Showing posts with label cars news. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cars news. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
If Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche's dream comes true, Mercedes-Benz is on course to become the world�s leading premium car maker both in sales as well as in profits. As Automotive News reports, Zetsche sent a letter to the firm's employees admitting that chief competitors Audi and BMW are growing faster than Mercedes.
"Some of our competitors are now growing faster and more profitably than we are. Granted, those are just snapshots in time and should not be overestimated. After all, many of our best new products are yet to come" Zetsche wrote in the letter.
But he didn�t stop there: �We can�t be content to be in a solid second or even third place. We are Daimler � we should be far ahead of the pack! And if it requires something we don�t have, we�ll identify and develop it�.
Currently the premium car market is enjoying great success mostly due to the boom in China and the rebound of the US market. However, Mercedes-Benz global sales, despite increasing by 9.7% to 610,531 units in the first half of the year, still trail those of BMW (689,861 deliveries) and Audi (652,970 units).
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As a result, the Soho nameplate has now been applied to the three-door hatchback and soft-top convertible model, both of which will be available in the United Kingdom in Cooper and Cooper D models from now until March 2012.
The Soho editions sport an exclusive �White Silver� metallic paint, which is not available on any other current MINI Hatch or Convertible model, as well as 17-inch Black Star Bullet alloy wheels, Bi-Xenon headlights with black interior reflectors and white indicators.
As for the interior, the two MINI Soho models gain Anthracite headlining, a 3-Spoke sport leather steering wheel and �Piano Black� interior surfaces.
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Monday, August 1, 2011
However, Car&Driver magazine is now reporting that it has received confirmation from "several reliable sources within Audi" that the new A6 Hybrid will be sold in the USA starting from next year with a price "somewhere north of $55,000".
It is believed that the U.S.-spec model will be similar to the European version that also goes on sale in 2012.
The European model employs a parallel hybrid concept combining a 2.0-liter TFSI gasoline engine delivering 211-horses and 350 Nm (258.15 lb-ft) with an electric motor that produces an output of 33 kW (45 hp) and 211 Nm (155.63 lb-ft) of torque.
Directly mounted behind one another, the four-cylinder gasoline engine and the electric motor have a brief combined system output of 245HP (180kW) and 480 Nm (354.03 lb-ft). A modified 8-speed tiptronic transmission transfers power to the front wheels.
The electric motor draws energy from a lithium-ion battery system, which weighs in at 36.7 kg (80.91 lb) and is located in the collision-protected area under the luggage compartment. Audi says the luggage capacity is 375 liters (13.24 cu. ft), which is significantly less than the regular model's 530 liters (18.7 cu.ft).
What you get in return is a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of 7.3 seconds and a top speed of 238 km/h (148mph), but more importantly, a combined fuel economy in the European cycle of less than 6.4 liters per 100 km (36.75 US mpg) with CO2 emissions of less than 146 grams per km (234.96 g/mile).
In addition, Audi says that the A6 Hybrid can be driven up to 100 km/h (62mph) under electric power alone.
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Friday, July 29, 2011
As with anything else in life, sometimes it pays off, sometimes it does not and our amateur producers are left with a bitter taste in the mouth.
This particular video sent in by one of our readers caught our attention mainly due to the fact that there were two young females in the red Ferrari F430 and to a lesser extent, the rather mediocre parking job. If you have a few minutes to spare, watch it after the jump.
VIDEO
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Looking at these photos, if there's one thing that stands out it�s that, unlike the exterior, which is an evolution of the current B-Class, the interior has been completely redesigned and features a more modern styling and premium feel than the sober cabin of today's model.
Mercedes-Benz says its new Advanced Design Studio in Como, Italy played a significant role in the interior design of the new B-Class.
The company added that the cabin also sports higher-quality materials and can be customized with numerous features and options such as covering the dashboard in hand-stitched ARTICO man-made leather.
The new B-Class, which continues to use the current versions sandwich floor, will be making its world premiere at the IAA in Frankfurt in mid September before Mercedes-Benz rolls it out to European dealerships in November this year.
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The redesigned five-door hatchback will launch with a choice of three diesel and two petrol engines, with on-the-road prices starting from �19,375 for a 116i ES rising to �24,720 for a 120d Urban or a 120d Sport.
The new 1er is 83mm longer, 14mm wider and 30mm longer in the wheelbase than its predecessor, with BMW saying it offers increased cabin dimensions and greater interior comfort.
In addition, 2012 1-Series has 30 litres more luggage space compared to its forerunner, for a total capacity of 360 litres, which can be increased to a maximum of 1,200-litres by lowering the rear seats.
There are five available engines at launch, all turbocharged. The petrol lineup includes a 1.6-liter unit delivering 136HP in the 116i for a 0-62mph (100km/h) sprint time of 8.5 seconds and a combined fuel consumption of 49.6mpg UK, and 170HP in the 118i (0-62mph in 7.4 seconds, 47.9mpg UK).
The diesel range comprises of a 2.0-liter turbo diesel available in three flavors with 116HP in the 116d, 143HP in the 118d, and 184HP in the 120d.
All models are rear-wheel drive and available transmissions include a six-speed manual or a new eight-speed automatic.
BMW UK said it expects to sell approximately 20,000 1 Series five-door models in its first full year on sale.
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Infiniti's dedicated Facebook page says that aside from the initial sketch, we're going to see a total of 7 live photos of the JX before it is officially unveiled in concept trim at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in California on August 18.
Not counting the sketch, the company has released four photos of the crossover model, so three more to go.
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However, Mercedes has even bigger plans for the Tuscaloosa plant. According to Autonews Europe, sources within the company revealed that it aims to add a fifth model (after the M-, R-, GL- and C-Class) to its Alabama factory production line in 2015.
This model, currently code-named C166, will be based on the M-Class SUV but will feature a more dramatic styling with a coupe-like roofline. Its rival is obvious: the BMW X6.
In 2010, the Bavarians sold 46,404 units of the X6 and 102,178 of its more conventional SUV, the X5, both of which are manufactured in the US. Therefore, it is only logical for Mercedes-Benz to want a piece of the cake that BMW is currently enjoying on its own.
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German tuning house CoverEFX has just launched a new package for the MINI Cooper S Mk1 that includes both cosmetic and performance modifications.
The transformation begins on the outside with a flat gunmetal grey vinyl wrap for the body contrasted by the orange colored roof and front fenders as well as the glossy black trim for the aero package and body trim.
The smoked out lights and the new 17-inch multispoke alloy wheels in black with an orange rim further enhance the car's looks.
Under the hood, the MINI's 1.6-liter turbocharged engine is boosted to 240-horsepower while the three-door hatch rides on a lowered sports suspension.
The total cost of the package is set at �8,000 which comes to around US$11,400.
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