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2010 Cadillac SRX: with 3.0L V6 or 2.8L turbo V6

2010 Cadillac SRX

Cadillac has updated its SRX crossover SUV and it is now in its second generation since first introduced in 2004. The mid-sized Caddy SUV now looks more dynamic and in tune with current design trends, unlike the first gen which had a slightly boxy look that reminds you of a Dodge.

Two engines are available – a normally aspirated direct injected V6 and a more powerful turbocharged 2.8 litre V6. No SRX-V yet, but looking at how BMW is rushing to make M versions of their SUVs, I won’t be surprised if we see the introduction of a SRX-V, perhaps with the CTS-V’s 550+ hp LS V8 engine under the hood?

The 3.0 litre V6 is a downsized version of the 3.6 litre unit in the Cadillac CTS, which was named one of the world’s 10 best engines for 2009 according to Ward’s Auto. It’s equipped with the latest fuel-sipping technology such as variable valve timing and direct injection, and is paired to a 6-speed Hydra-Matic 6T70 6-speed automatic transmission. The more powerful engine is the 2.8 litre turbocharged V6 that puts out 300 horsepower and 400Nm of torque, similiar figures to BMW’s turbo inline-6.

To help with fuel economy, all-wheel drive is not a standard feature so customers who do not want or need it can opt for a two wheel drive version that sheds the AWD system’s heavy equipment. But for those who opt for all-wheel drive power, it is also equipped with an eLSD at the rear, which helps with torque distribution for maximum traction. There is also a real-time adjustable damping system which can vary the suspension’s parameters on the fly in response to road conditions.

Please check out a full high res gallery after the jump. Personally to me this is just another SUV from an American company, but I’m glad this article is coming to an end because the vehicle’s name is pretty hard to type, considering how R and E are next to each other on the keyboard! :P
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Suzuki cancels the Suzuki Kizashi D-segment sedan

Suzuki Kizashi 3

We have another recession casualty here, this time it’s a Suzuki. Joining the ranks of cancelled projects by car manufacturers such as the recent NSX is the upcoming (not anymore, for now!) Suzuki Kizashi D-segment sedan. Despite what seems to be a properly running full production model running around all sorts of terrain and even the Nurburgring, the large sedan has been canned. Suzuki is an expert at doing small cars, and small cars seem to work best in current times. More and more car manufacturers are moving down the segments, so why would Suzuki move up? Good for them for making this decision!

UPDATE: Suzuki executives have denied the report and said the Suzuki Kizashi is not dead, and will be making a production appearance as scheduled at the New York auto show in April.

Source

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Suzuki Kizashi 3 Concept
More about the Suzuki Concept Kizashi

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X6 M teaser video confirms V8 M Turbo engine

BMW X6 M

BMW has released another teaser video of one of its upcoming M products, the BMW X6 M. This comes right after another teaser “spy” video was released late last year featuring the X5 M. These two vehicles will be the BMW M division’s first SUVs, and this new video officially confirms the engine that will be installed under the hood, a “V8 M Turbo Engine” with twin scroll turbochargers! This engine will also likely make its way into the next generation F10 BMW M5, so we’ll have to say goodbye to the V10. Now I’m curious what BMW will be doing to make the turbocharged experience unique for BMW’s M cars, other than more power than the non-M turbo engines of course. Perhaps an additional boost meter on the dash or something? Anyway enjoy the video after the jump!
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Mitsubishi Racing Lancer and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X: side by side comparison photos

Racing Lancer
Click for enlarged image

Mitsubishi Motors has commissioned this interesting photoshoot featuring the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X and the Mitsubishi Racing Lancer MRX-09 side by side in static and action shots. Both are turbocharged and feature all-wheel drive, but they are totally different machines despite sharing the Lancer nameplate.

The Racing Lancer does not use the Lancer’s chassis, as you would already know looking at how much larger it is, or if you’ve been reading this blog’s previous coverage of the Racing Lancer. It’s actually built on a tube steel frame structure, with carbon fiber “skin” bolted on. It’s a hardcore rally machine that’s used as Mitsubishi’s entry in the Dakar 2009.

Powering it is not a variation of the 4B11T that powers the Lancer Evolution, nope. This one’s an oil burner! A 3.0 litre V6 mated to a Ricardo 5-speed sequential gearbox puts out 260 horsepower and a massive 650Nm of torque over a decent torque curve, or at least that’s what Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart’s driver Hiroshi Masuoka says. According to Hiroshi, the diesel engine outperforms its petrol-powered siblings in terms of controllability on a challenging terrain, and it also rushes faster out of corners and along straights.

One may wonder if Mitsubishi plans a “CrossLancer” by putting a higher suspension and offroader styling bits onto its Lancer hatchback by deriving the look from the Racing Lancer’s styling elements. Anyway, check out two more shots after the jump.

Related Posts:
Mitsubishi Racing Lancer MRX-09 for Dakar 2009
Mitsubishi Racing Lancer MRX-09 in action!
Mitsubishi Racing Lancer wins its maiden race!
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2010 Porsche Panamera will make public debut in April at Auto Shanghai 2009

Porsche Panamera

Porsche has released 4 more hi-res images of the Porsche Panamera, together with an official announcement of the car’s debut at the Auto Shanghai 2009 show in China from the 20th of April 2009 to the 28th of April 2009. The 4-door GT will make its showroom debut after that in summer 2009.

Although the China display will only feature the normally aspirated V8 and twin turbocharged V8 models, there will also be an entry level V6 engine producing at least 300 horsepower, and the entire engine range features direct fuel injection. The twin turbocharged Panamera Turbo will come exclusively with Porsche Traction Management with active all-wheel drive, but while the V6 and V8 units come standard with rear wheel drive, PTM is an option.

Another option is the adaptive air suspension system that is an upgrade from the regular steel suspension specified on the Panamera. This air suspension can also adjust ride height on the fly, and lowers the car to the maximum setting in Sport Plus Mode. This provides a lower center of gravity. Also an option is PDCC or Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control, which from its description in the press release sounds like an active anti-roll bar which auto-adjusts to fight body roll in corners but releases itself for better straight line bumpy road smoothness.

A 6-speed manual or a 7-speed PDK twin clutch transmission is available, but Porsche did not reveal in this latest press release which transmissions are standard and optional on which models. So we’ll have to wait until the China show for the full details on this new 4-door GT.

Check out the new photos and the previously released photos, all in glorious high-res, after the jump.

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[Read more...]

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New Impul Grand Livina now available in Nissan showrooms in Malaysia!

Impul Grand Livina
Click for enlarged image

Nissan is spicing up the popular Nissan Grand Livina 7-seater MPV with this new edition that features accessories from Impul. Called the Nissan Grand Livina Tuned by Impul, it is fitted with a bodykit comprising of a new front grille, lips for the front and rear, side skirts, and an Impul rear wing spoiler.

The MPV is also fitted with the Impul sports suspension system which lowers ride height by 25mm and are tuned for a sportier drive with reduced body roll and pitch. The sporty look is completed with an Impul Blast II exhaust muffler, and 17 inch Impul Aura SX-10 alloy wheels wrapped with Dunlop Formula D 01 205/45R17 tyres.

Impul Grand Livina
Click for enlarged image

All components are made in Malaysia except for the alloy wheels, which helps Nissan offer the Impul Grand Livina at only a RM10,500 premium over the standard Nissan Grand Livina as there is no prohibitive import taxes.

Those who already own a Grand Livina and wish to fit the Impul kit as an aftermarket item can also do so from Nissan. For aftermarket purchases, the front grille goes for RM800 while the all-round bodykit including the spoiler costs RM3,400. This is inclusive of installation and painting. The Impul sports suspension goes for RM2,800 with installation. The Impul Blast II exhaust tailpipe goes for RM1,800. The 17 inch Impul wheels go for RM4,500 for a set of 4 inclusive of center caps, air valves and installation, but tyres are not included as they cost an additional RM350 per tyre, and excludes wheel balancing and alignment. Aftermarket fitment only has a 90 day warranty for material defects while the factory Impul Grand Livina has a 3 year warranty.

The following are the prices for the Impul Grand Livina:

Impul Nissan Grand Livina 1.6 MT Comfort RM 95,586.00
Impul Nissan Grand Livina 1.6 AT Comfort RM 99,386.00
Impul Nissan Grand Livina 1.8 AT Comfort RM 108,086.00
Impul Bodykit with Spoiler RM 2,800
Impul Front Grille RM 800
Impul Suspension RM 2,800
Impul Blast II Exhaust RM 1,800
Impul Aura SX-10 17 inch wheels RM 4,500
Dunlop Formula D 01 205/45R17 tyre RM 350 per tyre

There are four body colours for the Grand Livina exclusively available for the Impul version only, which are tungsten silver, sapphire black, brilliant white and twilight gray.
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Honda Japan confirms new A-segment hatchback, gives sneak preview of future products

Honda Budget Car
Click for larger image

When Honda’s CEO Takeo Fukui delivered his 2008 year-end speech in mid-December last year, everyone went nuts over the announcement that the Japanese company was going to cancel its new NSX project and will be pulling out of Formula One. After all, didn’t Soichiro Honda say if Honda does not race, there is no Honda?

But what some people missed is the official acknowledgment by the Japan HQ that Honda will be entering the entry-level small car segment for the first time, out of Japan of course. This juicy piece of information was previously only communicated by Honda’s presence in India, Honda Siel Cars India. Honda has plenty of small cars in Japan (like the Honda Life), thanks to the city lifestyle and the Japanese government’s K-car tax bracket.

Details on the new car are sparse, but an introduction is expected within two to three years. The new small Honda will be an A-segment hatchback like the Suzuki Alto, the Hyundai i10 and the Kia Picanto. The car will be built with minimal reliance on expensive materials to minimize the impact of fluctuating and rising raw material prices. With so many people flocking to commodity-investment in the futures market, things are going to be tough in this department. Honda can easily adapt the recently launched Honda Life’s chassis for the new small car. The K-car’s size and wheelbase is roughly similiar to other A-segment hatches.

Honda Budget Car
Click for larger image

The same speech also confirmed what Honda Siel Cars India had revealed earlier, the development of a small displacement turbodiesel engine that will enable a diesel-powered Honda City, perhaps a 1.4 or 1.5 litre oil-burning motor producing power in various stages of tune ranging from about 60hp to 100hp?

Other juicy details in the speech include the possibility of Honda’s IMA hybrid system being added to medium and large models, that would mean the large vehicles in the Acura line-up and perhaps even the Honda Accord! Speaking of hybrids, the Honda CR-Z sports-hybrid will go on sale by end-2010, which is designed around the theme “the joy of driving”, which somehow these days also include the joy of watching the fuel gauge barely moving as you rack up the miles.

For those sticking to bikes, an all-new Honda Wave 100 for the ASEAN market with fuel injection will be introduced first in Thailand this month and subsequently other ASEAN markets. We should get it swiftly as Honda Japan has an official presence in the bike business here now. Another interesting piece of news is a new battery-powered electric motorcycle which will be launched in 2 years from now, somewhere in end-2010/2011. We already sort of knew this was coming, thanks to a teaser that was unveiled during the Honda Cub’s 50th anniversary.

And that’s about it, folks!

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First official sketch of new Hyundai Equus released

Hyundai Equus

This is the first official rendering of the new Hyundai Equus to be released by Korean car manufacturer Hyundai. The Equus (codenamed Hyundai VI) will be Hyundai’s flagship luxury vehicle, positioned against the likes of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the BMW 7-Series above the Hyundai Genesis, which competes with the 5-Series/E-Class. This is going to be one huge monster as even the Genesis is rather large. In fact the Genesis marketing in the US says the car offers “7-Series size, 5-Series performance and 3-Series price”, so imagine how large this new Hyundai Equus is going to be! Other than being a behemoth, it’s also expected to offer a few firsts in the Hyundai range such as LED headlamps, making the Equus worthy of the “flagship car” title.

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2010 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang with 540hp

2010 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang

The 2010 Ford Mustang comes with either a 210 horsepower V6 or a 300 horsepower V8 engine, but for power freaks these options look rather anaemic compared to the 422hp 6.2 litre V8 in the new “Bumblebee” Camaro SS, or even the 375hp 3.7 litre HEMI V8 in the Dodge Challenger.

Here comes Ford’s SVT team to the rescue, with the new 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang that puts out 540 horsepower and 691Nm of torque, thanks to larger 5.4 litre V8 engine coupled with a supercharger and an intercooler. The classic Cobra snake badge has been moved from its traditional position to the other side of the grille in order to configure the cold air intake in its optimum position.

Whatever’s under the hood, it sure looks bloody fierce. Just look at the image above, and picture it coming up in your rear view mirror. Those large gaping air intakes could gobble a little Viva hogging the fast lane up anytime! There will surely be many who will pick this based on looks alone in markets where it’s offered.

There are other technical changes as well. The transmission’s final ratio has been changed from 3.31 to 3.55, and while gears 1 to 4 remain the same, the 5th and 6th gears have been changed from 0.80:1 to 0.74:1 and 0.63:1 to 0.50:1 respectively. This allows better performance in the first four gears thanks to the new final drive, but maintaining proper highway ratios for the last two gears for fuel economy. The gearbox’s twin-disc clutch has also been uprated (larger – 250mm vs 215mm diameter) for better driveability and NVH. Wheels are 19 inch forged aluminium alloys wrapped with 19 inch Goodyear F1 Supercar tyres.

Please look after the jump for a full photo gallery of the new Shelby GT500 Mustang.
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Toyota to develop solar-powered car?

Solar Car

Toyota is apparently working on an electric vehicle that uses solar panels installed on the vehicle to recharge itself, according to Japanese business daily The Nikkei. It is of course just one way other than brake energy regeneration to recharge the car’s batteries. The car will also support plug-in charging, which could also be solar-sourced via solar panels installed on a home’s roof.

This piece of news seems to coincide with the fact that it’s battery partner Panasonic will be acquiring Sanyo, which is supposed to be a leader in solar energy technology. However, The Nikkei did not cite any sources when producing the report.

First talk of a Toyota powered by solar panels surfaced in July last year, also from The Nikkei. That report was followed by another one by Reuters which claimed the solar panels would be sourced from Kyocera, and would only produce enough power to run a car’s air conditioning, which kinda makes sense – a car’s air conditioning unit is probably run at full blast during a hot day, with plenty of sunlight!

The Reuters report also carried a quote which said it would be very difficult for solar energy to power anything more than that in real time, so it is more of a symbolic gesture, one that will be eating into the cost of the car, so it will truly be only for the rich and green-conscious for the time being,

There are actually solar cars around, heard of the World Solar Challenge? Participants race across the Australian continent in solar cars that weigh only about less than 200kg, have good aerodynamics, are quite large because of the many solar panels that need to be installed on the car, and can typically go up to a top speed of between 130km/h to 140km/h. Also, a company called Solar Electric Vehicles based in the US provides a service that retrofits the Toyota Prius and other Toyota hybrids with solar panels that can provide up to 1200 watt hours a day of energy.

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