Automobile Blog

At the Detroit Motor Show two years ago, the legendary Aston Martin’s new V8 Vantage concept car created quite a stir.

The V8 Vantage Volante will be a convertible version of the new Vantage coupe launched earlier this year at the Geneva auto show.

Aston Martin drop-tops have always taken the Volante name, but the V8 Vantage will break from tradition. The company says that while ‘Volante’ conjures up the image of a gentleman’s GT car, the V8 Vantage roadster will be an out-and-out sports car.

A roadster version of Aston Martin’s stunning new V8 Vantage will reach showrooms in early 2007.

The drop-top incarnation of Aston’s new sports car will first be shown to the public in late 2006 before going on sale a few months later.

Since its most recent revision in 2003, over 7,000 Kangoos have been sold in the UK, making it one of the most popular utility vehicles in the country. Now, to build on its continued appeal, Renault has revised the car in several key areas with enhanced specification, new options and a range of new Euro IV emissions compliant engines to ensure the new Kangoo 2006 offers even more practicality and value for money than the model it replaces. The new range is on sale now with prices between £9,725 and £11,825.

Renault has also created four new options packs, which can save customers up to £115 over adding the options individually. Costing between £100 and £950, these options packs add a range of extras such as air conditioning, electrically operated and heated door mirrors, on-board trip computer and electric panoramic sunroof.

The 1.2-litre and 1.6-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engines are now Euro IV compliant. Prices start at £9725 for the base 75bhp Authentique 1.2-litre, rising to £11,825 for the range-topping Expression 1.6-litre. The chunky four -wheel drive Kangoo Trekka and the 80bhp Authentique 1.5 dCi have been dropped from the range.

Volkswagen has announced that its forthcoming steel-roofed convertible will be called the Eos.

The Cabriolet-Coupe, which will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show on September 12, is named Eos, after the Greek goddess of the dawn.

The car has a folding steel roof that can be converted from a coupe to open-top car in just a few seconds.

Toyota Launches Yaris and RAV4 models

Toyota has released the first pictures of its all-new Yaris and RAV4 models, both due to be officially unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2005 on September 13.

The RAV4 is obviously a new design, and it will be larger and more powerful. It has consistently been one of the UK’s best-selling 4×4s, along with its key rivals, the Land Rover Freelander and Honda CR-V.

Toyota says the RAV4 will have more equipment and improved interior space and quality than the current model. A new higher-powered diesel will be added to the RAV4 range, which is likely to be Toyota’s new 2.2-litre D-4D unit. This can be tuned to deliver 134bhp or 175bhp.

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Hyundai cancels Entourage Minivan Project

Hyundai has announced that it has canceled its upcoming Entourage minivan, which was to have been one of the most appropriately named vehicles in recent history.

Instead, it intends to fill the people-mover function with its upcoming seven-passenger sport utility (which looks to be aimed squarely at the Honda Pilot), and a six-passenger “sport wagon�.

Steve Kelleher, the president and CEO of Hyundai Auto Canada, says the company has “completely redefined our strategy in the people-mover segment.” (more…)

GM and Ford loosing money on every vehicle sold

GM and Ford lose a lot of money on every car that leaves there showrooms. This was revealed in a research conducted by Harbour Consulting.

“G.M. has two to three people sitting at home for every single person working today, and that has a huge legacy-cost impact on them,” Laurie A. Felax, vice president of Harbour Consulting, told an automotive conference on Monday. “It wipes away any profit that they have.” (more…)

Ford has released photos of the upcoming 2007 Jaguar XK sports

Jaguar’s XK will make its first public outing at the Frankfurt motor show in September and goes on sale early next year.

The photos show a model of the car, which closely resembles the concept version, called the Advanced Lightweight Coupe, the company showcased a while ago. The company wants to showcase its new approach to designing the cars with this new series of automobiles.

As per company information, XK is a 2+2 sports car. This means that the back seats would be cramped and would be useful for carrying luggage or small kids. Its makers claim that this is the most technically advanced Jaguar ever built. Under the skin the chassis uses the same aluminium monocoque structure technology as the XJ saloon, which keeps weight down to an impressive 1595kg. The new car promises a 10 percent improvement in power-to-weight ratio over the current Jaguar Xk. (more…)