Maserati GranCabrio Fendi

The Maserati GranCabrio Fendi designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi was born from the union of two iconic brands of the made in Italy, which share common values such as craftsmanship and tradition.
A masterpiece of technology and craftsmanship, the Maserati GranCabrio Fendi will be introduced at the 2011 Frankfurt MotorShow.
The Maserati GranCabrio Fendi is crafted at the historical Maserati headquarters in Modena, with exclusive materials bespokely created in various colours for this project.

The three-layered body colour named Grigio Fiamma Fendi is a special dark grey with an iridescent golden finish on the surface. The wood trim Pergamena Fendi runs across the width of the dashboard, on the doors and on the top of the gear lever, all in the iconic FENDI yellow, like the brake callipers and the embroidered yellow trident on the headrests.
Adding a stronger yet elegant character to the GranCabrio is FENDI's unmistakable double F-logo, stitched on the seat, also appearing in the centre of the 19-inch Trident design alloy wheels, and the FENDI logo along the rocker panel.
Cuoio Romano, Fendi's most precious leather of its Selleria line, has been used for such details as the instrument cluster cover, for the gear lever and for the profiles of the floor mats. It also features in the Limited Edition Travel Set of luggage and accessories.
The Maserati GranCabrio Fendi represents a perfect marriage between the art of a handmade product with the ultimate technology and research of its 4.7-litre V8 engine coupled with automatic transmission, which brings out to life a unique roar, music to the ears of car connoisseurs.
Silvia Venturini Fendi's specially crafted logo seals this collaboration. A silver oval plaque with the engraving of the Maserati trident, Fendi logo and the 5-digit series number (five being an iconic number for Fendi) is located on the dashboard, in front of the passenger seat, and on both sides of the black cloth folding roof.
A special black car cover with a ton-sur-ton double F logo dresses the GranCabrio, hiding this marvellous secret from indiscreet eyes until the very last moment.

Land Rover Range Rover Evoque 5-door

After a brief statement at the Paris Motor Show, Land Rover has revealed details of the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque 5-door. U.S. sales begin in autumn 2011 and Land Rover announced an estimated street price of $ 45,000.
Although it was not anything else on this release, we expect the same design and look at the engine lineup. Clean, Prestige and dynamic: Will the choice of either Land Rover Range Rover Evoque 2WD or 4WD version, and three trim levels. Under the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque 5-door hood, the new 2.0-liter supercharged SI4 gasoline direct injection and dual variable valve timing in combination.

Just as with the two-door version, the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque 5-door version with a unique 19-inch wheels and shiny metallic accents, premium leather, double stitching and genuine wood and metal finish, unique bumpers, panels, grille and exhaust for more assertive safe place, perforated leather sports seats and unique details. Appointment of a full-size panoramic glass roof that allows lots of natural light, further enhance the feeling of space.
2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque allows customers the premium leather package that virtually every interior surface of the lid can be determined. In addition, adolescents with 60/40 folding handles Isofix child seat, and possibly, luggage space can be extended to 1445 l decent.
Most functions can be controlled by an SUV with an intuitive touch-screen display, available with dual view technology as the driver and passenger side is the separation of functions or access content simultaneously. Integrated Bluetooth and USB and auxiliary line input is also available. There is also a new 2011 Range Rover Evoque high-end audio system from Meridian, which has 17 speakers for a total of 825 watts of surround sound.

Under the skin, 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque 5-door is equipped with the optional adaptive dynamics system with magnetic ride, which promises to offer a better balance between handling and ride quality, while the company’s signature Terrain Response control of full-time four-wheel drive system for off-road conditions. Land Rover Range Rover Evoque is also the first Range Rover offers a front-wheel drive option.

2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Turbo power plant line-up is shared with the coupe and consists of a modern gasoline and diesel engines, said the offer “four-cylinder efficiency six-cylinder power and refinement.” 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque 5-door Diesel versions, the majority of sales in Europe, so it’s no surprise that the 2.2-liter 2010 Land Rover LR4 engine has two derivatives, with 150 hp (112 kW) and 190 hp (142 kW). Solitary 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine in combination with direct fuel injection and two variable valve timing for a very respectable 240 hp or 179 kW for production.

VolksWagen up

Volkswagen has redrawn the map of the small car world. The goal: to develop a small car with charisma, a small car with maximum space on a minimal footprint, a small car with the most fuel-efficient engines or an electric drive, a small car with intuitive infotainment and operating systems, a small car with the safety of a large car. The result is the new Volkswagen up! It measures a short 3.54 metres and is a specialist for everyday urban living that was thought through to the last detail. This car - like the larger Polo and the even larger Golf - will appeal to people of all ages and mobility wishes.

Affordable for everyone. In launching the up!, Volkswagen is not only putting a new car in motion; it is also redefining the parameters of customisation and financing. This means that along with clearly delineated equipment lines on the Volkswagen up!, new features will be offered such as up! boxes - e.g. box sets for shopping, long trips or for children on board. The up! will have an infotainment system that owners can tailor to their personal profiles using apps. And because a small car needs to be affordable, a new financing model known as AutoCredit2 that is exclusively tailored to VW up! buyers will offer greater financial freedom thanks to its flexible configuration options. And for many people, this will make the goal of driving a safe and economical new car more attainable than ever. Like the Beetle back in the 1950s, one could say that the Volkswagen up! is once again "democratising" car driving.
The up! will first be launched in the European market. It all starts in December 2011. There are 3 versions for different budgets and needs: take up! is the entry-level car, move up! the comfort-oriented one and high up! the top version. Directly at the car's market launch, there will also be 2 independent models based on the high up!: the up! black and the up! white.

New generation of engines
Debuting in the Volkswagen up! is a new generation of three-cylinder petrol engines. They output 44 kW / 60 PS and 55 kW / 75 PS. Combined fuel consumption as a BlueMotion Technology version (including a Stop/Start system): 4.2 l/100 km (60 PS) and 4.3 l/100 km (75 PS). Both of these 1.0-litre engines emit less than the 100 g/km CO2 limit. A natural gas engine with 50 kW / 68 PS with the same basic configuration will follow. Its combined fuel consumption of 3.2 kg/100 km (natural gas) is equivalent to a CO2 value of 86 g/km; as a BlueMotion Technology version the natural-gas powered up! even attains a low CO2 value of 79 g/km. There are also definite plans for an up! with an electric drive for the year 2013.
First small car with City Emergency Braking
An important new safety technology system is the optional City Emergency Braking. It is automatically active at speeds under 30 km/h, and it uses a laser sensor to detect the risk of an imminent collision. Depending on the vehicle's speed and the driving situation, City Emergency Braking can reduce accident severity by initiating automatic brake interventions - and possibly even avoid a crash. So far, the VW up! is the only vehicle in the segment to be offered with an emergency braking function for city driving.
Dimensions and styling for the world's metropolitan areas
With its noted 3.54 metre length and 1.64 metre width, the Volkswagen up! is one of the smallest four-seat cars. The Volkswagen is 1.48 metres tall. Its overall length consists of conspicuously short body overhangs and a very long wheelbase (2.42 metres) - a body layout that fully utilises the space available in the new design. Klaus Bischoff, Head of Design for the Volkswagen Brand says: "If the goal is to maximise space, the ideal form for a small car would be a rectangular box. In the up! we were able to sculpt such a box with a clean and powerful design that does not lose sight of space utilisation." The front end of the VW up! reveals much about the car's character. Klaus Bischoff: "The face is unmistakably that of a genuine Volkswagen, but with a very independent personality. Naturally, the familiar styling characteristics of our brand face can also be found on the up! - the emphasis of horizontal elements and the connection of the grille and headlights to form a band, the accents created by small angles and the characteristic light signature of the headlights. But more than on any of the other models, the Volkswagen up! definitely shows a smile. The up! is simply appealing, and it appeals in a simple way!"
Uncompromisingly good use of interior space
Space utilisation in the car is exceptionally good, because of its wheelbase - one of the longest in the segment - combined with an engine that is mounted well forward. Although the driver, front passenger and 2 rear passengers are travelling in a small car, it is by no means a cramped vehicle. On the contrary. Consider the boot: 251 litres are significantly more than is typical in the vehicle class of the up! When the rear seat is fully folded, cargo space even increases to 951 litres. These two values show that in its interior the Volkswagen up! will be a giant among small cars.
An interior design that is fun
Essentially, the up! interior has a very clean and well-organised layout. The new Volkswagen also offers numerous clever and detailed solutions, fun styling and a level of quality that will enhance the market segment. Especially high-end is the Dash Pad, an instrument pad extending crosswise in front of the driver and front passenger. Depending on the equipment line, either decor paint or one of the 5 body colours is used in the interior.
VW up! boxes - small things that make a big difference
The developers of the Volkswagen up! asked themselves whether everyday living with the car could be structured in a simpler and friendlier way. Their answer was a decisive yes! Because it is often the small things that make a big difference. And that is how the idea of the up! boxes came about. Small, lightweight boxes for a wide variety of situations and needs. Take the "kid box", for example, that was designed for parents with small children; it includes a bag for the thousand small items that are essential with small children; and of course a toy to cuddle with and a lunch box for the obligatory snacks. Other Volkswagen up! boxes will be called the "city box" and the "travel box". And their names are their agendas.
maps + more - the Portable Infotainment Device (PID)
For the first time in a Volkswagen, the maps + more system is now being offered, a mobile Portable Infotainment Device (PID). In the economically priced up!, this is a system that is equally economical and was developed to organise the navigation, telephone, information and entertainment areas. In cooperation with Navigon, one of the world's leading suppliers of navigation systems, a special solution was tailored to the up! which is affordable for all buyers - maps + more. The user simply snaps the PID into place above the centre console. Unlike many other similar systems of this type, maps + more melds with the car's network of systems much better: navigation, telephone and infotainment can now be controlled and viewed via the PID touchscreen, and the touchscreen can also be used to view important vehicle information, such as the visual display of the ParkPilot (controls the car's distance to the next vehicle). Apps specially developed for the VW up! also let users extend maps + more to meet their specific needs.

Toyota Sales Plunge More than 33% in May, Chrysler Group up by 10%

The numbers for U.S. auto sales for the month of May are out and as expected, Japanese automakers continue to be hit hard by the ongoing production disruptions caused by the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster in their home market. As a result, Toyota’s sales plunged 33.4% over the year-ago month to 108,387 units, while rivaling Honda saw its sales fall 22.5% to 90,773 vehicles, Nissan recorded a 9.1% drop to 76,148 units and Mazda 17,875 vehicles, down 20.9%.

General Motors dealers in the United States delivered 221,192 vehicles in May posting a decline of 1%, while the Ford Motor Co. said its sales decreased by 0.1% to 192,253 cars, trucks and SUVs.

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Kia Launches Soul Hamstar Special Edition in the U.S.

The success of the popular Hamster advertising campaign that promoted the Soul in the U.S. in 2010 inspired Kia to launch a new special edition model of its boxy crossover model. Previewed by the Hamstar concept at the 2011 SEMA show, the red and black 2011 Hamstar is the sixth special edition Soul. The car sports unique exterior graphics and interior refinements, including a 315-watt audio system with pulsing speaker lights. Read more »

Hyundai Set to Become Sixth Biggest Automaker in the U.S. In 2011

In the realm of U.S. automotive sales, 8% is a magic number. When an automaker hits 8%, they know they’ve become one of the big guns. Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, Honda, Dodge and Nissan have all made it, and 2011 is expected to be Hyundai’s year.

So sayeth market research firm Polk, and I’m tempted to agree. Hyundai and its partner-brand / internal rival Kia have steadily been evolving into truly world-class carmakers. They’re keenly priced, inoffensive to look at and comprehensively covered quality-wise – everything the vast majority of new car buyers want in this day and age.

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Kia apresenta Soul Flex e Novo Sportage

Em um evento em Itú, a Kia apresntou Soul Flex e nova Sportage

Kia apresentou a Nova Sportage, que chegou em janeiro, e começou a ser comercializada oficialmente hoje

Versão cupê do Cerato (Cerato Koup) chega em maio

E versão hatch do Cerato só chegará no fim de 2011, junto com o sedã Optima, que chega em novembro

A Kia mostrou em um evento, realizado na cidade de Itu, duas importantes novidades para 2011, que devem colocar a marca coreana em condições de brigar mais forte nos segmentos dos crossover monovolume e dos utilitários-esportivos.

A aposta mais ousada, que serviu como divisor de águas da Kia em todo o mundo, é o Soul Flex, à venda desde a ultima semana de dezembro, com preços a partir de R$ 52.900. Além do motor flex, o Soul ganhou câmbio automático com opção de trocas sequenciais, novos mostradores no painel e maçanetas externas. A câmera de ré, opcional, que gera imagens em uma tela LCD de 3,5 polegadas no retrovisor, também é novidade na linha. O motor 1.6 16V com etanol gera 130 cv de potência e foi o pontapé inicial nos modelos flex. Os próximos a "alcoolicos" serão o novo Picanto, previsto para agosto, com motor 1.0 de três cilindros, e o sedã Cerato.

Por falar em Cerato, a Kia afirmou que a versão hatch sofreu um atraso devido ao volume de produção na matriz. O modelo era previsto para chegar no começo deste ano, mas, só deve desembarcar no final de 2011.

A outra novidade apresentada pela montadora foi o SUV Sportage. A nova geração do modelo chega com motor 2.0 16V, que gera 165 cv e vem com novo design, incorporando a identidade visual da marca.

O Sportage está disponível em quatro versões com tração 4x2 e uma com tração integral 4WD. A versão de entrada já conta de série com ar-condicionado, CD com MP3, airbag duplo e direção hidráulica, com preço inicial de R$ 83.900. A versão topo-de-linha acrescenta ar-condicionado digital dual zone, teto solar, espelho retrovisor anti-ofuscamento, airbags laterais e de cortina, além de câmbio automático e controle de estabilidade (ESP).

O sedã Optima, outra novidade da marca, apresentada no Salão de SP, chega só em novembro. O Koup, versão cupê-esportiva do Cerato, só em maio.

2011 Kia Optima Test Drive

If the Optima were a farmer, its standard-equipment crop would be bountiful. A dual exhaust with chrome tips; turn signals integrated into the mirror housings a sound system with Sirius satellite radio and USB, auxiliary, and Bluetooth connectivity; a tilting and telescoping steering wheel; and power locks and windows are all standard on the base LX model. The rear seat splits 60/40 and folds, and all automatic models come with cruise control.2011 Kia Optima Test Drive

Three trim levels are primarily differentiated on the outside by their wheel sizes. LX models wear 16s, EXs get 17s, and the big-dog SX rolls on 18s. To the LX’s gear, the EX adds fog lights, heated outside mirrors, body-color door handles, a little more chrome pizzazz, a rearview camera, push-button ignition, dual-zone climate control, and Kia’s new Uvo vehicle-interface system developed with Microsoft.

Spring for the SX, and you’ll net HID headlights, LED taillights, and an LCD information screen tucked into the instrument panel. The SX also is set apart with a unique appearance, thanks to a separate grille design, exclusive rocker moldings, a lip spoiler, and red brake calipers. Inside is French-stitched black leather, with metal pedals and paddle shifters to make the driver feel faster.

While the look is thoroughly overhauled, don’t expect pricing to change much. When the new Optima goes on sale in early fall of 2010, the sticker should stay close to today’s range of $18,000 to $23,000.

Regardless, in the hyper-competitive mid-size-sedan market, Kia has nothing to lose and everything to gain by turning its milquetoast Optima into something other than what it is today.

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