2011 Infiniti M37
One sexy, sultry machine.
The new Infiniti M is one sexy, sultry machine. It looks tight, taut, and ready to pounce. It really makes a strong design statement, which is exactly what Infiniti should be doing. The interior is especially enticing, with an ambience that is at once ultramodern yet traditionally posh. I dare say that Infiniti and Jaguar are now leading the way in cabin design, a mantle once held by Audi. Or, at least, they are the equal of Audi.
Photo Gallery: 2011 Infiniti M37 - Editor's Notebook - Automobile Magazine
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2011 Infiniti M37
Cruze in a hatchback
Staff Writer
A show car version of Chevrolet's compact contender will be seen for the first time at the Paris Motor Show the end of September. It will be one of four world Chevrolet premieres at the show.
With the introduction of the new Cruze hatchback, customers have an alternative body style to the traditional saloon and Chevrolet has raised the bar again with a vehicle that brings new levels of value against some of the more established competition.
According to Wayne Brannon, president and managing director of Chevrolet Europe, the potential for meeting further customer demand is significant. "Cruze is turning out to be a real success story. We are selling it in 70 countries around the world and it has recently surpassed the Aveo as our top selling passenger car nameplate globally.
"Hatchbacks play a critical role in many markets. The total compact segment in Europe represents around 4.8 million units, which is over a quarter of the total market, with hatchbacks representing around 65% of that volume. We therefore expect to see increased business in a number of regions, while sending out a signal that Chevrolet is now a serious mainstream player in Europe."
With its attractive sweeping coupe roofline and short overhangs at both the front and rear, the new Cruze hatchback has the same dynamic 'stance' as the saloon and will be instantly recognizable. It will benefit too from the same taut body 'feel' on the road, being built using the new body-frame integral system (BFI) which is complemented by the final tuning to chassis components. The BFI system results in high levels of stability and solidity.
Cargo capacity for the Cruze hatchback is close to 400 litres and will feature 60/40 split rear seating.
Chevrolet's participation in the World Touring Car Championship with the Cruze is also currently paying great dividends. With four races left in the season, it currently leads both the drivers' and team championships while also showcasing the dynamic qualities of the car to great effect.
The new Chevrolet Cruze 5-door hatchback will go on sale across Europe mid 2011 with prices announced nearer the launch date.
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Cruze in a hatchback
ix20 – Hyundai’s new MPV
Staff Writer
At this year’s Paris Motor Show, Hyundai will celebrate the world premiere of its new B-segment MPV. To be presented as the Hyundai ix20, a sketch revealed today shows the new model as a striking departure from the boxy ‘minivan’ image typically associated with the segment, adopting a more dynamic, sportier profile in line with Hyundai’s reputation as a modern, progressive automaker.
Designed and developed at Hyundai’s European R&D centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany, the ix20 is the second European car, following the ix35, to adopt Hyundai’s new ‘fluidic sculpture’ design language. The name ix20 reflects the new model’s crossover-like versatility – a vehicle with the ability to simultaneously serve as a functional people-carrier while providing a dynamic, fun-to-drive experience.
Another model making its world premiere at Paris is the new i10. This upgraded version of Hyundai’s popular city car benefits from a comprehensive set of enhancements in terms of design, specification and competiveness – including a new 1.0-litre engine with CO2 emissions of just 99g/km.
The international motor show will also afford Hyundai the opportunity to showcase the latest developments of its Blue DriveTM eco-focused program. The company is targeting global leadership in environmental technologies, and the new models look set to contribute further to reductions in emissions from new Hyundai vehicles sold in Europe.
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ix20 - Hyundai's new MPV
DeltaWing Race Car Concept
Looks like a plane and ought to go like a bat out of hell.
Ben Bowlby, the evil genius behind the radical DeltaWing race car, ought to be decked out in combat fatigues, with an AK-47 slung over his shoulder. Or maybe dressed in a stiff Russian suit and one of those funky hats Lenin used to wear. He is, after all, the most dangerous revolutionary in the world of motorsports, the creator of a car that not only looks unlike anything ever raced on a track before but also threatens to render everything on the track today instantly obsolete.
Photo Gallery: DeltaWing Race Car Concept - Automobile Magazine
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DeltaWing Race Car Concept
First Look: 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
The ultimate factory-built 4x4, now with four doors.
The Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is without question the ultimate factory-built off-road truck, and Ford's SVT engineers aren't about to let it get stale. For 2011, a few tweaks enable the SVT Raptor to literally open more doors to the world of off-roading -- and do it with even more power underfoot.
Photo Gallery: 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor - First Look - Motor Trend
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First Look: 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
First Look: 2011 Dodge Durango
Updating a mainstream favorite in a highly competitive market.
The Durango has been a staple in Dodge's lineup since it debuted nearly twelve years ago, but realizing a shift in the market, Dodge has seen fit to completely overhaul its full-size SUV for 2011. After a year's absence from the lineup, the SUV has undergone an array of changes including a complete overhaul in looks, and is now based on a unibody frame that it shares with Jeep's new 2011 Grand Cherokee.
Photo Gallery: 2011 Dodge Durango - First Look - Automobile Magazine
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First Look: 2011 Dodge Durango
2010 Cadillac CTS Wagon Premium
An exquisitely chiseled piece of metal.
After the demise of the Dodge Magnum, it's refreshing to have a wagon offering from a domestic manufacturer. It's likely that the CTS wagon will find very few takers -- if the slow-selling Magnum and the now-redesigned wagon-like first generation Cadillac SRX are any indication -- but in my opinion, this CTS wagon looks great and is hard evidence that Cadillac is willing to take chances to regain its world class status.
Photo Gallery: 2010 Cadillac CTS Wagon Premium - Editor's Notebook - Automobile Magazine
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2010 Cadillac CTS Wagon Premium
Full hybrid for the Lexus CT 200h
Staff Writer
Lexus takes its full hybrid drive technology to a new level in the CT 200h, the model that marks its debut in the small luxury car market. The latest development of Lexus Hybrid Drive maintains the smoothness, refinement and high efficiency for which it is renowned, but with a choice of driving modes that let drivers tap into the car’s full dynamic potential, or opt for optimum eco-performance.
The Lexus CT 200h has two distinct driving “moods” – Dynamic and Relaxing – which it adopts in line with the driver’s choice of selectable drive modes for the full hybrid system, which comprises a 1.8-litre VVT-i petrol engine, an electric motor and an electrically controlled continuously variable transmission (E-CVT).
EV (electric vehicle), ECO and NORMAL modes place the emphasis on ride comfort, smooth acceleration and low NVH levels in the cabin for a relaxing drive.
Being a full hybrid, CT 200h can operate automatically in EV mode, switching off the petrol engine and running on its electric motor alone, at speeds from start-up up to 50kph. Ideal for smooth, silent progress in slow urban traffic, it can reduce tailpipe emissions to zero, with driving range determined by the level of battery charge and local conditions. EV mode can also be selected manually by the driver.
Switch to ECO mode and the car’s systems are automatically adjusted to deliver maximum efficiency. Throttle responses are moderated when the driver presses hard on the accelerator and air conditioning performance is altered to reduce its impact on fuel consumption.
SPORT mode lets the driver exploit the full potential of the CT 200h’s dynamic qualities, increasing power delivery from the electric motor and maximising performance and agility. The Power Control Unit (PCU) in the Lexus Hybrid Drive system boosts the power supply voltage to 650v, increasing overall system output, and engine revs are held higher as the driver accelerates. Settings for the throttle and Electric Power Steering (EPS) are also adjusted to give sharper response to driver inputs.
Even the look of the instrument panel changes to reflect the move to more dynamic performance: the instrument backlighting automatically shifts from hybrid blue to red and the hybrid power meter is replaced by a tachometer display.
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Full hybrid for the Lexus CT 200h
What’s Next for the Swedes
A short history of Swedish automobiles in America.
So these two Swedes, Volvo and Saab, walk into a bar. Long story short: Plenty of crazy stuff happens before they depart, worse for wear and unable to walk out under their own steam. But, praise Thor and the other Norse gods, they're still with us now.
Photo Gallery: What's next for the Swedes - Automobile Magazine
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What's Next for the Swedes
Jeff Koons BMW M3 GT2 – Art Crimes and Lap Times
It's not a facet of BMW we see too often, but the company's tradition of commissioning modern artists like Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol to use one of its cars as a "canvas" has produced some interesting stuff.
It's not a facet of BMW we see too often, but the company's tradition of commissioning modern artists like Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol to use one of its cars as a "canvas" has produced some interesting stuff. The 17th and latest BMW Art Car is a Jeff Koons interpretation of the awesome M3 GT2. He says the lines of bright contrasting colors communicate the aesthetics of power. And two graphic rings on the rear represent supersonic acceleration. OK, Jeff, whatever. Even so, this is no pretentious, gallery-going fop. BMW and Koons worked together to make sure the graphics did not hinder the car's weight or aerodynamics because, like many Art Cars before it, this one had a race to run. The 2010 Le Mans 24-hour bash, no less. It didn't get past the sixth hour and almost took out a leading Audi-but it still raced at Le Mans.
Photo Gallery: Jeff Koons BMW M3 GT2 - European Car Magazine
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Jeff Koons BMW M3 GT2 - Art Crimes and Lap Times