Latest News     Jan 12, 2007 Mitsubishi Prototype X Mitsubishi first showed the future Lancer Evolution X in the form of concept car in Tokyo motor show 2005. It was called Concept X then. Now Concept X has evolved into Prototype X. According to Mitsubishi officials, the prototype is almost the same as the production Evo X which will make world debut this fall at Tokyo motor show. Only a few details, such as the mirrors and wheels, will be changed. From the pictures, we can see the new Evo is a much better looking car than the last generation. The old Evo always gave us an impression of a cheap small car massively modified to deliver super performance. In contrast, the Evo X finally gets a graceful look to match its performance. It looks larger (it is), more expensive and more stylish. In short, it evolves closer to the territory of BMW M3. Mitsubishi has yet to reveal exact figures about its size. However, if the figures of Concept X apply, it would be 40mm longer, 60mm wider and 20mm taller than the last generation Evo IX. Wheelbase has been stretched by 25mm to 2650mm. In fact, apart from a shorter length, Evo X is larger than the last generation Galant VR4 is all dimensions. No wonder it gives us a more upmarket impression. The angry large grille is clearly inspired by Audi's "single frame grille", while the taillights and big rear spoiler are probably copied from Alfa Romeo 156. However, we are delighted to see the nose look slimmer than most other modern designs regulated by pedestrian safety laws. There are still a lot of aggressive yet functional details to distinguish the Evo from low performance cars. On the bonnet, you can see a pair of ventilation openings for extracting hot air from the big radiator. There is also a NACA duct directing air to the intercooler. At the back, the Evo gets twin-exhaust pipes for the first time. Besides which are diffusers for generating downforce. The new cabin has an upmarket feel, a sharp contrast to the old car. Not only being more spacious, this place provides a stylish dashboard made of (visually) high-quality materials. The Recaro bucket seats look terrific, as is the steering wheel on which a traction switch is mounted – through this switch the driver can select Tarmac, Gravel and Snow mode for the 4-wheel-drive and electronic systems. Behind the steering wheel is a pair of paddle shifters made of magnesium. Unquestionably, it actuates the new 6-speed automated manual gearbox. A source said the gearbox is a double-clutch unit like Volkswagen group's DSG, but this rumor is unconfirmed. Another gearbox is expected to be a conventional 6-speed manual, but the press release from Mitsubishi USA said the manual gearbox is a 5-speeder. Does this mean the American version uses cheaper gearbox than the Japanese version? The heart of Evo X is the new generation 4B11 2.0-liter DOHC 16V Turbo engine. Compare with the long-serving iron-block 4G63 unit, the aluminum-block 4B11 reduces 20 valuable kilograms from the front axle thus should benefit balance and handling. Although it is derived from the "World Engine" family shared with Chrysler and Hyundai, the strength of the block and cooling jackets have been upgraded significantly to take on more power – including the evolutions and tune-up versions expected to come in the future. Apart from lightweight, the new engine differs from 4G63 mainly in the valvtrain. Now MIVEC variable valve timing control is finally adopted. It can vary the phase angle of both camshafts continuously. Nevertheless, this MIVEC is actually the same mechanism as Chrysler and Hyundai's engines, thus it does not incorporate the variable lift function like traditional MIVEC systems. Anyway, the addition of variable valve timing and the use of higher turbo boost ensure the engine to produce more power than before. No figures have been released by Mitsubishi, but we expect around 320 horsepower and 325 lbft of torque. The chassis is of course based on the new generation Lancer sedan, which is 50 percent stiffer than the last generation. Despite of the use of aluminum bonnet, fenders and roof, the stronger and larger chassis is estimated to add 100 kilograms or so to the kerb weight. That means any big improvement to acceleration will be unrealistic. Instead, we can expect the new car will corner faster than Evo IX because of the better balance, wider tracks, stiffer structure and the improved S-AWC (Super All-Wheel Control system). The latter combines the existing ACD (active center differential) and AYC (active yaw control at the rear axle) with the new ASC (active skid control), thus is the most sophisticated 4WD system in the world. Undoubtedly, the new Lancer Evolution X is much more interesting than the last few evolutions, at least since Evo VII of 2001 which brought us ACD and AYC. Its 4B11 engine is even the first all-new engine for the Evo since the first generation. We expect a lot from this car. Can't wait for the first road test report.        Jan 12, 2007 BMW 5-Series facelift BMW 5-Series has just received a facelift. Apart from the minor tweaks at the nose and bumper, plus equipment upgrade (e.g. Night Vision, head-up display, more initiative i-Drive), the biggest changes must be the engine range. Here's the summary of all engines available: Petrol: 550i: same as before, 4.8-liter V8, Valvetronic, Bi-Vanos, 367hp, 361lbft 540i: same as before, 4.0-liter V8, Valvetronic, B-Vanos, 306hp, 287lbft 530i: magnesium engine now adds piezo direct injection and ditches Valvetronic. 3.0-liter L6, Bi-Vanos, 272hp, 236lbft. (Old engine: 258hp, 221lbft) 525i: same as 530i engine. Actually 3.0-liter but detuned to 218hp and 199 lbft. (Note: 325i employs 2.5-liter engine with 218hp and 184lbft. It's a bit confusing) 523i: actually 2.5-liter L6. Also with piezo direct injection. 190hp, 173lbft Diesel: 535d: variable twin-turbo 3.0-liter L6 diesel now produces 286hp / 427lbft (old engine: 272hp / 413lbft) 530d: single turbo 3.0-liter L6 diesel, 235hp / 369lbft. 525d: single turbo 3.0-liter L6 diesel, 197hp / 295lbft. 520d: 2.0-liter L4 turbo diesel, 163hp / 251 lbft.        Jan 12, 2007 Industry News Aston Martin sales rose, Jaguar fell According to Ford, Aston Martin sold a record 6,500 cars last year, compare with 4400 cars a year ago. In contrast, Jaguar fell from 90,000 units in 2005 to 75,000 units last year. The sales results reflect in the value of both company. Analysts estimated Aston worth US$1 billion, while Jaguar will be difficult to find buyer. No wonder Ford only plans to sell Aston. Nissan 350Z gets 306hp Following Skyline / Infiniti G35, 350Z is also getting the new generation VQ35HR engine. It produces the same 306 horsepower and 268 lbft of torque in SAE rating like G35. That's more than today's 300hp / 260lbft. In Japan, the quoted output is 313ps and 264lbft according to JIS standard. Max rev is 7500 rpm. Pontiac G6 GXP GM will introduce the 3.6 DOHC VVT V6 engine to Pontiac G6 GXP. Like the one in Saturn Aura and new Chevrolet Malibu, it is rated at 252hp and 251lbft. Transmission is the new 6-speed automatic. The GXP will be the performance G6. It is equipped with 18-inch wheels and sport-tuned suspensions.        Jan 9, 2007 North America Car & Truck of the Year Dear General, Congratulation to your great triumph in the North American Car and Truck of the Year Awards just announced in Detroit auto show ! Your new car, Saturn Aura, has won the car title, beating the hot contenders Toyota Camry and Honda Fit. That must be a big surprise to many observers, but probably the best news to car enthusiasts. This is because no matter how impeccably built or refined it is, Toyota Camry is still one of the most boring cars to drive in its class. On the other hand, Honda Fit might be very functional and spacious for its size, but voting a 5-year-old car as NACOTY could be the next biggest joke to attacking Iraq in search for mass destruction weapons. Luckily, the 49 North American journalists have made the right decision. They voted a car with a positive attitude to handling and driving pleasure. Good taste for its styling too. Yes, it won't be America's best seller like Camry, but it is definitely the better one to car enthusiasts. This year your pickup truck, Chevrolet Silverado, also took the Truck of the Year title from Mazda CX-7 and Ford Edge. The double win came as life-saver to your sliding sales. The jurors are very kind to you indeed. Yours, AutoZine        Jan 9, 2007 Detroit trend: Electric cars return in new form The biggest news in Detroit auto show is perhaps the return of electric cars. Remember GM produced EV1 in 1996 ? it was a big failure because the technology was far from matured. The EV1 used lead-acid batteries weighing half a ton (ie. 500kg), seriously hampered space and weight efficiency of the car. Besides, it took 8 hours to recharge yet return a mileage of only 60-90 miles. When the battery is depleted, you need to tow the car home. In this year's Detroit show, both GM and Ford show new electric cars, Chevrolet Volt and Ford Airstream. They avoid limited mileage problem by installing a generator on board. When the battery is going to dry, the generator recharge the battery. So what's the difference from hybrids like Toyota Prius? The answer is: the generator is not necessarily a gasoline engine capable of pulling the car. It could be an alternative fuel power unit like hydrogen fuel cells (in the case of Ford Airstream), or internal combustion engine burning Ethanol or Biodiesel (in the case of Chevrolet Volt). They are not "Hybrid", because the fuel cells or the engine runs constantly to charge up the battery. No matter the car is accelerating or cruising or stopping before the traffic light, the fuel cells or engine run constantly to charge up the battery. In this way, they don't need to be very powerful. In the case of Chevrolet Volt, the generator is only a 1.0-liter three-cylinder turbo engine. This motor is not powerful enough to pull the car, but because it work all the time, it is enough to charge up the battery to provide a range of 640 miles. Chevrolet Volt GM is putting bet on this technology in the attempt to overtake Toyota in the green battle. Although the Volt looks 100 percent a concept car, it is built on the next generation Delta platform (Chevrolet Cobalt / Saturn Ion) thus is highly feasible. The only question is whether its suppliers can develop a large capacity Li-ion battery with good reliability, low cost and compact package – GM forecasted such batteries could be ready for production in 2010-2012. GM calls the propulsion system of Volt as "E-flex" system because of its high flexibility. The show car is powered by a 1.0-liter 3-cylinder turbocharged engine burning E-85 Ethanol (85% Ethanol and 15% gasoline), but the system can be switched to any type of powerplants because there is no mechanical linkage between the generator and the drivetrain. For example, for European market may use a bio-diesel engine, for Brazilian market may use a pure Ethanol engine, or even hydrogen fuel-cells if market demand. This mean GM can develop cars for different markets based on a common platform at little extra cost. All these powerplants charge up the battery under the floorpan which provides electricity to the 160hp / 236 lbft electric motor mounted up front. The car can therefore accelerate from 0-60mph in 8.5 seconds and top 120 mph, very much like regular cars. The battery alone has a mileage of 40 miles. That means most American can drive to workplace and back home without needing to turn on the engine. The battery can be recharged in 6.5 hours from household socket. If the battery is going to dry up, the engine run constantly to charge up the battery. This extend the range to up to 640 miles, double on today's cars. How can it be so frugal ? because the engine is small, because the engine spins constantly at favourable rev to optimize fuel efficiency, because regenerative braking is available from the motor. Ford Airstream Ford's Airstream looks less likely for production because of its space-vehicle look (it is said to be inspired by the classic movie "2001: A Space Odyssey"). However, its "Plug-in" hybrid fuel cell powertrain could be feasible in a few year's time. Like Chevrolet Volt, the Airstream is powered by electric motors, supplied by Li-ion which can be charged up by hydrogen fuel cell. The fuel cell is supplied by Ballard (the leader in fuel cell technology). It works constantly all the time to charge up the battery, so its power / size / weight / cost can be reduced compare with conventional fuel cell prototypes which use fuel cells as direct pulling force. When powered by purely battery, the Airstream has a mileage of 25 miles, pretty good for an electric MPV. Taking the fuel cell into account and the mileage can be extended to 305 miles. Again, before production is feasible, it must overcome a few hurdles: the fuel cell and battery must be cost effective, durable and practical for operating environment.          Jan 9, 2007 Cadillac CTS renewed 7 years since its birth, Cadillac CTS has entered the second generation. Although the outgoing CTS surprised us by outstanding handling (thanks to the RWD platform and good suspensions), it left a lot to be desired in build quality and refinement. In particular, the interior felt too cheap to compete with the likes of Audi A4 and BMW 3-series. In the remake, Cadillac lifted its quality standard. This can be visible from the completely redesigned interior – now it is handsomely shaped, tightly assembled and made with high-quality materials, although the design is more Japanese than European. Externally, you can see the assembly gaps are narrow, paint finish seems perfect, while the restyle on the "Art and Science" exterior design becomes smoother and has better attention to details. It looks prettier than the old car as well as the larger STS. To deliver a perception of high quality, Bob Lutz asked his engineers to install triple door seals to insulate wind and road noise more effectively while producing the "thunk" of European cars. Ventilated and heated seats are another luxury equipment. The seatbacks are made thinner in order to free up a couple more inches of rear legroom. Dimension-wise, the new CTS changes little from the old one. It retains the already long 2880mm wheelbase. Overall length is 4766mm (down from 4830mm), overall width is 1841mm (up from 1795mm) and overall height is 1472mm (up from 1440mm). The tracks are widened by 50mm, should benefit handling. Suspensions continues to be double-wishbone up front but the wishbones and knuckles are converted to lightweight aluminum. Besides, a tower brace has been added to strengthen the top of the suspension towers. Rear suspensions are still multi-link setup, mounted on subframe. There is still no electronic damping, magnetic ride control, air suspensions or the like. Sports suspensions ride on stiffer springs and dampers and 235/50VR18 Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires. The standard tire is 235/55HR17. In the engine compartment, biggest news is a new, direct-injected version of the 3.6-liter DOHC VVT V6, which is estimated to kick out 300 horsepower and 270 lbft of torque (figures unconfirmed as it is to be certified by SAE). It allows the Cadillac to compete on equal ground with Infiniti's and Lexus' 3.5-liter V6. The next engine is the current, port-injected version 3.6 unit with 258 hp and 252 lbft. Both engines mate with GM's new 6-speed automatic transmission or the previous Aisin 6-speed manual gearbox. The latter receives a shifter with shorter throw. The drive is transmitted to the road via the rear wheels or an optional AWD system coming from SRX. No word has been said about the high-performance CTS-V, as it is still 2 years away. Expect it will use a version of Corvette Z06's V8 with around 500 horsepower. For European market, the CTS is offered with a 2.8-liter version of the V6 pumping out 210 hp and 194 lbft. Considering the upgrade of build quality and ingredients, Cadillac can no longer sell the CTS against the smaller BMW 3-series. In fact, the division is going to reposition its whole lineup to align with the market. That means the CTS will compete in the segment of BMW 5-series. This makes more sense because no matter size-wise or engine-wise it is similar to the 5-series. Strangely, currently the larger STS also targets the same segment. It will need to move higher in the next generation. Jan 9, 2007 Lexus IS-F By introducing IS-F, Lexus is entering the territory of BMW M3. The IS-F is powered by the 5.0-liter V8 of LS600h, albeit without the electric motor. It is expected to feature dual-mode fuel injection (i.e. direct injection and port injection), full variable valve timing and a 2-stage variable intake system. It produces a full 400 horsepower, enough to compete with the forthcoming M3 (its high-revving 4.0-liter V8 is expected to kick out 410hp) and Audi RS4 (420hp from 4.2-liter V8). 0-60 mph will be done in less than 4.9 seconds, claims Toyota. That is still slower than either rivals, however. In fact, the Lexus is not going to compete directly with the German cars for raw driving fun or performance, but it will bias towards ease of driving. This philosophy is similar to AMG. The large capacity V8 produces 350 lbft of torque to compensate its expected higher kerb weight while providing superior flexibility without resorting to high rev. This is the old fashion way to obtain higher performance. And hopefully a way its American customers prefer. Also for the reason of ease of driving, there won't be any manual gearbox on offer – the only Lexus equipped with manual gearbox is the Europe-only IS250d diesel. Instead, Lexus developed the 8-speed automatic from LS460 for use in the IS-F. It has paddle-shift manual override. The torque converter can be locked up from 2nd to 8th. Toyota said in manual mode it takes only 0.1 seconds to change gears, unbelievable. The ride height of the suspensions have been lowered by 25mm, accompany with stiffer setup, 19-inch BBS wheels, 225/40ZR19 front and 255/35ZR19 rear rubbers, big Brembo brakes (360mm front with 6-pot calipers / 345mm rear with 2-pot calipers) and a reprogrammed VDIM stability control. The latter can now be switched off completely, or operate in Sport mode with less intervention. Externally, the IS-F can be distinguished by aggressive air dam and skirts. In addition, the bonnet is raised to house the big V8. It does look like an aftermarket conversion. There is still one year before the car go on sale. By then the new M3 and new generation C63 AMG should be already on the market.        Jan 9, 2007 Lexus LF-A concept again Two years ago Lexus showed its LF-A sports car in concept form. This year's LF-A is still a concept car, albeit closer to reality. From these photos we can see its proportion is designed to put the V10 engine in front-mid position. Although prototypes had been caught testing extensively last year, Toyota is still tight lip about the specification of the engine and the whole car, only saying it offers at least 500hp and could top 200mph. Sadly, the latest LF-A concept actually looks uglier than 2005's form. Its organic-shape side intakes (especially those on the rear shoulders) look odd, as are the two big black holes located just underneath the taillights. There is no correlation between the contradicting sharp edges and round surfaces. The design still has many elements infeasible for production, such as the lack of door mirrors, the edge-cutting air intakes and the triple exhaust pipes. However, the side intakes behind the cockpit are not styling gimmicks. Cool air is drawn from these intakes to the rear-mounted radiators and then leaves the car through the two big holes at the tail. Toyota claims mounting the radiators at the rear help improving weight distribution (by how many percent point? I doubt), ditto the rear-mounted transaxle gearbox. Anyway, LF-A will be the most serious sports car ever produced by Toyota. We are eagerly waiting for its arrival.        Jan 9, 2007 Honda ASC concept - the next NSX ? According to Autocar, Honda's Advanced Sports Car Concept (ASC) will definitely go production. But there are too many questions left to be answered. All Honda will tell us is that it is a front-mid-engined car with a V10 engine, delivers power through a rear-biased version of Legend's SH-AWD system to 19-inch front and 20-inch wheels. Braking is by ceramic discs with 8-pot calipers. The concept car measures 4610mm long, 1996 mm wide, 1222 mm tall and runs a very long, 2764 mm wheelbase. But how large and how powerful is the V10 engine? some reporters said "well over 500 horsepower", but that is just out of guesstimation. The ASC is the work of Honda's design studio in California, designed by American Patrick Lukasak and Bull Gex in less than a year from now. IMO, it is too early to say the car "will definitely go production". Remember, Honda showed a more stylish and more realistic "NSX successor", the HSC concept, in 2003 and hinted it would be produced, but finally the project was canceled. Comparatively, the design of ASC seems less practical for production than the HSC - see those non-existence rearward visibility, for example. In fact, the Detroit show car is not a running prototype but a styling prototype, even without an interior. The interior will be added later on and display in September's Tokyo motor show. Honda declined to confirm its production future. Do you like the styling of this car? can you accept the "new NSX" to be front-engined? can you imagine if it weigh 1650kg+ due to the adoption of 4WD and V10? if this so-called "new NSX" is going to get approval, the fans of NSX will be very disappointed. Above: HSC concept, the 2003 show car tipped to be NSX's successor, but didn't realize.               Jan 9, 2007 Honda Accord Coupe concept This is Honda's Accord Coupe concept. Although trying hard to look stylish, its high waistline look bulky. Honda said it reveals the next generation Accord coupe and sedan but no technical details are released. We only know it is powered by an i-VTEC V6 with cylinder cut-off technology to save fuel. Not very exciting to me.       Jan 9, 2007 American Ford Focus revamp This is the new American Ford Focus. No, it is actually half-new. As we reported long time ago, the second generation, European Ford Focus was regarded by American Ford as too costly to the North American market (which is flooded with cheap Korean cars), therefore it decided to stay with the Focus I platform and make continuous revisions. Although the exterior design of this car looks like all-new, a close inspection to its side profile will see a lot of the old Focus sedan in it. As we know, the most important hard points and wheelbase are unchanged. That said, this is not an ordinary facelift, but a major revamp. The body structure has been reinforced, including the roof, the floorpan and the cross-beam under instrument panel. Suspensions continues to be struts up front and multi-link at the rear – the fully independent rear suspensions are still an advantage to the car. New aluminum  brake calipers should save weight and improve ride a little. Surprisingly, despite of the strengthened chassis and better materials used, Ford claims the whole car weigh 27kg less than before. The engine range no longer includes the previous 2.3-liter 16V, leaving only the 136hp 2.0 Duratec DOHC 16V on offer. However, it has revised intake, cooling and exhaust to improve efficiency and response. Gearbox continues to be 5-speed manual or 4-speed auto, no news here. A lower final drive ratio reduce engine rev during cruising to improve refinement and fuel economy. Both the exterior and interior are completely revamped. While I am not pleased with the bold new exterior design, the interior is definitely an improvement from the outdated old design. It provides larger storage spaces and better integration of equipment. Apart from revamping the sedan, Ford also took this chance to add a 2-door Focus Coupe to the lineup. It replaces the previous 3-door hatch. Mechanical aspect is mostly identical to the sedan.        Jan 9, 2007 Ford 500 facelift Car makers normally don't facelift cars being just a little more than 2 years old, but Ford Five-Hundred is an exception, because it looked outdated from day 1. To negate its disappointing sales, the team of Peter Horbury restyled the nose with the new 3-bar corporate grille, new bumper and headlamps etc. They do improve the look a little, but certainly not enough to drive customers back to showrooms. In the mechanical side, the biggest change is the adoption of the new 3.5-liter DOHC 24V V6 (seen on Lincoln MKZ and Ford Edge crossover), rated at 260hp and 245lbft for this application. It should be a big improvement from the gutless 3.0 V6. Ditto the arrival of Ford-GM's 6-speed automatic transmission, which replaces the annoying CVT. The AWD system is also said to be another design, coming from Ford Edge instead of Volvo. The chassis receives some structural strengthening to improve crash protection. The engine now mounts on hydraulic engine mounts instead of the front subframe. This allows greater of freedom to tune the suspensions without considering the weight of the engine. The suspensions have revised tuning of springs and shock absorbers, plus increased suspension travel to improve ride quality. Overall, the facelifted Five Hundred should be faster and more refined than the last one, but there is little to wow about.        Jan 9, 2007 Chevy Camaro Convertible Last year in Detroit show we were impressed by the retro Chevrolet Camaro concept car. It was a hit immediately and therefore got GM's greenlight for production. This year GM is showing the convertible version, also destined for production. More spec. emerges for the Camaro: L / W / H / WB: 4730 / 2022 / 1344 / 2806 mm Engine: V-8 Gearbox: manual Suspension: four-wheel independent, MacPherson strut front, multilink rear, coil springs Brakes: 355mm disc all round, 4-pot calipers Tires: 275/30R21 front, 305/30R22 rear        Jan 9, 2007 C4 Picasso 5-seater If you like Citroen C4 Citroen MPV like me, then you will love its 5-seat version even more. Citroen has released information for the 5-seat C4 Picasso - now the 7-seater has been renamed to "Grand C4 Picasso" (like rival Renault Scenic and Grand Scenic). The 5-seater looks even more stylish than the 7-seater, thanks to the faster tailgate, glass-covered D-pillars and the characteristic steps over the front and rear side doors. Dimension-wise, the 5-seat Picasso shares the same wheelbase with the 7-seater, so only the 12cm shorter rear overhang and 2 cm lower roofline separate them. The loss of metal and the rearmost seats saves 40 kilograms. Though losing some rear overhang, the boot still measures a generous 500 liters. This can be expanded to 1734 liters once the rear seats are folded down. Mechanical-wise, the 5-seater is the unchanged from the 7-seater. In other words, it uses the same four-cylinder petrol and HDI diesel engines, 6-speed paddle-shift automatic gearbox and height-adjustable pneumatic rear suspensions.        Jan 9, 2007 Industry News 2006 USA sales 2006 has gone and we are receiving many sales results recently. Here is the USA cars and trucks sales (in unit) by car makers: # Manufacturer 2006 sales in units % change 1 GM 4,065,341 -8.7% 2 Ford (incl. PAG) 2,901,090 -8.0% 3 Toyota 2,542,525 +12.5% 4 DaimlerChrysler (Chrysler + Mercedes) 2,390,585 -5.5% 5 Honda 1,509,358 +3.2% 6 Nissan 1,019,249 -5.3% 7 Hyundai (incl. Kia) 749,822 +2.6% 8 Volkswagen (incl. Audi + Bentley) 329,112 +5.9% 9 BMW (incl. Mini + RR) 313,939 +2.1% 10 Mazda 268,786 +4.0% 11 Subaru 200,703 +2.4% 12 Mitsubishi 118,558 -4.4% 13 Suzuki 100,990 +23.0% 14 Porsche 34,227 +7.2% 15 Isuzu 8,614 -29.3% As seen Toyota is eating up the market share of American Big Three - excuse me, Chrysler now actually becomes the Big Fourth. For a large manufacturer, a rise of 12.5% in one year is simply astonishing. Nissan and Mitsubishi are also losing market share, implying customers are driving away from low quality cars. Isuzu is almost dead in the USA market. VW group sales 2006 2006 was a good year to Volkswagen group. Continuous success of Audi and Bentley divisions was finally matched with the revival Volkswagen division – sales of VW brand cars rose by 10.0% to a record 3.39 million units, while Audi sold a record 905,000 units (rose 9.2%), Skoda sold 550,000 units (up 11.7%), Seat sold 430,000 units (up 1.9%), Bentley sold 9,200 units (up 7.1%), Lamborghini sold a record 2,087 cars (up 30.4%) and Bugatti delivered 47 Veyron supercars. In total, the VW Group sold 5.73 million vehicles last year, up 9.3 percent from a year ago. Bentley sales record 2006 After the rapid growth in 2005, sales of Bentley is going to saturate because the product line has been completed. Some 9,200 cars was sold and 10,087 cars were produced in 2006. In the coming years, CEO Franz-Josef Paefgen expected annual sales will stay in the range between 9,000 and 10,000 units. He also said the product line will not expand below Continental GT / Flying Spur in order to protect the premium brand image. Production capacity at Crewe will be enough to handle the expected sales, thus Continental Flying Spur will no longer be assembled at Volkswagen's Dredsen plant (the home of Phaeton and A8). Renault sales fall in 2006 As expected, Renault experienced a slight sales drop during 2006. It sold 2,433,604 vehicles last year, 4.0 percent less than a year ago. Among these cars, Renault's own cars suffered the most (down 6%), while Dacia and Samsung rose by 19.6% and 2% respectively. Dacia sold 196,592 cars, thanks to the success of Logan. Renault's best seller is still Megane, with 681,444 units sold. Then came Clio (584,646 units). Kangoo is a distant third at 227,865 units. Mercedes sales 2006 Last year Mercedes group sold 1.26 million units worldwide, including 1.15 million units of Mercedes-Benz (up 6.5%), 112,100 units of Smart (down 22% due to the death of Forfour) and around 400 Maybachs. Daewoo beat Kia in 2006 Thanks to selling its cars as Chevrolet worldwide, GM Daewoo delivered 31.8% more cars during 2006 than a year ago. This amounted to 1.52 million cars, overtaking Kia (at 1.34 million cars) to be Korea's second largest car maker.