Honda's new AC-X saloon concept

Honda has also revealed the AC-X saloon concept at the Tokyo Motor Show. The Japanese manufacturer describes this concept as a next-generation plug-in hybrid. The AC-X (Advanced Cruiser Experience) concept is between the Civic and Accord in size.
Honda says the concept �offers a comfortable and enjoyable driving experience in urban and long-distanc
e motoring�. To that end, the concept is offered with an �automatic driving mode� for more relaxed driving, with an �engine drive mode� on offer for more spirited driving.Specifically designed for long journeys, the AC-X gets the two joystick steerin
g controls that are common to all of Honda's Tokyo show cars. Dubbed �twin lever steering�, the system is said to reduce the physical stresses of driving, allow for an auto-pilot setting and more efficient auto-recharging in electric vehicles.
It�s not something we�ll see in the near future, but Honda has tested it in an old Formula One car, resulting in significant improvements in lap times. The four-seat AC-X concept showcases particularly advanced aerodynamic progression including �wheel diffusers� that help contribute to the impressive 0.21cd drag coefficient.
Expect to see this less-cluttered, more striking design language arrive in future Honda production cars uncorrupted from these concepts, though you will still see different designs and types of Honda model being produced for individual countries.
Yoshikazu Kigoshi, general manager for Honda research and design, was open about the fact that Honda will �uphold the categorisation we think is necessary for markets as different as USA, Japan and Europe.�
The firm revealed last month that it intends to have a plug-in hybrid on sale in limited numbers in China, Japan and US in 2012.

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Acura ZDX

The Acura ZDX is a mid-size sports car developed by Honda for its upmarket cast Acura. The car was originally appointed to be alleged the Acura MSX. The ZDX debuted at the 2009 New York International Auto Show on April 8, 2009. The agent was additionally the aboriginal to be absolutely advised at Acura's southern California architecture studio.The car has been said to be a "new akin of authority for Acura." It appearance Acura's aboriginal six acceleration automated transmission, avant-garde aerial seats, as able-bodied as added affluence appointments. Although the ZDX shares a agnate contour with the Honda Accord Crosstour, the two cartage are not mechanically related; the closing actuality based on the Honda Accord while the ZDX is based on the Honda Pilot/Acura MDX.

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BMW forays into used-car market

BMW India has made buying a pre-owned BMW easier and more reliable with the launch of its Premium Selection range. Each vehicle is carefully selected, examined for quality and sold with a BMW warranty as well.

The examination includes a 360-degree check as well as a technical and visual refurbishment. Additionally, every Premium Selection vehicle will be sold with a detailed history of servicing, maintenance and repairs.

The vehicles on sale will be less than five years old and do not have more than 1,20,000km on their odometers. They come with an up to 24 month/2,00,000km warranty (whichever is earlier) and buyers can also avail of BMW�s Roadside Assistance service any time of day, all year round.

Dr Andreas Schaaf, president BMW India said, �We believe that a decisive factor in the development of BMW Premium Selection business will be through establishment of exclusive and luxurious BMW Premium Selection showrooms of international standards at important commercial centers across the country.�

Vehicles can be ordered through exclusive BMW Premium Selection dealerships at seven locations in India, namely Bird Automotive (Gurgaon), Krishna Automobiles (Ludhiana), Infinity Cars (South Mumbai), Bavaria Motors (Pune), Navnit Motors (Bangalore), KUN Exclusive (Chennai) and KUN Exclusive (Hyderabad). Customers can also browse through the Premium Selection vehicles that are currently available for sale on BMW India�s website. 

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Renault DeZir

The Renault DeZir is an electric concept that was first officially presented at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. The car is a two seater coup� with butterfly doors, and the interior is of red leather. It features a 148 hp mid-mounted electric motor. This gives the concept rivalry with the Audi e-tron, with 0�60 mph (0�97 km/h) in just five seconds and a top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h).

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Nissan Silvia

The Nissan Silvia is the name accustomed to the company's long-running band of action coupes based on the Nissan S platform. Although contempo models accept aggregate this anatomy with added cartage produced by Nissan (most conspicuously the European 200SX and North American 240SX in the S13 and S14 generations, and 180SX in the Japanese market), the name Silvia is not changeable with the anatomy codes.

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Lexus launch in India confirmed

Toyota has officially confirmed that it will introduce the Lexus brand in India by 2013. The Japanese carmaker has been evaluating the feasibility of its luxury brand in India for several years now and has finally decided to go ahead with the launch. �We have been watching India with keen interest and we are happy to announce that we will bring Lexus to India in 2013� confirmed Yukitoshi Funo, executive vice-president of Toyota Motor Corporation.

The Lexus range will be sold through dedicated dealerships, though several Toyota dealers are likely to take up the franchise to take advantage of their service set up that requires common equipment for both brands. However, Toyota will take a very cautious and diligent approach to appointing dealerships. �We would rather have a few, quality dealerships than a large number of mediocre outlets� said Funo who also emphasised that he wanted to differentiate Lexus from its German rivals. Last month Kazuo Ohara, who oversees the Lexus brand globally, made a visit to India and gave the green light after intense market research, which included studying the dealer and service outlets of other brands.

Toyota plans to follow a top-down strategy and the initial plan is to introduce the LS saloon and RX SUV, both premium luxury models. This is likely to be followed by the GS executive luxury saloon which competes directly with the E-class and 5-series.

The company will initially bring the Lexus range as imports or completely built-up (CBU) units to test the market before considering local assembly. �We need consider local production to compete with the others in the market, but this is still being studied,� said Funo. It is likely that the compact IS models will be locally assembled in time.

The initial feedback and market studies for the Lexus brand have been very encouraging. �The Indian consumers� awareness of Lexus is quite surprising and much more than we anticipated,� said Funo. However, the challenge will be to price the cars competitively, especially since Lexus will initially import cars and will be at a cost disadvantage in comparison to rival luxury brands that locally assemble and hence pay lower duty. Also, there is no diesel engine in the Lexus range which could be another disadvantage. However, Lexus will introduce its hybrid technology, which could click with customers looking for the ultimate in refinement.

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Hyundai Veloster

The Hyundai Veloster is a compact sports car set to activate sales in the Summer of 2011. It was appear on January 10, 2011, at the Detroit auto show, and will ample the abandoned larboard back Hyundai discontinued the Tiburon afterwards the 2008 archetypal year.Hyundai states the assembly archetypal is to accept a direct-injected 1.6 liter 138 hp (103 kW), 123 lb�ft (167 N�m) (@ 4,850 rpm) torque, 4-cylinder engine. A 6-speed chiral gearbox is accepted while a 6-speed dual-clutch manual (DCT) with paddle shifters is additionally accessible as an option. The DCT manual is developed by Hyundai and is the aboriginal dual-clutch manual from the company. The Veloster will accomplish an estimated 40 mpg-US (5.9 L/100 km; 48 mpg-imp) ammunition economy, but does not yet accept an official EPA rating. For some markets like the Middle East, the car is offered after GDI authoritative 128hp. A turbocharged adaptation will be accessible after on. The car includes 17 inch auto and 4-wheel disc brakes as accepted features. A turbocharged 1.6 Gamma GDI was alien in the 2011 Seoul Motor Show. It generates 208 hp at 6,000 rpm with 195 ft-lbs of torque from 1,600-5,000 rpm. This agent will be accessible in 2012.

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Volvo C70

The Volvo C70 is a affluence sports car made by Volvo Cars in two generations: the aboriginal from archetypal years 1997-2002 as coup� and from 1999-2006 as a softtop convertible[1]. The additional bearing C70 has been marketed back 2006 as a retractable auto convertible.

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Hyundai i10 LPG launched

Hyundai has launched an LPG variant of its i10 hatchback, called the i10 Blue Drive.

This model comes with a factory-fitted LPG kit that has a 34-litre LPG tank while the conventional petrol tank has a 35-litre capacity. According to Hyundai, the LPG-kit is ARAI certified and is impact resistant as well. It is also certified by DOE (Department of Explosives). The LPG-kit is also backed by a two year warranty.

The i10 Blue Drive is priced at Rs 4.2 lakh for the Era while the Magna LPG variant is priced at Rs 4.31 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

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Aluminium tech for next Mercedes SL

Nov 23, 2011

Mercedes will unveil its sixth-generation SL roadster next year. The new SL roadster will be the very first Mercedes in large-scale series production to use an almost exclusively aluminium lightweight construction.

At a preview event held close to last week�s Los Angeles Motor Show, Mercedes showed journalists a completed example of the new two-seater grand convertible�s �body-in-white� superstructure.

Made from a mix of chill cast, vacuum die-cast, stamped and extruded aluminium, it allows the finished 2012 SL to be 140kg lighter than the outgoing steel car, and 20 percent more torsionally rigid � to the enhancement of handling precision, rolling refinement, performance and fuel-efficiency.

Mercedes� CAD-optimised design for the SL�s monocoque is even stiffer than other aluminium-constructed rivals � or so the firm claims. �Our engineers have measured a Jaguar XK�s body stiffness at around 16,000Nm per degree of torsional deflection,� said SL Product Manager Bernd Stegmann. �The new SL has just under 20,000Nm per degree.�

The various metal castings and tailored blanks of the SL�s body-in-white are connected via different methods, depending on how much load they transmit. While some parts of the underbody are MIG welded, hemmed, bonded and bolted, others are joined via state-of-the-art friction stir welding � a technique that allows for particularly stiff, precise joins.

With mainly aluminium body panels, the only significant parts of the new Mercedes that aren�t aluminium are its pedestrian-protection-oriented plastic �soft nose� grille, its super-lightweight magnesium rear bulkhead, and its tubular steel A-pillars and header rail. Steel is chosen here for its extremely high strength in the event of a rollover.

Mercedes� engineers wouldn�t be drawn to confirm very many other details about the new convertible last week, which will be unveiled in the flesh at the Detroit motor show in January. But Stegmann did tell Autocar that diesel or petrol-electric hybrid versions of the SL had been ruled out.

�SL customers are extremely loyal, and they know what they want from the car,� he said. �Quality, refinement, safety, design appeal, and a certain amount of dynamic ability. But most of these cars are the third or fourth in someone�s collection: so fuel economy really isn�t a priority.�

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Volkswagen Eos

The Volkswagen Eos is a four-seat retractable auto convertible sports car, alien in 2006 as the almsman to the Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet. The Eos is Volkswagen's aboriginal assembly auto back the aftermost Corrado in 1995.

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New BMW 3-series review, test drive

It�s encouraging that the sixth-generation BMW 3-series, despite its very obvious eco credentials and its numerous technical innovations, is still just a good-looking saloon that drives rather beautifully at heart.

 

At first, the new saloon may seem like business as usual � with a slick and elegant new style that looks both familiar yet more thrusting. But beneath its new suit, the F30 3-series is dazzlingly different and superior to the car it replaces in every single area you can imagine. It�s more comfortable and more dynamically capable than before.

 

The new range will include the entry-level 2-litre petrol (320i) and the efficient 2-litre diesel (320d). We drove the 320d in the UK, which was only available in Sport trim with the new paddle-shift gearbox and top-spec chassis and steering systems fitted (optional adaptive dampers and sport-spec servotronic steering). BMW also arranged for us to drive a 328i, a 242bhp version of the 2-litre petrol, although it is not clear if this engine will make it to India.

 

The first thing you become aware of when driving the new 3-series is that there�s an incredible lack of inertia when on the move. However, it feels quite amazingly light on its feet and this can make it seem ever so slightly insubstantial as a result.

 

It may not be as fast on paper � with a 0-100kph time of 7.6sec as compared to 5.9sec for the 328i � but unless you�re really going for it in the 328i, the 320d feels the brawnier of the two on the road. The steering felt lighter and fingertip easy on the petrol variant compared to the diesel. The accelerator felt so delicate underfoot, the gearbox so smooth in its machinations, you almost feel like a passenger in the car as it wafts gracefully from one destination to the next. 

 

Select Sport and it instantly feels even more alive, not just beneath your backside and feet, but at the tips of your fingers as well. And if you�re feeling truly in the mood, there�s a Sport+ setting available in this model as well, which brings even crisper responses from the steering, gearbox and throttle, and turns the traction control to a more exciting setting for good measure.

 

Compared to the petrol variant, the diesel saloon has more punch in the low- to mid-range, emits just as unentertaining a noise and for all other intents and purposes feels similar. The same fantastic range of chassis setups, light but lovely steering, superb optional eight-speed gearbox; ability to switch from smooth motorway cruiser to crisp B-road bruiser, and pretty much anything in between, all at the flick of a button. 

 

So should you buy one? If Superman drove a car, in fact, he�d probably drive a new BMW 320d. And the rest of us would be more than happy with any other member of the range. Because be in no doubt, a new world leader has arrived � and it may take a while for the others to catch up.

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50 New cars for 2012

Nov 24, 2011

What�s coming in the next few months? The most common question asked of at Autocar India. We get a huge number of mails everyday from readers wanting to know what�s coming in the near and not-too-distant future, and that�s understandable. In our ever-changing market, you really need to be on top of model upgrades and new car launches, especially if you are about to sign a considerable amount of your savings on an all-new car.

The last thing you want is to see a new and superior model out on the roads, soon after you�ve spent your hard-earned money on a car that could be quickly outdated. So, to keep you in the loop, straight from our confidential files, an almost complete list of new cars manufacturers are planning to put on sale in India in 2012. We�re going to be previewing two a day, so stay connected!

Audi A4 face-lift

The A4 will get a slight nip and tuck by end-2011. Expect A6-like tapering headlights, LED tail-lamps and restyled bumpers as also a new MMI multimedia interface. The engines should be carried over from the current car though the range-topping 3.2-litre FSI could be replaced by the A6�s smashing supercharged 3-litre V6 TFSI engine.

Factfile:

Engines: 1.8-litre petrol, 2-litre petrol,

2-litre diesel, 3-litre diesel

Power/Torque: 160bhp/25.5kgm,

179bhp/32.6kgm,140bhp/32.6kgm,

 240bhp/51kgm

Kerb weight: 1610kg

L/W/H: 4703/1826/1427mm

Expected: November 2011

Price: Rs 30-38 lakh

 

 

Audi Q3

 

It may look like a shrunken Q5, but Audi�s latest mini-SUV has a distinct personality of its own. When launched in mid-2012, the Q3 will be the most affordable Audi in India. However, there is nothing cheap about the Q3�s quality which is comparable to Audi�s line-up of saloons and larger SUVs. There is reasonable space for four adults inside while Audi�s Quattro all-wheel-drive system should also ensure you can get a bit adventurous on weekend excursions. In India, the entry level, front-wheel-drive Q3 will be sold with a 176bhp, 2-litre turbo diesel which will form the majority of its sales. However, Audi will first launch the Q3 with four-wheel-drive or the Quattro system. A 211bhp 2-litre TFSI turbo-petrol engine will also be a part of the model mix. Prices are likely to start at Rs 25 lakh. We can�t wait!    

 

Factfile:

Engines: 2-litre turbo-petrol, 

2-litre diesel

Power/Torque: 211bhp/30kgm,

176bhp 38.7kgm

Kerb weight: 1565-1585kg

L/W/H: 4385/1831/1590mm

Expected: Mid-2012

Price: Rs 25-35 lakh

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Maybach Exelero

The Maybach Exelero is a high-performance sports car advised and congenital by German affluence car architect Maybach. It was presented in May 2005 in Berlin, Germany. The 700 hp (522 kW) two-seater with a bi-turbo V12 agent is a one-off architecture congenital on appeal for Fulda Tyres. Fulda is application this car as a advertence agent to analysis a fresh bearing of advanced tyres. The German affluence car architect created the one-off archetypal as a avant-garde estimation of its allegorical automated sportscar from the 1930s. There are assorted allusions to the actual predecessor, which was additionally based on a able Maybach automobile. In this case, the Maybach SW 38 was additionally acclimated by Fulda for tyre testing.

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Peugeot RCZ

The Peugeot RCZ is a sports car bogus by Peugeot. It has been on auction back May 2010 and is currently accessible in about 80 countries.It was clearly alien at the Frankfurt Auto Appearance in 2009 and was initially appear as the 308 RCZ abstraction car at the 2007 Frankfurt show. It is accumulated by Magna Steyr, a accessory of Magna International.The RCZ has been a bartering success for Peugeot. The 30,000th one came off the accumulation band on June 21st, 2011.

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Skoda launches Yeti 4x2

Skoda Auto has launched the 4x2 version of the Yeti soft-roader. This model features a de-tuned version of the 4x4�s 140bhp, 2-litre common-rail diesel engine with peak power now a significantly lower 108bhp. This model is, however, a whole 98kg lighter than the 4x4 car. The 4x2 also gets a 5-speed manual transmission in place of the 4x4�s 6-speed manual gearbox.
What remains unchanged is the Yeti�s sophisticated all-independent suspension, so it should be comfortable in its 4x2 avatar too. The Yeti will be available in two variants, namely Active and the better-specced Ambience that gets ESP and rear parking sensors.
Prices start at Rs 13.2 lakh (ex-showroom, Maharashtra) and go up to Rs 14.05 lakh. In comparison, the base Yeti 4x4 costs Rs 15.5 lakh.

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Maserati Bora

The Maserati Bora is a Maserati two-seater sports car powered by a V8 agent army amidships. Produced from 1971 to 1978, it had a top acceleration of 174�177 afar per hour (280�285 km/h).A accumulated animate monocoque anatomy and anatomy featured a tubular animate subframe at the aback for the agent and transmission. Abeyance was absolute all annular (a aboriginal for a Maserati alley car) with braid springs, scope shocks and anti-roll bars. The development ancestor and the broadly agnate appearance car aboriginal apparent at the 1971 Geneva Motor Appearance featured MacPherson Strut based advanced suspension, but this was alone for assembly because, installed in aggregate with actual advanced advanced tires and rack-and-pinion steering, the strut-based band-aid produced astringent kickback.[4] For the assembly cars Maserati changed to a added bourgeois wishbone front-suspension arrangement.

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Alfa Romeo 8C Spider

At the 2005 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, Alfa Romeo apparent the 8C Spider, a auto adaptation of the Competizione coup�. The Spider abstraction was congenital by Carrozzeria Marazzi. Assembly of the 8C Spider was accepted by Sergio Marchionne on September 25, 2007. It was appear that the Spider would be congenital in a 500 assemblage assembly run and would amount about �20,000 (US$27,500) added than the auto version.Production of the 8C Spider began in 2009, in Modena, with Maserati in allegation of architecture the cars. As ahead announced, 500 cars will be built, anniversary priced at �175,000 (US$241,000) excluding taxes. The assembly adaptation was apparent at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show. 35 of 500 Spiders are activity to United States.Alfa Romeo claims that the 8C Spider's top acceleration is 290 kilometres per hour (180 mph), which makes it hardly slower than the auto version. The brakes on the Spider are Brembo carbon-ceramic units. The Spider has a two-layer electrically operated bolt roof. The windshield anatomy is fabricated of carbon fibre to try to advance a 50/50 weight distribution.

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Volkswagen Scirocco

The Scirocco is a 3-door Coupe sports car bogus by German automaker Volkswagen, ability two ancestors of development amid 1974 and 1992 and reintroduced in a third bearing in August 2008.The Scirocco name derives from the Italian chat for the Sirocco wind � and the aeon in its history back Volkswagen called cartage afterwards arresting winds, including additionally Passat (after the German chat for Trade wind), Golf (after Gulf Stream), Bora (after Bora), Polo (after Polar Winds), and Jetta (after Jet stream).

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Lamborghini unveils LP550-2 Spyder

Lamborghini has added another model to its drop-top Gallarado range, this time it�s the two-wheel-drive variant called the LP550-2 Spyder.

�This is a purists model that adds another dimension of driving fun,� says Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini�s president, �this will appeal in particular to a very special group of customers that enjoy a spirited driving style and also like to experience the sheer pleasure of open-air driving."

The LP550-2 Spyder is powered by Lambo�s 542bhp V10 driving the rear-wheels through either a conventional manual gearbox or an e-gear- a robotised manual version.

According to Lamborghini, the LP550-2 Spyder will accelerate from 0-100kph is 4.9secs and the top speed is 320kph.

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Petrol Ventos, Mercs for a steal

The Mahindra First Choice Super Store at Goregaon, Mumbai, has on offer six 1.6-litre petrol VW Vento Autos for Rs 7.75 lakh each. Manufactured in the year 2011, these cars have only clocked 2800-12000km on the odo, and are still under factory warranty.

Also on sale is a 2008 VW Passat diesel for Rs 12.50 lakh and an October 2009 Jetta that has been driven 23,000km for Rs 12 lakh. In the premium segment, there are two BMW 3-series� � a 2008 320i for Rs 16 lakh and a 2010 320d for Rs 26 lakh. The Mercs on offer include a 2011 Mercedes E350 petrol priced at Rs 40 lakh, a 2010 C200 retailing for Rs 20 lakh and a 2002 E240 at Rs 12.50 lakh.

All these cars come with a one-year First Choice 24/7 road-side assistance service.

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Wiesmann GT MF5

The GT MF5 is a bankrupt two-seater & two-seater auto with added ability than the added models. The GT MF5 was aboriginal produced in 2009, and the auto will be bound to aloof 55 examples. GTspirit gave the GT MF5 Auto a absolute analysis during their road-test in September 2010.

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Big end-of-year discounts on luxury cars

The luxury car market is full of serious discounts this month and leading the way is the German trio. Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi are offering selected models at prices difficult to resist.

Leading the way is Mercedes-Benz with the E200 CGI. The premium saloon is being offered with a Rs 5.5-lakh cash discount and a petro card worth Rs 2.5 lakh (3,500 litres approximately). This adds up to a massive Rs 8-lakh benefit. The base petrol variant will now cost you only Rs 40 lakh as against Rs 45 lakh on-road Mumbai. The E200 CGI has the same engine used in the C-class developing 183bhp from its 1.8-litre unit. Add the luxuries and space of an E for just about Rs 5 lakh more than the similarly specced C-class and it makes a compelling case for itself. 

Audi is offering a Rs 5 lakh discount on the A4 petrol models too. That�s approximately 15 percent off the sticker price for the entry-level Audi 1.8 TFSI. It now retails at just around Rs 30 lakh. The 1.8 TFSI develops 160bhp and 25.5kgm of torque.
Not one to miss the boat, BMW will sell you the 320i and 320d Highline models with a Rs 4.5-lakh discount and the Corporate Edition with Rs 2 lakh knocked off the price tag. The 5-series too is being offered with a Rs 1.5-lakh discount. The base variants of the driver-focused 3-series are now priced on par with the X1. The 320i develops 154bhp and 20.4kgm of torque and the 320d churns out 174bhp from its 2.0-litre engine.
BMW sold 330 units of the 5-series in September and Mercedes matched it with 333 units of the E-class. Audi managed to sell 259 units of A4 in the same period, while the 3-series sold 220 units.

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Pontiac G6

The Pontiac G6 is a mid-size sports car that was produced beneath the Pontiac cast of American automaker General Motors. It was alien in the abatement of 2004 to alter the Grand Am. The car was congenital on the GM Epsilon belvedere which it aggregate with the Chevrolet Malibu and Saab 9-3 forth with added General Motors vehicles. Styling was adapted in a added bourgeois fashion, and the ribbed cladding and rear addle-brain that were accustomed on the Grand Am was replaced by accepted area metal. Features included a alien starting arrangement (standard on GT, alternative on abject model) as able-bodied as a across-the-board sunroof option.

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Jaguar XJ220

The Jaguar XJ220 is a mid-engined cool sports car produced by Jaguar in accord with Tom Walkinshaw Racing as Jaguar Sport amid 1992 and 1994. It captivated the almanac for the accomplished top acceleration of a assembly car (350 km/h, 217 mph) (although it was adapted from accepted to accomplish this), until the accession of the McLaren F1 in 1994. The XJ220 is different to added XJ models, admitting administration the "XJ" prefix.

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Skoda Rapid launched at Rs 6.75 lakh

Skoda has launched the Rapid saloon in India at a starting price of Rs 6.75 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi. The Rapid is available in both petrol and diesel engine options, and offered with manual and automatic variants.
Built on the same platform as the Vento (code: VW251), the Skoda iteration (code SK: 251) shares most mechanical bits with the VW saloon which includes engines as well. Hence, the Rapid is powered by the same 1.6 petrol and diesel motors both of which develop 105bhp, but in a slightly different state of tune.
In the looks department, the headlights, the grille and the fogs are similar to Skoda�s Fabia. To help the Skoda and VW bits blend, the Rapid gets a new bonnet, new fenders and a mildly altered chin. The bonnet is longer, the new fender has the Vento�s sharp crease built into it and the chin is slightly altered at the corners, where it merges with the Vento�s beautifully executed wheel arches. The rear is different from the VW Vento too. Skoda has inserted its �C� motif in the tail-lights, the area where the numberplate sits has been altered and there is a new, more sculpted bumper.
On the inside, the cabin is almost identical to its VW counterpart, apart from the Skoda family steering wheel (which has no steering-mounted controls), instrument panel, gearlever and audio system.
The impressive Rapid will be available in three trims � Active, Ambition and Elegance, the last of which gets 15-inch alloy wheels and driver and passenger airbags. These new variant names are part of a revised branding system for Skoda, which also includes the company�s tagline, �Simply Clever�.
Looks like the hole left by the exit of the Octavia has finally been filled after all.
Skoda Rapid Prices, ex-showroom Delhi
Active Petrol: Rs 6.75 lakh
Ambition Petrol: Rs 7.09 lakh
Ambition Petrol (Auto): Rs 8.09 lakh
Elegance Petrol: Rs 7.99 lakh
Elegance Petrol (Auto): Rs 8.99 lakh

Active Diesel: Rs 7.96 lakh
Ambition Diesel: Rs 8.29 lakh
Elegance Diesel: Rs 9.19 lakh

VW Vento Prices, ex-showroom Delhi
Trendline Petrol: Rs 6.99 lakh
Highline Petrol: Rs 8.23 lakh
Highline Petrol (Auto): Rs 9.21 lakh

Trendline Diesel: Rs 8.28 lakh
Highline Diesel: Rs 9.77 lakh

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Datsun 240Z

The Nissan S30 (sold in Japan as the Nissan Fairlady Z and in added markets as the Datsun 240Z, again after as the 260Z and 280Z) was the aboriginal bearing of Z GT 2 bench coupe, and after (beginning in the 1974 archetypal year) additionally 2+2 hatchbacks produced by Nissan Motors, Ltd. of Japan from 1970 to 1978. It was advised by a aggregation led by Mr. Yoshihiko Matsuo, the arch of Nissan's Sports Car Styling Studio. HLS30 was the appellation of the left-hand drive archetypal and HS30 for the right-hand drive model.

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Opel Tigra

The Opel Tigra name has been activated to two absolutely altered cars engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel, both based on altered iterations of the Corsa supermini, the aboriginal congenital in Spain, the additional in France. The aboriginal Tigra was a baby 2+2 sports car, produced from 1994 to 2000. The after hard-topped convertible auto archetypal was alien in 2004. The Opel Tigra was awash in the UK as the Vauxhall Tigra, in Australia as the Holden Tigra, and was awash in Brazil, Argentina and Mexico as the Chevrolet Tigra.

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TVR Tamora

The TVR Tamora is a 2-seater sports car congenital from 2002 by British close TVR, bushing the gap larboard by the company's Chimaera and Griffith models. It was the entry-level archetypal in the TVR ambit priced at �43,460.

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2011 Smart Fortwo Receives Minor Upgrades

The Smart Fortwo is entering the 2011 model year with an almost invisible change here and there complemented by the introduction of more economical engines.

In addition to the new range of available exterior colors that now include a matt finish and the availability of a red or blue colored soft-top for the cabrio models, the updated Fortwo gets fresh fabric and color options for the interior while the tridion safety cell is now optionally available in white.

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Fiat 500 and 500C get New TwinAir 85HP Two-Cylinder Turbo Engine

Fiat has rolled out the production version of its long-awaited two-cylinder gasoline engine family called TwinAir that's has been developed by FPT (Fiat Powertrain Technologies). The first car to receive the new turbocharged engine is the Fiat 500, in both three-door and convertible forms, with sales to begin from September, 2010.

The innovative 0.9-liter two-cylinder gasoline unit implements several technologies, including a small-sized turbine, start and stop and the firm's MultiAir electro-hydraulic valve management system that reduces fuel consumption and emissions by controlling air directly via the inlet valves, without using the throttle.

Fiat says that compared with a medium-sized four-cylinder of equal performance, the new Twinair engine is significantly shorter (-23%) and lighter (-10%), while returning 30% lower fuel consumption.

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Suzuki Cooks Up New Alto SZ-L Special Edition for UK Buyers

A new special edition version of the Suzuki Alto has been released in Britain. Featuring various cosmetic and equipment upgrades, the SZ-L model is available in a limited number of 500 units, priced at �8,170 a piece.

Offered in either Superior White or Bright Red non metallic colours, the Alto SZ-L is based on the SZ3 mid grade model with air conditioning, pollen filter and side airbags fitted as standard equipment. Exterior upgrades include unique wheel caps, black fog lamp surrounds and black 'B' pillar trims as well as SZ-L embossed tailgate trim and black side mouldings.

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Truck Spills 2,000,000 Euros on the Road, Italian Motorists Coin it in...

Italian motorists hit a mobile jackpot on Monday when a truck carrying some 2 million euros or about US$2,5 million at today's exchange rates in �1 and �2 coins overturned and spilled most of its contents on the road after blowing a tire and hitting another car on the A114 highway near Foggia, in southern Italy.

Passing drivers seized the opportunity and pulled over on the motorway literally risking their lives to clean the road from the coin-debris. Unfortunately, their motivation was nothing more than unadulterated greed.

According to Italian press reports on the incident, fast acting motorists made off with at least �10,000 (around US$12,500) before the police arrived at the scene.

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SPIED: 2012 Peugeot 508 Station Wagon?

Our colegas at Diariomotor got themselves a series of spy photos showing what they claim to be a heavily disguised prototype of the Peugeot 508 Station Wagon. The French carmaker teased the sedan version of the 508, which will replace both the 407 and 607 saloons, with the "5 by Peugeot" concept model at the 2010 Geneva Salon this past March.

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New Volvo V60 Sports Wagon: 2011 S60 gets Practical

Revealed ahead of its Paris Motor Show debut, the all-new Volvo V60 is the estate version of the recently launched 2011 S60 sedan. Aimed almost squarely at European buyers as Volvo projects that "no less than 90 percent" of the annual V60 production of 50,000 cars will find a home in Europe, the sporty-looking estate model will go on sale this fall.

Volvo describes the low slung V60 as a sports wagon with a coupe-like roofline. "The typical sports wagon customer is an S60 buyer who would like some extra space and flexibility, but without the slightest compromise on sporty design and exciting driving properties," says Volvo Cars President and CEO Stephen Odell.

However, Volvo's focus on looks come with a cost as the V60's boot space is a mere 430 liters with the rear seats up. That's compared to 460lt of the BMW 3-Series Touring, 485lt of the Mercedes C-Class Estate and 490lt of the Audi A4 Avant. The car will come equipped with a 40/20/40-split rear seat and the fold-flat front passenger seat.

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