Category: Auto News

Auto news – automobile industry news. Articles about all the latest car models and concepts. Breaking news, uncovered secrets.

  • 2013 Peugeot 2008 – More than an urban Crossover

    Peugeot has officially announced the new 2008 urban crossover. The vehicle will make its appearance at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show in March. The car is in the same class as Nissan Juke.

    The 2008 is based on Peugeot 208. It is 4160mm long, which is 25mm longer than the Juke. The exterior reminds to 208 a lot. The front and rear lights are identical as well as the front grille. The difference is the ride-height as well as the driving position. Both are raised in order to get better view, comfort and more safety. An innovation is a complete body kit including new bumpers and side skirts.

    The 2008 rolls 17” wheels fitted with low-profile tires. It is interesting that the car won’t get AWD, so this may hurt the off-road capabilities. Still, there will be a “Grip Control” traction control, which is the same one found in the larger 3008.

    The engine range will include a new three-cylinder 1.2 liter turbocharged petrol. The diesel variants are two – a 1.4 liter HDI and a 1.6 liter HDI. The emissions will be below 100 g/km of CO2.

    Stay tuned for full information and prices.

    Source: Peugeot

  • 2013 Fiat 500e Shows Unsurpassed Fuel Efficiency

    2013-Fiat-500e-THUMB2013 Fiat 500e which was revealed in the beginning of December last year has been rated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in terms of highway-cycle performance which is 108 MPGe. This means that this number makes the Fiat unsurpassed by any electric vehicle on the U.S. market.

    As we all are familiar, the MPGe is the EPA-devised measure for determining how many miles an EV can travel on a quantity of battery-generated electricity that has same energy has as a gallon of gasoline. In addition, when the 500e was fully charged the Fiat 500e is ccapable of travellingf about 87 miles.

    Furthermore, the numbers for the city/highway rating and the city-cycle rating are 116 MPGe and 122-MPGe respectively. This means that the Fiat 500e is not only environmentally friendly and has design proposition like no other, while delivering unsurpassed MPGe and class-leading range.

    The EPA testing also determined that car’s energy-consumption is just 29 kilowatt hours (kWh) per 100 miles. Additionally, the EV scored 10 out of 10 on two EPA scales that reward vehicles for low tailpipe emissions.

    These good results are a logical consequence of the new battery-electric powertrain of the 500e. In particular, it generates 111 horsepower (83 kW) and recharges in less than 4 hours thanks to its Level 2 (240 volt) on-board charging module (OBCM).

    Moreover, its distinctive exterior enhancements contribute to a 13 percent improvement in aerodynamics, compared with the already fashionable Fiat 500 Lounge. The new 2013 Fiat 500e will be available in dealerships in the second-quarter 2013.

    Source: Fiat

  • Nissan Qashqai 360 Replaces the n-tec+ Trim

    Nissan-Qashqai-360-THUMBNissan Qashqai 360 has just been launched and adds to the range replacing the n-tec+ model. The 360 trim stands between the Acenta and Tekna, but offers more equipment.

    The new Nissan model is expected to be even more popular than the hugely successful n-tec+. It has enhanced specifications and features Nissan’s Connect with 360° Around View Monitor system, which integrates satnav with Bluetooth and smartphone connectivity along with four cameras.

    In the standard equipment are also included 18-inch ‘Onyx’ alloy wheels, rear privacy glass and a panoramic roof. Furthermore, the Qashqai 360 boosts styling adding part-leather trim with double white stitching, a gloss black gearlever surround, gloss black door handles and a leather armrest.

    In addition, it also comes with gloss black roof rails, door mirrors and ‘360’ badges that mark out the exterior. What is even more, the vehicle comes with brand new pearlescent paint – Storm White, which has been added to the range. This makes the perfect contrast to the 360’s gloss black highlights.

    The 360 package is available across all engine and transmission options. It can be also specified on both the Qashqai and Qashqai+2. In particular, the most popular engine included is the 1.6 dCi diesel one which features stop/start technology that reduces the CO2 emissions and enhances the fuel economy.

    EXTERIOR INTERIOR
    ● Gloss black roof rails ● Nissan Connect with 360° Around View Monitor
    ● Gloss black mirror caps ● Part-leather seats with white double stitching
    ● 18″ ‘Onyx’ alloy wheels ● Panoramic glass roof
    ● Rear privacy glass ● Gloss black door handles
    ● ‘360’ Exterior badges ● Gloss black gear shift surround
    ● Leather covered armrests
    ● Aluminium pedals

    Source: Nissan

  • Switzer Goliath Nissan GT-R

    Switzer is one of the most appreciated tuning companies in the world. They have has been focused on cars that delivered blistering performance without sacrificing the comfort or reliability.

    Switzer created a tuned Nissan GT-R capable of doing 9-second times at drag race or other, which as covered almost 100,000 miles since its conversion from a stock, 475 hp early GTR to an 800 hp Switzer P800.

    The conversions are relatively cheap compared to the achieved performance. Still, a lot more can be done, so people ask themselves: “What if I want to push the limits? What if I don’t want to be conservative?”

    The GT-R Goliath was built to explore the limits of Switzer’s package architecture, building off of the same hardware upgrades as the Ultimate Street Edition, as well as the same intercoolers, plumbing, and exhaust hardware used in the USE, as well as the P700, P800, and record-breaking R1K-X Switzer GTRs.

    Keep in mind, this is not some chopped-up dyno-queen car. Grinding or welding on the chassis was not permitted, so Goliath’s firewall, frame rails, and power steering systems are totally intact.

    The factory AC system is completely intact, and “is a must”, according to Switzer … which makes sense, considering how many of these cars end up in extreme climates.

    “At the end of the day,” says Tym, “this is still a drivable streetcar, albeit at the limits of what most people would tolerate in real-world traffic. It’s an exercise in how far you can take a streetcar, which is what this customer wanted, even after I explained the risks and the process. The only ‘race stuff’ in the car is the fuel. In this case, it’s Q16. I’d have preferred something a little more ‘green’, like E85, but that would have been too hard for the car’s owner to source locally. So, only the fuel is ‘race’, really, but that doesn’t mean Goliath is for everyone. It’s not the no-excuses, Veyron-baiting, liter-bike chasing super car. That’s the Ultimate. Goliath … Goliath is just a monster. It’s the limit of how far we can push our GTR package hardware, so it shows the value in those packages as ‘building blocks’ to something bigger.”

    So, the result: over 1500 WHP (wheel-horse-power), which is around 2000HP from the engine.

    Source: Switzer

  • Cam Shaft Renault Clio Rs

    Cam Shaft has presented another tuning project based on Renault Clio RS. The hot hatchback comes with completely new look thanks to the tuning company. The foiling specialists wrapped the car with a nice vinyl including different badges and figures.

    The previously announced Clio RS by Cam Shaft had some performance upgrades, so probably this one is tuned, too.

    The 1.6 liter four-cylinder turbocharged petrol now has 225HP (165 kW) and 250Nm (185 lb-ft) of torque. It is thanks to a sports air filter by K&N, complete sports exhaust system, 100-cell sport catalysts and both the middle and the rear muffler are from Mantova. The engine electronics are mapped in order to improve the result.

    Source: Cam Shaft

  • DMC Ferrari F12 Berlinetta SPIA – 764HP

    DMC has announced their tuning package for the most powerful Ferrari, ever built. The F12 Berlinetta is coming not only with styling modifications, but with some serious performance upgrades, too.

    The naturally aspirated 6.2 liter V12 is boosted from 740HP (544 kw) to 764HP (562 kW) thanks to a new a custom titanium exhaust system. The additional power reflects in cars top speed, which is now 350 km/h (217 mph). The exceptional sound of the hyper-car is even better with the new pipes.

    The exterior boasts a complete carbon fiber body kit. It includes a new front lip, carbon fiber front hood, a new roof scoop and a pair of extended side skirts. Last, but not least is the 599XX esque spoiler wing, which goes well along with the newly designed rear diffuser. All components fit perfectly to the car and don’t ruin the perfect aerodynamics. Moreover, they are lighter, so the car achieves better power-to-weight ratio.

    DMC also manufactures rear light replacements that have a tinted appearance, which looks especially good on red, blue, or really any colour.

    The car rolls a set of new enormous wheels fitted with Pirelli Sport tires. The front rims are 9.5J x 21” fitted with 255/30 ZR21 rubbers and the rear 12J x 22” fitted with 335/25. DMC is using the highest-grade 3 piece wheels made of forged alloy, which can be ordered in either Virgin Gold or any other finish.

    The interior boasts fine leathers and carbon fiber. Plenty of buttons and trims are available as a small package, a redesigned steering wheel adds on to complete a medium package or the whole interior can be redone for the VIP package.

    Source: DMC

  • 2014 Mazda6 – US Price $20,880

    Mazda North American Operations has announced the price list for the all-new 2014 Mazda6. The car is priced from $20,880 excluding $795 destination charge. This is the second vehicle in the Mazda lineup to fully incorporate SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY, the brand’s breakthrough engineering approach toward increasing overall vehicle efficiency. Offering both powerful performance and improved fuel economy.

    The entry-level i-Sport is powered by a four-cylinder 2.5 liter engine with 186 (137 kW) and 250Nm (185 lb-ft) of torque. It is connected to a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed automatic available as an option. With the manual, the car achieves 25 mpg in city, 37 mpg on the highway and 29 mpg on combined cycle. With the automatic, it returns 26 mpg in city, 38 mpg on highway and 30 mpg on combined cycle.

    The standard equipment includes a push-button start, air conditioning with a pollen filter, power windows with a driver-side one-touch up/down feature, a tilt-and-telescopic adjustable steering column, steering-wheel-mounted audio and cruise control functions, 17” alloy wheels as well as auxiliary and USB connection ports.

    When equipped with the optional SKYACTIV-Drive automatic, other added features include Bluetooth phone/audio connectivity, a 5.8” color touch screen display, a rearview camera, HD Radio Technology, Pandora, Radio Broadcast Data System program information, SMS text message receipt/delivery, E911 automatic emergency notification and audio menu voice command.

    The mid-range i-Touring is priced from $24,495 and it adds 19” alloys, dual-zone automatic climate control with rear seat vents, 6-way power driver’s seat and leather-trimmed sport seats.

    The top-of-range i-Grand Touring is $29,495 – power moonroof, bi-xenon HID headlights, rear lip spoiler, heated front seats and a four-way power front passenger seat.

    Source: Mazda

  • 2013 Maserati Quattroporte vs 2013 Jaguar XJ [video]

    The Quattroporte is the fastest four-door production car in the world. It is powered by either V6 twin-turbocharged or V8 twin-turbocharged. The first will be available in several months, so the car in the video is with the mighty V8.

    The V8 twin-turbocharged direct-injected 3.8 liter has 530HP (390 kW) at 6,500RPM and 650Nm (479 lb-ft) of torque at 2,000RPM or 710Nm with overboost function. 0-100 km/h in 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 309 km/h (191 mph).

    The V6 twin-turbocharged direct-injected 3.0 liter is with 409HP (301 kW) and 550Nm (406 lb-ft) at 5,500RPM of torque at 1,750RPM. 0-100 km/h in 5.1 seconds and a top speed of 285 km/h (177 mph).

    Both engines get an 8-speed automatic transmission.

    The new Quattroporte is now just 1860 kg (4,101 lbs) with V6 and 1900 kg (4189 lbs) with V8 engine.

    The price is around £110,000.

    The 2013 Jaguar XJ has a 5.0 liter supercharged V8 with 510HP (375 kW) at 6,000RPM and 625Nm (461 lb-ft) of torque at 2,500RPM. 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) – electronically limited.

    The price is around £95 000, which is £15,000 cheaper than the Maserati.

    Which is better?

    Find out in the video below, where Mr. Steve Sutcliffe explains everything.

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Uf-ZqBpHJc

    Source: Autocar.co.uk via Youtube

  • Refreshed: 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet

    2014-Mercedes-Benz-E-Class-Cabriolet-THUMBMercedes-Benz has just exclusively revealed its refreshed versions of the new 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet. The completely revised models feature powerful and efficient BlueDIRECT four-cylinder engines with pioneering injection technology and trend-setting assistance systems.

    They come under the name “Intelligent drive” and offer the driver the help to prevent accidents with crossing vehicles or pedestrians, Active Lane Keeping Assist or anti-glare, permanent high-beam headlamps, for example.

    The main new design element of the facelifted versions is the revised front with new headlamps comprising a single headlamp lens over all functional elements. The headlamps are fitted with anti-dazzle LED lights.

    Furthermore, the new front bumpers with a more pronounced V-shape and large air intakes are also a highlight here. The front has autonomous, sporty face, while at the same time emphasising the close affinity between the Coupé and Cabriolet.

    In addition, the tail lamps and a wide-effect rear bumper with “wing design” and chrome-look are also new. They serve to underline the powerful and sporty appearance of these models. All in all, the exterior of this E-Claass retains the classic proportions.

    The interiors of course have been also enhanced and improved so that they now deliver a greater comfort and luxurious feeling. The designers have used here stylish materials which dominate alongside clean-cut surfaces and the two-part trim which stretches across the entire dashboard. I

    Additionally, it is also seeable that the center console is redesigned. Now it includes a selector lever, as well as a three-spoke multifunction steering wheel with Directt Select lever and shift paddles in conjunction with automatic transmission.

    It is also important to mention a new feature in the cabriolet model, where an acoustic soft top is included. It has a high-grade insulation and ensures that even at high speeds, only very little wind noise is heard in the interior.

    Next, lets review the security and safety features. Here are include the Stereo Multi-Purpose Camera in the vicinity of the rear-view mirror, which provides a three-dimensional view up to around 50 metres in front of the vehicle; Collision Prevention Assist – a radar-based collision warning system with adaptive brake assist systems; Attention Assist – informs the driver about their level of fatigue and the amount of driving time.

    Not to mention the Distronic Plus that helps taking the burden off the driver when it comes to keeping the vehicle in its lane; the Brake Assist system Bas Plus with Junction Assist – detects crossing traffic and pedestrians and boost the braking power; PRE-SAFE® Brake which detects pedestrians and initiate autonomous braking to avoid a collision at speeds up to 31 mph; PRE-SAFE® PLUS, which recognises an imminent rear-end collision.

    In addition, there is also the Active Lane Keeping Assist – it detects when the adjacent lane is occupied; Active Blind Spot Assist; Adaptive Highbeam Assist PLUS; Active Parking Assist; Traffic Sign Assist.

    More importantly, the new E-Clas Coupe and Cabrio can be equipped with wide choice of powerful petrol and diesel engines. All are highly efficient and equipped with the ECO start/stop system. In the beginning there will be petrol engines available: the E 200 BlueEFFICIENCY and E 250 BlueEFFICIENCY, and three diesel engines: the E 220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY, E 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY and E 350 BlueTEC.

    Here what is new is the BlueDIRECT four-cylinder petrol engine with spray-guided direct injection. It includes fast-acting piezo injectors for multiple injection, quick multi-spark ignition, turbocharging, fully variable camshaft adjustment on the inlet and exhaust side, as well as a controlled oil pump.

    The engines will mated with either a six-speed manual transmission with high ease of shifting and short shift travel, and the 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission with DIRECT SELECT lever and DIRECT SELECT shift paddles.

    At last, in terms of suspension, these Mercedes-Benz models are fitted with the Agility Control with selective damping system. The shock absorbers adapt to road surface conditions, and in this way it ensures a high level of ride comfort. Sporty handling is enabled while still delivering the comfort on long journeys that is typical of the brand.

    In addition, the E-Class models will be equipped with the electromechanical Direct-Steer system as standard. The latter combines speed dependent power assistance from speed-sensitive steering systems with a steering ratio that varies with the steering angle. This ensures more direct response, comfortable handling and high levels of steering comfort.

    Source: Mercedes-Benz

  • Prior Design Mercedes-Benz C-Class Black Edition Revealed!

    Prior-Design-Mercedes-Benz-C-THUMBPrior Design Mercedes-Benz C-Class Black Edition is the first vehicle that the tuners from Prior Design are revealing for this year. It is red, it is exceptional and it includes a one-of-a-kind aerodynamic package.

    The latter is created especially for this Mercedes-Benz and is made of Dura-Flex, which is a high quality material, characterized by excellent surface structure. This delivers sufficient flexibility and stability.

    In particular the package comprises of the following elements: PD Black Edition front bumper (spoiler and LED Daytime running lights Slim-Line are included), PD Black Edition rear bumper with diffuser, PD Black Edition side skirts, PD Black Edition rear widenings, PD Black Edition front fenders and mounting material.

    Source: Prior Design

  • Revozport Mercedes-Benz W166 ML63 Rezonance Delivers 600 Horsepower

    Revozport-Mercedes-Benz-THUMBRevozport Mercedes-Benz W166 ML63 Rezonance can be considered as the fastest and best looking ML. Originally it is equipped with V8 turbo-engine, which delivered 525 horsepower. After the enhancements done on the unit by Revozport, it is now capable of generating the mind-blowing 600 horsepower.

    The specialists have done this by thy putting in a new carbon induction system, engine management mapping and a complete titanium exhaust. Furthermore, in order to complete the improvement of this Mercedes-Benz, they have completed its design with a new set of aerokit.

    The name of the latter is Rezonance ML, which includes a new double deck carbon fibre front splitter, 30 mm wider carbon over fender kit, bespoke 22” forged alloy wheels and 13J x 335 tires.

    At the rear one can see a complete 3 element diffuser in carbon fibre, a trunk roof spoiler and exhaust system in complete Titanium. Other parts includes carbon mirror cover and front grills.

    Source: Revozport

  • Citroen DS3 Red Editions – UK Price £15,655

    Citroen has announced the DS3 DStyle Red and DS3 DSport Red in the United Kingdom. Both versions of the small hatchback will come with exclusive styling cues and additional standard equipment. The special edition DS3 Red range is available now, priced from just £15,655.

    The special editions DS3 will be available exclusively in Polar White or Perla Nera Black. They are distinguished by unique alloy wheels and “Sport Red” accents on the roof, mirrors and grille.

    DS3 DStyle Red models are available, as standard, with Citroen’s ‘Connect Signature’ pack, which includes Bluetooth and USB connectivity, plus an enhanced Hi-Fi system and additional speakers for superior sound quality.

    The ‘City Signature’ pack, which comes as standard on DSport Red versions, consists of automatic headlights and wipers, rear parking sensors, electric heated and folding door mirrors, an electrochrome rear view mirror, interior mood lighting and a front central armrest. All DSport Red versions are also specified, as standard, with Bluetooth, USB connectivity and the same enhanced Hi-Fi system as specified in DStyle Red.

    The engine range includes a VTi 120 petrol engine or an e-HDi 90 diesel engine for the DStyle Red and powerful THP 155 petrol engine or an e-HDi 115 diesel for DSport Red.

    ENGINE OPTIONS & PRICES

    DS3 RED VERSION ECONOMY
    (COMBINED)
    CO2
    EMISSIONS
    MRR OTR
    PRICE
    VTi 120 manual DStyle Red 47.9mpg 136g/km £15,655
    e-HDi 90 Airdream manual DStyle Red 76.3mpg 98g/km £15,855
    THP 155 6-speed manual DSport Red 47.1mpg 135g/km £17,780
    e-HDi 115 Airdream 6-speed manual DSport Red 74.4mpg 99g/km £18,060

    The only cost option available for DS3 Red models is Perla Nera Black pearlescent paint at £480.

    Source: Citroen