Toyota Models Over Fire Risk to 1.4 Million Vehicles

The U.S. government has added approximately 570,000 vehicles to an ongoing probe of a power window master switch located on the driver's door on certain Toyota models that could pose a fire risk, increasing the total number of vehicles investigated to a little over 1.4 million units. In addition to the 830,000 Toyota Camry sedans, Camry Solara coupes and cabriolets and RAV4 SUVs from the 2007 model year, the probe now includes the 2007-2009MY Camry and Camry Hybrid, RAV4 and Yaris vehicles built from around September 2006 through August 2008, as well as all MY 2008 Highlander Hybrid vehicles.
"ODI [Office of Defects Investigation] has identified certain Toyota vehicles experiencing a higher rate of fire and thermal event incidents among all Toyota vehicles that use the same power window master switch design," said the NHTSA on its website.
The safety agency also upgraded the investigation to a so-called engineering analysis, which brings it closer to a recall.
NHTSA said that there have been 161 complaints and nine injuries related to this issue.

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Renault Contemplating the Launch of Two Upscale Brands

While the economic outlook for Europe may be grim, Renault is looking to expand its portfolio with the addition of the two upscale brands including the revival of the Alpine marque to produce sports cars and the creation of another label called Initial Paris to sell luxury models. Renault's Chief Operating Officer Carlos Tavares confirmed the news in a recent interview with Bloomberg adding that the French carmaker also needs to grow its reach in emerging countries to reduce its reliance on Europe's stagnant car market.
"You need to be competitive across the world," Tavares said. "That’s why we have been managing the change from a European-focused company toward a global carmaker."
Renault has been in a strategic alliance with Nissan since 1999 with the two companies joined together through a cross-shareholding agreement. The Franco-Japanese partnership currently controls six brands including Renault, Nissan, Infiniti, Renault Samsung Motors, Dacia and Lada.
The French brand believes a luxury marque could be central to its plans to expand outside Europe and particularly in important markets such as China.
"We may have one day a luxury brand," said Tavares. "That would help from a profitability standpoint because everybody’s always looking at VW and what Audi represents for the VW group."
Earlier this year, Tavares had revealed that Renault has begun work on an upscale car based on a Mercedes-Benz E-Class platform, as part of the strategic cooperation between the two groups.
Just last month, Renault also previewed a concept for a mid-engined sports coupe with the Alpine moniker named A110-50.
The final decision on the new strategy to add the two luxury brands to Renault's portfolio will be made this year, according to Tavares.

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Renault's Quirky Pure-Electric Twizy Goes on Sale in the UK

Renault has never been the one to shy away from eccentric creations (remember the Avantime?) but the new Twizy certainly takes quirkiness one-step further as it looks like the odd pairing of a golf kart with a motorcycle offering seating for two in a tandem layout while riding on four wheels. Revealed as a concept for the first time at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, Renault surprised us a year later with the presentation of the production model in Paris. Now, the Twizy is available in European showrooms including Britain where it went on sale today.
The 2.34 metres long by 1.24 metres wide two-seater model is available in three trim levels (Urban, Colour and Technic) and two power variants.
The lower powered Twizy 45 (5hp) with a top speed of 28mph (45km/h) was not originally planned for the UK market, however, the company said that due to recent confirmation that a new category of European licence for 16 year olds and over comes into effect in Britain from January 2013, it is now "studying its sales potential".
The regular Twizy is motivated by a 13kW (17hp) electric motor with a limited top speed of around 50 mph (80km/h). Its battery can be recharged using a standard three-pin plug in three and a half hours, which costs around £1 (depending on the energy supplier) and provides a driving range of around 60 miles (close to 100 kilometers).
Pricing for the 17hp Urban model starts at £6,690 (€8,100 or US$10,700), however, that does not including the battery which Renault leases for a monthly fee of £45 (€54 or US$72) including VAT for a 36 month/4,500 miles (7,240 kilometers) per year agreement.

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Ferrari CEO Confirms V12 Hybrid, Says Six-Cylinder Engines are Also on the Table

A V12 engine is a rare sight indeed in the automotive world and if we had to pick one maker closely associated with it, then it would have to be Ferrari. Even the very first model to bear the prancing horse logo, the 1947 125 S, was powered by a 1.5-liter V12 designed by Gioacchino Colombo and it would set the specs for Ferrari’s V12s until the end of the 1980s, long after its creator had left Maranello.
The thing is, even though Ferrari had stayed loyal to the V12 layout in its Formula 1 cars for more than five decades, in 1996, the F310 driven by new signing Michael Schumacher was powered by a V10 –simply because it was a better. Moreover, subsequent rule changes meant that today a V8 is mandatory.
During the launch of the F12berlinetta, it was mentioned that the 730HP engine nesting behind the coupe's sculpted nose was “the first in a new generation of V12s”.
The next car in line is the Enzo replacement. However, traditions don’t necessarily last forever. Are V12-engined Ferraris going to be a thing of the past because of tightening fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions?
Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa said that the F1-developed kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) will ensure that the company will keep the V12 in its engine line-up for years to come.
“We will roll out new technology that is there first and foremost to introduce a green factor to our cars and ensure that we can keep our product where it is in terms of CO2”, Felisa told British publication Autocar.
Having experimented with other layouts as well, Ferrari decided to go the hybrid way. It gave us a sneak preview of what it has in store for its future V12s at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show with the 599-based HY-KERS concept.
The hybrid system comprises a compact and light electric motor coupled to the dual-clutch gearbox and a battery pack encased in the underbody. It cuts CO2 emissions by 35 percent while, at the same time, adding another 100HP to the car’s total output, verifying Felisa’s claim that “our hybrid system won’t be just about creating power, but saving energy too”.
Felisa commented, “This technology is expensive today, but it has been designed to fit all our future architecture”. So, will all future Ferraris be hybrids? “If we go ahead, it will be fitted as standard. It’s not the sort of thing you offer as an option," explained Felisa.
Finally, Ferrari’s CEO did not dismiss the notion of offering six-cylinder engines on future models: “Why not six cylinders? It’s far away in the future, perhaps, but it is clear that perceptions have altered. Even in the US, where until a few years ago eight cylinders was the minimum, it is clear attitudes have changed”.
For those of you that baulk at the idea of a Ferrari with less than eight cylinders, we’ll just say that the company’s first mid-engined road car, the 1966 206 Dino, was powered by a V6. So maybe it won’t be merely downsizing, but a return to the company’s roots, as well.

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2012 Mazda6 SKYACTIV technology with super-efficiency of hybrid engines.

       2012 Mazda6 SKYACTIV technology with super-efficiency of hybrid engines. Have you ever thought if a hybrid car with all its fuel saving and fuel efficiency, but performs like a race car gasoline .. It is a car design that will come from the leading car manufacturer Mazda - SkyActiv technology.  

      This means not only fuel the engine is lighter, more responsive and more efisien.With any performance held by the 2012 Mazda6 will be a tough rival for cars such as the BME class sedan, mercedes benz, Audi or sedan lexus is famous for its luxury. . 2012 Mazda6 I'm sure marketing will only become more sophisticated sedan on the market skyrocketed, especially in America and in continental regions EUROPE and ASIA .Marketing 2012 Mazda6 in 2012 will be ogled by young people and the elite. 

      2012 exterior design is very sporty and dynamic aero highly visible from the side and front view of a halogen lamp .. Carrying the 2012 Mazda6 Diesel uses an electric performance and taillights use LEDs with designs like a cat's very stylish this fits with the youth of today . The redesigned body design with a dynamic style and futuristic sporty 2012 Mazda6 is a car show looking FRESH.

    Desain curved and flat body that will make the acceleration increases and aerodinamis.look the photo above, and if you are interested to buy a sedan with a sporty style, highly sophisticated machinery and fuel efficient, are all available in the 2012 Mazda6. 

      Machines that perform sophisticated system Skyactiv diesel powered engines, Mazda6 i Sport 2012 that will carry the 2.5-liter engine with a standard, 170-horsepower I4 engine that achieve 21-mpg in the city and 30-mpg on the highway this is a record good for a hybrid sedan. 

      This car has a 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard, and 5-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional of course more aggressive with a new system for gear box design rasio.Saya think this engine is very sophisticated and technology Skyactiv promoted by the 2012 Mazda6 will be a weapon in the luxury sedan market in 2012.

      For the interior affairs of the Mazda 6 has some equipment that canggih.Airbag front and back of the head to the main safety in driving, Dual front side mounted airbags, Auto delay off lights, 2 front headrests are comfortable to sit, Passenger sensing passenger airbag deactivation, the Center rear 3-point belts, Front seatbelt pretensioners, stability control, traction control, Electronic Brakeforce distribution, Height adjustable front headrests, so easier for you to sit down and adjust the headrests, the equipment features of the Mazda 6 will remain in 2012 Mazda 6.

       Mazda 6 provides key features such as simplicity and touch screen for navigation system. Tilt steering wheel, and arranged with the driver's seat can be set with 8 ways to make the driver comfortable to drive. Equipped entertainment system with 6 speakers and CD player, bluetooth connection, and seat design quality elegant.Pricing Information:
MSRP: $ 20.240 - $ 29.570,Invoice: $ 18.712 - $ 27.329,Destination: $ 795

Nissan Altima Teaser No4 is All About the Profile

Another week, another teaser clip from Nissan for its brand-new 2013 Altima mid-size sedan that will be fully revealed at the New York Auto Show in April. After showing us the front, rear and top views of the Altima in the previous videos, Nissan is now completing the exterior set with a glimpse of the car's profile, which as you can, is distinguished by the more sculpted bodyside surfaces.
We're still not getting any additional information on Nissan's proposal in the mid-size sedan segment, but we reckon that aside from the already confirmed hybrid drivetrain featuring a 2.5-liter supercharged four-cylinder engine, the Altima will most likely get a regular four-cylinder variant as well as a flagship V6 model.

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2012 Lamborghini Estoque more Ferocious

in 2012 which will come that famous car company Lamborghini will launch a new car,given name Lamborghini Estoque with more Ferocious display. After years of casting about for a third model, Lamborghini has settled on what Manfred Fitzgerald, head of brand and design, rather the alleged call “the world’s first supersedan.” The Estoque dramatic, revealed in concept form at the Paris auto show, no four-door coupe called by its maker, but it certainly would travel on the track like a car tire extrawide Porsche Panamera and Aston Martin RAPIDE, both of which would follow the market, in 2012.

Lamborghini Estoque

2012 Lamborghini Estoque

Interior Lamborghini Estoque

2012 Lamborghini Estoque

Peugeot Leonin – Electric Car

Concept car designer Liviu Tudoran has designed an eco-friendly electric car for Peugeot that complements the Lion image that we see in the car brand’s logo. The car, dubbed the Peugeot Leonin, is based on an electric engine mounted in the back of the car which is powered by a battery supply unit that rests under the front hood.

Honda FC Future Sports Car with V Flow Fuel Cell Technology

The new FC Sport fuel based car from Honda was recently displayed at the LA Auto Show is one traffic stopper. The designers have taken into their advantage the flexibility which is extended by the fuel cell powertrain as it is placed on the back of the driver. It’s a 3-seater with the styling of sports car major McLaren F1 vehicle, where in the driver is in the middle with passenger seats on side and back. The concept car is right now under study and testing to understand the full utility of the product. Though there may be a possibility of Honda releasing a full fledged version for commercial use.[Press Release]
Honda FC Sport Design Study Suggests Hydrogen Sports Car Future LOS ANGELES, Nov. 19, 2008 – Honda today revealed the Honda FC Sport design study model, a hydrogen-powered, three-seat sports car concept, at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show.
The FC Sport emphasizes the design flexibility and potential of Honda’s V Flow fuel cell technology – already deployed in the Honda FCX Clarity sedan – and reconfigures it into a lightweight sports car design with an ultra-low center of gravity, powerful electric motor performance and zero-emissions. The design study concept is inspired by supercar levels of performance through low weight and a high-performance, electrically driven fuel cell powertrain.
“The Honda FC Sport explores how to satisfy automotive performance enthusiasts in a world beyond petroleum,” said Dan Bonawitz, vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “People who love sports cars will still have a reason to love in a hydrogen-powered future.”
The high-output Honda fuel cell powertrain and a sleek, aerodynamic body contribute to the vehicle’s performance potential. A modular approach to fuel cell component packaging and the electric drivetrain contribute to the FC Sport’s low center of gravity with the majority of vehicle mass distributed between the axles, creating the balanced weight distribution sought after in sports cars.

The ideal placement of the Honda V-Flow fuel cell stack and related components demonstrates the benefits of a platform-specific, hydrogen-powered fuel cell powertrain. The FC Sport is configured to accommodate a custom-formed high-power fuel cell stack, located between the rear seats, and a battery pack placed low in the middle of the vehicle. The electric motor resides just forward of the rear axle. Two fuel storage tanks, visible from above, are located above the rear axle.
The optimal placement of fuel cell components for performance also allows for a relatively large passenger cabin by conventional supercar standards with enough space for three seating positions. The interior layout focuses primarily on the driver with a racecar-like center driving position. The enclosed canopy opens upward from the rear to allow for entry and exit. Two rear passenger seats flank the driver’s left and right side.
The sleek, low-profile body is designed to convey a high-technology appearance with sculpting that combines angular shapes in the front of the vehicle that taper into geometric, hex forms in the rear. The rear hex forms house cooling radiators for the fuel cell. Formula 1-style barge boards behind the front wheels enhance high speed aerodynamics and convey the vehicle’s racing pedigree. The hydrogen storage tanks, visible from the rear deck, showcase the FC Sports fuel cell technology in much the same way that a “naked bike” motorcycle showcases its engineering technology.
The glacier white body color conveys the FC Sport’s clean environmental aspirations while the dark wheels and deeply tinted glass provide a symbolic contrast befitting of the vehicle’s unique combination of clean power and high performance. Green construction techniques further contribute to a reduced carbon footprint. An organic, bio-structure theme is carried through to the body construction where exterior panels are intended to use plant-derived bio-plastics.
The Advanced Design Studio of Honda R&D Americas, in Pasadena, California, developed the FC Sport design study with the primary objective of using existing fuel cell technology as the basis for an ultimate Honda sports car. Designer Jason Wilbur led the design efforts.
Honda R&D Americas, Inc. began its operations in California in 1975 with local market research activities and has steadily grown its capabilities over the past 33 years to include all aspects of new vehicle design and development. Recent development efforts include trend-setting products such as the Honda Pilot, Ridgeline, Element, Civic Coupe and Civic Si.
In 2008, the company opened two new design centers in Southern California: the Acura Design Studio (Torrance), for the research and design of new Acura products; and the Advanced Design Studio (Pasadena), for the exploration and development of advanced design themes for both Honda and Acura.
The company operates 11 major R&D facilities in North America, including a full vehicle development center in Raymond, Ohio, and three design studios in Southern California. Honda R&D designers, engineers and support personnel are engaged in the development of Honda and Acura automobiles, powersports products, and power equipment for North America and global markets. The company’s main centers of operation include the Los Angeles Center (Torrance, California), responsible for market research, concept development and styling design; the Ohio Center (Raymond, Ohio), responsible for complete product development, testing, and support of North American supplier and manufacturing operations; and a dynamic test facility in Cantil, California.