Auto Reviews

An 'ultra efficient' Ford Fiesta ECOnetic has pushed the Toyota Prius out of the top spot in fuel efficiency ratings in Australia according to the GoAutoNews (via FreeP).

At 63 mpg combined, the Ford Fiesta beats out the 60 mpg for the Prius in the Australia rating system. For comparison purposes, the Prius is rated at 50 mpg in the US. The Ford Fiesta ECOnetic is a diesel. Ford has no plans on introducing the sub-brand or to sell the Fiesta ECOnetic in the States, for now.

The Fiesta uses a 1.6-liter turbodiesel with low resistance tires and uses low-viscosity oil. The ECOnetic TDCi engine produces 66 kW of power and 200 Nm of torque.

Other efficiency focused changes include:

• A specially-calibrated Duratorq TDCi common rail diesel engine
• Longer final drive gear ratio
• Addition of a green shift indicator light in the instrument cluster, which signals the optimal point to change gear to maximize fuel economy
• Improved aerodynamics – lowered ride height, air deflectors, unique wheel covers
• Weight reduction by removing the spare for a tire mobility kit

Press Release Follows:
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – October 16, 2009: Ford Australia today set a new fuel efficiency benchmark for the auto industry in this country by introducing Australia's most fuel efficient car – the Ford Fiesta ECOnetic.

With a combined fuel consumption rating of just 3.7 litres per 100 kilometres1, the fuel efficiency of Fiesta ECOnetic surpasses all other vehicles currently on sale in Australia, including petrol/electric hybrid models.

It also produces fewer CO2 emissions than any other conventional, internal combustion engine vehicle, with an official CO2 emission rating of 98 grams per kilometre – making it only the second vehicle in Australia to achieve CO2 emissions under 100g/km and the only non-hybrid vehicle to attain such an ultra-low CO2 standard.
PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)

"Ford is fully committed to working towards fuel economy leadership in every segment in which we compete, across local and imported vehicles," said Ford Australia President and CEO Marin Burela.

"The Fiesta ECOnetic is evidence of how Ford is looking at a portfolio of technology solutions to meet the sustainability challenge and how we are intent on delivering affordable and accessible products to our customers,"

Fiesta ECOnetic will officially go on sale on December 1 with a recommended offer price of $24,990 driveaway, offering consumers one of the most affordable and fuel efficient vehicle packages ever presented for sale in Australia.

"Fiesta ECOnetic perfectly balances a stylish, affordable car that considers the environment and our future, without compromising the style or technology which has made the Fiesta one of Australia and the world’s most popular small cars," Mr Burela said.

"It brings together a whole range of clever thinking and technologies that are available right now, creating a 'greener' vehicle that delivers economy without compromise and genuine savings against the fuel cost of daily driving."

Fiesta ECOnetic looks and functions just like a conventional Fiesta, using conventional diesel powertrain technology, yet it delivers industry-leading fuel efficiency, as well as best-in-class CO2 emissions.

Using a combination of the latest generation common rail diesel powertrain, together with a carefully selected list of features specifically engineered to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, Fiesta ECOnetic achieves a combined fuel consumption rating of 3.7 L/100km1.

The detailed urban/extra urban results for Fiesta ECOnetic are also class- and industry-leading achievements, with urban cycle fuel consumption of 4.6 L/100km and an extra urban (highway) cycle figure of just 3.2 L/100km1 – the latter being 13.5 per cent more efficient than the leading hybrid model.

This efficiency is matched by impressive driving quality and performance, with the 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi engine producing maximum power of 66 kW at 4000 rpm and peak torque of 200 Nm at a very accessible 1750 rpm.

"The challenge for our engineering team in developing the ECOnetic vehicle line was to deliver the maximum reduction in fuel economy and CO2 emissions using available and affordable technologies," Mr Burela said.

This reduction in fuel usage and CO2 emissions has been achieved through the use of:
# A specially-calibrated Duratorq 1.6-litre TDCi common rail diesel engine with coated Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF)
# Low rolling resistance tyres
# Unique transmission and final drive ratios
# Improved aerodynamics – lowered ride height, air deflectors, unique wheel covers
# Weight reduction through the provision of a tyre mobility kit in lieu of a traditional spare wheel/tyre
# Addition of a green shift indicator light in the instrument cluster, which signals the optimal point to change gear to maximise fuel economy

In addition to its industry-leading fuel efficiency, Fiesta ECOnetic also offers a comprehensive list of active and passive safety features, culminating in a 5-star safety rating from ANCAP.

Driver and front passenger airbags, head and thorax front side airbags, and a driver's knee airbag are all fitted as standard equipment, along with an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), and Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with Traction Control and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA).

"In addition to its full complement of safety equipment, comfort and convenience features, Fiesta ECOnetic will provide the next step up for customers who prioritise fuel efficiency and low CO2 emission performance when it comes to choosing a new vehicle," Mr Burela said.

Another one hot super car on our review list. It is one of my favorite creation of Lamborghini. Truly an outstanding car that could certainly get you fast and hot on the road. I remember the first release of this Murciélago, I was really like WOW! What an awesome car to have with. So now, take a quick look on it's interesting review.

Versace and Lamborghini, collaborators since 2006, proudly announce the launch of the new Lamborghini Murciélago LP 640 Roadster VERSACE and a unique collection of accessories, both to be previewed for the first time at the Maison’s Via Gesù 12, Milan on Monday June 23rd, 2008.

To create the new super roadster, the Maison Versace's designers joined forces with designers from the Lamborghini Design Centre (Centro Stile) and specialists working on the "ad personam" project. This Lamborghini program allows individual clients to create personalised sports cars, choosing the equipment specification, the colour of the exterior body and of the interior fittings.

BMW reveals GINA Light Visionary Concept

Enlarge PhotoBMW has given us a preview of future vehicle construction and design with the unveiling of the new GINA Light Visionary concept car. The car’s new name stands for ‘Geometry and Functions In “N” Adaptions,’ and its design showcases a number of future-oriented production and functionality concepts.

The GINA has an almost seamless outer textile skin that stretches across a movable metal substructure. The car’s front and sides, including the doors, create one single uninterrupted, seamless whole that converges to form a structural unit.

To create this flexible body, the GINA has dispensed with the usual body elements found on production vehicles such as front apron, bonnet, side panels, doors, wheel arches, roof, trunk lid and rear deck. Instead, a new structure with a minimum amount of components has taken their place.

The special fabric is supported by a metal wire structure. At specific points, the high-strength metal is enhanced by carbon struts with a higher flexibility. The design of the frame has also been optimized to support the aspects of crash-safety, stiffness and ride handling, entirely without an outer surface.

The driver can move parts of the substructure by means of electro-hydraulic controls. This will also change the shape of the outer skin, which can thus be adapted to suit the current situation, the driver’s requirements and can also enhance the car’s functional range. The most striking example of this is the headlight design. In normal position, when the headlights are not active they are hidden under the special fabric cover. As soon as the driver turns on the lights, the contour of the front end changes.

BMW has a tradition of revealing its future technologies with eccentric concept vehicles and the new construction methods previewed in the GINA could make it to production one day. However, for now, the GINA is strictly a research model designed to present new ideas.

Camaro's drivetrain is expected with either six-speed manual or automatic transmissions, with a 3.6L direct-injection V6 rated at 300hp (224kW) and 273lb-ft (370Nm) of torque. The 6.2L LS3 V8 is rated at 422hp (314kW) and 408lb-ft (553Nm) of torque in manual guise and the 6.2L L99 V8 is good for 400hp (299kW) and 395lb-ft (535Nm) of torque in automatic form. There is still no word on the turbocharged four-cylinder that’s been rumored as a possibility for the past several months. The V6 is reportedly offering an estimated 26mpg highway, with a 23mpg rating for the V8 on the open road. Fuel efficiency is enhanced in the automatic-equipped V8 models with Active Fuel Management.

The next generation 2009 Audi A4 is set to debut at next week's Paris Motor Show. It marks the innovation of a modern powerplant for the S-series lineup, a 3.0L TFSI V6 engine supercharged. The Audi A4 uses a pair of 4 vane rotors and assembles in valley of the engine block. It's air were fed through a set of intercoolers up to the combustion chambers that provides the fuel straight from the injection system.


Equipped with a 333 horsepower and 325 pound feet of torque fed through a 6-speed manual gearbox or a new 7-speed S-Tronic dual clutch transmission, it runs to 62 miles per hour in 5.1 seconds. The new S4's quattro system transmits 40% of the torque to the front wheel and 60% to the rear wheel. The S4's exterior gets a more intense looking front and rear with a new 18-inch wheels. The new sport seats and it's elegant and fancy interior brings the new S4 a very distinct design.


The Audi A4 will be released in Europe on both sedan and Avant wagon variety this coming March. It will be unleashed in the U.S. this coming fall with the limitation to the sedan model only. Pricing is at $48,610 similar to the current model.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Mercedes Benz has unleashed one of the biggest craze this year, the all new 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster 722 S. The new Roadster 722 S is powered by a 5.5L V8 AMG engine delivering 650 horsepower and maximum torque of 604 lb-ft. The engine is associated with a five speed automatic transmission which is designed for high performance. The car accelerates from 0 up to 100 kilometers per hour in 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 335 kilometers per hour. Mercedes claims that this two-seater car's soft-top is capable of withstanding high speeds exceeding 200 miles per hour which is made of carbon fiber.


With a rigid spring and shock absorber configurations on its suspension, the SLR McLaren Roadster 722 S body is lowered by 10mm on its front and rear, making it sure that the car has a guaranteed handling stability. A 19-inch lightweight forged aluminum wheels allows a nice view of the red painted brake calipers made from a highly-resistant carbon fiber ceramic brake discs.

There will only be 150 limited-edition 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR Roadster 722 S models to be sold.

An all new hot Ralliart flavor, here comes this year's Mitsubishi Lancer line, the all new 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback. The new Lancer Sportback looks more similar like the 5-Door Subaru Impreza models. This Lancer Sportback is powered by a 2.0L MIVEC turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 253 pound-feet of torque and 237 horsepower. Mitsubishi's all new Twin-Clutch SST Transmission will also come along with this Sportback model. The new Lancer Sportback is set on sale in Europe after its Paris debut which starts at $26,460.

The Aston Martin V12 Vantage is expected to start with the deliveries during the third quarter of 2009. Pricing hasn't been announced yet and production will be limited at around 300 to 500 samples a year.

Nissan is the sister concern of Volvo which is said to be the world’s fabulous car companies that provides maximum style and comfort to the people using them. It is one of the most stylish companies and Nissan is also on the track of Volvo. Nissan has produced so many trucks and cars that have shocked the world and also that have made the world stunned of outlook and technological dynamics.

Here also in the newer launchings of Nissan Titan, there are some of the best qualities and verities introduced. The main theme of the car that is more attractive and impactive is the styling of the car. Generally people select the car just by selecting the exteriors as for majority of the people outer look matters more than the internal quality. So, let’s study the exterior and also the stylish approach of the Titan.

Nissan Titan Style:

Nissan has a different styling and also there are some of the shapes and curves that re totally different than the usual car shapes. Nissan has done a great experiment and broken the conservative attitude that all the other companies are still approaching like we see in the recent models of Ford and even Chevy!! It’s the rule that once you go for something different, either you’ll be appraised loudly or you’ll have to suffer heavily, but the extreme reaction is bound to get earned!!

Nissan Titan is such a definite risk and just because of some of the massive technical superiorities and splashing style of the exterior and interior Titan is able to achieve the appraisal of people and is accepted with a red carpet by the car lovers and also the critics!!

This outrageous model of Titan is having the gorgeous grille that is becoming the patent mark for the Nissan. This adorable feature of grille gives the truck a stumbling and stunning look. Actually, the supremacy of Nissan was established long back as the trucking giants with the introduction of Silverado and Tundra. This Titan is also on the road to retain the supremacy. The little frontier enhances smaller trucking beauty of the model. Also the 20 inch longer wheel base option is offering the truck a giant effect as there is an ample scope for the extended cab and crew-cab with even 8 feet beds in the truck.

The base model of Titan XE and also the SE model come with 18 inch steel wheels and the special LE model is available with the spectacular 20 inch wheels giving the truck prime and perfect look. So, there is nothing of lower standard with the styling of the Nissan typhoon in the Trucking industries Titan.

Nissan Titan Interiors:

There are some of the intimate features that are fascinating the interiors of Titan. Critics are quite impressed with the spacious interiors of Titan. Ideally, the dream truck is the one that is having the compact look of other facilities and functions and wider and spacious space for the clean and clear bank area. Here in the interior of Titan, there are some of the bold and beautiful features that give the truck modern and latest look. The newly added features of revising metering for the instrument cluster and centre provides the most astonishing and awesome appeal to the viewers.

Nissan Titan Controls:

With this model of Titan, Nissan has revised and redesigned some of the controls of the truck like the chrome-ringed dial that is being placed in centre to facilitate the driver to have the control of the truck even while driving. There are seven to eight buttons and switched added to the older models to have the ease of controlling different functions separately. Out of these controls some switches are perfectly placed but some of them are placed slight downwards that might prove difficult to the driver to operate while driving. Also the power window buttons are placed at the weird location of edge of the window doors. This placement might create problem of handling the power button while windows are opened.

But still, the conversion of central operating system into seven different buttons has made the car functions simpler and easier!!

Nissan Titan Safety:

Safety in the trucks are quite necessary to have the best promising features as trucks are always loaded with heavy luggage and there need to have some security for the drivers. These safety features are quite generously structured in the Titan Trucks. There are perfect securities and airbags settled for the driver-side and also for the front passenger impacts.

Other safety features include active head restraints, disc brakes with ABS and three point belts for the rear seaters. These facilities are some things that are rare for other vehicles of the same categories. Traction control is another thing that is quite fabulous in all the models of Nissan. The areas where Nissan has developed largely with this model of Titan are stability control, side-impact airbags and the entire airbag package that has covered the side part and also the curtain parts. So, with the issue of airbags that are the main constraint of safety, Nissan Titan is all time wonderful.

Nissan Titan Performance:

The special specialty that differentiates Titan from all the other trucks is the V8 engine with the marvellous five speed automatic transmission. The additional supersonic feature is that to make this engine functioning, there is no need of fuel!! The function of this engine is quite smoother and fluent as it has got the smashing power to generate hardest ever 317 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque. The engine is not only the option to earn the speed for the truck but also to have immense carrying capacity of around 9,500 pounds. This towing capacity is among the highest capacity holder towing trucks.

The better part of automatic transmission is that the transmission from the upside to the downside is highest and is therefore the smoothest option to serve while driving. Even the gear moving is quite simpler and there is no hesitation in braking also as the brake pads are placed quite softer that are eligible for the sudden braking also.

Nissan Titan Fuel Consumption:

Fuel Consumption of the truck or any of the vehicles is quite important while deciding the real type. The Titan is using the regular-grade gas. There is a huge gas tank facility and space available in Titan for massive 37 gallons. Moreover if we consider the lesser fuel economy of Titan, this huge space and storing capacity is quite splendid and long lasting.

The fuel consumption of Titan in the city is around 12.1 mpg and 14.5 in the high way and other use. According to other critics, the fuel economy is 12 mpg in the city and 17 mpg on the highway. So, over all there are good results and also the fuel capacity is quite better in the Nissan Titan.

Summary:

There were some doubts in the minds of the people while the Nissan Titan was under process but the moment it got through all the critics have unanimously appreciated it. So, Nissan Titan is one of the most promising trucks currently available and surely is going to rock the industries!!