Motorward |
- Peugeot 207 Named Europe’s Most Reliable Car
- 2012 Ford Focus ‘Doug Puppet’ Promotional Videos
- 2011 Mazda3 Named IIHS Top Safety Pick
- Audi A8 L Showcases In-Car LTE Broadband Connection
- Hamann Tweaks New BMW 6 Series Convertible
- Vauxhall Astra Gets In-Dash PC
- Chevrolet Colorado Concept Revealed
- New Lingenfelter Supercharger For Dodge Challenger
- Porsche 911 Turbo S “Edition 918 Spyder”
- Production Porsche 918 Spyder Priced at 645,000 Euro
- Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe Video
| Peugeot 207 Named Europe’s Most Reliable Car Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:49 AM PDT
Well, apparently things have changed. This might be a bit of a surprise for those who have owned or dealt with a Peugeot or indeed any French car in the past decade, but they are now topping reliability surveys! Peugeot 207 has just been announced as Europe’s most reliable car by Warranty Direct, the first direct consumer warranty company to operate in the UK. Their research to find the most reliable European car was actually very thorough as they analysed more than 20,000 live policies on three to seven year old cars made by European manufacturers and compared claims for repairs.. To measure a car's overall reliability and running costs, Warranty Direct's Reliability Index reviews rates of failure, average mileage, age and repair cost to calculate its rating for the Reliability Index. Other Peugeots that managed to secure a decent place in the survey were the 206 CC in 3rd and the 107 at 9th. That is astonishing because in the olden days the Peugeots were commonly known as badly made, unreliable vehicles with trims that keep falling off! The Warranty Direct survey reveals that the enormous popularity of Peugeot's top-selling supermini is down to more than its good looks, economy, practicality and fun-to-drive nature. It also displays exemplary dependability, with owners experiencing just a 6% repair rate in an average year. That compares particularly well with the runner up, the Fiat Panda, which showed a 14% rate.
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| 2012 Ford Focus ‘Doug Puppet’ Promotional Videos Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:24 AM PDT
It’s always great adding a bit of humor to an otherwise dreary thing, like promoting a family hatchback for example! Now Ford has taken a new approach to this and decided to make fun of themselves by hiring a puppet called Doug, who’s apparently is the 2012 Focus spokesman. I think you are starting to get the picture here. We kinda liked this little fella, even though the guys who write his scripts need some tweaking! Hit the jump for videos. First let’s see how they found the guy in the first place: Now he gets into business: |
| 2011 Mazda3 Named IIHS Top Safety Pick Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:06 AM PDT
The revised and updated Mazda3 ModelYear 2011 has been tested and certified by IIHS as a “Top Safety Pick”. The hugely popular sedan and hatchback scored “Good” in all four tests conducted. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) evaluates cars on front, side and rear impact crash tests as well as a roof strength test (implemented in 2010), which measures occupant protection in the event of a rollover and rates them based on the scores they achieve in each given test. Only vehicles equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) are eligible for testing. 2011 Mazda3 comes with a wide range of safety features that makes it as safe as a Top Safety Pick award. All 2011 Mazda3 and MAZDASPEED3 models are equipped with a high level of standard safety features, which include six airbags (advanced dual front, front-seat mounted and full-length side curtain), anti-lock brakes (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with a Traction Control System (TCS), front and rear stabilizer bars, a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), a "crushable" brake and accelerator pedal assembly and collapsible steering column, three-point safety belts for all seating positions, front seatbelt pretensioners with force limiters as well as Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH). More details on 2011 Mazda3: Starting at $15,800, the Mazda3 sedan is equipped with a powerful and fuel efficient 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that offers 148 horsepower with 135 lb.-ft. of torque and an estimated EPA fuel economy rating of 25 city/33 highway (MT) and 24 city/33 highway (AT). A larger 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine boasting 167 horsepower and 168 lb.-ft. of torque also is available for the Mazda3 sedan but standard on the five-door model. The Mazda3 hatchback starts at $20,045 and is rated with an EPA fuel economy of 20 city/28 highway (MT) and 22 city/29 highway (AT). Topping the line is the MAZDASPEED3, available only as a five-door model and equipped with a direct-injected, turbocharged 2.3-liter engine producing 267-hp and 280 lb.-ft. of torque. |
| Audi A8 L Showcases In-Car LTE Broadband Connection Posted: 21 Mar 2011 09:33 AM PDT
Audi has prepared an A8 L long wheelbase prototype featuring the broadband internet with long-term evolution (LTE) technology to showcase how the production version will work. For those of you who might not know, LTE is a next generation mobile broadband communication technology that is faster than current 3G systems. It offers data transfer speeds of up to 100Mbps, which is similar to a fixed-line broadband connection. In plain English it means passengers can use the LTE broadband connection to stream music, high-definition videos and other data on up to six computer or mobile phone devices with ease. Current 3G connections can only offer data transfer speeds of around 14.4Mbps. This prototype has successfully passed tests of streaming high-def video and notoriously large data streams just like a fully equipped office. Except you will be more comfortable in this car than in your office! This car is a webmaster’s wet dream! Guys like us, we can get so much work done while traveling between places. Mind you, if you buy one of these Audis you have to be working 24/7 because it is hugely expensive.
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| Hamann Tweaks New BMW 6 Series Convertible Posted: 21 Mar 2011 08:56 AM PDT
Hamann released pictures of a new 2012 BMW 6 Series Convertible they are working on. This is just a preview and details of it are yet to be released, still it looks pretty good with Hamann wheels. This is a very good looking car but I’m afraid it marks a very sad event. Richard Hamann, founder and CEO of Hamann Motorsport, recently passed away at the age of 53 after a severe illness. He was an automotive genius and a great entrepreneur. May he Rest In Peace.
Here’s the pictures of the 6er Cabrio in different Hamann wheels. It also appears to be fitted with a new exhaust system featuring a pair of big double tailpipes. Later in the year we will also see a body kit and different performance upgrades for both 640 and 650 models. In the mean time, enjoy the aesthetics of Hamann 6 Series.
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| Vauxhall Astra Gets In-Dash PC Posted: 21 Mar 2011 08:25 AM PDT
Vauxhall decided iPads are not enough as an in-car computing needs. So they went one step further and installed a rugged PC in the dashboard of the Astra! Mind you it’s not for everyone, just fleet customers. The computer they’ve put in the Astra is a Panasonic Toughbook CF-19, market-leading, rotating screen, convertible notebook, which sets a benchmark in rugged mobile computing. It is equipped with WiFi and 3G broadband which makes it a perfect tool for field operations. Using this system staff can be always connected to the main office. It becomes very handy for law enforcement, for example they can log crimes in real time, or check status of a person or a car in the database.
The Toughbook fits into a docking station, which is mounted in the glove box of the Astra. The Toughbook can be easily removed and this allows the laptop screen to be viewed in both upright and downward positions. When out on the road, officers can use it to access the same systems that are available in the office, so they can be alerted to incidents as soon as they are reported, and can therefore respond in the quickest time possible. The Toughbook is linked to an 8.4" high resolution touch screen positioned in the Astra dashboard. Not only is the screen located in easy reach of the driver or passenger, it's mounted flush in the dash to meet all legal and safety regulations.
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| Chevrolet Colorado Concept Revealed Posted: 21 Mar 2011 08:15 AM PDT
As promised Chevrolet revealed the new Colorado show truck ahead of its debut at the Bangkok International Auto Show in Thailand. And first things first, it looks awesome! The concept model previews the the next-generation Colorado midsize pickup truck. Not sure how much the finished product will stay loyal to this design, but even if it inherits 50 percent of it, it’ll b great. The Colorado will first go on sale in Thailand in late 2011 which according to Chevy is the world's-largest market for midsize pickups. With the concept car designers had no boundaries so they’ve put 20-inch wheels on it, and gave it an amazing high-stance profile and an extended cab. Although it might look that it’s designed for more showing off than doing hard work, but Chevrolet promises it has excellent cargo and towing capability. It is powered by an efficient 2.8L turbo-diesel engine, which produces a broad torque band and benefits form AWD system. This pickup seems to be a perfect rival for Ford Ranger Wildtrak.
Additional exterior details include: * A streamlined "cab collar" design with a body-color hard tonneau cover on the bed * Gray accents on the side, front and rear lower moldings * 20-inch aluminum wheels featuring a "liquid metal" finish, with Stone Gray color wheel ports * Cooper 285/50R20 ZEON LTZ tires * Outside mirrors with LED turn-signal indicators. Inside, there's another signature Chevrolet cue: a dual-cockpit instrument panel design. It flows into the doors, with continuous lines that create a floating, wraparound effect, amplifying the Colorado's feeling of spaciousness. Ice-blue lighting and high-quality, "double-faced" leather-trimmed seats add sophistication and refinement. Additional features include a dual-zone, digital climate control system and the latest in "infotainment" technology. The show truck highlights an ergonomically positioned 7-inch LCD display in the center stack, for easy viewing and intuitive control of Web access, navigation, music and hands-free phone features.
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| New Lingenfelter Supercharger For Dodge Challenger Posted: 21 Mar 2011 05:22 AM PDT
The old American tuner Lingenfelter announced a brand-new supercharger package for the 5.7 and 6.1 liter Hemi-powered Challengers. It gives them the same sort of power as a 2011 Challenger 392. The new Magnuson TVS 2300 intercooled supercharger kit is already tested on a 6.1 liter Challenger and upped the power from a dyno-tested 373-hp and 355 lb-ft of torque to over 500 rear wheel horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque. Lingenfelter’s supercharger kit features 160 degree thermostat, properly sized fuel injectors and a high flow air intake system. It comes as standard with a black casing which looks kinda cheap really. But don’t worry because they do offer a magnificent chrome finishing that enhances your Challenger’s under bonnet looks. Lingenfelter says that with more boost and a few more adjustment this kit is capable of even more output. Also to assure you their work is of high quality, they offer a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty for the package. Pricing has not been announced. "Our engineering specialists are able to tune today's Challengers to deliver increased performance, as demonstrated when the Lingenfelter 6.1L Challenger recently ran a best of 12.03-seconds at 120 mph at the Muncie Dragway in Indiana," said Owner Ken Lingenfelter. "With more than 30 years of expertise in fine-tuning engines, we have the capabilities to give auto enthusiasts more speed, greater power and enhanced overall performance." |
| Porsche 911 Turbo S “Edition 918 Spyder” Posted: 21 Mar 2011 04:57 AM PDT
So the order book is open for the Porsche 918 Spyder. But it’s still a long time away, so to keep the customers amused until then Porsche has come up with a special version of the 911 Turbo S called "Edition 918 Spyder". Inspired by the 918, this special edition too is limited to 918 units. The 918-inspired bits in this car include the distinctive acid green features such as the specific and part-embroidered model logos and seams, the instrument cluster needles, the specific PCM screen and illuminated door entry guards. The limited edition badge on the glove compartment lid bears the same number as the 918 Spyder the customer has ordered. The 911 Turbo S "Edition 918 Spyder" can also be ordered in the same colour. Available as both coupe and cabriolet variants, Porsche 911 Turbo S "Edition 918 Spyder" is powered by the same 530 hp (295 kW) engine as the normal Turbo S models and also like them, they are fully equipped with almost every option Porsche offers for the 911. Deliveries of this model start in June 2011. The coupe will cost you 173,241 Euro and the Cabrio 184,546 Euro. So taking the price of the Spyder into account, your Porsche 918 love will cost you in the neighborhood of 1 million Euro!
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| Production Porsche 918 Spyder Priced at 645,000 Euro Posted: 21 Mar 2011 04:45 AM PDT
Porsche announced today that in response to outstanding customer response to the concept car, they are going to produce a limited number of Porsche 918 Spyder. They will make 918 units of the futuristic hybrid sports car and the orders book are open now. Priced from 645,000 Euro before tax, the 918 Spyder deliveries will begin in November 2013. Production is initialised in the same sequence in which orders are received and is scheduled to commence on 18 September 2013. Porsche promises the same amazing figures of the concept car for the production version as well. That means 918 offers a combined output of 718 bhp, while fuel consumption remains as low as 3 liters/100 km or 94 mpg with CO2 emissions of 70 g/km (112 g/mile). That is simply unbelievable! Even more astonishing is the performance. It accelerates from a standing start to 100 km/h (62 mph) in a maximum of 3.2 seconds and has a top speed of more than 320 km/h (199 mph). Even in pure electric mode it has a top speed of 150 km/h (94 mph). They reckon it will lap Nurburgring Nordschleife in less than seven minutes and 30 seconds. This is a worthy successor for the great Porsche Carrera GT.
For you to get a clearer picture how Porsche has managed to arrive at such an amazing compromise between mind-bending performance and great fuel economy, here’s more details on the 918′s hybrid system: The design's DNA is derived from the Carrera GT and Porsche 917 sports car as well as the RS Spyder and is very closely modelled on the 2010 concept car. Unlike the concept car, however, the production version of the two-seater, based on a carbon fibre-reinforced plastic monocoque, features a manual roof system with removable roof panels that can be stowed in the front luggage compartment. The 918 Spyder is driven by a unique type of plug-in hybrid system. It comprises a high-revving V8 engine with a displacement exceeding four litres and output of more than 368 kW (500 hp). The mid-engine power unit is based on the racing engine of the successful Porsche RS Spyder, which provided impressive proof of its efficiency with its multiple victories in the Michelin Green X Challenge in the American Le Mans Series, the Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Power transmission to the rear wheels is by means of a compact, seven gear Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK). This is complemented by two electric motors – one each on the front and rear axle – with a joint mechanical output of at least 160 kW (218 hp). This configuration offers an innovative, variable all-wheel drive with independent control of the propulsion force on both axles. The energy storage unit is a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery that can be charged from a conventional domestic power socket, delivering a range in excess of 25 km (16 miles) in the NEDC on purely electric power. The charging time depends on the country-specific mains network, being approximately three hours in Germany, for example. A quick charging option is planned to reduce charging time yet further.
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| Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:24 AM PDT The first official video of the new Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe is now out and it’s quite interesting. It features the car, obviously, and a Ducati bike. Why a Ducati you may ask, because AMG has established a long-term partnership with the Italian brand. The footage also includes some amazing scenery and what’s possibly the world’s greatest driving road. As for the car, you will find all the details you need by Clicking Here. Tell you what, if you don’t feel like reading there is another video after the jump that explains the car in brief.
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