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Spyshots: Infiniti FX55

Nissan will launch its luxury brand, Infiniti, on the European market at the Geneva Motor Show and will likely unveil a world premiere. This might be the new FX55 SUV.
The FX model is a peculiar SUV which features a unique exterior and interior styling. The replacement model will keep the current overall shape while modernizing it. The FX model will be available with two V6 petrol engines, a 3.5-litre unit and the 3.7-litre engine. The range will be topped by a 5.5-litre V8 engine. Details remain scarce and it is unknown if the car maker plans to offer the FX with a diesel engine at least in Europe.
February 11, 2008
Land Rover to unveil a new V8

Land Rover will unveil a new more powerful V8 petrol engine in the next months. Both normally-aspirated and turbocharged engines will be available.
With this new V8 , engineers focused on efficiency: more power but also less polluting and less gas guzzler. The engine will have a displacement of 5.0-litre and will be available in two versions. The entry level will be a normally aspirated unit with an output of 350bhp. The turbocharged engine will have an output of 460bhp.
The new engine will feature a direct-injection system and will also be offered on Jaguar models.
Source: Car Magazine
February 11, 2008
Lexus Pebble Beach limited edition

Every year since 2003, Lexus and Pebble Beach Company put on sale a limited edition of the SC430 convertible. This year, Lexus has launched is launching three models for the first time. Along the SC430, Lexus will offer the RX350 and the ES350.
Pebble Beach Company is famous among car maniacs for its concours d’elegance but fewer people know that the company is mainly a hotel chain. The three models intend to evoke the feeling of exclusivity that comes with an excursion to the Pebble Beach Resorts.

On the menu, the RX350 will be available in three colors: Classic Silver Metallic, Obsidian Black and Truffle Mica. Truffle Mica is available on the RX only with this special edition package. The RX will feature new and unique design 18-inch wheels and chrome grille, a color-keyed rear spoiler and a special interior trim combination. Customized floormats, featuring Pebble Beach Company’s signature The Lone Cypress™ logo, are included. On the exterior of the RX, Pebble Beach Edition badging will be on the front fenders.

The ES 350 Pebble Beach Edition is available in the exclusive Truffle Mica color, as well as Tungsten Pearl Silver and Obsidian Black. The 7-spoke 17-inch wheels come with an exclusive liquid graphite finish while the interior of the ES features semi-aniline leather and a wood and leather steering wheel. The ES Pebble Beach Edition also features The Lone Cypress™ logoed floormats and special Pebble Beach Edition badging on the front fenders.
The exclusivity comes from the ability to customize their “experience” by choosing three equipment packs: the Callaway Golf Experience, Travel Sets, and Epicurean Encounter. Production of the Pebble Beach Collection RX and ES is limited to 6,000 vehicles each.
February 11, 2008
Chrysler to axe its lineup by half

Chrysler plans to axe half its lineup in order to consolidate brands. The company has launched the “Project Genesis” which is expected to drop duplicate models that share common underpinnings while competing on the same markets.
In an interview with Automotive News, Chrysler Vice Chairman Jim Press also revealed that the other part of the plan was to release new models on new markets where Chrysler has never been before; however he didn’t give more details about the future models. Jim Press’s will is to solve one of the biggest problem of the car maker: similarity between brands. At a time when customers want to promote a clear image of themselves, American car maker’s brand management goes against the market trend.
Among the models being dropped, there will be the PT Cruiser Convertible, the Chrysler Crossfire and Pacifica and the Dodge Magnum. The company also wants to reduce its number of SUV. It offers 11 different SUV models.
February 11, 2008
West European market down by 0.9% in January

The West European car market dropped by 0.9% over the same period last year. France, Italy and Spain recorded the strongest fall.
The Spanish market suffered from the new tax scheme and premium segment collapsed in January as customers bought luxury cars in December before the new car tax applies.
The French market also followed a similar path. The new car tax penalized premium models, especially SUV models. Despite a weak January, experts expect the French market to grow by 1-2 percent this year.
The Italian market also recorded a sales drop as economy is slowing. With the recent political events the market will likely go down the next months.
The British market also fell by 2.1% and the ongoing effects of the credit crunch, a housing market slowdown and a general faltering of consumer confidence will likely weaken the 2008 sales.
Among all those gloomy markets, Germany recorded a strong 10.6% over the same period last year; however, this good news can be explained by the expected new annual circulation tax that the german government will unveil in the middle of this year.
February 10, 2008
More details on the baby-R8

In a previous post, it was reported that the mysterious R4 model was confirmed in a leaked Audi’s future models plan. More details are emerging on the future baby-R8.
The future R4 will be launched in June 2011 and will take on the Porsche Cayman. The smaller R8 will be available with a large choice of petrol engines whose topping unit will have an output of around 300bhp. Along the petrol engines, Audi is seriously considering adding a diesel units.
Engineers will focus on weight reduction in order to ensure that the R4 will offer a sporty handling able to compete with Porsche’s standards.
February 10, 2008
Maruti 800 slashed by the Nano effect

The Tata Nano won’t go on sale until October but the Maruti 800 already suffers from the cheapest car in the world.
In January the 800 sales dropped by 20 percent and prices for a secondhand model dropped by 30% in just two months.
The Nano’s website recorded more than 10 million visitors since its launch.
Despite denying the will to develop a cheaper model than the 800, Maruti executives might rethink about it next year after the sales results of the Nano. Other carmakers don’t hesitate and Hyundai plans to launch a Nano’s competitor by 2011. Renault-Nissan has similar plans.
Source: Autocar
February 10, 2008
Hyundai Sonata unveiled in the US

Hyundai has unveiled the facelifted Sonata outside South Korea for the first time at the Chicago Motor Show. The revamped Sonata features a bolder front fascia and an all-new interior. Under the hood, the company’s best-seller comes with revised powertrains.

The exterior styling of the current Sonata looks a bit tame so Hyundai decided to slightly spice it up by featuring new bumpers, headlights and an enlarged grille whose new frame takes inspiration from the Azera model. But the main changes are in the interior which gets an all-new dashboard. Forget the current cheap dash. Hyundai wants the Sonata to move upmarket and this time Hyundai has put all its expertise into the best dashboard it has ever designed. Gossip mongers won’t hesitate to notice the different styling cues, but the result is rather appealing.

The revamped Sonata will be available with a choice of two petrol engines, a 2.4-litre four cylinder unit and a 3.3-litre V6 engine. The 2.4-litre engine is the Hyundai’s second-generation Theta and has an output of 175bhp and a torque of 168 lb ft. The V6 engine gains 15bhp to 249bhp and has a torque of 229 lb ft. The V6 is hooked up to a five-speed automatic gearbox while the four cylinder unit can be associated with either a five speed manual gearbox or a five speed automatic gearbox. Exact spec for Europe remains unknown but the V6 engine won’t likely come to Europe while there will be a diesel engine.
February 10, 2008
BMW details cost cuts

BMW has unveiled the plan to cut costs by €6 billion by 2012. Two-thirds of the amount will achieved by slashing material costs.
Chief Executive Nobert Reithofer gave concrete details about the new strategy adopted by the car maker in last September. He announced that BMW will cut costs by slashing material costs. He also revealed that the personnel costs will drop by up to €500 million a year from next year. The company signed agreement with the union leaders which favors temporary staff and promote early retirement or buyout offers with filling the left vacancies.
The car maker confirmed that it plans to increase its profit margin from a current 6 percent to 8-10 percent by 2012. However the company also added that a weak dollar would make the goal harder to achieve.
BMW also expects to increase the part of shared components for its future models. Chief Financial Officer Michael Ganal said BMW was making “good headway” in talks with other carmakers.
February 10, 2008
Stephane Schwartz left Nissan to set up his own studio

You probably remember Stephane Schwartz as he appeared in Nissan commercials to promote the company’s design. He stepped down and setp up his own design studio.
As Design Director of Nissan Design UK he lead the Nissan European studio located in London Paddington and supervised the design of the successful Qashqai model.
He started at Pininfarina where he designed the Ethos concept car. He left the coachbuilder to join the European studio of Nissan then located in Munich. There he was I charge of the Primera concept car and then moved to Tokyo.
February 10, 2008