New VW Beetle gets a 39mpg Diesel Variant in the States

At the 2012 Chicago Auto Show, Volkswagen will reveal the most fuel-efficient version of the new Beetle in the States, the TDI, which is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel engine producing 140 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of peak torque. The same powerplant is offered on the North American Jetta and Passat TDI models. The diesel engine can be mated to either a six-speed manual gearbox or VW’s dual-clutch DSG six-speed automatic, with the German automaker predicting a fuel economy of 29 mpg city and 39 mpg highway.
That's a significant improvement over the base 170HP 2.5-liter gasoline engine that returns an estimated 22 mpg city and 31 mpg highway with a five-speed manual, and 22 mpg city and 29 mpg highway with the optional six-speed auto.
It’s worth noting that the previous Beetle was offered in the States with a 1.9-liter diesel engine from 1998 until 2006.
The new Beetle TDI meets current tailpipe emissions standards in all 50 states and will go on sale in the U.S. this summer as a 2013 model, with prices to be announced at a later date.
Customers can choose from three trim levels, TDI, TDI with Sunroof, and TDI with Sunroof, Sound, and Navigation.
The base model comes equipped with power windows, 17-inch rims, audio system, cruise control, V-Tex Leatherette seating, the kaeferfach secondary glovebox, Bluetooth, a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel with audio controls, three auxiliary gauges, keyless entry with push-button start and a Media Device Interface with iPod cable, as standard.
The equipment upgrades on the other two models are pretty much self-explanatory.

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Audi: CarThe Low-Down on the R8's Upcoming Facelift and 2014 Replacement

The first true supercar to be created by Audi, the R8, has won universal praise thanks to its handling, quality, every day usability and, in the V10-equipped model, performance numbers. Despite the fact that it wouldn’t seem out of place if it were launched today, the truth is that Audi’s mid-engined wonder is already five years old, having been introduced in 2006.
Therefore, its replacement is already being developed and is due in 2014, with the open-top Spyder model to follow the next year.
But first, the current R8 will receive an update in 2012. According to Car Magazine, the refreshed R8 will get a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox replacing the sequential six-speed unit, while the upgraded V10 will receive a small bump in power and the interior will sport the latest MMI multimedia interface.
The big news, as far as the first-generation R8 is concerned, is the launch of a limited-production electric version towards the end of 2012.
The British publication reports that the second generation R8 will differ in many ways from its predecessor. For one, the aluminum bodywork and chassis will be replaced by a new architecture which, while still aluminum-based, will also feature carbonfiber for the transmission tunnel, the B-posts and the rear firewall.
Total weight will be reduced by around 100 kg (220 lbs), while torsional rigidity will increase by 13 percent.
On the engine front, we won't see many changes as Audi is said to continue with its two naturally aspirated units. The base version will still be powered by a 4.2 V8, with its output bumped from 420 to 450HP, and the top version by a 5.2-liter V10 with 550HP.
However, down the road Audi may switch to the new turbocharged V8 that was recently unveiled in the Audi S7 and Bentley Continental GT, probably with a hike in power to 600HP.
As previously reported, the second generation R8 and the Gallardo's replacement will make use of Audi's MSS (Modular Sports car System) architecture, while the third generations of both models will employ a new platform developed primarily by Porsche.
Story References: Car Magazine

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Hyundai Elantra Sales Soar to 216,331 Units in the U.S. and Canada in 2011

Tuesday, December 06, 2011 |

While the economic climate may not be ideal, Hyundai is enjoying a success this year in North America as it has eclipsed the 600,000 annual sales mark for the first time in its 25-year U.S. history. Leading the way in both Canada and the USA, is the redesigned Elantra that saw its sales increase by 43 percent, from 151,735 deliveries in 2010 to 216,331 this year, setting an all-time record for the model series.
"[The] Elantra has been an absolute phenomenon in the compact car segment," says John Krafcik, Hyundai Motor America President and CEO. "In November, Elantra retail sales were up 37 percent, in spite of significant competition from all-new entries such as the Chevy Cruze, Ford Focus and Honda Civic."
The new Elantra has also proven to be successful in Canada. Steve Kelleher, President and CEO of Hyundai Auto Canada Corp, commented: "The Elantra continues to fuel record sales in Canada. The Elantra's Fluidic Sculpture design, advanced safety features and fuel efficiency make it the perfect car in our market."
Hyundai's future plans for the Elantra include the presentation of a two-door coupe model that one of our readers recently spied in California and which is expected to launch next February at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show.

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2013 Ford Focus ST Reviews & Pictures

2013 Ford Focus ST Reviews & Pictures. Here is the Ford Focus ST. You can look at reviews, specs, prices & pictures Ford Focus ST in here. This information about 2013 Ford Focus ST Review and Pictures. The new 2013 Ford Focus ST is first truly global performance car, building on the heritage of previous Focus ST models in Europe and evolving it to allow drivers around the world to experience and enjoy the exhilarating performance, unrivaled handling, addictive sound and muscular sports design that the ST badge represents.

2013 Ford Focus ST Interior. The interior of the core Focus model is already designed with a “cockpit” feel, giving any Focus driver a sporty sensation. In the ST variant, though, that sporty feeling is heightened with everything the driver touches and feels reinforcing that it is unmistakably an ST.

2013 Ford Focus ST Exterior. The new Focus ST has key physical DNA attributes like the aggressively enhanced front and rear bumpers, the addition of a rear spoiler and sideskirts plus a unique signature colour.

2013 Ford Focus ST Engines and Transmissions. The engine has a maximum output of 250PS and strong torque levels in a broad, flat torque curve peaking at 360Nm. The responsive torque output, a trademark of Ford EcoBoost engines, is maintained despite the impressive peak figures. Ford’s Global Performance Vehicles group has taken this technology and developed a 250PS high-output derivative of the 2.0-litre Ford EcoBoost engine for Focus ST.
The new 4-cylinder engine offers increased performance, but its smaller capacity and innovative technology also allow it to be more fuel efficient.

2013 Subaru BRZ

2013 Subaru BRZ Reviews & Pictures. Here is the Subaru BRZ. You can look at reviews, specs, prices & pictures Subaru BRZ in here. A few months ago in a Southern California hotel conference room, Subaru engineers told us about the 2013 Subaru BRZ sports car. (This was months before the concept BRZ was scheduled to make its debut at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show in November, an event that will be followed closely by the official world debut of the production BRZ at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.)

To reduce cost, Subaru BRZ and Toyota will share nearly identical versions. The common parts bin includes one circa-200-hp, port- and direct-injected flat-four engine; two Aisin six-speed transmissions, including a manual and a conventional automatic; one basic interior; and one set of body stampings and glass. Badges, wheels, and some small trim items will be different. Last year, Toyota decided to sell U.S.-bound cars as Scions, so technically ?there will be three iterations of ?the AS1, including those sold as Toyotas in foreign markets where Scion doesn’t exist.

Subaru’s BRZ 4-cylinder boxer engine was chosen because it’s more compact than a “vertical” engine and can be positioned lower to drop the vehicle’s center of gravity as an aid to handling. Not surprisingly, then, the BRZ/FR-S chassis takes advantage of this by being an adaptation of Subaru’s front/all-wheel-drive Impreza platform. That means a 4-wheel independent suspension comprising front struts, rear double A-arms, and likely an antiroll bar at each end. Brakes should be good-size 4-wheel discs with ABS, though maybe not as large as the FR-S Concept’s 18-inch rotors.

The price target was the toughest of them all, says Masuda. The base sticker is expected to land at about $28,000. At that price, the engineering team had to resist the allure of weight-saving materials and turbos. “The goal was to keep it basic and make it a real handling car,” says Masuda. “Horsepower was not our focus. If you want horsepower, we have the STI.”

Auto Tuniung Cocept

Car audio installation is a fairly specialized job, requiring at least some knowledge about the basics of car designs and electronics. The final audio output depends to a large extent on good installation. You may buy the best equipment, but if it is not properly installed, then the result will be poor. The entire set up consisting of wires, amplifiers, alternators, and speakers would have to be perfectly set up for that great audio effect.
Speaker location is perhaps the most important part of setting up your car audio. Determining where you are going to place your speakers is the first step you have to take. The designs of cars are such that the listener isn't placed perfectly in middle of the two speakers. What we mean to say is that the distance between the left speaker and the left ear is not the same as the right ear and the right speaker, which is a traditional audio setup. You can easily avoid this problem by making the distance between the left and right as little as possible. Some people try to place an extra speaker on the dashboard. The problem with this is that this speaker on the dashboard rips the sound into two, making for unpleasant hearing. You can try placing the audio in different locations around the car and arrive at the proper configuration for your speakers. Another mistake which commonly occurs is that people tend to go for looks rather than the sound, when it comes to car audio. Try to listen, rather than look. Some unlikely places inside your car may be the best for placing speakers.
Choosing the location of subwoofers and amplifiers is relatively easy. You can place them where you feel they will look good. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that different equipment may interfere with each other, if improperly placed. The next step is the wiring part, which is equally important. The thing with laying cables is to buy the correct cable keeping in view the capacity of the amplifier and speakers. Next in line is the installation of the head unit and amplifiers. Once you install them, you have to select the correct type of speaker enclosure. Although the choice is yours, you can try different types of enclosures and choose one which gives the best audio output. A final fine tuning, preferably with professional help and your car audio installation is done.

Hot Opel Astra OPC / Vauxhall Astra VXR gets 280 Ponies, on Sale in 2012

It’s finally official; the production version of the most powerful model in the new Astra GTC range that will be marketed as the Opel Astra OPC in mainland Europe and as the Vauxhall Astra VXR in Britain. These pictures show the Vauxhall model but the styling and the performance specifications are common between the two Astra GTC-based hot hatches.
Power is derived from a new 2.0-litre turbocharged direct injection four-cylinder engine capable of 280-horsepower and 400Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque that are channeled to the front wheels via 6-speed manual gearbox and a specially developed mechanical limited slip differential.
These numbers bring the flagship Astra GTC straight into Volkswagen Golf R and Scirocco R turf.
GM's European division said that the Astra OPC / Astra VXR can reach a top speed of 155mph (250km/h) but did not give out a 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint time.
The hottest Astra also benefits from a raft of bespoke chassis mods including Brembo brakes and a retuned suspension with the firm's fully adaptive FlexRide system that features three settings: Normal, Sport and VXR/OPC, with the latter promising more focused stages of damper, throttle and steering control.
The company highlights the fact that much of the chassis development was done at the infamous Nordschleife and was overseen by Le Mans 24-hour race winner, Jo Winkelhock who stated: “We have devised a great package that will convince even the most experienced and enthusiastic drivers – and not just on the Nürburgring!”
On the styling front, the automaker's designers opted for sleek visual identifiers such as the new sculpted front and rear bumpers, side skirts, a roof spoiler and two prominent exhaust tail pipes in a trapezoid shape.
The interior gains a pair of scrumptious sport bucket seats with embossed logos in the backs, a flat-bottomed and thick-rimmed sports steering wheel and upgraded instrument panels.
For more details and on-sale dates, we'll have to wait until early next year. And because we're pretty sure that some will pop the question, despite recent rumors about Buick getting the Astra GTC, GM has not made any official comments on the matter.

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