2011 Audi A6 range revealed

Auto Car | 2011 Audi A6 range revealed | The executive saloon will be launched with a range of two petrol engines and three diesels, with fuel economy savings of up to 19 percent compared with the outgoing model.

The petrol options are the 150kW/280Nm 2.8-litre V6 FSI and the 220kW/440Nm 3.0-litre V6 TFSI. Fuel consumption is 7.4 litres/100km and 8.2 litres/100km respectively, while sprint times are 7.7 seconds and 5.5 seconds.

Diesel options include a 130kW/380Nm 2.0-litre TDI, and two tunes of a 3.0-litre TDI – one with 150kW/400Nm and the other with 180kW/500Nm. Combined cycle fuel consumption ranges from 4.9 litres/100km to 6.0 litres/100km, while CO2 is as low as 129g/km in the 2.0 TDI.

Audi has also confirmed it will add an A6 petrol hybrid to the range at some stage after the introduction of the Q5 hybrid quattro. The hybrid will combine a 155kW 2.0 TFSI with a 33kW electric motor for average fuel consumption figures of 6.2 litres/100km and CO2 emissions of 142g/km.

Drivetrains include front-wheel drive and quattro all-wheel drive, and a six-speed manual transmission, continuously variable multitronic and the new seven-speed dual-clutch S tronic.

The chassis has been engineered to combine sports precision and comfort, and the wheel control arms and many other components are made of lightweight aluminium. The body itself is 20 percent aluminium, including the front bumper, bonnet, boot lid and doors.

The headlights are high-intensity halogen lamps and, of course, LED daytime running lights curve around the lower border of the headlight design. The A6 can also be optioned with all-LED headlights, which are longer lasting and highly efficient.

At 4.92m long (wheelbase 2.91m), 1.87m wide and 1.46m tall, the new A6 is slightly shorter and lower than the outgoing model, but is wider and has a longer wheelbase. The luggage compartment is 530 litres.

The new dimensions translate to a more spacious and open interior feel. The front seats can be optioned to include an 18-way adjustment feature, air-conditioning and massage functions with five different programs and 10 air cushions.

Cloth upholstery is standard but five colour shades and two types of alacantra/leather are available. Other interior highlights include micrometallic platinum, aluminium, and ash, walnut and oak woods.

The standard 6.5-inch system includes a DVD changer, digital radio tuner, music interface system, TV module and Bose surround sound. A 15-speaker, 1300-watt Bang & Olufsen surround sound system is also available, and features two acoustic lenses that extend from the instrument panel when the system is turned on.

Safety features include Audi’s pre sense system, which works to minimise accidents and their consequences by warning the driver, preparing the vehicle and increasing brake force in emergencies. It also closes the windows and sunroof, tightens seatbelts and activates the hazard lights, among other things.

Active lane assist, side assist and night vision also contribute to the A6’s safety package, while the parallel parking feature is a convenience system that takes over the steering wheel and guides the car perfectly into position.

Sales of the revised 2011 Audi A6 range will begin early in 2011, with the entry-level model priced from 38,500 euros ($52,250) in its native Germany.

In Australia, the outgoing model is priced from $71,600, and Audi Australia says local engines, specifications and prices will all be announced closer to the vehicle’s launch next year.

Source : www.caradvice.com.au

Recycled Denim Seats in 2012 Ford Focus: For Revvers in Blue Jeans

Auto Car | Recycled Denim Seats in 2012 Ford Focus: For Revvers in Blue Jeans | The 2012 Ford Focus--launching early next year--is set to be decked out in recycled blue jeans in Ford's latest effort to maximize eco-friendly materials.

The automotive company has a history of experimenting with eco-friendly materials--they've even used soy foam cushions before--and the recycled denim will be used in carpet-backing and sound absorption materials for "interior quietness" according to the press release.

"The good news is these jeans didn't end up in a landfill, nor did we use the water, fertilizer and land to grow virgin cotton," said Carrie Majeske, product sustainability manager. "It's an alternative that our customers can appreciate, it's cost effective, and it's better for our planet. These are the kinds of sustainable solutions we are looking for in all our vehicles."

GM has also committed to using eco-friendly materials and both companies are making creative efforts to make their manufacturing plants eco-friendly. But GM has moved beyond parts and plants to actually responding to a social and environmental crisis--the Gulf oil spill--where the company recycled the deployed oil-mopping equipment into car parts. As the bar gets set higher and higher, let's hope that environmental indicators are improved that much more.

Source : www.fastcompany.com

There's Going to be a 2012 Hyundai Azera?

Auto Car | There's Going to be a 2012 Hyundai Azera? | In a semi-recent interview in Automotive News, John Krafcik, CEO of Hyundai Motor America, provided some interesting info about the automaker moving further up-scale, specifically saying the 2012 Hyundai Azera is going to be "a remarkable car ... . It will surprise a lot of people." That's certainly the case for me, as I'm shocked the Azera will even exist in 2012. After all, keeping it in production will give Hyundai three biggish sedans with varying degrees of near-premium aspirations—and a potential marketing migraine of epic proportions.

The Lure of Luxury

When the Japanese automakers began launching their premium brands in the late 1980s, it was in further recognition of a key component of human nature: A need to distinguish one's self from the hoi polloi by purchasing material objects that aren't available to the masses. Of course, in the auto industry, "availability" is usually directly tied to price, no matter how nice a car Toyota is capable of making, it's just not going to have the same attraction for this group of people as a more expensive Lexus, even if everything else about the vehicles except their badging is exactly the same.

This works both ways, too. The same status-boosting thrill that these particular lux buyers get from their purchases is mirrored by the corporate excitement that comes with proving your company can be successful with said vehicles. And this is what's playing out right now at the No. 1 South Korean automaker, which will soon be taking things to ye olde next level with the Hyundai Equus.

Three's a Crowd?

The problem is, even assuming the Equus doesn't become Hyundai's Phaeton, is the ripple effect the car will have on the rest of the lineup. Suddenly, the company will be offering three very similarly sized, similarly priced sedans, all of which will be bumping up against the model the next rung up on the product ladder.

Here's the story: Right now, the most expensive Hyundai Sonata on the Hyundai site is the turbocharged "Limited 2.0T," with a base MSRP of $27,045, while the Azera starts at $25,495. The next-gen Azera will likely gain a bigger price tag to provide some breathing room for the Sonata, but it can't get too much more expensive or it will bump into the Genesis sedan, which now starts at $33,000. Remember, the top-of-the-line Azera is now over $30,000; if Hyundai offers a turbo and/or hybrid Azera for 2012, the prices of those models will have to come awfully close to—or more likely exceed—the $33,000 price of admission to the Genesis sedan.

As for the Genesis, its MSRP in V-8 trim starts at $43,000. That's $15,000 less than the base price of an Equus, which might seem like plenty of room for the Genesis to grow, but you have to be even more careful here to prevent product overlap than at the lower ends of the spectrum. The Equus will need to remain a clearly more luxurious vehicle than the Genesis for it 2011 Hyundai Genesisto be a success, and that will put a hard cap on how much content can be offered on the other sedan.

And remember the sizes here: Outside of the Equus, the three other vehicles are within about six inches of each other in length: The Sonata is 189.8 inches, the Azera is 193.3 inches and the Genesis is 195.9 inches—they're all essentially mid-size sedans.

Taking a Page From the Nissan Playbook

So, what will Hyundai do? Well, according to that AN story I mentioned above, the key will be stronger differentiation between the Azera and the Genesis. The former will remain on a front-wheel-drive platform and get more of a near-premium positioning, allowing it, in theory, to compete against the likes of the Toyota Avalon and Buick LaCrosse. The latter will stick with rear-wheel-drive and a more performance-oriented strategy to battle rivals like BMW.

Sound familiar? If you scrunch up your eyes just right, you could be looking at the brief for the Nissan Altima and Nissan Maxima, two mid-size sedans that share the same basic dimensions but have vastly different missions. But the next question is, with Hyundai trying the same tactics with three (or four) sedans, will there be enough difference—and customers—to go around?

Source : www.autotropolis.com

Proton Saga facelift unveiled at Thai Motor Expo 2010

Auto Car | Proton Saga facelift unveiled at Thai Motor Expo 2010 | We’re here at the Thai Motor Expo 2010 for some pre-KLIMS motorshow action, where Proton has unveiled the 2011 Proton Saga facelift! Here’s an initial list of changes from what we’re able to tell so far:

The entire front end has pretty much changed from the head lamps, grille, bumper, and even the engine hood sheet metal design. The new engine hood now creases in a way that makes the left and right sides of the hood higher. There’s also a very faint spine in the middle of the hood, where in the pre-facelift Saga it was flat.

The headlamps now appear to use three bulbs instead of the previous two bulb config – we think this means there’s a dedicated bulb for high beam now. The signal lamps have been moved towards the inside of the lamps.

The rear end also has significant changes. The tail lamps are new and have LED lighting. There’s a small spoiler on the boot lid, and because of the spoiler design the Saga badge has to be relocated slightly to the left.

The bumper now has a black insert for the diffuser-like design feature, and it’s now wider with reflector lenses and shaped to show off the exhaust muffler and tail pipe, as opposed to the pre-FL Saga which had its rear end designed to hide the exhaust tail pipe.

The 1-DIN Clarion radio looks the same to us (except for the MP3/WMA logos which indicate support for those files), but there are new USB and AUX-in ports which are not integrated into the radio but are instead positioned to the lower right of the radio. This takes up some of the cubby hole space below the radio.

The steering wheel now has audio control buttons, similiar in style to the Satria Neo’s.

The fabric pattern on the door cards and the seats are now of a different design (old one is on the left). The baseline model in Thailand has a yet another different fabric pattern, and the one we are showing above in comparison to the old fabric is the high spec fabric pattern.

There are now rear power window button controls. As for which of the Malaysian car specs will feature rear power windows and which won’t, we’ll have to wait for the Malaysian launch

There’s a new alloy wheel design, but the tyre size is the same as before – 185/60R14.

There’s now the option for a front passenger airbag which takes up the ’tissue box’ holder compartment in the pre-facelift Saga.

These are the only changes we are able to see so far, and we have to note that some of these updates like the USB/AUX function, the extra airbag and the rear power windows could only be for the higher spec models. Four colours are available in Thailand – Solid White, Tranquility Black, Genetic Silver and the new colour you see here which is Blue Rock.

There could be other changes on the mechanical side of things though, which we will probably only be able to find out when we speak to Proton’s engineers in Malaysia. The Thai spec sheet (which you will be able to see after the jump) quotes 70kW and 120Nm, which is the same as the pre-facelift Saga.

Source : paultan.org

GM to Officially Launch 2011 Chevy Volt

Auto Car | GM to Officially Launch 2011 Chevy Volt | General Motors is officially launching the world’s first electric vehicle with extended-range capability today at a launch ceremony at its Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant.

According to GM, 200 consumer cars have already been built and will be sold in California, New York, Michigan, Texas, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and Connecticut.

EPA estimates say the 2011 Chevrolet Volt can run for 35 miles on electric power before switching to its gasoline engine and rates the car's fuel economy at an equivalent of 93 miles per gallon while under electric power and 37 mpg under gasoline power. The combined estimate puts the vehicle in the 60 miles per gallon range (mpge + mpg) of fuel economy, with a total range at nearly 400 miles.

GM CEO Dan Akerson will host the event today, and the car will be rolled out to additional markets over 12 to 18 months with a sticker price of $41,000 before a $7,500 federal tax credit. Many shoppers will compare the vehicle to the electric-only Nissan Leaf, which has been given a 99 mpge rating by the EPA.

Although Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid pushed back on plans to vote on natural gas and electric vehicle legislation earlier this month, Reid’s office and Sen. Orrin Hatch both expressed hopes that it would still be voted on before the end of the year, provided that they find an agreed-upon way to pay for it.

Source : www.nationaljournal.com

2011 Honda Brio City Car

Auto Car | 2011 Honda Brio City Car | Honda has revealed today the Honda BRIO prototype which previews a model destined for the Asian market. The Honda BRIO measures 3,610mm in length, 1,680mm in width and 1,475 mm in height and has five doors. The Honda BRIO will be premiered at the 27th Thailand International Motor Expo starting November 30, 2010, before going on sale in Thailand and India.

The Honda BRIO will go on sale in March 2011 as an eco-car with a fuel economy of more than 5liters/100km. However, the company did not reveal any details regarding the engine which will equip the future Honda BRIO production model.

We'll have more details on the new Honda BRIO as soon as they become available.

Honda Press Release:

Honda Exhibits World Premiere of Honda BRIO Prototype, Honda’s New Small Vehicle Developed for Asian Markets at the 27th Thailand International Motor Expo 2010
Honda debuted the world premiere of a prototype of Honda BRIO, the new small-sized vehicle developed for Asian markets and scheduled to be introduced in Thailand and India in 2011, at the 27th Thailand International Motor Expo starting November 30, 2010 (press day: November 30, public days: December 1-12.)

Honda BRIO Prototype is being developed with Honda’s advanced technologies, while further advancing Honda’s “man maximum, machine minimum” concept*1. Being developed as a commuter which is easy-to-use even in urban areas, the Honda BRIO prototype adopts an easy-to-handle compact body (length 3,610mm x width 1,680mm x height 1,475 mm) while ensuring enough cabin space achieved by highly efficient packaging. With this vehicle, Honda thoroughly pursued the creation of an advanced exterior form, which is compact while asserting a strong presence.

For the mass-production model, which will be an entry-level car, for which demand is increasing in newly emerging nations, Honda will develop unique versions for Thailand and India to reflect different customer needs in those markets. Moreover, with this vehicle, Honda will leverage the resources Honda has cultivated through its motorcycle business and utilize local sourcing of parts and materials such as sheet steel.

For the Thai model that is scheduled to be introduced in March 2011, the fuel economy of more than 5liters/100km*2 will be targeted so that the vehicle will qualify as an eco-car by the Thai government, and a starting price of approximately 400,000 baht will be targeted as well. For the Indian model that is scheduled to be introduced within 2011, local customer needs for a small car will be reflected and local content will be increased to create a model that achieves a good balance between vehicle performance and price.

“Honda would like to expand the joy of mobility to more customers in Thailand, India and other Asian countries through the introduction of a new small vehicle with compact and highly efficient packaging by utilizing our own experiences cultivated by motorcycle business here in Asia,” said Takanobu Ito, President and CEO of Honda Motor.
“Honda would like to expand the joy of mobility to more customers in Thailand, India and other Asian countries through the introduction of a new small vehicle with compact and highly efficient packaging by utilizing our own experiences cultivated by motorcycle business here in Asia,” said Takanobu Ito, President and CEO of Honda Motor.

Source : www.zercustoms.com

New Tata Safari Launch 2011

Auto Car | New Tata Safari Launch 2011 | Tata Motors, India's biggest auto mobile giant has captured the market with its commercial vehicles such as compact cars, mid size segment cars and utility wheelers. Tata Motors made its presence in India way back in 1954. Since then, more than four million cars are running on Indian Roads with Tata's name on it.

Moving on to the Indian Auto Market which is showing an all time high. The utility vehicle segment has grown to 21%, in 2010's two quarters. Looking at the high growth in the market, Tata Motors is planning to launch the new Tata Safari next year.

The new version of Tata Safari was seen on road in the beginning of this year. The new Tata Safari second generation is on the Tata Aria X2 lines. The new Safari model is speculated to have a spacious cabin with a stronger structure, equipped with advanced handling and sophisticated technology. The new SUV will come with added features like ABS, Airbags, Climate Control and wider space.

If the grapevines are to believed, Tata Motors will be launching the all new Tata Safari in the mid-January next year. The engine is anticipated to be a 2.2 liter VTT DiCOR. The all new model is speculated to be less heavy than the already existing model. The lighter in weight will enhance its fuel efficiency.

Tata Motors is also coming with the new Tata Ace this year which is an huge eight seater wheeler. The new Tata Ace is based on the Tata Venture platform. The new model will be pitched against Maruti Eeco which has already displaced Maruti Omni from the Indian Market.

The Tata Motors also plans to start the supply of Tata Aria in the SAARC nations and also in the European markets.

Tata Motors has a brand value in the international market too. In 2008, they purchased the British brand Jaguar and Land Rover. As the international markets crashed because of recession, the developing markets are coming in its support. Tata's move of acquiring the British Luxury cars has proven right. The loss making companies are now running profits. With the extensive marketing planning, the company is also mulling to launch more fuel efficient and eco friendly cars. It is speculated that it will cement Tata's presence in the international market.

Source : www.cardekho.com

Honda New Small Car in India 2011 – Exclusive Review

Auto Car | Honda New Small Car in India 2011 – Exclusive Review | Honda SIEL India Ltd. Has flagged up their plan to launch a honda small car in India in 2011.This is one of the most awaited model Honda cars to be launched next year. The Honda small car is focused for India and other developing nations. They first released the concept of small car on the Auto Expo 2010 Delhi.

Although it’s named as honda ‘small car’ it doesn’t literally mean to compete with other economy-car providers such as Maruti and Tata Nano. Its exact official price of has not year been told , but the ex-showroom price for the Honda small car is expected to be around Rs 5 Lakh. This, cost evidently says that this car is not meant to be any sort of ‘economy model’ but, makes it attractive for the premium lovers of small cars to go for it.

The stylish car design and looks cover its cost perfectly. The body of Honda small car is aerodynamically designed. Even though it looks very compact, the inside cabin as spacious as it can be. The company assures a comfortable seating capacity for five adults.The Honda’s slogan of “Man Maximum – Machine Minimum “ definitely correlates with the manifestation of this concept car. Its internal engine, emission and other finer technology principles are fabricated at the Japan R&D center of Honda. This research support provides added assurance to the Honda customers about the upcoming launch of this model in India.

Source : hubpages.com

2010 Tokyo Auto Salon Girls

Auto Car | 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon Girls | Here is my first post (of many) of the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon Girls. Please enjoy these photos safely and responsibly and don’t forget to checkout some of the photo albums of the modified and exotic cars I have uploaded from Day 1 at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon Cars on MadWhips.com!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

source : www.carzi.com

2010 SEMA Show Car Girls

Auto Car | 2010 SEMA Show Car Girls | The 2010 SEMA Show was a big hit in Las Vegas, and featured some of the best rides with the hottest show car girls at any event to date. It looks like every company found some top models to bring attention to their brand, and the effort did not go unnoticed. Thousands of people roamed the show floor, most looking at the cars, but some were able to take pictures of the lovely, outgoing, sexy, and sweet car babes. Props to CarReview and their partners for these stunning show car girls occupying the booths at the 2010 SEMA Show in Nevada.

 

 

 

 

Source : fancytuning.com

2009 Shanghai Auto Show

Auto Car | 2009 Shanghai Auto Show | Some pictures and Chinese netizen comments about the current 2009 Shanghai International Auto Show. Big shows and expos in China usually have many pretty models. If there are pretty models, then the media and many men will be there to take many pictures. If there are many pictures, they will be on the internet on many BBS forums. If they are on many BBS forums, there will be many men talking about them. This happens every year.

This model for Maybach (below) was very popular. Her picture appears in many many many posts by many many many people. Many posts. Many people.

 

Source : www.chinasmack.com