After years of getting older Ford gets a new Woodie!

The 2009 Ford Flex

The 2009 Ford Flex

Ford Motor Company has seen better days,

With record losses, bland new models, giant rebates on older models, and only the mustang to anchor the drifting company; many might think back to the iconic models of Ford’s yesteryears.

Enter the Ford Flex.

After years of production for the boring and sales lacking Ford Freestar and Mecury Monterey minivans, Ford has entered the world of the elite crossover.

Crossovers have existed for a decade in one form or another and were tipified with the introduction of the RX300 from Lexus. So, Ford entering this growing segment is needed but with every other manufacturer entereing the game as well, the waters ahead are rocky to say the least.

Luckily, Ford chose with this new model to draw on interesting styling and functionality rather than overall technology (as found in the Acura RDX) or sci-fi trechie styling that perforates most asian based crossovers.

What we end up with is the 2009 Ford Woodie…. whoops, should I say FORD FLex.

Accidentally harking back to the kitchy surf mobile made popular by california hippies in the 60’s, the Flex is immediately recognizable. It stands out in a sea of boring seemingly submersible blobs and razor edged SUVs.

With available seating for 7 and a choice of engines that can receive up to 26 mpg highway it should be gobbled up by the young adventurous family.

My only gripe with this particular mode of transportation with its slab sides and upright windshield is the lack of interior style. Ford continues to create bland uncomfortable looking interiors with bland panel fits and uninspired layouts.

2010 Porsche Panamera

Porsche plans to launch a four door coupe. Codenamed EB2, the big porsche goes on sale in 2009 as a 2010 model, but it’s already been caught lapping the Nordschleife at the Nuerburgring racetrack in Germany. This three-quarter shot shows the production car‘s general proportions, but it’s cagily disguised to look as if it’s revealing more sheetmetal than it is. You’ll see the car’s lighting graphics previewed in a face-lifted Cayenne coming in 2007. The Panamera will be assembled in the Cayenne’s Leipzig factory and will share its 340-horsepower, 4.5-liter V-8 and 450-horsepower, twin-turbo V-8 powerplant.

Chevy Volt Unveiled

Earlier today, GM unwrapped the vehicle that they feel is the key to the company’s survival.  That vehicle is the Chevy Volt.  It is a vehicle that is powered by an electric motor upto 40 miles, and then a small gasolin engine kicks in to help propel the electric motor.  Some features include: an all-black roof, solid front grill, and in the interior, a bright white center stack and customizable LCD displays.

According to GM, the Volt’s lithium-ion battery can be charged in eight hours on a 120-volt plug. Using a 240-volt outlet cuts the time down to less than three hours. The claimed 40-mile all-electric range is based on the EPA city cycle, but GM has not said how power accessories and components like air conditioning will affect it.

It will enter the market in late 2010 as a 2011 model.  Is it too little too late for GM?  What do you think?

Mazda Kiyora Concept

Mazda Kiyora, a lightweight, next generation, urban compact concept car is going revealed at the 2008 Paris International Motor Show which will be held starting Thursday, October 2 through Sunday, October 19, 2008.Mazda Kiyora (meaning ‘clean and pure’ in Japanese) represents the harmony between driving fun and environmental and safety features aspired towards Mazda’s long-term technology development vision.

 

Mazda Kiyora
Mazda Kiyora

The concept of “Kiyora” helped the designers to imagine a city car cutting cleanly through an urban landscape, with water as the design theme.  The car achieves excellent fuel economy and low CO2 emissions because of the fact it is equipped with Mazda’s next generation 4 cylinder direct injection engine and featuring the company’s unique Smart Idle Stop System. The new Mazda concept car is newly redesigned in order to maximize weight reduction and a high level of safety, in pursuit of enhanced driving excitement. It also features an interior design and new functions that support a youthful exuberance.

2010 Honda Insight Hybrid (a car hoping to make a 2nd impression)

When the first generation Honda Insight launched back in 1999, it was a vehicle that was simply before its time.  The vehicle could achieve over 60 miles per gallon highway and was a hit among certain groups.  However, gas at that time was relatively cheap in comparison to today, and people were not interested in a vehicle that did not have the roominess and power that was desired by the general public, which led to dismal sales.  After seeing the success of the Toyota Prius, Honda hopes to win more hybrid customers away from Toyota with the launch of its 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid, which Honda believes will provide great value and great economy at a price that will make it more affordable than the Prius.

Toyota Corolla Altis (a real challenge to the popular Civic)

When Toyota launches the all new tenth generation Corolla, it will bring excitement to an area of the car market that has often been labeled as boring.  The Corolla Altis will bring excitement to a car known for its reliability, low maintenance, and terrific resale value, but has lacked the panache the Civic has brought to the compact car market more than two years ago.  The all new Corolla Altis is roomier, more powerful, more aerodynamic, and more comfortable than ever.  Honda will have its work cut out.

Toyota Corolla Altis Lauched! Details! Prices!

As said, on 5th September, Toyota had launched its 10 generation Corolla Altis. The new Toyota Corolla Altis hopes to give a good competition to the segment leader Honda Civic! By launching the Corolla Altis, Toyota makes its first step of gaining atleast 10% market share by 2015. The launch of the Toyota Corolla Altis took place at the Noida Expo Ground and it is available in the showrooms now.

The Toyota Corolla Altis comes with a 1.8L, 4 cylinder gasoline engine which produces 132bhp @ 6000rpm and torque of 170Nm @ 4200 rpm.. The new Corolla comes with MacPherson Strut suspension in the front and Torsion Beam at the rear. The front is equipped with ventilated Disc brakes and solid disc at the rear along with 15″ Tubeless tyres. The Corolla comes in standard 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic transmission.


Read more…

2009 Honda City Pictures Completely Uncovered!!

The all new Honda City will be on its way soon. The Honda City is a great car in India and is a great competition to the Maruti Suzuki SX4 and Ford Fiesta. The City sells well even though its priced a lakh above the rest of the cars in the segment. The new City will be Honda’s third launch this year after the Accord and Civic hybrid.

The car is inspired from the existing Honda Civic and the Honda Airwave. The new City will come with an i-Vtec engine that will come with a manual and automatic transmission. If you look at the interior pictures, you will find paddle shifts in the steering wheel, which could be an option for us.

Read more…

2010 Honda Insight Hybrid Official Pictures – Prius Fighter Revealed!

Honda has released the first official photos of its new Hybrid, popularly known as Honda’s Prius figther. The new Hybrid from Honda christened the Honda Insight yet is still a concept car. The car is said to launch globally in the middle of the year 2009. The Honda Insight will be presented as a 5-door hatchback that will seat 5 passengers.

The Honda Insight is based on an all new platform. The design of the car is inspired from Honda’s FCX Clarity, a better styled yet much more improved than the FCX clarity’s design. The 1st generation Honda Insight stopped production in September 6th, even though the car gave 70mpg which is about 30kmpl due to low sales.

Read more…

Hyundai i20 Official pictures and Specs!


After all the spy pictures that had been circulating around the web, Hyundai has finally released the first photo of the all new Hyundai i20. The Hyundai i20 is a 5-door hatchback which will replace the Getz and compete with the Skoda Fabia, Indica Vista and the Suzuki Swift. The i20 is the third product of Hyundai from the ‘i’ series, a segment above the i10 and a segment below the i30.

The Hyundai i20 is based on an all new platform that has a longer wheelbase than the Getz, which means an extention of interior space, which is good for the comfort of the passengers. The i20 is styled at Hyundai’s European Design Centre in Russelsheim, Germany. The president of Hyundai Europe, Kun Hee Ahn says “The i20 was designed and engineered to meet European tastes and needs”. He also notes that the ride and handling development took place on the European roads, which has created a firm and agile drive.

Read more…