Mercedes plans electric S-class

A full electric version of the next Mercedes S-class is not being ruled out, according to the firm’s technical boss, Thomas Weber.

“At the moment, we are looking at customer demand,” he admitted.

The next-generation car will have hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions, though. At the heart of the standard engine range will be Mercedes’ new V6 and V8 MoVe petrol powerplants. Diesel options are likely to include the 201bhp, 369lb ft 2.2-litre, four-cylinder motor from the current S250 CDI, the smallest engine to ever be offered in the S-class.

The new luxury saloon will also carry over no cabin architecture from existing models. But hints of its design can be seen in the F800 Style concept revealed at the Geneva motor show in March.

It will also showcase new interior technologies such as more reliance on head-up displays and a move into driver-oriented virtual displays.

Chevrolet Volt Drawing New Customers to Dealers

The Chevrolet Volt demonstration units are a popular showroom draw for dealers as they let consumers look, touch and drive the electric car with extended-range capabilities. It’s part of the plan to gain exposure for the vehicle and the Chevrolet brand.

Almost nine of 10 customers who traded in a vehicle as part of their purchase are new to the Chevrolet brand. That’s why hundreds of Volts that could be sold to individuals are tagged for dealers as demo vehicles, meant for customer exposure to the Volt and to other Chevy products they might otherwise not see.

“The Volt is clearly bringing new customers to our dealership,” said Rick Alpern, general manager of Keyes Chevrolet in Van Nuys, California. “We are seeing customers who own competitive brands that have never visited a Chevy dealership before. Now they have a Chevy on their shopping list because of the Volt.”

Chevrolet dealerships in the initial launch markets of California, Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Virginia and Washington, D.C. have taken delivery of more than 550 dedicated Volt demonstration vehicles for customer test drives. By the end of the year, more than 2,500 U.S. dealers will receive a dedicated Volt demo

Chevy expects to deliver Volts in all 50 states by the end of 2011. Deliveries begin in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii in the third quarter.

“We know the best way to experience the Volt is to get behind the wheel and drive it,” said Cristi Landy, Chevrolet marketing director. “An added bonus is that our dealers are seeing that the Volt is increasing traffic onto our dealer showroom floors and is exposing consumers to Chevys line of ‘gas-friendly’ vehicles, including the Cruze, Malibu and Equinox.

"It's tough to limit the number of Volts for sale to potential customers when demand is so strong, but the Volt has value to the Chevrolet portfolio well beyond incremental sales," said Landy. “Our Chevy dealers will keep their Volt demo units for six months and then they sell these units at the conclusion of the demo period.”

The Volt’s extended-range capability offers a total driving range of up to 379 miles, based on EPA estimates. For the first 35 miles, the Volt can drive gas- and tailpipe-emissions-free using a full charge of electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery. When the Volt’s battery runs low, a gas-powered engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range another 344 miles on a full tank.

2011 ACURA MDX

Acura first launched its luxury crossover in 2001 to take on luxury utility vehicles like the Audi Q7, Lexus RX, Cadillac SRX and Infiniti FX -- yet with a decidedly biased sporty on-road behavior. Now the latest MDX features the Super Handling AWD system and is tuned to tear up the asphalt, not the dirt. Acura developed the MDX with testing on Germany's Nurburgring -- which is why you won't find a low-range transfer case on the options list of the MDX.The latest MDX features a new 3.7-liter.SOHC VTEC V6 with 300 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque, which Acura says now features more heavy-duty parts for extra longevity. Acura has replaced the five-speed automatic transmission with a new six-speed transmission, bringing EPA fuel economy to an estimated 16/21 mpg for city/highway driving.



The MDX is offered in five trim levels starting with the base model and moving up through the Technology, Technology and Entertainment, Advance and Advance and Entertainment groupings. The Technology package adds premium leather trim, navigation, and a 410-watt audio system, while the Advance package adds to that a collision-detecting system that pre-charges the brakes, adaptive cruise control, blind spot information and an active damper system for the suspension. The Entertainment package, which is offered with either the Technology or Advance groups, includes a rear seat monitor, DVD player, wireless headphones and heated rear seats.

In addition to drivetrain changes for the latest model, Acura seems to be building on the corporate look previewed by the TL and TSX -- as the MDX gains revisions to its front and rear fascia similar to Acura's latest offerings. The now-infamous Acura "beak" has been toned down here compared to some of its siblings, while new 19-inch wheels and brighter tail lamps round out the exterior changes.



Inside, the MDX features heated and (optionally) ventilated "Milano" leather seats, a thicker sport steering wheel, paddle shifters, new gauges, revised button placement in the center stack and overall upgraded materials. Acura's Real Time Weather and Traffic Rerouting features are newly available with the optional navigation system

source by:http:www.leftlanenews.com

2011 JAGUAR XJ

For the latest model year onward, Jaguar's XJ luxury sedan has an all-new look that ditches the retro styling of the previous model for a much more contemporary look. Priced from $72,500, the car rivals the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class lines.

The entry-level configuration comes with a naturally aspirated engine, which is also offered for $79,500 in XJL long-wheelbase guise. The XJ Supercharged carries a price of $87,500, and the XJL version adds $3,000 to the total, for a final price of $90,500. Lastly, the XJ Supersport and XJL Supersport models cost $112,000 and $115,000, respectively.

The tall front end, which no doubt was designed with European pedestrian safety standards in mind, is generally styled like the XF, although the grille juts out further from the fascia. From the side, the XJ takes a vastly different approach as the shape reaches the C-pillar, which does not sweep in the same vaguely Lexus style of the XF.

Out back, Lancia-esque tail lamps curve up the rear and the dramatically sloped rear window gives the car a four door coupe-style profile.

The XJ's interior has also been seriously re-worked. Taking little in the way of influence from the smaller XF, the new XJ features a unique, wrap-around dash, complete with plenty of wood and leather accents. A large LCD screen is front and center while rounded air vents give the XJ's cabin an air of sportiness.

A push button ignition and JaguarDrive Selector gear switch -- the same found in the XF -- bring the big cat up to speed with 21st century luxury motoring. Optional features include a 1,200-watt Bowers & Wilkins sound system, hard drive-based audio and navigation systems and connectivity for external audio and video devices.

Technical features of the new XJ include an air suspension, Jaguar's continuously variable damping Adaptive Dynamics system and Active Differential Control.

The XJ is offered in three separate trim levels -- XJ, Supercharged and Supersport -- with each model available in long-wheelbase form. The base XJ is powered by a 385 horsepower 5.0-liter V8 while the mid-level Supercharged model adds a supercharger to boost horsepower to 470.

The customer order only Supersport model sits atop the XJ hierarchy, powered by a 510 horsepower version of Jaguar's supercharged 5.0-liter V8. All XJ models use a six-speed automatic transmission.

No matter the trim level, the XJ promises to be one serious sports sedan. Thanks to its light-weight aluminum construction -- Jaguar says the XJ is at least 300 pounds lighter than the competition -- even the base model XJ can scoot from 0-60 in 5.4 seconds. That figure drops to just 4.9 seconds for the Supercharged model, with the range-topping Supersport model making the same sprint in 4.7 seconds.

The base XJ tops out at 121 mph while the supercharged models have free reign all the way up to 155 mph.

Although fuel economy is rarely a concern with a vehicle of the XJ's ilk, the big cat manages a respectable 19 mpg average in base guise and a decent 18 mpg in supercharged form.

Red Bull KERS components ’scattered’ on RB7

Red Bull has taken a different approach to KERS, a technical report in Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport has revealed.

The otherwise-dominant team has struggled with the technology so far in 2011, and is using the three-week break before Turkey to try to fix the problems.

"If I’m honest," said designer Adrian Newey recently, "I would rather not have KERS on the car."

The Briton was also quoted as saying Red Bull is in a "learning phase" with its system, amid suggestions Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel have been banned from talking about KERS or any specifics of their difficulties.

"Actually I don’t know (what’s wrong)," said Australian Webber in Shanghai, "and honestly I don’t really care either. I just want it to work!"

Auto Motor und Sport said the foundation of Red Bull’s KERS is the Renault system, but it differs in design by 40 per cent to the base unit, which has functioned in the Lotus-Renault essentially without drama so far in 2011.

The report said Newey has packaged KERS unusually compared to the bulk of the field, for example by placing some components to the left and right of the gearbox.

In comparison, Renault’s KERS is under the seat, while Red Bull’s has suffered from vibration, high temperatures and software glitches.

The American automaker Chevrolet is taking a few cues from their European compacts with the all new Aveo RS that will be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show. Looking like something about to turn into an autobot, the very special sport compact gives the bowtie’s smallest offering a high performance kick in the pants.

Painted in Boracay Blue, the Aveo RS if full of global GM design cues like a dual element front grill, round tail lamps and flared fenders; but at the same time adding aggression with a low hanging big mouth front bumper an fog lights pushed to either side of the fascia. The rest of the exterior is highlighted by a set of 19 inch five spoke rims finished in gun metal metallic finish. Out back the integrated hatch spoiler continues the roof lines, the rear clusters are filled with LEDs and a a center mounted twin tip exhaust finishes off the sporty compact.

The interior of the Aveo RS offers a whole new look at the way instruments are laid out with the lage round tachometer off to the left with a large multifunction display next to it on the right. The rest of the inside is dressed up with a combination of matte and gloss black trim pieces as well as matching blue stiching on the leather wrapped pieces. Under the hood Chevrolet has placed the same engine found in the current Cruze, a 1.4 Liter four cylinder turbocharged Ecotec motor making 138 HP mated to a slick shifting six speed manual transmission. Chevy claims that this is a nod at future Aveos and with an sportier version of Ford’s Fiesta coming in a year or two, youth inspire fun designs like these might just be what GM needs to get back on top.


Chevrolet today announced the world debut of the Aveo RS show car at the 2010 North American International Auto Show. It features a European-inspired hot hatch look designed to appeal to young enthusiasts, and hints at the next-generation Aveo.



Longer, wider and more spacious than the current production Aveo, the Aveo RS showcases the car’s upscale-looking design cues both inside and out, and presents the many personalization options potentially available on the next-generation car.

“We hope the Aveo RS show car will demonstrate that we are as serious about redefining the Aveo and its place in the small-car segment as we were about reinventing the Malibu,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet general manager.

First impressions
The Aveo RS show car, finished in electric Boracay Blue, wears global Chevrolet design cues such as the dual element grille, round taillamps and fender flares, but designers turned up the attitude on the show car with low openings and a lower mouth trimmed in a combination of brushed and polished aluminum. Outboard fog lamps are integrated into an exaggerated brake-cooling inlet that flows into the front fender flares, creating an aggressive-looking face.

Exposed headlamps, with their brushed aluminum structural surround, are inspired by the designers’ affection for motorcycles. The sleek side profile is characterized by uninterrupted body side lines, a high beltline and low roofline. The side mirrors with amber-colored turn signal indicators carry the same shape as the car and seemingly disappear into the profile. At first glance, the car actually looks like a three-door hatch because the rear door handles are discreetly located in the “C”-pillar area.

“The Aveo RS show car demonstrates how progressive design can inject personality into a small car,” said Michael Simcoe, executive director, North American Exterior Design. “We want customers to see it and have an emotional reaction to it.”

No performance-minded car earns its street cred without large wheels and tires. The Aveo RS show car’s wheels are 19-inch, five-spoke with a gun metal metallic finish Chevrolet logo. The wheel openings reveal large Boracay Blue brake calipers.

The rear of the show car continues the sport theme, with an integrated spoiler that flows from the roof, a center-mounted exhaust and chrome exhaust tips. The exposed motorcycle-inspired rear taillamps feature tinted aluminum housings and a discreet Bowtie logo.


Spacious and stylish interior
With its matte black interior highlighted by gloss black, metallic and blue accents, the Aveo RS show car reflects as much attention to detail as the exterior. The Boracay Blue theme continues inside, with accent stitching across the dual cockpit instrument panel, front and rear door insert, steering wheel rim, gear shift boot, parking brake, leather seat bolster and even the floor mats. The integrated center stack holds the gearshift, HVAC controls and the sound system, including a USB port. Ice-blue backlighting on the audio display, telltale indicator screen and knobs augments the blue stitching.

The motorcycle inspiration also carries inside, with a round, analog tachometer set within an asymmetrical LCD readout also trimmed in milled metal with round cutouts; and round, aluminum-trimmed side vents.

The interior is as functional as it is stylish, with storage compartments in the center stack and doors. The rear seats fold flat for carrying larger items.

Efficient performer
The Aveo RS show car is powered by the same highly efficient 138-horsepower (103 kW) 1.4L I-4 Ecotec turbocharged engine that will be available in the upcoming Chevrolet Cruze.

A six-speed manual transmission is designed to ensure the car will provide a spirited driving experience.

For the show car, designers created a special engine cover in graphite silver with a brushed aluminum insert. The coolant and power steering fluid fill caps are rimmed in ice blue, and the honeycomb vents flanking the center of the cover are matte-finished in shadow chrome and designed to match the wheel color.

Chevrolet has previously announced the new Aveo will be built at Orion Assembly in Orion Township, Mich., in 2011, a move that will restore 1,200 jobs to Southeast Michigan. Timing for retooling Orion Assembly for Aveo production is anticipated to begin in late 2010.

sourcing by:http:www.topspeed.com

2011 Volkswagen Microbus Bulli Concept

Volkswagen will refresh the market with new car enthusiasts who have the concept of VW Bulli. Volkswagen has revived this concept with the introduction of 2011 VW microbus. After earlier in the year 2001 as well ever. Now, Volkswagen again offer both conceptual redux of the van that so-popular. Aside from the VW Beetle, VW Microbus may be one of the most populer vehicles ever to come out of the Volkswagen.



As previously VW Microbus concept, 2011 VW Microbus borrow styling cues from the original T1, although with less retro flare and edge over. Sharply creased character lines and boxy shape give VW Bulli contemporary and airy feel despite the somewhat compact vehicle dimensions. The concept vehicle at the 102-ins. wheelbase and 156 in. long. Standing 66 in. tall, 68.4 in. wide and has a generous 54-in. front and rear tracks.

Exterior design and interior design of this VW Microbus Concept looks clean and neat, half-circle speedometer positioned New Articles Directly in Front of a single driver. A second binnacle half circle color multifunction xp home, The Seeing explain to equipment and a steering wheel mounted switches Canada as a nav system, Telephone, Computer Media and Travel Centre. The sound system provided by the legendary guitar maker Fender Created. Similarly, the passenger seat. Everything is designed for comfort. Rear seats can be stored to further increase cargo capacity.

Although inspired design Made of nostalgia, Absolute Bulli state-of-the-art-that. But the VW Microbus 2011 has a built-in Apple iPad central console, which also serves as a vehicle to explain xp touch multi-function. Husband system provides on-board navigation and hands-free, Bluetooth cell phone connectivity.

The original VW Bus is actually called Transporter 1 or T1 when it was introduced way back in 1950, but became known by the Germans as Bulli. In America, we know it as the VW Microbus.
Unlike the previous modern effort, which uses front-drive architecture of conventional and traditional gasoline engine powered, 2011 VW Microbus is available three ways. It can be powered by a 1.0-petrol engine or 1.4-liter 4-cylinder, or built as an EV powered by 85 kW motors that produce lb.-ft. 199 impressive torque. VW say electricity VW Microbus hits 62 mph in 11.5 seconds. and has a top speed electronically regulated from 87 mph. Range up to 186 miles a single charge of its lithium-ion battery.