Posts Tagged ‘Geneva’

     Tata Motors launched the Electic variant of its popular small car at the Geneva Motor Show. The Electric Nano whcih is christened Nano EV is primarily aimed at European Market. The electric motor and battery pack has been neatly incorporated in the car withought affecting is functionality.

     Along with the Nano EV was none other than the latest entry in the Tata family, The Aria – which is supposed to be the best Tata ever yet. Aria will go on sale in UK in early 2011. Aira has been designed according to the European standards and Tata is expecting to get a 4 star ratings in the EuroNACP

Via AutomobilePlanet.com

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Geneva Motor Show

Today marks the conclusion of the 80th edition of the Geneva Motor Show but we could not let this remarkable episode end without mention of one final electric city car: the Eva concept by Valmet Automotive. The contract constructor, whose Finnish facility fabricates the Th!nk City, the genteel Garia golfcart and will soon furnish Fisker with the Karma, took it upon themselves to engineer their own vehicle as a way of exhibiting their expertise in this area as well.

What they’ve come up with is an attractive 2+2 built on an advanced aluminum space frame (like the Karma’s) with modularity that allows it to be adapted to other vehicle types. The drivetrain boasts a high-efficiency axial flux induction motor from Axco Motors featuring direct drive that can bring the Eva up to 120 km/h (75 miles per hour). Its Nokia smartphone technology allows the handset’s apps to be accessed through the infotainment system and also capture performance and other vehicle data. Its NAVTEQ-supplied navigation computer can take terrain into account and plan the most efficient route, lead you to the nearest charging station and warn you as you approach “point of no return” of its 100 mile (160 kilometers) range. The only thing this city car concept doesn’t seem to do is iron and fold your laundry. It’s even had its own charger unit which can be activated via SMS.

Although the company won’t be offering their automotive opus for sale, at least not directly, we still may have a chance to see it operating on the road. Valmet president Ilpo Korhonen referred to the Eva as “a car for driving not only for showing.” Hey, after all that effort, we hope so. Hit the jump for the full press release as well as bonus video of the vehicle’s unveiling.

[Source: Valmet Automotive]

Continue reading Geneva 2010: Valmet presents their all-electric Eva concept

Geneva 2010: Valmet presents their all-electric Eva concept originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Via Autoblog Green

Filed under: Safety, Mazda

According to a recent report, Mazda will be installing brake override systems on all of its models in the near future. Whenever that happens, the brake will automatically get priority over the accelerator in a situation where both of them are simultaneously depressed. Nissan already has such a system installed on most of its cars, and Toyota has already pledged to do so. As far as Japan goes that leaves companies like Honda, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Suzuki in the “Undecided” column.

A Mazda spokesman said the company wasn’t aware of any unintended acceleration issues with its vehicles anywhere in the world that would necessitate such a system. This really looks to be a proactive move, since the estimated $50-per-car cost of the brake override will be much less hurtful than having to recall an untold numbers of cars… and you’ll be paying for it, anyway. The company doesn’t have details yet on the specifics of implementation, but it will eventually apply to every car the company sells.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Mazda reportedly adding brake override systems to all future models originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Via Autoblog

Filed under: Car Buying, Wagon, Saab

Saab has released pricing details on its 2010 9-3 lineup, a newsworthy action in that it wasn’t long ago that “Saab” and “2010 models” appeared to be mutually exclusive terms. Now that Victor Muller and Spyker have graciously relieved GM of the Saab albatross, it’s onward and (ideally) upward for 2010 as the new company, Saab Spyker Automobiles, chases after the profits that have perennially eluded Trollhättan. The most noteworthy ride on just-released the price list? That would be the 2010 Saab 9-3X, the Allroad/Outback style jacked-up, all-wheel-drive SportCombi. Parking one in the garage at your ski home in Aspen will set you back, at minimum, $37,800, including destination. You can check out more high-res pics in the galleries below.

[Source: Saab]

Continue reading 2010 Saab 9-3X U.S. pricing announced

2010 Saab 9-3X U.S. pricing announced originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 07 Mar 2010 15:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Via Autoblog

It’s been a good Geneva Show. The somber mood of last year has definitely changed for the better. Business is still tough, but many automakers are recording improved sales, and, importantly, starting to make some money. But best of all, it’s a show jammed with interesting and desirable machinery we just can’t wait to get our hands on. So here, in no particular order, are the Geneva cars we’re most looking forward to driving…

PORSCHE 918 SPYDER
Porsche’s hybrid supercar concept is the star of the show, and the good news is that while it’s a concept, it’s anything but vaporware. The 918 Spyder’s technical specification reads like a science experiment and its claimed performance like science fiction. But as Mike Connor reports, Porsche is apparently considering building a strictly limited run of production versions — maybe 750 to 1250 in total — using a similar business model as the Carerra GT’s. Significantly, Porsche CEO Michael Macht made a point of saying the company has only ever shown one concept car that never made it into production. So consider our hand up for the first drive. Please form an orderly line to the left.

ALFA ROMEO GUILIETTA
If this is how the Italians do a mainstream hatch, then call us middle of the road. The Alfa Romeo Guilietta’s hardware might read pretty much like that of any number of C-segment hatches from Focus to Golf, but look at the wrapper. The Guilietta is flat-out gorgeous, from the 8C-inspired front end with traditional Alfa shield grille to the sensuously humped haunches at the rear. And it brings back one of the great names from Alfa’s storied back catalog, along with a legendary Alfa Romeo engine capacity — 1750cc. With 235 horsepower on tap, and Italian chassis tuning, the Guilietta 1750 should be a worthy VW GTI rival. We can’t wait to find out if it is.

MINI COUNTRYMAN
Can BMW make the Mini magic work in a taller, larger, heavier crossover package? We want to know, which is why the new Countryman is near the top of our must drive list for 2010. The Countryman has full-time all-wheel drive which allows up to 100 percent of the torque to be directed to the rear wheels in extreme conditions, and will be available with either six speed manual or six speed automatic transmissions. The base Cooper Countryman will be powered by a 122 horsepower 1.6-liter four, but we’ll be reaching for the keys to the Cooper S version, which is powered by a 184 horsepower 1.6-liter turbo with BMW’s new twin scroll turbocharger, direct injection and variable valve timing.

FORD FOCUS WAGON
Yeah, yeah, we know the only way most Americans will buy wagons is if they can be conned into thinking they’re actually buying a crossover vehicle. But there’s something wonderfully endearing  about a small, efficient  wagon, especially one rolling on a chassis tuned by the handling whizzes at Ford of Europe. We want to drive one just to see what we’re going to miss out on here in America. And if we’re going to do the whole Euro-cruise thing, we may as well go the whole hog. So next time we’re on the other side of the Pond, we’ll be putting in a request for one with the 161 horsepower, 2.0-liter Duratorq TDCI diesel and six speed dual clutch transmission. Purely in the interest of research, you understand.

VOLVO S60
To be honest, we’re not sure about the new S60. Steve Mattin’s undulating bone line along the bodyside and that drooping front end has removed some of the carefully honed and cleverly understated elegance Volvos gained under the design stewardship of Peter Horbury. Having left Ford, Horbury is back in Gothenburg, so we’re expecting a return to form on the design front. What we want to know now is whether Volvo has finally figured out how to get the ride and handling balance right. As the new S60 shares some of its basic platform hardware with the new Ford Focus, we’re expecting great things, especially for the 304-horsepower T6 turbo.

BENTLEY MULSANNE
We’ll drive the new Mulsanne in Scotland at the end of April, and it should be quite an experience. Bentley CEO Franz-Josef Paefgen and engineering director Ulrich Eichhorn are about as passionate and knowledgeable a pair of car guys as you’ll find in this business, and they have poured their heart and soul into this car, taking on even the formidable Ferdinand Piech in their quest to re-invent the ultimate Bentley limousine, pushrod turbocharged V-8 and all. The Mulsanne is big and fast and glorious; Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance rendered in metal, glass and rubber. But is it a better ultra-luxury car than Rolls-Royce’s stunning new Ghost? There’s only one way to find out…

AUDI RS5
Who says you can have too much of a good thing? We love the 350 horsepower Audi S5, so the 450 horsepower RS5 has to be that much better. That direct injection 4.2-liter V-8 under the hood develops its peak power at 8250 rpm, a seven-speed dual clutch transmission is standard, and between 60 and 85 percent of the torque is sent to the rear wheels at all times. The sheet metal is Sophia Loren incarnate, an artful mix of elegance and voluptuousness, and there’s room aboard for four. What’s not to like? But will it come to the U.S.? “We’re still debating that,” admits Audi board member Peter Schwarzenbauer. “Justin Timberlake is pushing for us to do it.” Sounds like a good enough reason to us.

Via MotorTrend Magazine Blogs