Meet the all new VW Caravelle

The Volkswagen Caravelle has been revealed at the Istanbul motor show ahead of officially going on sale later in 2015.The Caravelle is the MPV equivalent of the T6 Transporter, which was shown at the Amsterdam motor show in April. The van-based people carrier is set to go on sale at a similar time to the Transporter later this year.

Updates over the previous models include improved technology, more efficient engines and styling tweaks to bring the Transporter in line with other products in the Volkswagen range.

Power will come from a range of 2.0-litre diesel engines that produce from 83bhp on the entry-level model, up to 201 bhp on the most powerful. All engines will come with an automatic engine stop-start system as standard, helping to make the T6 on average 15% more economical than the outgoing model. More powerful engines will be available with an optional seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

The T6 will be available with a range of seating configurations. A long-wheelbase version will also be available shortly after launch.

There have been a number of specification updates. Optional automatic tailgate operation will make life easier for owners, especially considering the tailgate is nearly two metres high when open. All models will also come with Bluetooth and a touchscreen infotainment system similar to that in other Volkswagen Group products.

Volkswagen has made a range of safety equipment available on the T6, too. Buyers can specify adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking and a driver alert system.

Pricing will be announced nearer the on-sale date, which is expected to be later in 2015.

A spokesman for the company confirmed that a new California camper van will follow the Transporter and the Caravelle, but not until after these two more popular models are launched.

Fiat Aegea released

Fiat's new four-door sedan Aegea has been revealed at the Istanbul motor show 2015. The new car is expected to go on sale overseas, sometime later this year. The company has also said that the Aegea will have more models following in the form of a compact hatchback and an estate. 

Fiat stated that the sedan will not carry the Aegea name into production, but will receive a new name closer to the launch date.

On the outside, the new car gets bold creases along its flanks, hood and roof while the boot gets an integrated spoiler and neatly sculpted tail-lamps. The Aegea gets a large prominent grille with chrome inserts that merges neatly into the headlamps.

On the inside, the car seems to share plenty of bits with the Fiat 500X and 500L with the air-con switches, steering and infotainment system similar to the ones in the other cars. The centre console layout is also similar to the other Fiats as well.

 It gets equipment like a five-inch touch screen, Bluetooth, USB and Aux inputs and steering-mounted controls as standard. It is also available with optional satellite navigation system and a rear parking camera.

Under the hood, the Aegea is powered by two Fiat Multijet II diesel engines and two petrol engines in varying states of tune with power output between 94bhp and 118bhp.

CHEVY CAMARO

Chevrolet has revealed its sixth-generation Camaro in Detroit. The new Camaro is based on GM’s Alpha platform, which results in a 60 kg weight reduction from the previous model built on the stubby Zeta platform. The kerb weight has also been reduced by 90 kg — a significant reduction from the fifth-generation's 1,687 kg. The sixth-gen model measures 57 mm shorter, 20 mm narrower and 28 mm lower than its predecessor and gets a new five-link rear suspension system.

The new Camaro’s engine line-up includes a new 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol unit that produces 271 bhp and 40.7 kgm to rival the Ford Mustang EcoBoost. A new 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine will also be on offer, which produces 330 bhp and 39.2 kgm and also includes cylinder deactivation technology to achieve better fuel efficiency. Both the engines are available with the option of a six-speed manual transmission or an 8-speed automatic gearbox with paddle-shifters.

The most powerful Camaro will be the new SS, which features a 6.2-litre small block V8 making 449 bhp and 62.9 kgm — the 5.0-litre V8 engine in the Ford Mustang produces 415 bhp and 54 kgm of torque. The new SS now gets additions such as cylinder deactivation along with direct injection, variable valve timing, Magnetic Ride Control, Brembo brakes and 20-inch wheels – the standard Camaro gets 18-inch wheels while Brembo brakes are optional. The V8 in the Camaro is the same as the one on the Corvette Stingray. Both V6 and V8-engined Camaros can be ordered with a dual-mode exhaust.

On the design front, the car keeps its signature cross-shaped grille but takes on an aggressive profile towards the rear with wider wheel arches. Chevrolet has spent more than 350 hours testing the new Camaro in a wind tunnel to optimise its aerodynamic performance. A new ‘air curtain’ on the front fascia is designed to guide air around the wheels to reduce drag. The bonnet comes with new air vents as well.

Getting in, there is a redesigned centre console but the Camaro's signature instrument cluster is retained. It features analogue dials along with an 8-inch information screen. An additional 8-inch screen displays infotainment functions on the centre console and serves as an interface for GM’s MyLink system. The new Camaro is also equipped with mood lighting and now gets an electronic parking brake.

The new Camaro will rival the Ford Mustang when it goes on sale internationally by 2015-end.

VW GOLF

Volkswagen has debuted two conceptual versions of its Golf model in the form of the Golf GTI Clubsport concept and the Golf GTE Sport hybrid concept at Wörthersee, Austria. The Golf GTI Clubsport concept becomes the precursor to the 40-year anniversary edition of the Golf.

The Golf GTI Clubsport concept, as with other anniversary models of the Golf, gets a more powerful engine at 261 bhp along with a retuned suspension and a range of exterior and interior styling changes.

On the outside, the GTI Clubsport concept gets a new front bumper with a large central air dam with honeycomb inserts along with additional ducts to help cool the brakes. The bumper also features a subtle splitter and high-gloss black blades on the extremities of the bumper. At the back, the concept gets a roof-mounted spoiler along with a heavily modified bumper and twin exhausts. The car gets additional high-gloss trim on the wing mirror housings and black graphics along the lower edge of the door panels. VW says that the body kit will remain almost identical in the production car though the concept’s 19-inch alloy wheels are likely to be replaced by 18-inch ones.

Under the hood, the GTI Clubsport concept gets the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine from the standard GTI but now develops 261bhp with the option of temporarily boosting power to 287 bhp. The Clubsport will become the most powerful Golf when it goes into production, with the standard GTI producing 227bhp with the optional performance pack. Power is sent to the front wheels through a six-speed DSG gearbox with a manual option, expected to be on
the production version.

The other concept debuting at Worthersee was the Golf GTE Sport hybrid concept. The GTE features a plug-in hybrid powertrain developing about 396bhp using a combination of a petrol and two electric motors. The petrol engine is a 1.6-litre turbocharged unit featured in the Polo R WRC championship-winning car generating 295 bhp.

The GTE Sport concept features extensive use of carbonfibre inside and out to keep the weight low, and gets features such as LED headlamps, gull-wing doors and heavily flared wheel arches. The styling of the GTE bears resemblance to the Golf line but looks sleeker and more aggressive with sharply raked front windscreen, prominent diffusers front and rear and prominent air vents on the front bumper and on the rear wheel arches.

On the inside, the cabin is divided in two by the centre console and gets a steering column made from carbon, along with a bespoke steering and three high-tech transparent displays positioned one behind the other, in place of the traditional instrument cluster.

The GTE Sport concept is four-wheel drive and allows the driver to coast on the all-electric mode for up to 50km.

Bugatti Chiron prototype caught testing

Bugatti’s successor to the Veyron, the Chiron, has been spotted on the road going through the testing phase. Two prototypes were spotted on international roads in a convoy that consisted of a Veyron and a BMW i8. 
Bugatti discontinued the Veyron just prior to the Geneva motor show with the last model the ‘La Finale’ showcased at the event before being shipped to its undisclosed owner in the Middle East. The Chiron as seen in the picture looks quite similar to the Veyron, but seems to get larger air-vents to help cool the engine.


The engine will be a major talking point, since the Chiron’s engine is expected to develop around 1500bhp. The engine is expected to remain the same as the one in the Veyron, a quad-turbo W16, but is expected to get two electric turbochargers to boost power. The Chiron is expected to max out at 463.5 kmph and reach 0-100 kmph in just two seconds.
The production-version of the Chiron is expected to debut sometime in 2016.

NISSAN MAXIMA

Nissan has unveiled the 2016 Maxima at the New York auto show. The Maxima was originally previewed by the Nissan Sports Sedan concept back in 2014.

The new Maxima gets a bold design with a V-motion front face, LED-infused headlamps, a large hexagonal grille and inset fog-lamps. On the sides, the car gets prominent creases over the front and rear wheels, a ‘floating roof’ design with blacked out A- and B-pillars and new 18-inch alloy wheels with painted inserts. At the rear, the car gets wrap-around LED tail-lamps joined by a large strip of chrome and dual exhausts.

On the inside, the new Maxima gets a flat-bottomed steering wheel, Alcantara accents, a centre stack that is angled seven degrees toward the driver and a new 7.0-inch Advanced Drive Assist Display in the instrument cluster.

Other options available include ambient lighting, heated /cooled front seats, a Bose audio system and premium Ascot leather seats with diamond-quilted inserts, Intelligent Cruise Control, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and a Predictive Forward Collision Warning system.

Under the hood, the Maxima gets a 3.5-litre V6 generating 300 bhp and 36.08 kgm of torque. The car also gets a new Xtronic transmission that Nissan claims boosts the cars mileage.

The new Maxima is expected to go on sale internationally later this year.

Kia kx3

Kia has revealed a new SUV concept called KX3. It has been designed and created specifically for the Chinese markets by Dongfeng Yueda Kia, the Korean carmaker’s joint venture in China.

The KX3 concept has a 1.6-litre T-GDI direct-injection turbocharged petrol engine that sends power to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. On the outside, the mesh grille has some matte chrome surrounds and the headlights and tail-lights are wraparound LED units. Kia also claims that the interior has been given production-ready elements. The carmaker says the KX3 has the “latest in-car connectivity technology, with easy-to-use smartphone functionality” and it comes with “a high level of standard equipment, and a wide range of options, to ensure the greatest possible value to buyers”.

Standard equipment of the KX3 is likely to include side and curtain airbags, a start-stop button, cruise control, a panoramic sunroof, heated seats, rear ventilation outlets, an auto climate control and a rear-view camera.

Reportedly based on the Hyundai ix25 the 2590mm-long wheelbase of the KX3 concept allows for a lot of cabin space and a large boot. Kia also says that the new concept is capable of earning a five star rating in C-NCAP (Chinese New Car Assessment Programme) tests.

Qoros City SUV

Chinese start-up brand Qoros will reveal the Qoros 3 City SUV at the Guangzhou auto show in China this week.

Based on the company’s hatchback, it gets larger wheels, more ground clearance and more rugged styling. The engines are expected to be the familiar 1.6-litre petrol units in 124bhp and 154bhp forms. 

A full-on Qoros SUV is also well on the way to the showrooms. Although launch sales have been slow for the brand in its Chinese home market, the company has just opened a new design studio in central Munich as part of its expansion plans.

 

Qoros was created in a joint venture between Chinese carmaker Chery and investment fund Israel Corporation.

Chinese media reports say that the Israel Corporation's investment has resulted in two new cars (the Qoros 3 hatch and sedan) and a new factory and a medium-size SUV, which is in the late stages of development. Qoros is not expected to reach profitability before 2016.

Audi Q8

Luxury carmaker Audi has confirmed that it will put a new Q8 SUV into production. The new SUV – based on the next-generation Q7 which is slated to be unveiled at the 2015 Detroit motor show – will go up against rivals like the BMW X6, Range Rover Sport and upcoming Mercedes MLC. 

 

"The Q8 will come," said technical chief Ulrich Hackenberg at the LA auto show. "It will be something new, following designs established on the Prologue concept. It will be positioned as something more emotional and more sporty than the Q7. The Q7 will be a car for seven people, the Q8 will be more coupe like."

 

The Q7 will be one of the last Audis with the current design language and the Q8 will have some visual differentiation to the Q7 both inside and out. The Q8 has been granted official production approval and is progressing through a development programme that aims to have it on sale within the next three years. 

 

The official sketch.

The upmarket crossover forms a crucial part of Audi’s growth strategy that will see it extend its line-up by no fewer than 11 new models by 2020. Five of those models have been identified as additional SUVs in the form of the Q1, Q2, Q4, Q6 and Q8.

 

This will push Audi’s range to a 60-strong model line-up, with the company predicting that 40 percent of its annual sales – around 8,00,000 units – will come from SUVs. Company boss Rupert Stadler admitted that more investment would be diverted to SUVs as a result. 

 

The Q8 has been conceived to extend Audi’s reach at the top of its line-up and to provide the company with added sales in potentially crucial markets such as China, the Middle East and the US.

 

In terms of performance and technology, the Q8 is described as being on par with Audi’s A8 flagship sedan, albeit with the added ability to head off road thanks to its raised ride height and, on top-end models, adjustable air suspension. 

 

A range of V6 and V8 petrol and diesel engines will be offered, alongside plug-in hybrids and possibly an all-electric version to rival the upcoming Tesla Model X SUV. 

 

The Q8 is set to receive its own, unique five-door body styled under the stewardship of new Audi design boss Marc Lichte. Among the various elements expected to set it apart from the more practical second-generation Q7 is a racier front end with a more sporting grille, more obvious tapering around each corner, shallower side glass, a generously sloping roofline and a more heavily angled rear window.

 

The basis for the Q8 is the second-generation MLB (modular longitudinal architecture) platform. Insiders say the MLB structure has far greater flexibility than that used today, with added scope for variability within the wheelbase and track widths in a move that, it is suggested, will lead to a wider differentiation between the models planned by the VW Group’s various brands. 

Mercedez-Benz GT AMG

The new Mercedes-Benz GT AMG has entered the final stages of its development ahead of its expected reveal at the German Grand Prix in July.

 

Already described as being "the most beautiful car we've ever designed" by Mercedes' design chief Gorden Wagener, the GT AMG will replace the larger and more expensive SLS in Mercedes' line-up when it goes on sale internationally next year. Wagener said that those who have seen it have been comparing it to the Jaguar E-type, although he believes the GT AMG "has more timeless classical lightness to it".

 

Mercedes is said to have targeted the Porsche 911 Turbo for performance, meaning it'll be looking to beat that car's 0-100kph time of 3.4 seconds, as well as its top speed of 313kph. Mercedes sources have already hinted the firm may have already come close to those targets.

 

Powering the GT AMG is a new twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine with 493bhp and 66.4kgm of torque. That engine is also set to appear in the C63 AMG, and shares its architecture with the turbocharged 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder unit found in the A45 AMG and the CLA45 AMG. The engine is mounted low and well back inside the engine bay of the GT AMG, giving it better weight distribution.

 

Other features of the GT AMG include a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission mounted to the rear axle assemble, as well as a mechanical locking differential. The GT AMG's gearbox is essentially an upgraded version of the unit used in the SLS, although this time it includes an automatic stop-start function for extra fuel economy.

 

The GT AMG's predominantly aluminium structure, as well as other weight-saving materials, is said to have pushed its kerb weight down to around 1550kg, some 145kg less than the SLS.

 

In its search for class-leading driving dynamics, Mercedes has given the GT AMG a number of shared SLS components, but updated its geometry significantly. The new sports car includes an electro-mechanical steering system sourced from the new C-class, something which replaces the older hydraulic set-up of the SLS.

 

The GT AMG will be assembled on the same production line used for the SLS.

Volvo ERS technology

New energy recovery tech could result in a leap forward in fuel consumption, while also reducing production costs, with KERS-based systems set to be introduced around 2020

Volvo is testing its new energy recovery system on a test S60 saloon that will help reduce fuel consumption by more than 25 percent, while costing only a quarter of the factory price of a conventional battery-electric hybrid.

The British-designed flywheel energy recovery system, Flybrid KERS (Kinetic Recovery System) has been fitted to the rear axle of the test S60 sedan, and can be used to assist the petrol engine that drives the front wheels. It can be used to enhance performance, knocking 1.5 seconds off the 0-100kph time of the 254bhp S60 T5. The flywheel system is based on a conventional flywheel which runs at a maximum of 60000rpm and can deliver up to 80bhp. Kinetic energy is stored in the flywheel – which runs in a true vacuum – for 20 minutes before it begins to disperse. At full deployment, the S60 prototype gets a 10-second power boost.

However, Volvo says that conventional brakes develop such a huge amount of energy that even gentle braking for eight seconds will fully recharge the flywheel. A Toyota Prius hybrid would take three times as long to store the same amount of energy, the company claimed. This new system is more sophisticated than the previous flywheel systems because it drives the rear wheels through a continuously variable transmission built by Torotrack. Using a geared connection between the rear wheels and the flywheel also means that the flywheel can be spun up to speed more quickly than by direct drive from the rear wheels.

The core of the flywheel is made from steel and it is wrapped in a 10mm layer of carbonfibre. The flywheel runs in a vacuum and drives the Tototrack CVT – which uses tilting rotary discs to transmit the power. This, in turn, drives a series of gears slowing the drive output so it can then directly drive the car’s rear axle. The whole set-up in the prototype weighs around 60kg, far less than a battery-electric hybrid.

While this particular rear-drive set-up is unlikely to reach production, a future version will see the flywheel and Torotrack ‘box integrated into a front-wheel drive transmission. Volvo engineers told that “some form of KERS system” would be inevitable on production cars after 2020.

While most energy recovery systems work best in urban traffic – when the driver is using the brakes often – they are much less effective on motorways. However, Flybrid engineers said that, at motorway speeds, the flywheel could be re-charged while the engine is driving the wheels. 

Because it takes less than 30bhp to propel a car at a 113kph level cruise, the energy stored in the flywheel could be enough to continue driving the car at 113kph for almost a kilometer, opening the possibility of high-speed ‘engine blipping’, where the engine drives the car for about a kilometer, before the flywheel takes over for the next kilometer.

Nissan Murano

The third-generation Nissan Murano will make its world debut at the New York motor show next month. Nissan has confirmed the model, which is due to launch internationally early next year, will be seen at the show in a short preview video.

 

Described as a "halo vehicle for Nissan's expanding range of bold crossovers and SUVs", the new Murano "previews a new design language for future Nissan production vehicles".

 

Latest prototypes show that development on the new model is well underway.

 

The interior of the new Murano has also been caught on camera, although many of the interior details are still under wraps. Nissan has only said the new cabin of the Murano will feature a spacious, premium look with "advanced, purposeful safety and connective technology".

 

While little is known about the Murano's exterior styling, the headlights appear to draw inspiration from the Resonance concept shown at the Detroit motor show last year. That model was said to be 70 percent representative of how the Murano would look. The original Resonance concept also used a hybrid powertrain; it revealed at the Detroit motor show earlier this year and intended to show Nissan's future direction for both the Murano and the new Qashqai. Nissan says that, like the old Murano, the new model would sit at the top of its range as its flagship SUV.

Ford Endeavour

The next-gen Ford Endeavour SUV has been revealed in the form of the Everest concept at the 2014 Bangkok motor show. The first images of this concept had originally been released in august last year.

 

The Ford Endeavour's face is dominated by a bold, chrome-heavy, EcoSport-like trapezoidal grille, and swept-back headlights that sprout outwards from it. Beneath this, a matte silver skid plate livens up the bumper and extends into the fog lamp housings. On the sides, there are meaty wheel arches, chunky chrome-capped wing mirrors, and a faux vent just behind the front wheel arch. The window line rises subtly to meet a wraparound rear windscreen, beneath which sits a pair of wide tail-lamps in sculpted niches, joined by a chrome strip. The overall look of the SUV appears to be wider and more planted than the current Ford Endeavour's tall, boxy shape.

 

In production form, the new car will take on the likes of the Toyota Fortuner and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport when it comes to India. It will continue to use a body on ladder frame chassis with a seven-seat layout, and is expected to be powered by 2.2-litre and 3.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engines, with two- or four-wheel-drive and the option of manual and automatic gearboxes.

 

“The Ford Everest Concept shows the bold new direction that we envision for a mid-size, seven-seat SUV that has been designed for ASEAN and global markets,” said Matt Bradley, president of Ford ASEAN. He also stated that the production car will be manufactured in Thailand, but as with the current car, the next Ford Endeavour is likely to be assembled from CKD kits in India, so there's a chance Ford will price it very competitively.

stretched Citroen DS5

Greetings everyone!

Good news if you're planning a hen party with a quirky Gallic twist: Citroen has released a stretched version of its DS5.

Named the DS5LS, it's some 17cm longer than the standard DS5, measuring a vast 470cm from nose to tail. It also previews the new face of the DS5 range, which Citroen says ‘allies force with sophistication' and we say ‘looks a whole lot calmer than the current DS5's sharky nose'.