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Fiat works on a hybrid 500
According to rumours, Fiat is currently working on a hybrid-powered 500 which would offer impressive fuel economy and very low CO2 emissions.
As a hot and iconic model, the 500 has to jump on any trendy bits and as hybrid is the latest hype in the car industry, Fiat had to release a hybrid 500. The engine is reported to be the 900cc two-cylinder petrol unit which will hit the showrooms in July. The engine will be associated to a small electric engine and a battery pack which will enable the 500 to run on electricity in cities.
In addition to the electric engine, this special 500 will be equipped with a stop-start system and dual-clutch gearbox. If the final spec such as consumption remains secret, it is rumoured that the hybrid 500 will achieve an impressive low emission below 90g of CO2/km.
April 26, 2008
Beijing 2008 Live: Landwind X6 CRDI
Landwind has shown its commitment to Europe by unveiling a diesel-powered model at the motor show.
The Chinese carmaker is famous for a scary crash test in which the X6 model got no stars at all. Since then the company upgraded its SUV which is now called X9 in Chine and X-pedition in Europe. The car is expected to go on sale in France from this year, but without a diesel, the ageing SUV will never meet a sufficient demand to be imported.
The Landwind X-pedition CRDI is powered by a turbocharged 2.5-litre engine outsourced from the Italian company VM. It delivers a power output of 142bhp. The X-pedition is a clone of the old Vauxhall Frontera.
April 26, 2008
Beijing 2008 Live: Geely Tiger GT
Here are the live pictures of the Geely Tiger GT which is a singular model among all those serious saloons and compacts unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show.
The Tiger GT is powered by a 225bhp 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine and sits on 19in wheels. The carmaker has no plan to derive a potential model for production.
April 26, 2008
Beijing 2008 Live: ChangAn concept «Hydrogen»
The ChangAn Hydrogen Concept looked interesting when the carmaker announced it for Beijing but the reality looks like more a DIY than a serious car.
If this Hydrogen Concept looks a bit amateurish, the carmaker is really serious about it. Like the 7-Series “Hydrogen 7”, the ChangAn Hydrogen Concept is powered by a hydrogen solution which enables the car to achieve a 140 miles range.
At 4,600 mm long, the ChangAn only weighs 750kg and achieves a nice Cx of 0.28 according to the carmaker. The top speed is 140mph and the ChangAn Hydrogen Concept runs the 0-62moph in just 6.5 seconds.
April 26, 2008
Beijing 2008 Live: GAC Guanqi CC Concept
Guangzhou Automobile Company, GAC in short, has unveiled a convertible called Guanqi CC at the Beijing Motor Show.
While other carmakers tries to move upmarket by unveiling larger saloons in an attempt to take on western luxury models, GAC has decided to take an alternative path. The carmaker takes the leisure path with the Guanqi CC. The convertible has the merit not to copy western models and the final result is promising for the future. The Quanci features unique dual-tone alloy wheels.
Like many carmakers, GAC engineers chose to adopt a folding roof which requires the boot to be opened during operation.
April 26, 2008
Foreign carmakers to compete on upper market segments in India
Despite a slowdown and a growing inflation rate in India, car makers are planning to move their lineup upmarket in an attempt to build their brand image in the future and to meet demand for larger models from Indian customers.
Honda will soon launch our outgoing Accord saloon which will be lightly upgraded when reaching the Indian shores. Price remains unknown, but Honda will keep a price tag similar to European prices. Toyota will introduce the current Corolla in an attempt to take on the established Honda Civic which dominates sales compact segment there. Hyundai will also join the fight as the Korean carmaker will launch the i30 to replace the poor selling Elantra. Hyundai will also bring the Santa Fe to India. The 2.2-litre common rail diesel model will be launched later in the year. On the SUV segment, Mitsubishi will launch the Outlander.
European carmakers have also plans to bring bigger models. Along with the Passat and Touareg, Volkswagen hopes to increase its Indian sales by selling the Jetta.
April 26, 2008
BMW to sell the 400bhp 555i next year
BMW has announced that it will start selling a 5-Series version powered by the 4.4-litre V8 that appeared in the X6 SUV coupé.
At this moment, the top of the 5-Series range is powered by a 367bhp 4.8-litre V8, if we forget the specific M5. With the new engine, the topping version will become 555i. The engine is an all-new twin-turbo V8 petrol unit. This is the second company’s engine to come with twin-turbocharger architecture. A 4.4-litre unit, it pumps out a power of 407bhp and a torque of 443lb ft between 1750rpm and 4500rpm.
With this new V8, BMW will make it a bit harder for less premium brands like Volvo or Saab to match the company’s offer. Rumoured to offer 350bhp, the next 9-5 would have been able to take on the current 550i. With the new engine, BMW keep leading the market segment.
April 26, 2008
Nissan’s CVT Equipped Car Sales Top 1 Million in 2007
Nissan announced that it global sales of its CVT equipped vehicles topped one million with sales during 2007.
The Japanese carmaker has accomplished its 2010 target of selling of 1 million vehicles equipped with a CVT gearbox per year. The target was part of the Nissan Green Program 2010 environmental plan announced in 2006. Currently, CVT represents approximately 28.6% of global sales, compared to 7% in 2004. CVT penetration varies across the regions, with the highest rate in North America and Japan at 47.4% and 43.8% respectively.
The first CVT was introduced in March 1992, and Nissan has continued to integrate it on several models. In 2002, Nissan engineers found a solution to adapt CVT to high-torque engines and delivered the world’s first CVT for large displacement engines up to 3.5 litres.
April 26, 2008
Ford to hire 1,500 workers in Russia
Ford has announced that it will hire 1,500 people at its Russian factory to increase its production Bentley 75 per cent to reach 125,000 vehicles.
Located outside of St. Petersburg, the factory produces the Ford Focus hatchback, the best-selling foreign-brand car in Russia. The new production capacity will be used to build the Ford Mondeo.
Ford was the first foreign carmaker to open its own assembly plant in Russia, which began production in July 2002. It is the only Ford plant that builds the Focus in all four body styles: 3-door, 4-door, 5-door and wagon versions. The plant employs 2,700 workers.
In 2007, Ford of Europe sold 1.92 million vehicles, a 72,000 unit increase over the previous year.
April 26, 2008
Lexus LF-A to participate in Nurburgring 24 hour race
The Lexus LF-A concept car will participate in the Nürburgring 24 Hour Race on 24–25 May 2008 as part of ongoing development.
The LF-A is not a dedicated race car and Toyota has no plans to make technical changes. The eagerly-awaited supercar will only be equipped with the safety equipment (roll cage, fuel tank, etc.) necessary to meet racing regulations. A team of experienced Japanese drivers will have the aim of providing feedback to the Lexus development team rather than achieving a race result.
The LF-A is powered by a V10 petrol engine which delivers more than 500bhp. The supercar can reach a top speed of 200 mph.
April 26, 2008