New Ford Fiesta Cars

Ford has made a smooth-shifting new addition to the Fiesta range, in the form of the new Durashift automatic transmission models, to match the new 1.4-litre, 96PS Duratec petrol engine, with a responsive character that benefits from new Fiesta’s lighter yet stronger body structure, being approximately 40kg lighter than the car it replaced.

This ensures ‘auto’ convenience does not significantly compromise performance or economy, with new Fiesta automatic achieving 0-62mph in 13.9sec, while delivering 43.4mpg and a CO2 rating of 154g/km on the EU combined driving cycle1.

ford fiesta cars

ford fiesta cars

ford fiesta cars

ford fiesta cars

BMW Gran Coupe concept green-lighted for production

BMW will inveterate that the Gran Coupe Concept will reach production. The design of the Audi A7-rival will be shared with the forthcoming 6 Series Coupe.

Speaking at an event in Munich, Klaus Draeger, an associate of BMW's Board of Management, said that the GCC will become a 6-Series "four-door coupe". He implied the car would launch in late 2012.

To be sold as the BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe, several engines and models will be offered: two petrols & diesels, a hybrid, and an M variant. So expect a 300bhp (304PS) 3.0 litre 6 cylinder (hybrids will have a 54bhp (55PS) electric motor), 400bhp (406PS) 4.4 litre V8 petrol, 3.0 litre diesel with 204bhp (207PS) and 245bhp (248 PS), and a twin-turbo V8 with 555bhp (563PS) to 570bhp (578PS).

Other than talking about the production GCC, Draeger mentioned BMW has designed and built a 6 Series Shooting Brake. It hasn't been confirmed for production, but market evaluation studies are currently in progress.

2011 Hyundai Equus specification announced

Hyundai have revealed extra information regarding engines and specifications for the all-new 2011 Equus. The Equus will be offered in just two trim-levels, Equus Signature and Equus Ultimate.

The Equus Signature features a 4.6 litre 385bhpTau® V8 petrol engine w/ 6 speed automatic, 608w Lexicon® sound system w/17 speakers, electronically controlled air suspension with continuous damping control, Vehicle Stability Management with pre-collision warning, Smart Cruise Control, bi-xenon headlamps w/ LED day-time running ligths, front and rear parking sensors w/rear-view camera, premium leather seating, Alcantara suede headliner, heated and cooled front seats w/ drivers massage function, heated wood and leather steering wheel, and other lavish luxuries.

The Equus Ultimate adds a grille-mounted front camera, power bootlid, electrically reclining rear seats with powered headrests, cooled rear seats, rear seat massage and leg support function, rear seat refrigerator and rear seat entertainment system.

"When you're spending this much for a new car, you don't want to feel like you've been short-changed on engineering, technology or features," said John Krafcik, Hyundai Motor America president and CEO. "Equus Signature has the technology and content of fully-optioned flagship models from Lexus and BMW, while Equus Ultimate delivers a specification approached only by our competitors' low-volume, special-order models."

Hyundai's novel perspective on intelligent luxury, features "Your Time, Your Place," the industry's first at-home vehicle demonstration program, the Valet Service program, which provides at-home pickup for Equus service and maintenance and the industry's first iPad-based interactive owner's manual.

A 5.0 litre Tau 429bhp V8 petrol engine will join the range at a later date, mated to an all-new in-house 8 speed automatic. Prices are expected to start around $58,000.

EQUUS SIGNATURE KEY STANDARD FEATURES:

4.6 litre DOHC Tau V8 engine, 6 speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC® , electro-hydraulic power steering (EHPS), electronically controlled air suspension with continuous damping control (CDC), 19” chrome alloy wheels with P245/45R19 (front) / P275/40R19 (rear) tyres, four-wheel disc brakes with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and EBD, electronic stability control (ESC) with TCS and brake assist, vehicle stability management (VSM) system with pre-collision warning, 9 airbags; x2 front airbags, front and rear seat-mounted side-impact airbags, driver knee airbag, and roof-mounted side-curtain airbags, electronic active front head restraints with power controls, electronic seatbelt pretensioners, tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), lane departure warning system (LDWS), smart cruise control, adaptive high intensity discharge (HID) headlights with LED turn signal indicators w/auto-levelling, fog lights and automatic headlights, front and rear parking assistance system w/rear-view camera, electric-folding heated auto-dimming mirrors w/ turn signal indicators and approach lamps, twin asymmetrical exhaust tips integrated with rear bumper, proximity key entry w/push-button start, illuminated scuff plates, inside door handles and door armrest, premium leather seating surfaces and Alcantara® suede headliner, 12 way power driver seat plus lumbar adjustment and 10 way power front passenger seat, driver seat massage system, heated and cooled front seats, heated, wood-trimmed and leather-wrapped steering wheel, power tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel, integrated memory system (IMS) for driver-side seat, mirror and steering wheel, leather-wrapped dash and real wood interior trim, electroluminescent cluster (Supervision) with 3.5-inch TFT LCD screen, electronic parking brake with automatic vehicle hold, power windows with auto-down/up, navigation system w/ DIS and multimedia controller, Apple iPad interactive owner's manual, 608w Lexicon 7.1 Discrete surround-sound system with 17 speakers, iPod/USB and MP3 auxiliary input jacks and iPod connection cable, XM® Satellite Radio & NavTraffic® with trial subscription, Bluetooth® hands-free phone system, dual automatic temperature control with air quality system, windshield-wiper de-icer, rain-sensing wipers and auto-defogging windshield with humidity sensor, electrochromic auto-dimming inside rear-view mirror with HomeLink® and compass, acoustic laminated windshield , front and rear side windows, power tilt-and-slide glass sunroof, 60/40 power reclining and heated rear seats, power rear sunshade and rear side-window sunshades, luggage net, premium-grade floor mats, premium-grade trunk cargo mat and first-aid kit (PIO).

EQUUS COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:

Tau V8 engine, rated one of Ward's "Ten Best Engines" for 2009 and 2010

First-class seating available on Equus Ultimate (competitors' best seating options come only on the long-wheelbase variants)

Standard Smart Cruise Control

Standard Lane Departure Warning System

Standard heated steering wheel

Standard power reclining rear seats

Standard heated rear seats

Standard premium Lexicon 7.1 Discrete surround sound audio system with 17 speakers

Available rear console refrigerator (only available on some competitors' LWB models)

EQUUS ULTIMATE ADDS ULTRA LUXURY FEATURES:


Equus Ultimate adds or replaces:

50/50 split rear seats (four-passenger seating) with reclining function, rear passenger leg support and massage system, cooled rear seats, rear-seat entertainment system w/ 8” monitor, thermoelectric rear center console refrigerator, rear-seat power up/down head restraints w/ manual tilt, rear-seat illuminated vanity mirrors, forward-view cornering camera and a power trunk lid.

The Equus Ultimate replaces the 60:40 rear seat of the Equus Signature with a 50:50 power reclining seating configuration. The seat-back of this 50:50 seat massages and vibrates with heat - the perfect relaxation therapy for extended cruising. It is operated by its own remote control unit.

Equus offers four exterior colours and three interior theme choices. Exterior colours are White Satin Pearl, Black Noir Pearl, Granite Gray and Platinum Metallic. Interior themes are Cashmere with genuine Birch Burl wood, Jet Black with genuine walnut wood and Saddle with genuine walnut wood.

2011 Mazda Verisa

Mazda has subtly revised the Verisa crossover (MPV & SUV) for the Japanese market for the 2011 MY. Some may recognise the Verisa, that's because it underpins the 2002 Ford Fiesta/Fusion. The Verisa will still be sold alongside it’s younger sibling, the Demio (Mazda2 in overseas market).

The minor changes consist of new colours for both the fabric and leather seats, revised instrument panel that includes a fuel consumption gauge and an "eco-lamp" to support economical driving, restyled steel wheels and improved standard equipment on some model grades. Sales have already begun.

Main features of the refreshed Verisa

Design:

• The Verisa C features new Coral Brown fabric seats, which are brown in the middle and beige on the sides

• The Verisa L has new Cool Black leather seats with a black and sand-coloured two-tone design.

• To match the new seats, the Verisa L has a black and sand-coloured leather-wrapped steering wheel.

• Both grades have a newly designed instrument panel with blackout metres.

• Newly designed hub caps for both the 14” and 15” wheels.

Equipment:

• Automatic headlights and front rain sensing wipers (which automatically switch on according to ambient conditions), and water-repellent coating (on the front door windows and door mirrors) are standard equipment on the Verisa L grade.

• A fuel consumption gauge (showing average fuel consumption) and an eco-lamp have been added to the instrument panel on all model grades.

BMW to recall 5 Series GT

BMW USA is to recall in excess of 6,000 2010 and 2011 5 Series GT built between 12th January – 1st July, due to a faulty fuel gauge. BMW owners are being cautioned by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the problem.

According to NHSTA, the 5 Series GT’s level sensor within the fuel tank can become wedged against the tank. If this happens, the fuel gauge in the instrument cluster will display a larger amount of fuel than what's in the actual tank.

BMW has not yet provided details on when the fix or notification schedule will take place. Concerned owners of the affected models can contact BMW on 1-800-525-7417.

Kia allegedly abandons Soul

When the KIA Soul’ster Concept premiered at the 2009 North American International Auto Show, it turned heads. Even though the 2dr open-top SUV design was well-received by the media and public, rumours surfaced of a production model, planned for the near future. Apparently, Kia has now cancelled its plans to build the Soul'ster for production.

In order for Kia approve the Soul’ster, Orth Hedrick, director of product planning, said “You have to have broader appeal” to justify the development time and money it would take to bring the model to market. He added that a production Soul'ster would be an “almost all-new vehicle,” due to structural and weight differences from the regular Soul.

“The business case is really what we have to keep studying all the time,” said Hedrick, noting developing and selling Soul variants would be a challenge, “especially in this environment.”

Hedrick also confirmed that the Soul will undergo revised front and rear fascias, as well as receive more upmarket features for the mid-cycle change in 2012.

Nissan X-Trail facelift

Nissan has revised the X-Trail SUV with extensive updates to keep up with competition in the European market.

Like the JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) X-Trail, the European model receives a remodeled grille, headlights and bumper assembly. The X-Trail is available with both bi-xenon and halogen headlamps and the background of the headlamp cluster is painted black on all grades and fog lamps are mounted below the headlights, recessed in the bumper.

At the rear, the X-Trail’s distinctive vertical lights have been updated to incorporate LED light technology for the running lights and braking, improving visibility and, therefore, safety. The indicator is incorporated into the lower portion of the light assembly, with the running/brake lights to the outside of it.

The new X-Trail now gets 10 spoke 18” alloy wheel design, to give more presence on the road. A small increase in tyre width has led to a slight widening of the wheelarch moulding. X-Trail Acenta obtains new double 5-spoke 17” alloy wheels. Due to the external changes, the newcomer is 10mm longer at the front and 10mm taller due to the increase in tyre width and diameter.

Internally, improved materials and better colour coordination at to an upscale feel. The materials used for the switch surrounds on the steering wheel, around the gear selector and on the door-mounted armrest have all been improved for better touch feeling, while thicker, soft-touch materials have been chosen for the cloth seats.

The stitching on the leather interior gives a more premium feel than before. A revised speedometer is bigger and clearer and engine speed readouts at enhanced quality. A new drive computer with a white-on-black display is added for maximum clarity. The computer offers a series of useful information for the driver, including: fuel economy, outside temperature (including ice warning function), cruising range, average speed and a reminder to take a break. The drive computer screen can also display additional information such as warnings for low fuel, parking brake, undetected Intelligent Key and open door, as well as vital maintenance information, such as tyre maintenance, low oil and a service reminder.

Vitally, rear occupant comfort has been improved thanks to redesigned front seats, creating an additional 10mm of knee-room, without negotiating on comfort for the front seat occupants. Even the rear tonneau cover material has been upgraded.

The heated and cooled glovebox and cupholders have been reworked to offer quicker heating and cooling. Heated rear seats are now fitted as standard on Tekna models.

Nissan-Renault’s 2.0 dCi 173bhp diesel engine has significant updates to comply with Euro5 emission regulations. A key innovation is the addition of an extra injector port, taking the total number to seven, while the piston bowl has been adapted for the new injector configuration.

The manual gearbox has revised ratios for a better compromise between acceleration, fuel economy and emissions, while the automatic gearbox has been modified for reduced friction. An additional feature is the gearchange indicator function in the drive computer screen, showing drivers when to change gear for optimised economy. Thanks to better underbody aerodynamics, X-Trail’s Cd is reduced from 0.36 to 0.35.

Speaking about the updates to Nissan’s X-TRAIL, Vincent Wijnen Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Nissan Europe, said: “All of these changes will reinforce the X-TRAIL as one of the few genuine compact SUVs which can just as comfortably tackle the demands of everyday family life, as it can a muddy, slippery track when it transports a family for a weekend of adventure. X-TRAIL customers love it for its ease and convenience of daily use, no matter what situation they find themselves in. With these revisions to Nissan’s X-TRAIL, there is even more to love about X-TRAIL.”

Deliveries for the revamped X-Trail start in October.

Japanese models receive similar updates, in addition to new colour options and more standard features. While the petrol engine hasn’t been touched, the X-Trail 20GT 2.0 litre diesel now gets a 6 speed automatic transmission. The 173bhp engine produces 360Nm (265lb-ft) of torque. Nissan has also updated its "Advanced Hill Descent Control" which is now fitted with a speed-setting function.

Japanese prices start at ¥2,239,650 (£16,300), rising to ¥3,139,500 (£22,800).

2011 Nissan X-Trail facelift (Japan):