Motorward |
- 400,000th Ford Focus Produced In Russia
- Video: BMW Heat Test at Death Valley
- BMW 120i Coupe For Australia
- Paris City Office Employs Plug-in Hybrids
- Maserati Quattroporte Replacement Set For IAA Debut
- Ford Fiesta 2012 Personalization Package
- Mazda MX-5 GT Britcar Racer
- Fisker Karma Production Begins
- All Volvo Models Get Garmin Navigation Kit
- Mercedes SLS GT3 Walkaround Video
- Video: Lamborghini Aventador Shooting Commercial In California Desert
- Dr. Dre Wrecks Ferrari 360 In New Music Video
| 400,000th Ford Focus Produced In Russia Posted: 23 Mar 2011 09:26 AM PDT
The wildly popular Ford Focus achieves a new record as Ford’s Russian plant in Vsevolozhsk, near St. Petersburg produces the 400,000th unit. The Focus has been the best-selling car in Russia manufactured in the country by a non-domestic manufacturer for the past seven years. That record belongs to the now previous generation Focus, as it’s being replaced by the all-new 2012 model in Europe and America. They also begin making the new generation later this year. The Current Ford Focus is produced in Russia in all three body styles: five-door, four-door and wagon. The amazing performance of the car in sales in other parts f the world apart form Europe and America is the biggest advantage for it to post incredible cumulative sales figures. If it wasn’t for markets like Russia or China, or more recently Thailand, car makers would struggle with those numbers! Ford was the first foreign manufacturer to start vehicle production in Russia. More than 2,700 employees current work at the Vsevolozhsk plant. Each day, the plant produces about 300 cars in two shifts. Total Focus output at the plant last year was 70,000 units.
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| Video: BMW Heat Test at Death Valley Posted: 23 Mar 2011 08:36 AM PDT BMW USA offers inside scoop on some of the toughest tests their cars have to pass before they become production ready. For the extreme heat testing the team of engineers and test drivers head to the Death Valley in America. They could have done the same in the middle east as well, but Death Valley allows them to devise tougher tests since it has less humidity and it also has lots of hills. So it’s actually a heat/ hill climb test combo! See how it goes down. |
| Posted: 23 Mar 2011 08:27 AM PDT
From May Australians too will get the entry-level BMW 120i Coupe as it joins the lineup of 123d,125i and 135i M Sport in that corner of the world. Australians have bought 6100 units of 1er coupe and cabrio since its launch in 2008. The BMW 120i Coupe is powered by a double VANOS and Valvetronic-enables 2.0 liter four-cylinder engine that makes 115 kW or very nearly155 hp.Priced at $47,400 AUD, this basic 1 Series is the most affordable BMW Coupé offered for sale in Australia but it’s not like they’ve skipped on equipments. Standard equipment includes 17-inch light-alloy wheels, sports seats with electric backrest, Boston leather upholstery, sports leather steering wheel, cruise control, rear parking sensors, fog lights, ambient lighting package, 60:40 split-fold rear seats, storage compartment package, rain sensor, Bluetooth, USB, 6-speaker stereo system and BMW's full complement of active and passive safety equipment including brake force display as well as warning triangle and first aid kit. |
| Paris City Office Employs Plug-in Hybrids Posted: 23 Mar 2011 08:06 AM PDT
To cut the emissions and costs, and also to encourage people to buy more hybrid vehicles, the City of Paris is going to use Toyota Prius and other PHVs for official duties. They are very cautious making this move though, as they will testing three cars for the next three years before approving it! Three Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles (PHV) will be used by various departments of the City Office to validate the relevance and performance of this technology among the sustainable mobility solutions used in the French capital. This is part of a larger program to expand use of PHV technology and its charging infrastructure, which already includes more than 100 PHVs in France, and a dedicated charging infrastructure. Also for Toyota this is a part of a global project involving 600 Prius Plug-in Hybrids, in preparation for its upcoming mass-market introduction, also deployed in Japan, the United States, Canada, Australia and in 17 other European countries. In France this project is supported financially by the French Environment and Energy Management Agency ADEME. They have started a program in 2008 to test future technologies allowing the reduction of greenhouse gases, and this is a big step in reaching that goal.
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| Maserati Quattroporte Replacement Set For IAA Debut Posted: 23 Mar 2011 05:49 AM PDT
Even though Maserati Quattroporte is looking better than always these days – maybe because most of the new luxury sedans are boring – that design is like six years old and the Italian company has to change it in order to keep things fresh. According a report by InsideLine, Maserati will reveal the successor to the Quattroporte at this year’s IAA Frankfurt Motor Show. That is one of the three new models they have in the works to expand their portfolio. As for the details of the new Quattroporte, insiders reveal that it’s no longer designed by Pininfarina. The car’s designed and developed in-house by Maserati, drawing inspirations from Masser GranTurismo. That’s both good and bad. Good because the GT is a great looking car, and bad because it means the charming looks of the current Quattroporte will be gone. The current model never looked pretty at all, but better than that it always looked exceedingly cool. This is the sort of car a Godfather would drive! Maserati will also retain the current V8 engine, although they will tweak it for better fuel consumption. Maserati apparently wants to shift the Quattroporte upmarket, to compete with cars like Porsche Panamera, Aston Rapide and Mercedes S65. It’s not like the Quattroporte has been rivaling BMW 3 Series or Mercedes C Class all these years. The Masser is already competing high-end cars in this segment. This idea we think is a trick for Maserati to hike the price a little bit! Sources also suggest that there will be a sort of discount Quattroporte, an entry-level version of the sports sedan, to compete with BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E Class due in 2014. The third addition to Maserati’s lineup will be the Jeep Cherokee-based crossover. via: InsideLine |
| Ford Fiesta 2012 Personalization Package Posted: 23 Mar 2011 05:24 AM PDT
The trendy little Ford Fiesta, like all small cars, has a great potential for personalization and customization. Now Ford has unveiled their 2012 offerings that include two interior packages and one exterior package. A reason for Ford to invest so much in Fiesta’s accessories and options is the fact that to date, more than 26,000 Ford Custom Accessories items have been purchased by Fiesta owners. In other words, 40 percent of buyers purchase at least one accessory for their Fiestas. Maybe that’s because the typical Fiesta buyers are generally young. The new premium sport appearance package takes cues from the European Focus RS with several blacked-out components that feature Tuxedo Black paint, including: Side mirrors, Headlamps, Grille surround, License plate header, and Upper rear hatch spoiler. The package also offers 16-inch polished alloy wheels along with improved performance when ordered with a manual transmission. The package delivers improved performance through a shorter final drive ratio of 4.25 versus the base model at 4.07. That was for the exterior. For the interior, available on high-level Fiesta SEL and SES models, the packages feature high-contrasting interior accent colors in Oxford White or Race Red. The contrast color is used on the center stack bezel, door panels and vent trim rings. The two-tone leather-wrapped steering wheel also offers a color-matched insert with contrast stitching, while the shift knob comes in black leather for even greater distinction. The seats also get the same treatment in addition to a debossed “Fiesta” logo and black leather bolsters. There’s a whole lot more options and accessories for the Fiesta to obtain, such as illuminated gear indicator shift knob that comes with a digital gear display, illuminated door sill plates with an LED Fiesta logo, interior light kit that includes one LED-generated light in the cupholder area and a light bar in the footwells, rear roof spoiler exclusive to the hatchback, four-piece, race-inspired body kit which comes with a sculpted front air dam, side skirts and sleek rear valance, and of course the infamous body-side tattoo graphics as well as Ford Custom Graphics by Original Wraps. I think it’s fair to say no two Fiestas will look the same from now on!
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| Posted: 23 Mar 2011 05:07 AM PDT
Huge popularity of Mazda MX-5 in the United Kingdom made the Japanese company to come up with a racing version of the roadster to compete in the Britcar 24-hour race with. It’s called the Mazda MX-5 GT and it’s a lightweight, stripped-out, race-prepd version of the MX-5 which follows the same recipe as the road car. That means it has a simple rule: shed as much weight possible. So the MX-5 GT weighs just 850 kg. The car will be used by Jota Racing in 2011 Britcar MSA British Endurance Championship. They tested the car to the very details to make sure they arrive at the best power to weight ratio possible. They even dipped the shell in acid to reduce 15 kg off its weight! The result is the lightest and most powerful MX-5 ever built which goes form zero to 60mph in three seconds and can reach a top speed of 160mph. The car is powere dby a 275bhp engine mated to a six speed sequential paddle shift gearbox. In addition to carbon doors and Polycarbonate windows, the car also features FIA approved safety equipment including a roll cage, race seats and harness, external electric cut-off and fire extinguisher, safety catches on the bonnet and boot lids, competition steering wheel and alloy wheels, while the running gear, rear axle, gearbox and engine have been modified to enhance performance.
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| Fisker Karma Production Begins Posted: 23 Mar 2011 01:20 AM PDT
Production of Henrik Fisker’s pride and joy, the Karma, gets underway at Valmet’s plant in Finland. After years of anticipation the first deliveries will arrive at the dealers by next month. Fisker Automotive has signed Valmet Automotive’s plant in Uusikaupunki, Finland, to make the Karma for them. They also make cars under contract for Porsche so there is no worry in terms of Karma’s build quality. To make sure it really is up to the highest standards, Fisker says they are going to ramp up production slowly and carefully to ensure quality. Fisker has set a target of 7,000 sales for this year, which to be honest sounds a bit optimistic, specially after the recent price hikes. The car started out with base price 80,000 USD, but then it was raised to 95,900 USD. A fully loaded version will cost $108,900. Come to think to it though, Tesla asks a 100 grand for their two-seater roadster and no one seems to be complaining about that! So there must be some people out there willing to pay that kind of money for a four-seater luxury sedan which is can travel up to 50 miles purely on electricity and has a range-extended gasoline engine which makes it capable of many more miles at very low emissions. Let’s wait and see how the Karma works in real life, and how it will do in the rapidly growing green car market. via: Autonews |
| All Volvo Models Get Garmin Navigation Kit Posted: 23 Mar 2011 12:45 AM PDT
Instead of going through the hassle of making an advanced infotainment system like most car makers do, Volvo made a deal with Garmin to provide them with professional navigation kits on all current models. This new ultra-thin Garmin navigation kit was first introduced with the S60 and V60 in 2010, but it’s now available as an accessory for the rest of the range. The kit comes with a unique docking unit at the driver's windscreen pillar with built-in speaker and charging. That is a much better place for the navigation screen than the center console. The driver can glance at it like he glances at the speedometer without getting distracted. Garmin kit is also in tune with the time featuring Multi-touch and 3D display. The multi-touch capabilities go far beyond just the classic push-to-zoom. All in all, there are ten convenient multi-touch commands. Major buildings and points of interest are displayed in 3D to enhance overview. In junctions, the driver is conveniently guided to the right lane at the right time. What’s more it features Traffic Message Channel (TMC) radio data technology that will let the driver know if there are traffic disturbances on route and recommend an alternative. Additional unique features are the Volvo start-up logo and Volvo workshop locations displayed. Garmin nüvi Navigation Kit comes in two models, 3790 which is pre-programmed with road cartography for Europe, USA/Canada/Mexico or Russia, or 3760 which has no maps included and you should download them based on your needs. There’s no word on pricing yet.
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| Mercedes SLS GT3 Walkaround Video Posted: 23 Mar 2011 12:28 AM PDT
At this year’s Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Mercedes turned up with a mixed bunch of cars that included different models from fine classics to the new SLS AMG GT3 Race car. They’ve been promoting this car a lot recently, as it will be starting its racing career very soon. Anyone can order a SLS GT3 and establish a racing team, if they have a few million dollars to spare. But you might also get the chance to drive one if you sign up for AMG Academy advanced driving course. Mercedes USA released a walkaorund video in which Assistant Product Manager William Vetter talks you through the features of the SLS GT3. Hit the jump to watch it. |
| Video: Lamborghini Aventador Shooting Commercial In California Desert Posted: 23 Mar 2011 12:14 AM PDT
Edmund’s Inside Line got to spend some behind the scene time with the new Lamborghini Aventador at the car’s official video shoot in California desert. What’s the big deal you might ask, well among all the major supercars we get this year, the Lamborghini is kinda the most important one. Plus they did a good job keeping the car a complete mystery until the very last days before unveiling so it’s an occasion every time we get to see it up close! The car in the video is the same Argos orange color the show car in Geneva Motor Show featured. It is apparently the new yellow for Lamborghini. The aesthetics of this car are just awesome, but we’re completely blown away by it’s magnificent V12 engine, the way it sounds and the way it pulls off the line. Just check out the video below and see how it accelerates on sand. |
| Dr. Dre Wrecks Ferrari 360 In New Music Video Posted: 22 Mar 2011 11:46 PM PDT
While the whole world is still waiting with bated breath for Detox to drop, Dr. Dre releases the second official music video off the album – following Kush – for ‘I Need A Doctor’ song featuring Eminem and Skylar Grey. This video has been on Youtube for less than a month and already got over 19 million hits. The reason we’ve featured it here is a scene at the beginning in which the good doctor crashes a Ferrari 360 Modena. A separate video of the scene is now out showing the stuntman performing the action for real. Dre’s reaction is awesome! Just a relaxed ‘Oh Shit’. Hit the jump for the video of the Ferrari and the music video. And here’s ‘I Need A Doctor’ music video. We hope the rest of Detox sound more like this and less like the ‘Kush’. |
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