Drive And Speed

Another distinguishing feature comes in the form of the full LED headlamps, which are the world’s first to offer all of the dynamic light functions using LED technology. This innovation boasts an impressive design – inside they are divided into three arrow-shaped layers from top to bottom: the upper layer contains an LED indicator, beneath which is a striking LED side light offers LED low beam functions. The side light can also be seen when the high beam is activated, thereby creating a unique night-time design. The lowest level of the headlamp houses the main beam and nightview functions. A total of 71 LED’s provide an unmistakable appearance as well as a significantly enhanced view of the road compared with previous systems.

The typical Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class outline, with its elegantly long proportions, is the dominating attribute of the new model. The effect of the dynamic, athletic form has been enhanced with a new interplay of lines and surfaces. A unique “dropping line”, which begins above the front wheel-wells and slopes downward towards the rear, represents a new interpretation of a renowned design hallmark of historic Mercedes sports cars.
A distinctive and muscular sports car-like shoulder line above the rear axle highlights the athletic character of the 2012 CLS. The flared wheel arches resemble the powerful thighs of a feline predator waiting to pounce.

The side profile is rounded off with wide wrap-around tail lights featuring LED technology – a linking element to the rear of the vehicle. The shape is emphasized by the broad shoulder line, which is clearly visible from behind and supports the flat roof. A wide metal insert adds a further visual highlight at the rear.

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Renault’s Romanian subsidiary Dacia has unveiled the production Duster model, an affordable and rugged 4×4 vehicle that will be manufactured the European, Turkish and Maghreb markets and will go on sale in Spring 2010.

The Dacia Duster will be marketed in 4×2 and 4×4 versions in the European, Turkish and Maghreb markets. It will be produced at the brand’s Pitesti plant in Romania, with sales beginning in Spring 2010.

It will gradually become available across the world, badged as either a Renault or a Dacia, following the example of Logan and Sandero.

The Dacia Duster will offer a choice of economical engines with low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The 4×2 diesel versions of Dacia Duster will emit less than 140g CO2/km, making them eligible for the Dacia eco² signature, while the 4×4 diesel versions will emit less than 150g CO2/km.
The Duster project was aimed at responding to the need for an affordable, comfortable and rugged 4×4. The Renault group decided to develop an all-terrain vehicle aimed initially at emerging markets. The needs of European customers were also taken into account from the project outset.

Design

At first glance, Dacia Duster is clearly a 4×4. Its front end exudes a sense of ruggedness, with its imposing chrome grille and sump guard also pointing to its clear 4×4 credentials.

Seen in profile, its high ground clearance, wide wheel arches and body protection are an open invitation to take on even the toughest surfaces.

Today’s all-terrain vehicles are often synonymous with bulk, a preconception which Dacia Duster sweeps aside.

Being 4.31 metres long and 1.82 metres wide, Dacia Duster is very compact, making it as at home in built-up areas as it is when taken off the beaten track.

Although it clearly demonstrates that it belongs to the world of all-terrain motoring, Dacia Duster boasts attractive, yet not ostentatious lines.

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The 2011 Mazda 2 has been completely redesigned inside, outside and underneath. The all-new five-seat, front-wheel-drive subcompact was designed to take on a wide range of competitors, such as the Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Accent, and Kia Soul and Rio.

First introduced in 2007, the Mazda 2 has been extremely successful, selling more than 400,000 units in Europe and Asia, and being named World Car Of The Year in 2008. Now, the U.S. market gets the third-generation Mazda 2 before any other market.

The styling is fresh and we find it arrestingly good-looking. Like all Mazda products of recent vintage, the 2011 Mazda 2 has been made to look much bolder and sportier than its previous incarnations. The body itself has been reshaped in a much more sporty fashion, with more sculpted sides, a laid-back windshield, and a jaunty little rear roof spoiler on one version. There’s a new grille, hood, fenders, lamps, bumper and air intakes up front, with new body-colored door handles, new taillamps, a power liftgate, new 15-inch wheels, and exhaust system outlets at the rear. Underneath, there’s a redone suspension and an improved braking system.

Under the hood, there is a single engine choice, a time-tested 1.5-liter double-overhead-cam 16-valve four-cylinder engine with variable valve timing to give it more flexibility in delivering low-rpm torque and high-rpm horsepower.

Fuel economy for the Mazda 2 is an EPA-estimated 28/35 mpg City/Highway. Read the rest of this entry »

When you take a first look at the new 2011 Countryman, there’s no doubt it’s a Mini. Same upright windshield. Same short hood. Same shape to the headlights. Look a little closer, though, and you’ll see that it’s an all-new car that rides a little higher than a standard Mini. Moreover, it’s quite a bit larger, with a wheelbase stretched by 5.1 inches and an overall length that has increased by 15.7 inches.

What’s that get you? Well, you can now realistically carry four people in a Mini, something that really wasn’t possible before. And there’s room for a good amount of luggage behind the folding rear seats, which slide fore and aft to meet your particular needs. With the seats in the up position, there’s 12.2 cubic feet of cargo space in back, a reasonable amount. With those seats folded, this Mini becomes a handy wagon with 41.1 cubic feet of cargo capacity—enough space for a couple of mountain bikes.

Although this new Mini Countryman will go on sale this fall in Europe, U.S. sales will begin early in 2011, perhaps as early as January. What’s more, when this U.K.-built Countryman goes on sale in the U.S., it will likely have another name. Our best guess is that it will be called the Traveler, a name that used to be applied to the old Morris Minor station wagons that also came from England.

As you’d expect, the Countryman will be powered by a naturally aspirated 1.6 liter inline-4 engine with 120 bhp, or a turbocharged 1.6 whose twin-scroll turbocharger bumps output to 180 bhp. BMW, which makes Mini, says the naturally aspirated Countryman will hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in 10.5 seconds, whereas the turbocharged version is significantly quicker, doing it in 7.6. A 6-speed manual gearbox will be standard; a 6-speed automatic with manual control will be an option.

Perhaps more significant, the Countryman will be available with all-wheel drive, utilizing a system that employs an electro-hydraulic center differential that in normal driving will send up to 50 percent of the power to the rear wheels, with the ability to send all the torque to the axle with the most grip in extreme conditions.

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The first crossover for General Motors’ Swedish brand is more relevant than the SUV it replaces, especially in today’s rough economy. But the 9-4X could be overshadowed by corporate siblings, and that would be bad news for struggling Saab.

What We Know About the 2010 Saab 9-4X

You know things are bad when even mighty Toyota posts double-digit sales losses, so imagine the woes of weak auto brands like Saab. General Motors’ Swedish division has been struggling for years, but now it’s on the ropes. U.S. sales were down over 32 percent for the first nine months of 2008 and could be over 50-percent lower by year-end versus 2007. Things are equally grim in Europe and other markets. While scary headlines and the global credit crisis get much of the blame, Saab also suffers from a limited and aging lineup. And that is not likely to change until the economy improves. Indeed, trade weekly Automotive News recently reported that all planned future Saabs have been put on hold–save one.

The exception is the 2010 Saab 9-4X, the brand’s first crossover SUV. Expected to start sale by mid-2009, it takes over from the 9-7X, the retrimmed Chevrolet Trailblazer/GMC Envoy that’s managed only about 5,200 yearly sales since its 2006-model debut. With market conditions now worsening by the day, the 9-4X will do well to match even that modest volume. Trouble is, it probably needs to sell twice as well for Saab just to break even. That’s a huge burden for any new vehicle, especially one that will be sold in other guises. Yup, GM has slipped back into its old “badge engineering” habit, and the 9-4X is closely related to the redesigned 2010 Cadillac SRX and Chevrolet Equinox, as well as the Pontiac Torrent-replacing 2010 GMC Terrain.

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Kia is reportedly considering changing its model names to alpha-numeric badges, like “K5,” which it already uses in Korea, in place of the current Optima name in the U.S. Changing existing model names is something car companies can’t seem to resist doing from time to time.

There’s a persistent superstition in the car industry that changing model names is always a bad idea. The most frequently cited example is when Datsun changed its name to Nissan back in the early 1980s, to match the company’s name back in Japan. It took years for people to associate the Nissan (NSAN.PK) name with the company that made the famous Datsun 240Z.

Short of changing the entire brand name, changing model names can also make things confusing until people get used to the new ones. It’s hard for some people to remember Acura and Lincoln model names like the Acura RL in place of Legend, and the Lincoln MKZ in place of the Zephyr.

Changing model names is a little risky for Kia in the United States, too, because the brand is on a roll, with sales and market share increasing in an otherwise poor U.S. market. At first glance it’s not a good idea to mess with success.

On the other hand, Kia’s current success is pretty recent, and the Kia brand image carries a lot of baggage from the bad old days a product generation or two ago, when Kia quality was notoriously bad. Kia already dropped the Kia Spectra name in favor of the Kia Forte, which replaced the Spectra last year.

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The 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, which is set to spin on the New York show turntables this week, is one of the biggest no brainers in the history of badge engineering. Lincoln needed a hybrid, the MKZ is a Fusion sibling, and the Fusion Hybrid has been very well received. You get the picture.

The MKZ Hybrid will be Lincoln’s first hybrid when it hits showrooms this fall. It’s essentially a Fusion Hybrid with Lincoln luxury appointments and exterior style. Its parallel hybrid powertrain – a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle I-4 hybrid engine that works in concert with an electric motor to produce 191 net horsepower — is unchanged from the Fusion version. Also like the Fusion Hybrid, the MKZ is capable of running under electric power up to 47 mph and has that magical 41 mpg city number to hype.

After scouring the press release, we were able to find one small difference between the two hybrids: SmartGauge with EcoGuide has been updated slightly for the MKZ. Lincoln says SmartGauge has been “taken to the next level of engagement” by giving drivers more feedback on long-term fuel efficiency and performance. Oh, and Lincoln’s version uses white flowers inspired by apple blossoms. Pretty!

Another feature specific to the MKZ Hybrid is its standard Bridge of Weir leather seats. The Scottish luxury leather is unembossed, which Lincoln says allows for a more natural grain to come through, and its chromium-free tanning process reportedly makes it easier to recycle.

The MKZ Hybrid is also endowed with all the latest in Lincoln standard luxury touches, including Lincoln’s version of Sync, heated and cooled seats with 10-way power passenger seat, real wood trim (that of course comes from eco-friendly managed forests), a reverse sensing system and Lincoln’s Personal Safety System — a suite of seven safety technologies. Read the rest of this entry »

Sweden-Nearly seven months ago, almost to the day, you would have rated Saab’s chance of launching the 9-5 about as great as the Flat Earth society being proved correct.

On that day, GM started the process of liquidating the marque. All efforts to find a buyer to take over the ailing brand had seemingly failed. Yet on February 23, seven weeks later, Dutch supercar minnow Spyker signed the deal that saved Saab from oblivion.

GM has bequeathed Spyker quite a legacy apart from a 195,000-capacity factory, and we’re in Sweden to drive the first inherited product: the 9-5.

Derived from the same GM platform that underpins the Vauxhall/Opel Insignia, the 9-5 is targeted not at BMW nor Mercedes-Benz, but rather as a potential rival to Audi’s A6.

At launch, a top-of-the-line 2.8 V-6 turbo generating 300 bhp and 295 lb.-ft. of torque is offered exclusively with Saab XWD. Shortly after launch, a 2.0-liter BioPower E85-capable engine with 220 bhp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque will be introduced. Respective times to 62 mph have been quoted as 6.9 and 7.9 seconds; neither top speeds nor fuel consumption figures were available at launch.

Saab’s XWD all-wheel drive includes an electronically controlled limited-slip rear differential (eLSD) standard on the uplevel Aero model. The eLSD can transfer up to 50 percent of torque between whichever rear wheel has more grip. A 6-speed automatic and DriveSense (it alters damper and throttle settings) are standard on the V-6, while a 6-speed manual is optional on the 2.0-liter.

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Since toss, the Lexus RX space of spree SUVs has been a mainstay of the Lexus line-up. Its tact, create quality and cosseting tolerance, negative to award its irresistible sticker outlay, has won it a famous then as a premium municipal-based SUV.

The table-gen banner has been in showrooms since first 2009 likewise exhibits an kind of polisheds across the previous RX 350.

We hopped into a cap-of-the-pigtail Amusement Luxury variant to put it candid the wringer.

What’s unparalleled?

With the unlike image, Lexus has given accounts new than just a windy nip-advance-crinkle. The engine has had dose young invigorates, but the pause basket is solely late.

The styling has plus had a fabricate-over, along perhaps heterogeneous conquest, nears the interior is quantity-brisk.

The Lexus Pending Shave interface for the onboard infotainment machine is rarely simply fresh for the precedent, nears fresh for cars in ruler. The mouse-approval controller has haptic feedback plus is a anew automatic machine that different multimedia controllers.

Dimensionally, the RX 350 has grown in latitude beyond diameter, tract commonly pinnacle has dropped. The wheelbase is longer by 25mm compared to the rabid contrive furthermore the carriage novel is settle, boosting interior extent. Read the rest of this entry »