10/27/2008

2010 Lexus RX SUV

2010 Lexus RX SUV

The next-generation Lexus RX SUV will reportedly make its world debut in full production trim at next month’s Los Angeles Auto Show before going on sale early next year as a 2010 model. Prototypes for the new RX have been spotted testing in Germany in recent months, revealing a familiar shape to the current model but with larger proportions overall and new head and tail-lights. The prototypes also confirm that Lexus’ LF-Xh hybrid SUV concept from last year’s Tokyo Motor Show is a close representation of what to expect, however the show car’s LED headlights are likely to be replaced with conventional bi-xenon units for production.

Optional equipment:
Bi-Xenon HID Headlamps
Automatic High Beam Feature
Auto-dimming Rearview Mirror with Integrated Backup Camera
Wallet-Size Card Key
12-Speaker Premium Audio System
USB Audio Input
15-Speaker Mark Levinson Audio System
Voice-activated HDD Navigation System
XM Real-Time Traffic Capability
19-inch Alloy Wheels
P235/55R19 Tires
Head-Up Display
Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM)
Driver Seat Variable Cushion Length Adjustment
Front Passenger Seat Variable Cushion Length Adjustment
Wide-View Side Monitor System
Sport-Tuned Suspension
Unique Wheel Finish
Dual Screen Rear Seat DVD Entertainment System
3-Position Driver Seat Memory System
Heated & Ventilated Front Seats

Standard Equip:
18-inch Alloy Wheels
P235/50R18 M+S Tires
XM Satellite Radio (Factory Activated)
Smart Entry System
Push Button Start
Bluetooth Capability
Rear Seat Side Airbags
Double Wishbone Rear Suspension
Retractable Outside Rearview Mirrors
Integrated Turn Signal Lamps
Puddle Lamps
Rear Seatbelt Pretensioners
Hill Ascent Control (HAC)
Temporary Spare Tire
6-Speed Automatic Transmission
Sequential Shift Mode
Active Torque Control 4WD System
Electric Power Steering
Multi-Information Display
Front Passenger Knee Airbag
Premium Fabric Seat Surfaces
Sliding Rear Seat
Remote Release for Folding Rear Seatbacks
Active Front Headrests with Whiplash Protection
Roof Mounted Satellite Fin Antenna


Deleted Standard Equipment
Driver Foldable Armrest
Front Passenger Foldable Armrest
Full-Size Spare Tire
Roof Rail Crossbars
Full-Time 4WD System
2-Position Driver Seat Memory System
Auto-dimming Side View Mirrors
Leather Seat Surfaces

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2009 Lexus RX 350

2009 Lexus RX 350 Pictures

The Lexus RX 350 remains the most popular vehicle in the car-based luxury utility vehicle segment that it established over a decade ago

Here's a video of 2009 Lexus RX 350/Quick Drive from cars.com

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10/23/2008

Jaguar Land Rover Profile

Jaguar Land Rover  Pictures

Great people are our gateway to great cars, individuals who work across a range of disciplines, people who share our sense of excitement.

At Jaguar Land Rover we always endeavour to find these skilled professionals, people who are driven to move two of the world’s leading automotive brands forward in a significant way. When our paths cross, we enter into a partnership with each person to plot an exciting and rewarding career path and we work with them to support their progress along that path.

It’s all about looking to the future, recruiting the next generation of Jaguar and Land Rover experts to build the next generation of Jaguars and Land Rovers, vehicles that are more appealing, that reach out and are relevant to even more people around the world.

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BMW Mini E

BMW Mini E Pictures
BMW has revealed the Mini E, a zero-emission, two-seat version of its famous hatchback that will be leased to 500 Americans as part of a one-year trial.

If the scheme is successful, an electric Mini is likely to go into production within a few years.

The Mini E is based on the regular Mini three-door hatch but swaps its conventional internal-combustion engines for an electric motor.

The electric motor is powered by a lithium-ion battery pack and produces 150kW and 220Nm – sufficient to make the Mini E 1.9 seconds (8.5sec) quicker in the 0-100km/h sprint than the 360kg-lighter Mini Cooper auto.

BMW has limited the E’s top speed to 152km/h, with the car focused on city driving.

However, the large, 260kg battery and electric transmission (located by the rear axle) take the place of the Mini’s rear seats, making the front-drive Mini E a two-seater only. (Some would suggest the limited rear legroom in the regular Mini effectively makes it a two-seater, too.)

BMW says the Mini E has a range of 240km, which can be extended by up to 290km through regenerative braking.

Kinetic energy is fed to the battery whenever the driver lifts their foot off the accelerator pedal.

Mini Es leased in the initial trial areas of Los Angeles, New York and New Jersey (London and Europe are also being considered) will come standard with a ‘wallbox’, which will be fitted into customers’ garages for convenient recharging. Leasing, though, won't be cheap - costing Mini E owners about A$1200 per month.

The Mini E’s battery can be charged fully in about two-and-a-half hours, though will take much longer if connected to a regular power socket fitted with a special adaptor. (The Mini E’s connecting socket sits behind a conventional-looking ‘fuel filler’ cap.)

BMW says it has tweaked the Mini E’s suspension to ensure that the abnormal weight distribution created by the battery pack doesn’t upset the hatch’s signature go-kart handling abilities.

Inside, the most notable difference between the E and regular Mini (apart from the missing rear seats) is the swapping of the tachometer for a battery-power gauge that tells the owner how much charge is remaining – from between 0 and 100 per cent.

While Minis are famous for their virtually unlimited customisation options, the 500 Mini Es look identical.

Each features a silver roof and dark silver bodywork, with yellow power plug symbols (the largest on the roof) marking the E as an electric Mini.

The Mini E will debut on November 19 at the Los Angeles motor show. The 500 models will be built by the end of 2008 at the Mini production plant in Oxford, England, though the battery, electric motor, transmission and relating electronics will be added at BMW in Munich.

The electric technology is unlikely to be restricted to Mini within the BMW Group.

The German car maker’s ‘Project i’ team is exploring a micro electric car designed specifically for mega-cities, though it’s not yet clear whether the car will carry the BMW badge or sit under a new brand name similar to the Mercedes and Smart set-up.
[Source]

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The Mercedes SLR McLaren Roadster

The Mercedes SLR McLaren Roadster

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE


The Mercedes McLaren SLR Roadster exclusively for the Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Catalog

The provenance of a singular vehicle, built to the exacting standards of Mercedes McLaren, the creators of world championship-winning Formula One racing cars, this SLR is the only one built for the United States. Legends are created by a combination of unrivalled performance, technological leadership and exclusivity. The Mercedes McLaren SLR Roadster follows the lineage of the Mercedes-Benz 900 SLR racing car, which triumphed at the 1955 Mille Miglia endurance race and forever imprinted this historic racing victory on the brand Mercedes-Benz.

The Mercedes SLR McLaren Roadster underscores the racing tradition with its 206 mph top speed, 617 horsepower supercharged V-8 engine and carbon fiber body with scissor-type articulated doors. No other roadster on Earth combines this level of technology and performace - and no other SLR will match the singular model.

The Mercedes McLaren SLR Roadster completes its limited production with this unique SLR Roadster. With carbon fiber bodywork finished in bespoke SLR Sienna Pearl metallic paint and composition Tobacco Brown leather interior, only one SLR in this combination is destined for the United States.

Owning this unique vehicle, the final production SLR Roadster for the United States, will make a statement to automotive enthusiasts for years to come.

This vehicle will be available in an exclusive online auction on November 20, 2008 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm EST. The vehicle's price is $529,500 with any and all funds raised above and beyond donated to St Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Performance and Design Highlights

Sienna Pearl Super Metallic Paint - This unique finish is reserved for this single SLR Roadster and has metallic elements which are three times the size of traditional metallic paint and give this SLR a radiant brown metallic finish with deep metallic copper undertones.

Composition Leather - Complimenting the SLR exterior finish, is an interior of equal beauty. The Tobacco Brown composition leather interior exudes performance for the driver and passenger and compliments the exterior finish.

Wheels and Brakes - Fitment of 19-inch SLR wheels with special brake system, accented with gold brake calipers, completes the exterior design with a technical statement hinting at this vehicle's incredible performance.

Vehicle Specifications

Total displacement: 5,439 cc
Horsepower: 617 at 6,500 rpm
Torque: 575 lb-ft at 3,200-5,000 rpm
Acceleration: 0-62 mph in 3.8 seconds
Top speed: 206 mph
Wheels, front: 9.0 x 19
Wheels, rear: 11.5 x 19
High-performance tires, front: 255/35 R19
High-performance tires, rear: 295/30 R19

MSRP: $529,500.00

The Mercedes SLR McLaren Roadster
[Source]

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10/20/2008

New Mazda 6

New Mazda 6 Pictures

The 2009 Mazda 6, while all new, isn't the first time Mazda has been a player in mid-size sedan segment. It's had contenders as far back as the late '80s with the 626 and more recently with the last generation Mazda 6. It is however, the first time that Mazda designed and built a midsize sedan specifically for the U.S. consumer. The last generation of the Mazda 6 was a global car and had to meet the needs of consumers from various countries. As a result, it was smaller than its competitors -- and when you are thinking baby seats, baggage and American teenagers, bigger is better.

In addition to the size deficit, Mazda product planners identified two additional areas that needed improvement over the last generation 6: power and quality. So they set out to make a high-quality vehicle with efficient power in a roomier package. Luckily, they paid attention to aesthetics as well because what emerged is a vehicle that met all their technical requirements and comes wrapped in gorgeous sheet metal that is unmistakably a Mazda.

The design is great, especially when it comes to the instrument panel. The dial plates look fabulous, the blend of orange and blue lighting is crisp and clear. The dashboard itself is conventional, but the grey plastic trim enlivens an otherwise drab interior. Some of the plastics do clash with the quality of the car though. In such a competitive class, we're allowed to expect supple plastics that are pleasing to the touch and built to withstand life's vagaries.

The controls are ergonomic and pleasant, and powerful backlighting guarantees their readability. The interior space is the big winner in this update: the 6 has gone from being one of the most compact cars in the class to one of the most spacious. Trunk access is also exceptionally easy, the very wide mouth enabling us to load and unload cumbersome objects in a cinch.

The interior is quite comfortable. They've used good quality leather for the seats, which are nevertheless a little too firm to my liking. Side support isn't up to par for a sporty car. The driving position is correct, nothing more.

New Mazda 6
New Mazda 6 Pictures New Mazda 6 Pictures New Mazda 6 Pictures New Mazda 6 Pictures

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Mazda Hydrogen Rotary Vehicle Takes to the Road in Norway

Mazda Motor Corporation today introduced the Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE (Rotary Engine) vehicle to Norway’s public roads in collaboration with the Norwegian national hydrogen project, HyNor. Initially, the RX-8 Hydrogen RE’s driving performance on Norwegian roads will be validated with a single vehicle, which will also be shown at various events. This marks the first time that a Mazda hydrogen rotary vehicle has been put into regular use on public roads outside Japan.

Mazda signed a memorandum of understanding with HyNor (Hydrogen Road of Norway) to participate in the project in November 2007. HyNor is a national project in the Kingdom of Norway that aims to establish a clean energy transport system based on hydrogen fuel. Beginning in fiscal year 2009, Mazda will provide approximately 30 RX-8 Hydrogen RE vehicles for the HyNor project under commercial lease contracts.

The RX-8 Hydrogen RE validation vehicle is being delivered in advance so that Mazda and HyNor can jointly assess its driving performance in Norway. It will also be exhibited at environmental and other events for potential customers who are interested in leasing a hydrogen vehicle.

Since April 2006, Mazda has delivered eight RX-8 Hydrogen RE vehicles to government bodies and enterprises in Japan under commercial lease contracts.
[Source]

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10/14/2008

Toyota iQ: Welcome To America

Toyota iQ

Rumors that Toyota will send its iQ super subcompact to America appear to be true -- with one twist. Motortrend.Com sources indicate the iQ will debut at the Los Angeles International Auto Show in November not as a Toyota, but as the latest addition to the Scion lineup.

Even though the tiny three-plus-one seat iQ (three adults, one child) was designed for Europe and Japan, there is a strong business case for bringing it here as a Scion.

Positioned under $15,000, a two door, hatchback iQ wouldn't challenge the more traditional four-door, five-seat Scion xD hatch, but would likely give the Smart fortwo fits. For around the same price as the Smart, the iQ would offer additional passenger/cargo capacity.

Toyota is going to get Smart by giving iQ to Scion and America.

Toyota iQ
Toyota iQ Pictures Toyota iQ Pictures Toyota iQ Pictures Toyota iQ Pictures

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