2010 Lincoln MKT EcoBoost: Through Ian's Lens

The 2010 Lincoln MKT is the most unique-looking vehicle rolling off dealer lots this year. I base this on its defining feature: the grille. There’s not another car — excluding trucks, exotics and kit cars — on the road today with this distinctive grille. From the front, the MKT looks like it’s out to get you. It’s going to swallow you like a whale swallows seawater, and then it will strain you through its baleen-styled grille vents. The MKT will swallow every car on the road. At least that's what I think the MKT's intentions are when I see one on the streets.

In reality, the MKT is Lincoln’s version of the Ford Flex. From the exterior, the two vehicles could not be more different. While the Flex resembles a creased, flattened top hat, the MKT looks like an angry hearse (in a good way). The front fenders are slightly curved and sleek-looking against the wide, multi-slotted grille. Just above the grille, eye-shaped headlights complete the ferocious expression. In the back, a sloped hatch gives the MKT a distinct rear end, while the taillights stretch the crossover’s width to meet at the Lincoln crosshair badge in the center of the liftgate.

From the illuminated instrument panel to the stitched leather on the dash to the two sunroofs above the three rows of seats, the MKT uses lots of aesthetically pleasing materials and designs in the interior. All of these pieces help create a sense of class without being too over the top. Plus, it really looks mean in black. Really mean. Check out the full-screen player after the jump.

2010 Aston Martin DBS Volante: Through Ian's Lens

The first name most people associate with Aston Martin is that of a famous secret agent who drives these cars in hard-to-reach locations. What the public always forgets is this man inevitably destroys the Aston Martins only after voiding the warrantees by mounting aftermarket rocket launchers, oil slicks, ejection seats and machine guns to the prestigious British automobile. If you ask me, Aston Martin could save some PR money by spreading car parts across the countryside somewhere and placing a sign that reads, "James was here."

Do you know what else equals cheap publicity? Allowing a 31-year-old automotive photographer to snap some pictures of a 2010 Aston Martin DBS Volante in the rain. As a stickler for pristine weather conditions when photographing cars, I politely declined. Yeah, right.

The 2010 Aston Martin DBS Volante is one of the more aesthetically pleasing exotic cars on the market today. Instead of the Lamborghini creased-angled-wedge look (which is as boring as Porsche’s designs), Aston Martin keeps the DBS sleek and wide with rounded features in the four corners accentuated by its headlights and taillights. The DBS keeps it classy by adding highlights of carbon fiber on the chin spoiler, rear bumper and in various places along the interior. Luxurious leather, metal trims and refined plastic finish off the comfortable cabin. From the front, the hood vents are one of the prettiest components of the DBS’ 6.0-liter V-12 engine. The car’s overall design is tied together nicely by the sleek hips of each wheel well and fender. From the profile, this car wants to cruise at high speeds.

As the photos prove, the autumn rain did not stop me from snapping away with my camera. It just quickened my pace! Check out the full-screen player after the jump.

2009 Nissan 370Z Nismo: Through Ian's Lens

At the 2009 New York auto show, I featured the soft-top roadster version of the newly redesigned Nissan 370Z in a Through Ian's Lens post. How could I pass up the chance to show off the same car with a hardtop, whale-tail spoiler, Nismo badge and — above all else — in candy apple red? It's too delicious.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Z.  In those 40 years Nissan (and Datsun) hasn't lost sight that this car is 1) about the driving experience and 2) about how awesome you look experiencing the driving. The newest edition delivers on both points. In spades. Did I mention that our test car was in candy apple red? I'll let my photos do the talking. Check out the full-screen player after the jump.

2010 Mercedes-Benz E550: Through Ian's Lens

One of my childhood memories is sitting on the front-seat armrest of my grandfather's early 1980s’ Mercedes-Benz 240D while he drove me and my brother around the flat farmlands of southern Minnesota. Sometimes we’d run errands and sometimes we went just to go for a drive. With the smell of the leather interior in our noses and the comforting clatter of the diesel engine in our ears, my brother and I knew we were riding in something special.

That “Something Special” legacy continues at Mercedes-Benz for 2010. Taking design cues from the smaller C-Class and larger S-Class, the completely redesigned 2010 E-Class combines a fierce front with sleek hard lines throughout the hood, grille, headlights and fenders. It's an aggressive new stance for a model that has felt middle-of-the-road for the past 15 years. Mainstay design elements are prevalent on the E-Class with the dual headlamps on either side of the nose and stacked indicator/reverse lights/brake lights on the rear. In profile, the E-Class carries its major design lines in a slow crease that swoops along the body panels from the top of the front wheel well to the top of the taillight.

When you see it on the street, this new E-Class will definitely stand out against its competitors. Check out the full-screen player after the jump.

2010 Tesla Roadster: Through Ian's Lens

Nikola Tesla is best remembered for being at the forefront of electrical engineering at the turn of the 20th century. Forget the cheesy early 1990s hair-metal music references, Tesla was a groundbreaking inventor who helped create the alternating-current electric power system, and he’s also one of the first pioneers of wireless communication, more commonly known as the modern radio. His mark on modern science is indelible and indisputable. What a perfect name for an electric car company.

The 2010 Tesla Roadster’s body design is based on the Lotus Elise with a couple of unique differences. To offset the electric engine and drivetrain weight, Tesla uses carbon fiber body panels wrapped around an aluminum frame. My favorite angle of the Tesla Roadster is its profile because it reminds me of the new Ferrari California with inklings of Ford GT and even some slight Porsche lines.

Besides the lines and interior of the Roadster, the logo and badge designs are gorgeous pieces unto themselves. Tesla spared no expense when designing a brand that will hopefully be around for a long while. Check out more photos below and an interview with the owner of this beauty here. 

Through Ian's Lens: 2009 BMW Z4

When I was 8, I wanted the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. When I turned 14, any Lamborghini would have done. Now, as I slide ever closer to 35, the perfect second car for my family must fit my current set of “midlife” needs. The prerequisites? This car must be nimble and powerful, have four to six cylinders, two seats, cargo space for suitcases and camera bags, and it must look aesthetically refreshing yet classically stylish. A tall order? Maybe...

Enter the completely redesigned 2009 BMW Z4. It may not be my absolute dream car, but it comes as close as any luxury-priced modern roadster can. With a completely new look, the ‘09 Z4 announces its presence quickly with an elongated nose that gives the new Z4 the powerful stance of a performance coupe rather than a roofless roadster. Coupled with this pronounced snout is a flawlessly designed retractable hardtop that’s hidden (when down) by a raised rear end above twin tailpipes under a slight bumper. All these design cues are leaps and bounds from the previous design, which left a lot to be desired aesthetically (and don’t get me started on how ugly the soft-top was on the roadster).

The Z4 can now be called a gracefully balanced car from bumper to bumper. My favorite angle? The profile. From the side, you can see just how perfectly weighted the car really is. And let’s be honest, it would totally look sweet in the garage next to my station wagon. Unless it were white. I’d probably bring it back to the dealer if it were white.

Through Ian's Lens: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1

Let’s be honest — if you’re into power, the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 is one of the most significant cars of the past year. With a gigantic supercharged engine, ridiculously large brakes and enough carbon fiber to make the kids squeal, this supercar really does turn heads. Pro tip: To get yourself noticed, it helps when the test car shows up in metallic orange on a sunny day.

Not only does the car act the part of “Lamborghini Hater,” the ZR-1 looks the part. With harsh new fenders, a low carbon fiber front spoiler, a carbon fiber roof, a unique rear spoiler and at least seven functioning air intakes along the body panels and hood (including its ever-so-subtle hood scoop), the ZR-1 gives the appearance of a Corvette that’s just busting at the seams with power and pure ferocity. Top it all off with a clear plastic cut-out in the carbon fiber hood that reveals the supercharger on top of the engine, and you’ve got yourself an instant head-turner that’s miles away from its closest competitor. Two words: burning rubber.

Through Ian's Lens: 2009 Muscle Car FaceOff

If your ear is to the ground concerning all things automotive, you’ll already know Detroit now offers up three V-8 muscle cars. Per my wishes and dreams, the 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T, the 2010 Ford Mustang GT and the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS showed up at the office last week. As my colleagues at Cars.com decided to put these three to the test on the road, I decided it was time for a proper photo showdown. After two years of gawking at them individually, I finally put them all in the same pasture just to see how they looked together. And, oh man, did they look pretty.

As an homage to the era that spawned the original muscle cars (the 1970s) — and a tip of the cap to the newly departed late, great film, Kodachrome — these photos were color-corrected to match the bright cyans and saturated oranges that made Kodachrome ISO 64 film and its prints so spectacular. Enjoy.

Let me know what you think in the comments section below. As always, feel free to use the full-screen mode on the photo browser.

Through Ian's Lens: 2009 Cadillac CTS-V

I stumbled across a great quote from @TheRealAutoBlog on Twitter the other day that summed up the performance driving experience that is the 2009 Cadillac CTS-V: “It should come with a trunk full of bail money.” Outside that commentary, because I'm not a car reviewer by trade, I’ll just let the car speak for itself.

Aesthetically, the CTS-V is the pinnacle sedan design in GM’s lineup. I have been in love with the radical direction that Cadillac has taken in the past 10 years. After all its design accomplishments and failures, the interior and exterior of this car are nearly flawless. Featuring hard lines from front to back, mixed with premium materials and one mean-looking face, the CTS-V connects with both luxury and performance audiences.

My favorite exterior aspect of this car is the headlight casings and the framing they create for the front of the car. Whether you see a CTS-V in the middle of the night or the middle of the day, these distinct angled lights and casings give off a unique impression. On the inside, Cadillac’s disappearing touch navigation screen is above and beyond anything else on the market and just one minor detail in what I would argue is the best dashboard I’ve seen.

The design of this car raises the bar for the Cadillac brand. Let's hope that when the new GM has risen from its own ashes we'll see more cars that meet the design standard set by the CTS-V.  

Let me know what you think in the comments section below. As always, feel free to use the full-screen mode on the photo browser.

Through Ian's Lens: 2009 Mazda MX-5 Miata

As roadsters go, there are very few cars in the current market that make my head spin. I could whittle that list down to two vehicles in particular, and when I get my hands on a 2010 BMW Z4, it will also grace the pages of Through Ian’s Lens. But until then, I will be quite happy with the new 2009 Mazda MX-5 Miata.

Cat-like headlights, pronounced fenders and Mazda's new smiling grille are the first things that catch my attention on the MX-5. From there, the stamped hood, trunklid curve and new taillights give this traditional-looking MX-5 Miata a modern upgrade. The best thing about this roadster? The designers over at Mazda created a great-looking car even with the top up — a rarity in modern roadsters.

Let me know what you think in the comments section below. As always, feel free to use the full-screen mode on the photo browser.