Sneak Peek: 2011 Ford Explorer

After two-and-a-half years in the oven, we have our first partial picture (farther down in this post) of the next Ford Explorer, along with chief engineer Jim Holland's assurance that the new unibody crossover will be just as capable as the body-on-frame rig it's replacing.

Of most interest initially is the picture itself (at left), a portrait of Holland leaning on the front fender of the new Explorer. We can't see much, but there's enough here to start to get an idea what the Explorer will look like. First, we can see a very flat hood with a slight bulge over the engine, altogether reminiscent of the original Explorer and the current Land Rover Range Rover, which Holland was also chief engineer on.

Below the hood, though, things get more interesting. The puffed-out grille is instantly recognizable as a current Ford trademark piece and conjures up images of its two closest crossover siblings, the Flex and Edge. That's an important point since some dealers who were shown the vehicle at a product meeting reported that it resembled an upsized Edge, and we can already see where they got that impression. To the side, we note the all-new headlight assemblies that appear to feature parking lights large enough to double as runway markers with the headlights themselves moved down below.

"When you see it, you know it's a Ford, you will know it is an SUV, and you will know it's a very modern interpretation of our Explorer," Holland told the Detroit Free Press.

Though detractors have decried the switch from the old-school truck-based body-on-frame design to a newfangled unibody platform lifted from the new Ford Taurus, Holland isn't worried. After all, he guided the Range Rover through the exact same transition and most would agree it turned out pretty well.
Thanks to: Motor Trend

Hot News Up Date: Next Mazda RX-7 Stays Rotary

Mazda is working on a new rotary engine for an RX-7 successor that can run on petrol or diesel - and offer much-improved fuel consumption compared with the recently discontinued RX-8.

The two-stroke 16X engine is designed to rectify the shortcomings of Mazda’s most recent rotary powerplant, including its high oil consumption. Sources in Japan say the new unit has achieved significant improvements in fuel efficiency.

But the final go-ahead has not yet been received from Mazda’s top executives. The firm is still working out how to attain the best combination of performance, economy and emissions, and needs to address the rotary’s lack of torque in the mid-range. In its current state the 16X is expected to give the RX-7 around 300bhp and enable it to reach 60mph in under five seconds.

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

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

Thanks to: Autocar

Hot News: 2013 Volkswagen Golf

It's the storming hatchback that’s heading to the top of the family car leaderboard. This is VW’s sensational new Golf – the seventh incarnation of one of the world’s most enduring and popular models. And this latest version is set to be the best yet.

Boasting a striking fresh look, all-new lightweight platform and an even more efficient range of turbo engines, the Golf MkVII will be the most desirable compact family car you can buy. What’s more, it will spawn a wide range of variants, including a four-door coupé and soft-top convertible.

Reinventing the Golf is oneof the toughest jobs in motoring design – and, as you can see from our images, inspiration is likely to come from VW’s New Compact Coupé (NCC) concept, displayed at this year’s Detroit Motor Show.

Although the body takes on a more square shape, the headlight lenses house twin circular LED units which help to give the Golf a familiar face. The two-bar upper grille is an evolution of the MkVI’s, but at the rear, the tail-lights are again inspired by the sporty NCC, and feature an intricate LED arrangement. As ever, the overall design is chunky yet taut with simple surfaces.

Under the skin lies an all-new platform, which is currently undergoing development. This lightweight chassis, which will also underpin the next Passat, will ensure the Golf is more efficient than ever.

Power will come almost exclusively from small-capacity turbo units, such as the recently launched 103bhp 1.2 TSI found in the Polo (tested on Page 66). Expect to see petrol and diesel three-cylinder motors, too.

BlueMotion diesels will be the stars of the line-up, offering sub-100g/km CO2 emissions and fuel returns of 80mpg. Also likely is a diesel hybrid, plus an electric version (see Page 10). At the top of the range, the GTI will continue alongside a GTD hot hatch diesel and four-wheel-drive Golf R.

In addition to the five-door shown here, there will be a three-door, estate and four-door coupé – the latter taking inspiration from the Passat CC. Sun-loving buyers will be pleased that VW is planning a desperately needed, all-new soft-top version, too.

All models will benefit from a wide range of gizmos including automatic parking and traffic sign recognition. The most exciting gadget will be a sat-nav system capable of warning the driver of sharp turns, speed limits and steep hills. But as the current Golf is selling well – and was only launched last year – the new version isn’t expected in dealers until 2012 at the earliest. For more details click here.
Thanks to: Auto Express

New Car: 2011 Kia Soul Ghost

Halloween is still several months away, but Kia decided to give its fourth (and possibly final) special-edition Soul a spooky touch, dubbing the finished product the 2010 Soul Ghost.

Along with a semi-redundant name, the Soul Ghost -- like the Soul Ignition, Soul Denim, and Soul Shadow Dragon before it -- receives a few cosmetic touches to set it apart from the standard production model. All Ghost models receive a unique gray-blue paint, which is accented by a thick gray stripe that starts at the top of each headlamp, runs along the car’s shoulder lines, and wraps around the window frame in the C-pillar.

Like the last three boutique Soul models, the Ghost is largely a gussied up Soul + model, and is equipped with the audio upgrade package (which adds a subwoofer, external amplifier, and those nifty flashing speaker lights), fog lamps, a body kit and roof spoiler, and leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. Kia notes the Soul Ghost is the second Soul to receive black leather seating surfaces (the Shadow Dragon was the first), but it also utilizes the same black 18-inch aluminum wheels found on the Ignition and Shadow Dragon models.

As manual transmission models start at $20,185 (including $495 in destination charges), the Soul Ghost is the most expensive of the four special edition models. Look for it to haunt a Kia showroom near you shortly.
Thanks to: Motor Trend

Spied: 2012 Volkswagen Passat

Somewhere beneath all that heavy black camouflage is the next Volkswagen Passat pulling that trailer. Our spy shooters caught this mule testing in poor weather conditions in some of Europe's higher elevations.

We're pretty sure it's the Passat, anyway. It could be the New Midsized Sedan underneath, or even a new CC. With the age of the Passat, though, that model seems most likely. Given the similarities between this car's silhouette and the current Passat, we're led to believe that this is a major facelift, not an all-new car.

Most importantly, this car gets the new Volkswagen corporate face. If you've seen any of Volkswagen's latest offerings, such as the new Touareg and Golf, you'll have a pretty good idea what this car looks like under its veil. We weren't able to spot any Audi-esque LED driving lights in the headlights, but we wouldn't be surprised to see them turn up before this car reaches production. LEDs are expected in the new taillights as well.

Inside, our shooters tell us this car has picked up the upscale CC's elegant dash and interior to help bring the Passat up a notch. We're told this includes better quality materials, more chrome and some slick new features such as heated and cooled seats and voice-activated navigation.

We don't know for sure will be under the hood yet, but a four-cylinder gasoline engine with a V-6 option is likely. We wouldn't be surprised to see the Jetta and Golf's 2.0-liter turbo diesel four-cylinder in there as well. We also understand the suspension will be retuned for a more comfortable ride but with sharper handling.

Given the timing Volkswagen has laid out and the completeness of this car, we wouldn't be surprised to see the new Passat (or New Midsize Sedan or whatever it's called) debut in Paris in October, though it could wait until early 2011 to drop the veil.
Thanks to: Motor Trend

New Car: 2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS

Blink and you’ll miss it! Porsche has unleashed official pictures and details of the new 611bhp GT2 RS – its fastest and most potent street-legal car to date.

Engineers used the 204mph GT2 as a starting point, but cut 70kg in weight and found an extra 89bhp. The result is a power-to-weight ratio of 446bhp per tonne – better than the Bugatti Veyron.

Sitting over the rear axle is a reworked version of the GT2’s twin-turbo six-cylinder 3.6-litre engine, with the boost cranked up from 1.4 to 1.6 bar.

But despite the massive step up in performance, fuel consumption and CO2 output have fallen by about five per cent, to 23.7mpg and 284g/km respectively.

As with all GT2s of the past, power is sent to the rear tyres through a six-speed manual gearbox capable of coping with the 700Nm of torque.

Straight-line performance is impressive, with the sprint from 0-62mph completed in 3.5 seconds, and 0-124mph in 9.8 seconds. The car goes on to a 205mph top speed.

In a bid to tame the RS, Porsche has fitted a variety of hi-tech electronic safety nets – including its Adaptive Suspension and Stability Management. And to ensure it’s just as quick through corners, it features sportier suspension settings and uprated anti-roll bars.

Key to the pace is its slimmed-down 1,370kg kerbweight. A number of lighter carbon-reinforced components are visible on the exterior, including the bonnet, rear engine cover and front spoiler. Light centre-locking wheels sit inside flared arches, while GT2 RS graphics on the doors and engine cover leave you in no doubt that this is the performance flagship.

Wafer-thin bucket seats help to reduce the weight, and give the interior a road-racer feel. Fabric straps replace the door handles for the same reason.

The basic colour inside is black, with red Alcantara trim on the seats and headlining, as well as the steering wheel, gearlever and handbrake.

Porsche intends to produce only 500 examples of the new GT2 RS – giving UK customers lucky enough to be able to afford the £164,107 price an alternative after Ferrari sold
all planned 599 models of its 599 GTO For more details click here.

Thanks to: Auto Express

Unofficial Picture: 2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS

This is the production-ready Porsche 911 GT2 RS.

Although the car has not been officially launched, these images were taken at a presentation to Porsche dealers.

The pictures reveal that the hardcore Porsche 911 gets a wider body, additional spoilers, numerous carbonfibre parts and air intakes behind the door.

The interior has been stripped out to save weight, while it has been finished in a red trim. Reports suggest the weight-saving programme has shed around 100kg from the 911 GT2.

Although there has been no confirmation, reports suggest the car will be powered by a twin-turbocharged flat six producing more than 600bhp.

Porsche is expected to reveal full details of the car this week.

Thanks to: Autocar