Honda XR-V officially unveiled during 17th Chengdu Motor Show

The Honda XR-V has been officially unveiled during the 17th Chengdu Motor Show.

The compact SUV is actually a Chinese version of the Japanese Vezel and the North American HR-V and will be produced by Dongfeng Honda.

The XR-V features some changes compared to its cousins, which are focused mainly at the rear end. Visual differences include new slimmer tail lamps that are connected and a restyled bumper. On the front, Honda has put a new bumper with integrated turn signals and fog lights.

The XR-V is 4275 mm long, 1770 mm wide and 1605 mm high, while the wheelbase is 2610 mm.

In China the model will be offered with two petrol units with displacement of 1.5 and 1.8 liters respectively, both equipped with a start-stop system. There is still no word on the exact power figures and the available transmissions, but judging by the photos the SUV will have an automatic gearbox option.

Volkswagen unveiled 2015 Volkswagen Eos Final Edition car

Volkswagen has unveiled the 2015 Volkswagen Eos Final Edition car.

The 2015 Volkswagen Eos Final Edition car is set to be the last hurrah for the slow selling convertible, the Final Edition is based on the Eos Sport and features bi-xenon headlights, black mirrors and 18-inch Vicenza-style alloy wheels. The car has also been equipped with a sport-tuned suspension which reduces the ride height by a few millimeters.

The cabin largely carries over but comes nicely equipped Cornsilk Beige / Vienna leather seats, aluminum trim and Black Peak accents. The car also has contrast stitching, rain-sensing wipers and a rearview camera.

Like the standard model, the Eos Final Edition is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that develops 200 bhp (149 kW) and 207 lb-ft (280 Nm) of torque. It is connected to a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission which enables the convertible to return 22 mpg city / 30 mpg highway.

The Eos Final Edition will go on sale shortly and pricing starts at $39,165.
Source: Volkswagen USA

Schmidt Revolution released 2014 Mercedes-Benz C220 BlueTEC

German tuner Schmidt Revolution has released an aftermarket package for the 2014 Mercedes-Benz C220.

Undisputed eye-catcher of every tuned vehicle was, is and remains the wheel. Who is in search of a rim-tyre combination fitting for his car, he can find it with certainty at the company Schmidt Revolution in Bad Segeberg (www.FELGE.de). As there you will find an appropriate choice, quality and service.

In this case Mercedes-Benz C-Class W205 was equipped with the perfectly shaped and timeless nice gambit rim from the „family of the light rims“. Namely in the dimensions 8,5x20 inches with 235/30-20 Dunlop tires in the front axle and 10x20 inches with 275/25-20 in the rear axle. Here with regard to the colour the choice fell on high gloss silver (beside the also available SatinBlack). The price of this dream combination amounts to x.xxx euro for the set in silver.

The vehicle is equipped with the KW Inox Line-Variant 3- coilover. The safety-tested downward shift can be adjusted in front axle and rear axle between 35 and 70 millimetres and the damping is adjustable in the rebound and compression stages independently of each other. For the chassis available from now on a retail price amounts to 1.949 euros. Besides, this chassis is also available in the variation 1 and 2. Further will be also available shortly the KW DDC ECU coilover with electronic adjustment of damping.

In addition, one more Carlsson increase of power, called 220 Blue TEC, was carried out in the C class. From standard values of 170 hp (125 kW) of power with 3,000 to 4,200 rpm and 400 nm max. torque with 1,400 to 2,800 rpm the power was increased to 204 hp (150 kW) and 500 nm of maximal drive torque. You only need to get into the car and to drive.

Renault unveiled Renault R.S. 01 Race Car

Renault has unveiled the R.S. 01 race car which features a LMP1-eligible carbon fiber monocoque.

The Renault R.S. 01 racecar boasts a carbon monocoque which meets LMP1 regulations and has been developed in collaboration with Dallara. The R.S. 01 weighs less than 1,100 kg (2,425 lbs) and will be motivated by Nissan GT-R's twin-turbo 3.8-liter V6 engine tweaked by Nismo packing more than 500 bhp (373 kW) and 600 Nm (442 lb-ft) of torque.

The futuristic body will be made from composites and will include a front lower splitter channeling the air flow into extractors installed behind the front wheels. These extractors are running along the doors and change their shape turning into intercooler scoops aiding cooling. At the back there's a massive wing and diffuser as well as LED taillights and a twin exhaust arrangement.

Renault's R.S. 01 racecar sends its 500+ hp to the rear axle via a seven-speed Sadev sequential gearbox allowing the vehicle to hit a top speed of more than 300 km/h (186 mph). It rides on 18-inch Braid wheels shod in specially developed Michelin tires while the stopping power comes from 380mm carbon discs with six-piston calipers.

Other features worth mentioning include a steel roll cage and a double wishbone + pushrods suspension together with two-way Öhlins adjustable dampers. In terms of dimensions, the Renault R.S. 01 is 4710mm long, 2000mm wide and 1166mm tall, with a 2744mm wheelbase and 1675mm front & 1624mm rear tracks.

Patrice Ratti, CEO of Renault Sport Technologies, describes the R.S. 01 "as a marriage between the beauty of Renault DeZir and the performance of Formula Renault 3.5!" while Alain Prost, Renault Ambassador for motorsport, says it’s "a spectacular racing car, in the purest tradition of GT."

The vehicle which is priced from 282,000 GBP will be used in next year's World Series by Renault in a new championship called Renaultsport Trophy. It will be a one-make championship with an emphasis on "technical fairness, sporting ethics and cost control."

Volvo officially revealed 2015 Volvo XC90 SUV

Volvo has officially taken the wraps off the highly anticipated second generation XC90.

The all-new XC90 is without any doubt Volvo's most important model in recent years as even the company's CEO said in an interview it's the last chance for the Geely-owned brand. The mid-size luxury SUV adopts an evolutionary design with more refined lines and an overall elegant look which is hard to find in this segment given the usual shape of SUVs.

At the front we notice the very attractive headlights featuring "Thor's Hammer" LED daytime running lights flanking a generous chromed grille with vertical double slats. The fog lights have been positioned low in the bumper while the aluminum inserts provide a more upscale look. The side profile shows some clean lines forming an uncluttered design with chrome window framing, a big rear-side window and up to 22-inch alloy wheels.

Volvo went for a more modern interpretation of the XC90's signature taillights which now look sharper and suit the model very well. There's also a prominent roof-mounted spoiler and depending on the version there are round or rectangle double exhaust tips. For those wanting a more rugged look, Volvo will be offering dark plastic mouldings on the wheel arches, bumpers and side skirts instead of an aluminum finish.

The interior cabin was revealed towards the end of May showing a minimalistic configuration with only a few buttons as most of the knobs have been replaced by a generous touchscreen display. The cabin can host up to seven people sitting on soft leather upholstered seats and enjoying a four-zone climate control system and a 1,400-watt, 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system. The Swedish marque has used a combination of aluminum inserts, wood trim and other premium materials to create what they describe as being the most luxurious interior ever seen in a Volvo.

It will boast a digital instrument cluster and diamond-cut controls for volume and start/stop, while "state of the art" voice recognition and Apple's CarPlay integration are also on the menu. Volvo says the third row of seats can host people that are up to 1.7 meters tall and each passenger will benefit from its own stowage space. Also inside the spacious cabin there's a HERE navigation system and an Ericsson-based cloud solution.

Riding on the brand new Scalable Product Architecture, the 2015 Volvo XC90 will come with an extensive array of safety equipment such as auto brake, road edge and barrier detection, driver alert control, lane keeping aid, road sign information, blind spot information, queue assist, pedestrian detection in the darkness and rest stop guidance and many others.

As far as the engines are concerned, the second-gen XC90 is billed as being "the world's most powerful and cleanest SUV" thanks to a brand new range of Drive-E engines which all have four cylinders. The twin-turbodiesel D5 packs 225 bhp (168 kW) and 347 lb-ft (470 Nm) and allows the vehicle to return 39.2 mpg US (47 mpg UK or 6 liters / 100 km). A D4 with 190 bhp (142 kW) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) will also be offered and promises to do 56.5 mpg US (47 mpg UK or 5 liters / 100 km).

If you prefer gasoline motors, Volvo has prepared a T6 turbocharged & supercharged engine rated at 320 bhp (239 kW) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm). A lesser T5 variant will also be available with 254 bhp (189 kW) and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm).

The XC90 is also getting a T8 plug-in hybrid derivative featuring a 2.0-liter turbocharged & supercharged four-cylinder motor driving the front wheels and an 80 bhp (60 kW) electric motor to power the rear axle. It has a combined output of 400 bhp (298 kW) and 472 lb-ft (640 Nm) and will do 25 miles (40 km) solely on electric power.

There will be a First Edition series consisting of 1927 (the year Volvo was founded) individually numbered cars powered by either the T6 or D5. These will be sold exclusively online and will be distinguished by an onyx black exterior, 21-inch eight-spoke Inscription wheels as well as amber Nappa leather seats, walnut inlays and a charcoal leather-wrapped dashboard.

Production of the second generation Volvo XC90 will kick off at the beginning of next year in Torslanda, Gothenburg, with deliveries expected to commence in May. In United States, the XC90 T6 AWD will cost 48,900 USD, followed by the T6 First Edition at 65,900 USD which will be available on order online from September 3.

Mahindra Group Launched New Mahindra Centuro Rockstar

Mahindra Two Wheelers, the two-wheeler division of the Mahindra Group, today launched the new Centruo Rockstar in India at Rs. 43,700. At this price, the new model has become the most affordable variant of the Centuro line-up. Since the new edition costs lesser, it loses out on several features that are offered with the 01 and N1 editions of the bike.

The Rockstar edition gets new body graphics in bright red, black and gold combination, and loses out on features like digital instrument cluster, remote key fob and the anti-theft alarm system. The features that it retains are LED pilot lamps, LED tail-lamps, flip key and alloy wheels. Powering the Rockstar is the same single-cylinder, 106.7cc engine as the other variants of the Centuro. This engine churns out 8.38bhp and 8.5Nm of torque.

Speaking on the launch Viren Popli, Chief of Operations, Mahindra Two Wheeler Ltd. said "With the launch of the Centuro Rockstar, we now have a full range of truly differentiated motorcycles, each of which delivers a tremendous value proposition as part of the award winning Centuro brand. Each Centuro now addresses a different consumer sub-segment in the large 100/ 110 cc category. The new Centuro Rockstar is the style and value leader and comes with premium looks that ensure the consumer always stays in the limelight wherever he goes. Backed by our very large sales and service network and a 5 year warranty we are confident that the Rockstar will prove to be a Rock Star in the market as well."

Key Highlights

New bold Rockstar graphics
Stylish Flip Key
Distinctive Golden Ribs
Pilot LEDs
LED Brake light
Handle mounted, self returning choke
Electric Start
Alloy Wheels
Maintenance Free VRLA Batter

Ram unveiled 2015 Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty pickups

Ram has introduced the 2015 Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty pickups.

Set to go into production later this week, the updated models feature minor modifications to keep several of its best-in-class ratings.

While the Ram 2500 is virtually untouched, the Ram 3500 has an increased payload capacity of 7,390 lbs (3352 kg) and an increased torque rating of up to 865 lb-ft (1171 Nm). The latter increase is due to an upgraded 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel inline-six which has a "more aggressive fuel delivery and turbo boost calibration."

According to Ram boss Bob Hegbloom, "Ram maintains leadership throughout its pickup line by offering best-in-class fuel efficiency with our Ram 1500 EcoDiesel at 28 MPG, best-in-class towing at 30,000 pounds, best-in-class power at 865 lb.-ft. and best-in-class payload at 7,390 pounds with our Ram 3500."

Corvette revealed 2015 Corvette Z06 car

The 2015 Corvette Z06 offers performance that rivals the previous ZR1, so it's a tad surprising Chevrolet has announced the model will be priced from $78,995 for the coupe and $83,995 for the convertible.

The model will be available in three trim levels and all will feature a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine that develops 650 bhp (485 kW) and 650 lb-ft (881 Nm) of torque. It can be connected to a seven-speed manual or an optional eight-speed automatic transmission.

If that's not impressive enough, buyers can add a $2,995 Carbon Fiber Ground Effects package which adds a functional carbon fiber front splitter, carbon fiber side skirts and a larger rear spoiler.

There's also a Z07 Performance Package which costs $7,995 and adds Brembo carbon ceramic-matrix brake rotors, Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cup tires, larger winglets and an adjustable rear spoiler.

Infiniti Q50L world debut announced with first official image

Infiniti will unveil the long wheel base version of the Q50 at the Chengdu Motor Show which begins at the end of the month.

The China only model has been dubbed the Q50L and is the first time an Infiniti has been produced in China. It will be 48mm (19”) longer than the standard model giving it an overall length of 4852mm (191”) and wheelbase stretched to 2898mm (114”).

Power will be provided by a newly developed 2.0-litre four-cylinder gasoline engine that produces 208hp and 320Nm of torque. A 7-speed automatic transmission system featuring a manual shift mode compliments the unit.

Additional features include a new steer-by-wire Direct Adaptive Steering (DAS) system, Infiniti's touch-screen InTouch HCI system, Active Lane Control (ALC) and a 14-speaker Studio on Wheels audio system by Bose.

While European and North American markets will be not be treated to the Q50L, they will of course get the updated Q70L that was unveiled at the New York Auto Show in April.

Skoda officially revealed 2015 Skoda Fabia

The first official images of the new 2015 Skoda Fabia have released. The overdue replacement will celebrate its world public debut at the Paris Motor Show in October.

The new model is based on Volkswagen's PQ26 platform that was introduced earlier this year in the Volkswagen Polo. It has lost around 65 kg (143 lbs) in comparison to its predecessor with the entry level model tipping the scales at 980 kg (2,160 lbs).

Under the hood, Euro 6-compliant three & four cylinder engines will be available. On the gasoline side, the range enters with a three-cylinder direct-injection 1.0-liter MPI with 60 PS (44 kW) and ends with a four-cylinder 1.2-liter TSI unit possessing 110 PS (81 kW).

At launch a new three-cylinder 1.4-liter common-rail direct-injection diesel engine unit will be available with outputs of 75 PS (55 kW) and 105 PS (77 kW). Later in 2015, they will be joined by a 1.4 TDI unit with 75 PS (55 kW) that comes with start/stop and kinetic energy recuperation technology.

Reports have indicated that Skoda has no plans for a range topping vRS Fabia for the new generation.

Bugatti unveiled Bugatti Grand Sport Vitesse 1 of 1 Edition

Bugatti presented a special car, the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse1 “1 of 1” edition, on Saturday in Pebble Beach, California. This edition of the fastest production roadster in the world impressively demonstrates a core competency of the French luxury brand, namely customisation. The Grand Sport Vitesse “1 of 1” takes inspiration from the brand’s historical designs and vehicles. The result is a unique supercar which Bugatti president Wolfgang Du?rheimer personally presented to the future owner from Singapore.

“The Bugatti Veyron is an iconic car, which has set benchmarks in many respects”, said Wolfgang Du?rheimer, President of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. “In addition to the certainty of owning the world’s fastest production sports car, exclusiveness is extremely important to our customers. This is the reason that we have always placed so much focus on customisation and personalisation at Bugatti.”

Every Bugatti which has been configured by a customer is unique. In addition to these, Bugatti produces strictly limited special editions. The Grand Sport Vitesse “1 of 1” presented at Pebble Beach is truly one of a kind, with a number of features exclusively designed and developed by Bugatti for the customer of this car.

“For our customers, a Bugatti is an investment in an automotive work of art which will endure for generations. This is why every Bugatti is both unique and absolutely authentic in its technical prowess and stylistic form,” emphasises Achim Anscheidt, Chief Designer at Bugatti. In the creation of the Grand Sport Vitesse “1 of 1”, the Bugatti design team and the customer took their inspiration from Bugatti’s history.

Bugatti revives the brand’s traditional colours, black and yellow

The carbon-fibre body of the “1 of 1” was produced in black and yellow, reviving the historical Bugatti family colours. This colour scheme and the split will be exclusive to the Grand Sport Vitesse “1 of 1”. Company founder Ettore Bugatti and his son Jean had a number of important cars finished in the classic duo-tone combination of black and yellow, including the Fiacre bodies of the Type 41 Royale, the Type 55 and the Type 44. For this reason, the “1 of 1” was presented to the customer next to a Type 44 which was provided by the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, USA, especially for this occasion.

The black-and-yellow colour scheme went beyond the vehicles themselves at Bugatti. Even the beams over the old oak gates of the Bugatti headquarters in Molsheim, Alsace were painted in these colours.

The Bugatti designers gave the historical colour combination a modern interpretation and developed an exclusive design which makes the Grand Sport Vitesse “1 of 1” unique. Most of the body is exposed deep-black carbon divided by a “1 of 1” yellow tone, developed together with the customer, applied to sections of the front wings, beginning beneath the headlights and tapering as it extends behind the doors. The A-pillars, the air scoops, the engine cover and the striking rear wings are also finished in “1 of 1” yellow.

The wings were finished in a very special way. Sections of the carbon-fibre body parts were given a top coat while others received a clear coat. The differing finishes require substantial technical effort and highly skilled workmanship because the carbon-fibre layers must be differently applied exactly along the future colour boundaries in order to attain the weave patterns required for the clear-coated exposed carbon fibre and top-coated carbon fibre.

The legendary Bugatti horseshoe on the front grille is yellow on the front part while the inner section is black. And it is impossible to overlook the wheels of the Grand Sport Vitesse. The rims are painted black and yellow. The rims with the unique dual tone are an exclusive feature of the Grand Sport Vitesse “1 of 1”, and the initials of Ettore Bugatti on the hubcaps likewise glow in yellow. This detail also appears on the oil and fuel flap.

Newly developed design for the grille

For the first time, Bugatti has specially designed the radiator grille in the Bugatti horseshoe at the customer’s request. The traditional expanded mesh grille was replaced in the Grand Sport Vitesse “1 of 1” with a grille in which the customer’s initials, “PL”, were laser cut. In an extremely complex process, which Bugatti developed and patented, every inner surface of the grille was hand-polished. After that the grille was black-anodised, then the front was polished and the grill was finished again with a natural anodised layer. More than 200 working hours are needed to attain this special, luxurious anodised duo-tone appearance in the finest quality.

Bugatti logo as tribute to the brand

The customer’s wish to express the historical roots of Bugatti in his Grand Sport Vitesse “1 of 1” was expressed in another detail of the car which cannot be overlooked: the brand logo, lovingly called the Bugatti “macaron”.

Company founder Ettore developed it himself, injecting his sense of workmanship and his love for luxurious detail, just as he did with his cars. An engineer to the core, Ettore Bugatti specified that the oval shape of the logo should be twice as long as it is high, as if one were to cut a tube at a thirty-degree angle. The name “Bugatti” is set off with a black shadow, over which the initials of Ettore Bugatti are elegantly placed. These initials, incidentally, are also used independently of this logo. Both elements are surrounded by sixty dots reminiscent of a string of pearls which increase the impression of elegance. The Bugatti logo still embellishes every Bugatti today and looks especially authentic as an enamel badge. In this form, the character of the logo upon which Ettore Bugatti placed such great value is well expressed: it is a hand-crafted work of art.

The Bugatti logo is among the most elegant automobile logos in the world today. No other modern Bugatti displays the Bugatti macaron as prominently as does the Grand Sport Vitesse “1 of 1”. In addition to being displayed in its traditional place as an enamel badge on the grille of every Bugatti, here it appears in black on the yellow underside of the rear wing when it extends at 180 km/h.

Inside the car, the macaron is prominently embroidered in yellow in the black head rests.

The classic black-and-yellow colour scheme continues in the interior

The interior also clearly echoes to the Bugatti family colours. The complete interior is trimmed in black leather. The instrument panel is made of deep-black exposed carbon.

The yellow decorative stitching on the steering wheel, seats and gear selector lever seems to glow. Gracing the cabin is a shining yellow Bugatti Type 35, the most successful racing car ever with more than 2,000 victories and podium finishes, and one of the brand’s most symbolic models. At the customer’s request, a sketch of the Type 35 executed by a Bugatti designer has been rendered in the black carbon lid of the rear centre box between the seats.

Bugatti uses laser perforation technique for the first time

The link to the modern history of Bugatti is created on the black door panels. A new production technique was used for this: the door panel is made from due-tone leather, black on the outside and yellow on the inside. The leather was perforated with a laser so that the holes exposed the inner yellow layer. The result is a silhouette of a Bugatti Veyron.

Of course, the classic methods of customising were also used in the Grand Sport Vitesse “1 of 1”. For example, the Bugatti logo and the text “one of one” – both in yellow – decorate the black carbon inlays on the extension of the centre console. As a very personal touch, the Bugatti designers created a portrait of the customer and engraved it together with his name in the door sill trim.

Seemingly limitless choice of ways to customise

The Bugatti Veyron enjoys the reputation of being a unique masterpiece. Its market launch almost ten years ago revitalised the French luxury brand’s legendary automotive tradition characterised by superlatives. The Veyron is the most powerful and fastest production sports car in the world. Bordering on the limits of technological possibility, it is nevertheless endowed with great day-to-day practicality because it is both easy and intuitive to drive as well as being comfortable.

The Grand Sport Vitesse “1 of 1” is the result of many months of close cooperation between Bugatti’s design team and the customer. Focusing on the customers and their wishes is one of the brand’s great strengths. In the spirit of Ettore Bugatti, whose motto was “Nothing is too expensive, nothing is too beautiful”, the company continues to work in partnership with its customers to design vehicles which express both the legend of the brand and the personality of the customers.

“A Bugatti is purchased as a collector’s item. As a brand, we do everything to be worthy of the trust placed in us and to maintain the sustained value of this automotive icon,” notes Wolfgang Du?rheimer. “This means that we also support our customers in the personalisation of their Bugatti in the way they would like it. Our customers’ wishes are our highest priority.”

The average net price of Bugatti vehicles sold, including options, is presently more than €2 million. For example, the clear-coated exposed carbon-fibre body is very popular. To go with it, Bugatti now offers nine colours, more than any other manufacturer. The French luxury brand presently offers more than 100 different colours for fully painted carbon-fibre bodies. Bugatti also works passionately to satisfy its customers’ wishes regarding the colours for the leather in the interior or the selection of exclusive materials such as gold, platinum, porcelain, crystal glass and more.
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2015 BMW X5 Security Plus To Be Unveiled at 2014 Moscow Auto Show

At the 2014 Moscow Auto Show, the Munich-based automaker will unveil their new F15 BMW X5 Security Plus and now we have the first official photos of the armored version of the luxury SUV.

As seen here, the X5 Security Plus was put through “intensive testing”, in this case heavy rounds of ammunition of different calibers.

The armored SUV meets the requirements of the protection level VR6, which can successfully resist to Ammo Type 7.62 x 51 mm NATO from a distance of 10 meters. The highest protection level, VR7, is only awarded to the BMW 7 Series High Security F03 model.

The F15 BMW X5 Security Plus went through some changes to comply with the requirements of a high security vehicle. For example, the windows have been replaced with bulletproof ones and inside numerous additional controls was installed to perform various special functions.

It’s constructed of high-strength steel and is capable of protecting four occupants from an assault by AK47 machine guns. The seams are backed by sealed joints which prevent bullet fragments from sneaking past, and the windows are made from a polycarbonate material which can also handle attacks from blunt weapons.

BMW has worked to refine the chassis, brakes and engine management so that it handles the extra weight from the security features.

Exactly like all other series-production BMWs, the security models take place in the usual long-term tests in hot and cold weather.

The BMW X5 Security Plus, like all other X5 modes, are built at the Spartanburg plant. Additional special requests can be retrofitted in the specialized armor BMW plant in Toluca Mexico