Audi debuts the 2012 A6 Avant

The sedan version of the Audi A6 was revealed several months ago, and now its the turn of the infinitely cooler A6 Avant to step out from the shadows. Thanks to the extensive use of aluminium, which makes up roughly 20 percent of the body, the 2012 A6 Avant is up to 70kgs (154 lbs) lighter than its predecessor. That makes it a win-win situation for both agility and efficiency.Scheduled to launch in Europe later this year, the A6 Avant is offered with a range of both diesel and gasoline engines. Power outputs range from a healthy 177hp, right up to a left-lane-of-the-Autobahn suitable 313hp.

Other improvements for the new A6 Avant include increased cargo space. Up to 1,680 litres (444 gallons) of antique furniture and duvets can be carried, while still permitting the driver to take along an assistant to help unload it all. Typical of every Audi since the mid-nineties, the interior is incredibly well put together, and the designers have made sure its ergonomics and styling go hand-in-hand. An inlay (which looks particularly good in veneered oak) known as the “wrap-around” encircles the driver and the front-seat passenger. The inlays are available in three different types of wood, aluminum or piano lacquer.

The front seats are available in a wide variety of options, with the top-spec models featuring ventilation and massage functions. There is also a number of choices when it comes to the steering wheels: three or four spokes, power-adjustable steering column, heated rim and paddles for the automatic transmission.
The back seat offers ample passenger room. There are plenty of storage options and cup holders front and rear, with an additional storage package available as an option. The rear seat passengers also get their own AC controls and a two-vents each. Audi connect, the company’s Internet service which was developed in collaboration with Google, creates a Wi-Fi hotspot allowing the passengers to take full advantage of everything the Internet has to offer. All-in-all, if you’re late on the shotgun call, you won’t be too disappointed.
In total six engine options will be available, however what choice you have will depend on where you live. Two of the choices are gasoline, while the other four are diesel. The 2.0 TDI is the most frugal, and consumes an average of just 5.0 liters of fuel per 100 km (47.04 MPG). The supercharged 3.0 litre TFSI engine makes 295 horsepower, and is the most powerful gasoline option. But it’s a diesel engine that tops the charts. The twin-turbo 3.0 TDI generates 313 horsepower, enough to get the A6 Avant to 62 mph (100km/h) in a scant 5.4 seconds, and on to a typically-Bavarian electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.
The transmission options for the Audi A6 Avant include a six-speed manual, 8-speed multitronic CVT or 7-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmissions – multitronic or manual for front-wheel drive models, and S tronic for quattro equipped cars.

Basically, if you want a brand-new, stylish, luxurious and fast car, but also need to regularly haul around an eclectic mix of cargo, including children, dogs and expensive household nick-naks, then the 2012 A6 Avant should be sitting proudly at the top of your shortlist.


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Ford Interceptor

The Ford Interceptor concept which went on show at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show is a four door luxury sedan built on a stretched Ford Mustang platform, and powered by an E85 ethanol fueled 5.0 litre V8 driving 400 horsepower to the rear wheels via a 6-speed manual gearbox.


The styling of the Ford Interceptor concept borrows design cues from some previous Ford concepts, especially trucks. Although the overall shape is rather different from some of the latest car designs like the Ford Iosis and Ford Reflex.

"This concept celebrates the best of American muscle. And if it looks familiar, it should. That's because we've translated the design language of last year's F-250 Super Chief pickup concept onto a car." said Peter Horbury, executive director, Design, The Americas. The bold three bar grille of the Ford Interceptor concept is possibly the most easily identifiable element taken from the Super Chief concept.

Inside the Ford Interceptor concept low-back seats, finished in thick black leather with exposed-edge seams and contrasting stitching, modernize muscle car seats through their design – along with clever touches, including headrests that deploy from the roof. The Interceptor concept's minimalist interior is sleek, focusing the driver's attention on the speedometer and tachometer, whose needles start at center and move opposite each other.

The audio control panel and climate controls are hidden – but deployable. And the gated six-speed shifter is left exposed.
For safety, the Ford Interceptor concept incorporates Ford's patented four-point "belt and suspenders" safety belt design in all four seats. This showcases a possible next-generation safety belt that is more comfortable and easier to use than traditional three-point belts. Additionally, inflatable belts have been included in the rear seat of the Interceptor concept.

The Ford Interceptor concept's 5.0-liter V-8 Cammer engine is an upgraded variant of the 4.6-liter engine under the hood of the current production Mustang GT. The Cammer modular engine has powered Ford Racing's FR500C race car to the top of the Grand Am Cup's GS class, achieving 5 victories on its way to the Drivers, Manufacturers and Team Championships in its first season of competition.

The Ford Interceptor concept shows new Mustang-inspired design possibilities – complete with two more doors and a "Built Ford Tough" design attitude.



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Exterior 

Interior

ford IOSIS

The Ford Iosis concept car from the 2005 Frankfurt Auto Show ws the preview replacement model for the existing Ford Mondeo. The Iosis takes Fords design language in a completely different direction, with an all new design philosophy.
The design itself drew on inspiration from both Jaguar and Lexus, although a bit of Mazda RX8 sneaks into the front arches.

The Iosis incorporates quadruple gull wing style doors which fan out either side of the car. The Iosis' bonnet complies with the latest pedestrian safety laws, and as such sit higher than the Mondeo's allowing a cushioning zone between the flexible bonnet and hard unforgiving engine.
Ford had toyed with the idea of a pop-up bonnet but the technology was too expensive for such a model.

The interior of the Iosis is advanced and stylish, orange accents highlight the seats, steering wheel and center console. The console also features a system similar to BMW's iDrive, a possible indication of Ford's intentions.

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     Interior

History

Foundation and early years

The company that became Alfa Romeo was founded as Società Anonima Italiana Darracq (SAID) in 1906 by the French automobile firm of Alexandre Darracq, with some Italian investors. One of them, Cavaliere Ugo Stella, an aristocrat from Milan, became chairman of the SAID in 1909. The firm's initial location was in Naples, but even before the construction of the planned factory had started, Darracq decided late in 1906 that Milan would be a more suitable location and accordingly a tract of land was acquired in the Milan suburb of Portello, where a new factory of 6,700 square metres (8,000 sq yd) was erected. Late 1909, the Italian Darracq cars were selling slowly and Stella, with the other Italian co-investors, founded a new company named A.L.F.A. (Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili), initially still in partnership with Darracq. The first non-Darracq car produced by the company was the 1910 24 HP, designed by Giuseppe Merosi, hired in 1909 for designing new cars more suitable to the Italian market. Merosi would go on to design a series of new A.L.F.A. cars, with more powerful engines (40-60 HP). A.L.F.A. ventured into motor racing, with drivers Franchini and Ronzoni competing in the 1911 Targa Florio with two 24 HP models. In 1914, an advanced Grand Prix car was designed and built, the GP1914 which featured a four cylinder, double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and twin ignition. However, the onset of the First World War halted automobile production at A.L.F.A. for three years.
 In August 1915 the company came under the direction of Neapolitan entrepreneur Nicola Romeo, who converted the factory to produce military hardware for the Italian and Allied war efforts. Munitions, aircraft engines and other components, compressors and generators based on the company's existing car engines were produced in a vastly enlarged factory during the war. When the war was over, Romeo invested his war profits in acquiring locomotive and railways carriage plants in Saronno (Costruzioni Meccaniche di Saronno), Rome (Officine Meccaniche di Roma) and Naples (Officine Ferroviarie Meridionali), which were added to his A.L.F.A. ownership.

About Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars. The company was owned by Italian state holding company Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale between 1932 and 1986, when it became a part of the Fiat Group, and since February 2007 a part of Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A.

The company that became Alfa Romeo was founded as Società Anonima Italiana Darracq (SAID) in 1906 by the French automobile firm of Alexandre Darracq, with some Italian investors. Late 1909, the Italian Darracq cars were selling slowly and a new company was founded named A.L.F.A. (Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili English: Lombard Automobile Factory, Public Company), initially still in partnership with Darracq. The first non-Darracq car produced by the company was the 1910 24 HP, designed by Giuseppe Merosi. A.L.F.A. ventured into motor racing, with drivers Franchini and Ronzoni competing in the 1911 Targa Florio with two 24 HP models. In August 1915 the company came under the direction of Neapolitan entrepreneur Nicola Romeo, who converted the factory to produce military hardware for the Italian and Allied war efforts. In 1920, the name of the company was changed to Alfa Romeo with the Torpedo 20-30 HP becoming the first car to be badged as such.

In 1928 Nicola Romeo left, with Alfa going broke after defence contracts ended, and at the end of 1932 Alfa Romeo was rescued by Benito Mussolini's government, which then had effective control. The Alfa factory struggled to return to profitability after the Second World War, and turned to mass-producing small vehicles rather than hand-building luxury models. The company, in 1954, developed the classic Alfa Romeo Twin Cam engine, which would remain in production until 1995. During the 1960s and 1970s Alfa Romeo produced a number of sporty cars, though the Italian government parent company, Finmeccanica, struggled to make a profit so sold the marque to the Fiat Group in 1986.

Alfa Romeo has competed successfully in many different categories of motorsport, including Grand Prix motor racing, Formula One, sportscar racing, touring car racing and rallies. They have competed both as a constructor and an engine supplier, via works entries (usually under the name Alfa Corse or Autodelta) and private entries. The first racing car was made in 1913, three years after the foundation of the company, and Alfa Romeo won the inaugural world championship for Grand Prix cars in 1925. The company gained a good name in motorsport, which gave a sporty image to the whole marque. Enzo Ferrari founded the Scuderia Ferrari racing team in 1929 as an Alfa Romeo racing team, before becoming independent in 1939.

                      

Chevrolet Beat

 

                    We’ve all ooh-ed and aah-ed over the pics but it still doesn’t prepare you for the Beat’s styling. Where Indian hatchbacks are painted signboards, the Beat a big flashing neon sign that prefers primary colours and where possible fluorescence. The lines are bold, chunky and muscular, from the well-defined double creases at the wheel arches, to the strong edge lines on the bonnet, to the relatively restrained sculpting on the body sides. In fact, the only place where the Beat approaches the normal hatchback is the rear, where a giant chrome-trimmed tail lamp cluster breaks up normalcy. There’s more than a few manga-hero cues in the design – the oversize headlamps being the most obvious – and the impact is forceful. GMI is clear that Indian customers have shown their readiness to try a bolder styling on for size and the Beat is most certainly the way to do it. I quite liked the design in the flesh, and the combination of the lines with the tall bonnet line, the oversize split grille with the proud bow tie in the middle was hard not to look at. And when you look closer, the styling is backed up by tight, even shut lines, good panel fit and good finish levels as well.

                    The good feelings continue as you enter the car. The upholstery on the spacious seats has a nice pattern and the dark plastics look and feel expensive and well put together as well. The centre console is stylish and while I thought some of the translucent white plastics felt a bit odd, they lit up in the night into night-club blue and made the insides look rather funky – so no complaints there. We drove the LS variant. The sporty three-spoke steering wheel has a unique column-mounted instrument cluster that was inspired my motorcycle speedos. The analogue speedo is flanked by a succession of round holes that house the tell-tale lights and surround the blue LCD readout which has the rev counter (on top), a clock, fuel gauge and odo/tripmeter. The international Beat trims have an MID which gives instant economy and miles to empty readouts, but the display sits on top of the centre console and doesn’t get integrated into the LCD. The column mounting is interesting indeed, although it also means that the lowest position, the steering wheel obscures the top of the speedo dial.

But you quickly notice that the funky and stylish interior is also very spacious. Front and rear room is very good and for a car that targets car like the i10 Kappa, the Beat certainly has the packaging black belt. We won’t comment, but we will say that it will be a hard fought battle and all bets are off. Since hatchbacks in India remain primarily self-driven, the Beat shrewdly offers the front passengers cubby holes everywhere. Sweep your fingers across the top of the dash from the left to the right, and you will keep finding storage spaces. Look down the centre console and there’s a deep, secure cubby under the busy-classy aircon console and two bottle holders. The rear seat chaps, in contrast get only the pocket at the back of the front passenger seat, a cup holder between the front seats and the parcel shelf.Yes, the rear door is a pretty interesting design feature on its own. It’s inside trim panel has but a few design creases and textures. No speaker grille and no map pocket/bottle holder. It doesn’t look like an expanse of plastic, thankfully. On the outside, is the funky-cool door handle where the quarter-glass usually is? It cleans up the door lines and has been a buzz word for the Beat right from when it was a concept. On the inside, this means a large plastic panel instead of the quarter glass. Given the upswept window sill line, the small glass area and that plastic panel, the Beat rear seat is a bit dark. However, in use, I quickly got past the visual obstruction and after that I didn’t notice it so much. I distinctly remember that same sort of small window in the rear seat of the Scirocco and I remember it being a lot darker than this, so the Chevy’s pulled this one off as well. That said, there were other journos on the drive couldn’t dismiss the panel as easily as I have.Under the muscled hood is a 1.2-litre 16 valve four-cylinder petrol engine labelled S-TEC II. This is an evolution of the Aveo U-VA’s motor, but you wouldn’t know that unless someone told you. The 80.5PS engine is a revvy little thing that makes 109Nm as well. The gearbox shifts acceptably well and this is an effortless car to drive with confident poise visible all the way up past 140kmph, great for a small car. Overtaking does require downshifts for progress, but you won’t complain. The engine is also very refined and at high revs, its smooth note is very Japanese in nature. ARAI’s fuel economy tests also suggest that this is a proper teetotaller of a motor, scoring 18.6kmpl.

                    Sticking to this basic marketing strategy, Chevrolet has decided to launch the diesel version of its successful model, the Beat. Yes; you have heard that absolutely correct! Not even a week has passed since Chevrolet unveiled the Chevrolet Beat LPG & auto market’s wants the attention to be with it only as decks are cleared for the Beat’s diesel version to hit the spicy Indian automobile market in June, 2011. GM will manufacture this engine at their powertrain facility at Talegaon.

                    This is the second 300-series car from Chevrolet and once again, we’re impressed at how good the ride quality is. The Beat beats (it had to happen at least once in the story) the road into submission and over bad roads and good, it feels very composed and comfortable. This does affect that handling a little bit – committed into corners, the Beat displays body roll. Not overt amounts, but its there. Then again, this isn’t a driver’s car, it’s a city car. Which is why the electric power steering is really light and consequently returns little feedback? It’s easy to park and manoeuvre and this is what most of the Beats will do almost all of the time.

                    The Beat is a stunning-looking hatchback inside and out and a complete head turner and many of you out there will buy it purely for its styling. It also is very well built and has a nice performing engine in there. What’s more irresistible is the pricing which starts at Rs.423,973.00(On-Road Price, Mangalore) for the base and goes up to Rs.502,763.00 for the top end LT while the option pack which we driving has the extra goodies such as 2 airbags, alloys and ABS costs Rs.555,351.00. Not forgetting GMs unmatched warranty package which until now is matched by no other manufacturer.

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Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster

                At first glance in view of the new 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster is almost similar to the coupe version only that differentiate on the roof. However, this car is actually just lost gullwing door from their coupe partners even though the engineers at Mercedes-Benz has been trying hard and say that this car does not lose anything. 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster heavier weight 88 pounds from the coupe version. This is obtained after cutting the roof, stiffening the body, and fittings conventional. For roof, Mercedes-Benz provides in several colors like black, red and beige.

                The roof can close in a matter of seconds with very fast speed of 31 miles per hour. Besides having advanced roof, 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster is also equipped with several electronic devices AMG such as Adaptive Sport Suspension, AMG Performance Media system to tracking and display vehicle telemetrics, and AMG Drive Unit to control everything. Not only that, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS Roadster has a maximum speed of 197 mph and to take 0-60 mph in just 3.7 seconds. This achievement also beat Gullwing coupe version which takes 3.8 seconds. This car will also be prepared to defeat the conversion versions of some famous car manufacturers such as 458 Italy’s Ferrari, McLaren MP4-12C, Pagani Huayra and Lamborghini Aventador. 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster will soon be marketed in the fall, or rather at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

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Maruti - Suzuki Swift

SUZUKI SURROUND PROTECTION

THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN SHE ASKS FOR PROTECTION.
What? You worry? We wouldn’t want that. So we got an over-protective bunch of detail-obsessed engineers to pack the Swift with

preservatives. Like a highly crashworthy structure that keeps you safe. A collapsible steering column. Front seatbelt pre-tensioners with load

limiters, and energy absorbing trim all around.

Active safety technologies include dual front airbags*, Antilock Braking (ABS)* with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD)* and a brake-

assist function, that minimise driving hazards. All of these make the Swift amongst the safest set of wheels on the road today. And you can be

sure that’s not by accident.




SUZUKI SURROUND PROTECTION

THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN SHE ASKS FOR PROTECTION.
What? You worry? We wouldn’t want that. So we got an over-protective bunch of detail-obsessed engineers to pack the Swift with

preservatives. Like a highly crashworthy structure that keeps you safe. A collapsible steering column. Front seatbelt pre-tensioners with load

limiters, and energy absorbing trim all around.

Active safety technologies include dual front airbags*, Antilock Braking (ABS)* with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD)* and a brake-

assist function, that minimise driving hazards. All of these make the Swift amongst the safest set of wheels on the road today. And you can be

sure that’s not by accident.




DDIS

1.3L DDiS Diesel Engine

TURBOCHARGER AND INTERCOOLER COMBINATION

Efficient combustion.
Higher torque.
Cleaner emission.



5-STEP MULTI INJECTION COMMON RAIL SYSTEM@ 1400 BAR

Better fuel combustion.
Optimised NVH.



DOUBLE OVER HEADCAMSHAST(DOHC)

Precise & quick valve operation.



CHAIN DRIVE TIMING SYSTEM WITH AUTO TENSIONER

Maintenance-free for the entire engine life.
Precise valve timing.



16-VALUE CYLINDER HEAD

Improves breathing.
Better fuel combustion.
Cleaner emissions.



COOLED EGR SYSTEM

Cooled exhaust gas recirculation.
Cleaner emissions.



ALUMINIUM BED PLATE

Reduced engine vibration.
Minimum noise.



GREEN OIL FILTER

Environmentally friendly
Easy to maintain.



AUTO TEMP

Automatic Climate Control


WEATHER? WHAT WEATHER!

Automatic Climate Control handles the MET department without you ever intervening. What you get is constant temperature, which keeps you

comfortable at all times.



1.2L K-Series
1.2L K-Series Petrol Engine
1.2L K-Series petrol.   

Responsive And powerful-advanced 1.2 litre,16-valve K-Series engine

Great Performer - at 85 ps @ 6000 rpm and 113 Nm @ 4500 rpm, the new engine has improved compression ratios and delivers better initial

and passing acceleration in city driving conditions for zippier overtaking.

Highly Fuel-Efficient - the 16-valve lightweight DOHC engine reduces friction and improves durability and fuel economy to be best-in-class at

17.94 kmpl**

More Comfortable Drives - A more silent engine with reduced vibrations. Lower NVH (noise, vibrations and harshness) provide an enhanced

drive feel with lesser driver fatigue.

Lower Emission Levels - BS IV compliant, the Swift is greener and eco-friendly.

Low Maintenance Cost – The new K-Series engine means longer oil change intervals and improved spark plug life.



RBSS

RALLY BASED SUSPENSION SYSTEM

BAD ROADS, HERE WE COME.

The MacPherson strut in front attaches the suspension lower arms,

steering, gearbox and rear engine mounting to a suspension frame (and not to the body), thus raising handling and comfort to a new high. 



Dynamic European Styling

WOLF IN WOLF’S CLOTHING!
Slightly European. Somewhat Japanese. And sinfully good looking. Not only a generation different from Suzuki design, but also the shape of

things to come.

When we put together the new Maruti Suzuki Swift, we made sure we did nothing we had ever done before. We wanted to build a car that

made car-makers whack their designers and say, “Why didn’t we think of that?”

So we did. And gave you a car that’s more spacious. More user-friendly. More refined. More eye-catching. A compact car that makes all others

look like Mama’s boys. It’s cheeky. Chic. Radical. Chunky. Pumped-up. Chiselled. Tantalising. Haughty. Impatient. Manic.