* London Motor Show preview for exciting new Ford Focus RS
* Genuine RS performance with 300PS
* Quaife Automatic Torque Biasing limited-slip differential and innovative ‘RevoKnuckle’, for assured handling and traction
* Expressive design exudes high performance intent

BRENTWOOD, July 4, 2008 – The legendary Ford RS performance car brand is returning in the shape of the exciting new Ford Focus RS, which will be previewed on July 22 at the 2008 London International Motor Show.

The new Focus RS will go on sale in early 2009 and is being created by a small team of dedicated engineers, under the direction of Jost Capito, Ford of Europe’s Vehicle Line Director for Performance Vehicles.

For performance road car enthusiasts, the new model will mark a welcome return for the Ford RS badge. This will be the second Focus model to carry the RS mantle and promises another exciting chapter in an exciting 40-year story that began in Germany in the late 1960s and gained momentum across Europe with the launch of the 1970 Escort RS1600.

Capito said: “We want the new Focus RS to be a serious high performance car – as much a car for driving enthusiasts as the one before it and classic Ford RS models of the past. We’re staying true to the core RS principles of an exciting, yet affordable performance road car you can live with every day.”



Authentic RS presence and style

Before it even turns a wheel, the new Focus RS exudes the presence, sporty style and lowered, ‘meaner’ appearance expected of a genuine Ford RS. Overt performance styling details mix with subtle revisions to create a planted, powerful stance and the promise of an exciting drive.

The London show car previews the design intent for a final production vehicle, though as development work continues, some final details may change before volume production begins.

The vehicle is finished in a special bright green paint with inlaid metallic flake, a striking, modern interpretation of the 1970s Le Mans Green of the Escort RS1600 era.

The vibrant exterior colour is contrasted with a number of performance styling details highlighted in gloss ‘piano black’, including the strip at the leading edge of the bonnet, the deep housings for the integrated front fog lamps and door mirrors with integrated side indicators.

Front and rear quarter panels have been revised to incorporate wider wheel arches and a wider track, complemented by revised, deeper side rocker mouldings. In another visual reminder of the car’s performance potential, triangular, RS-badged vents sit behind the front wheel arches. Two classic-style bonnet louvres are both a styling hint at the power beneath and a practical requirement, maintaining correct system temperatures.

The completely new front bumper design for Focus RS incorporates a deep front airdam with a large, mesh lower grille in an extended trapezoid. Stylish and practical, this prominent feature represents the latest Ford 'kinetic design' face and also is finished in piano black. Above, chromed xenon headlamps stand out like cat’s eyes and are framed by matt-black housings with unique additional vents running underneath.

At the rear, a deep new rear bumper incorporates a large venturi tunnel to its lower edge with small vents at each corner of the bumper, emphasizing the car’s width. Two impressive chromed exhaust tailpipes sit each side of the black venturi, creating a purposeful rear view for the car.

Above, a unique, twin-element, black RS rear spoiler sits at the Focus RS’ roofline, echoing both RS models of the past and the World Rally-winning Focus WRC that has been its inspiration.

“We believe it’s vitally important that a Focus RS looks like both a Focus and an RS – it needs to be individual, distinctive and overt in its performance styling, but it also needs to show a clear progression from and relationship to Focus ST”, said Stefan Lamm, Chief Exterior Designer, Ford of Europe.

High performance interior

Inside, this theme continues with a unique and appropriately performance-oriented interior, dominated by bespoke, sculpted Recaro high-performance sports seats, specially designed and trimmed for excellent support, even when driving enthusiastically. Each is colour-matched to the exterior, with ebony leather accents and ‘RS’ and ‘Recaro’ logos stitched into each backrest.

Elsewhere, colour brings new excitement to the Focus interior, building on the sporty interior theme of Focus ST with more use of accents matched to the exterior colour, brushed aluminium highlights and overt performance styling. Even the rear seats feature higher side bolsters and a microfibre finish to echo those up front.

The centre console is finished in a stylish gloss, carbon-look trim and metallic highlights abound, from air vents, door grab handles, switchgear and gearshift surround, to unique RS-branded scuff plates on the door sills. These highlights contrast with a black-trimmed roof lining, emphasising the sporty, cockpit feel.

The driver is reminded this is a special Focus at every touch, with a gear lever finished with a six speed gear shift graphic in RS blue, a sporty, three-spoke steering wheel, finished with ‘Ford’ and ‘RS’ logos and even aluminium foot pedals. The performance driving environment is completed by three additional gauges from the Focus ST, including turbo pressure, sitting atop the centre console and angled toward the driver’s eyeline.

Powerful RS heart

At the heart of the all-new Focus RS is a specially developed, turbocharged version of the Duratec 2.5-litre 5-cylinder engine. Significantly revised for high performance, this powerplant is targeting an impressive power output of 300PS and over 410Nm of torque, contributing to an excellent power-to-weight ratio.

Such significant increases are not simply the result of altering engine management or boost pressure: starting with the Duratec 2.5-litre block, Ford RS engineers developed unique camshafts, a revised cylinder head and gasket and revised intake and manifold system for the car.

Although the car is still in development, prior to its launch in early 2009, early performance testing indicates a 0-100km/h (0-62mph) time of under six seconds.

A traction ‘Revo’-lution

Throughout Focus RS’ development, Capito and his team have been keeping a sharp focus on creating a car that delivers excellent performance and traction.

Various innovations, developed as a result of customer feedback from previous performance Fords, have allowed engineers to keep the new Focus RS as front-wheel drive, with a limited-slip differential, while still achieving demanding targets for traction, handling and steering.

The new Ford Focus RS is equipped with an innovative front suspension system known as a ‘RevoKnuckle’, which is designed to reduce unwanted steering disturbance and torque steer, the impact of torque on steering in front-wheel driven vehicles. Torque steer occurs during hard acceleration, cornering or driving on uneven surfaces, when torque on the driven wheels exceeds grips levels. It is characterised by sudden turning force on the steering wheel and can be exacerbated by vehicles with wide tyres and limited-slip differentials.

In Focus RS, the RevoKnuckle works in conjunction with a Quaife Automatic Torque Biasing limited-slip differential. Ford Team RS engineers have worked closely with Ford's Advanced Research Centre in Aachen, Germany to develop the RevoKnuckle technology specifically for the high performance Focus RS. It allows the simplicity of a traditional McPherson strut arrangement, but with geometry settings that minimize steering disturbances and torque steer, principally a reduction in steering offset.

“The Ford Focus is an excellent base for a high performance car – agile, responsive and stable,” explained Capito. “We studied at length how best to enhance these qualities for a high performance model. Our work has shown clearly that our approach in combining a tuned RevoKnuckle with the Quaife differential is an ideal solution for a high performance front-wheel-drive road car like Focus RS.

“As you would expect, we gave all-wheel-drive careful consideration, but by combining and tuning these elements and learning from Ford’s expertise in industry-leading handling, we have managed to eliminate the weight of AWD from the car and still have been able to target a class-leading balance of traction, handling and performance.

“The result is a lightweight set-up, that will deliver the right blend of traction and razor sharp controllability – in a way no one would have expected from front-wheel-drive, and we believe we have made the right choice,” Capito concluded.

Dynamic, agile and responsive

A genuine Focus RS must maintain and enhance the reputation for responsive, precise handling for which Focus is acclaimed and considerable engineering effort has ensured that the new Focus RS will do just that.

Driving quality developments for Focus RS include a 40mm wider track, stronger, longer driveshafts, revised springs and dampers and a thicker, longer rear anti-roll bar. At the same time, the steering system has been retuned to provide an even sharper steering response and very precise feedback.

Brakes also have been uprated, with 336mm ventilated front discs and 300mm rear discs generating vice-like stopping power on road or track. Large calipers peek out from behind unique 19-inch wheels, wrapped in 235/35 low profile Continental tyres.

A special version of Ford’s ESP system has also been developed for Focus RS, designed to allow a very sporty driving style before activating. Intensive work to refine the natural handling abilities of the car has allowed the ESP system to carry a full de-activation option for enthusiast drivers and especially for track use.

“We are refining all the handling characteristics of Focus RS without ESP, to hone its natural responses, rather than use ESP to help its handling. In Focus RS, ESP is a pure safety device”, explained Capito.

Reliable and durable

In creating the new Focus RS, Ford’s Team RS engineers have had to meet the same stringent targets for durability and reliability as those set for the rest of the Focus range.

Despite its many bespoke engineering and styling elements, Focus RS will be built entirely on the main Focus production line in Saarlouis, Germany and offered with a standard Ford of Europe warranty.

A great heritage

The new Focus RS represents a significant moment in the heritage of both the Focus and Ford RS brands.

It is 10 years since the Ford Focus was first revealed to the world at the Geneva Motor Show in 1998, paving the way for a range of Ford vehicles whose exciting design was matched by class-leading driving quality. Since this time, more than 5.3 million Ford Focus models have been built in Europe, including Russia, with the car also built and sold in North America and Asia.

At the same time, the new Focus RS marks the return of the famous but rare Ford RS badge, last seen on the first-generation Focus RS in 2002 and with a distinguished heritage stretching back 38 years including Fiesta, Escort and Sierra models.

“RS is uniquely important to us in terms of our performance heritage and World Rally Championship success, while the Focus has played a major part in establishing Ford’s excellent reputation for driving dynamics," said John Fleming, Ford of Europe President and CEO. "The all-new Focus RS will embrace and celebrate both of these – it will be a genuine RS and a genuine Focus and I’m confident it won’t disappoint in either area”.

Images Gallery : New Ford Focus RS
Official images





New Ford Focus Prototype



New Ford Focus RS _ Pre released images



[Source : FORD]

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The car, which will make its world premiere at the Paris motor show this fall, takes styling cues from the CS concept BMW showed in Shanghai in 2007, though the new 7 can best be described as evolutionary rather than revolutionary as the last generation was.


The new car is slightly larger than the outgoing car and is distinctively edgier, with flatter surfaces and tauter forms. Up front, the kidney grille looks more exaggerated, and in the rear, the tail lamps, spoiler and decklid look far more integrated than the controversial (but aerodynamically functional) tail on the previous model.

A new V8 will power the 7 Series (750i and 750Li) when it goes on sale in North America in spring 2009: the 4.4-liter, 400-hp, 450-lb-ft twin-turbo V8 introduced in the X6.The engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

A 3.0-liter, 326-hp twin-turbo six-cylinder and a 245-hp diesel won't come to the United States initially, but "never say never," said a BMW source.

There's also a rumored gas-electric hybrid model using the two-mode system developed in three-way cooperation with General Motors and Daimler. Although not part of the launch lineup, it could be on sale in the next year, kicking off what BMW sources said will eventually be an extended range of hybrids in coming years.

The car's suspension is new, made primarily of aluminum components, and the new 7 is the first BMW sedan to use the automaker's double-wishbone front axle. The rear is multilink.

The 2009 7 Series comes standard with BMW's newly developed Dynamic Damping Control. At the touch of a button, the driver can choose the degree of damping force and the gearshift dynamics of the automatic transmission, as well as the control maps for the gas pedal and steering assistance.

The system has comfort, normal, sports and sports-plus modes. Active steering is optional again, but this time, it can also change the rear-wheel steering angles by 3 degrees.

Other optional goodies include night vision, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, massaging rear seats and rear view and side view cameras.

Inside, the gear lever has been moved back to the center console. BMW says the new, second-generation iDrive system is easier to use, with more readable graphics on an updated and better-integrated screen.

As for the CS from which the 7 Series designers drew inspiration, the model is intended to bridge the gap between the 7 Series and Rolls-Royce, where its job will be to fend off advances from the coming Porsche Panamera and Aston Martin Rapide.

Images Gallery : All New BMW 7 Series..Official Released







[Source : Automotive News .. Subscription required]

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According to CARandDRIVER, the next-generation Prius won’t see any radical changes. The top-selling hybrid will be slightly larger, a bit more spacious on the inside with more luxury options.

Under the hood Toyota will offer a slightly larger 1.6L engine with more power and even better fuel-economy than the current models 48/45mpg (city/highway) EPA numbers. The “Hybrid Synergy Drive” system will still have twin electric motors powered by nickel-metal hydride batteries.

The price will float above the current $22,160 base price but only modestly. Expect a loaded Prius to top out $1000 or so above the $29,692 for a fully loaded 2008 Prius.

Joining the next-generation Prius will also be Toyota’s first plug-in Prius. Powered by a lithium-ion battery, the plug-in Prius will allow for a longer mile range than the nickel-metal hydride Prius.

[Source : CARandDriver ]

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* New Transit Connect SportVan to be priced at £15,325

* Performance Blue with white "Le Mans" stripes

* Powered by 1.8-litre Duratorq TDCi 110 PS engine

* On sale in September – limited edition of 300

BRENTWOOD, 2 July, 2008 - The new Ford Transit Connect SportVan will hit the streets this September priced at £15,325.

Transit Connect SportVan is based on the SWB 200 van and is fitted with the acclaimed 1.8-litre Duratorq TDCi engine, delivering 110 PS and 250 Nm of torque, the most potent of the three engines available to Transit Connect customers.


Steve Kimber, commercial vehicles director, Ford of Britain, said: "The reaction to the Connect Sport concept shown at last year's Commercial Vehicle Show, left us in no doubt that there is strong showroom demand. It looks great and we anticipate it will be just as popular as its big brother, the Transit SportVan, which has been a fast seller.

"The SportVan is all about style and individuality. It’s for people who want to be a bit different – and there's plenty of our customers who feel that way," he added.

The Transit Connect SportVan has an array of additional exterior and interior styling features over and above the established Transit Connect.
Continued

The exterior colour is striking Performance Blue with bold "Le Mans-style" white stripes. The sporty exterior styling features include: full body coloured bumpers, a bright chrome grille and side skirts, front and rear sports skid plates, body coloured roof spoiler, silver door mirror housings, exhaust finisher and 18in, seven-spoke alloy wheels.

The sporty theme continues inside with leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, silver surround to the centre stack, leather seats with eight-way seat adjustment, ABS with anti-spin, traction control and park distance control, air conditioning, power windows and mirrors and dual side loading doors. High specification audio equipment is also included: six-CD changer, Bluetooth® and remote control operation.

Like all Transit Connect models the cabin is ergonomically and practically designed, with overhead full width storage and an overhead centre console. Recognising the high security needed to protect the goods often carried in vans, the vehicle is equipped with remote double locking and a perimeter alarm as standard.

Images Gallery : 2008 Ford Transit Connect




[Source : Ford, UK.]

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HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda Motor Corporation has announced that it will provide electricity generated from renewable sources, such as wind power, solar power, and biomass, for two all-star games organized by the Nippon Professional Baseball Association in Japan. These ‘green powered’ Mazda all-star 2008 games will be played at the Kyocera Dome Osaka on July 31 and at Yokohama Stadium on August 1, 2008.



Eco-friendly ‘green electricity’ will be made available for the games under the “Green Power Certification System.” Mazda will provide the electricity to illuminate the nighttime all-star 2008 games indirectly, by purchasing a “Green Power Certificate” for 12,000 kilowatt hours and presenting it to the Nippon Professional Baseball Association (NPB). Using green power for the games is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 6.6 metric tons.

Yuji Harada, managing executive officer in charge of Mazda’s corporate communications and environmental issues, says, “Mazda is an automaker committed to the pursuit of harmony between driving pleasure and environmental and safety performance. It’s why we are enthusiastically backing the environmental aspect of the Mazda all-star games. We decided to present the NPB with a Green Power Certificate in support of the ‘NPB2008 Green Baseball Project’ because it involves Japan’s 12 professional baseball teams and aims to help prevent global warming.”

Mazda recently announced plans to improve the fuel economy of its vehicles by 30 percent before 2015, compared to 2008 levels, as part of its eco-friendly contributions toward a sustainable society. Additionally, the Hiroshima-based company began commercial leasing of the Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE, which runs on hydrogen fuel and emits no CO2, in 2006. Mazda also recently began public road trials of the Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid, which achieves double the hydrogen fuel range of the RX-8 Hydrogen RE by mating a hydrogen rotary engine to a highly efficient hybrid system. Commercial leasing of the Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid to governmental authorities in Japan is scheduled to commence during fiscal year 2008.

Related articles : Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid Gains Government Approval to Begin Public Road Testing in Japan
[Source : Mazda]

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Chrysler LLC’s move to consolidate its minivan production in a plant also destined to build the new Volkswagen Routan poses no threat to the joint project.

Launch plans for the Routan, which shares a platform with the redesigned-for-’08 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan, are unaffected by Chrysler’s market-related decision to idle its St. Louis South site.




Chrysler says its single-shift St. Louis South minivan plant will close “indefinitely” on Oct. 31. But its site in Windsor, ON, Canada will remain on three shifts.

Chrysler is scheduled to build the Routan minivan at Windsor as part of a contract assembly arrangement reached with VW. Pre-production is under way and full production is expected to begin this summer.

Windsor also has some capacity to spare because it had been home to the Chrysler Pacifica cross/utility vehicle, which went out of production last year because of poor sales.

Volkswagen expects to grab about 5% of the segment, or somewhere between 3,000 and 4,000 monthly sales. Last year, Chrysler dominated the U.S. market with 315,000 minivan deliveries about 20,000 units short of the combined totals of Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. Ltd.

The auto maker also thinks demand remains among growing families that lean toward import brands with fresh styling, upscale interiors and European driving dynamics. Should Volkswagen meet its sales goal with the Routan, it would rank second in U.S. sales next to its bread-and-butter Jetta lineup.

The Volkswagen Routan will come standard with a 3.8L V6, offering 197 hp and 230 lb. ft. of torque when combined with the standard six-speed automatic transmission. A 4.0L V6 will be available rated at 253 hp and 263 lb. ft. of torque. VW Routan features European tuned suspension and steering optimized for handling and improved driving dynamics. Standard all-season traction control and ESP, brings safety and security to the Routan. The Routan comes with a host of unique features, including:

* Conversation Mirror
* Rear seat entertainment system with two 9 inch screens for second and third row, wireless headsets, and remote control
* Dual power sliding doors with power windows
* Touch screen navigation with twenty meg hard drive
* Power lift gate with flood lamp
* Thirteen cup holders

The Routan will not receive Chrysler’s Swivel 'n Go or Stow 'n Go seating systems. It is scheduled to begin arriving at Volkswagen dealers in August.

Images Gallery : 2009 Volkswagen Routan




[Source : Wards Auto]

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The first detail shots of the production Kia Forte are out and it looks like that the appearance of much anticipated Kia sedan is going to be close to the Kia KOUP concept. The highly acclaimed KOUP concept previewed the design direction Kia cars will take in the near future and the Forte clearly follows that direction.


The Forte sedan will be the first production model to carry Kia’s new corporate look and will feature sportier design overall. It will include more distinctive design elements such as striking side character lines and a subtly designed grille. The H-shapped grille is set to become a Kia trademark in the future.

Kia will initially introduce the Forte with two fuel efficient gasoline engines. First avaliable, will be the brand new 1.6L four cylinder rated at 124hp. The other, a more powerfull 2.0L engine, will be avaliable soon after the official launch.

This new model will replace the Spectra, or as it’s called on other markets, the Cerato and is expected to enter the U.S. market by mid-2009. A two door variant, reportedly dubbed the Forte Coupe, will follow later in the year.

Image Gallery : 2009 KIA Forte Official Released



[Source : KIA World]

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With gasoline prices at record highs and consumer confidence plummeting, U.S. auto sales declined sharply in June. But General Motors still managed to outsell Toyota during the month.

Total June U.S. light-vehicle sales were down 18.3 percent from a year ago. For the first six month, sales fell 10.1 percent from the same period a year ago.

The bad news reached the White House late Tuesday.



"It's a tough time for automakers," White House spokesman Tony Fratto told reporters on Air Force One enroute to Mississippi. "We're now in a period of slower growth and that's always going to have an impact on that important sector."

As of Monday, June 30, gasoline prices were up almost 40 percent from a year earlier. Surveys of consumers show that they're reluctant to make big purchases. Market troubles and inflation worries dominate headlines.

That hurt automakers reliant on trucks and SUVs -- especially Chrysler LLC, whose sales plummeted 36 percent last month. But it gave a boost to Honda, which doesn't have much exposure to low-mpg vehicles. Honda's June sales increased 1.1 percent to 142,539 units. Its year-to-date sales increased 4.1 percent to 798,358.

"Consumers are putting off major purchase decisions and being much more selective about what they buy," said Jim Lentz, president of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. "The auto industry is in transition. Rising gas prices are resulting in marked shifts in buying behavior."

GM remains leader

GM hung on to its position as the country's largest automaker by sales. It sold 262,329 light vehicles in June, 18.2 percent fewer than last year. Toyota Motor Corp., whose sales sank 21.4 percent, sold 193,234.

For the first half of the year, GM's sales are down 16.3 percent to 1,589,235. Toyota's year-to-date sales are down 6.8 percent to 1,240,085.

GM got an upward kick from its 72-hour sale during the last week in June. Dealers told Automotive News that the discounts led to a huge jump in vehicle sales.

"We weren't running as bad as everyone was saying, but the sale certainly helped us," Mark LaNeve, GM's vice president of vehicle sales, service and marketing, said in a conference call with reporters and analysts. "It's a simple offer; customers can sit at home and do the math. It stimulated traffic."

Chrysler craters

Chrysler's sales were awful, declining 36 percent in June. For the year to date, the automaker's sales are down 22 percent. It was hard to find good news for Chrysler, with almost every model suffering double-digit declines. Chrysler continued to offer customers $2.99-a-gallon gasoline for three years in June, but it didn't seem to help.

Like the rest of the industry, Chrysler saw a dramatic drop in pickup truck sales, with the Dodge Dakota falling 49 percent and the Ram 48 percent.

Unlike the rest of the industry, Chrysler's car sales also were dismal. The Dodge Caliber's sales were down 44 percent to 6,099 in June. For the year so far, the Caliber's sales are flat. The Dodge Charger sold 28 percent fewer units than in June, down 11 percent for the year.

The only gains Chrysler posted were in minivans.

Ford sinks

Ford Motor Co. sales were down 29.5 percent in June compared with the same month last year, to 173,462 vehicles. Ford sales were down 14.5 percent in the first half of 2008 compared with last year, to 1,172,521 vehicles.

Ford figures in this story include Jaguar and Land Rover sales from previous periods and are not adjusted for sales days. Ford's sale of the two brands to Tata Motors closed June 1.

Without Jaguar and Land Rover included in June 2007 sales, Ford's sales fell 27.8 percent last month. On a year-to-date basis, sales decreased 14.0 percent to 1,151,208, excluding Jaguar and Land Rover.

"Consumer fundamentals and consumer confidence deteriorated as the first half unfolded," Jim Farley, Ford's vice president for marketing and communications, said in a statement. "The economy enters the second half of the year with a notable absence of momentum and a high degree of uncertainty."

Ford partner Mazda saw overall June sales decline 7.7 percent in June on weak truck sales, to 23,771. Mazda's car sales rose 2.6 percent to 18,844.

Large declines

The huge increase in gasoline prices hit sales of large vehicles the hardest. The average price of a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline rose 2 percent last month. Gasoline is up 38.2 percent from a year ago.

Ford's SUV sales declined 54.7 percent in June and are down 34.4 percent in the first half of the year compared with the first six months of 2007. Neither comparison includes Land Rover.

June sales of Ford's once-best-selling F-series pickup trucks dropped 40.5 percent. Sales of the Expedition SUV were down 59.8 percent, while sales of the Explorer SUV dropped 52.0 percent.

Sales of Toyota's light trucks fell 31.1 percent in June to 61,268. Toyota's Tundra pickup saw a decline of 47.0 percent last month. For the year to date, Tundra sales were down 7.0 percent. Toyota sold 9,597 units of its RAV4 crossover in June -- 26.4 percent fewer than last year.

GM's light-truck sales declined 16.0 percent -- less than its car sales. The automaker managed to eke out a 0.1 percent gain in sales of its Chevrolet Suburban SUV, to 5,549 units sold in June. Sales of the GMC Silverado pickup truck fell 23.7 percent to 36,939.

Overall, GM's sales of full-sized pickups were down 25.0 percent in June and 26.5 percent year to date.

It appears GM's relative success with light trucks in June was due in large part to aggressive discounting.

Light-truck sales made up 58.3 percent of GM's sales in June 2008, 1.5 percentage points more than in June 2007. GM's cars are still doing better for the year to date, having had their sales drop only 9.3 percent compared with 20.9 percent for light trucks.

One of the clearest illustrations of the falloff in consumer demand for light trucks is the fate of Chrysler's Jeep brand. Its sales dropped 40 percent in June to 26,642.

Nissan North America said June sales of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles totaled 75,847, compared with 92,213 sold last June -- a 17.7 percent decrease. For the first six months, Nissan sales dropped 2.4 percent from a year ago.

Sales of Nissan's fuel-efficient sedans and small cars were up in June but not enough to counter a deep drop in the automaker's trucks and SUVs. And that dragged sales into negative territory for the month.

The Versa small car, for example, posted its best month ever with sales of 8,873, a 17.4 percent gain from sales reported last June.

Small gains

Many small cars saw sales increases in June.

The Fit, Civic and Accord propelled Honda past truck-heavy Chrysler for the second straight month. All three vehicles posted double-digit sales increases for June and the year to date.

Toyota's car sales also strengthened, rising 1.9 percent in June to 121,966. Toyota's car sales are down 1.8 percent for the year to date to 762,061. Those numbers are hurt by Toyota's Lexus Division, which has fewer small cars and saw sales decline 16.6 percent in June.

Toyota continued to struggle to meet demand for the Prius. Sales of the car fell 25.5 percent to 11,765 in June.

Ford's Fusion sedan did well and was the brand's only model that posted a sales increase in June compared with a year ago, rising 18.4 percent. For the year to date, Fusion sales increased 11.7 percent.

Ford's total car sales were down 12.0 percent from June 2007 but up 0.1 percent in the first half of this year.

The Focus also remains a bright spot for Ford. Its sales were down 5.5 percent in June compared with a year ago but were up 27.6 percent for the year to date.

The Mercury Milan and Volvo's V70 wagon and C70 convertible were the only other Ford models that posted sales increases in June.

GM's Chevrolet Malibu and Cobalt cars both had strong months. Sales of the restyled and re-engineered Malibu increased 73.4 percent to 13,650. Sales of the Cobalt increased 21.6 percent to 20,888.

Volkswagen Group of America Inc. said its sales increased 0.3 percent in June from a year ago to 23,208 vehicles. It was VW's best sales month since August 2006.

Sales of the New Beetle increased 8.5 percent, and sales of the convertible Eos rose 14 percent. VW's Touareg SUV also did well, up 8.5 percent. Sales of VW's most popular model, the Jetta, were down 8.5 percent to 8,973. VW sales were up 0.6 percent for the first half of 2008 compared with the same period in 2007.

Kia Motors America had its best June ever, with sales of 28,292 vehicles. The 7.6 percent gain for its entire lineup included a doubling of sales for the Optima sedan. Kia sold 6,865 units of its second-largest volume model, up from 3,106 in June 2007.

Luxury mixed

BMW Group had a tough June, with total sales off 11.0 percent to 26,155. BMW's year-to-date sales were down 3.9 percent to 157,913. But the automaker's Mini brand did well, selling 5,211 units in June, an increase of 24.8 percent.

Porsche Cars North America's U.S. sales declined 19 percent in June from a year ago to 2,650 units. Porsche's sales were down 15.5 percent for the year to date, to 15,086.

Mercedes-Benz USA sales were flat in June at 19,576 vehicles, down 0.1 percent. For the first half of the year, sales are up 0.9 percent to 119,279.

Sales at GM's Saab division were miserable. They fell 57.1 percent in June, to 1,872. Worse still was GM's Hummer division, which the automaker is considering selling. Hummer sales were down 59.3 percent last month to 2,072.

June had three fewer selling days and one fewer weekend this year, which magnified the dour results.

[source : Automotive News .. Subscription required]

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Jaguar Cars (Thailand) Co is confident that the luxury Jaguar XF sports sedan that premiered yesterday at Siam Paragon will receive strong local acceptance similar to the worldwide response at its debut last year.

“The aesthetic beauty, style and performance of this imported premium sports sedan along with being the first premium luxury brand that is capable of E20 fuel make it a most appealing model for any luxury sports car owner,” said managing director Anurak Inthraphuvasak.



Jaguar XF received more than 17,000 booking orders worldwide after its premiere at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in Sept 2007.

In Thailand, the company expects this model will perform well and receive a warm welcome from local customers.

The strategy will emphasise maintaining its customer base in addition to catering to a younger generation of drivers who appreciate the finer things in life, said sales and marketing manager Ekaraj Nopphaket.

The company set a conservative sales target of a 10% market share in the luxury car segment or about 100 units this year. Booking orders for the first 20 cars scheduled for delivery this September will be taken during the local debut.

“We have already taken 10 orders,” said Mr. Ekaraj.

Usually, 70% of Jaguar customers buy the cars with cash with the otheis paying in installments.

Three versions of theXF are available in the Thai market with a starting price of 6.89 million baht for the 3.0-litre V6 engine. The other two are 9.3 million baht and 12 million baht for the 4.2-litre V8 model.

A discount of 300,000 baht will be offered immediately to those deciding to buy an XF with a special warranty on its engine for a five-year guarantee or 100,000 kilometres, which also includes another five-year guarantee for after sale maintenance on engine inspection, oil changes, spare parts and maintenance resulting from normal driving except tyre replacement.

The company runs two service centres in Bangkok, one in the Don Muang area and the other on Ratchadaphisek Road, capable of servicing 1,200 Jaguar cars.

The engineers who designed the Jaguar XF were trained in the workshops of England while the spare parts inventory was fully stocked to elevate standards of service.

Established in 1992, Jaguar Cars (Thailand) is ajointventUre between Wearnes Automotive & Equipment Pte. of Singapore and AAS Auto Services Co run by Mr Anurak.

Images Gallery : 2009 Jaguar XF











[Source : Bangkok Post July 2,2008]

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The Brazilian-made small car is perfect on the regional needs of customers in South America. Volkswagen Gol like all VWs manufactured in Brazil can run on any mix of gasoline and ethanol without power loss thanks to Total Flex technology.

State President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva came at the invitation of Viktor Klima, General Representative of Volkswagen Group for South America, and took the first place at the helm of the new Volkswagen Gol. Corporate Board Member Garcia Sanz said what would be the main characteristics and the importance of economical small car: "It is a fascinating car that is another chapter in the Volkswagen Gol history of success."

Since 1953 VW is Europe's largest automobile manufacturer in Brazil and with approximately 21,000 employees at five locations produces cars, buses and heavy trucks as well as engines and gearboxes. In the '70s Volkswagen was the first automotive company that developed vehicles for the markets of South America. With 17 models, Volkswagen has the largest diversity among car manufacturers in Brazil and has a network of around 600 dealers.

Next to China, Brazil is the second largest foreign market for the Volkswagen Group. Last year, the company sold 581,300 vehicles here, 32 percent more than in 2006. VW do Brasil is not only one of the largest private company in Brazil, but also vehicle supplier for the entire South American region.

Images Gallery : 2009 Volkswagen GOL

[Source : Volkswagen do Brasil]

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SEOUL - July 1, 2008: With global sales of 3,961,629 units in 2007 the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group has emerged as the world's fifth largest automaker moving up from sixth place in 2006, according to Automotive News' 2008 Global Data Book published yesterday.



"We are extremely proud of having achieved this goal in such a short period of time," said Ik-Hwan Kim, Vice-Chairman and CEO of Kia Motors. "We have been stressing the value of our products over the last few years and our efforts have not gone unnoticed by the public or the industry, neither quantitatively or qualitatively. Kia will continue to focus on producing a new generation of quality vehicles with distinctive design for those who are young-at-heart to keep the momentum of our brand growing. As a top global automaker, we are set to move in new directions with continuous improvements in quality, design, eco-friendliness and brand innovation for years to come."

The Group has seen remarkable growth since its foundation. It ranked as the world's eleventh largest automaker in 1999, the year Hyundai-Kia Chairman Mong-Koo Chung took over the helm as CEO. Since then, it has moved steadily up the rankings ladder as under Chairman Chung's leadership the Group accelerated the push to globalize operations by building new manufacturing plants in the United States, China, India, Slovakia, Czech, Russia and Brazil.

Counting the export sales of 185,114 complete knock-down kits which are assembled by overseas partners, the Group's 2007 global sales reached 4,146,743 units. Automotive News' methodology excludes CKD sales.

2007 Global Sales Rankings

1. Toyota 9,366,000

2. GM 8,902,252

3. Volkswagen 6,191,618,

4. Ford 5,964,000

5. Hyundai-Kia 3,961,629

6. Honda 3,831,000

7. Nissan 3,675,574

8. PSA/Peugeot 3,428,400

9. Chrysler 2,676,268

10. Fiat 2,620,864

[Source : AutoChannel]

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DEARBORN, Mich., July 1, 2008 – The 2008 Ford Explorer is more resistant to damage and less likely to cause damage to other vehicles in low-speed crashes than other midsize sport utility vehicles, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reported today.



“The Ford Explorer has been the benchmark SUV for family capability, safety and value for two decades,” said Darryl Hazel, president, Ford Customer Service Division. “Insurance companies are more likely to give Explorer customers discounts because of this established track record.”

Ford was the first to market with crash structures on SUVs that are more compatible with passenger cars. When the Explorer was redesigned for the 2002 model year, the front bumper was dropped nearly two inches, to better align with the crash structures of passenger cars.

The 2008 Explorer retains that design, which helps to reduce damage to cars in common slow-speed incidents and allows lower vehicles' energy-absorbing bumpers to do their work. The Explorer is the only midsize SUV to receive the government’s highest frontal crash test rating for six consecutive years.

“Ford has more IIHS Top Safety Picks than any other brand, and more government 5-star safety-rated vehicles than any other automaker in history,” Hazel said. “Part of this safety success is that our larger family and work vehicles are more compatible with smaller vehicles.”

The Explorer outperformed several other midsize SUVs in 10 mile-per-hour crash tests with the back of a typical midsize car. The test results will be used in the IIHS’s petition to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the standardization of bumper height for all passenger vehicles.

“One big difference is that the Explorer’s bumpers line up pretty well with those on cars, so when this SUV hits a car or a car hits it, the bumpers on both vehicles engage instead of over- and under-riding each other,” said Institute president Adrian Lund. “When cars collide with other cars, their bumpers usually line up pretty well, but in SUV-to-car crashes, the bumpers often don’t match up at all. The result can be thousands of dollars of unnecessary damage in low-speed crashes.”

In front-to-rear collision tests, the other SUVs overrode the rear bumpers of stationary Hyundai Sonatas causing damage ranging from $3,891 to $4,737, and each SUV sustained more than $1,000 damage. By comparison, the Explorer sustained less than $1,000 damage, and it inflicted only about one-third as much damage on the midsize sedan.

The IIHS reported that real-world crash data is consistent with the tests. The Explorer had lower-than-average losses under the same insurance coverage during the same years compared to the competitive models.

“There’s no evidence that the relatively effective bumpers on the Ford Explorer compromise its off-road performance or its utility at loading ramps,” Lund said. “The Explorer shows that you can still have the utility of an SUV without making bumpers so high that they don’t line up with cars.”

[Source : Ford]

Images Gallery : 2008 Ford Explorer

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DEARBORN, Mich., July 1, 2008 – In the first half of 2008, sales of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars and crossovers to retail customers were higher than a year ago. Retail sales for cars increased 3 percent and crossovers also were up (less than 1 percent). Together, cars and crossovers accounted for 59 percent of Ford’s first half retail sales compared with 49 percent in the first half 2007.



“In the first half, Ford outperformed the industry in both the car and crossover segments,” said Jim Farley, Ford group vice president, Marketing and Communications. “This performance is crucial to creating an exciting viable Ford delivering profitable growth for all.”

Ford’s new Focus paced the increase in car sales. In the first half, Focus retail sales increased 53 percent versus a year ago, and Focus was the top-selling domestic car to retail customers. In the recently released J.D. Power and Associates’ 2008 APEAL study, the Focus improved 88 index points – the largest improvement in the industry.

Mid-size cars also posted retail sales increases in the first half with Ford Fusion up 7 percent, Mercury Milan up 2 percent and Lincoln MKZ up 10 percent.

The Ford Edge paced crossovers with first half retail sales up 19 percent.

Gasoline prices increased a dollar (from $3 to $4 a gallon) during the first half and this accelerated the decline in SUV and truck sales. In the first half, retail sales for the company’s SUVs declined 40 percent versus a year ago and retail sales for trucks and vans declined 31 percent.

First half fleet sales declined 11 percent (including a 20 percent decline in daily rental sales).

Overall, June sales of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles totaled 167,090, down 28 percent versus a year ago. First half sales totaled 1.1 million, down 14 percent.

“Consumer fundamentals and consumer confidence deteriorated as the first half unfolded,” said Farley. “The economy enters the second half of the year with a notable absence of momentum and a high degree of uncertainty.”

He added, “Clearly, the rapid rise in gasoline prices, and the resulting shift toward fuel efficient vehicles, has been challenging, but it also provides an opportunity. In addition to adjusting our capacity and production plans to produce more cars and crossovers, we are introducing several new vehicles with class-leading fuel economy.”

In June, Ford introduced a new crossover, the Flex, with best-in-class highway fuel economy of 24 miles per gallon and Lincoln introduced the MKS. In 2009, the MKS will be the first vehicle equipped with Ford’s new EcoBoost engine technology.

The 2009 model Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner started production in June. Equipped with a new 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and six-speed transmission, the Escape and Mariner deliver best-in-class fuel economy in the small utility segment with 28 highway miles per gallon. The Escape and Mariner Hybrid remains the most fuel-efficient utility vehicle on the planet, delivering 34 city mpg and improved highway rating of 31 mpg – up from 30 mpg.

Later this year, production of the redesigned Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ will begin, including new Fusion Hybrid and Milan Hybrid versions.

In addition, Ford has announced plans to bring the European Transit Connect to North America in 2009 – the most fuel-efficient commercial van on the market.

[Source : Ford]

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Mercedes is planning to launch an electric version of the A-class in 2010.

According to an exclusive report in Automobilwoche, the car will have a lithium-ion battery and be produced at an initial rate of between 500 and 1,000 units year. Production should climb quickly, however.

A senior manager told Automobilwoche that the A-class is an ideal candidate because its 'sandwich' construction means the basic layout of the vehicle does not have to be changed much. The car was developed to accommodate a fuel cell and therefore has a double floor that can fit the cell. This space can instead be used for the lithium-ion batteries.

Mercedes is reportedly in discussion with Tesla Motors as the battery supplier. Tesla has already been working with Mercedes on an electric Smart car that is also due to be launched in 2010. Tesla bundles together conventional lithium-ion batteries used for laptops. Both the Smart and A-class should have a range of around 120 miles (200km).

The electric Smart and A-class cars will be built in Hambach and Rastatt respectively, but Mercedes is considering building an electric vehicle centre of excellence for the production of electric vehicles in the future.

[Source : Automobilwoche via Just-Auto .. Image Courtesy of Consumer Automotive Guide]

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Chrysler LLC plans to idle its St. Louis South minivan plant indefinitely, effective Oct. 31. Chrysler is also cutting production at its St. Louis North truck plant to one shift, effective Sept. 2.



But Chrysler co-president Tom LaSorda said Monday that it is not likely the plant will reopen.

"We see no intent to rerun this plant. We're idling it and it will likely be fully closed."

St. Louis South, in Fenton, Mo., has been making minivans on one shift and employs about 1,500 workers. The St. Louis North plant, which had been working on two shifts, will lose 900 jobs after the second shift ends.

St. Louis South makes three vehicles: the Chrysler Town and Country, the Dodge Grand Caravan and the Chrysler Grand Voyager for Europe. Chrysler also makes minivans at its Windsor, Ontario, assembly plant on three shifts. Two of those shifts make Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans. The third shift makes the Volkswagen Routan.

LaSorda said Chrysler had a difficult choice to make between Windsor and St. Louis South: "When you look at one plant on three shifts and another on one, we had no choice but to go with the volume plant. We have the capacity for three shifts of work. So that's what we did. Those are the tough decisions we have to make."

For the first five months of 2008, sales of the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan have declined 13.4 percent and 34.6 percent respectively.

Jim Press, Chrysler co-president, said economic factors drove Chrysler's decision.

"Obviously we're at slow point. Consumer confidence has been hit by oil prices and the credit crunch. It has created a situation if we want to meet or exceed the targets we have to move responsibly. We're a market-driven company and it's important to match production" to sales.

St. Louis lost out for political and economic reasons, said Glenn Kage Jr., financial secretary at UAW Local 136 representing workers at the St. Louis North pickup plant.

Chrysler can make minivans in Windsor, Ontario, for $1,000 per vehicle less than St. Louis South because of the savings to the company of Canada's national health care system, Kage said.

St. Louis North also is at a disadvantage because it is smaller than its counterpart pick-up assembly plant in Warren, Mich., Kage said. St. Louis North can churn out only 41 pickups per hour at full capacity compared with 65 at Warren, he said. Politically, Chrysler was more willing to sacrifice a plant in St. Louis far from Detroit than a plant like Warren or Windsor in its own backyard, he said.

"Detroit's a national industrial hub and we're far away," he said.

Kage downplayed the influence of labor relations on the decision. St. Louis North and South soundly defeated last fall's master contract agreement between Chrysler and the UAW.

That defeat encouraged dissidents and forced a full-court lobbying effort at crucial Detroit-area locals by UAW President Ron Gettelfinger and his minions to narrowly pass the contract. One of the locals that passed the agreement was Warren Truck.

"I wouldn't put too much into the negotiations," Kage said. The St. Louis UAW locals already had key local operating agreements before the master negotiations, granting flexibility in work rules and other factory operations, he said.

Kage said Chrysler has spent about $300 million over the past two years on plant improvements at St. Louis South and $500 million at St. Louis North. He said he hoped the State of Missouri would audit the tax abatements granted for the investments in light of job promises made for the factories.

{Source : Automotive News .. Subscription required]

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Mazda 3 has been a sport compact ever since its introduction in 2004, and even though its current design is nearly five years old, it still wins many comparison tests. Since its near the end of a design cycle, a new Zoom Mazda is on its way, and some interesting renderings have been published online of what the new Mazda3 could look like.




The design theme is decidedly Mazda6-based up front, with similarly angled LED headlights and the same basic shape, but this unofficial Mazda3 is far more "in your face." The large front air dam looks more like something from the MazdaSpeed collection, and its large opening doubles as the Mazda3's grille. The side view features clean, flowing lines and the same basic shape as the current Mazda3 hatch. Out back, football-shaped LED tail lamps give this rendering a touch of class, and the similarly-shaped in-set dual exhaust looks like a concept-only touch. Due to the surprising success of the current model, the next Mazda3 has to be very, very good or it will be a big disappointment. If the next 3 looks as good as these renderings, we wouldn't be disappointed at all.



[Source : VWVortex Forum]

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Hangzhou/Beijing, June 26, 2008. Only two months after the world premier Shanghai Volkswagen launched its brand new A-class model Lavida in Hangzhou on Wednesday. The Lavida is the first model which was entirely designed and developed at Shanghai Volkswagen, combining Asian style with Volkswagen engineering. It extends the car manufacturer’s product range in the volume segment and is available with a 1.6l/ 77kW and a 2.0l/88kW engine both with manual and automatic transmission. All models fulfill the China emission standard IV, which corresponds to EU IV. Prices start from 112,800 RMB.

The Lavida doesn't need to shy away from models of a higher level. With 4.6 meter length it outclasses its competitors and offers plenty of room for passengers on the rear seats and at the same time a lot of space for luggage, sports equipment or the weekend shopping bags," Vahland pointed out at the launch event. [more detail and gallery after jump]


The Volkswagen Lavida – in a nutshell

The name "Lavida" was derived from the Spanish language and represents a zest for life, hope and passion. The design of the Lavida does not follow any familiar pattern. Nonetheless, its design exhibits a logic of forms that is typical of Volkswagen. The front end is marked by a design that – with its horizontal lines – represents the "Volkswagen face" of the future. Powerfully contoured is the engine hood, distinctive is the tornado line that rises toward the rear.

As a whole, the side profile expresses a decidedly sporty image. The taillights take on the almond-shaped design of the headlights, the rear end itself on the other hand assumes the same vertical posture as the front end. A trailing edge was integrated in the design of the trunk lid; the spoiler lip contributes to the very good aerodynamic properties of the Lavida.

ntuitive controls are to be found inside every Volkswagen. Naturally, this applies to the Lavida too. The interior is characterized by an extremely ergonomic design, and visually it reflects a perfection of details that is typical of Volkswagen with its harmonious lines, fine wood applications and high-end surfaces. In general, the interior design and features consistently satisfy the wishes of Chinese car drivers as has been found in numerous surveys. One of these wishes: a USB interface for an MP3 player like the one that has now been implemented in the Lavida.

Shanghai Volkswagen offers the Lavida in the equipment lines "Trendline", "Comfortline" and "Highline". The base vehicle already has ample features with ABS, driver and front passenger airbags, climate control, MP3-capable CD-Radio, power windows and anti-theft warning system. The even more luxurious versions "Comfortline" and "Highline" also get 16-inch alloy wheels, a chrome package, sliding sunroof, leather seats, side and head airbags, cruise control, parking sensors, automatic climate control system and CD changer. Besides the listed features, the Highline variant of the Lavida also has a DVD-supported navigation system and telephone preparation.

[Source : Volkswagen Group, China // Images courtesy of Autohome, China]

Image Gallery : Shanghai Volkswagen LAVIDA

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Thailand's automobile industry is expected to produce 2.5 million vehicles including the new eco-cars by 2016, leading to demand for another 200,000 workers, according to Atchaka Sribunruang Brimble, the director-general of the Industrial Economics Office. Every sector in the industry must co-operate to build up the manpower base needed, she said.


Higher-skilled workers will help support the industry to make quality products and increase productivity. Also, a skilled workforce will be better able to absorb new manufacturing engineering and technology.

At present, human resource development is centred in educational institutions, while many car companies provide training in both theory and practice.

Under the existing master plan for the industry, Thailand is on track to achieve its goal of building 1.8 million vehicles by 2011. ''That goal is not too hard to reach since we are able now to produce 1.6 million vehicles per year while many automakers are moving ahead to raise their output to meet export demand,'' said Ms Atchaka.

Once local automobile output reaches two million units per year, exports will be half that. The small, fuel-efficient eco-cars are meant primarily for the export market.

To help develop auto parts manufacturing, the master plan also contains a six-billion-baht parts testing centre and proving ground to enable Thai auto parts to compete internationally, said Ms Atchaka.After Thailand shifted its policy to developing exports from import substitution manufacturing in 1994, the kingdom became the base for automobile production in Southeast Asia and now is the production centre for most major car brands worldwide.

Thailand ranks 15th in the world in manufacturing capacity, producing more than one million units per year.

''If Thailand were a car, it could be said that we are racing in the fast lane because our manufacturing capacity is going strong,'' she said.

[Source : Bangkok Post]

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A.P. Honda is investing as much as Bht. 900 million to build the largest Honda safety Riding center in the Asia-Oceania region as part of its ongoing safety acuvation
scheme .

The new facility will support road safety training activities for both motorcycles and automobiles. ln addition to this the company will build 30 more safety riding centers upcountry in all regions of the nation
and support thepublic sector to build safety riding centers in Honor of HM the King, according to a release from the company.



“Safe riding is Honda's focus. The company therefore has undertaken with wide range of activities to boost safety awareness among motorists, pedestrians and the general public. Honda has been active in this
year for over 20 years ago and through its safe riding center it has trained more than 10.9 million people," it said.

Located on a 3.3 hectare site on Ramkhamhaeng (Sukhapiban 3) Road, Bangkok, the new center will house a 20,000-sqm practice field that supports both motorcycles and automobiles and an
office building that includes 4 training rooms that can be combined to form a Iarge meeting room for up to 300 panicipants. Construction of the new center will be completed by January 2009.

By 2010 Honda will build a total of 30 upcountry riding centers in all regions to provide education about safe riding that will lead to a reduction in road accidents. To date, Honda safety riding centers have been established in many provinces including chiang Rai, Ratchaburi, Kamphaeng
phet, Ubon Ratchathani, Burirum and Surathani while two more will be opened soon in Phitsanulok and Rayong.

ln honor of HM the King, Honda will support the construction of 12 safety riding centers nationwide, undetaken by the Disaster prevention and Mitigation Centers, the Minist of lnterior.

[Source : GPI]

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Kia is positioning the Mohave in the opposite fighting corner to the likes of the Mitsubishi Pajero, Nissan Pathfinder, Toyota Land Cruiser and Volvo XC90, and at first glance, if price is your primary reason for buying, then the Mohave will suit you well as Kia have pledged to undercut the Japanese makers, although no pricetag has yet been announced.

So what does the Mohave offer? From the outside the angular face reminiscent of some of the Stateside 4x4s feels a little out of place on a Kia, but once you get used to its broad and gently sloping chrome grin and wrap-around headlamps, there is something quite forward-looking and simple about it, based as it is on the MESA concept first shown in Detroit in 2005. It’s not really until you look beyond the rear wheel-arch that the rear three-quarter window and sloping rear pillar giveaway that it is a Kia, but even then these characteristics are subtle. Once you move around to the rear once again there is a simplicity and a modernism about the wide tailgate window and the wrap-around LED brake lights that is appealing.

One assumes that Kia expect the Mohave to be used at least in some degree for rugged duties as it features a sump guard, as well plastic wheel-arch and lower door guards which lack subtlety and mimic again many US 4x4s, but do make the Mohave appear slightly longer.

The interior of the Mohave shouldn’t really be a surprise by now. Kia have ploughed a lot of research and effort into refining the quality that the customer can expect for the amount of money they spend, and it seems that they have come up trumps with the Mohave. OK, the leather is not of the highest quality and the interior materials are not up to the standard of premium quality SUVs, but for perceived quality, texture, fit and finish, you really cannot complain.

The Mohave features most mod cons that you would expect in vehicles of higher spec, including 8-way adjustable driver and passenger seats, electronic reach and rake adjustable steering, keyless entry, push button start/stop, HID headlamps, electronic pedal adjustment, satnav with integrated entertainment system with USB, iPod and AUX compatibility, cruise control, hill decent assist, fully independent front and rear suspension with electronic height adjustment, and 2H/4H/4L gearing selection.

As the driver, the first thing you notice is the innovative design of the instrument cluster and the red backlighting when you switch on the lights. You also notice the subtle design elements such as the matt wood veneer or brushed aluminium effect inlays common to executive vehicles, as well as a quality of fit and finish that exceeds many of the Kia’s competitors.

To drive, the Mohave feels fairly sure-footed and as responsive to inputs as you would expect a 5m long, 2m wide 7-seater SUV to be. The 3.8-litre V6 engine has a surprisingly throaty voice and with 270bhp and 362Nm of torque on call, it is also nimble off the line, reaching 100km/h in a respectable 8.5 seconds. Kia is also proposing to introduce a 4.6-litre V8 which should be even more impressive and will feature a 6-speed automatic box as opposed to the V6’s 5-speed auto.

Highway driving is very comfortable in the Mohave although there did seem to be a low hum at 120km/h which sounded like it was coming from the transmission on the vehicle we had, and the side curtain airbags deployed for no reason on another vehicle. But these are teething problems we are assured.

Off-road the Mohave could be quite adept. Unfortunately, Kia had obviously requested that the organisers make sure their new ‘tough guy’ SUV was treated gently with just a few light log obstacles, a run up a gentle dune and down again and a 50 metre slalom course. Not really what you would call a thorough test, but nevertheless the Mohave didn’t embarrass itself.

After four years in development the Mohave looks set to be a serious contributor to Kia’s fortunes, especially in this region. Global sales are projected to be around 60,000 by the end of this year and 80,000 by the end of 2009. With Kia currently riding a wave of popularity with a range of new models due to be launched in the near future, of which the Mohave is just one, the company looks set to continue challenging several of the Japanese and US carmakers, especially with their very attractive servicing and warranty packages, not to mention the pricetag.

With Kia you always used to get what you pay for: now you get even more. Expect to see it Kia showrooms by mid July.

2008 Kia Mohave Technical Specifications - 4 Door Mid-Size SUV
Engine - 3.8-litre V6
Power - 270 Bhp
Torque - 362 Nm
0-100km/h - 8.5 secs
Transmission - 5-speed automatic
Price Range (unofficial) - AED 92,000 to AED 138,000

Key Competitors
Toyota Land Cruiser
Mitsubishi Pajero
Nissan Pathfinder
Hyundai Veracruz
Volvo XC90

[Source : Auto MidlleEast via KIA World]

Images Gallery :

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