Auto News – Page 733 – Automobiles Review

2013 Renault Kangoo Van

Renault has announced the new facelifted version of Kangoo Van. The 2013 model is offered with two wheelbase lengths, three versions of the popular 1.5-litre dCi diesel engine (75HP, 90HP and 110HP) and a choice of two- or five-seat versions of the Kangoo Maxi. The five seat “Crew” version features a rear seat that can be tipped forward to accommodate particularly long loads.

The 2013 Kango boasts superb fuel-efficiency. The dCi 75 Stop&Start and dCi 90 Stop&Start engines boast NEDC combined-cycle fuel consumption of just 4.3 litres/100km or 65.7mpg (equivalent to 112g/km of CO2).

To help drivers reduce their fuel consumption further still, the latest-generation engines available for Kangoo come with a gear shift indicator as standard equipment, as well as an ECO mode that can achieve fuel savings of up to 10% by acting on engine torque, the gear shift indications and accelerator pedal mapping.

New Kangoo Van benefits from a connected multimedia system thanks to the introduction of R-Link (optional, or standard equipment for ‘Sport’ versions). This system incorporates the in-dash TomTom® LIVE navigation previously available for Phase 1 Kangoo, plus numerous new functions, such as advance warning of hazardous zones and the ability to download applications like the reading out of e-mails. The range of radios has evolved, too, with a choice of three solutions. All radios come with USB and Bluetooth connectivity, while the next level up is equipped with a CD player. The premium radio integrates with the Renault R-Link system.

Also available is new-generation ESC combined with Hill Start Assist, plus Grip for improved traction in difficult conditions. It goes without saying that New Kangoo Van continues to be available with the many innovations that have forged its reputation, including the sliding rear roof flap.

Source: Renault

February 1, 2013

2014 Audi A8 L TDI – US Price $82,500

Audi US has announced the pricing of the new 2014 A8 L TDI. The luxurious saloon offers stylish exterior, superb comfort, technology, performance and efficiency. All this comes at reasonable price of $82,500.

2014 Audi A8 L TDI has a 3.0 liter diesel with 240HP (179 kW) and 550Nm (406 lb-ft) of torque. 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 6.4 seconds and an an EPA-estimated 24 mpg city / 36 mpg highway/ 28 mpg combined.

For the 2014 Audi A8 L TDI, the package options were optimized to better reflect customer demand. The available Premium Package now consists of Audi side assist and pre sense rear, 22-way multi-contour comfort seats, font seat ventilation with massage and full LED headlights.

The A8 L TDI joins an expanding model line-up including the A8 3.0T, A8 4.0T, S8 4.0T and A8 W12. The A8 L TDI will be available in the long-wheelbase version only.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD8WDoto-T0

Source: Audi

February 1, 2013

2013 Dodge Dart Mopar at the Chicago Auto Show

Chrysler has introduced the new 2013 Dodge Dart Mopar. The car will be shown at next week’s Chicago Auto Show. It will be produced in limited series of just 500 units.

“Our new Mopar ’13 Dart will turn heads and stand out from the crowd. For this special, limited- edition vehicle, we specifically kept the driver in mind as we added select Mopar parts and accessories.”, said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group’s service, parts and customer-care brand.

2013 Dart Mopar is powered by a 1.4 liter Multi-air turbocharged petrol connected to a manual gearbox. A performance-tuned exhaust is also installed.

The exterior boasts gloss-black finish with a pair of car-length Mopar Blue stripes, which mirror each of the three previous Mopar- themed models. There is also a performance steering-gear calibration, a 7 mm lowered suspension with 18” wheels fitted with 225/40 R18 tires. Behind them, a premium brake kit with slotted rotors is installed. Other highlights include Mopar’s ground-effects kit – a front-chin spoiler, one-piece deck-lid spoiler, as well as a unique and aggressively styled rear diffuser.

The interior boasts a serialized plate, a custom Mopar Blue leather seat with black accents, Mopar Blue accent thread, as well as light- black chrome and gloss-black elements.The special-edition Mopar ’13 includes industry-first wireless charging for smartphones, a blue-stitched leather-wrapped steering wheel with an identically garnished shifter knob, a bright sport-pedal kit, premium Mopar carpet floor mats, door-sill guards and an 8.4” navigation screen.

Mopar has introduced numerous industry-first features including:

• Vehicle-information apps: first to introduce smartphone vehicle-information applications, a new channel of communication with consumers
• Electronic owner manuals: first to introduce traditional owner manuals in a DVD and brief user- guide format and first to offer complete vehicle-information kits in Spanish
• Wi-Fi: first to offer customers the ability to make their vehicle a wireless hot spot
• Wireless charging: first to introduce in-vehicle wireless charging for portable devices
• Electronic Vehicle Tracking System (EVTS): first to market with a new interactive vehicle tracking device that sends owner a text when vehicle is driven too fast or too far based on pre-set
• 2011 Mopar Challenger Drag Pak: first to introduce a 500-plus cubic-inch V-10 drag-race
• Brand-specific customer care telephone lines: first to offer Sunday service hours for customers
• WiTECH: first to support vehicle diagnosis and software updates leveraging off-the-shelf

Source: Dodge

January 31, 2013

2013 Volkswagen Caddy Edition 30 – Price £17,660

Volkswagen has introduced the Caddy Edition 30, which is created to celebrate 30 years and three generations of its compact van. The Caddy Edition 30 will be run in limited series of just 117 units.

The striking exterior follows the design cues of other sporty Volkswagen vans, such as the Transporter Sportline, and it is distinguished by a black roof and roof rails contrasting against Candy White paintwork, with body-coloured bumpers, door handles and door mirrors, plus chrome grille detailing, 17” Budapest alloy wheels and Edition 30 logo on the door sills and exterior.

The standard equipment includes Bluetooth connectivity, Climatic air conditioning, leather steering wheel, an upgraded RCD 310 radio/CD unit, electric windows, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, tailgate with heated rear window and wash/wipe, height adjustable driver’s and passenger’s seats, plus front fog lights. The superior Timo upholstery is standard, while for even more luxury, models with DSG transmission feature alcantara leather upholstery.

The engine range includes three diesels from 75 to 125 kW and a petrol (TSI) version with 77 kW.

The Caddy Edition 30 is now available in Volkswagen Van Centre showrooms. The pricing starts from £17,660 (excluding VAT) for manual models, or £19,060 (excluding VAT) for the DSG versions.

Source: Volkswagen

January 31, 2013

Heico Sportiv Volvo V40 [video]

HEICO Sportiv has published a new video presenting their tuned Volvo V40. The most modern camera technology is used to present the car. Pictures and the leading actor impress thereby equally by most brilliant quality and highest detail love.

“As a Volvo tuning specialist, the Volvo V40 offers us an excellent starting point,” commented HEICO SPORTIV General Manager, Holger Hedtke.

“It has an attractive design, sporty driving dynamics, and addresses a target group that places great emphasis on quality and individualism. We see it as our mission to hone the Volvo V40’s character.”, he added.

Several power enhancement programs are available. The product line goes under the name of e.motion®, which stands for “efficiency in motion”. A proprietary HEICO SPORTIV technology for high-efficiency power enhancement, it consists of a second, equivalent engine control unit that works in parallel with the original control unit, acting as an independent second “brain”. Following the D2, D3 and D4 diesel engines, HEICO SPORTIV now also offers tuning products for the T3 and T4 turbo direct-injection models. In concrete figures, this translates into 200HP (147 kW) power, 300 Nm torque and much improved acceleration and elasticity values.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThGaIg6w4fc

The newly developed sport brake kit also makes an active contribution to driving safety. The front-axle brake set consists of blue-lacquered 6-piston fixed calipers bearing the HEICO SPORTIV logo in white, 370 mm-diameter steel brake discs, special brake pads and flexible steel hoses.

The result: deceleration of over 10.35 m/s2 and, at 33.5 meters from 100 km/h, also a shorter stopping distance than that of the series produced vehicle.

Source: Heico

January 31, 2013

Petrolicious: Restless Maserati Merak SS [VIDEO]

Back in 1976 Maserati introduced the model Merak SS. It was created to fight the Ferrari 308 and Lamborghini Urraco, hence the vehicle had to be super-stylish, include great aerodynamics and offer stunning amount of power.

The aerodynamically enhanced vehicle generated a power of 217 hp (162 kW) and had a dry weight of 1,400 kg (3,086 lb). The production of the SS stopped in 1982. Driving such car must be very personal and intimate experience, allowing one to taste the swell of freedom and engaging their senses.

In other words, the Merak SS gives you restlessness – and such is the case with Maxx. In fact, below is a very intimate video, created by Petrolicious team, revealing the relationship between a man and his Maserati, a relationship which is taken to a higher level and does not leave one unimpressed!

httpv://vimeo.com/58416931

Video Source: Vimeo

Source: Petrolicious

January 31, 2013

Honda Includes Siri Eyes Free Technology Into Select Vehicles

Honda will include Apple’s Siri Eyes Free Technology Into some of its most successful model ranges. Siri is the intelligent assistant that helps the occupants get things done just by asking, and it is going to be integrated in 2013 Honda Accord, Acura RDX and ILX models as an option.

In the technology will be added a Using Eyes Free mode, thanks to which Siri takes hands-free functionality even further and minimizes distractions even more by keeping the iOS device’s screen from lighting up.

With this step Honda is expecting to meet the connectivity and convenience needs of its customers in a responsible manner. For this reason, the brand has reengineered its software to seamlessly integrate Siri Eyes Free mode into its Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink® via the onboard microphone and speakers.

Source: Honda

January 31, 2013

Mansory Porsche Panamera Updated by SR Auto

Could a Mansory Porsche Panamera look even better? The answer is “Yes”, but only if it has the magical touch of the SR Auto Group tuning team. They have added a little color to this white beauty and brought it back to life.

In fact, this particular model was the first Mansory Panamera in Vancouver, Canada, and this means that it carries a very special history. To be more precise, the Mansory tuning included here consist mainly of exterior enhancements.

The famous Porshce model got new Mansory Front Bumper, Mansory Front Fenders, Mansory Rear Fender Arches and Mansory Rear Bumper thus becoming more aggressive on the road. To add more spice to the already enhanced Panamera, SR Auto team has equipped it with new set of wheels.

Twenty two inch PUR 4OUR Depth’s have been paired with the vehicle and they are in one of PUR’s most glamorous finishes – Davinci Red. This vibrant color brings a whole new life and meaning to the visual appearance of the car. Complimenting the brake calipers and tail lights, the wheels tie together the black, red, and white theme.

Source: SR Auto Group

January 31, 2013

2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class – Price €40,430

Mercedes-Benz has published the price list for the all-new 2013 E-Class. Both – Saloon and Estate version are available with a wide range of engines, equipment and limitless individual options.

The engine range includes four four-cylinder diesels – E 200 CDI, E 220 CDI, E250 CDI and E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid, which is currently the most economical luxury-class saloon, which in addition to the four-cylinder diesel engine also has a 20 kW (27HP) electric motor. The six-cylinder diesels are E 300 BlueTEC and E 350 BlueTEC, which are revised and fitted with environmentally friendly and efficient BlueTEC technology.

The petrol choice is between – E 200, E 250, E 300, E 400, E 500 and the high-performance E 63 AMG. All are engines are fitted with the ECO start/stop system and combine high performance with exemplary economy. The power output levels range from 184HP (135 kW) to 585HP (430 kW) for the petrol engines, and from 136HP (199 kW) to 252HP (185 kW) for the diesels.

The price starts at €40,430 (including VAT) for 2013 Mercedes-Benz E 200 CDI and goes up to €121,023 for E 63 AMG 4Matic S Estate.

As standard, both the Saloon and Estate models are fitted with COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST, a radar-based collision warning system with adaptive brake assist systems. It helps to significantly reduce the risk of a rear-end collision. Also forming part of the standard equipment is an enhanced ATTENTION ASSIST, which is now able to warn of inattentiveness and drowsiness across a wider speed range.

In addition, also optionally available are a number of assistance systems which are either new or now feature significantly extended functions. These include:

DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist can help to take the burden off the driver when it comes to keeping the vehicle in its lane and also track traffic in tailbacks semi-automatically
for the first time, the Brake Assist system BAS PLUS with Junction Assist is able to detect crossing traffic and pedestrians too, and boost the braking power applied by the driver accordingly
the PRE-SAFE® Brake can detect pedestrians and initiate autonomous braking to avoid a collision at speeds up to 50 km/h
Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus allows the main-beam headlamps to be kept on permanently without dazzling traffic by masking out other vehicles in the beams’ cone of light

As ever, there are attractive design packages to visually enhance both the interior and exterior. Furthermore, the new E-Class offers a variety of individualisation options. Irrespective of the chosen equipment line, all appointment options remain available. As such each vehicle can be individually tailored to ensure that it is unlike any other. For example, a Saloon or Estate can be totally classic on the outside, but display a highly modern character on the inside.

Pricing:

	Saloon	Estate
E 200 CDI	€40,430.25	€43,643.25
E 220 CDI	€43,286.25	€46,499.25
E 220 CDI Edition	€43,286.25	–
E 250 CDI	€46,320.75	€49,533.75
E 250 CDI 4MATIC	€51,556.75	€54,769.75
E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID	€52,449.25	€55,662.25
E 300 BlueTEC	€51,973.25	€55,186.25
E 350 BlueTEC	€54,710.25	€57,923.25
E 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC	€57,447.25	60,660.25
E 200	€41,917.75	€45,130.75
E 250	€46,975.25	€50,188.25
E 300	€51,229.50	€54,442.50
E 300 4MATIC	€53,966.50	€57,179.50
E 400	€56,019.25	€59,232.25
E 400 4MATIC	€58,756.25	€61,969.25
E 500	€70,656.25	€73,274.25
E 500 4MATIC	€73,393.25	€76,011.25
E 63 AMG	€103,054	–
E 63 AMG 4MATIC	€106,981	€109,599
E 63 AMG 4MATIC S	€118,405	€121,023

Prices apply to Germany and include 19% VAT

Source: Mercedes-Benz

January 31, 2013

KIA to Debut Cross GT Concept in Chicago [TEASER]

With 2013 Chicago Auto Show being just around the corner, more and more companies are giving a glimpse of their new vehicles. No exception makes KIA, which has just revealed a teaser image of their new concept vehicle.

It carries the name KIA Cross GT Concept and at a first glance it shows a very powerful stance. The car is said to be inspired by nature but driven by technology and it gives a clue of what the future of Kia’s design language in the form of a premium Crossover Utility Vehicle (CUV) will be.

Unfortunately, no additional details were disclosed so we are eagerly waiting till 9th of February when we will see more of this exciting new concept.

Source: KIA

January 31, 2013

BMW Z8 Roadster – Price €113,361

Always wanted to be “James Bond”? Here is your chance! Just get a nice suit, expensive watch and this awesome BMW Z8. Same car is used by Pierce Brosnan in the movie “The world is not enough”.The Z8 Roadster is powered by the famous S62B49 – naturally aspirated high-revving V8 with 400HP (300 kW) and 500Nm (370 lb-ft) of torque. The same engine is used in the E39 M5, but here it powers a roadster. The engine was located behind the front axle in order to provide the car with 50/50 weight distribution. 0-100 km/h in 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) – electronically limited.This particular unit has 17,700 km on the clock. It is priced at 113,361, which is a lot more than it cost as brand new. Still, it is in mint condition and comes with a set of enormous 20” original Alpina Wheels fitted with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires . Equipment includes Full leather red and black, Air conditioning, floor mats, electric seat adjustment, hardtop including hardtop stand, cover, wind deflector, alarm, xenon lights, original board folder, the original operating instruction book, original tool kit, electric steering column longitudinal adjustment and many more.The car is for absolute collectors, but it also can be driven on the public roads.

January 31, 2013

Wheelsandmore Ferrari FF

Wheelsandmore has presented a number of upgrades for the AWD Ferrari – the FF. The tuning program includes styling and performance mods.

There is a set of new 6-Sporz ultra-light forged wheels -9.5J x 21” and 12J x 22” (front and rear) fitted with Pirelli P Zero Nero tires. Other upgrade is a complete stainless steel exhaust system featuring remote-operable valve flaps.

Stage 1 performance kit includes a remapped ECU – 684HP (503 kW) and 705Nm (520 lb-ft) of torque. The price is €3,782.

Stage 2 increases the output to 700HP (515 kW) and 715Nm (527 lb-ft) of torque thanks to the new exhaust system. The price is €9,244.

Wheelsandmore is also working on a new coilover suspension, which can lower the car with 25mm.