Car News and Reviews Blog

Car News and Reviews :Mexico plant to build Honda Fit for U.S. market

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:38:44 +0000

Honda Motor Co. has confirmed it will build its Fit small car at its new plant in Mexico for export to the United States and other markets, as it expands its local production footprint to combat the Japanese yen’s profit-eating strength. The plant, near Celaya, Guanajuato,

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Honda Motor Co. has confirmed it will build its Fit small car at its new plant in Mexico for export to the United States and other markets, as it expands its local production footprint to combat the Japanese yen’s profit-eating strength.

The plant, near Celaya, Guanajuato, will begin operation in 2014 with a capacity of 200,000 vehicles a year. Honda broke ground on the project April 29. The automaker first announced the plant last August but didn’t identify the model to be built there.

The plant will increase Honda’s production capacity in North America to 1.87 million units by early 2014 from 1.63 million today, Honda said in a statement.

In January, Honda announced it would build the next generation Acura NSX sports car in Ohio. That car is expected to go on sale by the end of 2014.

“Honda will soon produce everything from subcompacts to super cars in North America,” said Rick Schostek, senior vice president of Honda of America Manufacting Inc.

“Last year, more than 85 percent of the Honda and Acura models sold in America were built in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, using domestic and globally sourced parts,” he said. “And this will reach more than 90 percent in the coming years.

Honda is shifting more production outside Japan as the company fights the yen’s soaring foreign exchange rate against the dollar and euro. The yen’s rise undercuts profits from and the pricing power of Japan-made cars sold overseas.

American Honda sold 59,235 Fits in the United States in 2011, all of them imports.

source from: autoweek

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Car News and Review :Driving licence-free Twizy for 2013

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:38:44 +0000

Renault is likely to introduce a 28mph-max Twizy 45 to the UK in 2013 in order to take advantage of a new light-vehicle category that will allow it to be driven by 16 year olds without a driving licence. Andy Heiron, head of EV programme at Renault UK, said the new type-approval category

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Renault is likely to introduce a 28mph-max Twizy 45 to the UK in 2013 in order to take advantage of a new light-vehicle category that will allow it to be driven by 16 year olds without a driving licence.

Andy Heiron, head of EV programme at Renault UK, said the new type-approval category would start from January 2013. It will include quadricycles with a limited 28mph top speed, weighing less than 350kg unladen. According to Heiron, “there are still details to be finalised by the government, and there will be a basic practical and theory test involved.”

One issue could be insurance. Heiron said, according to initial enquiries drivers under 18 “could be faced with premiums of up to £4000” though that figure drops dramatically with age.

The Twizy 45 will cost around £6200 if it goes on sale in the UK.

Renault remains tight-lipped about predicted sales figures for any of its electric cars, but Heiron did confess that “sales of the Nissan Leaf show that there is currently a fundamental problem with electric car sales. It may have 60 per cent of the pure-electric market, but that’s only 1000-odd cars in the UK. Nissan have also been talking to us about battery hire as a way of reducing the purchase cost.”

source from: autocar

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Car News and Reviews :Fiat 500X crossover planned

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:38:44 +0000

Fiat is lining up a replacement for the Fiat Sedici. The new model will become the fourth variant of the Fiat 500 range, and is expected to be called 500X. Jeep will launch a sister car targeted at North American and European markets. A Fiat source told Automotive News Europe

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Fiat is lining up a replacement for the Fiat Sedici. The new model will become the fourth variant of the Fiat 500 range, and is expected to be called 500X. Jeep will launch a sister car targeted at North American and European markets.

A Fiat source told Automotive News Europe that the new model will have a blend of SUV and hatchback styling. Its wheelbase of around 4200mm will make it the longest model in the Fiat 500 family and it will share Fiat’s small vehicle architecture with the 500L and Punto.

The 500X will join the 500 hatchback, 500C convertible and the 500Lfour-door hatchback. The Sedici is currently built alongside the Suzuki SX4 in Hungary. It is expected Fiat will build the 500X in Mirafiori, Turin and will be the first of the new-generation 500s to be produced in Italy.

The move to Mirafiori is part of a €1bn expansion of the plant. Fiat plans to build 280,000 crossovers a year with production beginning in December 2013.

Jeep’s sister car, codenamed B-SUV, will be built in Poland for European markets and in Toluca, Mexico for America and China. Fittingly, both Jeep and Fiat models will be offered with two and four wheel drive. The latter configuration is likely to be borrowed from the forthcoming Panda 4×4.

It is thought a Trail Rated version of the Jeep will be offered, which is important to the American market. The certification ensures models are able to perform in five categories of off-road conditions: traction, ground clearance, manoeuvrability, articulation, and water fording.

The Fiat 500X and Jeep B-SUV will be available with Fiat’s MultiJet diesel. A 900cc TwinAir unit and a 1.4-litre four-cylinder are expected to form the petrol line-up.

source from: autocar

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Car News and Review :Great Wall Steed launched in UK

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:38:44 +0000

The Great Wall Steed pick-up has been launched with two trim variants. The light commercial vehicle is priced from £13,998. Great Wall is the first Chinese car brand to break into the UK market. It has established 40 UK dealers. Great Wall has been producing utility vehicles in China

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The Great Wall Steed pick-up has been launched with two trim variants. The light commercial vehicle is priced from £13,998.

Great Wall is the first Chinese car brand to break into the UK market. It has established 40 UK dealers. Great Wall has been producing utility vehicles in China for the last 35 years.

The Steed is offered with a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel. Great Wall claims 34mpg on a combined cycle and CO2 emissions of 220g/km.

The entry-level Steed S has electric windows, MP3 and bluetooth connectivity with heated leather seats as standard. The SE features chrome side rails, a body-coloured hard-top and rear parking sensors.

The model is produced at Great Wall’s Bahovitsa plant in Bulgaria alongside the Voleex C10 hatchback and Hover SUV. in Europe at Great Wall’s recently created Bulgarian factory, along with the Voleex C10 five-door hatchback, which is not presently available in the UK. Plans to expand further and produce the Hover passenger SUV are also underfoot.

Great Wall Steed on the road prices:

Great Wall Steed 2.0 S £13,998

Great Wall Steed 2.0 SE £15,998

source from: autocar

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Auto News and Reviews :Audi Q3 RS concept revealed

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:38:44 +0000

The Audi Q3 RS shows Audi “exploring the potential” of a high-performance SUV. It will be unveiled at next week’s Beijing motor show. The concept is the first time Audi’s RS skunkworks has developed anything other than a conventional hatchback, saloon or estate. Mercedes’

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The Audi Q3 RS shows Audi “exploring the potential” of a high-performance SUV. It will be unveiled at next week’s Beijing motor show.

The concept is the first time Audi’s RS skunkworks has developed anything other than a conventional hatchback, saloon or estate. Mercedes’ AMG performance arm has long been producing high-performance SUVs, whileBMW M’s controversial X5 M and X6 M models have proved to be a commercial success.

The RS Q3 concept uses a highly tuned version of the 2.5-litre five-cylinder found in the Audi RS3 and TT-RS. Power is increased in the turbocharged TFSI unit by 20bhp to 355bhp. An increase in torque over the 332lb ft produced in standard form has not been confirmed.

The result of the extra power is a 0-62mph time of just 5.2sec and the ability to reach a 164mph top speed. Drive is channeled through all four wheels using a seven-speed dual-clutch S tronic transmission. The concept features Quattro permanent all-wheel drive.

The RS Q3 concept has also undergone a series of chassis and styling changes over its more humble siblings. The RS Q3 has been lowered by 25mm, and sports suspension has been fitted.

Externally, the RS Q3 is distinguished by its muscular RS styling kit. At the front, there’s a new 3D-effect black honeycomb grille, tinted headlights, a redesigned front bumper with sculpted air intakes, and a spoiler made from carbonfibre-reinforced plastics (CFPR).

Flared side skirts and wheel arches give the RS Q3 a wider stance, while a long rear spoiler gives the RS Q3 a purposeful profile. At the rear, there’s a new bumper with diffuser insert, plus two large tailpipes. The concept is finished in striking Ordos Blue paintwork.

The blue and black-themed interior has also undergone a makeover compared to standard Q3s. Black Nappa leather seats get contrasting blue Alcantara stitching, while blue is also used for CFPR and Alcantara trim panels.

As a nod to its Chinese launch, Chinese characters are used on the tachometer.

source from: autocar

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Auto News and Reviews :Mercedes-Benz Concept Style Coupe revealed ahead of China auto show

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:38:44 +0000

Mercedes-Benz is previewing its eagerly anticipated CLA sedan at an event in Los Angeles this week before providing a more detailed look at the Beijing motor show with the unveiling of the latest in a long line of concept cars, the 2.0-liter, 208-hp, four-cylinder-powered Concept

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Mercedes-Benz is previewing its eagerly anticipated CLA sedan at an event in Los Angeles this week before providing a more detailed look at the Beijing motor show with the unveiling of the latest in a long line of concept cars, the 2.0-liter, 208-hp, four-cylinder-powered Concept Style Coupe.

Pictured here officially for the first time, the heavily sculptured four-door reveals the dramatic appearance that the next junior Mercedes-Benz sedan will carry into North American showrooms in 2013.

Advancing the look first established on the F800 Style concept wheeled out at the 2010 Geneva motor show, the Concept Style Coupe is clothed in a four-door body that makes extensive use of concave and convex surfaces to provide its exterior with what Mercedes-Benz design boss Gorden Wagener describes as “an almost fluid appearance and constantly altering depth.”

The car has a large gaping grille known to insiders as a soft-nose treatment, striking headlamps with LED graphics, a heavily curved roofline, a shallow glasshouse, a high waistline, frameless doors and a trio of sharply creased lines along its flanks. Plus there are curvaceous C-pillars, a tapered rear and a sloping trunk line. That is an unmistakable clear visual connection with the larger CLS, whose success both as a stylistic figurehead for the rest of the Mercedes lineup and at showroom levels heavily dictated the decision to add the less mechanically complex and more affordable CLA.

“The almost-production-standard Concept Style Coupe sets a new benchmark for design in the executive segment,” Wagener said. “Its proportions, surfaces and lines are an expression of our dynamic design idiom.”

Although Mercedes-Benz is quick to point out that the Concept Style Coupe is a one-off show car, Autoweek sources privy to the final appearance of the CLA confirm its styling is largely faithful to the production version of the new sedan.

“Certain design elements have been subtly altered to lend a more powerful look for added presence on the show stand, but as a whole the exterior and interior reflect the true design of the car we will build at our new manufacturing plant in Kecskemét, Hungary,” an insider said.

Mercedes used a similar approach to the unveiling of the third-generation A-class, which was previewed by the concept show car at last year’s Shanghai motor show. But as one source hinted, “You will see less change in the transformation of the Concept Style Coupe to the CLA as in the Concept A-class to the new A-class. It really does set the tone and capture the intrinsic visual character of the production car.”

The Concept Style Coupe is expected to undergo mild stylistic changes before the CLA, developed under the code name C117, lands in showrooms. They include the adoption of sturdy B-pillars for added structural integrity, less flamboyant bumpers—particularly at the front—altered headlamp graphics (the Concept Style Coupe’s headlamps glow red in standby mode), more conventional exterior mirrors, the same pull-out door handles as those seen on the new A-class and smaller wheels and tires than the towering 21-inch items that adorn the show car.

Underlining the importance Mercedes has attached to the new car in boosting its sales at the lower end of its lineup, chairman Dieter Zetsche said, “We are staking our claim very clearly here. This is the model against which vehicles in the executive segment will have to measure themselves in the future.”

Inside, the Concept Style Coupe uses an upgraded interior borrowed from the recently unveiled A-class. The same basic appointments will be used on the CLA, albeit in a tone-down form. As with versions of its hatchback sibling equipped with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, Mercedes’ latest concept forgoes a traditional center-console-mounted gearlever in favor of a column-mounted shifter.

While the production version of the entry-level Mercedes sedan will receive a five-seat layout, the concept car boasts a 2+2 seating arrangement, with the individual rear seats divided by a prominent center console. A similar arrangement may be offered as optional equipment on the CLA.

Among the CLA’s premium-brand four-door rivals will be a sedan version of the third-generation Audi A3 also due out in 2013 and a secret new sedan version of the BMW 1-series that is undergoing conceptual development with a view for introduction in 2015. Also set in its sights is the Volkswagen Jetta, a car that Mercedes-Benz officials suggest they will target heavily in North America and China, markets considered crucial to the CLA’s chances of sales success.

Billed as a junior CLS, the CLA will sit below the existing C-class sedan in price and features in the Mercedes-Benz lineup. However, the Concept Style Coupe car hints that Mercedes’ entry-level sedan will be 1.9 inches longer, a considerable 4.8 inches wider and—thanks to its swoopy turret—some 1.9 inches lower than its long-established four-door stablemate.

These official measurements also make it 13.6 inches shorter, the same width and 1.4 inches lower than the new A-class—a car with which the CLA shares its platform, chassis and driveline architecture.

Based on the German carmaker’s new MFA (modularen front architecture) platform used beneath the third-generation A-class and the second-generation B-class, it will also use a 106.3-inch wheelbase, 2.3 inches shorter than the fourth-generation C-class but the same as the A-class.

As a result of the CLA’s introduction, the next generation C-class, known internally under the code name W205, is set to retain standard rear-wheel drive and will grow in size, increasing in length and width but retaining much the same height.

For its initial unveiling in Los Angeles and at the Beijing motor show, the Concept Style Coupe has been fitted with the same turbocharged 2.0-liter, four-cylinder direct-injection engine confirmed for the new A250 from the Geneva motor show in March.

The aluminum-block unit is a development of the M240 designated engine used throughout the Mercedes lineup that has been extensively re-engineered for transverse mounting within the engine bay. Drive is channeled through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox to all four wheels.

In production guise, the CLA will also offer the choice of either standard front-wheel or optional four-wheel drive. Gearboxes will include a standard six-speed manual or the seven-speed dual-clutch unit as the Concept Style Coupe as optional equipment.

Besides the unit showcased in the Concept Style Coupe and set to see light of day in a planned CLA250 model, the production sedan is also set to offer at least two more turbocharged four-cylinder direct-injection units. They include two 1.8-liter units with 108 hp in the CLA180 and 134 hp in the CLA200, and a 2.2-liter engine with 168 hp in the CLA220. The engine line for North America is unclear.

The highlight of the lineup, however, will be an all-wheel-drive AMG model running a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with up to 340 hp. Secrecy surrounds the name of the range-topping CLA model. However, insiders suggest it may take the designation CLA45 AMG into production as a nod to the Mercedes performance off-shoot’s 45th anniversary.

source from: autoweek

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Car News and Review :Vorsteiner offers aero package for the Ferrari 599

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:38:44 +0000

The Ferrari 599 is on its way out; we saw its striking replacement, the F12 Berlinetta, at the Geneva motor show. But Los Angeles-based tuner Vorsteiner isn’t quite ready to let go. To infuse the “old” grand tourer with new life, Vorsteiner created a new aero kit, wheel

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The Ferrari 599 is on its way out; we saw its striking replacement, the F12 Berlinetta, at the Geneva motor show. But Los Angeles-based tuner Vorsteiner isn’t quite ready to let go. To infuse the “old” grand tourer with new life, Vorsteiner created a new aero kit, wheel package and exhaust system to set it apart from your run-of-the-mill Prancing Horse.

The aero kit includes a front bumper with an integrated carbon-fiber chin spoiler, a louvered racing hood with carbon-fiber vents and side sill extensions. The kit’s rear bumper gets an integrated diffuser with holes for Vorsteiner’s custom exhaust. A carbon-fiber spoiler is attached to the decklid.

All of the aero parts give the 599-VX a sinister look, especially when painted in white. It looks a bit busier than the stock aero but weighs 70 percent less than the factory parts.

A stainless-steel exhaust system, which was designed specifically for this car, is included in the ,000 price tag. All of the original mounting points are used, and Vorsteiner assures that fit and finish will appear as it was done at the factory.

Vorsteiner also offers lightweight monoblock wheels for the package. Sizes range from 20 inches to 22 inches, and the price is a cool ,000.

The company says the complete turnaround of a vehicle will take eight to 10 weeks. You can check out the package at www.599vx.com, and you can see more pictures on the Vorsteiner Web site.

source from: autoweek

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Car News :Nissan Juke-R confirmed for production

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:38:44 +0000

The 545bhp Nissan Juke-R will be entering “very limited run” production, the company has confirmed. Nissan has taken the decision following positive reception to the previously one-off concept in a viral internet marketing campaign. So far, Nissan has received three orders for

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The 545bhp Nissan Juke-R will be entering “very limited run” production, the company has confirmed. Nissan has taken the decision following positive reception to the previously one-off concept in a viral internet marketing campaign.

So far, Nissan has received three orders for Juke-Rs, two alone from a “high-profile and well-respected member of Dubai society”.

It was in Dubai where the Juke-R concept was first shown in January, and where a series of videos of the Juke-R outsprinting a Lamborghini Gallardo, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and Ferrari 458 Italia on closed roads were filmed.

It is the Juke-R’s performance in these videos that has piqued interest in the car, particularly in the Arab state. The Juke’s marketing manager, Gareth Dunsmore, said “people were making offers for the original on the street”.

“With such a strong reaction, and with three genuine offers on the table, we decided we had to make the concept a reality,” he added.

The Juke-R concept used running gear from a 2010-spec Nissan GT-R. For production, it has been upgraded to use the latest all-wheel drive 2012 GT-R running gear. Power comes from a twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre V6 with a mighty 545bhp. The Juke-R is good for a 160mph top speed, and should be able to shave a tenth or two off the 478bhp Juke-R concept’s 0-62mph time.

Nissan is to build the cars upon request and orders can only be placed in the next four weeks. No price has been confirmed by Nissan, but it’s likely to be a substantial six-figure sum.

British engineering firm Ray Mallock Limited (RML) undertook the design and build of the original concept, with support from Nissan’s Cranfield technical centre and its Paddington design studio, and will be involved in the production version.

source from: autocar

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Car News and Reviews :Mini Countryman Coupe spied testing

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:38:43 +0000

Mini’s new Countryman Coupe has been spied in testing for the first time. The model was previewed as the Paceman concept at the 2011 Detroit motor show and is tipped to go into production alongside the five-door Countryman next year. Mini had originally been expected to keep the

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Mini’s new Countryman Coupe has been spied in testing for the first time. The model was previewed as the Paceman concept at the 2011 Detroit motor show and is tipped to go into production alongside the five-door Countryman next year.

Mini had originally been expected to keep the Paceman name for production, but insiders have hinted that Countryman Coupe is now more likely due to how established the Countryman name has already become.

As the prototype indicates, the three-door Countryman Coupe stays true to the styling of the Paceman concept. It uses the same platform and floor structure as the five-door Countryman and the same inner structure up to and including the bulkhead.

The car also uses the same windscreen as the Countryman, although it’s had 20mm shaved off its height. From the screen rearwards, the Coutryman Coupe gets an entirely new exterior. It’s 4110mm long, marginally more than the Countryman, even though the front bumper is 20mm shorter.

However, there’s likely to be no loss of shoulder room in the rear cabin compared to the Countryman. Unlike most coupes, the Countryman Coupe is also set to have significant rear legroom and more than adequate headroom.

As well as the rising waistline, the Countryman Coupe has a sloping version of the Mini family’s ‘capped’ roof which, combined with the rising waistline, further reduces the size of the side windows, emphasising the Mini’s ‘three-layer’ design theme of roof, windows and bodyside. The car’s C-pillar is tinted the same colour as the glass to give the impression of complete wrap-around glazing.

The big break from modern Mini tradition comes at the rear of the car. The vertical shutlines and vertical sheet metal that characterise the other models in the range have been replaced by a surface that’s much softer and more flowing.

Unsurpsingly, Mini has dumped the rule that said Mini tail-lights are vertical and surrounded on all sides with painted bodywork. The Countryman Coupe’s lights are substantial and cut right across into the tailgate, resulting in a most un-Mini-like rear elevation.

However, the combination the wide track, sloping roof and narrower glasshouse means the rear wheels are well outboard of side windows, and it all combine to make the Countryman Coupe look extremely purposeful from the rear.

The Countryman Coupe is only likely to be offered with the most powerful versions on Mini’s engines, in keeping with its billing as the most expensive Mini ever.

source from: autocar

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Car News :BMW offers M Performance Parts for 3- and 5-series

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:38:43 +0000

BMW opened up its M Performance Parts catalog to the new 3- and 5-series, the company said on Friday. The German automaker will offer chassis, brakes, aero upgrades and exhaust improvements for the 2012 3-series and the 2011-12 5-series. BMW revealed the line for its diesel cars

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BMW opened up its M Performance Parts catalog to the new 3- and 5-series, the company said on Friday. The German automaker will offer chassis, brakes, aero upgrades and exhaust improvements for the 2012 3-series and the 2011-12 5-series.

BMW revealed the line for its diesel cars in Europe in January, but those cars won’t be coming here.

Starting on the outside, a 20-inch forged-alloy wheel set is offered for the 3-series. The wheels reduce unsprung weight by 2.4 pounds per wheel. BMW says it helps improve steering response and handling characteristics. A similar set is offered for the 5-series; both are two tone with high-gloss/low-gloss finishes and the BMW M logo.

Moving inside the wheels, BMW offers a Brembo big brake kit with painted calipers. The upgrade consists of four-piston fronts and two-piston rear calipers with improved thermal resistance from cross-drilled, vented rotors. Colors include red, yellow and orange.

For the exterior, BMW has high-gloss black kidney grilles. For the 3-series, it offers M Performance sport stripes printed on PVC film in black or white. Carbon-fiber mirror caps are available for the 5 and the 3, while a carbon-fiber spoiler is available for the 5-series only.

The carbon motif extends to the inside of the M Performance equipment, including a shift knob and trim set. BMW also has an M Performance Alcantara steering wheel with a flat bottom and a red stripe at the 12 o’clock position.

In June, a stainless-steel exhaust system will be offered for the 335i and 535i sedans. It has two chrome-plated exhaust tips with the BMW M logo.

Now, none of these upgrades improve the performance of the car to a great degree, and they don’t even get it close to full M status. But the upgrades would make your 3- or 5-series a bit more intimidating at the stoplight. Whether you decide to go for it on green is your decision.

source from: autoweek

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