NEW TOYOTA CARS

Toyota Sticks To Hybrid Script

Toyota Australia Technical Centre vice-president Max Gillard has called on the federal and state governments to clarify their positions on supporting hybrid technology as the company considers building a petrol-electric Camry at its Altona plant in Victoria.

The Australian federal government and Victorian state government have been lobbying Toyota Motor Corporation executives in Japan to award its Australian operation a hybrid production project, and are believed to have offered significant financial support in order to achieve that outcome.

However, Mr Gillard has told GoAuto that both tiers of government need to do more when it comes to incentives for purchasing hybrid vehicles, especially those made in Australia.

“I suppose the issue at the moment is that the governments, both state and federal, really haven’t made their position clear in regards to hybrid,” Mr Gillard said.

He said there were currently no formal incentives to purchase a hybrid vehicle on offer from any government in Australia, except for a promised stamp duty refund in Queensland that was yet to materialise.

NEW MERCEDEZ BENZ

Mercedes-Benz F 700: Pioneering New Technologies

Powered by a special 'DIESOTTO' 1.8-litre petrol engine, the hybrid car is backed up by an electric motor that reduces fuel economy to an average of 5.3L/100km. That's exceptional when you consider that is very heavy, weighing 1700kg.

The 'DIESOTTO' engine type is similar to systems being trialled by GM that remove the need for spark plugs in a conventional petrol engine, relying instead on intense pressure (like a diesel engine) to provoke combustion.

In the F 700 concept, Mercedes-Benz chose a four-cylinder with a displacement of 1.8 litres to showcase it's new Controlled Auto Ignition (CAI) technology. According to the company it combines the strong points of a low-emission gasoline engine with the consumption benefits of a diesel drive, emitting just 127 grams of CO2 per kilometre and using only 5.3 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers (44.3 mpg).

Using this so-called Controlled Auto Ignition (CAI), along with direct fuel injection and turbocharging, the new DIESOTTO engine type combines the high power of the spark-ignition engine with the high levels of torque and greater fuel economy of a diesel.

NEW MAZDA TAIKI

The inspiration behind Taiki’s exterior came from the idea of two floating Hagoromo, “the flowing robes that enable a celestial maiden to fly in Japanese legend,” states the press release. When thinking about the interior, designers looked to the Japanese koinobori carp streamers, and decided to try and create a space depicting the flowing wind.

The Taiki will be debuted to the public at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show.

Mazda also introduced the Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid, which the company claims gets 40% better output compared to the RX-8 Hydrogen RE. The end result is faster acceleration and a fuel range of roughly 200 km (124 mi). Five adults should be able to sit comfortably into this hydrogen/gas hybrid.

NEW LAMBORGHINI MARCIELAGO LP640

have released their most exclusive car to date at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the Reventón. In continuation of Lamborghini’s naming their cars after bull’s the Reventón is named after the bull which famously killed matador Felix Guzman in 1943. The Reventón is powered by the same 6.5 liter V12 as the Murciélago LP640 but gets an extra twenty horsepower out giving it a total of six hundred and sixty horsepower, the top speed of the three hundred and forty kilometers per hour. The car features very distinct styling both inside and outside which is inspired by aircraft and the body is made entirely of carbon fiber as well as significant portions of the interior. The car features all LED and Xenon headlights which is a first in the automotive industry. Only twenty Lamborghini Reventón’s will be made making it one of the most exclusive cars available today.

NEW SUBARU IMPREZA

he wait is finally over, and we have official photos and information about the updated Subaru Impreza WRX STI. Subaru's latest version of their flagship rally car debuts at the Tokyo Motor Show on October 24th just before noon, Tokyo time.

With a new one-piece nose, the five-door STI looks a little less boring than the current model. This new version has more stylized front and side panels, giving it a more streamlined appearance when compared to STI already in production. This new STI also has a less pronounced hood scoop that is more integrated with the rest of the car. The front and rear overhangs have also been shortened on this longer, wider STI. Overall, the five-door has a less boxy look to it compared to previous versions.

NEW MITSHUBISI LANCER

Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia today launched its new ninth-generation Lancer in Malaysia, in 2.0GT guise, eight months after it was officially announced at the Detroit Motor Show in January.

Brazen in red, and why not?

The introduction of the GS41 Lancer here can be deemed snappily quick, because it began selling in the North American market - in similar form, as the Lancer GTS - not too long ago, in March, and the vehicle’s launch in Malaysia is one of the first in Asia, ahead of Singapore, which will introduce the model this coming weekend

NEW NISSAN SKYLINE

Nope, kids — hold your horses, it's not the new GT-R, that's still being revealed in Tokyo later this month. Almost like a tease, Nissan's just revealed the new 2008 Skyline coupe in Japan — it's the Nissan version of the Infiniti G37 coupe we saw revealed at the New York Auto Show earlier this year. That means this new-for-2008 model gets the same engine as the G37 — the powerful 3.7-liter V6 engine that delivers 330 horses in the Infiniti. The new Skyline somehow adds an extra three horses, with Nissan pegging the 2008 model at 333 HP and 270 lb-ft of torque in all four of the variants of the new Nissan two-door hardtop. Also available will be the full complement of toys found in the G37 including backup camera, "HDD CARWINGS" nav system and even real wood trim. Full press release after the jump.

NEW BMW CARS

The BMW 7-Series has always been a very important car to look at for those who loves BMWs. As the flagship model, new design cues and technology more often than not makes its debut on the 7-Series first and then slowly trickles down the rest of the model range. Let’s have a close look at the new F01 7-Series after the jump.












NEW BMW 5 SERIES

The new facelifted BMW 5-Series is now available in Malaysia, and is available in 523i SE, 525i Sports, 530i, 540i, 530d and of course the top of the line BMW M5.

All of the 5-Series models have Active Steering, Adaptive Headlamps, High Beam Assistant, runflat tyres (except the M5) and something new is that the whole range of 5-Series now comes with GPS satellite navigation with maps on a DVD.

The 530i and 540i now has BMW Night Vision, and all the models except the 523i SE are now equipped with a Head-Up Display. I managed to try out BMW’s HUD back in Athens with the BMW X5 and I must say it is the most useful when it displays satellite navigation guidance - you don’t have to turn your head to look at the iDrive screen.

NEW BMW 3 SERIES

BMW has released full details on the new BMW 3-Series Sedan and Touring facelift. The following are the full list of changes for the 2009 facelifted model.

• A new front end comprising of a new front kidney grille, a new bumper, and headlamps with new internal graphics including LED turn signals.
• The rear end is made to look broader thanks to more detailed lines. The rear headlamps now return to the classic L shape and have new lense graphics.
• The side profile has different wing mirrors.
• The power window control panel has been changed slightly for ergonomics purposes. BMW also says there are new cubby holes to store things.
• The iDrive system has been updated with an 8.8 inch display and the new enhanced iDrive with 3D navigation graphics and a web browser using BMW ConnectedDrive (GPRS and EDGE) is available. Navigation storage no longer uses DVD but a 80GB hard drive, which can also store music files.

BMW X5

One of the key points of improvement in this new BMW X5 over the previous version is third-row seating. The previous BMW X5 only seated 5, which made it unattractive for people with large families. This third row is optional, and with the third row seats installed the new BMW X5 seats 7, 2 in front, 3 in the middle and 2 at the back. To accomodate this extra seating, the X5 has grown longer by 19mm and wider by 6mm. With all seats in place, the X5 still has a comfortable boot space of 200 liters, but when you remove them this storage grows to 620 liters. This is up 155 liters compared to the first generation BMW X5.

Power and torque has also gone up across the model range. The BMW X5 3.0 receives 41hp power boost, bringing it up to 272hp from the previous 231hp figure. Torque goes up from 300Nm to 315Nm. The X5 3.0 goes from 0-100km/h in 8.1 seconds, and has a top speed of 225km/h The turbodiesel BMW X5 3.0d now makes 231hp and 520Nm torque, successing the previous model that only has 204hp and 480Nm torque. The top of the range BMW X5 4.8i has it’s power upped to 355hp and 475Nm of twisting action, up from 320hp and 440Nm. Top speed is 250km/h. Note that all three top speed figures are with the Dynamic Package offered by BMW, without it top speed for all three X5s are limited to 210km/h.

NEW HYBRID CAR

TOYOTA PRIUS




We've shown you spy shots of the 2010 Prius before its anticipated intro at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. But where the Prius has had things easy for a while, it's about to get some serious competition. This week, we're waiting on word for the Chevrolet Volt, which could see a formal public intro on GM's centennial, September 16th. We're also seeing some rumors that the Honda small hybrid that's due as a Paris auto show concept will emerge this week.

Where does that leave the 2010 Prius? Toyota's putting a fleet of plug-in Priuses in the hands of consumers next year, to see if the plug-in concept can become reality--but it's already reality for a group of owners that are putting more batteries and lithium-ion batteries into their Priuses. Owners like Colorado's Clarence Robinson have bought kits to add better battery power to their Priuses for a claimed 100 mpg. While he uses extra lead-acid batteries to get the fuel-economy boost, companies are also offering lithium-ion batteries in kits that can turn Priuses and Ford Escape hybrids into 100-mpg machines, the report adds.














THE HONDA INSIGHT IS BACK


Honda’s name for its new Prius killer is perhaps the least innovative thing about it—it’s going to be called the Insight. The old Insight was the first mass-produced hybrid sold in the U.S. in 1990 but was phased out amid weak sales in 2006.

Honda has higher hopes for the much-anticipated new model, which it plans to sell 200,000 a year and will be the first of several new hybrids. While it won’t be sold until April, Honda is showing a concept version at the Paris Auto Show, which opens at the beginning of October. Honda just released a press release unveiling the name today and first official photos, although details of its price (expected to be about $19k) and performance remain scant. The release points out that the original Insight was the first vehicle to break the 70mpg barrier for fuel efficiency. Any guesses on how closer the new, larger Insight (but smaller than a Civic or a Prius) will get to that figure?