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| 28 Jan, 2011 |
| Volvo V60
Hybrid: 149 mpg ! |
 Volvo is going to sell its first hybrid car next year. V60 Plug-in Hybrid, as its name suggests, is a plug-in hybrid vehicle. It is based on the V60 D5, so it will be the second diesel-electric hybrid car on the market (after Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4). The propulsion system consists of the D5's 2.4-liter 5-cylinder turbo diesel engine, tuned to deliver 215hp (10hp up) and a 70hp electric motor located at the rear axle. A 12 kWh lithium battery positioned under the load bay supplies enough juice to offer an electric range of up to 50 km (31 miles). Overall, the Volvo promises fuel consumption of just 1.9 liter per 100 km, or an equivalent of 149 mpg ! This is quite incredible, considering the current Toyota Prius needs 3.9 liters of gasoline to run the same distance. Even the forthcoming Prius PHV plug-in hybrid can do no better than 2.6 liters per 100 km. The use of diesel engine may give the Volvo a little advantage, but still it takes some more advanced design to achieve its incredible figure. Like Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4, the V60 Plug-in Hybrid is a 4-wheel drive that has the engine driving the front wheels and the electric motor driving the rear wheels. There is no mechanical connection between the diesel powertrain and the electric drive unit. Therefore in EV mode it is actually rear-wheel drive. |
| 28 Jan, 2011 |
| Mercedes
C63 AMG update |
 Mercedes C-class got a mid-life facelift last month. Now its AMG version, C63, also received an update. Apart from the predictable cosmetic change surrounding the grille and headlamps, there are two major changes to its mechanical aspect: 1) The 7-speed automatic transmission has been replaced with the faster-responding 7-speed MCT gearbox, following the trend of most other AMG models. 2) An AMG Development package is offered as option. It includes forged pistons and con-rods and revised ECU to add another 30 horsepower to the 6.2-liter V8. Besides, speed limit is raised to 174 mph. Inside, the package sports red bucket seats and red door trim, plus many other bespoke decorations to justify for its premium price.  |
| 27 Jan, 2011 |
| LX1 will
go production |
 Now it seems that Volkswagen is serious to put the LX1 into production. Ferdinand Piech told reporters that it wants to sell the car in 2013. The Volkswagen chairman also revealed that its new resin transfer molding technology, same as the one demonstrated on Lamborghini Sesto Elemento a few months back, can significantly reduce the cost of carbon-fiber parts. On the LX1, its carbon-fiber monocoque chassis and bodywork costs only 5,000 euros, compare to 35,000 euros on the first generation 1-liter car that he drove to work his last day as CEO in 2002. This make possible for series production. As we have said, Dr. Piech is the key motivator of the 1-liter car project. Without his strong support Volkswagen would have been unlikely to fund such an expensive experiment. From commercial point of view, this project is unlikely to get return on investment in short to medium term. However, we all know money is not everything to Piech. He has great ambition on engineering achievements, such as Bugatti Veyron. Initially, the production of LX1 is likely to be a small run of 100 cars, so that they could be assembled by human hands without needing expensive mass production toolings. The road to mass production is still unclear. Volkswagen is lagging behind BMW in this respect. The latter will produce its carbon-fiber-intensive Megacity car starting from 2012. By the way, recently Mercedes has signed an agreement with Japanese company Toray to develop and produce cheap carbon-fiber for its mass production cars. It seems that the German are now leading the development of carbon-fiber cars. |
| 27 Jan, 2011 |
| Industrial
News |
| Nissan
Leaf wins European COTY, again ?! Well, well, I have just read from a few popular websites, including Autoblog and Worldcarfans, saying that "Nissan Leaf wins European Car of the Year award". Isn't it an old news ? it WAS announced back in November last year. It seems that some motoring journalists have just forgotten what they have reported before, or their practice is just to work as official speakers of car makers, i.e. publish whatever the car makers released without the slightest thought. In Chinese term, they are the throat-and-tongue of car makers. We can understand why Nissan released this material at this time. It's all marketing. However, journalists have the responsibility to filter rubbish and leaves only high-quality things to our readers. Remember, the quality of your reports show the quality of you. |
| 26 Jan, 2011 |
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| Pagani
Huayra unveiled ! |
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 This is Pagani Huayra, the successor to our beloved Zonda. We have high expectation on it, but first impression seems not very pleasing - no matter from its looks or 1350 kg dry weight, it seems to have put on a little too much fat than desired. Certainly not as handsome as Zonda.  The name Huayra, pronounced "wirer", is taken from the God of Wind in South American legends. (Zonda was also named after a strong wind in South America) The fact that it has added 140 kilograms over the last Zonda is mainly down to two reasons: first, it is homologated for sale in the USA for the first time; Second, it has changed to a twin-turbo V12 for higher potential of development. This necessitates more space for the cooling systems.  The new engine is still supplied by AMG. Codenamed M158, it is derived from the one powering SL65 AMG Black. Sharing the same 5980 cc displacement and the same block, but obviously the cylinder heads, intake, exhaust and turbochargers have been thoroughly changed. We don't know whether it retains the outdated SOHC 3 valves per cylinder design of the stock AMG unit. That doesn't matter, because with twin-turbo and more sophisticated tuning it guarantees at least 700 horsepower and 738 lbft of torque, easily eclipsing the Zonda. Releasing the supposedly exciting sound is a titanium exhaust system.  For transmission, Pagani selected a 7-speed sequential manual built by British racing gearbox expert Xtrac. Like Lamborghini (but unlike Ferrari and Porsche), Pagani prefers the weight advantage of single-clutch gearbox instead of the more advanced twin-clutch alternative, and it doesn't mind the drawback of violent gearshift. Unusually these days, the Xtrac gearbox is mounted transversely, so it does not protrude beyond the rear axle, contributing to a low polar moment of inertia. The Huayra's massive 2795 mm wheelbase - longest among supercars and exceeds that of Zonda by 65 mm - also helps.  Like the last Zonda Cinque and Zonda R, the chassis tub and bodywork of Huayra is made of super-light and strong carbon-titanium materials. Behind the survival cell is subframe made of chrome-moly steel which acts as mounting for the powertrain and rear suspensions. The double-wishbones at all corners are made of avional, an aluminum-based alloy that is lighter than aluminum by 30 percent. Dampers appear to be non-adaptive, but the front ride height is adjustable on road to increase downforce at speed or to avoid damages on rough surfaces.  The new car also sports active aerodynamic aids. They consist of a movable foil at each corner. Not only the level of downforce, but front to rear and side to side balance can be adjusted through these foils. Top speed of the car is claimed to be at least 230 mph, and it obviously leaves space for improvement in the future.   While the exterior design disappoints, the interior doesn't. It preserves the exclusive style and bespoke craftsmenship of the previous Zonda. The biggest change is the adoption of gullwing doors, which ease access across the wide door sills.  With the added weight, longer wheelbase and turbocharged engine, I suspect the Huayra will be a more "grown up" car than the Zonda. It may lose the raw excitement of the old car. I hope I am wrong. Mr. Pagani, now it's your time to prove it.
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| 26 Jan, 2011 |
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| Volkswagen
LX1 |
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Volkswagen has long been keen to develop a car that drinks 1 liter of fuel to go 100 km distance. After the original effort in 2002 and the L1 in 2009, now the experimental car has entered the third generation. Unlike the previous cars, the new car called LX1 has abandoned the inline 2-seat layout for a conventional, side-by-side seating arrangement. This inevitably increased its width (from 1.2m to nearly 1.7m) and frontal area, hence aerodynamic drag a lot. Although part of the gain is offset by a more slippery shape, total CdA (i.e. the product of drag coefficient and frontal area) is still significantly increased (see table below). Nevertheless, the change to conventional seating shows the company's determination to bring the concept closer to production reality.  At nearly 800kg, the new car is twice the weight of its predecessor. This is mainly due to its extra width, much improved finishing, equipment and safety. Also don't forget it necessitates two gullwing doors instead of the previous one. As before, the car is powered by a hybrid system consisting of a super-frugal 799 cc two-cylinder TDI turbo diesel engine and a small electric motor sandwiched between the engine and the 7-speed DSG gearbox. The powertrain is mounted at the tail and drive the rear wheels. Nevertheless, there are plenty of improvements. First of all, the engine gets more powerful, producing 48 hp instead of 39 hp. Same goes for the motor, whose output has been boosted from 14 hp to 27 hp. In addition to a larger Lithium battery, the LX1 has become a plug-in hybrid. It can travel for up to 35 km by means of electric power only. With both engine and motor working, the LX1 can top 100 mph and accelerate from 0-62 mph in 11.9 sec. The latter is significantly faster than the previous 14.3 sec. EU combined fuel consumption is also improved from 1.38 liter per 100 km to just 0.9 liter, brilliant !  Like the previous versions, the monocoque chassis and body panels of LX1 are constructed of lightweight carbon-fiber reinforced polymer, but now a new fabrication process (resin transfer molding) is used to cut production time and cost. Volkswagen said this make possible for the car to go limited production, although it did not promise so. The 1-liter car is the pet project of Ferdinand Piech. While it may not be cost effective for series production yet, it definitely edges closer. Perhaps the fourth generation will be that car.
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| 26 Jan, 2011 |
| Aston
Martin V8 Vantage S |
 Some of us think the current Aston V8 Vantage 4.7 lacks firepower to fight against Porsche 911 Turbo and GT3. While this situation is not going to be reversed anytime soon, the introduction of V8 Vantage S is still a good news to Mr. Bond. The S has its V8 engine retuned and incorporates new exhaust system. The result is 10 more horsepower and 14 pound-foot of torque, now making 430 hp and 361 lbft. Admittedly, it is still 10 horses short of Maserati's same-capacity V8, but the new Aston has been upgraded to a new 7-speed Sportshift II gearbox. It is built by Graziano and controlled by Marelli's electronics. Apart from the extra ratio - which allows a wider spread of ratio and a shorter final drive to improve acceleration - the Sportshift II has its gearshift time reduced by 20 percent in Sport mode, further improving acceleration. Besides, the Sport button will speed up throttle response and switch the new mufflers to "loud" mode, ensuring a thrilling experience.  Apart from powertrain, the S also gets retuned suspensions, larger front disc brakes with 6-piston calipers and wider rear wheels. Externally, it can be distinguished from lesser (or soon to be outgoing) model by a larger lower front intake, carbon-fiber lower front bumper and new design wheels. |
| 26 Jan, 2011 |
| Ferrari FF
- another picture |
 Ferrari has released one more picture of its new FF, and this is clearest indication of how the car will look in reality. I like its 458-style headlamps and flanks, while the shooting brake back is perfectly okay to me. What do you think ? |
| 24 Jan, 2011 |
| Industrial
News |
| Toyota
retained world no. 1 Toyota just edged out GM to retain its title as the world's largest car maker last year. Toyota and its subsidiaries Daihatsu and Hino sold 8.42 million cars and trucks, versus GM's 8.39 million units. Volkswagen came third again with 7.14 million units sold. |
| 21 Jan, 2011 |
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| Ferrari FF
- 4 seats and 4WD |
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 Ferrari FF could be the most mold-breaking Ferrari since... well, since we knew Ferrari. The moniker FF stands for Four seats and Four-wheel drive. It is the first ever Ferrari to adopt 4-wheel drive system as well as the first Ferrari to have a "shooting brake" style body (i.e. coupe wagon). The latter could be controversial, but I strongly believe there will be great demand from the wealthiest customers, many of whom used to complain Ferraris for not practical enough. One of them might be the Sultan of Brunei, who commissioned Ferrari to build an estate version of 456GT in the 1990s. Besides, the success of Porsche Cayenne and Panamera proves that wealthy customers are keen to sacrifice a little style for more practicality. Moreover, by choosing shooting brake instead of sedan or offroader, Ferrari has already limited the damage to its image to the minimum. It goes without saying that the longer roofline of shooting brake brings advantages to interior space. It enables the FF to accommodate 4 full-size adults with proper headroom, plus a large luggage space of 450 liters with rear seats in place or 800 liters with rear seats folded. Therefore it is a lot more versatile than its direct predecessor, 612 Scaglietti.  Like its predecessor, the FF is built around an aluminum spaceframe chassis. Its V12 engine is positioned completely behind the front axle to achieve a good weight distribution of 47:53 front to rear. Weight is pretty well controlled. Its 1790 kg dry weight is around 50 kg lighter than Aston Martin Rapide (another aluminum spaceframe 4-seater powered by V12 engine), and undercuts its more conventional rival Mercedes CL65 AMG and Bentley Continental by 270 and 450 kg respectively. Ferrari said the 4-wheel drive system dubbed "4RM" is patented by itself, and is 50% lighter than conventional 4WD sytems. Details are scarce. We learned that it is a part-time 4WD system, i.e. drive is normally sent to the rear wheels, and only to the front wheels when the rear starts losing traction. Ferrari claims its electronics allows the torque transfer to the front wheels instantaneously. The system employs a transfer case made by Italian gear expert Carraro. Its electronics is provided by Marelli, a subsidiary of FIAT. The FF also rides on new, third-generation magnetorheological adaptive dampers. Braking is implemented by Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes.  Powering the big Ferrari is of course its latest generation V12. Displacing 6262cc, it is half a liter larger than the one serving 612 Scaglietti, 300cc larger than the ones in Enzo and 599, or in short, the largest V12 ever built by Ferrari. Besides, it is finally equipped with direct injection system. The engine produces an Enzo-matching 660 horsepower at 8000 rpm, accompany with an own record breaking maximum torque of 504 pound-foot at 6000 rpm. That's some 120 hp and 70 lbft up from its predecessor ! Transmission has also progressed to new Getrag 7-speed F1 dual-clutch box. As a result, the FF is capable of 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds, half a second quicker than 612, and its top speed is lifted by 12 mph to an astonishing 208 mph. This should make it the fastest 4-seater in the world again. Apart from performance, Ferrari also improved its green credential. Thanks to the contribution of direct fuel injection, automatic engine stop-start system and the new gearbox, its CO2 emission is reduced to 360 g/km, or a 23% improvement. Now we shall wait for more detailed technical specifications and more pictures, especially interior. The real car is going to make debut in Geneva motor show in March.
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| 21 Jan, 2011 |
| Industrial
News |
Bye-bye
Daewoo Until now, GM still sells its cars under the Daewoo brand in South Korea, but that won't be long. Yesterday the company has announced that it will change its Korean company name from GM Daewoo to GM Korea, and by March all new cars will be rebranded to Chevrolet to align with its global marketing strategy. That won't be difficult, because all these Korea-built cars are already branded as Chevrolet for export. |
| 20 Jan, 2011 |
| BMW N20
2.0 turbo engine |
 BMW has launched its first four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine since 2002 turbo. The new 2.0-liter turbo unit, codenamed N20, is making debut on X1. It will also be a major driving force in other series, from 1-series to 5-series and Z4. The 1997cc engine is designed based on the technology of N55 3.0-liter single-turbo straight-six. It employs a twin-scroll turbocharger, direct injection, Valvetronic and Double-Vanos to realize a respectable output of 245 hp and 258 lbft. While these figures are not class-leading (note: behind Hyundai's 274hp / 269 lbft 2.0 GDI turbo), the BMW engine should offer superior drivability, thanks to the fact that its maximum torque is available from as low as 1250 rpm (note: 1750 rpm in the case of Hyundai). The N20 is likely to replace the lower power versions (230hp and 258hp) of N52 3.0-liter naturally aspirated straight-six in BMW's lineup. Fitted into X1, it helps the car to reduce fuel consumption by 16 percent, which is pretty good considering the direct-injected straight-six is already a fuel-efficient engine. |
| 18 Jan, 2011 |
| AutoZine
goes mobile friendly |
 As smartphones become increasingly popular and powerful, many of our readers may want to read AutoZine from their smartphones. Until now, the layout of our pages is optimized for XGA resolution (1024 x 768 pixels). This mean reading from mobile phone screens will find our pages either distorted or simply unreadable. To deal with this problem, our News session (this page) and New Car Reports will be facelifted to satisfy screens with width of 480 pixels. As a result, most of the latest smartphones will be able to display AutoZine comfortably. I expect the process of adaptation will be slow because of my limited time. It will most likely happen on newly written and udpated pages first. Here are some test pages: Test page 1 Test page 2 Don't hesistate to let me know what you think ! |
| 15 Jan, 2011 |
| Chrysler
200 Convertible |
 Following the sedan version, Chrysler Sebring Convertible is reborn as 200 Convertible. As before, it is the only convertible car in the world that offers the option of both fabric soft top and retractable metal roof. The rest of the car is just like the 200 sedan, which means its powertrain can be either a 173hp 2.4-liter four banger or 283hp 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, both are mated to 6-speed auto box. The same new dashboard should lift its quality feel to near class standard. But its strength remains to be a lot of space for money - expect to start from just over US$20,000.  |
| 15 Jan, 2011 |
| Industrial
News |
| Lancia
Flavia, Thema and Phedra - all will be rebranded Chryslers Since the demise of Thesis, Lancia has largely become a hollow brand (all about clothes, without content). With Chrysler entering the group, its prospect can only be darker. In Geneva motor show this March, the brand will release 3 new models based on Chrysler ones: Flavia: a rebadged Chrysler 200 Thema: a rebadged Chrysler 300 Phedra: a rebadged Chrysler Grand Voyager Will European customers accept their American flavours, especially their American design and low fuel efficiency engines ? Good luck ! Volkswagen group set sales record in 2010 Volkswagen continued its rising trend in 2010. The whole group sold a record 7.14 million cars, significantly more than the previous year's 6.29 million units. Can you guess where its largest market is ? yes, China. Some 1.92 million cars were sold there, beating Western Europe (1.85 million cars) for the first time ! (note: its China sales already beat Germany sales last year, now needed just one year to overtake the whole Western Europe) By brands, VW, Audi and Skoda set sales records. They sold 4.5 million units (+14%), 1.09 million units (+15%) and 763,000 units (+12%) respectively. On the less positive side, SEAT continues to struggle. Its sales rose only 0.8% to 339,500 units. BMW sales result 2010 BMW also experienced a good year in 2010. Worldwide sales rose 14% to 1.46 million units, although still failed to match its 1.50 million units record set in 2007. Its top markets are Germany (266,000 units), USA (265,800 units) and China (168,900 units). Sales by brands: BMW: 1.22 million units (+15%) Mini: 234,175 units (+8%) Rolls-Royce: 2,711 units (+171%) Mercedes sales result 2010 Economic recovery and the launch of new E-class helped Mercedes-Benz to achieve 1.17 million units of sales last year, up 15% from a year ago. Its top 3 markets are: Germany (265,000 cars), USA (216,400 cars) and China (148,400 cars), more or less the same as BMW. The above figures count only Mercedes-Benz brand cars. Meanwhile, Smart sold 97,500 Fortwos, down 14%. Sales of Maybach was not revealed, but considering it sold only 200 units in 2009, year 2010 could hardly be better. |
| 13 Jan, 2011 |
| Hyundai
Grandeur (Azera) launched |
 Hyundai has
launched the new generation Grandeur (or Azera for American
market) in Korea. As expected, the new car gets much more aggressive
and stylish than the old
car. Build quality and technology also seem to be vastly upgraded.
The front-wheel-drive sedan measures 4910mm long, 1860mm wide, 1470mm
tall and runs a 2845mm wheelbase, so it continues to fall into
E-segment, albeit with a price tag undercutting its rivals.
 Powering the car is a new 3.0-liter Lambda II GDI V6. It produces a remarkable 270 horsepower and 229 lb-ft of torque, reminding me the original Honda NSX (same horsepower from the same capacity). A cheaper model is available with Sonata's 2.4-liter GDI Theta II four-cylinder engine, offering a respectable 200hp. Both engines mate with 6-speed automatic gearbox. Hyundai plans to sell 120,000 units of this car annually, two-third of which will be in its home market. |
| 13 Jan, 2011 |
| More on
Mercedes SLK R172 |
 Here comes
more pictures and details of the new SLK:
- Aerodynamics: drag reduced from 0.32 to 0.30 - Body employs aluminum bonnet and front fenders to save weight - Three suspensions are offered: standard, sport (harder and lower) and electronic adaptive damping - Brake actuated torque vectoring - Automatic stop-start on all engines - Pre-Safe equipped     |
| 13 Jan, 2011 |
| New
generation Mercedes SLK |
 Mercedes
has just unveiled the third generation SLK. The car follows
the formula set by its predecessors, being a compact 2-seater with a
retractable metal roof mechanism. However, this time there will be 3
variants of roof on offer: an aluminum roof, a regular glass roof
or a variable darkness glass roof. The latter employs electrochromic
technology first seen on the 2005 Ferrari
575M Superamerica to adjust level of transparency.
 As shown by these pictures, the exterior design is not a big departure from the outgoing car. Predictably, it gets a longer and squarer nose like other recently reskinned Mercedes, replacing the F1-inspired nose of the old car.    On the other hand, the interior design follows that of the SLS AMG supercar.  The new SLK will offer 4 engines: - SLK200: 1.8-liter DI turbo, 184hp; - SLK250: 1.8-liter DI turbo, 204hp; - SLK350: 3.5-liter V6 DI DVVT, 306hp; - SLK250CDI: 2.1-liter twin-turbo diesel, 204hp Besides, AMG model SLK55 will be powered by a new 5.5-liter naturally aspirated DVVT DI V8 good for 422hp, developed from the new twin-turbo V8 family. |
| 13 Jan, 2011 |
| Industrial
News |
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Maserati
to build SUV
 2003 Maserati Kubang concept by Giugiaro We don't
like SUVs, but when Maserati builds an SUV we still need to
know. In Detroit motor show, FIAT boss Marchionne confirmed that
Maserati will launch an SUV next year. The good news that it will be
powered by a Ferrari engine, probably a V8 as base engine and a hybrid
V12 (shared with the successor of 612 Scaglietti) on flagship model, so
it is guaranteed to be a "Cayenne killer". The bad news is, it will be
built on the platform of Jeep Grand Cherokee and produced in the USA. I
just hope it would be as sporty and good looking as Giugiaro's 2003
Kubang concept.
First 9-speed automatic gearbox, by ZF.  German transmission giant ZF has once again raised the bar with the introduction of the world's first 9-speed automatic gearbox. It is designed for FF applications and the first car maker to employ it will be... unexpectedly, Chrysler. A production plant is being built in USA to supply Chrysler. It goes without saying that the 9-speeder benefits fuel consumption. It also promises faster response and acceleration. |
| 11 Jan, 2011 |
| Is
Hyundai Veloster a coupe ? |
 According
to Hyundai, Veloster is a "utility coupe". It combines the
functionality of hatchback and the style of coupe. I'm afraid I cannot
agree with the latter.
Coupe or not, the styling of Veloster is quite adventurous. It has lots of curves twisted here and there, and its complicated face is not your traditional Korean car. Ditto the controversial single rear door, which is available only to the passenger side. Its door handle is hidden at the C-pillar, so you may not notice it gets a rear door.  Ride on a 2650mm wheelbase and suspensions consisting of MacPherson struts and torsion beam, the Veloster is obviously based on the Elantra platform. Its new Gamma 1.6 engine is also shared. This unit is very sophisticated for its class, employing direct gasoline injection, dual-VVT, variable induction, roller timing chain and low-friction diamond-like coating on tappets. No wonder it produces as much as 138 hp and 123 lb-ft of torque. Transmission is also the best you can hope for, including a 6-speed manual box and an in-house built 6-speed dual-clutch transmission.  The Veloster will be not be as cheap as you might think. Hyundai said it will rival at Scion tC in the American market. In Europe, it will be priced between Renault Megane Coupe and VW Scirocco. Isn't it too expensive for its content ?  |
| 11 Jan, 2011 |
| Toyota
Prius V |
 The long
rumoured "Prius MPV" has been unveiled at Detroit motor show.
It is called Prius V, where V stands for Versatility. Quite
disappointingly, despite of its extra weight and drag (Cd increased
from 0.25 to 0.29), the car has its underpinnings left unchanged, which
means it still runs the 1.8-liter Atkinson cycle engine and electric
motor to produce a combined 134hp. EPA fuel consumption figures worsen
from the Prius 51 mpg city and 48 mpg highway to 42 mpg and 38 mpg
respectively, which means a 25 percent increase of fuel consumption.
 What the V excels is cargo flexibility. Its taller roof line does not drop as much at the back as in the Prius, so its cargo volume is 50 percent larger. Moreover, the rear seats split, slide, recline and fold flat, offering more flexibility than the standard car. Otherwise, the interior is mostly characterised by a new (though ugly) center console and lightweight panoramic glass roof. No, it is still not as versatile as other compact MPVs, but at least it brings the first hybrid experience to the class.  |
| 11 Jan, 2011 |
| Porsche
918 RSR |
 What does
Porsche want to do with this 918 RSR racer ? Many people said
it is the 918 Spyder concept supercar made closer to production. That
is questionable to me. The RSR racer employs an electromechanical
hybrid system that is more suitable to racing circuits than on public
roads. It uses a flywheel accummulator to store braking energy, then
releases back to electric motors to aid acceleration. It has been
demonstrated on the 911 GT3 R hybrid racing car last year with
promising results. However, the stored energy can last only 8 seconds
at most, which would be fine to overtake your rivals in the short
straights of racing circuits, but its usage on public roads would be
seriously limited. Moreover, the flywheel accummulator occupies the
space of the passenger seat. On the production 918 Spyder, I believe
Porsche will switch to more conventional battery-powered hybrid system.
 This mean the hybrid technology of the race car is unlikely to benefit the production car. Nevertheless, its carbon-fiber monocoque chassis and aerodynamics research may still be worthwhile. Back to the race car, it employs a 563hp V8 with unspecified capacity (but believed to be 3.4 liters). Two electric motors drive the front wheels, each develops 102hp. As a result, maximum power is 767 hp (for 8 seconds). The racer is likely to enter this year's Nurburgring 24 hours. Winning the race could be the best advertising for the road car. That is perhaps its main purpose.  |
| 11 Jan, 2011 |
| New
Honda Civic concept |
 Honda gives
us the first look of the next (9th) generation Civic in
Detroit motor show. To me, it looks more like a facelift of the current
car. It seems that the Japanese company has lost the fast-progressing
R&D power it renowned for decades.
Technical aspect fails to surprise either. The press release only mentioned it will get more efficient version of i-VTEC engines and the hybrid model will switch to Li-ion battery. That's not enough to satisfy us, let alone to shine in the increasingly competitive segment. I hope the production car would turn out better. It will arrive early next year.   |
| 11 Jan, 2011 |
| Chevrolet
Sonic / Aveo |
 GM
unveiled the new generation Chevrolet Aveo in concept form before. Now
the production car is being shown in Detroit motor show, and it is
accompanied with a 4-door sedan version. Probably due to poor
reputation in North America, the company decided to abandon its
original name and adopt "Sonic" as its name. Elsewhere, the car will be
still called Aveo.
 As you might remember, the car was developed by GM Daewoo in Korea (where it is called Daewoo Gentra), although North American cars will be produced in Michigan, USA. The B-segment duo runs a 2525 mm wheelbase and rides on MacPherson struts front and torsion beam rear suspensions. American cars have two choices for powertrain: 1.8-liter Ecotec 16V with variable intake manifolds (135hp / 123 lbft) and 1.4-liter Ecotec 16V turbo (138hp / 148 lbft), both are shared with Chevrolet Cruze. The 1.4 turbo mates with 6-speed manual gearbox, while 1.8 has the choice of 5-speed manual or 6-speed auto. |
| 11 Jan, 2011 |
| NACOTY:
Chevrolet Volt |
 As
expected, Chevrolet Volt beat Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Sonata to win
this year's North American Car of the Year award. Being the first
plug-in hybrid car and an image booster to GM (as well as American
motor industry), the Volt is worth the title.
On the other hand, Truck of the Year award goes to Ford Explorer. |
| 11 Jan, 2011 |
| Industrial
News |
|
FIAT
increased stakes in Chrysler to 25%
FIAT
has increased its stakes in Chrysler group from 20% to 25% following
that it has reached the first interim target agreed. When the Italian
company took over the bankrupted Chrysler in 2009, it agreed with the
US government and other stakes holders (Canadian government and UAW)
that its stakes could be boosted by 5% if it meets any of the following
targets:
1) introduces production of its 1.4-liter FIRE engine to Chrysler; 2) Chrysler produces a 40 mpg vehicle; 3) Chrysler reaches certain targets for export sales; Now the first has been fulfilled as the FIRE engine for American version FIAT 500 has got government approval for US production. The second target will also be met later this year with the production of 500. |
| 10 Jan, 2011 |
| US-bound
Passat unveiled ! |
 Volkswagen
has unveiled its mass destruction weapon to take on the US
market, the American Passat. It, together with new Jetta and a new SUV,
intends to lift
the company's sales in USA from last year's 250,000 units to 800,000
units by 2018. That is a very aggressive target. To achieve that,
Volkswagen North American analysed the market and concluded it can no
longer rely on the European-oriented cars it offers today. American
customers want larger yet cheaper cars. Even though fans are happy with
today's Passat for its European quality and taste, it has to go
downmarket in order to grab a larger slice of market. In other words,
it has to follow the route of Toyota Camry and Honda Accord - larger,
cheaper and more conservatively styled.
 The American version Passat is obviously much larger than the European car. Full details have yet to be released, but we know it is 100 mm longer than the current car at 4868 mm and its wheelbase has grown from 2712 mm to 2804 mm. No wonder Volkswagen claims it offers the best rear legroom in class. Its shoulder room is also likely to be boosted by a wider body. More technical details will be added once it is unveiled at Detroit motor show.  Styling of the new car follows the conservative trend of new Jetta. It looks bland and unimpressive to me. Inside, the dashboard looks typical Volkswagen. On these pictures it shows no signs of quality downgrade, but we reserve our judgment until the first test drive, especially on the base model. The American Passat will be significantly cheaper than the current car. Base price will start from only US$20,000, versus today's US$28,000. Part of the saving comes from localizing production. It will be assembled at the company's new plant in Tennessee and utilize a lot of local components to drive costs down. Moreover, Volkswagen plans to produce a large SUV alongside the Passat to share components and costs, just like what Honda and Toyota are doing with their mid-size sedans.  Another contribution to cost saving is by using a cheaper base engine. Today's Passat employs the excellent 200hp 2.0 TFSI engine as base engine in the US market. It gives a very good combination of performance, fuel economy and refinement. Unfortunately, the new American Passat will skip this engine and offer the Jetta's 170hp 2.5-liter 5-cylinder as base engine. If you want more power, you have to opt for the 280hp 3.6-liter VR6 engine. Sadly, the 2.0 TFSI will not be offered even as option. The third and last engine will be the US-certified 140hp 2.0 TDI diesel. It will be a good choice for fuel economy (43 mpg EPA on highway), if less good for performance.   What about suspensions ? will it switch to a cheaper non-independent rear like Jetta ? Fortunately, non-IRS is considered to be disgraceful in this class, so the Passat will keep the MacPherson struts front and multi-link rear setup as the European car. |
| 10 Jan, 2011 |
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2010
UK car sales result
UK's SMMT
(Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders) has released
2010 sales result of UK. Ford again grabbed the title of besting
selling brand and car (Fiesta). Unsurprisingly, Vauxhall and Volkswagen
came second and third. BMW has overtaken Peugeot to 4th place. The
other German premium car brands, Audi and Mercedes, are also in the top
10. As in USA, Toyota experienced the worst decline among the top
brands. See below for full figures:
UK top selling brands 2010
UK top selling cars 2010
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| 7 Jan, 2011 |
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2010
US luxury car brands ranking
Thanks to
heavy incentives introduced in the year end, Lexus just
defended its top position of US luxury car brand in 2010. It beats BMW
and Mercedes narrowly. Full ranking see below:
US top selling luxury car brands 2010
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| 6 Jan, 2011 |
| Buick
Verano |
 With the
demise of Saturn and Pontiac, Buick is given more space for
expansion. Verano is probably its first ever compact car ("C-segment
car" in European term). It is basically the sedan version of Opel
Astra. The relationship is especially obvious in the cabin.
Mechanically, it is also loyal to the layout of Astra. In particular,
the rear suspension is implemented by torsion beam and Watt's link.
 What differs from the European car are engines, which are much larger. The base engine is 2.4-liter 16-valve Ecotec with direct injection, rated at 177hp. It pairs with a 6-speed automatic gearbox to enable 0-60 mph sprint in 8 seconds flat. Later on, a 2.0 turbo will be added, expected to produce 220hp as in Regal and Insignia. That will be a lot for a front-drive small car.  The Verano may be new to America, but it is no stranger to Chinese people. In fact, it has been serving the Chinese market for half a year under the name "Excelle". Having seen Excelle in person, I would say the real car appears to be smaller than the pictures suggested.  interior is same as Astra |
| 6 Jan, 2011 |
| KIA
Picanto |
 KIA has
released a short press release and two pictures of its new
generation Picanto baby car. Details are scarce... it will have the
choice of four engines displacing either 1.0 or 1.2 liters. However,
the Peter Schreyer design is certainly more head-turning than the old car.
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| 6 Jan, 2011 |
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Conclusion
on US sales 2010
The US
market is the first to release full-year sales figures of 2010.
GM came out on top again, while Ford overtook Toyota to second place.
Hit by safety lawsuits and recalls, Toyota is the only major car maker
recording sales decline last year. See figures below:
US top selling car makers 2010
US top selling cars 2010 Regarding best selling models, Toyota Camry managed to maintain its top spot by beating arch-rival Honda Accord narrowly, although it is hit by a 7.5% decline. Similarly, the declining Toyota Corolla just eclipsed Honda Civic. No bad for the latter, considering it is near the end of its life cycle. The biggest gain is Ford Fusion, whose sales surged by 21 percent to 6th place, and it was not exactly a new model.
However, the best selling vehicle in the US market was still an SUV, i.e. Ford F-series, with 528,349 units sold. Mustang lost pony car top spot to Camaro For the first time since 1985, Ford Mustang lost its No. 1 pony car title to arch-rival Chevrolet Camaro. Last year, Chevy sold 81,371 units of Camaro, beating Mustang's 73,716 units. However, both cars had increased sales compared with a year ago. |