Blog

First picture of the Hyundai Coupe

Hyundai will unveil the Genesis Coupe concept car at the Los Angeles Motor Show next week. The concept car will be a preview of the eagerly anticipated new Hyundai Coupe due to go on sale next year, but thanks to a member of the New Tiburon forum, we already know the final design of the future coupe. The anonymous forum member posted some pictures taken during an internal market research event.

Unquestionably Hyundai designers have taken their inspiration from the Japanese competition. The future coupe looks like an Infinity G37 or a Honda Accord. Compared to the current model, the design is more upmarket and shows just how much expertise Hyundai has acquired over the past few years. Sometimes, however, there are visual details that look rather suspicious. On the new coupe, the rear side window shape breaks the general line, although it does provide a greater field of vision.

As reported in a previous post, the future coupe will also go upmarket with its engines. According to the most recent information, the future Hyundai coupe will feature two engines. The entry level will get a 2.0 litre turbocharged 4 cylinder engine that will have an output of 215bhp and a torque of 217ft/lbs. The other engine will be the 3.8 litre V6 engine issued from the Hyundai Grandeur/Azera but boosted at 300 bhp. The V8 engine seems to have disappeared but Hyundai wants its coupe to compete with the Mustang however (?!). Thus, a V8 is a requirement. There is still a chance that the future coupe will feature the Tau V8 unveiled with the Genesis concept car at the last New York Motor Show. In this situation, it might develop 380bhp. Technically, the new coupe is also a big move for Hyundai as the car will switch from front wheel drive to rear wheel drive.
On the US market, the price will be very competitive. The 4 cylinder version will be sold at $19,900 (£9,500) and the V6 engine for $25,900 (£12,300). Unfortunately do not expect the future coupe to be so cheap when it arrives in the UK. Here, the least expensive version starts at £15,772 with a small 1.6 litre petrol engine that produces 103bhp. With only 165bhp, the V6 version still costs £19,597.
November 9, 2007
Fiat unveils redesigned Croma

Here are the first pictures of the facelifted Croma which will be unveiled at the Bologna Motor Show next month. The main changes concern the front face, which adopts the new corporate design. Like the Grande Punto and the Bravo, the new Croma features larger headlights and a new bonnet. The current striped grille is replaced by a new chrome grille. At the back, the bumper gets a bolder shape while the taillights are blacked out.

On the inside, the Croma features a new sportier leather trim and darker wooden panels. The wheel adopts the new Fiat logo as already seen on the Fiat Bravo and Fiat 500.

In terms of technology there are no changes and the current lineup includes the 140bhp 1.8 litre and the 147bhp 2.2 litre for the petrol engines. The diesel units feature the 150bhp 1.9 litre Multijet and the 200bhp 2.4 litre five cylinder unit.

the facelift is minimal and will not change the destiny of the Croma. In the current range it is, and will remain, anonymous.
November 8, 2007
Skoda Superb at the next Geneva Motor Show

Skoda will unveil the next-generation Superb model at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show. With this new flagship, the Volkswagen subsidiary wants to compete with Volvo and this time it will not repeat the mistake made with the current model. The future Superb will not be a Passat with a facelift, but rather a true original model. Indeed, it has been developed from the very beginning as a completely new vehicle.

Thanks to pictures revealed by the Czech press a few months ago, the Superb’s design is known. The car will feature a conservative design that will mix two opposite worlds: practicality and luxury. Practically comes in the form of a hatchback with a large boot while luxury is offered via a large grill and an upmarket design.
On the inside, the next Superb will also feature an upmarket cabin finished in soft-touch plastics. In order to avoid a straight comparison with the Passat, the future flagship will feature unique dials and climate controls.
The next Skoda Superb is a big move for Skoda. The current model was a favourite choice for taxis thanks to its roominess and low price tag. Thanks to its upmarket treatment, the next model might be a threat for Volvo, but also for other carmakers like Ford, Renault, Citroën, Peugoet and Volkswagen.
November 8, 2007
First pictures of the redesigned Sonata

Here are the first images of the redesigned Hyundai Sonata. It is thought that the revamped saloon might be unveiled at the Los Angeles Motor Show in a couple of weeks.

The only picture available of the outside shows the front side of the car. The main changes focus on moving the car upmarket. The grille has been enlarged and features a new frame which takes its inspiration from the Azera model. The headlights are also larger and there are new fog-lights. The bottom front fender is wider than the current model.

At first glance, the biggest changes are inside, with a revamped – and more appealing – dashboard. This time Hyundai has put all its expertise into the best dashboard it has ever designed, at least on initial examination. The central console abandons the current cheap curves and buttons in order to adopt a clean shape with aluminum trimmings. Until now the wooden panels used by the Korean carmaker felt cheap. With this new interior, Hyundai seems to have made a real effort.
November 8, 2007
Twin turbo for the next Audi S4?

The future Audi S4 might not get the detuned V8 4.2 FSI used by the Audi S5 (as previously thought?). According to insiders, the S4 is set to inherit an all-new 3.0 litre V6 FSI. Audi engineers are also likely to add a couple of turbochargers, just like BMW has done with the BMW 335.
While the twin turbo chargers seem an obvious choice, some insiders have revealed that Audi is also considering a supercharger. If true, it would mark Audi’s first supercharger in recent years.
No information is available regarding the power but expect at least 300 bhp and probably greater power than the BMW 335 in order to compensate for the weight added by the all-wheel drive system. The future S4 might also get the new Sport Differential Quattro system unveiled last September. The new system distributes torque from the engine independently between the rear wheels, improving the traction. All-wheel drive cars always suffer from understeering. Aware of the problem, Audi engineers have worked on reducing understeering to almost nil. In its normal mode, the Quattro system delivers 40% of torque to the front wheels and 60% to the rears. The user is able to select from three modes: ‘comfort mode’ focusing on stability, ‘auto mode’ offering a balance between stability and handling and ‘dynamic mode’ focusing on the best handling to the detriment of comfort.
The Audi will be unveiled at either the next Geneva Motor Show or the next Paris Motor Show.
Source: Fourtitude
November 8, 2007
New logo for Geely

On Tuesday, the Chinese carmaker Geely unveiled its new logo. Say goodbye to the mountain and welcome the new swirling shape that symbolizes the “corporate concept and spirit” of Geely. While the carmakers spend a lot of money to create a new logo, Geely chose a cheaper and original way to create a new one. In last January, it had launched a contest for designers all over the world to design a new logo. Two months later, two logo had been elected. The first one was a patriotic logo while the second one was more symbolic. The latter one won and the lucky winner is Yue Xian De. He will receive a £23,000 cash prize.
Despite being set up less than ten years ago, this is the third time Geely is changing its logo. The first one generated a complaint from Toyota and three years laters, Geely adopted a new logo that took inspiration from BMW.
November 8, 2007
Audi wants to sell the Audi A1 in the US

According to Autoweek, Audi is considering to sell the future Audi A1 on the American market in order to compete with the successful BMW Mini. Audi does not want to leave BMW alone on the lucrative £12,000 segment in the US and thinks it has the chance to meet a big success by offering a real modern alternative to the retro-Mini.
The Audi A1 has been unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show under the Metroproject Quattro concept. Like the Mini, the A1 will be a three-door vehicle with a very aggressive design. While designed for four people in mind, it will be roomy enough for only two adults. On the concept car, Audi trimmed the interior with aluminum panels and red topstitching on the seats to give a sporty touch.
As usual at Audi, the A1 will offer several variants: expect to see a five-door model, a convertible and, of course, a S1 set to compete with the Mini Cooper S.
November 8, 2007
Nissan Forum Concept

No sooner has the Tokyo Motor Show ended than Nissan has unveiled the first teaser for the next Detroit Motor Show. Penned at Nissan Design America, the concept car explores “the next generation of family transportation”.
The concept car appears to be a MPV larger than a Nissan Cube but smaller than an El Grand. It will feature trackless sliding doors and no B-pillars.
November 8, 2007
Japanese market grows for the first time in 28 months

The Japanese market has recorded its first growth for the first time in 28 months. Do not expect this to be a new trend, however. As the Jada director Takeshi Fushimi explained, the good figures are due to the recent launch of new models and to more open days. A total of 269,221 vehicles were sold, representing a 2% increase over the same period last year.
Among the Japanese carmakers, Mitsubishi is the winner. Thanks to the new Lancer and new Galant Fortis, it recorded a strong 17.9% growth with 6,195 vehicles sold. Toyota ranks second with a 7.9% increase. The new Corolla Rumion may have helped to sell 136,135 vehicles. Mazda records an encouraging growth of 4.9% with 14,397 cars. The successful Demio might also help to explain the positive sales figure and the expected Mazda 6 is set to confirm the trend. Subaru also saw its sales increasing by 4.9% with 4,515 vehicles.
The biggest slump is for Daihatsu which recorded an impressive -43.6% with only 748 cars. Lexus also saw its sales decrease by 33.3% to 2,781 vehicles. The new Samurai sales approach does not seem to be improving sales. Despite the newly launched Fit, Honda has recorded a 6.3% drop with 30,346 vehicles. Nissan recorded an unfortunate 0.1% drop in sales.
November 8, 2007
Mk3 Megane flying on the Nürburgring

Here are the pictures of a flying Megane. Do not expect a new sporty version. This is the future Mk3 Megane being tested on the Nürburgring. Why on the Nürburgring? What a better way to compete with German competitors than using the same testing references? Like the Renault 19 twenty years ago, the Mk3 Megane will try to match the German leitmotiv: sportiness and quality.
The future Megane will feature a bold design but the unique shapely rear will not make it through. Despite good sales in France and on the British market, the car did not sell well on the rest of the continent. However, the future Megane will not be as conservative as the Mk3 Laguna. According to insiders, a prototype showed to a sample group of potential customers generated an encouraging buzz. Most of them found the car appealing, modern and sporty. The Mk3 Megane will be based on the C platform currently used by the Nissan Qashqai. Expect a good ride and, of course, a comfortable car.
Among his goals, the ubiquitous Carlos Ghosn wants Renault to be in the top three for product and service quality in every class it competes in. The new Laguna led the way with a very good build quality. The Mk3 Megane will probably offer a high quality interior, enough to compete with the new Peugeot 398 and the future Mk6 Golf.
The Mk3 Megane will be available with a large choice of models: three door and five door hatchbacks, Scenic and lengthened Scenic, folding metal roof CC, estate and for the first time a SUV based on the Koleos concept car unveiled at the 2006 Paris Motor Show.
Source: Carscoop
November 8, 2007