Wednesday, September 30, 2009

2009 Tokyo Auto Show: Subaru Takes Wing With Hybrid Tourer Concept

TOKYO — Subaru will swoop in to the 2009 Tokyo Auto Show with a striking gullwing Hybrid Tourer Concept that straddles the gulf between sex appeal and a commitment to green values.
Parent Fuji Heavy Industries isn't saying whether this four-passenger concept will ever see the light of a showroom. It describes the Hybrid Tourer as "a new proposal for the future of [the] grand touring car."
The all-wheel-drive concept gets a 2.0-liter horizontally opposed direct fuel-injection turbo gas engine, an unusual hybrid two-motor system and a high-performance lithium-ion battery. The two-motor system bundles a power/drive motor in the front and a drive motor in the rear. During normal driving, the front engine is primarily used, noted Subaru in a statement. At start-up and "extremely low speeds when fuel efficiency is low, the rear motor is used primarily," it said.
Subaru did not provide any information on the fuel economy of its concept.
The cabin gets a dashboard that can be moved up and down and a special windshield that cuts down on driver eyestrain.
Another notable vehicle on the Subaru stand at the 2009 Tokyo Auto Show will be the Impreza WRX STI Carbon. This vehicle has carbon material in the roof and is spun off the WRX STI A-Line model with a five-speed automatic transmission. Subaru says the use of carbon material translates into "a significant weight reduction and a lower center of gravity."
Inside Line says: Subaru promises to swivel some heads at the 2009 Tokyo Auto Show with its Hybrid Tourer Concept. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
Source: Edmunds.com/Inside Line

Monday, September 21, 2009

Test Drive review: Spunky little Kia Forte is as fun as you like

This article appeared in a recent edition of USA Today. We thought you might like to read and have a look for yourself. Hope you enjoy!

Link to article: http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/reviews/healey/2009-09-17-test-drive-kia-forte_N.htm

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Frankfurt 2009: 2010 Volkswagen Phaeton Exclusive makes our inner plutocrat swoon

When it comes to the Phaeton, we really don't care what anyone else thinks. The only justification we'll offer is that back in the early 2000s, VW's ubermensch Ferdinand Piech took off the calf-skin gloves and dropped the mother of all gauntlets. He told commanded engineers to build A) the very best high performance hypercar the world had ever seen, and, B) an equally superb luxury sedan. The results, as you may have guessed, were the Veyron and the Phaeton. A little bit of this high high-falutin' zeitgeist rubbed off on the Touareg as well -- especially the twin-turbo TDI V10 monster. The whole Phaeton can'o'worms is quite messy in the States. To put it bluntly, the grand sedan completely failed. Still, anyone that's spent so much as thirty seconds in the back seat knows that the Phaeton's failure in WalMart country had nothing to do with the Phaeton. Proof? Volkswagen, who by year's end is projected to be the largest automaker in the world and therefor knows a thing or two about cars, is bringing the Phaeton back to our red, white und blue shores. This particular Phaeton Exclusive (featuring the universe's glossiest, deepest and darkest black paint) is actually sporting the 2007 facelift. But you can rest easy, secure in the knowledge we'll be getting the new Phaeton when it returns to the US in 2011. - Autoblog.com

Frankfurt 2009: the 2010 Volkswagen CC R is better looking than your midsize sedan — Autoblog

Frankfurt 2009: the 2010 Volkswagen CC R is better looking than your midsize sedan — Autoblog

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Friday, September 11, 2009

Rumormill: BMW proceeding with development on mid-engine Z10?


For many, it may seem hard for an automaker to claim the mantle of "The Ultimate Driving Machine" without a truly exhilarating supercar to act as a halo to define the brand. That could explain why, following previous reports that it had canned any plans for a mid-engine supercar, new reports suggest that BMW is proceeding with development of just such a vehicle.Tentatively dubbed Z10, the most ultimate of driving machines would, according to the latest churns of the rumormill, take advantage of lightweight materials – including carbon fiber, aluminum and magnesium – to keep weight down, while offering more space inside than a Porsche 911. The jury's still out on what engine would find itself placed in the middle of the taut chassis, with the company's award-winning V10 reportedly axed in favor of a twin-turbo six (in either V or inline configuration) delivering somewhere in the vicinity of 450 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed dual clutch gearbox.Adaptable aerodynamics, a supplemental hybrid electric motor and thermal-dynamics system are also tipped to be part of the package, and we wouldn't be surprised to see some of the styling elements from the new Vision EfficientDynamics concept make their way into the production vehicle. The supercar is supposedly projected to bow with a $110,000 sticker price about five years from now... that is, if it's actually ever produced at all.
Source: Autoblog.com

Thursday, September 10, 2009

New Subaru models earn top IIHS safety ratings

The 2010 Subaru Legacy and 2010 Subaru Outback have just been called 'Top Safety Picks' by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Both of the popular models have been revised for the 2010 model year with more space, features and safety than last year's model.
The "Top Safety Pick' rating is one of the industry's highest accolades for crash-impact performance.
It's only given to models that ace all impact tests and come with life-saving Electronic Stability Control, or ESC.
"Recognizing vehicles at the head of the class for safety helps consumers distinguish the best overall choices without having to sort through multiple test results," said Institute president Adrian Lund.
Lund also points out that the ESC technology more and more automakers are using can actually help prevent an accident from taking place at all. ESC is standard on all 2010 Legacy and Outback models.
"Thanks to testing by groups like the IIHS, Subaru customers know they can depend on us for the highest levels of occupant protection," said Katsuhiro Yokoyama, president and CEO of Subaru Canada. "The fact that 2010 Impreza, Forester, and Tribeca have also achieved Top Safety Pick status is both a tribute to the people who design and engineer our vehicles, and a powerful signal to consumers that we're committed to building vehicles that are safe and durable as well as fun to drive."
Subaru attributes the test results, at least partially, on their safety-engineered 'ring' body structure.
In an impact, this tough structure sends crash impact forces around the cabin, rather than through it.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Want an Eco-Friendly Car? Buy a BMW!

If your carbon footprint is an important consideration to you when you're car shopping, you may picture yourself in a Toyota Prius. Or perhaps, if you pay close attention to the auto industry, you've got your eye on a Chevy Volt or Nissan Leaf. These cars aren't likely to win you any stoplight drag races, but their fuel economy ratings make them the greenest rides on the road, right?
Not according to Dow Jones. In their estimation, if you really care about your carbon footprint, you'll buy a fine European sport sedan with a turbocharged engine and a fourteen speaker stereo. Or perhaps a V8-powered roadster.
Autoblog explains, "That's the case if you're consulting the Dow Jones Sustainability Index World, which has declared BMW Group to be the ‘most sustainable automobile company worldwide.'" The German luxury automaker "has won the title for five years in a row now. In fact, BMW reminds us it is the only automaker that has been listed on the Index since it was created in 1999."
The Dow Jones Sustainability Index considers the environmental and social impact of a company's operations as a whole, including the entire product lifecycle from design through the end of their lifecycle. In a press release, Dow Jones shows BMW to be above the auto industry average in every category it rates, including Operational Eco-Efficiency, Climate Strategy, Carbon Strategy and the environmental standards the company maintains for its suppliers.
The Motor Report notes, "Since 2000, BMW has listed sustainability among its core strategic principles, focusing on the development of fuel-saving and alternative vehicle concepts - such as the EfficientDynamics range and the recently revealed VISION Concept - through to clean production processes and green recycling practices."
BMW hasn't focused heavily on environmental and social concerns in its marketing, but they may play a bigger role in future advertising efforts. After all, Autoblog points out, "There's a lot of competition to be seen as the world's greenest automaker - just look at the branding efforts surrounding the Toyota Prius or the Chevrolet Volt for examples."
Not to mention, those cars can't exactly keep up with an M5 when the road gets twisty.
Article source: http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/daily-news/090908-Want-an-Eco-Friendly-Car-Buy-a-BMW-/