Renault launches new entry-level versions of Laguna Coupe and Megane Sport Tourer

New entry-level versions of Renault’s Laguna Coupe and Megane Sport Tourer have just been launched. Based on the dCi 150 model, the Renault Laguna Coupe TomTom has a sat-nav system, automatic parking brake and chrome-finished center console now included as standard. In addition, the car now has more features that it considers standard.

These include 18-inch alloy wheels, eight airbags, automatic lights and wipers, dual zone climate control and rear parking sensors. Buyers can now order the TomTom version, which will cost from £19,995. The Renault Megane Sport Tourer range gets a new Extreme entry-level trim, with standard features including air-con, electric front windows and ESP. Meanwhile, the Extreme trim is available on the 1.6 100 and 1.5 dCi 86 models. It can now be ordered and its prices start from £14,935 for the petrol version. First deliveries for both versions are expected to start in January.



Source : 4wheelsnews

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VW Polo is the 2010 European Car of the Year

In a very close fight, the VW Polo narrowly edges out the Toyota iQ to be named the Car of the Year 2010. The final voting, which was participated in by European car journalists who had 33 cars to choose from, earned 347 points for the VW Polo over 337 for the Toyota iQ.

In particular, the Polo received 59 scoring votes in total from the 59-strong judging panel, including 25 selections as the number one car. On the other hand, the iQ received 58 votes, with 20 selections as the best car. From the 33 initial cars, a shortlist of seven cars was determined. A total of 59 European judges made their selection. Each judge has 25 points to allocate as they see fit but they chose under the condition that at least five contenders must receive points. The rules also say that the chosen winner must receive more points than the runners-up. One of the judges was Autocar’s editor-in-chief Steve Cropley, who voted the Toyota iQ as his personal favorite, giving it eight points. Cropley gave the Mercedes E-class five points, Citroen C3 Picasso and Peugeot 3008 three points each and the Skoda Yeti, Vauxhall Astra and VW Polo two points each.


source : 4wheelsnews

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Bugatti Veyron

During the MPH Show that features Top Gear Live at London’s Earls Court from Nov. 5 to 8, we’re willing to bet that the world’s most expensive Bugatti Veyron will be a star attraction. It even comes complete with an F1 number plate, the most expensive number plate sold in the UK. Owner Afzal Kahn says that even with an exorbitant price, it will still sell.
He’s actually suggesting that the soft white 253mph supercar will be perfect for newly crowned Formula One champion Jenson Button. This car is capable of accelerating to 100mph in 5.5 seconds. Nonetheless, this 1,010 BHP Bugatti Veyron won’t be the only outrageously expensive car to appear on the MPH Show. So far, we know that the ultra rare GTbyCITROËN, worth over £1 million, is scheduled to appear at the show alongside fire-breathing examples from Pagani and Koenigsegg. There are rumors that the Ferrari FXX, Lamborghini GT600 and Pagani Zonda R will be appearing as well.

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Lotus Exige Scura Limited Edition

This is the limited edition Lotus Exige Scura, also known as the “Stealth Edition” in Japan , that will soon go on sale in the UK . Shown at the Tokyo Motor Show, the Scura is a modified Exige S, with 260bhp squeezed from its supercharged engine due to a revised ECU.
The Exige S in standard form has 220bhp while the performance pack offers 240bhp. Listed as standard on the track day special are the following: launch control, Ohlins 2-way adjustable dampers, and variable slip traction control. You may be wondering about the “Stealth” name. Special matt “Phantom Black” paint gives the Stealth its name. The weight is reduced by 10kg because carbonfiber was used on some components including sports seats, centre consol, oil cooler inlet valves and front splitter. High gloss “Phantom Black” triple stripes run the length of the car. The Scura will reach 60mph in 4sec, 100mph in 9.9sec and a top speed of 152mph. If buyers order books immediately after this week’s Tokyo motor show, the car will be priced £45,000 in the UK .

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Daihatsu Tanto Exe

The new Tanto Exe and the Tanto Exe Custom are two of the vehicles that Daihatsu is showcasing at the Tokyo Motor Show. Daihatsu says that the new vehicles were designed to be lighter and more fuel efficient versions of the Tanto, which is known for having an expansive interior, superior styling, a luxurious feel and high levels of comfort. Both the Tanto Exe and the Tanto Exe Custom feature some expansive interiors with high-quality seats for the utmost in comfort.

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Audi A5

German Design Council announced today that the Audi A5 Coupe will receive the 2010 Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany. Of course, this is not something new for Audi because this represents its fourth award for design, after the Audi A4 Avant, the Audi A3 and the Audi A2.
“Audi’s Design team and I are thrilled by this accolade. It convincingly acknowledges the Audi brand’s design excellence. The A5 Coupé boasts the genes of a design icon, and it’s great that the judges also see it that way,” said Stefan Sielaff, Head of Audi Design. Since its launch, back in June 2007 the Audi sold 112,000 units of the A5 Coupe. “The Audi A5 Coupé continues the tradition of the classic two-door sport/touring coupé: executed powerfully and boldly via elements of Audi’s progressive design language. The A5 epitomizes sportiness and elegance. Driving it also offers outstanding handling and excellent comfort on long journeys.” said Wolfgang Egger, Head of Audi Group Design.

source:4wheelsnews.com

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Honda FC Sport Concept

Honda Motor Co. wants to soon launch an environmentally friendly car sports car that is also able to give a great performance but we’ll all just have to wait until the carmaker has “enough cash available,” CEO Takanobu Ito had said on the sidelines of the Tokyo Motor Show.

He explained that as soon as Honda has cash on hand, Honda will build a sports car that symbolizes its technology. Ito clarified that the sports car that Honda will be making would not be like the Lexus LFA supercar debuted by Toyota Motor Corp. at the Tokyo Motor Show. According to reports, Toyota will be building only 500 units of the $375,000 Lexus LFA two-seater car, which has a 4.8-liter V-10 engine that can reach speeds of 325 kph (200 mph). On the other hand, Honda had been preparing a successor model for its legendary NSX sports car, also with a V-10 engine. Honda was forced to ditch those plans last year, saying that it urgently needed to save money amid the economic downturn and the growing consumer shift toward greener cars. Ito said that in the future, the focus will be on producing clean, sustainable cars, and sports cars are no exception.

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Lexus LFA

As you may know already, Lexus finally launched the LFA supercar at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show and made quite a buzz. What we are going to tell you now is even more interesting: a more extreme version of the LFA will be built by Lexus by the end od 2012, when the production of the 500 units will be finished. The powerful version will resemble the Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series, which means that will be less comfortable but it will deliver better performances on the racing track. For those who don’t know, the LFA carries a V10 engine capable to deliver 560 hp at 8700 rpm and 480 Nm of torque from 3700 to 9000 rpm. With these numbers the car can hit 100 km/h (62 mph) I 3.7 seconds while the top speed achieved is 325 km/h (202 mph). Even the price is extreme: € 375,000 on the European market and $375,000 in the United States.

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Mugen Honda CR-Z hybrid

There is a possibility to see a Mugen version of the upcoming sports car, according to firm’s european vice president. Hiroki Toyoda says that the hybrid powertrain that will be found on the new CR-Z will offer a new set of tuning opportunities.
The electric motor will act as a kind of turbo at low speeds, in order to compensate the lack of torque in the naturally-aspirated petrol engines. Until we will the Mugen CR-Z, we have to tell those who don’t know it yet, that the production version of the Honda CR-Z hybrid sports car will make its official debut at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show!

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2010 Volkswagen Golf R and Scirocco R prices revealed

Volkswagen’s Golf R and Scirocco R are now available to order in Germany . It’s likely that people would be scrambling for these models since these have exceptional fuel efficiency and are especially customized to provide advanced engine performance. Powering the Golf R is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine that develops 270 hp and 350 Nm of torque between 2,500 and 5,000 rpm.

The four-wheel drive model is able to accelerate from 0 to 60mph in 5.7 seconds (5.5 seconds if equipped with a DSG transmission) and to achieve a top speed of 250 km/h. The Golf R uses up 8.5 liters of gasoline every 100 km (27.6 mpg) which is 2.2 liters or 21 percent less than its predecessor.

In Germany , the car has a price tag of 36,400 euros. Meanwhile, the Scirocco R, which is priced at 33,475 euro, is powered by a 2.0-liter TSI engine that develops 265 hp. Because it is equipped with a DSG transmission, the car achieves a fuel consumption rating of 8 liters/100km (29.4 mpg) while emitting 187 grams of CO2 every kilometer.

The Scirocco also has a top speed of 250 km/h. Both these models have an array of exclusive features that include 17-inch “Mallory” alloy wheels (18-inch optional), roof edge spoilers, R-designed bumpers, high-gloss radiator grill and black diffuser in the rear section. With regards to the interior, sill panel strips show the R Line family resemblance, sport seats in new design “Kyalami” with R Line logo in the headrests, a sport steering wheel, pedal covers and footrest in stainless steel.

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Audi A5/S5 Cabrio by B&B

After we saw their Audi Q7, B&B decided to show us its new tuning program for the Audi A5 /S5 Cabriolet. The new program includes some amazing numbers, such as 415 hp and 520 Nm for the Audi A5 Cabriolet with a 3.0TFSI engine but this is not all.

The diesel-powered A5 Cabriolet 3.0TDI will reach up to 325 hp and 640 Nm as it follows: the first stage upgrades the ECU and the boost pressure of 0.15bar and gives it 280 hp and 585 Nm (EUR 1.198,-); the second stage reaches 300 hp and 600 Nm (EUR 1.298,-); the 3rd stage, due to special unit-injector elements in addition to changes to the suction pipe, the airflow and the air cooling system this engine reaches 325 hp and 640 Nm for EUR 3.950.

For the A5 2.0TFSI, B&B offers four stages: the first stage offers 250 hp and 400 Nm for only EUR 998; the other stages offer 260 and 295 hp for the 2.0TFSI engine while the stage four brings 310 hp and 465 Nm. The Audi A5 Cabriolet fitted with the new 2.0TDI Common-Rail engine receives 200 hp and 400 Nm (from 170hp/ 350 Nm) in the first stage while the second stage reaches 220 hp and 420 Nm (prices start at EUR 1.198,-).

In order to improve the stability, the German tuner installed a new suspension which is adjustable in height by up to 40 mm but also the brand new B10 and B12 wheel set with a size of 9“x20“ and a maximum tire equipment of 255/30-20.

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2009 Vw Golf VI GTI by MTM

MTM a.k.a. Motoren Technik Mayer revealed today its latest tuning programme for the 2009 Vw Golf VI GTI! The new kit is ready to make your GTI powerful enough to smash the latest 2010 Vw Golf VI R which was recently unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Why?

Because with the help of some ECU tweaking and an additional air filter, MTM boosted the performance of the engine from 210 hp to an impressive 270 hp and 400 Nm of torque. Of course, this is not all! Due to the big amount of power, the German tuner installed a new set of matt black 19’’MTM Bimoto light alloy wheels wrapped in 235/35 19 size Continental XL Sportcont tyres in order to improve the handling but also to provide better stability when the top speed limited electronically to 265 km/h is achieved. Behind the 19” wheels a new Brembo braking system was installed with 380mm discs and 8-piston calipers.

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Next-generation Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG coming in 2011

For those who don’t know, the Mercedes-Benz CLS was first introduced back in 2003 and was the pioneer in the four-door coupe segment. Meanwhile, new vehicles were introduced to take on the stylish car such as the Porsche Panamera and the Aston Martin Rapide. As you may know, Lamborghini is thinking to introduce its first four-door coupe dubbed Estoque but also Audi with its A7.

Anyway, regarding the CLS, it appears that the competition made the German manufacturer to work at its second generation of the car which is planned to make its debut in 2011. To take on the mentioned cars, Mercedes-Benz will also have the CLS 63 AMG which will receive a 6.3-liter V8 engine capable to deliver around 525 hp and 640 Nm of torque (same used on the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG). Of course, besides the new engine the car will also receive the well known quad-exhaust system, custom suspensions, stronger brakes as well as a new aerodynamic kit and the AMG wheels. For those who want a green car, the manufacturer will also build a hybrid version of the CLS which will borrow the powertrain from the 2010 S400 Hybrid!

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2010 Audi Q7 Facelift by B&B

B&B, the German tuner specialized in Audi vehicles, revealed today its latest tuning program for the new Q7 Facelift. As you can see from the photos, the new kit offers a new front and rear bumper, fender enlargements as well as a rear roof spoiler for an extra €3.498. But these are not the only improvements from the tuner.

The real surprise is under the hood! Two stages are offered for the 6.0-liter V12 turbo-diesel engine: with some ECU tweaking and a slightly increase of the boost pressure of 0.2 bar (EUR 2.498.-) to reach 565 hp and 1220 Nm while with some changes such as the suction pipe, airflow and air cooling system in association to modifications to the unit-injector element and re-balanced engine electronics (EUR 7.950.-) this uncompromisingly engine reach at tuning stage two 595 hp and 1270 Nm.

For the Audi Q7 4.2TDI B&B also offers two stages: the first stage priced at €1.698 boosts it to 375 hp and 850 Nm while the second stage (€4.950) shows an impressive 400 hp and 900 Nm capable to push the vehicle from 0 to 100km/h in 6 seconds and to provide a top speed of 250 km/h.

The popular Q7 3.0 TDI offers three stages: the first offers some ECU tweaking and and a slightly increase of the boost pressure of 0.15 bar (EUR 1.398.-) to reach 280 hp and 585 Nm; the second stage priced at €1.498 delivers 300 hp and 600 Nm while the third stage priced at €3.950 delivers a total output of 325 hp and a maximum torque of 640 Nm. The kit is completed by the exclusive 20”, 22” and 23” B&B alloy rims for €3.998. Also a new special air-chassis adaptation was installed (€985) in order to pull down the car body by up to 50mm

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One-off Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano China Limited Edition

A Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano with a truly inspiring Chinese artistic heritage design will be auctioned on November 3 at a Ferrari charity gala auction. The one-off 599 GTB is designed by Chinese artist Lu Hao, who used Ge Liln porcelain of the Song Dynasty on the Ferrari.

We might not know much about Chinese heritage but we recognize the uniqueness of the car being auctioned off. Only a few hundred pieces of Ge Kiln porcelain exist today, all of which are priceless treasures. Enthralling features on the 599 include a Jade start button and a gold-colored rev counter with ancient Chinese script Xiao Zhuan. The Chinese script is also seen on the recently-launched Ferrari 599 HGTE China Limited Edition. Ferrari Asia Pacific CEO Marco Mattiacci said that the 599 China Limited Edition model is a “true masterpiece, combining rich Chinese artistic heritage with Italian design in a most spectacular way.” A portion of the proceeds raised from the auction will be dedicated for Chinese automotive engineering students.

“Ferrari announces the creation of a unique one-off 599 GTB Fiorano China Limited Edition, signed by Chinese artist Lu Hao, which will be auctioned on the 3rd of November at a special Gala Auction Event hosted by Ferrari in Beijing. This exclusive car follows the announcement in September of a small series of specially-designed 599 GTB Fiorano China Limited Edition models which won wide acclaim.

The one-off incorporates a number of the features of the China Limited Edition cars, a very limited series of less than a dozen cars finished in two-tone Rosso Fuoco with silver roof and characterized by unique Chinese design elements.

This one-off model represents an even more exclusive version, thanks to a very special exterior finish which draws inspiration from Ge Kiln porcelain of the Song Dynasty. Lu Hao has blended traditional design elements with Ferrari’s innovative styling to create a truly unique vehicle using a ‘cracked’ glaze pattern which is elegantly coloured, with clearly defined cracks etched at different depths.

Only a few hundred pieces of Ge Kiln porcelain exist today, all of which are priceless treasures. The “cracked” glaze pattern has the lustre of jade and is often used to symbolize the qualities of a true gentleman. Porcelain is one of China’s most distinctive ancient arts which was brought to the West via the Silk Road thousands of years ago. Using Ge Kin porcelain as the inspiration for the one-off version is a perfect complement to Ferrari’s China Limited Edition Model.

As one of China’s most successful and influential contemporary artists, Lu Hao has exhibited his work in major museums and galleries around the world. For this project he drew inspiration from China’s rich cultural heritage, and as a Ferrari owner, he has a particularly intimate connection with the brand.

“The 599 China Limited Edition model is a true masterpiece, combining rich Chinese artistic heritage with Italian design in a most spectacular way,” says Marco Mattiacci, CEO of Ferrari Asia Pacific.

The proceeds generated from the sale of this car will be used on an educational sponsor programme aimed to help young Chinese students in the automotive engineering field. Details of this programme will be released during the auction.

This is just the latest example of charitable events organized by Ferrari in China since Ferrari Maserati Cars International Trading - Shanghai Co. Ltd was set up in 2004. Other fund-raising efforts have seen Ferrari donate over €500,000 to local charities.”

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