Maruti Suzuki New Look
 |
| Maruti Suzuki New Look |
 |
| Add caption |
The Maruti Suzuki new look with white and black color its realy cool and amazing car.just go to shop now and buy now and drive your own dream car Now
The HTC Evo View 4G in Your Car
It is important to know how to use tablets such as the HTC Evo View 4G safely while driving, since driving is a big responsibility and tablets show no sign of leaving our cars any more than smart phones have. Out of all the HTC accessories the most important and most beneficial to any tablet is a Bluetooth headset. This accessory will come in handy every time you need to receive or place a call when you are driving. Although many still prefer to use wired headsets, a Bluetooth headset eliminates any hazards that can come from having to deal with wires when driving. Pretty much, a Bluetooth headset allows the user to focus on the road and the surroundings so that you do not risk getting into an accident.Another feature to consider when you decide to bring home a HTC Evo View 4G but still want to be able to use it while you are on the road is an app to help you use voice to text and voice to dial technology. Voice to text technology is pretty much a feature that turns your verbal words into text without the user having to use the phone's keyboard.
The advantages here are clear; if you can say your texts rather than having to type them, you can keep both your hands and your eyes on the road, which makes the road a much safer place for other drivers, children, pedestrians, and anyone or anything else on the motorway. Similarly, when you have voice to dial technology present in your tablet through a well chosen app, you can dial a person's number simply by saying the word "dial" and the number in question.
The voice dial feature does not require that you use your hands in any way, shape, or form. Rather, your hands can stay where they are most needed, which will probably be on the steering wheel or on your gear shifter. These are only a few of the driving features provided by this tablet. With more research you can find thousand of different things like GPS and music streaming that can make driving easier or more enjoyable.
As you can see there are a number of different features and cell phone accessories with a tablet that can make the open road less dangerous and more enjoyable. Be sure to check out other HTC Evo View 4G accessories like a screen protector or a case to help keep your device protected during everyday use.
Visit Cell Phone AccessoriesV and take advantage of the largest selection of cell phone accessories. Browse the latest HTC accessories for all HTC phone models. Enjoy Free Shipping on all orders shipped within the United States.
First official picture: Lexus LF-FC
Lexus
Lexus would not waste money on huge rims, sticky Continental rubber and gnarly brakes unless the LF-LC needed them.
Stung into action by leaked shots in a magazine teaser video, Lexus has released just one official picture of the LF-LC 2+2 sports coupé concept, due to debut at the Detroit motor show at 1.25pm time on January 9.
The accompanying press release is long on hype but short on detail, using phrases such as "crafted from a clean sheet of paper" and "blends both high technology and organic shapes to connect the driver to the machine", but giving no technical details whatsoever.
Clean sheet of paper notwithstanding, the concept - created at the company's Calty design studio in Newport Beach, California - shows a clear family resemblance to the LFA supercar and the recently-revealed GS sedan.
Which is not a bad thing, mind you, since both are remarkably handsome vehicles, if a little understated in what is becoming a Lexus tradition.
Also becoming is a signature Lexus feature is hybrid power, with a petrol-electric option in nearly every model range, and you'll note a discreet "HYBRID" badge on the rear three-quarter panel just behind the concept's door.
Whatever the power source, however, the LF-LC will need a lot of it, if it's to take on the Mercedes SL and BMW 6 Series coupés, as has been suggested.
But then, Lexus wouldn't waste money on huge rims, sticky Continental rubber and gnarly brakes if it didn't need them, would it? As soon as we know more, so will you.
GWM's SUV is cheap but roughish
H5 is elegant by SUV standards and not an obvious copy of anything else.
ROAD TEST - GWM H5 2.4 PETROL 4X2:
I must admit that I've been called a cheapskate before. More times than I care to remember if I have to go into gory detail here.
Fact is, when I first started working, friends who earned a lot more than me would find themselves drowning in debt and just not making ends meet. Not me. Somehow I always managed to get by and still have enough left to have some fun. As far as I can help it, I just don't spend money on crap I don't need.
Scanning for cheapest option was once a part of that game plan, but needless to say that learning the meaning of the proverb “buy cheap, buy twice” was something that happened the hard way. Nowadays, it's about finding the best quality for the price - short of paying for the prestige of a label.
Which is why I still view the too-good-to-be-true price tags of Chinese cars with some trepidation.
Take the GWM H5. In 2.4 petrol 4x2 form (as tested here) it costs just R219 990. For a large SUV. It's no softroader either - this ladder-frame behemoth belonging to the same genre as the Toyota Fortuner but for more than R100 000 less. You can even have a 4x4 version for just R15 000 more - worth the outlay if you want a decent off-roader.
This GWM even looks the part. A little generic perhaps, but it's elegant by SUV standards and it's not an obvious copy of anything else on the road.
Then there's the GWM factor - they're widely regarded as the best among the Chinese and I remember being pleasantly surprised by the build quality of the Steed bakkies I've driven in recent years.
The H5 didn't alter this opinion in any way - besides a slightly unaligned panel on the dashboard's instrument binnacle, I got the feeling this H5 was slapped together rather decently.
All good then? Not quite. We're not talking cut-price bakkies here and if I was after a family-sized vehicle in this price bracket, I'd expect a certain measure of refinement and ease-of-use. This, unfortunately, is where the H5 starts to show some cracks.
It's fairly noisy for starters and while the ride quality is acceptable, there's lots of body roll and the over-assisted steering feels so numb you might as well be driving it with a joystick. Talking sticks, even the gearshift is a bit notchy.
There's acres of cabin and luggage space for all occupants and a few kitchen sinks but those in the back have to sit with their knees in the air because those rear seats are positioned so low.
Then again, I'd think twice before taking too many passengers along as the 2.4-litre petrol engine barely has enough power to haul the vehicle itself, let alone a family holiday contingent.
Its Mitsubishi-sourced 2.4-litre petrol engine is tasked with pulling 1.72-tonnes of SUV with just 100kW and 200Nm - and that's before we factor in altitude losses for those of us on the Reef.
It's really slow, to put it mildly. You'll even find yourself having to work it hard in town and as for the open road - that can best be described as a test of patience.
Luckily you can get the H5 with a 110kW/310Nm turbodiesel motor and that would definitely be worth the extra R30 000 it commands.
Personally, I'd even give up a few items on that long list of standard features to have more power - and it is a long list. Leather seats (with electric adjustment for the driver), climate control, reverse camera with parking sensors, automatic headlights and wipers, trip computer - it's all included in the price.
It is lacking a little in the safety department though, its only key features being dual front airbags and ABS - no traction control or curtain 'bags here. On the upside, its structure did earn it a four-star Australian NCAP safety rating.
So is the H5 the SUV bargain you've been looking for? If you're after a spacious family-sized vehicle with rugged suspension for that punishing road to your farm, then it does start to make sense. Provided you're happy with a vehicle that drives like most bakkies did ten years ago - a fair compromise considering the amount of money you're saving.
But trust me, unless you've only ever driven a tractor, the turbodiesel is the one you want.
Insane - 600kW Jeep Grand Cherokee
This twin-turbo Jeep Grand Cherokee puts out 600kW.
You could hardly accuse the standard Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 of lacking ponies. With 347kW and 630Nm on tap, it already explores the limits of how much power a top-heavy SUV designed for off-roading should realistically have. Right?
Hennessey, of course, disagrees completely.
The American supercar manufacturer and tuner has just sent out a preview of its latest project - and it involves almost doubling the outputs of the Grand Cherokee SRT8.
With the displacement of the Jeep's 6.4-litre Hemi V8 increased to 7-litres and two turbos thrown in for good measure, the Hennessey SUV puts out 600kW and 1115Nm - enough, says Hennessey, to blast it from standstill to 96km/h in just 3.1 seconds.
The rest of the mechanics have been upgraded in accordance, the Jeep sporting lowered and stiffened suspension, 15.1-inch Brembo anchors at each end and an upgraded gearbox.
Company owner John Hennessey describes it as the ultimate snow machine: “This vehicle is designed for the performance minded driver who lives in Aspen or Moscow and wants to be the fastest in all weather conditions.”
Kia debuts Korea's first battery car
From the outside it looks exactly the same as the petrol version, except for a flap in the grille over the 220V socket , special decals on the front doors and super-smooth 14" alloy rims to improve aerodynamic performance by minimising drag.
Kia has introduced Korea's first electric vehicle, the Kia Ray EV, based on the new, one-litre, petrol-powered Ray mini-MPV, which went on sale in Korea last month - in fact, in what the maker says is a world first, it will be built on the same production line as the conventional version.
The front-wheel drive Ray EV has a 50kW electric motor and a 16.4 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack (in two sections, one under the floor, the other under the back seat), which Kia says is engineered for a 10-year life cycle.
The battery-powered Ray weighs 187kg more than its petrol sibling, but has 77 percent more torque (167Nm at very low revs) so its acceleration to 100km/h (15.9 seconds) is actually quicker. Top speed is 130km/h and Kia claims a range of 139km (but not both at the same time!), while recharging takes six hours from a 220V domestic plug and 25 minutes in fast-charge mode.
The Ray EV's automatic transmission has two modes: E (or 'eco') mode optimises the delivery of the motor's torque to achieve minimum battery consumption and maximum driving range, while B (or 'brake') mode maximises braking power when driving downhill on highways and mountain roads.
The car uses the electric motor to provide hydraulic pressure for the brake booster system, which, according to the maker, provides consistent brake-pedal feel, as well as recovering excess energy to recharge the battery.
From the outside it looks exactly the same as the petrol version, except for a flap in the grille over the 220V socket , special decals on the front doors and super-smooth 14” alloy rims to improve aerodynamic performance by minimising drag.
First EV-specific navigation system provides crucial information for EV drivers, such as the locations of the nearest recharging stations.
Inside, a special instrument cluster displays electric motor operation, battery status and distance to recharge - as well as the first EV-specific navigation system, with a 225mm screen that provides crucial information for EV drivers, such as the locations of the nearest recharging stations. The display also shows the car's range as a circle on a map so the driver can see which destinations are within reach.
There are 500 slow or fast recharge stations in Korea now, and the government plans to increase that to 3100 by the end of 2012.
Like all electric cars, the Ray EV is almost silent - dangerously so - which is why Japan and the US are already considering the introduction of a legal requirement for EV's to have a synthetic engine noise.
Kia has anticipated this move by fitting a virtual engine sound system that makes typical petrol-engine noise when its travelling at less than 20km/h and when it's in reverse.
The Ray EV also has six airbags, hill hold and an electronic stability programme as standard.
Kia plans to build 2500 battery Rays during 2012, which will be used by government departments and public officials as part of Kia's research into environmentally friendly transport.
Mercedes hybrids for Detroit debut
Demo model E300 BlueTec hybrid announces its vital statistics in bold type.
Mercedes-Benz has announced what it says is the world's most fuel-efficient luxury car, one of two E-Class hybrids that will make their world debut at the Detroit motor show, on from January 14-22.
The E300 BlueTec diesel-electric hybrid (available in Europe in sedan and estate format from late 2012) is rated at an impressive 4.2 litres per 100km.
In real terms, that equates to a 15 percent improvement on the current E250 CDI, with performance equivalent to that of the E300 CDI.
So, how does it work? By combining a two-litre, four-cylinder turbodiesel producing 150kW and 500Nm with a 20kW/250Nm electric motor, as well as engine stop/start, regenerative braking and a short-range battery-only capability, that's how.
And, by tucking the lithium-ion battery away under the rear seat, there are no compromises on the boot volume or rear-seat comfort, and no changes to the body shell.
The system is also modular, so it will be possible to develop hybrid variants of other models relatively quickly and cheaply.
The typically neat, albeit very crowded, engine bay of the E400 Hybrid.
A case in point is the E400 hybrid, which will also premiere at Detroit; it teams up a 225kW/370Nm, V6 petrol engine with the same 20kW/250Nm electric motor and battery pack, plus engine stop/start, regenerative braking and battery-only capability.
The result is a muscular luxury sedan for the North American market (followed by other countries such as Japan and China later) that rates at 27mpg (8.76 litres per 100km) on the US combined measurementCountry trip for Qashqai of the 'hood
.
The Qashqai n-tec is set apart by flashy 18-inch rims.
ROAD TEST - NISSAN QASHQAI 2.0 N-TEC:
Cruisin' 'round the 'hood in my pimp-mobile
Stylin' neck breakin' under chains of gold
…As you can see, I'd make a terrible rapper. But those were the lines that popped into my head when meeting this Nissan Qashqai n-tec edition. It's as if, on a much subtler scale, it's trying to be one of those black Cadillac Escalades that rap stars cruise around in. You know, the ones with gigantic chrome wheels that dwarf the wheelarches.
I mean, what's the point of fitting fancy 'smouldering black' 18-inch rims with low profile tyres to something was designed with SUV ambitions?
Sure, it's more fitting to call the Qashqai a softroader, but even these are designed to tackle the odd dirt trail, ruined country road or occasional mild off-road jaunt. But surely these rims are no match for even the pavement kerbs of Sandton?
Guess I've been missing the point here. This Qashqai is all about style. You buy this if you want the status of an SUV in a more glittery wrapping, not to mention that special sensation of being a bit higher off the ground than Joe Average and his 2.7 kids in the Tiida driving alongside.
Thanks to the recent facelift, the Qashqai is still arguably one of the better lookers on the block, but it lacks the crisper, more daring attitude of newer rivals like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai ix35.
The n-tec package does add some flash though, and in addition to those big rims, it gains roof rails, leather upholstery and the option of a glass roof in the case of the 2-litre petrol.
While a 1.6 petrol engine is also available, our test unit was a 2-litre, powered by Nissan's familiar 16-valve motor with 102kW on tap at 5200rpm and 198Nm at 4400. It's available in 4x2 form only, channelling power to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox.
Despite its urban orientation, testing this Qashqai coincided with a weekend in the country, which included a few smooth dirt roads and some badly potholed and rutted tar surfaces. I thought this would be a better idea than a trip to the ghetto, since I couldn't figure out how to drive with the seat-back almost horizontal while still dangling my right arm from the window.
The Nissan's wheels survived the dodgy roads, including a good smack on a tar section, and it provided a comfortable and relaxed journey.
The ride was smooth on all surfaces, the interior quiet, the steering accurate, cornering neat and the engine proved just adequate for overtaking. I wouldn't describe it as quick by any stretch of the imagination, but I never cursed it for lacking urge and it felt flexible enough at lower revs.
Comfortable, solidly built, spacious and versatile enough for the family, the Qashqai remains a decent choice when viewed in isolation but at R299 900 for the 2.0 n-teq, it is too expensive for what it offers.
Consider that you can have the far more powerful turbocharged (albeit lesser specced) VW Tiguan 1.4 TSI 118kW for the same price or the high-spec Kia Sportage 2.0 for R277 995. Buy the Tiguan for refinement and performance or the Kia for style and value.
Hand-built supercar a dream come true
.
Only five Faralli and Mazzanti Evantras will be built.
As a schoolboy in Tuscany, Luca Mazzanti dreamed of one day building his own supercar. Unlike most, however, he has held on to that dream and made it come true.
Now 37, he has been working for nearly 20 years with master coachbuilder Mario Faralli on restoring such rarities as a Cisitalia 202, a Ferrari 500 Mondial and even “Il Mostro” (The Monster), the one-off Maserati 450 Costin/Zagato driven by Stirling Moss in the 1957 Le Mans 24 Hours.
Then, in 2001, he and Faralli designed and built a brand-new barchetta (that's the Italian name for a roadster) for a client, leading to the formation of F&M Auto, which builds personal project cars for very rich Italians.
Now Faralli and Mazzanti are ready to build their own, very exclusive supercar, the result of three years of collaboration with designer Zsolt Tarnok. Only five will be made, each hand-built to customer spec and seriously, if you have to ask the price, you can't afford one.
The car was originally to have been called the Mugello, but the prototype you see in these pictures (which is a runner, by the way) carries the name Evantra, possibly after objections from the owner of the famous racing circuit, which just happens to be Ferrari.
Each Evantra will have a mid-mounted 3.5-litre flat-six engine; customers can choose between a 300kW naturally-aspirated model and an awe-inspiring 445kW twin-turbo version.
With the twin-turbo engine in a carbon-fibre body the Evantra will weigh only 1200kg and sprint from 0-100km/h in 3.7 seconds.
.
The bodies will be hand-crafted in either carbon fibre or aluminium; while the composite structure is lighter, specifying aluminium will allow the customer to introduce small styling changes to suit their vision of the ultimate one-off supercar - each panel is hand-rolled, you see, rather than punched out in a die like a production car.
The partners say that, with the twin-turbo engine in a carbon-fibre body and no extras, the Evantra will weigh only 1200kg and sprint from 0-100km/h in 3.7 seconds.
Best performance car of 2011
.
Golf R is like a GTI, but better.
WINNER - VW GOLF R:
It's almost just like a GTI, but better. It's faster because its 2-litre turbocharged engine has been pumped-up to 188kW and 350Nm (from 155 and 280), and it lays it all down to the ground in such a calm and collected manner because it's all-wheel drive.
There's no torque steer to speak of, which is a good thing when you're trying to run from a pack of chasing Focus STs, Megane RSs and Mini Cooper Ss. Rip from 0-100km/h in SA's fastest Volkswagen (we got it at 6.4 seconds) and have a chilled conversation with your passengers while doing it because it's so quiet inside.
Choose between two of the world's best gearboxes in a quick-changing DSG, or a slick-shifting manual.
PRICING: R419 300 - R433 800
*This contest was judged by the motoring journalists of the Independent Newspapers group, representing IOL, Star Motoring, Drive Times, Pretoria News and Mercury Motoring.
Best adventure vehicle of 2011
.
Korando offers great value in a well-kitted package.
WINNER - SSANGYONG KORANDO:
The latest Korean SUV slayer after the iX and Sportage ranges, yet cheaper than both with the same soft-road credentials.
Where Ssangyong once sent women and children running for cover with its insane body styles (Stavic and Actyon Sports come to mind), the new Korando is a genuine runner for the best-looking small SUV.
But it's much more than skin-deep beauty with a generous spec sheet which includes leather, cruise control, steering controls, radio with MP3/USB/iPod compatibility, and an impressive interior with soft-to-touch materials everywhere.
Its 2-litre turbodiesel engine also feels nice and torquey.
PRICING: R294 995 - R324 995
*This contest was judged by the motoring journalists of the Independent Newspapers group, representing IOL, Star Motoring, Drive Times, Pretoria News and Mercury Motoring.
Best family/executive car of 2011
.
A6 is a classy executive sedan with satisfying driving dynamics.
WINNER - AUDI A6:
A classy offering from Germany with its biggest selling point being one that Audi would prefer you didn't know: because of its clever packaging the new A6 has a roomier cabin and boot than the much more expensive Audi A8.
The A6 is a high-tech, high-speed sedan that quietly demolishes distance, cocooning its passengers in a highly-refined environment.
High quality cabin finishes are an Audi speciality but the new A6 raises the bar even higher; and the car also wins our award for classiest interior of the year.
It's also a car that delivers satisfying driving dynamics, feeling lighter and nimbler than it should for such a big car.
This is partly thanks to the use of weight-saving aluminium in 20 percent of the body, which makes the A6 lighter than its larger predecessor and around 15 percent lighter than its rivals from BMW and Mercedes.
PRICING: R462 000 - R655 000
*This contest was judged by the motoring journalists of the Independent Newspapers group, representing IOL, Star Motoring, Drive Times, Pretoria News and Mercury Motoring.
Best compact/midsize car of 2011
.
Ford Focus boasts fresh styling and a great overall package.
WINNER - FORD FOCUS:
The Focus is Ford's biggest global nameplate, and the new Focus certainly raises the bar in the South African midsize segment.
It's a sleek design which the carmaker reckons is the next step in its kinetic design language, and it has a very aerodynamic and athletic stance about it.
The Focus, available in hatch and sedan variants, takes the fight right to the Golf with its classy build quality and dynamic driving characteristics, while the Ford's fresher design might attract buyers becoming bored with VW's relative conservatism.
The interior is plush with modern finishes and the latest technology, and is impressively insulated when driving. The body is stiffer than before and it shows with the crisp handling, while overall build quality inside and out is superb.
Gearchanges are smooth and steering feedback responsive too. All in all a great package.
PRICING: R211 530 - R285 320
*This contest was judged by the motoring journalists of the Independent Newspapers group, representing IOL, Star Motoring, Drive Times, Pretoria News and Mercury Motoring.
Best small/budget car of 2011
.
The Kia Rio impressed with its trendy styling, good dynamics and superb quality.
WINNER - KIA RIO HATCHBACK:
With their classy execution and trendy styling, recent Kias like the Soul, Sportage and Picanto have added the word “cool” to the Korean carmaker's vocabulary, which has made it one of the world's fastest growing car brands with sales exceeding two million units in 2010 for the first time.
The grown-up new Rio follows the same trend, blending trendy styling with impressive ride quality and neat handling, while Kia's recent strides in build quality and improved finishes are also evident in the cabin with its soft-touch dashboard and more premium feel.
The new hatch - offered in 1.2 and 1.4 petrol derivatives - has larger-than-average passenger room for a B-segment car; a pair of full-sized adults will happily fit in the back seat without squashed knees.
The Rio's new-found premium feel is still offered at competitive price tags, and included are a five-year or 100 000km warranty and a four-year or 60 000km service plan.
PRICING: R136 995 - R178 995
*This contest was judged by the motoring journalists of the Independent Newspapers group, representing IOL, Star Motoring, Drive Times, Pretoria News and Mercury Motoring.
Best car design of the year
.
We love the dare-to-be-different style.
WINNER - MERCEDES-BENZ CLS:
The very best of Merc's bold but elegant new design theme wrapped around a practical package.
There are body creases for Africa here, but we love the dare-to-be different style.
The CLS is based on an everyday E-Class but with a body that could take a starring role in a Fast and Furious movie.
If you've got the cash, get the snarling AMG version which heightens the experience with ridiculously badass rims, low-profile tyres and other rip-snorting aesthetics.
PRICING: R793 000 - R1 319 500
*This contest was judged by the motoring journalists of the Independent Newspapers group, representing IOL, Star Motoring, Drive Times, Pretoria News and Mercury Motoring.
Al-Attiyah gets Citroen WRC seat
AFP
The Dakar star will be racing a Citroen DS3 in the World Rally Championship next year.
Dakar Rally winner Nasser Al-Attiyah is joining eight times world rally champion Sebastien Loeb and Finn Mikko Hirvonen at Citroen next season, the French team said on Thursday.
The 40-year-old Qatari will miss the season-opening Monte Carlo rally in January when he defends his Dakar Rally title but will be available for the Rally of Sweden in February.
“We're delighted that (Al-Attiyah) has chosen our team to make his debut in a World Rally Car, and we're determined to put all our support behind him to help him move up to the top level,” said Olivier Quesnel, Citroen's team principal.
Al-Attiyah will have a busy year because he also plans to compete at the London Olympics in clay pigeon shooting.
Citroen has already entered two DS3 cars for next season with Loeb hoping to retain his world crown alongside Hirvonen, who was his closest rival this year before becoming his team-mate after leaving Ford to replace Frenchman Sebastien Ogier.
Citroen said Al-Attiyah and co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini will have an identical car to Loeb and Hirvonen.
Nasser al-Attiyah.
AFP
Although Al-Attiyah won the 2006 P-WRC title for production cars, he has never raced in the World Rally Championship.
Al-Attiyah joins a Citroen team who won their fourth consecutive manufacturers crown this year with Frenchman Loeb extending his record run with an eighth straight world title.
New Honda Civic Type R on the way
New Honda Civic Type R on the way
.
The Type R will have a more aggressive look than the standard hatchback shown in this picture.
Honda Type-R fans may have something to look forward to in 2013.
The internet is abuzz with news of a new Civic Type-R, which will become part of the new and recently-shown Civic range.
According to Manabu Nishimae, president of Honda Motor Europe, customers want sporty models.
He said that it will take Honda some time before it could meet this demand immediately but it will definitely develop these products.
Honda’s hot hatch will continue to be powered by a high-revving naturally-aspirated petrol motor that could deliver more than 150kW, with a focus on handling instead of pace.
According to Yoshikazu Kigoshi, general manager for Honda research and design, differences in the new Type-R will (as expected) include special bumpers, wheels, spoilers and seats as well as firmer springs and better settings.
Honda has also said that performance partner Mugen will not play a part in the development of the Civic Type-R. The carmaker will also not confirm an exact timeframe for the newcomer’s arrival.
But while there is clearly a dedication to injecting more excitement into the range, Kigoshi also claimed that there was little chance of a new S2000 making an appearance soon because it would be “difficult to justify the cost of making a rear-wheel drive car that would need its own platform”. -Star Motoring
Chevrolet reveals sporty Sonic RS
Sonic RS is motivated by a 103kW/200Nm 1.4 turbopetrol engine.
Let's put the word 'hotter' in context here. Your immediate assumption when seeing this tarted up, body-kitted and turbocharged Chevrolet Sonic would be that GM has created a hot hatch here - but the RS is no Polo GTI rival.
Instead, it's presumably positioned as a more affordable alternative to hot hatches, complete with racy styling and warm performance.
We say warm, because it is powered by GM's 1.4-litre Ecotec turbopetrol engine, which is good for 103kW and 200Nm, but no performance figures have been quoted as yet. The engine's mated to either a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox.
The mechanical changes are rounded off by lower and stiffer suspension and disc brakes on all four wheels.
Showing off its performance potential is a new front bumper with bespoke 'RS' grille, rear spoiler, rocker mouldings, unique mirror cap finish, chrome exhaust pipe and a set of 17-inch alloys.
Inside you'll find new 'sport themed' seats and steering wheel, alloy pedals, bespoke instrument cluster and RS-specific interior trim colour theme for the instrument panel and door trim inserts.
The RS also packs in GM's MyLink infotainment system, complete with a seven-inch colour touch screen radio and internet radio and navigation via your smartphone connection.
The Sonic RS will be unveiled for the first time at the Detroit Motor Show in early January. According to GMSA, there are currently no plans to launch the Sonic RS in South Africa, however the company says it'll continue to look for opportunities to expand its Chevrolet line-up. Could that be stretched to a maybe?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)