Audi goes Allroad with A4?

It looks like it, judging from these photos. Spy photographers in Stuttgart were baffled when they saw this jacked up Audi A4 sedan. Because the wagon hasn't officially been revealed yet, in the near future we expect to see A4 Allroad mules wearing the wagon bodyshell. The prototype has matte black wheelarche extensions and raised height which are both main components for an Audi Allroad.

Due to this being a sedan, the A4 Allroad will only be available in a wagon variant. The A6 Allroad was never popular amongst American customers compared to the Volvo XC70 so don't expect to see this at your local Audi showrooms in 2009.

The A4 wagon is set to make a world debut at the Geneva motorshow in March 2008.

New Car: 2009 Lincoln MKS

· The new Lincoln MKS full-size luxury sedan aims to attract new buyers with its timeless design, fuel-efficient powertrain and an unparalleled suite of features and technologies.· Class-leading convenience features include SYNC™ voice-activated, hands-free in-car communications; EasyFuel™ capless fuel filling; THX-certified audio; SIRIUS Travel Link™; voice-activated navigation; and a next-generation keyless entry keypad.
· Lincoln-exclusive fuel-efficient 3.7-liter V-6 and all-wheel drive provide smooth driving.
· Lincoln MKS will be the first vehicle to offer Ford's new gasoline turbo direct injection engine technology – which provides the power and torque of a V-8 engine with the fuel efficiency of a V-6 – less than a year after launch.· An outstanding value starting below $38,000, Lincoln MKS orders are now being accepted; customers can visit http://www.lincoln.com to build and price their vehicle.

The all-new 2009 Lincoln MKS full-size luxury sedan debuts today, providing customers understated style, first-of-a-kind convenience features, advanced safety and one of the best values in the luxury market.

Unveiled at the Greater Los Angeles International Auto Show, the new Lincoln flagship is designed to help fuel Lincoln's growth by attracting new customers.

"Lincoln has reestablished itself as a quality and design leader with award-winning products like the Lincoln MKZ, MKX and Navigator," says Mark Fields, Ford Motor Company's president of The Americas. "With the Lincoln MKS, we are raising the bar even higher with unparalleled amenities and performance, and a price that should be irresistible to luxury customers."

The New Lincoln Flagship: A Strong Contender in the Luxury Sedan Segment:

The Lincoln MKS is a full-size luxury sedan aimed at bringing new and younger buyers into the Lincoln fold. Not traditional luxury buyers who shop based on name and price tag alone, Lincoln MKS customers are under 50 and value beautiful modern design, more fuel efficiency and good value.

Pricing for Lincoln MKS starts at less than $38,000, a strategic move aimed at attracting new customers to the brand. Many will be first-time luxury buyers, with a significant number expected to migrate from imports. In fact, up to 60 percent of those buying the luxury sedan are expected to be new to Lincoln.

"We're playing to win with the Lincoln MKS, especially in California, where more luxury vehicles are sold than anywhere else. We will do so by offering confident, understated, respectful luxury – not something that will go out of fashion in a year or two," said Mike Richards, Lincoln General Marketing Manager. "We're also making an extra effort to reach out to African American and Hispanic buyers who want and deserve luxury in their lives, in part, through new marketing relationships with artists Common and Juanes."

Juanes, a 12-time Latin Grammy award winning artist, will help introduce SYNC, which is standard on Lincolns and widely available on Ford and Mercury products, to the Hispanic market. Juanes was recognized by Time magazine as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World" for his belief in the possibility of social change through music.Common, an accomplished musician, children's author and actor, will represent Lincoln beginning in 2008. The partnership will feature multiple levels of advertising, marketing and promotional activities between Lincoln and Common's wide-ranging businesses and his community service program. Common is currently appearing in the Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington in the Ridley Scott-produced film American Gangster.

Consumers can visit http://www.lincoln.com to build and price their ideal Lincoln MKS and place their order at their local Lincoln dealer immediately.

To be built at Ford Motor Company's Chicago Assembly Plant, the Lincoln MKS will begin arriving in Lincoln showrooms next summer.

Loaded with Convenience and Technology:

Lincoln MKS offers unprecedented amenitiesThe Lincoln MKS offers a suite of technologies and features not found on other luxury sedans. They include:

· SYNC, a hands-free, voice-activated hands-free in-car communication and entertainment system developed by Ford and Microsoft. The system fully integrates most Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and digital media players, providing customers hands-free cell phone and music selection capabilities.

· THX®-certified audio system with 5.1 Surround Sound, SIRIUS Travel Link™ and Voice-Activated Navigation, which provides superior sound quality – plus real time traffic updates, movie listings, Doppler radar weather forecasts and even directions to the closest local gas stations with the best prices.

· Lincoln's Next-Generation Keypad, which uses heat-sensing technology to bring alive the keypad of LED backlit numerals embedded in the driver side B-pillar. The driver enters a five-digit code to unlock the vehicle.· EasyFuel™ Capless Fuel-Filler System, a customer convenience that helps reduce evaporative emissions that create smog and global warming. When fueling is completed, and the nozzle is removed, the system automatically seals shut.

· Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), which allows the driver to set the car's speed and maintain that speed without using the accelerator pedal. The radar-based system also can monitor the vehicle in front (up to 600 feet) and adjust the speed of the Lincoln MKS to keep it a safe distance behind the lead vehicle. Four settings accommodate different driving styles.

· Intelligent Access with Push Button Start, which is a first for Lincoln and allows the driver to enter the Lincoln MKS and start the engine without using a key. Drivers simply carry the special fob as they approach the vehicle, touch the keyless entry pad on the B-Pillar, open the door and with the brake pedal engaged, start the engine by pushing a button.

· Adaptive Headlamps with Automatic High Beams and Standard High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps, which enhance nighttime visibility by illuminating more of the road and reducing glare from oncoming traffic. Sensors monitor vehicle speed and steering wheel input engaging electric motors that pivot the left headlamp up to five degrees and the right headlamp up to 15 degrees to increase the driver's field of vision. Plus, automatic high beams switch to high intensity when no other vehicles are detected.

· Rain-Sensing Wipers, which are moisture-activated and programmable.
· Forward Sensing System, which determines how close front objects are while parking.
· Rearview Camera System, which is mounted beneath the Lincoln Star on the decklid and activated when the vehicle is shifted into reverse, giving the driver a view of what's behind the vehicle. The system works in conjunction with the vehicle's reverse sensing system and uses the navigation screen as a display.

Understated Design:

Lincoln MKS debuts new design DNAThe Lincoln MKS is the first vehicle to embrace Lincoln's new design DNA.

"Every element of this luxury sedan reflects the culture of Lincoln – from its well-proportioned athleticism to the design cues we have painstakingly developed, modernizing the best elements over time," says Peter Horbury, executive director of Design for The Americas.

Its most striking exterior design feature is its double-wing grille, which sweeps up into the jewel-like headlamps, wrapping around the front fascia and forming a sharp crease that defines the high beltline. A subtle kick-up over the rear wheel calls back cue found on many classic Lincolns. Strong shoulders, dramatic C-pillars, clean body sides, a tall rear deck and large wheels and tires lend the Lincoln MKS a confident stance.

Modern luxury carries through inside, as well. Space is abundant, with a class-leading interior package. In fact, the MKS has the largest rear cabin in its class in every important dimension, including head, leg and shoulder room. And Lincoln tends to passengers' comfort with standard heated rear seats, an overhead skylight and a sun shade for the backlight.

Its interior is sleek. For instance, the Lincoln MKS's symmetrical instrument panel has fewer break lines than other luxury vehicles. The flow-through center stack is clean and uncluttered, with an information screen integrated at the top. The large center console has a split, two-piece, padded upper section. Each section slides forward individually to form an armrest.

"Luxury buyers still expect rare beauty, but today, they also seek authenticity," Horbury said.

"This is space Lincoln can rightfully reclaim, given the design of our vehicles and the way we've chosen to adorn the MKS with the finest real leathers, rare woods, real aluminum and chrome accents – in a more environmentally responsible way".

For example, the leather used for the seats is perfected with vegetable dyes and a chromium-free tanning process to create the softest leather ever used in a Lincoln.

It is supplied by Bridge of Weir Leather, the same company that provided hides for the Ford Model T and the iconic Continental Mark II, as well as the Concorde, the Queen Elizabeth 2 and the Burj Al Arab, the world's first 7-star hotel.

Ebony wood used for some models is reclaimed from furniture makers and others sources, offering a rare wood with minimal environmental impact. Also offered is Olive Ash, a wood with a distinctive grain pattern created when the roots of two trees grow together.

Smooth Power: Fuel-efficient V-6 today; V-8 power with V-6 efficiency tomorrow:

The Lincoln MKS is powered by a Lincoln exclusive new 3.7-liter V-6 engine. The powertrain has been derived from the proven 3.5-liter V-6 found in the Lincoln MKX, which was voted one of Ward's 10-Best Engines for 2007.

Both engines share the same strong, die-cast aluminum block and lightweight four-valve heads for smooth operation at high RPMs. The 3.7-liter's larger cylinders contribute to the increase in horsepower and torque. This engine delivers 270 horsepower and 265 lb.-ft. of torque and is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission with SelectShift that delivers smoother shifts, better fuel economy, acceleration and the option to manually select gears.

"This engine is tuned to maximize the increased torque to improve performance where it's needed most – standing acceleration and passing," says Michael Celentino, chief engineer.

Less than a year after launch, the Lincoln MKS will be the first vehicle to offer Ford's new gasoline turbo direct injection engine technology.

The premium engine – which offers the power and torque of a V-8 with the fuel efficiency of a V-6 – will make the Lincoln MKS the most powerful and fuel-efficient all-wheel drive luxury sedan in the market.

Lincoln MKS also is available with an all-wheel-drive (AWD) system that provides a confident driving experience in all weather. It uses a sophisticated system of clutches to quickly distribute torque between front and rear wheels – up to 100 percent in either direction – to avoid wheel slip. The AWD system works with the standard Advance Trac® stability control system to provide additional stability, transferring torque from side-to-side.

An all-new independent rear suspension design features vertically mounted shock absorbers mounted at the outboard end of the suspension arms near the wheels, maximizing suspension travel and allowing for more precise suspension tuning.

The MacPherson strut and rear-facing L-shaped lower control arm front suspension also was designed to maximize suspension travel and tuned to work in harmony with the rear suspension. As an added benefit, the new suspension design can accommodate larger, 20-inch wheels and tires without compromising ride comfort.

The Lincoln MKS comes standard with 18-inch bright, machined, cast aluminum painted 10-spoke wheels. Nineteen-inch 10-spoke painted, polished or machined aluminum or a class-exclusive 20-inch, 11-spoke, highly polished, cast aluminum wheel are available options.

Building on a Heritage of Safety Leadership:

The Lincoln MKS is equipped with a comprehensive package of the latest in active and passive safety features to provide the highest level of protection for all occupants.

Standard safety features include:

Dual-stage driver and front passenger air bags, safety belt pretensioners, load-limiting retractors, driver seat positioning sensor, side air bags and Safety Canopy™ side curtain air bags with roll-fold technology and four-wheel ABS brakes.

Additional standard safety features include an anti-theft perimeter alarm, Battery Saver, Belt-Minder®, Child Safety Locks, glow-in-the-dark trunk release, illuminated entry, LATCH (Lower Anchors & Tethers for Children) and a tire pressure monitoring system.

Pricing:

Ford is pitting the Lincoln MKS against the Lexus GS 350 and the Cadillac STS. The base FWD 2009 Lincoln MKS will start at $37,985, including a $750 destination charge. The base AWD 2009 Lincoln MKS will start at $39,855, including shipping. Ford pricing spokesperson Lydia Cisaruk said a "well-equipped" MKS will cost less than $50,000. In comparison, the 2008 Lexus GS 350 starts at $44,915, including a $765 destination charge. The Cadillac STS starts at $43,245, including a $745 destination charge. But both of those competitors outstrip the MKS in terms of horsepower.

Measurements:

FWD fuel economy (city/highway) 17/24(Preliminary and subject to change at vehicle introduction)
AWD fuel economy (city/highway) 17/23(Preliminary and subject to change at vehicle introduction)
Fuel capacity (gallons) 19
Horsepower@rpm 270(Preliminary and subject to change at vehicle introduction)
Torque(ft.lb.)@rpm 265(Preliminary and subject to change at vehicle introduction)
Headroom (front/rear, inches) 37.9/38.6
Legroom (front/rear, inches) 41.9/38.6
Shoulder room (front/rear, inches) 58.6/57.4
Luggage capacity (cu. Ft.) 18.4
Overall Height (inches) 61.6
Overall Length (inches) 204.1
Overall Width (without mirrors/with mirrors; inches)75.9/85.5
Tread (front/rear, inches) 65/65.4
Wheelbase (inches) 112.9
Curb weight (FWD/AWD; lbs.) 4127/4276

2010 Renault SportMegane?

There have been rumors that this blue prototype of a Renault SportMegane is a mule for the next Megane which is due in 2009.

The mules have been caught undergoing high speed testing at the Nurburgring racetrack. One picture showed the car with a 4 wheels off the ground which could indicate a new, more powerful engine. Staying with my suspicion of a new engine, check out a random air intake on the bonnet and wider, lower front radiator grille.

I've come to three conclusions on what this car might be and what it is testing:

1. New engine

2. Next generation Megane

3. Next generation MeganeSport which is due in 2010

A few months ago, new pictures of a C-Segment Renault surfaced on the Internet showing what looks like the next Megane undisguised. The picture were taken from a French magazine. The Megane had a slightly toned bootlid which strongly resembled the Egnus SUV. The rear lights flowed with the strong shoulderline. The front resembled the recently launched Laguna III. The Renault badge dominated the bonnet while a large radiator grille over-took the lower front end. Overall the new Megane looked curvier, stylish and eye-catching.

Chevrolet Beat heads for production in 2009

If you were one of the more than 1.8 million voters who pressured General Motors into building the Chevrolet Beat concept, you should be smiling right about now. The automaker said on Wednesday at the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show that the Beat will hit the market in mid-2009. The bad news is that it likely won't be coming to North America.

The Beat, a Mini Cooper knock-off punctuated by a Vertigo Green paint job, was one of the supermini triplets that made their debut at the 2007 New York Auto Show. It was flanked by the hybrid 4x4 Trax crossover and the retro-styled Groove. At its spring coming-out party, the Beat was described as a micro import tuner and representative of "urban grunge."

"The people have spoken," said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. "The vote count tripled [that of] all previous GM online consumer surveys, telling us the Beat resonated with customers all around the world. Chevrolet was overwhelmed by the positive reaction to each of the 'triplets,' but the Beat was the clear winner."

GM said the "A-class car will initially be targeted to markets outside of the U.S. and Canada." No word yet on critical details about the production Beat, including powertrain specifications or what kind of price it will carry.

New Car: 2008 Vauxhall/Opel Zafira facelift

With fresh design accents and three additional engines, the new Opel Zafira will be available at dealerships from February 2008. The Zafira’s striking looks communicate dynamics and self-confidence. Its 1.6-liter gasoline and two 1.7-litre CDTI engines embody the current trends: powerful, economical and affordable. This all puts the Opel compact van in an excellent position to continue the success story of the world’s first fully versatile seven-seater, which will see its two millionth unit rolling off the assembly line early next year. Following the introduction of the second generation in mid-2005, this Zafira also belongs to the top of its vehicle class with over 450,000 units sold and around ten percent market share in Europe. The new edition of the bestseller makes its world premiere at the Bologna Motor Show (December 7 - 16, 2007).

Alain Visser, Chief Marketing Officer of GM Europe, describes the new Zafira as “the right offer at the right time. We know that customers are very satisfied with its quality, reliability, functionality and versatility. And now we’ve made the Zafira even sportier and equipped it with more efficient engines. This all keeps the Zafira in benchmark position in the European compact MPV class.

Dynamic V-styling defines face:

The new Zafira is characterized by striking front and rear design elements that give the car a sporty note. The confident wide front chrome beam with integrated Opel logo takes the hood tapering and draws it into the two-part radiator grille fins, which are now fully chromed. The distinctive lines around the fog lamp recesses also integrate the bumper into the dynamic V-styling; headlamp housings are also in chrome-look. The Zafira Sport boasts an even more impressive look with its bold, full front lip. The resulting sweep continues from the flared wheelarches, over the side sills to the pronounced rear apron. Other new eye-catching features include two transparent 3-D cells in the red tail lamps. The design enhancement is rounded off by the rear lamps’ silver-white strip, which crosses over into the rear chrome beam.

The further refined interior is accentuated by glossy chrome-rings around climate and radio controls as well as new decorative trim on the instrument panel and doors. The Cosmo version features elegant piano lacquer trim on the center console and decorative molding on the steering wheel. The infotainment systems with Navi, CD, DVD and MP3 functions also have stereo connections for external audio equipment, such as an iPod.

The Zafira’s “trademark” Flex7 seating system is of course always on board. The unrivalled versatile system ensures fast reconfiguration of the interior without cumbersome removal of the seats.

New engines:

The motto for engines is higher economy and power. With a new 1.6-litre gasoline and two 1.7 CDTI common-rail turbo-diesel engines, the range now boasts further highly-efficient propulsion alternatives. In future, Zafira customers can choose from a total of nine different engines. Their output spectrum ranges from the 94 natural gas hp of the especially economical and environmentally-compatible Zafira 1.6 CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) to the 240 turbo hp of the sporty top model Zafira OPC. With these two engines, Opel also enriches the segment with two innovative variants: the natural gas Zafira with only 138 g CO2 paved the way for this alternative form of propulsion, while the OPC version with 240 hp took over the pioneer role for sport vans.

The Zafira model line’s favorable operating costs result from a number of factors including low fuel consumption, low maintenance requirements, long service intervals and above all high value retention. This all helped the Opel van to take first place in the “Best Value 2006” awards.

The new, weight-optimized 1.6 ECOTEC with seamlessly controllable intake and exhaust camshafts has output of 85 kW/115 hp. The four-cylinder, four-valve unit replaces the 77 kW/105 hp 1.6-litre engine and consumes just 7.0 litres of fuel per 100 km. This reflects a savings of 4.3 percent compared to the predecessor. At the same time, better driving performance can be achieved thanks to the increased power, which is reflected in the 9 km/h higher maximum speed and acceleration of 13.4 seconds from zero to 100 km/h.

The new 1.7 CDTI engines with 81 kW/110 hp and 92 kW/125 hp both come with six-speed manual transmission as standard and feature common-rail injection, four-valve technology with swirl control as well as maintenance-free diesel particulate filter. They replace the 74 kW/100 hp 1.9 CDTI and the manual gearbox version of the 88 kW/120 hp 1.9-litre diesel. With increased torque of 20 and 40 Nm respectively, the 1.7 CDTI units provide noticeably more power while consumption and emissions are reduced. Efficiency is increased by up to 5 percent. Both diesel units require 5.7 litres of fuel per 100 km and emit just 152 g CO2 per km, thats 10g less than the outgoing model which emits 162g.

Technological excellence:

The new edition of the Zafira also offers innovative technological highlights unique in this vehicle class. These include the optional IDSPlus chassis system with electronic CDC (Continuous Damping Control), which provides an exclusive dimension of driving comfort and safety. In this integrated chassis control system, the control units and sensors of ESPPlus, ABS and CDC exchange data constantly, resulting in immediate optimization of chassis fine-tuning. The new edition’s further improved trailer stability control is also far from a matter of course when looking at other brands. The sophisticated system monitors the intensity of yawing motions in the car-trailer combination. Such motions are stabilized by control electronics via regulated brake application.

Best-in-class Zafira:

Opel introduced the AFL bi-xenon headlamp system (Adaptive Forward Lighting) with dynamic curve light into the compact van segment. The panorama roof system is a true highlight, further enhancing the pleasant, light atmosphere for the passengers. The power-operated shading system protects against strong sunlight when needed. For practical organization in the interior, the roof console running down the length of the ceiling houses five large drop-down storage compartments. These innovative technological features underline the modern overall concept of the flexible compact van.

Nissan GT-R in high demand (Japan)

Nissan took the pulse of GT-R orders on its home turf and reported "strong demand" on Thursday. Word of the surge comes just six weeks before dealers in the U.S. will be accepting pre-orders for the 2009 Nissan GT-R.

"In less than two months since pre-orders were accepted for the all-new Nissan GT-R in Japan, orders have already reached 2,282, exceeding by a factor of 11 the planned monthly sales total," Nissan said in a statement.

Nissan said pre-orders in Japan for the GT-R show that 60 percent of the buyers are under 50. It said the most popular grade series is the Premium edition, and the most popular color is Pearl White, making up 27 percent of all orders.

The GT-R goes on sale in the U.S. in June, starting at $69,850; it goes on sale in Japan December 6

Top import cars to reach South Korea next year

If your living in South Korea expect to see a few new faces at your local dealerships because for the first time, Nissan and Mitsubishi will be entering the South Korean market.

Nissan will be taking the Rogue, Altima and Murano from the U.S and bringing it to South Korea and Mitsubishi will be taking the i, Lancer, Galant and Pajero over.

Chrysler Korea:

Chrysler 300C/Sebring diesel sedan/Sebring Convertible/New Grand Voyager/300C SRT/300C Touring


Jeep Grand Cherokee facelift/Grand Cherokee SRT-8


Dodge Dakota facelift


Ford Korea:


Ford Mondeo/S-MAX


GM Korea:


Cadillac CTS/DTS Platinum Edition/BLS Diesel


Saab New 9-3 Convertible (facelift)/New 9-3 (facelift)


Volkswagen Korea:


Volkswagen Tiguan/9 BlueMotion models


Audi Korea:


Audi A3 facelift


BMW Korea:


BMW 650Ci Convertible


MINI Clubman


Volvo Korea:


Volvo all new XC70


Hanbul Motors:


Peugeot 207SW


Honda Korea:


Honda Accord 2.4, 3.5


Nissan Korea:


Nissan Rogue/Altima/Murano


Daewoo Auto Sales:


Mitsubishi Lancer 1.5/Galant 2.0/Pajero/i