New Car Inovation: 2007New Car Inovation

Toyota's new Auris

Toyota has launched a new diesel-powered Auris, the SR180.

The car is powered by a 175bhp 2.2-litre diesel engine which takes the car from from 0 to 62mph is 8.1 seconds. The engine is mated to six-speed manual transmission.

Features of the car includes lowering springs with double wishbone rear suspension and rear spoiler. The wheels are carried on five-spoke 17-inch alloys

The SR180 will be in UK showrooms early next year and is available for bookings from £17,995.

New Mini dealership in Coventry

Just found out that the biggest Mini dealership in the midlands is in Coventry. Sytner Coventry Mini opened their doors in October this year.

Here's the Address:
128 Holyhead Road
Coventry
West Midlands
CV5 8NA

Tel: 02476 600 700

Jaguar XF on Top Gear tomorrow

James May tests the new Jaguar XF on Top Gear tomorrow (Sunday) at 8pm on BBC Two. Really looking forward to watching it.

Mahindra & Mahindra entering the US market

I was talking to a few guys about the expected take over of Jaguar and Land Rover by Indian car maker, Tata. While doing so I mentioned the other Indian company who was bidding for the same - Mahindra. It was no surprise that no one had heard of them.

I just found out that they are planning to enter the US market soon.

Found this interesting slide show - Mahinda: An American "Hosehold Name?" narrated by David Kiley.

Latest car test results from Euro NCAP

Test results for 6 cars were released by Euro NCAP yesterday:

In the Supermini category, the Daihatsu Materia and the Mazda 2.

In the Small Family Car category, the Honda Civic

In the Large Family Car category, the the Mercedes Benz C Class, the Renault Laguna and the Volvo V70

Out of these, four cars received five stars in adult occupant protection. These were the Mazda 2, the Mercedes Benz C Class, the Renault Laguna and the Volvo V70.

Mazda 2

During the trest, delay in the deployment of airbags was detected in the Mazda 2 and the Volvo V70 even though they were not part of Euro NCAP tests.

In the frontal impact test of the Mazda 2, a small disturbance shortly before impact led to a delay in the firing of the airbags and protection of the front seat occupants was compromised. Although these disturbances are not part of Euro NCAP’s tests, they could occur in real life accidents. In the case of the Volvo V70, curtain airbag deployment was delayed in the side pole test.

Both manufacturers have taken steps to rectify the problems.

Read the full press release here: "Euro NCAP - up to speed on testing".

Tata set to take over Jaguar, Land Rover

Tata Motors, a subsidiary of the Indian Tata group is set to take over British luxury marques Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford.

Ford stands to make around £1 billion (about $2.05 billion / Rs 8,000 crore) from the sale.

Tata won over two other bidders , namely, Indian car company, Mahindra & Mahindra and American private equity group, One Equity.

If it works out, this will be the first time ever that an Indian company has taken over a Western auto company.

Jaguar dealers in the US are worried that the take over might hurt the brand image. Ken Gorin, chairman of the Jaguar Business Operations Council, reportedly said:

I don't believe the US public is ready for ownership out of India of a luxury car make...

Read "Tata hits image problems in the U.S."

Proton BLM concept

One of my friends forwarded these photographs of the Proton Base Line Model (BLM) concept. Apparently LG CNS Design Studio helped to design the model. Not sure it got leaked and not sure whether you can call it a spy shot. Really looks muscular but the thing I really like in the photographs are the sports rims.

Read more about it in Wikipedia and Paul Tan''s blog.

Private Fleet - Australian car buying site

I recently got to know about Private Fleet, an Australian auto broker which has been in business for nearly seven years. Though the company is based in Chatswood, New South Walesr, Private Fleet is affiliated with over 600 dealers all over Australia.

First impression of the site was quite good. With a neat and tidy layout and unlike other car sites, the page is not littered with ads.

Getting a quote is fairly simple (you will notice I didn't say "on their site"). Read on and you will understand what I mean.

All you have to do is choose a make and model. Fill in your post code and hit the "Get a quote" button. You will then be taken to another page were you would have to fill in a few details. If you are looking for a used car, you will have to fill in a few more details and you are done.

I tried it and got the message

"We look forward to dealing with your enquiry and being of assistance in the purchase of your new or used car.
We will contact you shortly (generally within 24 business hours)..."

and so on. Personally, I would have preferred a results page with all available cars listed with pictures and all necessary information, including the price.

I know I said the site was neat and tidy but it sure could could do with some brightening up. Pictures of flashy cars won't hurt. I also suggest putting up a link to an "About us" page on the navigation rather than from a link in the text. Trust me, customers like to know who they are dealing with especially in an online environment. Having said that, they have some great testimonials from their customers including some great reviews by Naomi Robson from Today Tonight, Channel 7 and Hoyle from The Age Newspaper.

As a car fanatic, I found the site quite interesting. They have loads of information on cars including brief history of different brands and cars reviews. Do check out the site.

Fuel prices still up

A few weeks back, I wrote "Fuel prices coming down". Unfortunately I was wrong. Prices are still above the £1 mark. It was 103.9p for unleaded petrol and 107.9p for diesel at the Texaco station near my house. Prices are a bit lower at BP, Tesco and Morrisons.

I can't believe that they were below 90p when we first arrived here in the UK a year ago.

Aston Martin opens new design studio and unveils a new concept

Yesterday, Aston Martin unveiled a new concept car - the V12 Vantage RS to coincide with the opening of a new design studio. The studio is located in a building adjacent to Aston Martin's manufacturing and engineering centre at Gaydon in Warwickshire near here. The modern building covers 2700 square metre space.

Coming back to the concept, the Vantage RS concept is based on the acclaimed V8 Vantage coupe and features a 6.0 litre V12 engine that produces 600bhp.

The Vantage
According to their press release, the car is capable of reaching 62mph (100km/h) from rest in 4.0 seconds and 100mph (160km/h) in just 8.5 seconds.

Customize your Jaguar

Jaguar now allows you to fully customise new XF. Right from the colour of your car - exterior as well as interior, the choice of leathers and veneers, the exact style and size of alloy wheel and other vehicle options. Check out "Design Your XF' to configure and price your XF.

Of course my choice was the costliest build - the XF SV8 4.2 S/C Petrol which starts from From £54,900.

I choose a silver coloured exterior. Any other colour makes it look cheap. Champagne/Truffle - Softgrain Leather Champagne/Truffle - Softgrain Leather for interiors and selected the following packages, options and accessories:

- Electric Glass Sunroof
- Electric glass sunroof with tilt/slide one touch operation
- Blind Spot Monitor
- Parking Aid with Rear Camera
- Parking aid with front sensors (includes Touch-screen visual indicator) and Rear - - Rich Oak Veneer
and last but not the least, the Garage Door Opener

The total price: £57,040

That's not too bad.

Honda FCX emits only water vapour

A car that only emits water vapour - this has been the dream of many people. People have proved it is possible but Honda has actually put a car on the road.

The Honda FCX Clarity is a “dedicated platform hydrogen fuel cell vehicle", that runs on electricity powered by hydrogen, and emits only water vapor and heat into the air.

Unlike hybrid car, it does not use gasoline and is therefore a Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV). The car is certified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as a Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) and by the EPA as a Tier-2 Bin 1, the lowest possible federal EPA emission rating. It will also receive an EPA Inherently Low Emission Vehicle (ILEV) rating due to its entirely sealed fuel system.

Presently it only comes in one clour, Star Garnet, a unique deep-red tone.

It is certainly not aimed at motorheads who like powerful cars as the car only has a top speed of 100 miles per hour on a test track

Right now, they are not on sale and only a limited number of the FCX Clarity vehicles will be available for lease only in the Torrance, Santa Monica and Irvine areas in mid-2008. The lease should cost around $600 per month for three years (including maintenance).

Mitsubishi Concept-RA to be unveiled at NAIAS

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) and Mitsubishi Motors North America Inc. (MMNA, based in Cypress California) will unveil the Mitsubishi Concept-RA to the world at the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS or the Detroit Motor Show). The 2008 NAIAS runs from January 13 to 27 at the Cobo Center in Detroit and opens to the general public on January 19.

Just take a look at the design sketches. Don't they look fantastic.

The new concept from Mitsubishi combines performance and environmental responsibility - something you won't hear often

It is a coupe which features the Super All Wheel Control (S-AWC) vehicle dynamics control system driveline and the Twin Clutch SST automated manual transmission used in Lancer Evolution (Lancer Evolution X in Japan). The car will be powered by a new high-efficiency, low-emissions 2.2-liter 4-cylinder DOHC 16-valve turbodiesel engine with MIVEC*6 continuously variable valve timing control.

Environmental friendly features:
The engine has piezoelectric injector common-rail direct fuel injection that allows a lower compression ratio and with a VD (Variable Diffuser)/VG (Variable Geometry) turbocharger, the clean diesel unit delivers a maximum output of 150 kW (204 PS) and maximum torque of 420 Nm (42.8 kg-m).

For compliance with U.S. emissions standards (Tier 2 Bin 5 emission regulations), the engine is fitted with a new catalytic converter system.

For improved crashworthiness and to reduce vehicle weight, the body structure uses an aluminum space frame, as well as engine hood, fenders and other outer panels made from high impact-resistance and easily recyclable plastic resin.

Euro NCAP test results for the Nssan X Trail

I have always liked the Nissan X trail and I was quite surprised when I learnt that it had only achieved four stars in adult occupant protection test conducted by Euro NCAP recently.

Read the full results of the test here on the Euro NCAP site.

Fuel prices coming down

The prices of petrol has sky rocket the past few weeks and had even crossed the £1 per litre barrier - the first time since we arrived here in the UK.

Fortunately, the prices seem to be going down and today I saw that it was 89.9p/ litre at my favourite BP station near my house.

That's why I am really annoyed by people back in Malaysia who complain about fuel prices there.

Proton's Islamic car idea

I couldn't believe it when I read about Proton's plan to come out with an Islamic car on Ainee's blog. Read the Reuter's report here.

So what's Islamic about the car?

Well, it will come equipped with a compass that points to Mecca, and a compartment meant specifically to put the Koran, the Islamic holy book. Proton plans to develop the car jointly with Iran and Turkey.

Apparently the idea came from the Iranians.

Pic from the Proton site.

Zagross Khodro Car Industries Co., the sole assembler and distributor of Proton in Iran has recently ordered 5,000 units of the Waja (called Impian in foreign markets) to be used as taxis in Iran. This is part of a US$200 million urban public transportation renewal initiative in Tehran. The Minister in the Prime Minister's Department of Malaysia, Dato' Sri Mohd Effendi Norwawi unveiled the green coloured taxi at a ceremony there. Read the press release: 'Proton clinches orders for 5,000 WAJA for Iran'.

At first I thought it is a ridiculous idea but then it might be a great marketing idea. If that is what customers in Muslim countries want, why not?

Taiki - a sleek concept from Mazda

Here is Mazda's vision of the future - the Mazda Taiki. The latest concept which was unvieled at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show, is an evolution of the Nagare design theme. Looks like a bird about to fly.

This front-engine rear-drive sports car of the future features a revolutionary next-generation rotary engine and enhanced aerodynamic performance.

Mazda also showed off the new Mazda Atenza - soon to be introduced in Japan and the new Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid.

Smart ForTwo receives 4 stars in safety test

The Smart ForTwo supermini received four out of five stars in Euro NCAP’s Adult Occupant protection rating. It was not assessed for child protection as it doesn't have any rear seats.

However, it only received 2 stars for Pedestrian Protection.

Check out Smart's Road to Enlightenment site.

Turn your car into a workstation

Do you want to find how you can turn your car into a mobile workstation check out this article on the Bootstraper blog. The article by Christina Laun lists 15 gadgets.

The only thing I have from the list, is a TomTom sat nav.

Comparing car insurance

It's amazing how fast one year flies. The time has come for us to renew our car insurance. With all the different car insurance companies out there , it's quite a headache going through the individual sites and trying to get the cheapest quotes. It's amazing how much information we have to fill up. I wasted a lot of time, going through the individual sites one by one and having to fill up all the same information again and again.

I finally got to know about the Go Compare car insurance site, where I can compare insurance quotes from all of the leading insurers for free. This car insurance comparison service enables you to get a quote in four easy steps. You begin by entering your details. The best policy is indicated by their unique five star rating system. This process saves us time - we can at a glance see the best policies that best match our requirements.

Their site mentions that they are independent insurance comparison specialists, not insurance brokers, thus we get the same prices as if we go direct to the individual companies. They do not charge a commission.

Besides car insurance, you can also compare 'Breakdown Cover', 'Motorbike Insurance', 'Home Insurance', 'Van Insurance' as well as 'Travel Insurance'.

Nissan unveils the Pivo 2

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., unveiled the Pivo 2, an advanced electric concept car yesterday. The car will debut at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. It is powered by an advanced Compact Lithium-ion Batteries and featuring a unique rotating cabin - meaning no reverse gear required.

Pivo 2 employs a 'by-wire' technologies for braking and steering.

Each of the four wheels are powered by Nissan's advanced electric In-wheel 3D Motor and can turn through 90 degrees to allow Pivo 2 to drive sideways as well as forward.

Pivo 2 will be on display at the Nissan Ginza Gallery in Tokyo, for an exclusive public sneak preview ahead of the Motor Show.

Venue: The Nissan Ginza Gallery
5-8-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Dates: Oct. 13, 2007 (Sat) to Oct. 14, 2007 (Sun)
Time: 10:00-20:00

Check out the PIVO 2 Website for more information.

The new Jaguar XFat the Frankfurt. Motor Show

Jaguar unveiled the new Jaguar XF sports saloon at the IAA Motor Show in Frankfurt.

The new XF fuses sports car styling and performance with the refinement, features and space of a luxury saloon.

The XF will be available with a choice of six models and a range of four engines from the 2.7 litre V6 turbodiesel, to a range of petrol engines culminating in the supercharged 4.2-litre V8 petrol with 416hp. All models feature Jaguar's proven six-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel-mounted 'paddles' for manual gear selection.

The new Jaguar XF will cost from £33,900 in the UK.

The new Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation today launched the Lancer Evolution X high-performance 4WD sedan, at dealerships throughout Japan. It features a new platform, engine, and exterior and interior designs. Models fitted with the Twin Clutch SST transmission are due to be launched towards the end of November.

"Fast as possible yet safe" was the development goal for the new Lancer Evolution. To that end Lancer Evolution X is loaded with the very latest in automotive engineering technology, including the S-AWC (Super All Wheel Control) vehicle dynamics control system and the newly developed, power-efficient Twin Clutch SST (Sport Shift Transmission).

The Lancer Evolution X is powered by a new turbocharged engine. It has a new high-output and lightweight 4B11-type 2.0-liter 4-cylinder 16-valve DOHC MIVEC unit with aluminum block, used in the Galant Fortis. The engine generates more torque at 422 Nm (43.0 kg-m)/3500 rpm and has better response than its 4G63 predecessor. It is also 12 kg lighter than the 4G63. Best of all, the new model earns a 3-star rating for emissions that are 50% lower than the requirements of the Japanese 2005 standards.

Mated to the engine is the twin Clutch SST is a 6-speed automated manual transmission incorporating a dual automated clutch system. It is also offered with a new 5-speed manual transmission for those who prefer the joys and more direct control of manual shifting.

Safety features include, standard SRS dual-stage airbags for driver and front passenger, SRS knee airbag for driver and adaptive front lighting system (AFS) are all standard equipment on the GSR trim level. SRS side and curtain airbags are available as factory-fitted options.

All models come standard with an engine immobilizer and security alarm to deter theft. (The security alarm is standard on the GSR only.)

All Lancer Evolution X GSR models are fitted with the S-AWC vehicle dynamics control system. The system intelligently manages several component systems to regulate drive torque and braking force at each wheel, reading and reflecting driver intent in real time over a wide range of situations.

The GSR trim level is offered in a lineup of five body colors designed to strongly project a functionally aesthetic image and including a vividly sporty Red Metallic and a new classy and deep-hue Phantom Black Pearl. RS is offered in two body colors, including White Solid which is exclusive to this trim level.

For more information read the full press release "MMC launches Lancer Evolution X — new-generation high-performance 4WD sedan"

Latest Euro NCAP's test results for the Hyundai I-30, the Ford Mondeo, the Volkswagen Caddy ‘Life’ and the Volkswagen Tiguan

Euro NCAP had released the crash test results for the Hyundai I-30, the Ford Mondeo, the Volkswagen Caddy ‘Life’ and the Volkswagen Tiguan.

Small Family Car