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2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid
In a press release on the new Volkswagen BlueMotion technology, the company announced that it would be showing a prototype STI V6 Touareg Hybrid Motor Show Geneva 2009. VW will evolve the concept of a production model. When it enters production in 2010, it will be the first hybrid SUV of 3.5 metric ton (about 7700lbs) towing capacity.
Food for the 'ute comes with a new 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 is similar to one launched in 2010, Audi S4 and A6. In the Touareg, it will make 245 hp. The V-6 will be accompanied by an electric motor 51 sec between the eight speeds and the engine. Power to the electric motor comes from a high-voltage battery located behind the rear axel.
When most power is needed, the hybrid has a boost mode, which uses both the electric motor and the engine to deliver as much as 550 Nm (406 lb.-ft.) of torque. On the other hand, more and more driving, the electric motor can propel the Touareg without emissions at speeds up to 31 mph. The Touareg also use hybrid regenerative braking and auto start / stop saving technologies to stay on fuel. VW estimates that the SUV hybrid will average about 26 mpg.
The new hybrid is shared with that of the next Porsche Cayenne Hybrid and the Audi Q5 hybrid that is the rumor on sale in the United States in late 2010.
2010 Lamborghini Murcielago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce
Imagine, if you will, for the Lamborghini Reventon million in a blender with a brand new Murcielago LP 640-4, and pushing the "mixture". Although we would not accomplish such a sadistic act of our own, we have no doubt that the result looks something like 2010 Lamborghini Murcielago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce.
But the latest iteration of the Murcielago is more than just a cosmetic refresh. Although the Italian term Superveloce translated as "broadband", when applied to the legendary Miura and Diablo, it has become a hardcore supercar with levels of performance. From what we saw on the new LP 670-4 SV, that tradition continues.
Engineers first reshuffle of the Murcielago aluminum-block 6.5-liter V-12 engine. At first glance, it differs little from those of LP 640 and the Reventon, but with a new intake manifold, exhaust system, engine computer, and valves optimized, the engine now pumps 670 hp - 10 hp more than the Reventon and 30 hp on a Murcielago LP 640. Unlike the Diablo SV, which rejected the Diablo VT's all-wheel-drive system to a rear-wheel drive configuration, SV Murcielago LP 670-4 continues to send power to all four wheels through either a six-speed automatic transmission or six-speed manual.
With the increased power, the team sought to Sant'Agata Bolognese to reduce weight. Even if a Murcielago already used a considerable amount of carbon fiber in the car, his 3670-lb curb weight is not the definition of svelte. As such, Lamborghini has worked on reducing weight of several components. The new exhaust system May help boost the power, but it is also lighter than 22 pounds before. Transition to a high strength steel for the tube frame chassis sheds 44 pounds, while increasing the torsional stiffness by 12 per cent.
Although it is still well appointed, the Murcielago cabin is not spared from the crash diet. Sport seats are needed for a sports car, but those of the LP 670-4 SV are made from carbon fiber. They also trimmed in Alcantara, Lamborghini claims a material is much lighter than the leather hide. Do not look for the audio or navigation systems, either - unless specifically requested by customers, they are served in the pursuit of a lighter car.
The designers also had some free rein to revise Murcielago form. A new chin spoiler, side skirts and intakes, rear diffuser, spoiler and May seem as if they are simple tie-ins to the ultra-rare Reventon, but they are much more. Each element plays an important role in adding Downforce, something sorely lacking many Lamborghinis. A fixed rear wing plays an important role in maintaining the rear of plantation land, but a larger unit (photo) is also available. Although SV LP 670-4 is available in seven different colors, Lamborghini seems to paint the new body kit in a contrasting color black.
The end result is a lighter (3450 lbs), Murcielago evil that is ready for the road or track. Lamborghini Murcielago SV claims-spec can hit 0-62 mph in 3.2 seconds and a speed of 212.5 mph. It is certainly fast, and we expect the total production (limited to 350 examples) to sell out so quickly.
2010 Audi A4 Allroad Quattro
For those who aspire to an off-road route, but do not want a Q5, Audi offers the following: the 2010 Allroad Quattro A4.
You probably remember that "Allroad" plaque from the original 1999 A6 Allroad Quattro, which mixes a number of off-road parties in another regular A6 wagon. The A4 Allroad is a concoction - he was raised by 37 mm and 20 mm wider to increase the off-road clearance, while new bumper and rocker panel guards help protect the A4 Allroad debris.
Three engines will initially be offered with two transmissions. The six-speed manual is available only with a 2.0-liter turbo-diesel TDI "I-4. The new seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission will be available at both the 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 and a larger 3.0-liter diesel V-6. The 2.0 TDI offers 168 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque and the 2.0 TFSI is the same torque figures and 208 hp. Opt for the upscale 3.0 TDI yields 237 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque.
Helping Allroad gain traction of the road is the Quattro all-wheel-drive, which has a standard 40/60 percent front / rear torque split. The revised version of the Quattro system can send up to 85 percent of its power to the rear and up 65 percent to the front wheels. Traction is constantly controlled by the stability program, which includes "Offroad Detection" to monitor the consistency of surface and adjust accordingly the ESP.
Although it appears that the A4 Allroad Quattro is suitable for most locations Voyage, it will not reach North America - after all, is a market for the new Q5 ...
2010 Mazda Mazdaspeed 3
As its staid sedan and hatchback sibling, the latest iteration of the Mazdaspeed 3 is far from revolutionary. In fact, most changes are cosmetic, including new wide-eyed front fascia, rear lights and revised hatch and a new hood scoop.
Evolutionary also applies to what is under the hood. The turbocharged 2.3 liter I-4 in the last generation Mazdaspeed 3 soldiers in the 2010 model, producing the same 260 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. Similarly, there are only projecting a six-speed manual transmission, routing power to the front wheels.
Yet, there are some things to love about the latest compact Mazdaspeed. To start, the car benefits from additional chassis adjustments, including new reinforcements in the firewall and tunnel body to add rigidity. Mazda claims the new half trees have been designed to reduce torque steer, and new 18-inch wheels, along the lines of those of the RX-8, are able to manage larger Dunlop 225/40R18 rubber.
And there is also the question of the car on the inside. While the previous 3 cabin was not intolerable, the new car of living quarters are a great improvement. The dashboard is both enveloping and sophisticated black and is highlighted by the red carbon fiber accents. This theme continues with the seating plan, which covers the skin of black leather with red stitching.
Although May does not represent a quantum leap in power, the 2010 Mazdaspeed 3 mixtures with further improvements already a powerful performance car. We can not wait to get our hands on one when he arrives in the United States later this year.
2010 Toyota Prius
2010 Toyota Prius
The Toyota Prius uses the synergy of hybrid systems, a hybrid system that propels the car under electric power at low speeds. It's still the form of a hump, with a hatch and a rapid fall in the back. And cabin technique uses a DVD-based navigation system, and has no USB or iPod integration for the audio system.
However, Toyota has made him a little bigger engine, a 1.8-liter four-cylinder, increasing power, and at the same time increasing fuel economy. Some reorganization around the grille and bonnet, Toyota has the new design language, while the roof edge was reduced to increase a little back room of the head and create better aerodynamics. The cab now includes a float and a console with a lever layout more traditional than the last. And the Toyota Prius is a new technology tricks, such as adaptive cruise control, departure warning track, and automatic parking.
We have our hands on the new Prius at a preview event, and found that there are many ways similar to the previous generation. The net power of the new power train is 134, on older models of 110, you may experience during ribs and acceleration to the speed. Toyota claims a 0 to 60 mph time of 9.8 seconds for the new model. This is not a drastic change of power over the old car, but it is usable.
Toyota said driving mode buttons, you can adjust the car for Eco Power or driving. Setting Eco cards midthrottle the acceleration curve, while increasing power, which is significantly better side and the ability to start fast. The effect of these modes are canceled when you mash the pedal, which tells the Prius to provide everything you need, whatever the mode it is in. Toyota has also added an EV button, which tells the car to drive under electric power until the driver calls for more acceleration the electric motor can produce, the battery becomes too low, or the car goes above 25 mph.
The battery uses a cooling on the previous model, but it still uses nickel metal hydride cells. When we asked a representative of Toyota why he had not made the leap to lithium-ion batteries, lithium ion, he said only improve the efficiency of the car by a very small amount. With the price of lithium-ion batteries, the gain is too low to justify.
Fuel economy has been increased from 45 mpg in the old car at 50 mpg in the recent. During our time behind the wheel, we have not really a chance to test the real world fuel economy, but fuel economy during a challenge round, the number of journalists were drawing above 75 mpg with careful driving.
Unfortunately, handling is still flawed in full force with the new Prius. It does not claim to athletic performance. Toyota has improved aerodynamics in part to the redesign of the body, and partly by the under trays to maintain the air pressure back into the suspension. Two fins act as a dispatcher, which is supposed to increase stability at high speed, but during this event our roads have no highway segments.
One change we do not like much is that Toyota has removed the power flow data and travel animation of the LCD. Instead, this information is displayed on the instrument cluster which, like the Prius on the previous one, is located in a long screen just below the windshield. Unfortunately, the graphics on the instrument cluster are far inferior to what was shown on the LCD screen. Toyota made this change so that even if you do not have the option of the navigation system, you can still get the power display. We believe it is time for the LCD screen is standard, even if you do not receive navigation. Curiously, Toyota is the average mpg small screen and unpretentious on the instrument cluster, a number you think they want to identify with large numbers
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