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Friday, April 30, 2010
Ford Fiesta revised for 2010 (UK)
Ford has upgraded its entire Fiesta range, giving every model standard electronic stability program (ESP) and retuning many of the engines.
There are upgrades to some of the trims: Studio models now get electrically adjustable/heated door mirrors, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, auxiliary entertainment socket and two additional speakers.
Flagship Titanium models also now get Bluetooth and USB connection as standard (previously worth around £200).
All models now have a new paint option called Ink Blue. The Titanium model can now be specified with a cheaper Titanium X pack. This consists of leather seats, 17” alloy wheels and rear electric windows for £750 (£1k previously), however, this pack is only available on the 1.6 litre petrol engine whereas it was also available on the 1.6 TDCi engine.
Ford has also retuned or altered much of the Fiesta's engine range. To comply with Euro V emissions standards, all diesel engines now have a particulate filter fitted, including Econetic models.
Power for the 1.6 TDCi diesel engine is also raised from 89bhp to 95bhp. Petrol engines have been tweaked as well to lower emissions:
• 1.25 litre 80bhp
CO2 emissions - 129g/km. Previously 133g/km, saving 4g/km
• 1.6 litre 95bhp
CO2 emissions - 107g/km. Previously 110g/km, saving 3g/km
• 1.6 litre 118bhp
CO2 emissions - 134g/km. Previously 138g/km, saving 4g/km.
The changes place the 1.25 litre engine into a lower VED band (D), lowering the tax from £110 to £90 a year.
The revised Fiesta is on sale now from £11,645 for the entry-level Studio 3dr and £11,945 for the Studio 5dr. While that sounds steep, discounts of upto £4k + off the list price are available.
There are upgrades to some of the trims: Studio models now get electrically adjustable/heated door mirrors, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, auxiliary entertainment socket and two additional speakers.
Flagship Titanium models also now get Bluetooth and USB connection as standard (previously worth around £200).
All models now have a new paint option called Ink Blue. The Titanium model can now be specified with a cheaper Titanium X pack. This consists of leather seats, 17” alloy wheels and rear electric windows for £750 (£1k previously), however, this pack is only available on the 1.6 litre petrol engine whereas it was also available on the 1.6 TDCi engine.
Ford has also retuned or altered much of the Fiesta's engine range. To comply with Euro V emissions standards, all diesel engines now have a particulate filter fitted, including Econetic models.
Power for the 1.6 TDCi diesel engine is also raised from 89bhp to 95bhp. Petrol engines have been tweaked as well to lower emissions:
• 1.25 litre 80bhp
CO2 emissions - 129g/km. Previously 133g/km, saving 4g/km
• 1.6 litre 95bhp
CO2 emissions - 107g/km. Previously 110g/km, saving 3g/km
• 1.6 litre 118bhp
CO2 emissions - 134g/km. Previously 138g/km, saving 4g/km.
The changes place the 1.25 litre engine into a lower VED band (D), lowering the tax from £110 to £90 a year.
The revised Fiesta is on sale now from £11,645 for the entry-level Studio 3dr and £11,945 for the Studio 5dr. While that sounds steep, discounts of upto £4k + off the list price are available.
Subaru Impreza receives free upgrades (UK)
Subaru is offering complimentary performance upgrades worth £3,200 to buyers of its top Impreza models.
The Subaru Impreza WRX and STI Type UK will come fitted with the popular Prodrive Performance Pack, which cuts 0-62mph acceleration times from 6.5 seconds to 5.9 and 5.2 seconds to 4.8 respectively.
All this extra speed is down to a high-flow sports exhaust and remapped engine management software. Handling and looks are also improved, courtesy of 18” multi-spoke alloy wheels.
The price of Impreza WRX has also been reduced by £95, and now costs from £18,995, while the STI Type UK starts at £27,590.
Toyota to build new factory for Prius hybrid
Toyota Prius production is to be ramped up, with Toyota building a third factory in Japan despite falling sales caused by the recent global recalls.
Demand in Japan has outstripped supply since the car was launched - the car is built at two factories and waiting lists were at six months - and while Toyota will have to cut production by about 10%, it predicts demand will rise again.
The main drop-off has been in the U.S, where Prius sales are reported to have fallen 40%. In the UK, more Prius's were sold than ever before, while it has been the best-selling car in Japan for the past 9 months.
Demand in Japan has outstripped supply since the car was launched - the car is built at two factories and waiting lists were at six months - and while Toyota will have to cut production by about 10%, it predicts demand will rise again.
The main drop-off has been in the U.S, where Prius sales are reported to have fallen 40%. In the UK, more Prius's were sold than ever before, while it has been the best-selling car in Japan for the past 9 months.
Seat Ibiza Ecomotive set to beat Toyota Prius CO2 emissions (UK)
SEAT's next-generation Ibiza Ecomotive could beat the Toyota Prius to become Britain's lowest polluting car.
Sources at SEAT say it will use the Polo Bluemotion's 1.2 TDI 75bhp to achieve its target 85mpg fuel economy figure while emitting less than 89g/km of CO2 - all without relying on a complex hybrid drivetrain.
Instead, SEAT engineers will optimise the Ibiza aerodynamics to cut drag, add 15” steel wheels to reduce rolling resistance, lengthen the car's gearing and add stop/start plus regenerative braking.
Against the clock, the Spanish baby is expected to mirror the Polo's performance figures hitting 62mph from standstill in 13.9 seconds and topping out at 107mph.
Pricing has yet to be announced for the Ibiza Ecomotive, which is expected to go on sale early next year, but it should be less than the Polo with prices kicking off at around £13,000 for the 3dr SC model.
As well as the new diesel, the brand also confirmed it will add a punchy 1.2 TSI 105bhp petrol engine to the range. The flagship non-FR engine is expected to boast some impressive statistics, averaging over 55mpg while emitting less than 120g/km of CO2. Against the clock the new engine should ensure the Ibiza posts a 0-62mph time of less than 10 seconds.
Sources at SEAT say it will use the Polo Bluemotion's 1.2 TDI 75bhp to achieve its target 85mpg fuel economy figure while emitting less than 89g/km of CO2 - all without relying on a complex hybrid drivetrain.
Instead, SEAT engineers will optimise the Ibiza aerodynamics to cut drag, add 15” steel wheels to reduce rolling resistance, lengthen the car's gearing and add stop/start plus regenerative braking.
Against the clock, the Spanish baby is expected to mirror the Polo's performance figures hitting 62mph from standstill in 13.9 seconds and topping out at 107mph.
Pricing has yet to be announced for the Ibiza Ecomotive, which is expected to go on sale early next year, but it should be less than the Polo with prices kicking off at around £13,000 for the 3dr SC model.
As well as the new diesel, the brand also confirmed it will add a punchy 1.2 TSI 105bhp petrol engine to the range. The flagship non-FR engine is expected to boast some impressive statistics, averaging over 55mpg while emitting less than 120g/km of CO2. Against the clock the new engine should ensure the Ibiza posts a 0-62mph time of less than 10 seconds.
Nissan Pathfinder pricing announced (UK)
Nissan has altered its Pathfinder SUV with additional equipment and a new look. The Pathfinder now gets re-designed alloy wheels, new bonnet, grille, rounded bumpers and reshaped headlights.
The interior has also been upgraded with revised door trims, new seat fabric and new instrument dials. Practicality has also been improved due to new door storage bins that can now hold an A3 map book and a 1 litre drinks bottle at the same time.
Nissan is also offering a new integrated navigation, communication and music system called Connect Premium. It's an optional extra costing £1,300 and features live traffic updates and points of interest.
There will be a choice of two diesels; the revised 2.5 litre dCi and an all-new 3.0 litre V6.
The 2.5 litre engine now produces around 190bhp, while pulling power increases to by 47Nm to 450Nm. Nissan claims CO2 emissions have fallen by 40g/km to 224g/km, which drops it two tax bands from the most expensive band M to band K. It also means showroom tax drops from £950 to £550 at current rates.
Nissan has stated the 3.0 litre V6 diesel will produce around 231bhp and will have a maximum pulling power of 550Nm. The engine will be available from June on 2011 MY Pathfinders.
The Pathfinder range starts from £28,495 on the road and is on sale now.
The interior has also been upgraded with revised door trims, new seat fabric and new instrument dials. Practicality has also been improved due to new door storage bins that can now hold an A3 map book and a 1 litre drinks bottle at the same time.
Nissan is also offering a new integrated navigation, communication and music system called Connect Premium. It's an optional extra costing £1,300 and features live traffic updates and points of interest.
There will be a choice of two diesels; the revised 2.5 litre dCi and an all-new 3.0 litre V6.
The 2.5 litre engine now produces around 190bhp, while pulling power increases to by 47Nm to 450Nm. Nissan claims CO2 emissions have fallen by 40g/km to 224g/km, which drops it two tax bands from the most expensive band M to band K. It also means showroom tax drops from £950 to £550 at current rates.
Nissan has stated the 3.0 litre V6 diesel will produce around 231bhp and will have a maximum pulling power of 550Nm. The engine will be available from June on 2011 MY Pathfinders.
The Pathfinder range starts from £28,495 on the road and is on sale now.
GM to launch Chevrolet in Korea
Daewoo may be General Motors’ only established brand in the Korean auto market, but it will soon add another: Chevrolet. GM revealed today at the Busan motor show that it will begin selling bowtie-badged vehicles in South Korea in 2011.
The Alpheon is being positioned in the Korea market as a luxury model at the top of the Daewoo range. It is fitted with a 3.0-liter V6 and a six-speed automatic transmission. GM Daewoo said the car will go on sale in the second half of the year.
GM Daewoo says the "Alpheon becomes a stand-alone luxury product brand in GM Daewoo's product portfolio." Much like its Korean couterpart, Hyundai, have made inroads into the luxury sedan segment with the Genesis model.
Press Release
GM Daewoo's All-New Luxury Sedan Debuts at 2010 Busan International Motor Show
Alpheon is GM Daewoo's entry into the upper-midsize segment
Busan, Korea - GM Daewoo Auto & Technology (GM Daewoo) unveiled its much-anticipated luxury sedan, the Alpheon, at the 2010 Busan International Motor Show today.
"With the introduction of the all-new Alpheon luxury sedan, we have added another attractive model to our product portfolio and our first entry in the fast-growing upper-midsize segment in Korea," said GM Daewoo President and CEO Mike Arcamone. "I am confident that the Alpheon will surpass the demands of the most sophisticated luxury sedan buyers in Korea."
Another highlight of the GM Daewoo stand is a seven-seat compact multi-purpose vehicle, the Orlando show car, which is making its first appearance at an international motor show in Asia.
In addition, GM Daewoo has on display the Lacetti Premiere and GentraX race cars, and a Matiz mini-car artistically wrapped in pink.
With "Advancing Style" as its theme for this year's Busan International Motor Show, GM Daewoo has 18 vehicles on display that showcase its automotive industry design expertise.
Alpheon - Stylish Luxury Sedan
The Alpheon is based on the same GM global architecture as the Buick LaCrosse, one of the three finalists for 2010 North American Car of the Year.
GM designers and engineers from Asia, Europe and North America targeted the luxury sedan as a global product that would meet the highest quality and performance standards in the most sophisticated markets.
At first glance, the Alpheon's sculpting design flows in all directions, giving the vehicle a tightly wrapped appearance and a fast, coupe-like profile. Its dynamic and elegant body styling is highlighted by sharp side lines, short overhangs and fenders wrapped precisely around large wheel housings, giving it the presence of an upscale large sedan (2,837-mm wheelbase and 4,995mm body length).
With a unique emblem on its front "waterfall" grille, the Alpheon becomes a stand-alone luxury product brand in GM Daewoo's product portfolio.
The innovative design philosophy continues in the Alpheon's interior. The flowing shape of its instrument panel design offers a distinct, confident and upscale impression. The refined look is an integrated center stack design that incorporates ice-blue light-emitting diode (LED) ambient lighting along with premium infotainment features. Adding to the use of soft-touch materials and low-gloss trim panels rather than traditional wood applications is indicative of exceptional and luxurious craftsmanship.
Powered by a 3.0-liter V-6 engine combined with a six-speed automatic transmission, the Alpheon will ensure responsive performance when it is launched in the second half of this year in Korea.
Labels:
American,
Asian,
Buick,
Daewoo,
General Motors
Thursday, April 29, 2010
2010 Hartge BMW Z4 Silver Aerodynamic Kits
Hartge has apparent their new aerodynamic kit affairs based on the E89 adaptation of the Roadster. The Hartge BMW Z4 Aerodynamic Kits includes alone a advanced addle-brain and a awning lid lip which ability action added downforce on both axles of the car. The Hartge BMW Z4 Aerodynamic Kit genitalia are fabricated from PU-RIM and are not accordant with the model’s M Aerodynamic package. The Hartge BMW Z4 Silver Aerodynamic Kit additionally sits on new rims.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Top Luxury Cars | 2010 Lotus Evora - Road Test
Rome or Bust: We flog the new Lotus Evora from England to Rome and back.
For as long as most folks at Lotus Cars in Hethel, England, can remember, most everyone has eaten lunch in the office, worked eight-and-a-half hours Monday through Thursday, and then taken off the rest of the day at noon on Friday.
So a weekend at Lotus works out to two-and-a-half days. In the late ’80s, the company’s CEO, Michael Kimberley, suggested to his engineers a new approach for putting miles on Elan prototypes: Leave Hethel at noon and drive to Rome and back, a 2500-mile jaunt. Just be back in your cubicle on Monday morning with a picture of the car at the Colosseum.
Even Lotus’s devoted, monk-like engineers weren’t thrilled with the idea of living in an Elan for two days. The trips were not without setbacks: Once an Elan prototype’s exhaust snapped in half near Lyon, in France. The Lotus suffered the indignity of limping into a Renault repair garage, exhaust dragging and engine blaring. Then the Hethel crew, which spoke no French, had to mime the problem to the perplexed French repairman. Hours later, after an exchange of francs and Lotus-branded pens and key chains, they were back on the road, the exhaust system welded back together.
A new Lotus model is rare—about as rare as using the words “practical, refined, reliable, and comfortable” to describe the car without the prefixes “im” and “un” in place. For more than 50 years, Lotus’s cars have pushed intoxicating levels of performance and handling, but a general lack of practicality, refinement, reliability, and comfort often left owners feeling exhausted and hung over.
The new Evora held the promise of being different, modern. The idea was to maintain the rabid Lotus-grade handling and performance but throw in a livable interior, a back seat, more room, and the sort of civility that might appeal to Porsche drivers. So how, we wondered, would this new Lotus fare at continually high speeds all the way to Rome and back? Could a Lotus actually be comfortable over 2500 miles? Or would it revert to its old tricks—shedding parts, splitting exhausts, or worse, quitting entirely and forcing us to hitchhike home? We figured we should bring along some Lotus pens just in case.
After a red-eye from Detroit to London and a two-and-a-half-hour, 136-mile trip by car northeast to rural Hethel in Norfolk, I arrive at the gates of the former U.S. Air Force base that frugal Lotus founder Colin Chapman, now long departed, turned into company headquarters in 1966.
And there’s my Evora, sitting silently in a steady rain. This new model is a stylistic departure from the Elise and the Exige—it’s more maturely penned, looking very unlike a wheeled water bug. Like the Elise and the Exige, the Evora sits low, the front of the car barely at shin height, the tops of the front fenders about knee-high.
Getting in doesn’t require the Cirque du Soleil training that the Elise and the Exige do, but slipping between the wide side sills and the steering wheel remains more challenging than getting into any Porsche. There are still some dollar-store touches inside: cheap-looking window switches, the Ford-sourced turn-signal and wiper stalks. But overall, the interior has a style and quality that wouldn’t look out of place in an Audi.
Firm and snug Recaro seats and a tilting and telescoping wheel adjust easily for a comfortable driving position. Looking out, the huge windshield seems to end at your feet; the view ahead is panoramic, interrupted only by the tops of the front fenders, which serve as reference points. When seated on the wrong side of a car and driving on the wrong side of the road—all the while circling London’s Heathrow Airport waiting for a photographer—it’s always useful to know where the front of the car is.
Lensman Tom Salt arrives, and I’m stunned by the amount of gear he has brought along. Kim Kardashian probably packs lighter. The Evora’s six-cubic-foot trunk verges on useless, so we just cram our gear into the 23-cubic-foot back seat. Lotus claims the rear seat is usable by a fifth-percentile female, which basically means that if you’re over five feet tall, riding back there is only slightly better than being waterboarded.
We head into London, just in time for the stress of rush hour. We’re looking for backdrops to prove we’ve been here, so we aim toward Big Ben. That taken care of, we drive southeast out of London, then crawl in traffic for a few hours, and—finally—we sweep onto the M20, which looks like freeways do everywhere else. Fifty uneventful miles later, we tool into Folkestone and the entrance to the great tunnel built under the English Channel. Beyond it is France.
So a weekend at Lotus works out to two-and-a-half days. In the late ’80s, the company’s CEO, Michael Kimberley, suggested to his engineers a new approach for putting miles on Elan prototypes: Leave Hethel at noon and drive to Rome and back, a 2500-mile jaunt. Just be back in your cubicle on Monday morning with a picture of the car at the Colosseum.
Even Lotus’s devoted, monk-like engineers weren’t thrilled with the idea of living in an Elan for two days. The trips were not without setbacks: Once an Elan prototype’s exhaust snapped in half near Lyon, in France. The Lotus suffered the indignity of limping into a Renault repair garage, exhaust dragging and engine blaring. Then the Hethel crew, which spoke no French, had to mime the problem to the perplexed French repairman. Hours later, after an exchange of francs and Lotus-branded pens and key chains, they were back on the road, the exhaust system welded back together.
A new Lotus model is rare—about as rare as using the words “practical, refined, reliable, and comfortable” to describe the car without the prefixes “im” and “un” in place. For more than 50 years, Lotus’s cars have pushed intoxicating levels of performance and handling, but a general lack of practicality, refinement, reliability, and comfort often left owners feeling exhausted and hung over.
The new Evora held the promise of being different, modern. The idea was to maintain the rabid Lotus-grade handling and performance but throw in a livable interior, a back seat, more room, and the sort of civility that might appeal to Porsche drivers. So how, we wondered, would this new Lotus fare at continually high speeds all the way to Rome and back? Could a Lotus actually be comfortable over 2500 miles? Or would it revert to its old tricks—shedding parts, splitting exhausts, or worse, quitting entirely and forcing us to hitchhike home? We figured we should bring along some Lotus pens just in case.
After a red-eye from Detroit to London and a two-and-a-half-hour, 136-mile trip by car northeast to rural Hethel in Norfolk, I arrive at the gates of the former U.S. Air Force base that frugal Lotus founder Colin Chapman, now long departed, turned into company headquarters in 1966.
And there’s my Evora, sitting silently in a steady rain. This new model is a stylistic departure from the Elise and the Exige—it’s more maturely penned, looking very unlike a wheeled water bug. Like the Elise and the Exige, the Evora sits low, the front of the car barely at shin height, the tops of the front fenders about knee-high.
Getting in doesn’t require the Cirque du Soleil training that the Elise and the Exige do, but slipping between the wide side sills and the steering wheel remains more challenging than getting into any Porsche. There are still some dollar-store touches inside: cheap-looking window switches, the Ford-sourced turn-signal and wiper stalks. But overall, the interior has a style and quality that wouldn’t look out of place in an Audi.
Firm and snug Recaro seats and a tilting and telescoping wheel adjust easily for a comfortable driving position. Looking out, the huge windshield seems to end at your feet; the view ahead is panoramic, interrupted only by the tops of the front fenders, which serve as reference points. When seated on the wrong side of a car and driving on the wrong side of the road—all the while circling London’s Heathrow Airport waiting for a photographer—it’s always useful to know where the front of the car is.
Lensman Tom Salt arrives, and I’m stunned by the amount of gear he has brought along. Kim Kardashian probably packs lighter. The Evora’s six-cubic-foot trunk verges on useless, so we just cram our gear into the 23-cubic-foot back seat. Lotus claims the rear seat is usable by a fifth-percentile female, which basically means that if you’re over five feet tall, riding back there is only slightly better than being waterboarded.
We head into London, just in time for the stress of rush hour. We’re looking for backdrops to prove we’ve been here, so we aim toward Big Ben. That taken care of, we drive southeast out of London, then crawl in traffic for a few hours, and—finally—we sweep onto the M20, which looks like freeways do everywhere else. Fifty uneventful miles later, we tool into Folkestone and the entrance to the great tunnel built under the English Channel. Beyond it is France.
Labels:
Lotus
Top Luxury Cars | 2010 Lexus GS Hybrid
Lexus GS Hybrid - What the Auto Press Says
The 2010 Lexus GS Hybrid ranks 3 out of 13 Luxury Large Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 57 published reviews and test drives of the Lexus GS Hybrid, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.
Lexus calls the GS 450h a “no compromises hybrid,” and it’s easy to understand why. It offers the power of a V8 with the fuel-efficiency of a V6, and the kind of opulent cabin that Lexus is known for. It is a tight fit for taller drivers, however, and still trails the best sport sedans in handling.
When most car shoppers think of hybrids, they picture oddly-shaped, smaller hatchbacks with lackluster performance but great fuel economy. That’s Toyota’s fault – the Prius set the mold. The luxury division of Toyota, however, has broken that same mold with several quick, luxurious hybrids that don’t trade away much of anything in pursuit of fuel-efficiency. The Lexus GS 450h, like the larger LS600h, is among the most fuel-efficient cars in its class, but it doesn’t offer the kind of sky-high fuel economy numbers you’ll see on the window sticker of a Prius or a Lexus HS250h.
Instead, the GS Hybrid offers performance that competes with luxury sport sedans, a sumptuous passenger cabin, stylish bodywork and excellent safety ratings.
It can’t hang with the most performance-focused large luxury cars on a winding road. Reviewers say the steering of the GS Hybrid is too light, leaving the driver detached from road feel. It also won’t suit taller owners.
Lexus calls the GS 450h a “no compromises hybrid,” and it’s easy to understand why. It offers the power of a V8 with the fuel-efficiency of a V6, and the kind of opulent cabin that Lexus is known for. It is a tight fit for taller drivers, however, and still trails the best sport sedans in handling.
When most car shoppers think of hybrids, they picture oddly-shaped, smaller hatchbacks with lackluster performance but great fuel economy. That’s Toyota’s fault – the Prius set the mold. The luxury division of Toyota, however, has broken that same mold with several quick, luxurious hybrids that don’t trade away much of anything in pursuit of fuel-efficiency. The Lexus GS 450h, like the larger LS600h, is among the most fuel-efficient cars in its class, but it doesn’t offer the kind of sky-high fuel economy numbers you’ll see on the window sticker of a Prius or a Lexus HS250h.
Instead, the GS Hybrid offers performance that competes with luxury sport sedans, a sumptuous passenger cabin, stylish bodywork and excellent safety ratings.
It can’t hang with the most performance-focused large luxury cars on a winding road. Reviewers say the steering of the GS Hybrid is too light, leaving the driver detached from road feel. It also won’t suit taller owners.
Other Cars to Consider
Several reviewers have noted that the GS line of cars, including this hybrid version, aren't comfortable for drivers much over six feet tall. Those drivers might want to test drive an Infiniti M or Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan instead. Headroom is tight at all four seating positions in the GS hybrid. And while neither of those cars is available in a gas-electric version this year, both automakers have hybrid editions in the pipeline, which may reach showrooms as early as the 2011 model year.
Lexus GS Hybrid: The Details
The GS 450 Hybrid comes in only one trim level. Its equipment list is close to comprehensive, but a handful of upgrades are offered. For 2010, the GS hybrid gets a slightly modified grille, standard 18-inch wheels and a new power rear sunshade.
Labels:
Lexus
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