Your daily automotive news!
At the Paris Motor Show from October 2 to October 19, Venturi Automobiles is showing this ugly ride. Well if you want to know our opinion 
The looks of this car are not kinda our type, but maybe for others it is…
Source: Michelin and Venturi @ Alternative car fuels.
Chrysler has revealed the Dodge EV, a Lotus-based vehicle with an electric power train.
The Dodge EV is founded on the Lotus Europa coupe, but has a Tesla Roadster-like electric power train which gives 0-60mph speedup in less than 5 seconds. It’s said to have a series of 150-200 miles between recharges and can be fully charged in 4 hours, using a 220-volt domestic power supply. A model is presently under screening.
Chrysler is also functioning on a 4 door Jeep Wrangler-based extended-range electric vehicle which can do 40 miles in electric-only mode and up to 400 miles with its small engine in operation and a similarly-propelled Town & Country/Voyager MPV. The company will have at least one of these vehicles in production by 2010.
Chrysler is also in the process of formulating a fully-electric car codenamed ENVI and a tiny electric runaround called ‘peapod’.
Another great car of Dodge is off course the Dodge Viper. Well here you find some specs of the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT-10 ACR. What a ride! To bad it ain’t listed in the top10 fastest cars. What we do know is, that you need a good car insurance for this ride!
Ferrari held a launch gathering for its California convertible in Los Angeles.
The car was offered to a celebrity gathering at a function at Santa Monica Airport and one was auctioned off for contributions and it raised $520,000.
A similar function was also conducted at Ferrari’s HQ in Maranello, with Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo and F1 drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa displaying the car to Ferrari employees and their families.
The Pininfarina-styled California has a retract hard-top roof and an innovative direct-injection version of the F430′s 4.3 V8 which develops 460bhp.
It has a new seven-speed dual-clutch mechanized manual gearbox and the most recent version of the F1-Trac traction control system, and is good for 0-60mph in less than 4 seconds. More details regarding the car and its pricing are to be announced at the Paris Motor Show.
Ford Escape Hybrid
MSRP: $21,880 – $27,445
MPG: 34 City / 30 Hwy
The Ford Escape Hybrid is among the top three by merging the utility and serviceability of the gas-only Escape with a fuel-sipping hybrid power train. Commentators like its muscular exterior and contented seats, but criticize about swollen managing and the lack of stability control.
Mercury Mariner Hybrid
MSRP: $23,310 – $29,920
MPG: 34 City / 30 Hwy
The Mercury Mariner hybrid has all the strengths and weaknesses of the Ford, but with a more refined interior. Regrettably it is costly also. But still, commentators love the balance of standard features. But they’re not as beguiled with the Mariner Hybrid’s baggy handling.
Cars that can contract into stiff parking spaces, are wind-powered, and can even do a u-turn on the spot. This model of car is among the 29 vehicles that have been short listed for the Peugeot Design Contest 2008.
The list includes a car that can bend in the middle so that the driver can get a better view of the road ahead.
Contestants in the event were asked to focus on environmental consciousness, social harmony, synergistic mobility and economic skillfulness, while holding the Peugeot style.
Turkish designer Emre Yazici has contrived a two-wheel, lightweight electric car for a single passenger, which requires only a third of the parking space used by a characteristic saloon car and can take U-turn.
Two French designers – Woo-Ram Lee and Argentine Esteban Peisci – have produced cars that run on three spheres rather than traditional wheels.
If you still want to park your car by your own, maybe you could use some parking sounds Good luck with them!
Toyota is modifying its Hilux pick-up for the year 2009, with a new framework and wider front bumper, new metal wheel designs, and new supplies which include a lockable tailboard for car equipped with Extra and Double Cab models.
The 3.0 D4D diesel engines have a five-speed automatic gearbox, with an improved torsion and fuel economy: it’ll now return 31.7mpg and 236g/km.
The changes to the interior is a new steering wheel with audio controls, a redesigned gearshift console and new instruments, a new automatic air conditioning system with dust and pollen filter, and new sports seats in the Double Cab. Unbeatable models have leather covering.
Modest alterations have been made to the suspension system, with retooled front shock absorbents and new back axle miens, plus new bushes. Larger brakes are also fitted.
Sales of these changed models will be starting in the UK towards the end of the year.
Maruti 800 commenced the bang and the very dearest Zen conveyed it forward. Wagon-R nicked in well too later on. And now that Zen has already obtained a make-over in the form of Estilo, it is the turn of her stable-mate, Wagon-R. Suzuki had presented a notion founded on this car in last year’s Paris Motor Show. After that a lot of changes have brought the present Splash into its final form.
The style is gallant and is qualified by the huge headlamps at the front. The rear is a consequence of some out-of-the-box thinking and has an inner tilt to it. It does not look very nice, but every person has a right of thoughts.
The dash and the centre console shouts SX4 and Swift at its loudest. The rev counter placed on the dashboard is interesting though.
As far as engines are concerned no disappointment. A very elegant and fuel efficient 1.2L petrol and the award-winning 1.3L multi jet (DDiS) diesel engines are intended for the car. This car is anticipated to hit Indian roads early 2009.
Dutch sports car-maker Spyker is manufacturing a colored road car encouraged by its Le Mans GT2-class challenger.
The orange- and grey-painted C8 Laviolette LM85 has a 400bhp account of the Audi-sourced 4.2 V8, a six-speed Get rag gear box with inadequate slip discrepancy, a black leather/Alcantara inside with orange edging, black powder-covered wheels, AP Racing six-piston brakes and a carbon fiber rear spoiler.
Spyker programs to produce just 24 instances – 1 for every hour of the Le Mans race, most probably – and will present both right- and left-hand drive. Le Mans decals and gummed label are non-compulsory, as well as an exceptional car cover. Corresponding Chronoswiss watches is on the offer with the take and purchasers can determine near-identical instrument dials for the car’s splashboard. Purchasers will also be called for Spyker’s VIP hospitality suite for the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours.
Mitsubishi UK is planning to race the Lancer Evolution X in the Britcar Championship. This would be its first works entry in circuit-racing in many years.
The Ralliart-liveried car will be produced by ADR Motorsport and driven by sponsors SVA UK’s MD James Kaye, a former BTCC competitor, and two not yet named drivers. It will make its debut at Silverstone on September 20/21, as a trial run for the 2009 Britcar series.
‘Mitsubishi UK has not been involved with circuit racing for many years,’ says Ralliart manager Paul Brigden, ‘so this new initiative is a great opportunity for us. Subject to the level of interest from competitors, we are also hoping to announce a one-make race series of the Evolution X soon.’
Volkswagen has established the fuel utilization and carbon dioxide output statistics for the BlueMotion version of the new Mk VI Golf: it’ll do 74.3mpg, and it gives off just 99g/km.
The BlueMotion gets an economy-optimized interpretation of the 105bhp 1.6 TDI diesel engine with five-speed manual gearbox; its gear proportions have been retooled, engine management system fine-tuned, low rolling-resistor tyres have been equipped and underbody aerodynamics have been amended. A particulate strain is also built-in as standard. However, regardless of the focus on economy, it will still do 117mph and 0-60mph in 11.3 seconds.
The new-generation Golf will be on sale in the UK from January 2009; the array also includes the mainstream 2.0 TDI 110bhp diesel, good for 62mpg and 119g/km. This BlueMotion model follows on sale next summer.