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Skoda to produce the Up! in India
Skoda has announced it will build a budget car in India which will be launched within two years.
As predicted, Skoda will build the future Up! production version, but not in Czech Republic as initially thought. The Indian factory located in Aurangabad has been selected to built it.The Skoda production site was in competition with another VW facility located in Pamplona, Spain.
Skoda India Director Thomas Kuehl said that the "car will be launched first in India. The car will cater to virgin markets and will be priced in the Rs 3-5 lakh bracket", between £3,800 and £6,200.
The carmaker will expand the current production site to increase output from 30,000 cars to 100,000 cars annually by 2012. Skoda will also move the production of the Fabia next year to a VW facility located in Chakan.
May 12, 2008
Alfa Romeo Mi.To interior revealed
Here is the first unofficial picture of the interior of the Alfa Romeo Mi.To set to compete with the Mini’s British interior.
After the outside pictures of the Mi.To, a picture of the interior has emerged on the Internet. Though the exterior takes its styling cues from the magnificent 8C Competizione, the interior can’t hide its links with the Fiat Grande Punto, with which the Mi.To shares its platform and powertrains.
At first glance, the dashboard looks different by adopting a carbon-fiber look but a closer look will reveal switches and buttons taken from the Grande Punto. This might be a stumbling block for future prospects when the Mini comes with unique components. However this first picture doesn’t reveal much about the interior. Several pictures are needed.
May 12, 2008
GM might switch to unibody for its large SUVs
GM might base its future large SUV models on a car-like platform replacing the traditional body-on-frame chassis.
Under market pressure, GM might make its biggest revolution in the last ten years: switching from body-on-frame to unibody chassis for its large SUV models such as Chevrolet Tahoe or Cadillac Escalade. Body-on-frame chassis is heavier than an unibody chassis and penalise fuel efficiency. However the latter can’t tow as much as the former. Another problem with unibody chassis is that it’s more difficult to share components between models.
The concerned SUVs will likely be the Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade family which are based on the Chevrolet Silverado platform. If the Silverado justifies its body-on-frame chassis by being destined to heavy duties, the Tahoe-like models are destined for families. The next-generation is expected to be unveiled in 2012.
May 12, 2008
Spyshot : Porsche Roxster
The Porsche Roxster that doesn’t officially exist was spotted during testing at Nurburgring.
When asked about the rumour of a smaller Cayenne, Porsche executive didn’t hesitate to rule out the rumoured vehicle, but new pictures raise questions concerning about the future SUV. Is Porsche currently developing a small SUV which will take on the established rivals such as the BMW X3 on the small SUV market segment?
According to insiders, the Roxster will share its inner structure with the Audi Q5, but will be powered by in-house petrol engines. Power output is rumoured to go from 280 to 500bhp. The entry level will be powered by a V6 engine, while the topping engine will likely be a turbocharged V8 unit. Thanks to the reduced weight, the Roxster will shuttle from 0-60mph in just 4.5 seconds and will reach a top speed of 180mph.
Click here to see the pictures
May 12, 2008
20,000 people on Volt’s waiting list
Despite an unknown sales price, over 20,000 people have expressed interest in buying the future Chevrolet Volt.
This is good news for GM and confirms the appeal generated by electric cars for American consumers. However, this interest in buying the Volt might also become the company’s biggest nightmare as GM has already announced it will only build around 10,000 vehicles the first year. The carmaker is rumoured to favourise "smile states" such as California, New York, Washington D.C. and Florida to sell the future model.
Due to be unveiled in November 2010, the Chevrolet Volt will be the first plug-in hybrid in the world.
May 12, 2008
AC Schnitzer launches BMW 1-Series cabriolet sport package
The German tuner has unveiled a sport package destined for the new 1-Series cabriolet.
On the outside, the sport package adds a bodykit that includes front and rear spoilers, and sport exterior mirrors. There are also several new alloy wheels with sizes varying from 17in to 19in. The interior is trimmed with carbon-fiber panels and features a sport steering wheel.
In addition to the visual enhancements, AC Schnitzer offers engine upgrades: 135i’s output jumps from 306 to 360bhp, he 120d’s from 177 to 200bhp and the 123d’s from 204 to 240bhp. There are also a suspension kit.
May 12, 2008
Subaru dealer’s see through car
When you’re a Subaru dealer, selling the first diesel engine of the carmaker represents quite a challenge when customers only think of the Impreza when they hear ‘Subaru’. An inventive Subaru dealer has devised a see-through car to promote the new Boxer Diesel engine.
The selected model is the Outback which appears to have a bonnet made of glass, with every engine detail meticulously replicated on a vinyl wrap. Equally startling is the side of the car which shows the engine plus Subaru’s famous symmetrical all-wheel drive system and even the exhaust silencer.
Ian Armstrong, Dealer Principal of ‘Stan Palmer Sales’ of Carlisle says the idea came to them while seeing a cutaway picture of the engine in the brochure. The car was imaged up in one day after a photograph was taken of the engine using a high-resolution eight mega-pixel camera. He adds that "the reaction has been fantastic, with people almost tripping up as they walk past."
This is the first time a dealer has a cost-effective idea to advertise a new model However Subaru UK advertised the Impreza in a similar way last year. A car transporter toured the UK carrying three new cars upside down on its lower deck and three the corre
May 12, 2008
Volvo unveils the V70 R Design
M Pack for BMW, s Line for Audi… Premium carmakers feature visual sporty kits, less expensive than developing a real sporty version, while the model still keeps its appealing to the customers. Last year, Volvo launched the R line which is an attempt to revive the famous R moniker. The V70 becomes the fifth Volvo model to be offered with the R-Design pack.
The R-Design pack for the Volvo V70 comes with a wide range of glitchy features like door mirror housings, foglamp décor at the front and grille detailing in silk metal finish, chrome exhaust tailpipe and exclusive 18in aluminium wheels. On the inside the seats get a leather-clad upholstery in black and Nordic Ceramic Light, while various aluminium details are fitted on the dashboards.
In addition to the eye-catching features, Volvo engineers got the cheek to lower the chassis by 20 mm at the front and 15 mm at the rear.
May 12, 2008
Hyundai unveils the i800 MPV
A few years ago, the market was loaded with several people carriers, but the strong demand for SUVs pushed carmakers to forget them. Fortunately, Hyundai has launched a people carrier with room for eight, called i800.
The i800 succeeds where others fail: carrying 8 people, while keeping 851 litres of space in the boot when loaded with passengers. In order to achieve such a performance, the i800 measures 5,125 mm long, 1,920 wide and 1,925 tall. Aware of the intimidation generated by the dimensions, Hyundai has fitted electronic reversing sensors as standard.
On the inside, the ambience is car-like with two-tone interior trim, privacy glass, a six-speaker audio system and ducted air conditioning throughout. Individually-controllable overhead vents in the rear make sure all of the occupants can keep their cool. The i800 features a pair seats in front and two benches behind, each accommodating three adults in comfort with uncompromised head and legroom. Both rear benches feature a 60:40 split-fold and recline while the centre row also slides forwards or backwards to tailor space as required All of the rear seats are accessed by pair of sliding doors.
The i800 is powered by a new 2.5-litre four-cylinder CRDi diesel engine, which is intercooled and features a variable-geometry turbo. Peak power output is 170PS with a massive 392Nm of torque. The i800 will go on sale on 20th June costing £19,495. If you still think that the i800 is a bit too expensive, the Korean carmaker will launch later in the year by a cheaper version.
May 12, 2008
Spyshots: next-generation E63 AMG
Here are some spyshots of the next-generation high-performance E63 AMG due to be unveiled next year.
Like the current model, the E63 AMG will be the only E-Class version to feature four tailpipes. The spotted E63 AMG also featured large perforated brake discs with heavy-duty callipers. The super-saloon is expected to come with aggressive front and rear bumpers and forged alloy wheels like the C63 AMG.
Recently, AMG had announced the horsepower war was over, but this future iteration of the AMG family will still get a power boost. While the current model offers 500bhp, the next E63’s powertrain will likely deliver 550bhp. However, for the first time, the German carmaker won’t try to take the lead and the power output will be below that of the Audi RS6.
Instead of following Audi in the power race, company’s engineers have focused on improving handling and chassis strength.They will try to accomplish again what they did with the C63 AMG. The E63 AMG is reported to come with sit on a widened front track, while the steering will feature a unique ratio, different from the normal E-Class models.
The E63 AMG is rumoured to be unveiled at the same as the full range, at the next year Geneva Motor Show.
Click here to see the pictures
May 9, 2008