WheelTronix

Just a week after the unveiling of the new-generation Mazda 3 saloon in Los Angeles, Mazda has released pictures of the five-door hatchback version.

This will make its debut at the Bologna Motor Show next week, showing off the new front-end styling and substantial updates.
The hatch will come with Mazda’s new 2.2-litre diesel engine, as in the latest 6, as well as the continuing 1.6 diesel and 1.6 and 2.0-litre petrol units.

The 2.2 will come in two versions, 185bhp and 150bhp, and Mazda promises better fuel consumption and lower emissions than from the 2.0-litre diesel engine it replaces.

Kia will demonstrate its fuel cell expertise in its Borrego in Los Angeles next week.

Its newest hydrogen-fuelled arrangement is fitted into the Borrego – a big US-market 4×4 – in which it contributes a top speed of 100mph and a choice between re-fuelling stops of over 425 miles.
The new FCEV arrangement has an improved output, with the fuel cell putting out 154bhp and new super capacitors furnishing an extra 134bhp. It can also run at lower temperatures, with start-up now no trouble lower than freezing point.

The Borrego FCEV is said to give over 50mpg, and to be able to do 0-62mph in 12.8 seconds, helped by weight decreases.

Next week on the Las Vegas autoshow we will find the Hyundai HED-5. This vehicle was already unveiled in Geneva, but without any details about it. What we do know is that they are working hard for vehicles that will be as green as possible.

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Ford is planning to provide 4 F-150 pick-up trucks for the SEMA show in Las Vegas next week.

The F-150 Heavy Duty Dewalt Contractor Concept is depicted as the ‘ultimate contractor’s truck’. It has a built-in charger for battery-operated tools, a tailor-made storage area below the second-row seats and a special toolbox.
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The British International Motor Show is being accommodated at the ExCeL Centre in London’s Docklands and boasts 13 world unveilings of new cars. Other attractors to keep everyone glad include a 3,500-seat theatre arena with 4 stunt-driving shows a day; the Adventure Land purpose-built off-road course, where show-goers can experience 4×4s from Daihatsu, Kia, Land Rover, Nissan, Toyota and Volvo; and the Taster Test Drive track, a 2.2km circuit to try out cars from Citroen, Seat, Mitsubishi, Honda, Toyota and Vauxhall. There are also Dock Rock performances where bands such as A-HA and Roxy Music will be wowing a 6,500 people each night.

French coachbuilder Heuliez has exposed its Friendly – a plug-in electric city vehicle with a range of up to 140 miles and a top speed of 70mph.

The pint-sized car has three motors to choose from – 16, 18 and 25kilowatt – and they are  powered from a nickel metal hydride battery which can be charged from a household electricity supply. It is planned for city use but San Franciscans need not apply: the motor will not cope with any more than a 17% gradient. It can, however, be driven on motorways.
There are three versions available – short (2m 10cm), standard (2m 50cm) and long (2m 90cm). All variants are three-seaters with the front seat located dead centre, and the two rears set in the traditional way to form a triangular arrangement. The rear seats can be removed to create a larger load bay. With the rear seats folded down, the Short offers 850 litres of space, while the Long offers 1650 litres.

Zagato will be presenting the Bentley Continental GT Speed based car on the autoshow in Genève. Zagato, an Italian design company created a whole new face and a remarkable rear end for this car. It has to be a big scoop, but it isn’t anymore. To bad for them, but great news for us to post about it. Here the Bentley Zagato GTZ!

Click on the images for a bigger view:

It isn’t the first time Zagato had a big scoop, in 2006 the released a really exclusive car for a Japanese owner. This Japanese men is owner of several exclusive cars like the 166M, 250 Spider California, two Daytonas and an Enzo. All collectors items, but that wasn’t enough for him. He gave Zagato the job to create a really exclusive Ferrari. It was the Ferrari 575GTZ, based on the 575M Maranello and this design looks a lot on the 250 GTZ from 1956.

Click on the images for a bigger view:

Zagato has also designed the Spyker C12 and several Aston Marin’s.
Not only the Bentley they have created is unique, but they also created the Diatto.That is from a car brand that quited years ago.

Zagato press article about the Bentley Zagato GTZ:

Bentley wears Zagato
Italian Carrozzeria (coachbuilder), Zagato, the most famous Automotive Atelier in the
world is developing a unique, coachbuilt body for a Bentley, one of the world’s most
beautiful and desirable cars.
The Bentley project follows the long-standing tradition of Zagato Atelier co-operation
with premium British automotive brands over several decades. Ace, Bristol, Aston
Martin, Jaguar, MG, Rolls Royce and Rover are among the UK-based brands that
have worked with the Milan Atelier in the past to produce, what are now some of the
most sought after collector’s cars in the world. Other notable cooperations include
Ferrari and Maserati.
The concept of sports elegance, dynamically functional design, remaining free from
contingent tendencies but seeking directly to drive emotion and pure pleasure,
combined with the hand-shaped precious aluminium bodies, have made Zagato
Atelier appreciated as one of the very best and most admired by Customers and
Collectors since the 1920’s.
Zagato’s strength lies in the creation and realisation of this sports-style elegance
within a functional design that does not bow to momentary fashions but seeks out the
sheer excitement and total pleasure of driving, an appreciating value recognised
everywhere.
Today Zagato is the only Atelier capable of marrying its great and long history of
craftsman-led workshop experience with the most modern design and development
technologies currently available. This capability has allowed Zagato to build small
numbers of unique samples, combining the very best of premium manufacturer’s
mechanical running gear with highly exclusive neo-classic Zagato bodies.