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Thursday, September 2, 2010

Skyline R35 New Facelift



Nissan’s GT-R is set for the most comprehensive update yet! To go with the freshly updated look revealed in these leaked pictures, Nissan’s halo-car will get a few engineering tweaks as well as welcoming a luxurious new Spec-M model to the range.

Visually, the GT-R gets new daytime running lights and a restyled front bumper, while at the back there’s a new diffuser. The tweaks are functional too, the new shape improves the GT-R’s aerodynamics, with the drag coefficient dropping from 0.272 to 0.268. The updated diffuser has improved downforce by 10%.

The black and blue paint finishes shown in the picture are all-new for the updated car and will be named Aurora Flare Blue Pearl and Nebula Opal Black.

The driving experience will be improved too. A new set of forged aluminium wheels are 12kg lighter than the existing units, helping to improve everything from acceleration to handling.

Spec-M variants offer buyers new levels of customisation and there’s a £4,000 optional pearlescent white finish unique to the luxurious supercar. Among the changes will be softer springs, more comfortable leather seats and a wide selection of interior colours and materials.

All new models will see power and torque from the twin-turbcoharged 3.8-litre V6 increased and efficiency improved by around 3%.

The lighter and more powerful performance focused Spec-V will also inherit the latest updates. Below that, base models will now be labelled Pure Edition.

Source:Autoexpress

Recalls From Ferrari



After completing its investigations into the fires which affected a number of 458 Italias, Ferrari has issued a voluntary safety recall to get modifications carried out to all 458s which have been built so far.

The campaign covers all cars built so far, up until the end of July. As the factory was shut in August, so no cars were made in that month, this will affect 1,248 cars.

Dealers are calling or emailing clients so the modification can be made to the wheelarch and heatshield assembly. Letters are also being sent.

Adhesive used in the wheelarch assembly has been found to be liable to melt at high temperatures, deforming the wheelarch which can then fall against the exhaust. If the car is being driven hard in places with a high ambient temperature, there is also a risk that the adhesive can catch fire.

The recall will see the adhesive used in the assembly replaced by mechanical fasteners.

Owners of the five cars which hit the headlines because of fire damage will be given a brand new replacement 458 free of charge, as long as the fire was caused by the adhesive issue.


Source:Autoexpress

Monday, June 28, 2010

New Launch From Lotus


Lotus has released full information and photos of its latest sports car, the Evora. Previously known only by its "Eagle” code name, the car was revealed at the British auto show.

The Evora will be positioned above the Elise and Exige S models and, like the not-for-the-U.S. Europa, aims to provide increased day-to-day usability, which means it should be no harder to get in and out of than a Corvette, with a low, flat door sill. Think Porsche Cayman as opposed to all-out track toy: the Evora will carry more creature comforts and be larger (although that’s a relative term) than the Elise and Exige in an attempt to help attract new customers to the Lotus brand.

The basic structure is similar to every other modern Lotus: mid-engine, lightweight—the Evora prototype weighs 2976 pounds—and smaller than most everything else on the road. Like the Europa, the Evora has a sloped rear window and a fixed roof, although a convertible will arrive at a later date, and Lotus hints at further variants.

The Evora will be offered either as a true two-seater or with a 2+2 seating arrangement, but Lotus warns the rear seats are only suitable for children, and we suspect only those with very short legs.

Power will come from a Toyota 3.5-liter V-6 with variable valve timing, tuned to produce 276 horsepower and 252 lb-ft of torque, and Lotus says the car clears the 0-to-60-mph sprint in less than five seconds and tops out around 160 mph.

The Evora employs typical Lotus aerodynamic tricks to keep the car planted at high speeds, including a rear diffuser and spoiler. Lotus engineers claim the Evora is quicker around the famed Nürburgring circuit than the Elise. It is not designed to offer a go-kart-like ride, but rather to appeal to a wider demographic. That said, the Evora rides on Bilstein shocks and Eibach springs, so performance should still be superb.

Inside there are way more toys than in the Exige and Elise: air conditioning, leather seating, a tire-pressure monitoring system, a backup camera, cool blue LED lighting, and a remote garage-door opener.

There’s also a slick Alpine audio and navigation system with satellite radio, iPod, and Bluetooth connectivity, and a clever audio equalizer. We recently installed a similar system in our long-term Subaru WRX STI, and it sounds great.

As a further concession to practicality, the Evora even has a rear-mounted trunk that’s supposed to fit a set of golf clubs. Because it’s mounted behind the engine, the trunk is cooled to stop engine heat from melting cargo—but we wouldn’t go so far as to put ice cream back there. Lotus rounds out the features list with anti-lock brakes and traction and stability control.

Lotus says it will be another six months before the Evora is available for test drives. The Evora will go on sale in spring 2009, starting in Europe, with only 2000 to be built per year unless demand warrants adding a second shift at the Hethel, England, plant. We’re waiting to hear back from Lotus on how many are headed to the U.S. We expect them later in 2009 as 2010 models.

The car is the first of three new models Lotus promises as part of a five-model business plan to grow the niche brand. It is the first all-new addition to the lineup since 1995.

Source:carandtrader

Friday, April 30, 2010

Kia SUV 2010


Longer and lower, the new Kia Sorento brings sleek styling and a futuristic touch to the world of the urban CUV. With its longer front overhang, wedge profile, crisply defined greenhouse and accentuated wheelarch volumes, Kia's new CUV looks thoroughly modern and sporty.

The 4.7-metre long new Kia Sorento moves vehicle design in this segment up to a new level of sophistication.

As part of Kia's drive to expand market coverage with its latest CUV, the new Kia Sorento will be manufactured with a total of four engines - with different engines being available in various regions around the world in order to best suit local requirements and with CO2 emissions from just 173 g/km.

The original Kia Sorento was a 'landmark' vehicle which took the Korean brand into a whole new section of the automotive market all around the world. Introduced in 2002, it marked a huge step for Kia, challenging many established 4x4 and SUV brands and starting the process of changing public perception of Kia as a 'maker of small cars.'

Now, under the direction of Kia's Chief Design Officer (CDO), Peter Schreyer, the Kia design team aimed to deliver futuristic styling with a bold sense of power and dynamism, to once again differentiate Kia's larger CUV (Crossover Utility Vehicle) from potential rivals by incorporating Kia's new design DNA.

"The dynamic design of new Kia Sorento adopts simple, linear lines to create a powerful, yet polished appearance. Sporty and striking, the new Kia Sorento represents a new breed of vehicle," commented Peter Schreyer, CDO of Kia Motors Corporation.

Bold frontal styling incorporates Kia's new 'signature grille' that blends seamlessly into the new Kia Sorento's four-light, black bezel wrap-around headlamps. The profile's rising upper belt-line and the dynamic bevel treatment beneath the greenhouse plus the unique trapezoid C-Pillar adds tension and endows new Sorento with a unique appearance. Extending the rear window to the outer edges of the simply styled tailgate hints at the spacious cabin and the large tail lamps enhance the sporty appearance.

During the development of the new Sorento, Kia engineers ditched the body-on-frame structure and designed an all-new unitary (monocoque) bodyshell with room for up to seven occupants. Building on those new foundations, they concentrated on eight key areas - class-leading performance, increased fuel economy, reduced emissions, improved on-road handling, more fun-to-drive responsiveness, greater cabin space and comfort, enhanced overall safety and the introduction of new technologies.

The original Kia Sorento earned widespread media and public acclaim for its innovative styling, durability, off-road abilities and value-for-money. Since 2002 it has attracted thousands of customers who had not previously considered buying a Kia and achieved global sales of almost 900,000 units.

"With the new Sorento, we have created an all-new, seven-seater CUV that will soon be recognized as an 'exciting all-rounder' with a much broader customer appeal," commented Hyoung-Keun Lee, Senior Executive Vice President & COO of the International Business Division. "Despite the current economic uncertainties, we are confident that the new Kia Sorento will significantly increase Kia's share of the CUV market, achieving annual global sales of 140,000 units from 2010."

The new, longer bodyshell created for the new Kia Sorento, with its repositioned A-pillars and dashboard (moved forwards) and extended tailgate (moved rearwards), ensures that the cabin is much more spacious than the current model. The real and perceived quality of the cabin is greatly enhanced and available high-tech features will include: keyless entry, engine start button, reversing safety camera, built-in sat-nav and panoramic glass sunroof.

The new Kia Sorento's interior styling echoes the sense of power and dynamism created by the exterior appearance. Kia is confident that existing Sorento owners and new customers will be equally impressed by the cabin's generous proportions, sweeping dashboard design, high-quality fit, discreet trim accents and the availability of numerous high-tech features.

The thick-rimmed three-spoke steering wheel is becoming a Kia trademark feature and through it the driver can view another element of Kia's developing design DNA - the 'three-cylinder' instrument cluster. Similar to the cluster fitted to the latest version of Magentis and the recently-launched Kia Soul, the new Kia Sorento's cluster has clear and precise graphics.

Depending on the model, new Kia Sorento will be equipped with a six, eight or 10-speaker audio system, with MP3 and iPod connectivity, plus built-in or external amplifier and a new sat-nav system with a 6.5-inch screen. Remote controls for the audio system are mounted on the steering wheel.

The longer bodyshell created for new Kia Sorento ensures that the stretched cabin is much more spacious than the current model, with seating for up to seven people. Interior headroom is increased by 64 mm (to 906 mm) and legroom by 102 mm (to 795 mm). Luggage space in the new Sorento is amongst the best-in-class as cargo capacity is increased by 15per cent, thanks to moving the tailgate back by almost 70 mm.

During the design and engineering process to create the new Sorento, Kia's research and development team prioritized achieving a major improvement in the vehicle's refinement and minimizing its noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). An excellent foundation for creating a vehicle with good NVH qualities is a stiff bodyshell structure and the new Kia Sorento features a much higher percentage (70.4per cent) of high-tensile strength steel compared to the previous model (40.0per cent).

Kia's all-new Sorento will be manufactured with up to four different engines to meet the needs of motorists in every region of the globe.

For the Korean market, Kia is offering the new Kia Sorento with three engines, including a version of its 2.7-litre V6 engine running on low-cost LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) called the 'Mu LPI'. This unit delivers 165 ps and 244 Nm - the reduced outputs are a consequence of using LPG which contains 25% less 'stored energy'. New Kia Sorento will also be available in the Korean market with the four-cylinder 2.4-litre Theta II petrol engine that delivers 175 ps and 225 Nm, as well as the new four-cylinder R2.2 diesel engine.

The all-new 'R' family of turbo-diesel engines proves that Kia's engineering capabilities are indeed world-class. The 2.2-litre engine comfortably out-performs most four-cylinder and many V6 units from rival brands, while complying with Euro 5 emissions standards thanks to their third-generation common-rail fuel system. The R2.2 generates a maximum of 197 ps and 435 Nm.

New Kia Sorento buyers will be offered a wide choice of transmissions and drivetrains - depending on model. Five-speed and six-speed manual and automatic transmissions will be offered. Both six-speed transmissions are new or upgraded.

Kia's all-new six-speed automatic transmission is a regular 'torque converter' automatic, but it incorporates a unique 'flat' torque converter, which allows the unit to be 54 mm shorter, has 62 fewer parts (than a five-speed unit), weighs 12 kgs less and boosts fuel economy by up to 12per cent over a traditional automatic transmission.

New Kia Sorento buyers can select from two advanced drivetrains to 'best-match' the on-road and off-road abilities of their new Kia vehicle to their lifestyle. The 2WD drivetrain offers lower weight and enhanced fuel economy, while the 4WD drivetrain will be ideal for buyers who regularly face difficult driving conditions, tow trailers (weighing up to 2,500 kilos, depending on model) or go off-road.

Traction is also boosted by the available HAC (Hill-start Assist Control) which prevents the vehicle slipping backwards, and DBC (Down-hill Brake Control) that limits vehicle speed to just 5 mph on steep declines.

For the new Kia Sorento, the suspension engineers' brief was to shift the handling bias a little to improve the on-road driving experience, in terms of ride quality and steering 'feel' - whilst retaining the vast majority of the previous model's off-road abilities. The suspension has been lowered by 10 mm and thanks to the new unitary (monocoque) bodyshell construction the centre of gravity has been lowered by 54 mm.

The MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension is 'carried over' from the previous model, but with significant improvements. The steering is now more direct, requiring fewer turns of the wheel lock-to-lock.

For maximum stopping power, all new Kia Sorento models are equipped with an all-disc braking system. Either as standard or an option, ABS anti-lock and EBD brake force distribution systems are available.

New Kia Sorento presents buyers with a range of state-of-the-art safety systems and equipment as standard or as options - depending on market. Active safety technologies that buyers can specify include ESC, HAC, DBC, TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) and RPAS (Rear Parking Assist System), plus several systems to boost braking performance during extreme conditions.

Reversing is made even safer by a new Kia Reversing Safety Camera mounted on the tailgate. This camera is fitted with a 130 degree wide-angle lens and transmits images to a 3.5-inch LCD display panel set within the cabin's rear view mirror whenever reverse gear is selected.

New Kia Sorento's robust all-new bodyshell structure delivers increased impact resistance. Using a much higher percentage (70.4per cent) of high-tensile strength steel the new vehicle achieves excellent rigidity and strength. Particular attention was paid to the B-pillar areas, with a roll-over hoop incorporated into the B-pillars and much stronger (60 kg grade) steel is used in the side sills.

The new Kia Sorento bodyshell is designed to achieve the top-score 5-Star rating in Europe's EuroNCAP and the USA's current official NHTSA crash tests, plus a 'Good' rating (again the top-score) in IIHS tests for both frontal and side impacts.

Source:Netcarshow

Monday, April 26, 2010

New Subaru Outback 2010

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Aprilia New Reveal




It really doesn't trouble the RSV4R, though. The little Aprilia carves into the first left-hander, then flicks right as I wind back the throttle and send the bike accelerating off the second apex with a deep V4 growl. The bike is so stable and sharp that it feels like it could steer itself, and that's despite the fact that this is the cheaper, less extravagantly-fettered version of Aprilia's new superbike.

But it's no surprise that the R-model is this good, considering how much it has in common with the exotic RSV4 Factory with which Aprilia's V4 adventure began less than a year ago. The vital stuff is retained, notably the gorgeous bodywork and the 999cc, 16-valve V4 motor. The only engine-related differences are aluminium cases (instead of magnesium) and the lack of variable-length intake tracts that help prolong the Factory's peak power.

This bike also has conventional plastic bodywork instead of carbon-fiber and the frame isn't adjustable at the steering head, engine mounts and swingarm pivot. Instead of Öhlins components the R uses a Showa fork and Sachs shock, and the wheels are cast rather than forged. In total the R is 11 pounds heavier, at a claimed 407 lbs. dry.

This Portuguese launch wasn't actually the R-model's debut. The event was originally scheduled for Mugello, Italy, six weeks earlier, but was cancelled halfway through the first day after five bikes blew up due to a batch of faulty connecting rods. Aprilia was severely embarrassed, but thankfully the problem happened after six months of trouble-free production that had proved the V4's basic reliability.


Estoril was booked for the relaunch, and the Lisbon area's fickle weather just about obliged. The RSV4R felt wonderfully light and responsive as I headed out onto the track for the first session. Its steering precision and neutral feel made it wonderfully confidence-inspiring through the decreasing-radius first bend, and I was thankful for the steering damper every time the bike wheelied as I swung left and accelerated down the following hill. Much work went into fine-tuning the notably compact and well-balanced chassis, and it's quite evident when riding it. The 1000 handles like a trimmed-down 600, a benefit of careful chassis design which includes extending the fuel tank under the seat for improved weight distribution.

Perhaps the R's stationary intake trumpets meant I was shifting earlier, but if the R-bike was any slower than its Factory sibling, the difference was unnoticeable. It still charged toward its 14,000-rpm limit with haste, and repeatedly put 165 mph on the digital dash. And there's certainly no difference in braking abilities, since the R retains the Factory's Brembo Monobloc calipers and 320mm rotors.

Suspension action was sublime, too, even if the R's fork and shock aren't as refined as the Factory's. Spring rates are unchanged and both ends are fully adjustable, although the range is slightly narrower. Even when the track dried after lunch, the Aprilia handled superbly on showroom settings, and better still after I'd firmed it up with a little extra damping front and rear.

It's certainly an addictively fast and sweet-handling machine, with the same sleek looks, compact size, pure speed and razor-sharp handling that have made the Factory so popular with everyone who has ridden it. My only quibble is that Aprilia hasn't followed Ducati and BMW's lead in offering traction control, which would have been reassuring on the damp surface. But this is the base model, after all.

Aprilia's publicity materials claim the R's personality is significantly different, but I disagree. It handles so well and is so blisteringly fast that the performance on road or racetrack would be almost identical for all but the very fastest riders. The Factory's upgraded components are nice, but with a price $5000 less, I'd pick the base model every time.

Inevitably the R's aggressive character and compact size mean it won't be the most practical or versatile sportbike, any more than the Factory is. Some people have suggested that Aprilia should have attempted to broaden its appeal by softening its power delivery or attempting to make it a bit more comfortable. Thank goodness they resisted any temptation to do that. The Factory is a stunning race-replica that fully justifies its high price; and the RSV4R is a majestic mass-produced superbike that provides similar style, performance and thrills for a lot less money. You really can't go wrong with that.

source:motorcyclistonline

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Malaysia New In Market-Freed

Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd is set to introduce a new addition to an already impressive local vehicle line-up. Set to make an appearance early in the second quarter of the year, the Honda Freed – a premium compact multipurpose vehicle, – will, according to Honda Malaysia, make it’s debut into an unrivalled market segment, initiated by Honda Malaysia to fulfill the market’s demand for more refined and urban compact MPVs.

The Freed will be imported from Indonesia and Honda highlights that the Freed will be made distinguishable from other local MPV’s by its unparalleled features that include an automatic sliding door and a flat-floor walk-through cabin among others.

“Since its official launch in Japan in 2008, the Freed has been well received in the Asia region including Indonesia and Thailand. It later garnered great anticipation in Malaysia in 2009. Therefore, we are excited to inform all that Honda Malaysia will be bringing in the Freed onto Malaysian shores in the second quarter of this year,” said Mr. Toru Takahashi, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Honda Malaysia.

The Freed was designed to meet both the functional and aesthetic requirements of a modern urban MPV. Categorised as a premium selection vehicle, the Freed is targeted at young urban families. It has been well received among families in Japan, hitting the No.1 spot in minivan sales after just six months of introduction into the Japanese market. After hitting 130,000 units sold in Japan (as of December 09), the Freed was awarded Japan Car of the Year 2008/2009 in the Best Value segment.

The Freed has also been well received in Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore, and arrives on Malaysian shores in early Q2, seeking to add greater value to the market with its unparalleled specifications.

Source:Zerotohundred


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