New Honda Accord 2.2 i-DTEC automatic review

The new Honda Accord, both in saloon and Tourer estate forms, arrived in the UK in 2008 with a much bolder styling, a higher interior quality, and added specification to move the product closer to the premium end of the D-segment (upper medium), the home of the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

The range includes 2.0-litre and 2.4-litre petrol engines and the second generation 2.2-litre turbodiesel unit, all Euro 5 compliant. Whilst an automatic transmission was available for petrol powered models, until now the diesel variants were manual transmission only and that left a big hole in their line-up. [more..]

New Hyundai i20 review

The new i20 ‘supermini range of three and five door Ford Fiesta-sized hatchbacks priced from just £8,195 might be built in India, have a Korean brand name but they are designed and developed in Europe.

The i20 replaces Hyundai’s lower cost Getz 3/5-door hatchbacks range. The sales propositions to own the new i20 are many - high specification, relatively low price, latest fuel efficient low CO2 engines, good predicted residual values and of course Hyundai’s well promoted five-year warranty. [more..]

Peugeot reveals 3008 crossover

Peugeot has released the first images for the 3008 crossover SUV, revealing few changes from the Prologue Hybrid 4 concept seen at the 2008 Paris motor show.

In a surprise move, Peugeot says the production 3008 will be available as a four-wheel drive hybrid, likely to hit the streets in 2011 powered by a combustion engine driving the front wheels and an electric motoring driving the rear.

A 163bhp 2.0-litre diesel is the more likely option if the Prologue is anything to go by, with headline figures of nearly 69mpg and 109g/km in the concept. [more..]

Citroen launches C3 and C4 Airdream+ editions

Citroen has launched two new Airdream+ special editions of its cleanest C3 and C4 models, adding more equipment and greening the models.

The C3 Airdream+ adds rear parking sensors and 15” alloy wheels to the standard spec, which already includes air-conditioning.

Powered by Citroen's 70bhp 1.4-litre HDi, the C3 Airdream+ emits 115g/km of CO2 and returns 64.2mpg on the combined cycle. [more..]

Skoda extends business contract hire deals across range

Skoda is offering Skoda Finance contract hire rentals across the entire model range for business users.

Until the end of March 2009, the flagship Skoda Superb GreenLine is available to fleet customers for £220 a month over three years and 10,000 miles per annum.

The GreenLine offers fuel efficiency of up to 68.9mpg and emits 139g/km courtesy of a electronically tweaked 1.9-litre diesel engine. [more..]

Citroen launches C1 Splash special edition

Citroen is introducing a new special edition of the C1 city car in the form of the C1 Splash, which benefits from extra kit such as air conditioning, front electric windows and remote control central locking, and two new body colours exclusive to Splash.

The new C1 Splash are metallic Electra Blue or Lipizian White, which are twinned with custom coloured door mirrors. Lipizan White models will feature metallic black mirrors and the Electra Blue will have white door mirrors.[more..]

Cadillac unveils Barack Obama's Presidential beast

Nicknamed The Beast for its size, power and sheer indestructibility, Barack Obama's Presidential Cadillac has been unveiled prior to the President Elect's inauguration next week.

Armoured Cadillac limos are the traditional limo of choice for Presidents since Woodrow Wilson, with this latest iteration mixing typical Caddy styling flourishes like the dual-textured grille and enough technology to ensure it survives an assault by a small army.[More..]

New Mitsubishi L200 Special Edition Trojan

Mitsubishi has released a limited-edition L200 double cab as the Special Edition Trojan for business users, positioned to sit below the L200 Warrior.

The Special Edition Trojan includes the following equipment as standard: 16” alloy wheels, rear differential lock, super Select 4WD, CD Player with MP3, climate control, privacy glass and will be available in Aztec Red (solid), Cosmos Black (metallic), Sapphire Blue (metallic) and Starlight Silver (metallic) costing £350 plus VAT.[More..]

Fisker looks to Karma and Sunset future at Detroit

Electric sports car makers Fisker and Tesla have had a fractious relationship in recent months, so sparks looked likely to fly at this year's Detroit Show when it emerged the two rivals had been placed next to one another.

Last year Tesla sued Fisker boss and design wunderkind Henrik Fisker, who had been working for Tesla as a design consultant, alleging that Fisker had stolen design ideas. A court found against Tesla and an increasingly bitter feud has since developed between Fisker and Paypal mogul and Tesla boss Elon Musk. [More..]

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Pagani Zonda R

The full details of the new Pagani Zonda R where finally revealed. The Pagani Zonda and its several variants are already among the most dramatically styled and exclusive supercars in the world, but founder Horacio Pagani has more ambitious plans for the car in the form of the Zonda R. First previewed in late 2007, Pagani has now released full details for the car, which made its world debut this week at a small event in Vienna.

777 Concept Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren tuning by Renntech

Renntech is unveiling what they call the 777 Concept. The model is being introduced to celebrate the 20th anniversary of RENNTECH, and as such, it shows fantastically the magic RENNTECH-tuned models are capable of.

BMW 320d Winter Concept tuning by Miranda-Series

We present you a new tuning package for BMW 320d. The german tuner Miranda-Series has introduced a new winter sport package for the pre-facelift BMW 320d. The modified 320d now rides on new, black colored, 19-inch alloy wheels that are wrapped in winter sports Dunlop tires available in two sizes, 235/35-19 and 265/30-19. The winter sport package for BMW 320d is completed with a set of front passenger Recaro bucket.

SMS 570 Challenger by Steve Saleen

We present you the new SMS 570 Challenger by Steve Saleen. To launch his first production model under the SMS badge, Steve Saleen rented out an Orange County night club and had a rave!

California company says its flying car will be a sci-fi dream come true

BY OREN YANIV
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Tuesday, November 4th 2008, 5:40 PM

Moller International, a California-based company, says its flying Autovolantor car, which is fitted with wings and eight mounted engines, will be ready for liftoff within two years.

Forget congestion pricing. The ultimate solution for rush-hour gridlock may be flying cars.

A California-based company says it's ready to put a such a thing on the road - and up in the air - within two years. [More..]

Hamann Volcano

The serial Mercedes-Benz SLR is already one of the most impressive cars on our roads – but compared to the Hamann VOLCANO it still looks rather harmless. Once again, Hamann-Motorsport proves its cutting edge when it comes to refining superb sports cars. From a lift-reducing body design to a powerful performance enhancement to a lavishly styled interior, Hamann focuses on all components of this luxury car and makes the automobile dreams of its exclusive clientele come true.

2008 Toyota Land Cruiser - a modernized classic in a changing market

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman, Special to Motorway

Updated: 07/19/2008 08:13:02 PM PDT

The flags at the top of the ski slope directed us straight down hill, about 2,000 feet of rock-strewn mountain side during the off-season at Big Sky resort near Bozeman, Montana.

It looked daunting, even from the front passenger seat, but with the Toyota Land Cruiser's Downhill Assist Control locked in, the big sport utility edged down the slope at a steady, sure-footed pace. No driver intervention needed. A fellow journalist simply had to steer toward a couple of flags in the distance at the bottom of the mountain. [More..]

2009 Chevrolet Traverse - GM's newest large crossover
It was no surprise that we instantly liked the all-new Chevrolet Traverse. Our first experience with the full-sized Chevy crossover came on a flawless autumn day hauling four adults and all the goodies necessary for a college football game tailgate party. ...[MORE]

The Safest Truck in America: The Ford-150 Pickup?

Posted: Jan. 08, 2009 10:01:05 a.m.

Ford says its new 2009 F-150 is the safest truck you can buy. New testing data may back up the claim.

The Detroit News reports, "The redesigned 2009 Ford F-150 pickup received top safety ratings from the government and a leading outside group, the automaker said Wednesday. The pickup earned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's top 5-star crash-test ratings and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's ‘Top Safety Pick' award." Ford's new full-size is "the first ...

Mecha-Godzilla Spotted: Nissan GT-R Spec V Unveiled

Posted: Jan. 08, 2009 10:01:37 a.m.

Apparently, Nissan is disappointed with the Motor Trend Car of the Year. The Automobile Magazine Car of the Year. The car that won Popular Mechanics' Best of What's New award. The car that broke a long-standing speed record at the world's fastest test track. The car that caused Porsche to sputter accusations of cheating. The car they just call "Godzilla" - the monster from Japan that dethroned million-dollar supercars with a price tag of just $80,000.

Yes, the ...

2010 Buick LaCrosse: Can Buick Shed Its Dull Image?

Posted: Jan. 08, 2009 10:01:01 a.m.

Even with Tiger Woods commercials, Americans don't think Buicks are cool. The brand's image is soft, boring...cars for older people who no longer want an exciting drive. GM's mid-market brand is now popular in China, but fading from relevance in its home market.

But the 2010 Buick LaCrosse, set to debut at the Detroit Auto Show next week, could change all of that.

"2010 Buick LaCrosse: Blue Hair No More!" screams the headline at Jalopnik. The ...

Ford May Announce Electric Car at Detroit Auto Show

Posted: Jan. 09, 2009 10:01:39 a.m.

Next week's Detroit Auto Show may feature a surprise from Ford: the company's first electric car.

Motor Authority carried the first report of the car. According to MA, Ford will use the auto show to "reveal plans for a new electric sedan that is scheduled to go on sale in 2011 and is likely to be based on the next-generation global Focus sedan." Ford has already announced plans for an electric cargo van aimed at commercial fleets, and ...

Detroit Auto Show Focuses on Green Cars

Posted: Jan. 12, 2009 11:01:00 a.m.

The North American International Auto Show has opened in Detroit, and the message the auto industry would like to send is clear: we're going green.

USA Today reports, "Automakers are gambling that there's a market for electric-power cars, even as gas prices drop." In the show's first weekend, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler all "unveiled concepts and future production vehicles powered primarily by plug-in batteries. And a Toyota executive said it will bring such electric cars to ...

Hyundai Genesis Wins North American Car of the Year

Posted: Jan. 12, 2009 11:01:46 a.m.

The best new car in North America is a Korean import. Like most Hyundai models, it is designed to compete with more established names in the market by offering a lot of car for a little money, undercutting its competition by thousands of dollars. Unlike most Hyundai models, however, this one doesn't try to remind buyers of a Toyota or Honda product.

Instead, the Hyundai Genesis aims its badgeless grille at BMWs and Lexuses.

CNN Money explains, "The Hyundai ...

Lincoln MKT Debuts at Detroit Auto Show

Posted: Jan. 14, 2009 10:01:31 a.m.

The Ford Flex will soon have a more luxurious big brother. Lincoln has designed its own take on the big crossover, the 2010 MKT, which made its first public appearance this week at the Detroit Auto Show.

Autoblog reports, "Starting with the MKT's most obvious discussion point, its sheetmetal, it is clear that Ford has gone in a different direction - literally. Whereas the Flex comes about its styling primarily through the use of horizontal lines, the MKT's design ...

2010 Ford Taurus: The Bull Gets its Mojo Back

Posted: Jan. 15, 2009 11:01:20 a.m.

The current Ford Taurus is a solid car that has never excited anyone. Safe, fuel-efficient, roomy and boring, it doesn't have the visceral allure of a Chrysler 300 or the near-luxury feel of the Toyota Avalon - it's just an unexciting but practical full-size sedan. It shares its name with what was once the world's best-selling car, but that hasn't fooled anyone.

The next Taurus, however, is a different story. Automotive journalists got their first official look ...

First Drives: Honda Insight Hybrid

Posted: Jan. 14, 2009 10:01:05 a.m.

The Toyota Prius has new competition. In mid-summer, Honda will begin selling its own hybrid car, expected to cost less than the popular Toyota model. The 2010 Honda Insight looks a great deal like the Prius and will probably be the first realistic alternative potential Prius buyers have ever had to consider. With the 2009 Detroit Auto Show now open, the auto press is driving Honda's new hybrid for the first time, and so far, while most reviewers are ...

Win a Free Ford Fiesta! sort of.

Posted: Jan. 14, 2009 10:01:35 a.m.

Do you have sway over your friends' decisions? Do you have "followers?" A "strong presence on the web," perhaps? If you have the ability to influence decisions, Ford would like to co-opt your influence for marketing purposes...er, we mean...give you a free car!

Well, loan you one, anyway.

The automaker's new "Fiesta Movement" program takes an old auto industry idea - select a group of drivers to test drive a new car for a while before it hits ...

Volkswagen Shows Off 57 mpg Sporty Drop-Top

Posted: Jan. 15, 2009 11:01:01 a.m.

Herbie and the talking Beetle in the VW commercials have a new reason to feel inferior - and this time it's not Brooke Shields trying to sell rebadged Chrysler Minivans. It's a gorgeous drop-top roadster that reportedly gets Prius-beating mileage and weighs in at barely more than a Mazda Miata, most likely making it a very agile ride.

For now, the BlueSport Roadster is just a concept. But many present for its unveiling at the Detroit Auto Show believe ...

Toyota to Introduce Plug-in Hybrid This Year, Hydrogen Cars by 2015

Posted: Jan. 16, 2009 10:01:07 a.m.

At the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, the focus was largely on electric cars. The Cadillac Converj, the Chrysler 200C, an electric Ford Focus, a drop-top Fisker Karma -- electric cars were everywhere. The world's largest automaker was conspicuously absent. Toyota brought a single electric concept - a battery-powered version of its iQ city car that, the company said, it had no plans to produce anytime soon.

It turns out, however, that Toyota wasn't behind the other automakers. If the company ...

01/16/2009 at 06:21pm

City of New York To Use MINI E Electric Cars, Bloomberg Announces

In his State-of-the-City speech yesterday, New York Major Michael R. Bloomberg announced that BMW will be loaning the city 10 MINI E electric vehicles for its SCOUT program. SCOUT, or Street Condition Observation Unit, scours the city for dangers like potholes, roadway damage, and aesthetic issues like graffiti (they'd need a lot more than 10 vehicles to keep up with NYC graffiti, no?). These 10 MINIs are part of an armada of 500 MINI Es being used as a one-year pilot study; the program aims to examine the viability of the vehicles for the consumer market. Vehicle delivery will begin in April. Mini E is a part of BMW's Project i, an R&D... Read More

Also see: Auto Shows

Production Super Cars Attack Nürburgring

Nissan and Porsche may be arguing over who's got the best Nürburgring lap time, but Evo magazine recently did them one better. The mag's N-ring showdown, with American Le Mans Series racer Marc Basseng at the controls, pitted a Maserati MC12 against its sister ship, Ferrari's Enzo, a Koenigsegg CCX, a Pagani Zonda F Clubsport and a Porsche Carrera GT. In the final outcome, it was the Maser that wound up on top. Here are the car's reported lap times over the 12.8-mile course:

Maserati MC12: 7:24.29
Pagani Zonda F Roadster: 7:24.65
Enzo Ferrari: 7:25.21
Porsche Carrera GT: 7:28.71
Koenigsegg CCX: 7:33.6

Of course, none unseated the 2009 Dodge Viper ACR, which holds an unofficial production car record (according to Motor Trend), of 7:22.10 with FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) driver Tom Coronel behind the wheel.

[via Carscoop]

2009 Prius

You might want to see if you can pre-order a 2009 Prius; many claims to fuel economy in the 70-94 mpg range.

http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/daily-news/080429-2009-Prius-May-Reach-94-MPG/

TEST-DRIVE : NEW 2nd GENERATION HONDA STREAM

Note to readers : this review is made possible with the cooperation of the daily News Straits Times - Cars Bikes and Trucks (NST-CBT). For the print version of this article, check out this Sunday December 9 2007 edition of the NST-CBT.

Honda's new 2nd generation Honda Stream delivers a great package of power, fuel economy and utility. It's 1.8l R18A i-VTEC engine features a unique 'economy' mode for highway cruising. Normal engines control the amount of air going into the engine by varying the size of the 'throttle body'. During cruising, relatively little power is needed. In this situation, little air is needed sothe throttle body size is closed till very small. Unfortunately while this lets us limits the amount of air, it also forces the engine to do extra work. To relate this to real-life situations, think of drinking through a straw. We pinch the straw to limit the amount we drink but then we have to suck harder. This extra work by the engine means extra power loss and adversely affects its fuel consumption. It is ironic because it occurs just when we need are able to get best fuel economy.

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Compressed Air Powered Car

Compressed Air Powered Car

• News Articles

January 13, 2008
Submitted by James Rivera

As car companies keep trying to create more efficient cars, a company has introduced a compressed air technology car a.k.a CAT. The car runs entirely on a stream of air delivered to a two-stroke engine.

No gasoline, no pollution and

• Read more

Coming Soon from VW: A 69.9 MPG Diesel Hybrid

It's official - Volkswagen is unveiling a hybrid to challenge the mighty Toyota Prius. And not just any hybrid, but a diesel-electric hybrid it says will deliver 69.9 mpg.

Auto show's coolest cars

CANDY FOR THE SPEED FREAK: Mazda Furai concept: Furai, pronounced "foo-rye," is Japanese for "sound of the wind." It can also mean "the only sound you'll be able to hear while you're driving this." Mazda has already pioneered sleek, flowy design with the Nagare, but this applies the Nagare principles to a racecar, blurring the line between something made for the track and the street. It has a 450 horsepower three-motor rotary engine. If you don't know what that is, you should start slowly.

Auto show's coolest cars

BEST MOVIE VILLAIN CAR: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1: The ZR1 Corvette is bad down to its bones. See if you can find the "Take No Prisoners" skull logo stamped on the air intake snorkel - it's the signature of Corvette Racing. When it hit the Detroit Auto Show in January, this lean, low Corvette zipped away with AutoWeek magazine's "Best in Show" award. The styling is sublime and there's even a little window in the hood to show off the engine, which adds swagger to any high-speed chase.

Auto show's coolest cars

Auto show's coolest cars

Daily News writer Patrick Huguenin takes a look some of the cars from the 2008 New York International Auto Show. First up: BEST MOVIE HERO CAR: Audi R8 V12 TDI Le Mans concept: The Audi R8 has already earned its spot in pop culture. Courteney Cox uses one to zip around Tinseltown in FX's tabloid drama "Dirt." She'd be lucky to get her hands on a Le Mans concept version, which upgrades the engine to a 12-cylinder that runs on diesel. It's got a paparazzi-chasing top speed of just under 200 mph, but it's also fuel efficient. We know James Bond loves his Aston Martins, but wouldn't fuel efficiency and lower emissions give a good guy more room to be bad?

Published: 03/19/2008 18:22:57

Audi A8 is spied

By GREG MIGLIORE

An illustration of the 2010 Audi A8.

BRENDA PRIDDY & CO.

Apparently it’s too cold in much for the country for even hearty spy shooters, who have traded their cameras for pens.

Based on recent sightings and reading the tea leaves, they’ve come up with an illustration of what it’s believed Audi’s A8 flagship sedan will look like for 2010.

The front end could get R8-esque headlights and vents, and the sheetmetal could get a pronounced beltline, setting off the sides in more dramatic fashion.

We expect the A8 to grow--perhaps four inches in length--and the body panels to continue to be made of aluminum.

Also look for two new powerplants lurking under the hood, a V12 diesel and a gasoline V10.