2012 León essential to SEAT's future

Seat will use its next-generation Leon to launch its first hybrid and electric cars from 2012 as part of its new 5 year plan, even though there are still no plans for the firm to enter into new market segments.

The Spanish manufacturer is currently testing a plug-in hybrid version of the Leon, known as Twin Drive, and this is expected to be part of the next Leon range that’s planned to arrive in late 2012.

An all-electric version of the Leon is also likely after Volkswagen announced plans to build an all-electric version of the Golf (the car on which the Leon is based) from 2013. The Golf blue-e-motion drivetrain is likely to come from the IBE concept from Geneva, although there are no plans to put the IBE itself into production.

The standard Leon range itself will be the first Seat to adopt many of the new design features of the IBE concept. Both 3 & 5dr hatchback variants will be offered, while an estate version is also likely given Seat’s desire to boost capacity at its Martorell plant.

Seat, along with Skoda, has already confirmed it will launch its own variant of VW’s Up! city-car. This is also penned in for a 2012 launch; the car is still at the design stage of its development. As with VW’s Up, Seat’s version will almost certainly be offered with an all-electric drivetrain.

The 5 year plan to turn around the fortunes of VW’s Spanish subsidiary is soon to be revealed by new CEO James Muir, who joined Seat from Mazda last September. Using the spare capacity of Martorell is key to these plans; Muir wants the plant to work at more than 90% of its capacity, up from the 60% of today.

However, these plans won’t include the firm entering new market segments. Seat’s plans to launch its Tribu compact SUV are “on ice”, according to one insider, with the firm not keen on entering a new sector due to the recession.

There are still no plans for a Seat sports car either. Such a model would allow Seat to better project its image as VW’s sporty subsidiary, but the low demand for a Seat sports car and the lack of popularity for the segment in its Spanish home market has made such a model in the future unlikely.

Electric cars need steel bodies

The next generation of electric cars will need specifically designed steel bodies to exploit their green potential, according to the world’s biggest steel makers.

A new research project, the Future Steel Vehicle (FSV), is testing redesigned structural parts in an electric car’s bodywork, including the sills, front crash structure, roof and battery carrier, to cut weight and save energy.


Engineers are also weighing up a variety of steels to balance their strength in an EV body against the energy used in its manufacture. This will reduce the whole-life energy costs of an EV.

Previous steel industry projects have advanced the design of lightweight steel car bodies, doors and suspensions.

Mazda working on new rotary engine for RX-8 heir

Mazda is working on a new rotary engine for the RX-7 descendant that can run on either petrol or diesel, and offer improved fuel economy compared to the recently terminated RX-8 coupe.

The two-stroke 16X engine is designed to correct the shortcomings of Mazda’s most recent rotary engine, including its high oil consumption and lack of torque in the mid-range. Sources in Japan say the new unit has achieved considerable improvements in fuel efficiency.

But the final go-ahead has not yet been received from Mazda’s top executives. Mazda is still working out how to attain the best mixture of performance, economy and emissions. In its current situation, the 16X is expected to give the RX-7 about 300bhp and enable it to reach 60mph in less than 5 seconds.

Mazda’s R&D department has invited several external drivers and racers to test RX-7 mules, and the design team has required feedback at customer clinics.

Much of the push towards another rotary-engined sports car comes from Mazda USA. A recent autonomous survey revealed that demand for an affordable rotary-powered sports car is still as strong as it’s ever been in the U.S. It’s been suggested that were it not for American demand for the car, the project would have been abandoned.

2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport

Suzuki presented at the Motor Show in New York on Kizashi 2011. Offered exclusively on the GTS and SLS variants. The new version 2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport sports is an attractive and sophisticated sports sedan goes on sale in August.

"We have been delighted with the enthusiastic response he received the 2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport, and we offer buyers a new iteration model of our sport sedan with a new style later this year," said Koichi Suzuki, the executive vice president of automotive operations Suzuki.

Nissan GT-R FIA GT1

Nissan Motorsports International appear that NISMO aloof active the official affiliation agreements for the FIA GT1 World Championship with Sumo Power GT (UK) and Swiss Antagonism Team (CH). Both teams will run two NISSAN GT-Rs appropriately in the countdown World Championship. NISMO will accommodate abstruse abutment to its new antagonism partners.

Review Bugatti 16C Galibier Car

Best review, detail specification new sport luxury car design prototype Bugatti 16C Galibier High-Powered Sedan pictures gallery. The exclusive car designs technology W16-powered sedan currently under development. The car company manufacturer of the fastest car on the face of the earth, the Bugatti Veyron, are now willing to craft from the fastest saloon of all those have been sold, the Bugatti 16C Galibier. You could say that this car is a modern interpretation of the Bugatti Type 57 of the 30’s, which by then had a name which referred to the Galibier four-door sedan. For the time being is in its prototype stage and are still responsible for Bugatti sought the views of the media and customers to evaluate the possibility of building it. Has not been discussed so much of its mechanics, but what is certain is who would be the Bugatti Veyron W16 for close to 1000 horsepower of this and certainly exceeds the 370 km / h. One of the most curious details we have at the top of the hood, which is divided into two parts as in the old Bugatti.

New Lamborghini Polizia

 

 Best detail review and specification new sport car Lamborghini Polizia police car design pictures gallery future design technology.Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Polizia, the head of the Italian State Police. The new Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Polizia, which replaces the previous Gallardo Lamborghini in the use of police cars by Italian police since 2004 has an engine of 560 horsepower that can reach speeds of up to 203 mph. The car will begin service with the Department of Lazio Highway Police in order to continue accident and crime prevention to sustain security on Italian roads. The sports car has 87,000 miles of patrol service in the motorways of central and southern Italy.  A second Gallardo, painted in blue and white police colors, has been in service around Bologna, Italy since 2005. Its odometer already shows more than 62,000 miles. It is also an effective tool of deterrence offered by the presence and visibility of a Lamborghini on the highway, the technological equipment on-board these vehicles makes them highly effective in controlling dangerous behavior on the roads.

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2011 Volkswagen Jetta spied nearly undisguised

The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta has been spied partially undisguised – hinting that the Jetta will be unveiled soon. The pre-production cars were caught undergoing final shake-down tests in Detroit, Michigan.

The newcomer is baring strong similarity at the New Compact Coupe (NCC) Concept, which was exposed at this year’s Detroit motorshow. Up front, the car's front bumper, headlights and bonnet contours follow the NCC closely, while at the back, the tail-lights are virtually unchanged from the NCC.

Despite the resemblance, the Jetta will remain conservative – blame this on the oh-so popular Toyota Corolla.

Volkswagen is also rumored to be working on a sportier Jetta variant, dubbed ‘Jetta R’. Whether VW will use the sedan bodyshell or a coupe remains unclear. Like the Golf R, the Jetta will make do with a 2.0T, producing 256bhp and 349Nm (258 ft-lb) of torque. European Jetta’s will be powered by a range of petrol engines and a pair of 1.6 TDi and 2.0 TDi diesels – the latter will be available Stateside.

Volkswagen has also confirmed it will offer two different suspension setups on the Jetta. Lower-end models would stick with the tried-and-tested torsion beam rear suspension, while higher end versions would get a multi-link setup like the new Golf's.

The 2011 Jetta will show-up in VW dealerships towards the end of Summer. If the Jetta R is part of the mix, expect it to be on sale by mid-2011. European sales will begin in early 2011.

    2010 Volkswagen New Compact Coupe (NCC) Concept: