associated with America's sports car, one that involves a midlife crisis and gold chains on exposed chest hair, possibly accompanied by visions of the hideous Vette Mark Hamill drove in "Corvette Summer." However, you can reply with this: "Corvette Summer" was 21 years ago, gold chains haven't come back into fashion yet and the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette has nothing to do with the stereotypes -- it's simply a fantastic sports car.
While there are certainly historical kernels of truth in this stereotype, most of them were excised with the debut of the model's sixth generation (the C6) for 2005. Last year, Chevrolet made further improvements, including more power and a better interior. Even the stats for the base Corvette are enough to drool over. The 6.2-liter V8 cranks out 430 hp, just 50 hp shy of the almighty Porsche 911 Turbo. The track-ready Z06 model puts out even more power (505 hp) and weighs less than 3,200 pounds.
US Online America Group Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2009 BMW 3 Series is available in sedan, wagon, coupe and hardtop convertible body styles. All come in base rear-wheel-drive 328i trim, while the coupe, sedan and wagon also come in all-wheel-drive 328i xDrive guise. All but the wagon are available in rear-drive 335i trim, while the sedan and coupe can be had in 335i xDrive form. Later in the model year, a diesel-powered 335d sedan will arrive.
Standard equipment on the 328i models includes 16-inch wheels, heated side mirrors, a sunroof, leatherette vinyl upholstery, automatic climate control and a 10-speaker CD stereo with an auxiliary input jack. Coupe and convertible versions come with slightly more equipment, including a sport-tuned suspension on the coupe and a power-retractable hardtop on the convertible. In addition to its more powerful engine, the 335i adds 17-inch wheels, xenon headlights and power front seats with driver memory. The 335d should be similarly equipped.
Most 3 Series cars you find on dealer lots will be equipped with the Premium Package, which adds leather upholstery (heat-reflective in the convertible), auto-dimming mirrors, Bluetooth connectivity, BMW Assist telematics and, on 328i models, power seats with driver memory. The Sport Package specifies a firmer suspension on convertibles, sedans and wagons, and all get larger wheels, sport seats and steering wheel, and special "Shadowline" exterior trim. The Climate Package adds heated front seats and steering wheel, retractable headlight washers and fold-down rear seats (though the latter are unavailable in the convertible). Many of these items can be had as stand-alone options.
Among the à la carte options are a navigation system with iDrive controller, keyless ignition/entry, active cruise control, front and rear parking assist, an active steering system (335i only), paddle shifters for the optional automatic transmission, xenon headlights (328i), rear window shades, satellite radio, HD radio, iPod adapter and a Logic 7 surround-sound audio system.
US Online America Group Info 2009 Porsche 911 Vehicle Overview
Introduction
Few modern sports cars are worthy to be deemed icons. With its classic design and prestigious motorsports pedigree, the rear-engine Porsche 911 is one of the most enduring and historically important high-performance cars on the market today. A host of new features take the 2009 Porsche 911 to the next level, including more powerful and efficient engines, a revised entertainment system and an optional, state-of-the-art automated manual transmission. Combined with a refreshed exterior, the new 911 improves on an already superb combination of sharp looks, ferocious performance and daily drivability.
The 2009 Porsche 911 gets a power and fuel economy boost over its predecessor thanks to direct-injection, flat-6 engines. The 3.6-liter base Carrera gets 345 horsepower, up from 325, and the 3.8-liter Carrera S gets a 30 hp boost for a total of 385 hp. In addition, combined fuel economy has improved by about 10 percent. The new seven-speed automated manual transmission, known as PDK (an acronym for Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe), utilizes the same type of "dual-clutch" design that Volkswagen uses for its highly regarded DSG transmissions. While driving, PDK will pre-select the next gear, so when it comes time to shift, the next gear can instantly take over -- virtually eliminating the lag in shift time. Like other transmissions of this type, PDK can be placed in a fully automatic mode or shifted manually via steering-wheel-mounted buttons. Porsche says the software controlling the PDK also knows whether to plan for an upshift or downshift based on certain parameters, such as hard acceleration and braking.
US Online America Group Info Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2009 Chevrolet Corvette is available as a two-seat coupe or convertible. Trim levels include the standard Corvette, Z06 and ZR1. The standard Corvette coupe is actually more of a targa, as it comes with a removable body-color roof panel. Like Corvette roadsters before it, the convertible features a hide-away top.
Standard on the 1LT coupe and drop top are 18-inch front alloy wheels and 19-inch rears, xenon headlamps, cruise control, keyless ignition/entry, full power accessories, OnStar, leather seating, a six-way power driver seat, a tilting steering wheel and dual-zone automatic climate control. The standard seven-speaker audio system includes a CD/MP3 player, satellite radio, steering-wheel-mounted controls and an auxiliary audio jack. The 2LT Package adds Bluetooth and upgraded leather seating with a power passenger seat. The convertible gets a power-operated top with the 2LT Package. More equipment can be found on the 3LT; it includes a head-up display, a power telescoping steering column with manual tilting, heated front seats, driver-seat memory settings and a Bose audio system. The top-level Corvette 4LT is very similar to the 3LT but includes an exclusive two-tone leather interior (with leather covering the dash top, console top and armrests).
