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Source: http://andoniscars.blogspot.com/2011/07/2012-xf-interior-vid.html
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The Americans from Ford decided to unveil the 2012 model year Explorer, a model which receives some improvements in terms of equipping but also gets a new 2.0-liter EcoBoost unit with class-leading EPA rating of 28 mpg on the highway. Actually, the 2012 Ford Explorer is the first model in the range to get the new fuel efficient four-cylinder unit.
"Today's SUV buyers place a high priority on miles per gallon, so Explorer has expanded its portfolio of fuel-efficient engines with an all-new EcoBoost offering," said Amy Marentic, Ford group marketing manager. "SUV buyers deserve economy with their capability, so Explorer now offers best-in-class V6 and four-cylinder fuel efficiency."
To be more precise, the new 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine is capable to deliver 240 horsepower and 366 Nm of torque while providing an impressive fuel economy for this segment. The 2012 Ford Explorer fitted with the new engine comes with a six-speed automatic gearbox and is rated at 11,8 liters/100 km in the city and 8,4 liters/100 km on the highway.
According to the official details, Ford plans to offer the EcoBoost technology on over 90% of the models in range by 2013, the American company holding more than 125 patents on this technology able to improve the fuel efficiency. The new EcoBoost four-cylinder unit will join the already existent 3.5-liter V6 unit which produces 292 horsepower and provides a fuel consumption of 13,8 liters/100 km in the city and 9,4 liters/100 km on highway.
Ford says that the American SUV brought sales of 65,823 vehicles in the first six months of 2011, already exceeding the total sales of 2010 which were situated around 60,500 units.
Ford also claims that the 2012 Explorer SUV fitted with the EcoBoost engine manages to deliver better highway consumption than the gas-powered BMW 3 Series or Subaru Impreza, impressive results considering the comparison with models from a smaller segment. The 2012 Ford Explorer will be built at the American plant in Chicago.
“Explorer fuel efficiency also benefits from a smooth vehicle shape and careful aerodynamic detailing like optimization of the front air dam and rear liftgate spoiler lip, as well as lightweight components such as an aluminum hood,” adds Ford.
Rikk 29 Jul, 2011Volkswagen’s Tiguan is definitely not one of the “people car maker’s” finest looking models but it does deliver a nice and handy set of features for a nice and handy price.
In the world of tuning, particularly specialist one like ABT Sportsline tends to do, “nice and handy” just doesn’t cut it. This is why, incredibly shortly after the new market release of the 2012 VW Tiguan they had a shot at redoing it.
Bear in mind that this is just a mid-project update and you will then probably understand the amount of work that has and will be going into greeting the ever picky customers.
Exterior appearance was improved somewhat by VW as the 2012 Tiguan wears the new company face and ABT Sportsline then added a new body kit.
The latter features new front and rear aprons, different side skirts, some rather cheesy carbon fiber trim bits and bobs and a restyled front radiator grille.
Underneath things get more serious as ABT Sportsline has about as many modifications as the alloy wheel designs available for the handling related items.
No actual details on what’s to be making up the sport suspension the 2012 VW Tiguan gets, and even less details are known on whether or not the braking system will or will not be altered.
What is certainly to be altered is the exhaust system which should have as many tips as the car has wheels.
That exhaust setup, will be hooked up to whatever engine you choose from the lineup offered by VW with the new 2012 Tiguan.
Unlike the factory made mini SUVs however, ABT Sportsline’s Tiguans will all get performance upgrades regardless of fuel going into it.
The 2.0 liter TDI that would regularly push out 140 horsepower will go to 170. The diesel version of their 2.0 liter that already had an output of 170 ponies goes up to 195 horsepower.
Over in the petrol sniffing camp, the 1.4 liter TSI goes from 160 to 210 horsepower. The bigger brother in the turbocharged petrol camps, features the 2.0 liter setup with 180 horsepower being turned into 210.
Saving the best for last, the most performance ready 2912 Tiguan, the 2.0 liter TSI which develops 210 horsepower as standard, much like the Golf GTI is re-tuned by ABT Sportsline to the point where it churns out 250 horses.
Further details on what sounds like a more than interesting tuner job on a “nice car” from Volkswagen should be seen at the future Frankfurt Motor Show.
Source: Carscoop
Lupica G. 29 Jul, 2011BMW makes a great lineup of cars. Sometimes they mess up with half breeds but generally, their offerings are above average.
One of the somewhat un-natural models is expected to be quite a hit on the biggest car market out there right now and in the nearby future, China.
I’m talking about the BMW 3 Series long wheel base, a car due for launch sometime late this or early next year and which promises that little bit more room inside.
As great handling and looking as most 3 Series can be, there’s no getting away from the fact BMW place it on the market as a small luxury saloon.
With the current 4 or 6 possible inches added the 2012 BMW 3 Series Long Wheel Base isn’t expected to change classes but it is expected to change feel accordingly.
This version will be running on the platform that’s internally known as the F30, in other words, the next generation of the BMW 3 Series.
That most likely means that what we have here isn’t just a car that has a couple inches of extra room for people in the back, but a new BMW that gives us a peak into what the next global version of the 3 Series may be like.
A long wheel base version of the BMW 3 Series may only be available in China but we do know that the regular version of the F30 will actually grow in size when compared to the E92 we’ve gotten used to over the last few years.
The spyshots we see here may be of a model that’s primarily aimed at the largest Asian market in the world but they were taken on roads not very far from BMW’s German testing facilities.
Added length isn’t immediately available, and that’s what tricks most people into thinking that these spyshots are of the “regular” 2012 BMW 3 Series.
On closer inspection one can relatively easily spot the considerably longer doors which make the title a reality while keeping the overall lines of the 3 Series nearly untouched.
An official market debut for the recently spied BMW 3 Series long wheel base is scheduled to take place sometime in April 2012 with the location most likely being the Beijing Motor Show.
Less camouflaged and more detailed photos should appear within the remaining spare time as the F30 BMW 3 Series Long Wheel Base gets closer and closer to a production ready version.
Lupica G. 29 Jul, 2011