When Ford unleashed the first Mustang, back in 1964, they had no idea that the new pony car would become an American icon. But it sure has, and in a big way. Young and old alike have an appreciation for the Ford Mustang, through every generation in which the car has been offered. Newly designed inside and out, the 2010 Ford Mustang is no different. This vehicle aims to please, and it does just that.
If you have been longing for a sporty car that won’t break the bank, the new Mustang will fill the bill. You can get into this car for about $21,000, featuring 210 horsepower, with a standard 4.0 liter V-6 engine. If you have the money to invest, there are options that can put you closer to the $28,000 range, for a Mustang GT or, for those with money to burn, a $46,000 option will give you all the speed you need in a 5.4L Supercharged V-8 Engine.
Your biggest decision will be choosing between the two body styles being offered, either a fastback or a convertible. Both start at around $26,000. No matter what you envision, there’s a color for every taste. Choose from torch red, sunset gold, or even kona blue metallic. The interiors have been redesigned and updated. Although nice, they could have been improved still more by using a little less plastic.
To keep down the expense of owning a sports car like this, it’s important to pay attention to your auto insurance rates. Sports car insurance rates tend to be higher and, if you are young or have tickets on your record, this could be something you can’t fit into your budget. Comparing car insurance companies is the most effective way to get a good deal on rates.
Gather several quotes for comparable coverage, compare what is offered with each company, and go with one you can best afford. But don’t get too comfortable; you should compare rates at least a couple of times per year to ensure you are getting the best deal. Many factors go into determining rates; even things like auto roadside assistance being included can make one company’s offer better than the others.
The 2010 Ford Mustang provides a nice ride and handles well. It also comes with some standard safety features that will help keep you safer and may even help keep your insurance rates down. Airbags, a tire-pressure monitoring system, tethers for child seats, and an SOS post-crash alert system all come standard, as does an anti-theft system.
If there is one thing that will keep Ford’s status from falling in the car world, it has to be the Mustang. It’s a car that has been pleasing people for 45 years and will continue to do so for many more.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Audi A5 £23,325 - £39,595
So what is the A5 Sportback, exactly? We will attempt to answer that as briefly as possible, but because it's complicated, it might take nearly a billion words.
Firstly, ignore the name because essentially what we have here is the first-ever A4 hatchback (the A4 has always been a saloon or estate until now). Audi will recoil in mock-shock at that allegation, and insist this is a blood member of the A5 coupe family. But there's no escaping the two extra doors at the back, and especially the third one hinged to the roof.
Confused? Not yet, you're not. Is it the swoopy roofline that messes things up, making this a hatch that dabbles in coupe-ness? Or is it a coupe that dabbles in hatch-ness? Or is it neither, as Audi might claim, because it thinks it's an entirely new type of car? If you disregard the hatch's shutline or just squint a little, it could be an A5 saloon, or, in other words, a lower, swoopier A4 saloon. Maybe the A5 saloon is coming next.
Let's keep ploughing on through this, because at some point we'll get to the answer.
Mechanically the A5 Sportback shares almost everything with the A4, on which the A5 coupe is based. The wheelbase is just 2mm longer than an A4, though overall it's a tad shorter and a touch wider - as if God has reached down from heaven and gently squashed the car.
Visually, it's obviously more A5 than A4. It shares the same nose, the rippled waistline, the flicky bootlip and has a similar rear end. It has the classy frameless doors, too. But despite its complicated conception, the look is cohesive rather than confused - though it takes a few glances to fathom what you're looking at, which is a hatchback A4 with an A5 coupe nose. Maybe.
If you think we're going round in circles, you're probably right. But this is Audi, so it has built this A4 Hatchback and called it an A5 Sportback for a reason.
Scan any office car park and you'll see neat lines of saloons and estates, bookended by a slinky coupe in a spot marked ‘reserved'. It's the most obvious of status symbols - something swoopy for the boss, something ubiquitous and boxy for the underlings. Many company car lists restrict lowly staff to a four-door layout, leaving them wallowing in a saloon while the MD swoons around in his coupe. The Sportback fits somewhere between the two and gives middle managers a way around the rules. "An A4? Huh! No way, mine's a Sportback..."
Audi will tell you that the car is made for people who care greatly about design. And perhaps they do, but the fact that 70 per cent of sales will go down the fleet route suggests that, for most Sportback drivers, status is more important than style.
Is this starting to make sense? If it is, then think again, because we haven't stepped inside yet.
Appropriately, we'll start in the back. Swing open a rear door, plonk yourself inside and all seems pretty normal. Legroom is the same as the A4 saloon and headroom is compromised by just 5mm, which isn't a bad payoff for that sloping roofline. But look closer and you'll notice the lack of a middle seatbelt. Audi is selling this thing as a four-seater, which would be fine if the rear seats were artistically sculpted to cuddle your torso. But they're not. It's just a regular bench with a raised cushion where the middle seat would usually be. In other words, it's an incredibly lazy attempt to imitate a four-seat coupe, at the expense of practicality. Who will it impress?
Moving rearwards, the Sportback starts to make more sense. Despite the new arty silhouette the boot has a wide and unobstructed aperture through which to load your stuff. At 480 litres, luggage space is exactly the same as the A4 saloon, only more accessible as the hatch opens its big, yawning mouth.
At this point, you're probably wondering how it drives. Surely it will be like any other Audi, right?
Wrong. Somehow in the transition from coupe/saloon/whatever to Sportback, things have gone a bit soft. There's more body roll than in the A4/A5 and a floaty feeling on motorways, which on our test route, were as smooth as boiled sweets. Our car was on 17-inch wheels and standard suspension, which might account for some of the squidge - S-line cars did feel firmer. Audi reckons the spring and damper rates are identical to the coupe, but it doesn't feel like it.
That isn't necessarily a criticism though, as the entire Sportback experience was curiously relaxing. Best to forget Audi's claims of ‘extreme driving pleasure' and treat it more like a GT with which to hoover up motorways.
So now it's a GT too? Possibly.
The engines and gearboxes are more predictable. We spent most of our time in the 2.0-litre TDI, which was as strong and refined as ever. We also tried the 2.0-litre petrol, and that was smooth and quiet enough to put you off diesel for life, especially if you don't notch up huge motorway miles. But then it wouldn't be a GT, would it?
And while all that swirls around your brain like leaves in a vortex, consider this final twist. Spec-for-spec, the Sportback is more expensive than the A4 saloon - £1,700 in the case of a 2.0-litre TDI SE. Remember, what we're dealing with here is an A4 hatch (possibly), so a £1,700 premium over an equally-optioned saloon is madness. All you're getting is a swoopier C-pillar, more accessible bootspace and one fewer seat.
Compare that to, say, a Vauxhall Insignia - which carries no extra charge for the saloon-to-hatch transition - and the Sportback looks like a bit of a swindle.
And so we arrive at an answer, of sorts. The Sportback is an A4 hatch with the looks of an A5 and a ludicrously absent fifth seat. It's a comfy GT with usefully accessible bootspace. It won't satisfy your inner Stigness and it's far too expensive. And because it's an Audi, it will sell by the lorry load.
If that doesn't make sense now, it probably never will.
Bleu is the colour
If the standard, boring, 1001bhp, open-top Veyron Grand Sport is just too commonplace for your exacting standards, how about a one-off Grand Sport Sang Bleu?
Bugatti unveiled this special edition convertible Veyron at Pebble Beach over the weekend. As the Sang Noir special edition Veyron featured a black-on-black livery, so the Sang Bleu – yep, it means ‘blue blood’ in French – is decked out in blue carbon fibre and polished aluminium.
Mechanically, the Sang Bleu identical to the standard Veyron Grand Sport – though it’s tough to argue with a thousand-bhp 8.0-litre W16 engine and a 0-60mph time comfortably under three seconds.
So, yeah, we’ll take one, please. Ta. But we can’t helping wondering whether Bugatti is slightly confusing the term ‘special edition’ with the term ‘paintjob’. Gorgeous as the Sang Bleu is, can they keep claiming another special edition each time they paint a Veyron in a new colour?
Maybe this is how to add value to your knackered old Vauxhall Nova come resale time. Paint the bonnet and roof in some improbable shade of fluorescent yellow – to contrast nicely with the beige doors – call it the Nova Coeur Jaune and add £500 to the part-ex value. Another recession-busting Top Gear Top Tip there…
Vauxhall Insignia
Because despite producing 321bhp and 321lb ft from a 2.8-litre V6 turbo, the Insignia VXR doesn't suffer from any sort of torque steer at all. Those three words also sum up neatly the attitude shift of VXR - gone is the chav factor, replaced here by something more civilised. Less Burberry cap, more company rep with tie at a jaunty angle.
‘Useable performance' is the buzz phrase now, even ‘subtle' styling. Thank goodness for that, as VXR was in danger of becoming an antiquated performance brand only four years after it launched.
Step into this Insignia VXR and there are still performance brand touches, but it's a classier place to be and less in-your-face. The seats are Recaro and illustrate this best - yes, they're racing seats, all-in-one things with no separate head-rest, but they're comfortable not just supportive. Long journeys won't be a problem in this car. The gearstick no longer has the rough stitching on it. The dials are more subdued. It's all improved.
The same goes for driving. The first thing that strikes you about it is how well it rides. The car we drove came on enormous 20-inch alloys, which look fantastic if a bit big on the Insignia, and the tyres are seriously low-profile. It also has stiffer suspension all round and the whole car is 10mm lower. But drive through town and you don't feel like you're about to compress your spine by three inches. It's firm, of course, but there's exceptional compliance here. Drive through a pot-hole and it doesn't crash, it doesn't shake the whole car. Even at higher speeds you don't have to fight it too much to keep it on the black stuff because the car doesn't fidget over bumps, in normal mode at least.
There are two ‘sport' buttons on the VXR, one marked ‘Sport' and the other ‘VXR'. Hmmm. Their originality knows no bounds. The former just tightens the damping, but press the latter and you get stiffer suspension, more direct steering and a sharper throttle. Oh, and the dials turn a shade of dark red.
This button is a throwback to the Vectra VXR, as if the ghost of that car can't quite be banished. It doesn't make the car any faster, doesn't release any more power, it just makes the Insignia feel skittish and over the top. If it suddenly turned the car into a fun performance hatch, I could understand. But all it does is remove any finesse from the package. Take the throttle for instance. In VXR mode, it's far too sharp, so that when you're mid-corner and a bump makes your foot nudge the accelerator, you get an annoying squirt of power from the engine. It's jerky and not what you want. Smooth driving is tricky with that VXR button lit.
The engine has its contradictions as well. It's quick (0-60mph in 5.6 seconds), smooth (far silkier than the Vectra's old four-pot) and very responsive over 2,500rpm. Sixth gear isn't massively long so you can sit in that cog quite happily over B-roads without having to change down all the time.
But, there's an annoying exhaust boom at about 2,000rpm that makes longer journeys more tiring than they need be. In the old Vectra VXR, you would have accepted that as part of the in-yer-face attitude of the thing. But it doesn't suit the character of this new car - it just feels weird. Fine to make it sound loud when you really rev it, but this car will do a lot of motorway miles and for that any sort of boom is bad. The irony is that the noisiest revs equate to 70mph in sixth - only at 85mph do they disappear.
This is a pity because grip levels and lack of body roll are seriously impressive on the VXR. Turn in and there's absolutely no hesitation, it just fires you around the corner. As part of the VXR tweaks to the Insignia, Vauxhall has fitted a limited slip rear differential. Doubtless this might make a difference on the track, but I never got to a circuit and I certainly couldn't feel anything noticeable on the road.
The steering doesn't help either. It's too light and over-assisted. Lightness isn't necessarily a problem if there's feedback there too, but that's not the case here. The Insignia feels like Vauxhall has bolted too big an electric motor to the steering rack so you don't get any sense of adjustability. Minute changes at the wheel don't bring minute front-wheel changes. Fine for your motorway cruise, but not so good for the B-road. Other cars make that compromise better.This illustrates the biggest problem with the Insignia VXR. On the one hand, it's far, far better than the Vectra and on most levels is a good car. It also has this sector pretty much to itself - an Audi S4 is only about £4,000 more, but Audis and Vauxhalls rarely mix. Though their performance is similar, badge snobs will still steer away from Vauxhall.
The plus points don't stop there. The Insignia does what most people require of it perfectly acceptably, like the motorway cruise, and the B-road blast. The problem is that it doesn't excel at either. It doesn't seem entirely happy in its own skin.
Renault Kangoo
In fact, the all-new Renault Kangoo is decent to drive. Obviously you can't negate the brute physics of a giant, slab-sided van - plunge into a corner and it'll list like a flimsy sailboat in a storm - but the steering is surprisingly direct and the ride firm and composed. That's because the new Kangoo shares its underpinnings with the new Scenic, not the commercial van platform of its predecessor. So it drives like a car - a big, tall, heavy car, admittedly - and the range-topping 106bhp diesel is just quick enough to keep up with traffic. At least until you load it up with trombones, Borzois and enormous wheels of cheese.
Because, decent gearbox or not, the Kangoo is still all about storage, load-lugging, and it still does it better than just about anything else out there. It's absolutely cavernous - a full 18cm longer and 10cm wider than the old, definitely-not-small Kangoo - with nearly 3,000 litres of load space. It's packed with all the useful stuff so conspicuously lacking from the Citroen Nemo: fold-flat seats, underfloor storage bins and lots of cubbyholes, some large enough to fit small humans in. Not revolutionary stuff, but immaculately executed.
Nemo and Qubo, take note: this is how to do a van conversation. And a gearbox.
Lexus SC 430 £52,759
Comfort
One of the most unsubtle rides in the world of the car. For a big CC cruiser, you'd think the SC430 would be a world of calm, but it punches every pothole with a vengeance. The engine and gearbox themselves are near silent - it's just that the suspension and tyres feel broken.
Performance
You can't really hear it, but the SC430's 4.3-litre V8 and five-speed auto are tremendously refined and quite quick; 0-62mph in just 6.2 seconds and a limited 155mph top speed. You just never feel like making use of it.
Cool
You might think that you're thinking outside the box and being a bit eccentric when buying an SC430. Anyone who knows anything about cars will just think you're a twat who knows nothing about cars.
Quality
Thankfully the SC430 does carry through the tradition of having a supremely well-built interior - it might sometimes look a bit plastic (that's perceived quality in Japan, apparently), but in terms of how it's screwed together, the finish is peerless.
Handling
Hmmm, given that Lexus usually excels at making cars ride and handle, or at least ride, the SC430 is surprisingly wobbly when going fast. The steering expired some time ago and there's precious little feel. It encourages precisely nothing. Bit of a bugger when the Mercedes SL is the competition.
Practicality
No room in the back and a tiny boot (138litres) that all but disappears when the roof is stowed. There's room up front, but as it's such a bulbous-looking blob, you'd have thought there might be a few more litres of space in it.
Running costs
If you really did go and do this as a company car you'd be 35-percent liable thanks to 24.8mpg and group 19 insurance. Residuals are pure financial suicide.
Toyota iQ £8,872 - £11,837
ur verdict
Utter brilliance from Toyota – the car the Smart ForFour should have been
Comfort
Performance
There's only one engine choice and that's a lovely little 1.0-litre triple with 67bhp and 67lb ft of torque. Sounds weak, in reality it really works. Top speed is just under the ton and 0-62mph is 14.7 seconds - and for such a small car it actually feels pretty sprightly - it'll hold 80mph on the m-way easily too.
Cool
At the moment the iQ is just glorious. Everyone wants a small rational car, and the iQ isn't a retro homage or a pastiche. Modern, quirky and just a little bit special.
Quality
The one thing where the iQ isn't totally on the pace. The early cars have shoddy, cheap plastics on the interiors that really jar with the premium feel of the rest of the car. There is no doubt at all over the quality of the grubby bits, but why, oh why couldn't they spend more than 7p on the door cards?
Handling
Toyota's packaging solutions push the wheels out into the corners just like the original Mini - and we all know how well that went around corners. The iQ isn't quite in that league - but it's more fun than you think. One of the reasons is that the iQ is as wide as a Ford Focus (even though it measures in at under 3m) and so the plan view is essentially square. Towns become playgrounds.
Practicality
Another superb coup from the iQ here. As a city car it simply cannot be beaten. When you don't need the rear seats you can fold them over to form a bigger boot. Not massive, but definitely useful. And then when you need to furtle around with friends and still park, you can do all that too. Interestingly, there are lots of places in Europe where cars under 3m have special parking spots where they are designed to park front/back on to the kerb; the iQ is the only four-seat car that can do it.
Running costs
A tiny triple will easily get 65-odd mpg. On test, with hard driving, the car returned nearly 60 - which is very good. Insurance is cheap and the car will be very reliable if Toyota's reputation is anything to go by. The only slight fly in the ointment is the high initial purchase price; the iQ starts at £9495 with the higher-spec ‘2' version a grand more.
Peugeot gets the hump
Your eyes do not deceive you. This is a Peugeot and it is exciting.
This is the Peugeot RCZ, the production version of the Audi TT-rivalling concept we saw a couple of summers ago. But now it is real and reaching a road near you early next year.
Not a bad looking thing, is it? Most excellently, the ‘double bubble’ roof of the concept has remained – Peugeot says it improves aero flow over the top of the car – along with those fat flared arches and aluminium roof strips.
Though based on 308 underpinnings, the RCZ is a two-door, 2+2 coupe with more focus on driving dynamics than anything in the current Peugeot range.
Peugeot says it has dropped its standard numeric naming convention for the RCZ because the car is so damn special. It’ll be built in ‘small volumes’ at Magna Steyr’s Austrian factory, so quality should be high.
If you’re expecting TTRS-matching pace from the RCZ, you’re being a bit ambitious. Three engines will be available at launch, with a 200bhp 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine (a powered-up version of the unit in the Mini Cooper S) topping the range.
It’ll hustle the RCZ to 62mph in 7.6 seconds while returning 39.8mpg and under 165g/km of CO2. A detuned version of the same engine – developing 156bhp – and a 163bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel are also on the menu, the latter returning over 50mpg and just under 140g/km of CO2.
There’s a decent bit of bootspace, too – 384 litres, to be precise – and the rear seats (which Peugeot admits are strictly ‘occasional’) can be folded down to increase luggage capacity.
We’ll see the RCZ in the metal – and buttock-aping glass – at the Frankfurt motorshow, before it goes on sale in the UK next spring. Let’s hear your thoughts
Lexus's 1-Series sketched out
We have, on rare occasion, been known to moan about cryptic ‘teaser sketches’ and their ilk.
When they look like bird-irons, we feel our whinging is justified. When, however, they look like this – the Lexus CT concept set to debut at the Frankfurt motorshow – we’ll happily swallow our pride and admit we’re a bit excited.
The CT concept previews Lexus’s upcoming BMW 1-Series rival, a small hatch set to slot below the IS in the luxury brand’s line-up.
At this stage, details remain, er, sketchy, but it is rumoured the CT – if indeed that name carries over to the production car – will, despite its diminutive size, gain the option of a hybrid drivetrain and other green technologies.
What can we tell from the sketch? Not a whole heap, in truth, as the journey from notepaper to forecourt is notoriously rocky. That front end seems to be inspired by the IS-F, while those slabby sides indicate the CT could have similar proportions to the 1-Series hatch.
We’d expect to see the CT concept in the metal (or whatever it is they use to make show concepts – plasticine?) in Frankfurt next month. Stay tuned for more news, folks.
Boom boom boom boom
There are too few cars named after late 1990s Dutch Europop acts. Aiming to rectify this shortfall comes the Kia Venga, a mini-MPV from the Korean manufacturer that promises Focus space within a Fiesta footprint.
Marketing spiel perhaps, but the Venga – which shares its underpinnings with the Soul and Hyundai i20 – should be a practical wee thing, with a roofline some 13 centimetres higher than the Fiesta (and 11cm higher than the i20) providing extra interior space.
As you’ve probably guessed, it won’t challenge the Clio 200 for the hot hatch crown. It’ll be launched with 1.4- and 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines developing between 74bhp and 113bhp, though all models will get start-stop technology.
A hybrid version is rumoured to join the line-up later next year.
“This is exactly the kind of vehicle UK motorists are looking for as we emerge from the recent economic turmoil,” says Kia MD Michael Cole.
Rumours that the Venga will be unveiled at the Frankfurt show by the eponymous Arsenal manager are completely unfounded.
New Camaro 2009
What was originally the 2009 Chevrolet 
Camaro comes in three trim levels: LS, LT, and high-performance SS. Two engines are available - a V6 and a V8. The V6 is a 3.6-liter unit that produces 300 hp. It’s available on LS and LT.
SS versions with a manual transmission get a 422-hp 6.2-liter V8.
Tramontana Sports Car
A relatively unknown Spanish company called Tramontana has developed a monster. They took a Mercedes-sourced twin-turbo 5.5-liter V12 producing 720 horsepower and placed it in a completely carbon
Top speed: 201 mph.
There will only be 12 of these made per year, and expect to pay a rather hefty sum of about $500,000 each.
VW Chico Efficient Green Car
In its most economical form, the new
It could cost as little as $9,000 when it goes on sale in the UK in 2011.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Lexus Announces Prices For New LS 600h
The LS 600h features the world’s first full-time, all-wheel drive full hybrid V8 powertrain, combining a technically peerless 5.0-litre engine with a powerful, high-output motor. The result is performance that rivals a standard V12 petrol engine (nought to 62mph in 6.3 seconds) with fuel consumption and emissions that are on a par with the segment’s best performing – and substantially lower powered – diesels (30.4mpg and 219g/km in combined cycle driving). Thanks to the Lexus Hybrid Drive system’s compact but powerful electric motor, maximum torque is delivered from zero rpm, giving the car exceptional performance off the line.
Two versions will be available in the UK: the LS 600h and LS 600h L long wheelbase model. Both benefit from an exceptional specification that includes pre-crash safety systems that can detect collision hazards both on the road ahead and from the rear, permanent four-wheel drive, Adaptive Variable Suspension and the world’s first application of LED technology for low beam headlight illumination. Advanced technologies are dovetailed with the skills of master craftsmen to achieve a high luxury finish in the paintwork, fine leather upholstery, hand-trimmed dashboard and real wood cabin trim features.
The in-car entertainment package includes a 19-speaker Mark Levinson premium hi-fi with six-disc DVD autochanger and a nine-inch ceiling-mounted screen for rear seat passengers.
The LS 600h L can be additionally specified with a Rear Seat Relaxation Pack that provides even higher levels of comfort. The left hand rear seat gains an extending ottoman leg and thigh rest, seat cushion airbag and variable massage function. An independent DVD system, centre console with extending wood-inlaid tray are also part of the pack, together with a more advanced climate control system that uses body temperature sensors to determine optimum performance.
Porsche: 100,000 Units Of The Latest 911 Generation Built
Porsche has been manufacturing the 911 since 1963, but never in all that time have so many of these sports cars been produced so quickly as with the sixth generation. The “record” Eleven, a guards red Carrera S with manual gearbox, is to be delivered to a customer in the Frankfurt/Main area within the next few days.
Over the past 40 years or so, the 911 has become the quintessential sports car. From fall 2007, a total of 16 different Eleven models will leave the production line in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen alongside the newly unveiled 911 Turbo Cabriolet and the racing derivatives, the 911 GT3 Cup and the 911 GT3 RSR. By July 31, the end of the 2006/2007 fiscal year, Porsche will have placed around 36,000 units from the 911 series on the global market – yet another record in the history of the Eleven.
GM Daewoo Matiz Wins Energy Grand Prix Award
Since 1997, it has annually presented the Energy Winner Awards, honoring products and organizations that contribute to the saving of energy. The three most energy-efficient products and activities are honored with the Energy Grand Prix award.
During this year’s 11th Energy Winner Awards, winners were selected in five categories: Green Equipment, Green Lighting, Green Building/Architecture, Energy-Efficient Vehicle and Energy-Saving Activity. GM Daewoo was presented its award during an official ceremony today
“The Energy Grand Prix award proves once again the outstanding value offered by the Matiz,” said GM Daewoo Vice President of Engineering Steve Clarke. “The Matiz epitomizes GM Daewoo’s engineering capability and accumulated technology in developing fuel-efficient, practical mini vehicles, which have been awarded by GM appointing GM Daewoo to be the global base for the development of its mini cars.”
Since its launch in 1998, more than 2 million Matiz cars have been sold around the world. The best-selling mini-car in Korea and abroad, the Matiz has received numerous awards. They include the Auto Design Award from IBCAM and Best Mini-Car from Italy’s Automobile. The Matiz also has finished first in its segment in surveys carried out by J.D. Power & Associates in Mexico, China and India.
GM Daewoo Auto & Technology was established in 2002. It has five manufacturing facilities in Korea as well as an assembly facility in Vietnam. In addition, GM Daewoo provides market and brand-specific vehicle kits for assembly at GM facilities in China, Thailand, India, Colombia and Venezuela. In 2006, GM Daewoo sold in Korea and exported more than 1.5 million vehicles.
GM Daewoo vehicles are now offered in more than 150 markets on six continents under several GM Group brands. Imported GM products from the Cadillac and Saab premium brands are sold in Korea through GM AutoWorld retailers.
Subaru Impreza WRX
Attendees will have the chance to drive the legend themselves or ride shotgun with a professional driver on a closed course. In addition, there will be an Impreza WRX festival including a tuner car salon, live DJs, games, and much more.
The event will feature two driving courses; the first is a dynamic driving course that highlights the acceleration, handling, and braking capabilities of the all-new Impreza WRX; the other course promises the ultimate thrill ride as attendees co-pilot the car on a Rally Stage and experience the new Impreza WRX driven to its limits by a professional driver.
There will also be a complete Impreza WRX festival. Festival activities will include:
- Tuner Car Salon hosted by NASIOC
- Live Blender DJ’s
- A Video Gaming Lounge
- RC Car Track
- Subaru Rally Team USA Traveling Trailer
- SPT Performance Parts Display
- Product Walk Arounds
- Subaru Gear Merchandise
- 2008 Subaru Model Lineup
The new 2008 Impreza WRX comes with a 224-hp 2.5-liter boxer four and reaches 60 mph from rest in just 5.9 seconds. With new, more sophisticated styling and two new body styles, a 4-door sedan and a 5-door model, the Impreza 2.5i and Impreza WRX breathe new life into the compact performance market.
The new Impreza models deliver significant improvements in comfort and utility, while delivering the handling, performance and Subaru Symmetrical AWD that made the original Impreza such a success. Also new for 2008, is the availability of Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) on both the Impreza 2.5i and Impreza WRX.
In 2002, Subaru changed the face of the performance market with the introduction of the original WRX, a car that could deliver turbocharged, rally-bred performance in any driving condition.
The all-new 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX follows that lead with an all-new breed of AWD performance car. Larger than its predecessor, the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX now rides on a 3.7 inch longer wheelbase (103.1 inches) that improves ride, interior space and utility.
Enhance Your Image With Vauxhall Styling Accessories
Manufactured in stainless steel woven wire mesh, the upper and lower grilles are designed specifically for Vectra and Signum cars from the 2006 model year onwards. They can be dealer fitted in less than 20 minutes.
Substantial discounts are available until the end of September on selected alloy wheels from Irmscher for the new Corsa range. The special offer covers Softstar and Gamma 14 inch and Stila 15 inch wheel sets.
They are suitable for Expression, Life and Club models fitted with 14 and 15 inch steel wheels. The original tyres can be transferred directly to these alloys wheel sets, saving existing owners additional expense.
Details of all styling accessory offers are available from participating Vauxhall retailers.
The Lexus Symphony Orchestra
The orchestra has been created by Lexus GB to demonstrate the quality of the LS 460’s sound system, designed specially for the car by international audio specialist Mark Levinson. With an array of 19 custom-engineered speakers and a 15-channel 450-watt amplifier, it gives ‘reference’ sound reproduction that matches the results from a professional music studio monitoring desk.
To reveal this quality to a larger audience, Lexus brought together the London Symphony Orchestra and the Bach Choir in a recording session with conductor Alastair King at Sir George Martin’s world-famous AIR Studios in London. The musicians performed the celebrated classical pieces Pavane for a Dead Princess by Ravel and Satie’s Gymnopédie No1, and two new commissions written specially for the Lexus auto-orchestra: Summon the Hero and Karma Nirvana, composed by Chesney Hawkes and Chris Nicolaides and orchestrated by Alastair King.
The results will be presented for the first time at the Proms Spectacular at Castle Howard on 18 and 19 August and at the Last Night of the Summer Proms at Crystal Palace Park on 25 and 26 August.
The Lexus Symphony Orchestra will be providing interval entertainment on its own stage, with guests invited to sit inside the cars to hear the music and watch a video of how the
There will then be a full scale performance involving all 12 cars, each one representing a different section of the orchestra, co-ordinated through a central digital sound desk. Each vehicle will be precisely positioned, with doors open, to produce the ideal orchestral effect.
You can sample the orchestra’s music making on-line by visiting www.lexus.co.uk and clicking on the Lexus Symphony Orchestra track linksWednesday, May 27, 2009
KIA cee’d Three Door Revealed
Kia Motors Corporation has released the first preview image of its exciting new Kia three-door hatchback model which will make its World Premiere at this year’s Frankfurt International Motor Show on 11 September.
The new model will be named Pro-cee’d. Based closely on the earlier ‘pro_cee’d’ concept shown at the Paris Motor Show in 2006, the new production model has been developed by Kia’s design team in Europe under the direction of Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer.
“Longer, lower and lighter than its five-door sister car, the new Kia Pro-cee’d is going to be a great drive,” enthused Mr Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President Kia Motors Europe. “Combining real style and genuine practicality, our new three-door cee’d is sure to delight existing Kia customers and attract a new group of European consumers who have not yet considered our brand.”
Manufactured in Slovakia, Pro-cee’d will be the third member of the Kia cee’d family, joining the popular cee’d five-door and the soon to be released cee’d SW models to make Kia an especially strong challenger for C-segment sales in Europe.
Production of the Pro-cee’d model range is scheduled to begin in November with first customer sales during the early months of 2008.
New Camaro 2009
What was originally the 2009 Chevrolet Camaro comes in three trim levels: LS, LT, and high-performance SS. Two engines are available - a V6 and a V8. The V6 is a 3.6-liter unit that produces 300 hp. It’s available on LS and LT.
SS versions with a manual transmission get a 422-hp 6.2-liter V8.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Subaru Impreza WRX
Attendees will have the chance to drive the legend themselves or ride shotgun with a professional driver on a closed course. In addition, there will be an Impreza WRX festival including a tuner car salon, live DJs, games, and much more.
The event will feature two driving courses; the first is a dynamic driving course that highlights the acceleration, handling, and braking capabilities of the all-new Impreza WRX; the other course promises the ultimate thrill ride as attendees co-pilot the car on a Rally Stage and experience the new Impreza WRX driven to its limits by a professional driver.
There will also be a complete Impreza WRX festival. Festival activities will include:
- Tuner Car Salon hosted by NASIOC
- Live Blender DJ’s
- A Video Gaming Lounge
- RC Car Track
- Subaru Rally Team USA Traveling Trailer
- SPT Performance Parts Display
- Product Walk Arounds
- Subaru Gear Merchandise
- 2008 Subaru Model Lineup
The new 2008 Impreza WRX comes with a 224-hp 2.5-liter boxer four and reaches 60 mph from rest in just 5.9 seconds. With new, more sophisticated styling and two new body styles, a 4-door sedan and a 5-door model, the Impreza 2.5i and Impreza WRX breathe new life into the compact performance market.
The new Impreza models deliver significant improvements in comfort and utility, while delivering the handling, performance and Subaru Symmetrical AWD that made the original Impreza such a success. Also new for 2008, is the availability of Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) on both the Impreza 2.5i and Impreza WRX.
In 2002, Subaru changed the face of the performance market with the introduction of the original WRX, a car that could deliver turbocharged, rally-bred performance in any driving condition.
The all-new 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX follows that lead with an all-new breed of AWD performance car. Larger than its predecessor, the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX now rides on a 3.7 inch longer wheelbase (103.1 inches) that improves ride, interior space and utility.
2007 Roush Roadster
The most striking visual enhancements are the unique two-color paint scheme - black across the top with a choice of Torch Red, Redfire, Vista Blue, Silver or Grabber Orange as the base. A pinstripe runs along the edge as an attractive break between the base colors.
The car is further accented by Roush 20-inch RR04 forged chrome wheels, high-performance Cooper Tires and the Roush convertible light bar. The interior has custom sport leather seating with the unique Roush Roadster logo stitched in, embroidered floor mats, and a billet aluminum pedal kit.
For a smoother ride, and furthering the visual appearance, the car is lowered approximately one-inch with custom-designed Roush lowering springs and jounce bumpers.
The Roush Roadster is a very limited edition model with only 100 vehicles being assembled and sold which should make this a very desirable and collectible vehicle.
Options include a ROUSHcharger™ powertrain upgrade which boosts the stock Ford GT 4.6L, V-8 engine to 415 horsepower (available on manual transmission cars only), white face guage clusters with illuminated Jack Roush signature, interior carbon fiber design dash trim kits, short throw shifters, and more all designed to enhance the performance or appearance as desired.
“We have done some limited edition convertibles in the past, but this new Roush Roadster is certainly one of the finest looking cars we have ever designed,” said Jack Roush. “The two-tone paint scheme is beautiful and with the top down the stresses of the day just seem to go away with the wind. I know that the plan is only to make 100, but I think that number might have to be reduced by one as there should be a Roadster in my garage.”
Maserati GranTurismo Worldwide Preview At The Geneva Motorshow
The new Maserati GranTurismo is a high-performance sports car, exciting to drive with a 4.2 litre V8 engine, delivering 405 HP, and a weight distribution of 49% at the front and 51% at the rear. It is fitted with an automatic gearbox and equipped with an adaptive control system which adjusts the gear-shifting mode to the driving style and the driving conditions.
Maserati’s tradition of the Gran Turismo concept dates back to 1947 when the Trident Company, following its clients’ demand, unveiled at the Geneva Motorshow its first Gran Turismo, the A6, designed by the great Pinin Farina.
It was the first Maserati road car and was produced in 58 units. The car was acclaimed by the automotive press for its advanced technical content and for its avant-garde style solutions.
The new model name – Maserati GranTurismo – is not incidental. Once again, the partnership between Maserati and Pininfarina gives birth to a car that is able to generate emotions and sets itself apart from competitors, due to the technique with which it is built and its unique style.
The new Maserati GranTurismo represents a further step towards the completion of the Trident product range, following the worldwide launch of the Quattroporte Automatic at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
2007 Aston Martin Vanquish S V12
With a maximum speed in excess of 200 mph (321 km/h) and a 6.0 liter V12 engine developing 520 horsepower, the Vanquish S has been designed to deliver even greater
The Vanquish S has received subtle but effective changes to complement its elegant muscular body. The famous Aston Martin grille has a new rounded and more open appearance for better cooling, and an aerodynamic splitter improves high-speed stability.
At the rear, a redesigned boot lid featuring a new high mounted stop lamp reduces lift and improves balance and stability, helping to achieve an impressive Cd figure of 0.32.
These differences on the Vanquish S not only improve the appearance but also enhance performance. All the exterior body panels are constructed from aluminum with each individual panel hand tailored to the central structure to ensure a perfect panel fit. Every carefully detailed feature provides graphic evidence of the painstaking craftsmanship and quality, which is invested in its construction at Aston Martin’s Newport Pagnell site in Buckinghamshire.
Revised steering geometry provides a 20% quicker response, allowing the driver to apply a reduced input for required steering response. This enables the driver to be more precise with inputs - especially on winding roads - and more accurate feedback from the chassis.
The Sports Dynamics suspension, steering and braking package is now standard on the Vanquish S. This includes stiffer springs and dampers and shorter steering arms.
Further development of Aston Martin’s low emissions, all alloy, quad-overhead camshaft, 48 valve, 6.0-liter V12 engine has generated an increase in power from 460 bhp to 520 bhp at 7000 rpm and torque is boosted to 425 lb-ft at 5800 rpm.
Engine enhancements include new cylinder heads with fully machined inlet ports and combustion chambers to improve airflow, revised engine mapping and new fuel injectors.
The overall interior design is a subtle blend of traditional, classic and modern materials with Bridge of Weir leather upholstery matched to contemporary metal interior fittings and finishes. A number of detailed improvements have been made to the interior of the Vanquish S to enhance the overall appeal.
The luxurious but purposeful two seat or optional 2+2 cabin now features supportive all leather trimmed sports seats with many additional and exquisite detail touches which amply demonstrate the truly special nature of this unique hand crafted sports
With the capacity to continue to turn heads, the design of the Vanquish is already established as a modern classic. Since its launch in 2001, the Vanquish has proved to be a huge success for Aston Martin with over 1500 cars built.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
New Volvo S40 And V50 Sportswagon
Design
Taking a step closer to the all-new Volvo S80 saloon design cues, the Volvo S40 now features a reprofiled nose and chrome framed ‘egg-crate’ grille, complete with a 50 per cent larger Volvo badge – a clear indication of Volvo’s bolder future design direction.
This distinctive front is flanked by new clear-lensed headlamp units, while a striking full-width air intake, incorporating reworked integral fog lamps and a central mesh section, replaces the previous three-part air intake unit.
At the rear, the S40’s new tail light units – fitted with LED light emitting diode brake lights – are now smaller, with new graphics, and sit 30 mm higher than previously. A new bumper and revised boot handle design as well as a more sporting exhaust pipe layout complete the visual makeover.
Just as the S40 draws inspiration from the all-new S80, the V50 Sportswagon moves closer to the all-new Volvo V70 estate, with a sportier new grille and headlamp layout and distinctive three-part front air intake. And, like the S40, the Sportswagon features Volvo’s deep-set chrome-collared grille and larger Volvo badge.
The V50’s distinctive rear styling now benefits from slimmer tail light units that are equipped with LED brake lights, enhancing the car’s shoulders. A new boot handle, restyled bumper and a revised pair of exhaust pipes complete the look.
Restyled lower door mouldings and side sills also underline the visual changes between old and new saloon and Sportswagon models.
Versatility and Packaging
Volvo designers and engineers also gave the cabins of the S40 and V50 a thorough revision to add more storage space and carrying versatility as well as boosting the choice of interior trims.
Volvo’s iconic ‘floating’ centre stack has revised controls and is complemented by a multi-function centre tunnel storage area, a more compact handbrake design, and a revised armrest that’s longer and further forward for greater driver comfort. It can also flip through 180 degrees to act as a useful table for rear passengers.
As well as redesigned cupholders, there’s now a much larger storage area under the armrest, while the lower sections of the front door inside panels have been redesigned to accommodate larger items. The auxiliary input for the audio system has been repositioned under the armrest and is now standard across the range, while a roll-top cover for the central storage area provides heightened security.
Other changes include more dynamically styled instrument panels for the T5 and D5 models, Dynaudio speakers for the Premium Sound system, a new hard drive-based RTI road traffic information and satellite navigation system and a redesigned remote key fob with Auto Open and Auto Close for all side windows and sunroof.
New trim options for the floating centre stack comprise a Nordic Light Oak real wood matt inlay and Virtual White, inspired by the modern glossy white surfaces in sporting equipment and computers. Drivers can also now opt for the new Spring Green upholstery and three new exterior colour options have been added too.
Safety
Introducing yet more safety features, the new Volvo S40 and V50 Sportswagon can be equipped with Active Bi-Xenon headlamps that swivel the light beam in continuous sync with steering direction.
Should any of the Volvo’s airbags be deployed, the hazard lights will now automatically be activated – a feature that helps attract the attention of other motorists in the event of a single-vehicle accident in the dark.
During emergency braking or when the anti-lock function is activated, the EBL Emergency Brake Lights function flashes all three brake lights five times a second to warn following drivers of the emergency braking manoeuvre.
ISOFIX points in the rear seats are now standard, as is water repellent glass2 on the front side windows for enhanced visibility in poor weather.
Dynamics
The new Volvo S40 and V50 also benefit from an enhanced powertrain offer. The D5 diesel engine will be available with a slick six-speed manual transmission. Because of its more robust nature, the transmission can handle the engine’s full 400 Nm of torque, compared to the 350 Nm of the automatic gearbox.
The transmission, which arrives later this year, will make the turbodiesel D5 not only the fastest diesel-powered Volvo to date but also one of the cleanest – the advanced powerplant will be fully compliant with anticipated stringent Euro V emission regulations.
Finally, the turbo-charged T5 model enjoys a 10 hp increase, taking total output to a full 230 bhp.
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