AsiaMotorCar

2011 Smart ForTwo Cabriolet

noreply@blogger.com (car) — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 15:59:00 +0000

The good: A compact design makes the 2011 Smart ForTwo an excellent urban vehicle, and its unique looks make it instantly identifiable. Smart offers an iPhone app to replicate many cabin tech functions.

The bad: Both brakes and steering require a lot of effort. The transmission takes too long with its gear changes, which leads to serious power dips while accelerating.

The bottom line: The 2011 Smart ForTwo is one of the most unique cars on the road, but works best in an urban environment.

Tell any car enthusiast that he is about to drive a two-seat convertible with an automated manual transmission, and he will imagine a fast roadster--some bullet-shaped car in Ferrari red or British racing green--cheerily chopping up corners over some winding, wooded highway. Mention a 70 horsepower, three-cylinder engine, and that same enthusiast's glee will turn to bafflement. Could this be some historic car, maybe a 1960s vintage BMW?

How about none of the above? Although a two-seater, the 2011 Smart ForTwo Passion Cabriolet is the opposite of sporty. Despite the convertible top, this is not a grand tourer appropriate for weekend wine country excursions. The Smart ForTwo is a bona fide city car, its boxy shape about as un-carlike as you can imagine.

To come up with the Smart ForTwo, its creators must have had everything they knew about automobile design surgically excised from their brains. Starting with a clean slate, they came up with an excellent mode of personal transport for congested urban centers.

Along the way, the Smart's designers discovered some interesting practicalities, such as the best place to put the engine (answer: in the rear, under the cargo area). And since the engine is in the rear, it might as well drive the rear wheels.

With a CNET editor in the cargo area, the Smart ForTwo becomes a ForThree.

And yes, despite the very short ForTwo, there is a cargo area. In fact, it is big enough to fit a full person, useful for those of you who have more than one friend. But the ForTwo's biggest virtue by far is the ability to park it in places other drivers can only dream about.

Take your average urban jungle, an environment in which people leave cars perched at any legal curb space for weeks at a time, just because leaving that space will mean hours spent searching for another one. Amid this parkacopalyptic landscape lay short curb spaces between driveways, little parking oases of which only the ForTwo can take advantage. That option alone will make the ForTwo attractive to any city dweller.

Smart snazzes up the ForTwo in its Cabriolet version by fitting it with a clever, if frivolous, soft top. The Smart ForTwo on its own is like an engineering nerd. With the convertible top, it's like an engineering nerd wearing a silk shirt. In its first stage, the top rolls back to open up the roof. Press the open button again, and the top bunches up behind the car. At this point, the roof rails can be manually snapped off and stowed inside the rear hatch, which is really going to be too much effort for most people, given that the reward is merely making the identity of the driver even more visible.

The Smart ForTwo's roof rails stow inside the rear hatch.

Stock tech
Highlighting the modernity of the ForTwo, in stock form there is no CD player; audio sources are limited to radio and a USB port in the glove box. And no, that USB port is not compatible with an iPod cable. On top of that, there is no Bluetooth phone system, and the audio system only has two speakers. The stereo is like one big boom box. Directional buttons to the right of the stereo make it easy to browse music on a USB drive, but the audio quality from this stereo is seriously lacking.

The ForTwo's stock stereo lacks a CD player, but does have a USB port.

Fortunately, that is not it for cabin tech. Smart makes a surprising number of options available in the ForTwo, including a Kenwood-sourced navigation head unit. This head unit integrates Garmin navigation, includes a Bluetooth phone system and iPod compatibility. Even more impressive is the available surround-sound audio system, with six speakers and a subwoofer.

But as those two tech options add $1,780 to the price, less ambitious buyers may want to look at Smart's iPhone app. This app is specifically designed for car use, with large buttons to access the iPhone music library, phone functions, navigation, and even a special Smart roadside assistance line, giving the car basic telematics functions. For better integration between app and car, Smart offers an accessory cradle that plugs into the car's power and audio system, muting music when a call comes in, for example.

70 horsepower
Performance tech in the ForTwo is similarly limited, except for one important optional upgrade. The tiny engine is average, tech-wise. No turbo or direct injection, which may be a blessing as these technologies might not make sense on an engine this small. At 1 liters, and with only three cylinders, the engine makes 70 horsepower and 68 pound-feet of torque. But at around 2,000 pounds, this engine delivers enough power to get the car moving quickly, and lets it maintain freeway speeds of 70 mph.

Appropriately sized for the small ForTwo, the engine brings in fuel economy numbers of 33 mpg city and 41 mpg highway. In freeway testing, the instant fuel meter averaged around 40 mpg. During CNET's time focusing primarily on city driving, it turned in only 26 mpg. Put that low figure down to typical car reviewer driving, mashing the gas pedal at every start.

The transmission's manual mode does not eliminate the slow shifting problem.

Holding the ForTwo back is its most technically advanced piece of performance tech, the transmission. Similar to versions of the Lancer Evo and Volkswagen GTI, the ForTwo's five-speed transmission uses an automated clutch. But unlike those cars' dual-clutch systems, the ForTwo only gets a single clutch, so gear changes take a horribly long time.

This gearbox has evoked much criticism of the ForTwo, and will make first-time drivers of the car think it almost undriveable. Accelerate from a stop, and the car picks up speed until the first gear change, when power drops drastically. And again, from second to third, another long power drop. It is unnerving until you get used to it.

And the transmission's manual mode does not cure the problem; telling the car to upshift delivers the same, slow gear change. After some time with the car, however, you can adjust to it, timing the shifts and throttle control to smooth over the dips. The addition of a tachometer, which the ForTwo lacks, would really help drivers time the shifts. The transmission is one area of the car that Smart could definitely stand to improve.

As much of the car is designed to save money and space, it does not come with power steering, which becomes immediately noticeable on trying to crank the wheel around from a stop or at slow speeds. It takes effort, even with the car's tiny tires. But this issue can be fixed with the optional electric power steering unit, a feature that Smart should really make standard.

Power steering is an option in the Smart ForTwo.

One aspect of the ForTwo that probably can't be helped is the awful ride quality. Its small wheels and short wheelbase lead to plenty of jouncing around, the car getting lifted back and forth by any bumps in the road. The suspension tech in front is fairly modern, if average, with Macpherson struts, but the rear uses a solid bar, a DeDion axle that keeps the rear wheels from completely independent travel.

The brakes are also troublesome, as they don't feel like there is any power assist at all. Drivers of the ForTwo must anticipate braking situations much more than in other cars, as it takes a lot of effort to stop the car.

Although the ForTwo can easily keep up with freeway speeds, it can feel a little scary. Wind and grooves in the pavement pull the car around more than they would a heavier vehicle, and the ForTwo is not particularly aerodynamic. Although the car can feel tippy in cornering, its stabilizer bars keep it surprisingly balanced. And its short length allows for easy traffic maneuvering, jumping into gaps too small for other cars.

In sum
If it weren't for its options, the 2011 Smart ForTwo would have been a complete failure for cabin tech. But the available navigation system, iPod support, and iPhone app all bolster it. The surround-sound audio system is a surprise feature that also contributes to its cabin tech score.

As to performance tech, the engine is only average, and the suspension is very rough. But the transmission, despite its slow shifts, pushes the tech envelope, and the electric power-steering unit also gives it a boost.

The ForTwo's real win is design. Some people might find it ugly, but it is certainly a unique car. And the two-seater practicality is really amazing, giving occupants plenty of headroom along with usable cargo space--more so than in a typical roadster.

Custom cars attract the best to Detroit's Autorama

noreply@blogger.com (car) — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 15:55:00 +0000

With a special fondness for the 1962 Corvette, Bruce Milyard of Grand Junction, Colo. worked closely with builder John Martin of Alamosa Colo. to create this Ridler Award contenderatr the 2011 Autorama. Milyard is a newcomer to the prestigious Detroit show. His '62 Corvette is fitted with an LS7 427-inch Corvette engine.

With the sought-after annual Ridler Award at stake, custom car owners and the professionals who create them have brought their work to Cobo Hall here for the 59th Autorama for a showdown.

Billed as Meguiar's Autorama, and presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts, the February 25-27 event features some 1,000 exhibits of cars, trucks, vans and motorcycles from around the country.

The Ridler Award is unique to the Detroit expo and attracts custom one-of-a-kind vehicles that have never been shown publicly nor featured in the media.

"We submitted photos of our car as it was being worked on plus an artist's rendering for consideration," said Bruce Ricks of Sapulpa, Okla.

Although he has brought vehicles to Autorama three previous times, Ricks' 1956 Ford Sunliner "Suncammer" is his first entry into the Ridler competition. The pewter-gray convertible with red leather interior and 427-inch single overhead cam engine was built largely by Steve Cook Creations of Oklahoma City, Ricks said.

What's the difference between an excellent custom and a Ridler hopeful?

Bruce and Judy Ricks' 1956 Ford Sunliner "Suncammer" is powered by a 427-inch single overhead cam engine with four-barrel carburetors. The six-year restoration and modification, which features only nickel-plated rather than chromed pieces, took Ricks of Sapulpa, Okla. and his builder Steve Cook of Oklahoma City six year to complete.

"Details, details, details," said Ricks, whose bound background book for the judging included intricate drawings of the custom parts designed and built for Suncammer. "There are 300 special nuts and handmade custom bolts, for example," Ricks explained. What appears to be chromed trim is actually nickel-plated, he added.

"There is no chrome, no billeted aluminum on this car," said Ricks, who spent six years overseeing the Ford project.

Customizers and owners alike are quick to admire each other's vehicles. It was Johnny Martin, a professional from Alamosa, Colo., who pointed out the '56 Ford. Martin was at Autorama with Bruce Milyard of Grand Junction, Colo. Milyard owns a breathtaking 1962 Corvette that Martin built for him over the last four years. This is his first Autorama, Milyard said.

"I love the 1962 Corvette," said Milyard, who launched the project as a 50th birthday gift for his wife. He found a '62 in Colorado Springs and with Martin turned it into a show car with artist-inspired trims and touches -- dazzling in its simplicity.

Dubbed "Elegance," the Corvette consumed some 10,000 hours of work, Martin suggested.

On the adjacent stand a silver-and-burgundy 1955 Jaguar XK 140 belonging to Fred Jaekel of Richmond Hill, Ontario showed no signs of the decay customizers Deez Rodz and Ridez discovered when they started the project two years ago.

"It was rusted out," explained Deez owner Joe Tassone of Uxbridge, Ontario. "We saved the roofline, door skins, cowl, hood and trunk lid. Everything else had to be fabricated and fitted."

Two years of intensive labor brought this 1955 Jaguar XK 140 from past its prime to show condition, thanks for the efforts of Deez Rodz and Ridez of Uxbridge, Ontario and owner Fred Jaekel of Richmond Hills, Ontario.

Purchased over the phone and shipped to Ontario from England, the '55 XK 140 now is powered by a 350-inch General Motors crate engine hooked up to a five-speed manual transmission. Tassone replaced a carburetor with a fuel injection system.

"This car was built to drive," he said.

Steve Grimes' composite hotrod is barely drive-able but very show-able. The retired engineer from Columbus, Ohio said each of his several automotive creations is unique, based on which parts he has and how he sees the vehicle coming together.

Grimes brought a 1927 Ford roadster with 1948 Buick engine, front drive and rear-wheel steering to the 2011 Autorama.

"I see my cars as sculptures," Grimes said as he buffed the black one-seater with chartreuse trim.

Roberta Vasilow of Flint, Mich. said she sees her 1970 Buick GSX as something to race.

"I have drag raced in this car," said Vasilow, who put a 455-inch, 500-plus-horsepower engine in her yellow-and-black GSX.

A General Motors retiree and Buick specialist, Vasilow was parked in a larger stand celebrating Flint, Mich., and its automotive heritage. Another Flint booster, Karen Borton, was showing her iridescent champagne and metallic gold 1946 Chevrolet.

Completed in 2005 by Ron Box of London, Ontario, in honor of Borton's late husband Brady, "The Borton" has 88,000 miles on its modern engine and likely will rack up many more in 2011. Borton is active in Flint's annual Back to the Bricks as well as tours and other events for auto enthusiasts.

"The Borton has been in all states except Louisiana, Alabama, Washington, Hawaii and Alaska," said Karen Borton, a first-timer at Autorama.

Karen Borton on Flint commissioned Ron Box of London, Ontario to build "The Borton" from a 1946 Chevrolet coupe. Completed in 2005, The Borton has traveled 88,000 miles on its new running gear.

The Future of the Connected Car

noreply@blogger.com (car) — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 15:49:00 +0000

Most of us who watched Knight Rider as a kid expected that by 2011 we would be driving sleek, self-aware cars like KITT — cars that would take us seamlessly from A to B while cracking witty one-liners.

Though that future has not yet come to pass, things are starting to get exciting in the in-car technology space. Connected cars are hitting the consumer market in a price bracket that makes them a realistic option for many. One prediction sees “near saturation” in the U.S. market in as little as four years’ time.

“In terms of connected cars, we see the growth to be significant,” says Mark C. Boyadjis, a senior automotive analyst for IHS iSuppli. “Our forecasts for OEM Monitored, Telematics-enabled vehicles in 2010 sit at 4.5 million sales, with a heavy part of that coming from the U.S. and Western Europe, whereas this industry grows to 22.7 million by 2015.

“In 2015, however, there will be a much larger portion coming from China, Brazil, and Russia, as well as near saturation in developed markets like the U.S., Western Europe, and Japan.”

So what can we expect from these connected cars? We’ve spoken to a major motoring manufacturer, a futurist, an automotive analyst and other industry experts to find out.

1. Your Car as Your Credit Card

You may currently enjoy contactless payment at tolls via a smart card, but in the future we will see such cashless transactions extended to other areas of motoring, such as parking charges and fuel payments via embedded tech in your car.

Skymeter is one company developing products in this area. Its Financial GPS solution could offer wide-ranging changes to the way we pay for our driving.

“With Financial GPS, consumers can get one bill at the end of the month for every car-related cost: their parking, their insurance, their lease, their roads, even full repairs coverage,” says Kamal Hassan, CEO of Skymeter Corp.

“Everything would be paid automatically per minute or per mile, based on your actual driving and parking. Drivers could then control their costs. Not driving for a week would save you money on your lease, your insurance and even your municipal tax bill.”

We asked Hassan how far off such solutions are for the average consumer. “I believe we are two to three years away from seeing consumer cars with embedded Financial GPS units. GPS navigation units like Garmin started as aftermarket devices then moved into the car. Financial GPS will follow the same path.”

BMW meanwhile is working on a smart car key that, as well as controlling some in-car electronic functions, could be used for contactless payment. Just a prototype at this stage, BMW envisions your car key as your credit card as early as next year.

2. Your Garage as a Docking Station

Wi-Fi technology is the breakthrough addition to the connected car platform that’s going to make all the difference. While Bluetooth is great for in-car communications and streaming music, it’s cellular and Internet connectivity that truly puts the “connected” in connected car.

Ford has recently enhanced its Microsoft SYNC-based MyTouch system with Wi-Fi, meaning cars with the tech, such as the 2012 Ford Focus, can be turned into mobile Wi-Fi hotspots.

We spoke to Jason Johnson, product development engineer at Ford, about why this is such a major development and what we can look forward to in the future. “We’re envisioning, for example, a web browser in the car for when you’re parked,” Johnson revealed, as well as the potential for easier platform updates.

“With Wi-Fi, imagine your parking garage is a docking station for your car, so overnight your car wakes up, SYNC wakes up and it grabs the latest software update via the Wi-Fi,” says Johnson. “So that’s the beauty of the connected car. Just like all your other mobile devices can get updated on the fly, why shouldn’t your car also be able to be updated that way?”

Although this OTA update concept is exciting for the entertainment and navigational aspects of cars, looking further into the future, just imagine how much more convenient it would be to fix software-based technical issues remotely via an update, rather than the current logistical nightmare a recall brings.

3. Voice Controls for Your Car

The connected car, typically with a touchscreen console, has one major flaw — it’s potentially dangerous to interact with while driving. The answer to this is voice control, in which you speak commands to the system.

Ford has employed voice recognition into its connected car platform and we asked Johnson about it.

“Voice control is now starting to become the primary interface in the car because it allows you to keep your hands on the wheel, your eyes on the road and focus on the task of driving. Instead of picking up your iPhone and browsing through the music, you can just say ‘play artist,’ ‘play genre,’ ” Johnson explains.

But how capable is the voice recognition technology? Do you have to memorize a ton of unnatural commands? Ford’s system can currently understand 10,000 words — an impressive vocabulary for a car.

“What you’ll see from Ford is that we want to make device integration easier to use with voice control, and over time you’ll be able to have more of a natural conversation with the system,” says Johnson. “Over time you’ll be able to say ‘Hey SYNC I wanna listen to some jazz.’ ”

We also spoke to Nuance, the company that powers the voice recognition in Ford’s systems about what the future holds in this area.

“The connected car is the present and future. In the near future, drivers will be able to dictate messages or web searches from the convenience of their car — and the system will respond accurately,” Fátima Vital, senior marketing manager of automotive speech for Nuance told us.

“This functionality isn’t just for a select few either. More and more car manufacturers regard speech recognition is an indispensable feature. A J.D. Powers report shows that drivers with a speech-enabled navigation system record the most satisfaction with their cars. Hence the reason it is now available across a whole range of vehicle segments, from luxury cars to the smallest mass market vehicles. By 2020, expect the majority of the vehicles to have in-build speech recognition.”

And voice control is going to be important for convincing consumers about the safety of driving cars with such advanced dashboards. Garry Golden, lead futurist with NYC-based FutureThink predicts this is one hurdle manufacturers could face.

“We will certainly be more social inside our cars and services such as OnStar and SYNC might serve as a buffer between friends, family and businesses. But as move towards a future where cars can command our attention as much as our cell phones, I expect to see a growing cultural backlash around this notion of distracted driving and inattentive drivers.”

4. Apps to Control Your Car

Currently a fledgling market, controlling certain functionality of your car via your cell phone will soon be commonplace for new car owners.

BMW, Ford, GM and Volvo have already dipped their toes into the water as far as companion apps for your car go, with some more advanced options offering the ability to remotely unlock the car, start the car and sound the horn, all from a distance. The number of such apps is expected to grow significantly over the next few years.

“From the consumer’s point of view, the connected vehicle will be largely accessible via the computer and smartphone. Application integration is growing vastly as OEMs put their daily relevance in the pocket of their buyers. OEMs are making apps for owners manuals, telematics remote controls, new location-based information, plus integrating those existing entertainment apps like iheartradio, radiotime, Slacker, and Pandora,” says IHS iSuppli automotive analyst Boyadji.

While the current crop of apps work on the driver activating the controls, Golden sees the future of this area in proximity-based sensors and related automation.

“Most operations inside the vehicle are being brought onto the web and will be controllable by secured devices. But the real innovations will be those automated systems based on machine-to-machine interfaces that eliminate the need for human commands,” Golden explains.

“As you walk towards the car, your phone will adjust temperature, turn on the music and unlock the door as you step closer.”

Conclusion

As the engineering specifications of rival car models get more and more in line with each other, we’re sure that consumers will be increasingly likely to take into account the car’s connected platforms before making purchasing decisions.

Each manufacturer needs to push to make its platform the leading option for the connected consumer, because as Johnson demonstrates, each manufacturer’s system will be exclusive to the brand, and in competition with its rivals.

“The unique thing about SYNC is that it’s a Ford creation, what makes SYNC is SYNC,” says Johnson. “It’s just not something you could go to another parts supplier and say ‘Hey, give me SYNC.’ ”

In the same way that consumers develop preferences for computer or cell phone operating systems, always sticking to iOS or Android, for example, we think as consumers get used to in-car connectivity platforms, they will want to stick to the same platform with future purchases.

This means that the car company that gets it right at this early stage is set to benefit greatly. As Golden says, “If the battle of the 20th century was Ford versus General Motors, the next century might be Ford SYNC vs. GM OnStar.”

Cars, confidence fill Geneva

noreply@blogger.com (car) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 05:01:00 +0000

Infiniti Etheria concept

The Geneva auto show is filled with signs that the industry turnaround under way in North America has reached Europe.

Automakers are bouncing back from the downturn of the past two years with a number of production vehicles and concepts in Geneva.

Volkswagen Group, helped by its new subsidiary Italdesign Giugiaro, will unveil an array of concept cars to show the industry it has the design depth, as well as the production capability and the financial strength, to topple Toyota as the world's No. 1 automaker.

BMW will debut the Vision ConnectedDrive, a futuristic roadster concept that shows how driver-assistance systems and infotainment features can be networked via the Internet in ways unimaginable a few years ago.

And Toyota and Honda will bring hybrid technology to the subcompact segment.

Here's a sampling of some of the production and concept vehicles making world debuts during press days March 1 and 2 in Geneva.

Alfa Romeo
Alfa plans to unveil a rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive coupe. The lightweight two-seater is to go on sale as the 4C GTA in Europe in late 2012, delighting Alfa enthusiasts who have dreamed of an affordable rwd Alfa since the Duetto Spider was discontinued in 1994. Alfa sources said the 4C GTA could be sold in the United States, but no decision has been made.

Audi
Audi will show the five-door RS3 Sportback, which will compete against the BMW 1-series M coupe. It offers a five-cylinder, 340-hp, 2.5-liter gasoline direct-injection engine linked to a seven-speed S tronic transmission and has all-wheel drive.

BMW
BMW's Vision ConnectedDrive roadster concept combines a futuristic design with technological innovations. The concept highlights how cars can be part of a networked world. Among the innovations are antennas that replace side-view mirrors. The antennas transmit information to the outside world, capture navigation data, and assist in monitoring traffic and the environment around the car. The concept also has a 3D head-up display that fuses the view of the road ahead with virtual content. BMW also will debut the ActiveE, a prototype electric car based on the 1-series coupe. The four-seat EV is powered by a 125-kilowatt/170-hp electric motor and has a range of about 100 miles.

Chevrolet
The Cruze hatchback, which will go on sale midyear in Europe, makes its world premiere. Chevrolet hopes the hatchback will help it better compete in the European compact segment, where 65 percent of sales are hatchbacks. The five-door takes its styling from a concept unveiled in October at the Paris auto show.

Ford
With the B-Max, which debuts as a concept, Ford will have a stronger challenger in Europe's small minivan segment, which is led by the Opel/Vauxhall Meriva. The five-seat B-Max will have rear sliding doors.

A production version of the concept will be the smallest offering in Ford's European range of minivans that includes the C-Max, Grand C-Max, S-Max, and Galaxy.

Honda
Honda will debut the EV Concept, which the company says hints strongly at the styling direction for Honda's upcoming production battery electric vehicle, the Fit EV. The Fit EV will be introduced in 2012 in the United States and Japan. The automaker also will show a new plug-in hybrid platform integrated into a midsized sedan platform that showcases Honda's next-generation, two-motor hybrid technology set to debut in 2012.

Infiniti
Infiniti's Etherea concept will preview a potential entry-level car aimed at young buyers. Infiniti says the concept has a profile different from anything in the premium compact class, so it is not just a smaller version of a typically conservative luxury car.

Jaguar
Jaguar will mark the 50th anniversary of its iconic E-Type that caused a sensation when it was unveiled at the 1961 Geneva show. And Jaguar will look to the future with the B 99 concept, a midsized sporty sedan. The B 99 was created for Jaguar by the Italian design house Bertone.

Lamborghini
Lamborghini will unveil a Murcielago replacement, which press reports have said will be called the Aventador. The new model is lighter and more fuel-efficient than the car it replaces, thanks to an improved power train and a new carbon-fiber body and chassis.

Lancia
Fiat will highlight its plan to integrate Lancia and Chrysler with the debuts of Chrysler-based models that will be sold in Europe as Lancias. These will be the Thema, a rebadged version of the new Chrysler 300C large sedan; the Grand Voyager, a rebadged version of the Chrysler Grand Voyager large minivan; and the Flavia concept, a rebadged Chrysler 200 midsized car that will be sold in Europe as a sedan and cabriolet.

Mazda
Mazda's Minagi compact crossover concept previews the automaker's new design theme, which it calls Kodo, meaning soul of motion. The four-door Minagi is expected to reach production as the CX-5, giving Mazda a rival to models such as the VW Tiguan.

Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz aims to win younger customers with two sporty cars: the new C-class coupe and the SLK roadster. The C-class coupe will be offered with an array of active safety and fuel-saving features to help it better compete with the BMW 3-series coupe and Audi A5.The third-generation SLK gets a sportier design with styling cues from the SLS AMG supercar and the new CLS, as well as a new engine range up to 25 percent more economical than current SLK engines.

Mini
The Rocketman concept previews a "mini" Mini with a 3+1 seating layout, similar to the Toyota iQ. A front-engine, front-wheel-drive production model could go on sale in 2013.

Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi will show a concept for a new small car that will be built in Thailand starting in March 2012 for export to global markets. High fuel efficiency and affordability are key features of the four-door.

Nissan
Nissan's Esflow concept hints at a potential rwd electric sports car. The concept has the same lithium ion battery packs as are used in the Leaf. The Esflow's aluminum chassis has been built around the drivetrain and lightweight seats sculpted into the car's rear bulkhead so they don't need a heavy frame.

Porsche
Bowing to the trend for greener cars, Porsche will unveil a hybrid version of its Panamera sedan.

Saab
Saab's new chief designer, Jason Castriota, will unveil what the company calls "a visionary concept" for its future products. The new 9-5 SportCombi wagon also will make its world debut.

Smart
Smart will show a roadster concept called the ForSpeed that may preview a sporty model to expand its lineup. The concept has no roof.

Toyota
Toyota will show a Yaris gasoline-electric hybrid concept that will become a production model in 2012. The Yaris variant will join the Auris and Prius hybrids in Europe. Toyota also will give a prototype electric version of its iQ microcar a European debut. The automaker plans to launch the car in Europe and the United States. It has a 62-mile range on a full charge.

Volkswagen
Italdesign Giugiaro will unveil two concepts for the Volkswagen brand at the show, making Geneva a showcase for design legend Giorgetto Giugiaro's new influence on the styling of VW's future products. Last spring, VW Group bought a 90 percent stake in Italdesign to boost its design and engineering capacity. The two concepts will be displayed on Italdesign's stand. On VW's stand, the automaker will show a concept for a minivan with styling similar to the retro Microbus concept created in 2001 but never built, and the new Golf convertible, which will have a folding soft-top roof and will go on sale in June. Also debuting is a face-lifted Tiguan SUV.

Volvo
Volvo's V60 station wagon will be displayed with a plug-in diesel-electric hybrid power train. The near-production car will go on sale next year. The hybrid's front wheels are driven by a 215-hp, 2.4-liter, five-cylinder turbodiesel engine. Mounted on the rear axle is a 70-hp electric motor.

Proton Exora-Based Europestar Lotus SUV Spy Shots

noreply@blogger.com (car) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 04:53:00 +0000

The Proton Exora-based SUV has been caught on spy camera in China. Sold through Youngman Lotus, a joint venture between commercial vehicle maker Youngman Auto and Proton-owned Lotus Engineering, the SUV in testing would be marketed in China under the Europestar Lotus brand, which was launched in January 2008.

Youngman Lotus had planned to introduce eight new models by 2012, but has only launched three models since the joint venture’s conception in 2008. The SUV will be the fourth model under the Europestar Lotus brand if it enters production.

Given that Proton has no SUV in its model range at the moment, and the showcase of the Proton Lekiu Concept at the 2010 Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show, there could be a chance that this SUV will make its way to Malaysia.

BMW Launches i Sub-Brand ; All-New i3 & i8 To Arrive In 2013

noreply@blogger.com (car) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 04:49:00 +0000

BMW has officially introduced the eco-friendly i sub-brand and the future model lineup, consisting of the i3 and i8, to be launched in 2013. Previously known as the BMW Megacity Vehicle, the 2+2 seater i3 full-electric vehicle is designed specifically for use in an urban setting—BMW’s first such attempt with a production model. Based on the BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics Concept, the i8 is a plug-in hybrid car that provides the performance of a supercar but sips fuel like a small car.

Both models are built on the LifeDrive architecture, which features an aluminium chassis and a carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) passenger cell. BMW claims that the new architecture, designed around the drivetrains, and lightweight materials will cancel out the extra weight of the batteries on board.

To be visually differentiated from other BMWs by a blue ring around the BMW logo, blue grille surround and aerodynamic side skirts among others, the i3 and i8 will roll out from a dedicated line at the German automaker’s Leipzig plant. BMW will maximise economies of scale by using the same electric motor, lithium-ion batteries and other powertrain components for both models.

Mazda 3 MPS To Launch On March 2 For RM175K : Mazda 3 Local Assembly Begins

noreply@blogger.com (car) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 04:44:00 +0000

The Mazda3 MPS will be launched on March 2 for RM 175K, according to Bermaz Motor, the official and exclusive distributor of the Mazda brand in Malaysia. Created by Mazda Performance Series, the official sports and performance division of Mazda, the Mazda3 MPS is powered by a 259 hp, 380 Nm 2.3-litre turbocharged MZR DISI engine.

Determined to grab a bigger share of the lucrative mid-size segment, Bermaz Motor announced that the local assembly of the Mazda3 sedan and hatchback, presumably with the current 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre engines, had begun last month at Inokom’s assembly plant in Kedah. Production is projected to hit 3000 units a year. The finalised prices of the CKD Mazda3 variants will only be revealed on March 2.

From March 2–6, the Mazda3 MPS and CKD variants will be showcased at the “Mazda Motor Show” on the ground floor of the 1 Utama Shopping Centre, where the full Mazda model range—including the Mazda2, Mazda5, Mazda6,Mazda8, MX-5, RX-8, CX-7 and CX-9—will be in attendance.

2011 Toyota Camry Gains New Optional Reverse Camera & Navigation System

noreply@blogger.com (car) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 10:12:00 +0000

The 2011 Toyota Camry has gained an additional optional package: a 6.1" touch-screen, Bluetooth-enabled DVD-AVN (Audio-Visual Navigation) system that serves as an entertainment hub and a navigation tool for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei; a reverse camera is included in the optional package as well. The asking price is RM 4500.

The other optional features that have been available all along are the RM 2400 Toyota Premium solar film, which claims to significantly deflect infra-red and reduce heat build-up in the cabin; and the RM 2650 Aerokit package, which brings a front bumper spoiler, trunk lid spoiler, side skirting and rear bumper spoiler.

Keep in mind that UMW Toyota Motors will start rolling out the next-generation Camry in 2012 via Assembly Services Sdn Bhd, its manufacturing facility in Shah Alam. For now, Toyota’s locally-assembled lineup consists of the Avanza, Vios, Hilux, Forturner and Innova.

Lamborghini Gallardo Singapore Limited Edition Unveiled

noreply@blogger.com (car) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 10:07:00 +0000

Lamborghini Singapore has unveiled and delivered 10 units of the Lamborghini Gallardo Singapore Limited Edition, in celebration of the Italian supercar maker’s 10th year of operation in Singapore.

Unveiled at the Mandarin Oriental Singapore hotel, the special-edition Gallardo has been commissioned by Lamborghini just for Singapore, a country known for the popularity of supercars and the exorbitant prices to purchase any one of these Italian beauties.

Taking three months from concept to production, the limited-run Gallardo is available in black or white, with red stripes running down each side as well as a commemorative badge that features the Singapore symbol Merlion alongside the words Singapore Limited Edition.

2012 All-New Honda Civic Officially Revealed, To Launch In US Next Quarter

noreply@blogger.com (car) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 07:19:00 +0000

The 2012 all-new, ninth-generation Honda Civic has been officially unveiled, ahead of a launch across the U.S. in the second quarter of 2011. That the all-new Civic has turned out to be so mildly different—outside and inside—from the current Civic is hardly surprising, as the Honda Civic concept and these spyshot had provided a pretty good preview of the hugely popular Honda mid-size car.

The upcoming Civic lineup consists of the following: the standard Sedan and Coupe variants; the new HF fuel-efficient sedan variant; the Si performance sedan and coupe variants; and hybrid and natural gas sedan variants. Honda says that a key feature of the all-new Civic is its improved fuel economy across the range.

Equipped with Honda’s IMA system, a lithium-ion battery pack, a 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine and a CVT, the Civic Hybrid gets 110 hp and 19.1 km/litre (45 mpg) fuel economy, an improvement of 1.7 km/litre (4 mpg) over the current Civic Hybrid. Also standard on the Civic Hybrid is the Honda Eco Assist system, a feature that is similarly present on the Sedan, Coupe, HF and natural gas Civic variants.

A 140 hp 1.8-litre i-VTEC engine, paired to a five-speed automatic transmission, powers the Sedan, Coupe, HF and natural gas Civic variants. Honda lists the Sedan and Coupe’s fuel economy as 16.6 km/litre (39 mpg), and the HF’s as 17.4 km/litre (41 mpg). The natural gas variant returns a seven percent improvement in fuel efficiency.

The performance-oriented Si sedan and coupe variants use a 2.4-litre i-VTEC engine that generates 200 hp and 230 Nm, along with a six-speed manual transmission. Despite the larger engine capacity with a 22 percent accompanying increase in torque, the Si’s fuel economy is expected to improve by 0.9 km/litre (2 mpg) to 13.2 km/litre (31 mpg).