Car life2008. 3. 29. 00:00
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 1. 스즈키 왜건R 226,725대 (102.6%)



 2. 다이하츠 무브 210,424대 (113.8%)



 3. 다이하츠 탄트 100,217대 (94.2%)


 4. 다이하츠 미라 90,500대 (151.3%)



 5. 혼다 라이프 87,132대 (82.6%)



 6. 스즈키 알토 76,117대 (82.0%)



 7. 닛산 모코 60,715대 (89.9%)



 8. 미쓰비시 eK 58,340대 (85.1%)



 9. 스바루 스테라 49,957대 (137.6%)



 10. 혼다 제스트 47,041대 (65.4%) 


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Posted by 네로의 주절주절 블로그
Car life2008. 3. 27. 00:40
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전반적인 디자인은 컨셉카의 이미지를 그대로 받아들여서 나온점이 신선합니다. 이전의 박스형의 각진 스타일에서 점차 벗어나 이제는 완전히 다른 스타일로 변한것 같습니다. 물 흐르듯이 자연스럽게 연결되는 디자인과 동글동글한 라운드형 차체가 이전의 볼보와는 확연히 차이가 나는것이 신선하게 보입니다.

아직 디테일한 모습은 공개되지 않았기 때문에 자세히 확인할 수는 없으나, 전반적인 모습은 상당히 괜찮아 보입니다. 전통적인 볼보 팬들은 반대할 수도 있지만 변화하는 노력은 대단하다 생각합니다. D5엔진을 달고 가격만 잘 맞으면 괜찮을 듯 합니다.




Volvo will start selling in autumn 2008 the XC60, a lightweight SUV designed to compete with vehicles such as the BMW X3 and the Volkswagen Tiguan. Volvo has not yet revealed details of the dimensions of the car. The Volkswagen Tiguan measured 4.43 metres and the BMW X3 4.57. The length of the Volvo should not stray too far from that range. The Ford Kuga, a slight off of the same business group (Ford owns Volvo), measured 4.44 meters.

XC60 prototype


Volvo XC60 prototype advanced with some of the features of this new SUV slight.

When put up for sale, after the summer, only available with traction total and may choose from three engines. A turbocharged engine, 3.0 liter engine, gasoline, which called Volvo T6 and that gives an output of 285 hp. (All Volvo carrying this engine at present they do in combination with a six-speed automatic gearbox.) Versions Diesel shape from two variants of the same engine turbodiésel of 2.4 liter engine: the so-called D5 with a power of 185 hp and "2.4D" which gives 163 hp.



Since 2009 will sell a version with front-wheel drive car and the diesel engine of 2.4 liters and 163 hp with a level of CO2 emissions of about 170 g / km, according to the mark.




Volvo says its information is "the first manufacturer in the world that offers serial (...) a system that helps the driver to avoid or reduce the effects of low-speed crashes that occur routinely in city traffic and caravans. This system is called "City Safety. As rely on information from the prototype, works up to 30 km / h in two phases. If it detects a risk of collision, the load circuit hydraulic brakes in order to give maximum pressure when the driver step on the pedal. If the system believes that the collision was inevitable, it slows down the car without driver intervention.
If the speed difference between the two vehicles that can run is less than 15 km / h, the system can completely avoid the collision. Between 15 and 30 km / h, not avoided, but reduces the impact of the crash. Already models in some markets that have systems such as the Honda Legend or the Lexus LS 460.

Volvo intends to sell 50,000 units a year of the XC60, which is manufactured at the plant for Volvo Cars in Ghent, Belgium.



compete with


volkswagen - tiguan

BMW - X3
peougeot - 4007

EU ford - kuga

landrover - freelander2

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Car life2008. 3. 22. 22:55
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The Toyota iQ is a new model of a smaller Aygo. It has a body of three doors and an interior scheduled for three occupants. The production of this model will begin in late 2008.

It measures about 3.0 meters long. The car more akin to iQ length is the smart fortwo, which measures 2.70 m. The iQ is much lower than the Toyota Aygo, which measures 3.40 m.

For the information we have, the most notable difference between the smart and iQ will be the ability intern: while the smart vehicle is a two-seater, the iQ has three. Toyota claims that there is even more space for a child or luggage.

Among the items of equipment there is a automátismo for wipers, fog lamps and rear disc brakes. The mirrors incorporate intermittent.

The iQ will become the third utility that Toyota comercaliza in Europe, alongside the Aygo and the Yaris.

In 2007, Toyota showed a prototype very similar to this model.

The coming weeks will expand the information in this model.


iQ Concept model - 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show




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Posted by 네로의 주절주절 블로그
Car life2008. 3. 15. 22:54
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Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello and Modena, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929 as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street legal vehicles in 1947 as Ferrari S.p.A. Throughout its history, the company has been noted for its continued participation in racing, especially in Formula One, where it has largely enjoyed great success, especially during the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, late 1990s, and 2000s.

After years of financial struggles, Enzo Ferrari sold the company's sports car division to the Fiat group in 1969 to ensure continued financial backing. Enzo Ferrari retained control of the racing division until his death in 1988 at the age of 90. Earlier that year he had overseen the launch of the Ferrari F40; the last new Ferrari to be launched before his death.

Ferrari also has an internally managed merchandising line that licenses many products bearing the Ferrari brand, including eyewear, pens, pencils, perfume, clothing, high-tech bicycles, cell phones, and even laptop computers. Financial Times named Ferrari number one on its 2007 list of the 100 Best Workplaces in Europe.


The first Ferrari road car was the 1947 125 S, powered by a 1.5 L V12 engine; Enzo reluctantly built and sold his automobiles to fund the Scuderia. While his beautiful and fast cars quickly gained a reputation for excellence, Enzo maintained a famous distaste for his customers, most of whom he felt were buying his cars for the prestige and not the performance. Ferrari road cars, noted for styling by design houses like Pininfarina, have long been one of the ultimate accessories for the wealthy. Other design houses that have done work for Ferrari over the years include Scaglietti, Bertone, Touring, Ghia, and Vignale.

In 2005, four universities were granted the opportunity to design the next vehicle line-up for Ferrari in a student competition named 'Ferrari Concepts of the Myth'. Twenty winners were allowed to show off their concepts in a ¼ scale model and present their work to the board at Ferrari to allow for three winners to have the chance to work in the Ferrari design studio at Maranello.

As of 2007, the Fiat Group owns 85% of Ferrari, Mubadala 5%, and Enzo's son Piero 10%. Fiat has shelved plans for an IPO because Fiat Auto has now returned to profitability, thus removing pressure from the group.

In late 2007, construction began on the theme park Ferrari World in the United Arab Emirates, the first theme park based on and utilizing the Ferrari brand.


Cavallino Rampante



The famous symbol of the Ferrari race team is a black prancing stallion on a yellow shield, usually with the letters S F (for Scuderia Ferrari), with three stripes of green, white and red (the Italian national colors) at the top. The road cars have a rectangular badge on the hood (see picture above) and this race logo on the side.

On June 17, 1923, Enzo Ferrari won a race at the Savio track in Ravenna where he met the Countess Paolina, mother of Count Francesco Baracca, an ace of the Italian air force and national hero of World War I, who used to paint a horse on the side of his planes. The Countess asked Enzo to use this horse on his cars, suggesting that it would bring him good luck. The original "prancing horse" on Baracca's airplane was painted in red on a white cloud-like shape, but Ferrari chose to have the horse in black (as it had been painted as a sign of grief on Baracca's squadron planes after the pilot was killed in action) and he added a canary yellow background as this is the color of the city of Modena, his birthplace. The Ferrari horse was, from the very beginning, markedly different from the Baracca horse in most details, the most noticeable being the tail that in the original Baracca version was pointing downward.

 

Ferrari has used the cavallino rampante on official company stationery since 1929. Since the Spa 24 Hours race of July 9, 1932, the cavallino rampante has been used on Alfa Romeos raced by Scuderia Ferrari.

A similar black horse on a yellow shield is the Coat of Arms of the German city of Stuttgart. This horse motif comes from the origins of the city's name: it comes from Stutengarten, an ancient form of the modern German word Gestüt, which translates into English as stud farm and into Italian as scuderia. Stuttgart is the home of Porsche, which also uses the Stuttgart sign in its corporate logo, centred in the emblem of the state of Württemberg.

 

Fabio Taglioni used the cavallino rampante on his Ducati motorbikes, as Taglioni was born at Lugo di Romagna like Baracca, and his father too was a military pilot during WWI (even if not part of Baracca's squadron, as is mistakenly reported). As Ferrari's fame grew, Ducati abandoned the horse- perhaps the result of a private agreement between the two companies.

 

The cavallino rampante is now a trademark of Ferrari. However, other companies use similar logos: Avanti, an Austrian company operating over 100 filling stations, uses a prancing horse logo which is nearly identical to Ferrari's.

Many aspects of the cover design of the third Jamiroquai album, Travelling Without Moving, as well as the single Virtual Insanity and some single promos pay homage to the Ferrari logo.




599 GTB Fiorano




The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano (internal code F139) is Ferrari's 2-seat Gran Turismo flagship model, replacing the 575 M Maranello in 2006 as a 2007 model. The 599 GTB debuted at the Geneva Motor Show on February 28, 2006. Styling of the 599 GTB was handled by Pininfarina, under the direction of Ferrari stylist, Frank Stephenson. It is named for its total engine displacement (5999 cc), Gran Turismo Berlinetta nature, and the Fiorano Circuit test track used by Ferrari.

The 599's Enzo-sourced Tipo F133F 6.0 L (5999 cc) V12 engine produces a maximum 620 CV (620 hp/456 kW/611 bhp), making it the most-powerful series production Ferrari road car. Its 448 ft·lbf (608 N·m) of torque will also be a high for Ferrari's GT cars. Most of the modifications to the engine were done to allow it to fit in the Fiorano's engine bay (the original Enzo version could be taller since the mid-mounted position allowed it to be so). The company claims a top speed in excess of 330 km/h (205 mph), 3.7 second sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph), and 11.0 to 200 km/h (124 mph).




F430



The Ferrari F430 is a high-performance sports car produced by the Italian automaker Ferrari to succeed the 360. It debuted at the 2004 Paris Motor Show. European left-hand drive sales began in November 2004, but right-hand drive sales did not start until Spring 2005, and the United States did not get the F430 until Summer 2005.

The F430's chassis is heavily based on its predecessor, the 360. Internally, both cars are referred to with the same model number (F131), though the F430 has the Evoluzione tag attached to show that it features some major changes. Internally, the car is simply known as the "Evo".

The MSRP for a Ferrari F430 is between $168,005 - $227,000 in the United States. The F430 is sold starting at about £120,000 in the United Kingdom, approximately €175,000 in the European Union and $389,000 for the base model to $450,000 for the Spider F1 Sequential in Australia.

Car and Driver magazine found the car's performance worthy of the Ferrari heritage, and recorded a 3.5 sec 0-60 mph acceleration run in the F430 This makes it the third-quickest Ferrari road car ever made, after the Enzo and the 599 GTB. That being said, the 3.5 second 0-60 run was made on a European spec car, which has launch control, a feature designed to help launch the car from a standing start at high RPMs. Much like the E-Diff and the manettino, the launch control is a technology borrowed from Ferrari's Formula 1 racing program. The launch control is unavailable in U.S.-spec F430s, presumably due to liability issues.

On the BBC Top Gear TV show, shown on the 17 July 2005, The Stig achieved a Power Lap time of 1:22.9. While the laptime was 0.9 seconds less than a Lamborghini Murciélago, the F430 was slower than the 360 Challenge Stradale at 1:22.3. The slower lap was blamed on the F430's Bridgestone tires supposedly having less grip than the Challenge Stradale's Pirellis.

Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson has commented on the F430's handling being absolutely brilliant, a marked improvement over the 360; he claimed that Ferrari holds that "even the most butter-fingered, incapable driver could drive the F430 around their test track only one second slower than the most skilled test driver". He has in fact proclaimed, on more than one occasion, that the Ferrari F430 is "just about the best car I've ever driven", a status he previously attributed to the F355 (but never the 360).
The car develops about 300 kgf (2.9 kN) of downforce at top speed (without rear wing).


FXX



The Ferrari FXX is a car developed as part of an unusual development program by automobile manufacturer Ferrari in Maranello, Italy. Production of the FXX began in 2005.

The car uses some technology developed from the Enzo and combines it with some all-new developments from Ferrari and some of the suppliers. However, the car is only a part of the overall program: customers pay £1.3 million ($2.5 million USD) but are only allowed to drive the car on special track days approved by Ferrari and after they drive the car they have to brief Ferrari on the car's performance. Michael Schumacher was given the last one (number 30) when he retired from Formula One racing at the end of 2006. Ferrari's sister company, Maserati, has developed a similar car, the MC12 Corsa.

This car was built with the same idea in mind as when Ferrari made its F50 GT.

Essentially an evolution of the Enzo, the FXX shares some components with its parent car, but significant portions are exclusive to the FXX.

The FXX's engine is based on the Enzo's but has been expanded to 6.3 L (6262 cc) from 6 L (5988 cc), and output has been boosted from 660 PS (651 hp/485.4 kW), as seen in the Enzo, to 812 PS (800.9 hp/597.2 kW) at 8,500 rpm.

The gearbox incorporates the latest developments from Ferrari's F1 program and has a shift time under 100 ms. The brake pads are upgraded compared to those on the Enzo. It does, however, retain the ceramic discs found on the Enzo.

The tires on the FXX are 19 inch slicks custom-developed for the car, though road-legal.

As with the Enzo, the seat and pedal configuration are custom fit to the user's exact measurements.

 

The FXX features a comprehensive data-monitoring and telemetry that not only allows the driver to improve performance, but also provides Ferrari technicians with valuable data to improve the FXX and future road-going Ferraris.

Ferrari has built 30 (original number 29) of these cars, and they have all been sold to preselected past Ferrari customers, except for one that Ferrari S.p.A. kept, including Ferrari's F1 World Champion driver, Michael Schumacher, the 30th. Schumacher's FXX differs from others in that it is the only black FXX without a stripe and comes with red trim on the wheels, matte exhaust tips (regular FXX's have chrome tips),it has also holds the famous MS signature on the side in red, number 30 on the doors and his personal insignia on the seats. These few customers will not only own a Ferrari FXX, but also participate in further testing and brand development. As the vehicle is not street-legal, owners have the option of storing the car at Ferrari's facilities. As part of the FXX program, the car is maintained by the Ferrari factory. The purpose of this particular program is to allow Ferrari's top customers exclusive access to its most up-to-date technology and to use their input to help develop future models. The FXX was reported to cost 1.5 million euro (excluding taxes),[1] for the car and the services that Ferrari provides with it.


612 Scaglietti



The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti (skal-yeti) is a Gran Turismo car produced by Ferrari since 2004. It is a large two door fastback coupe with a 2+2 seating arrangement. The 612 Scaglietti was designed to replace the smaller 456 M; its larger size makes it a true 4 seater with adequate space in the rear seats for adults.

It is produced at Ferrari's Carrozzeria Scaglietti plant, the former home of the car's namesake coachbuilder in Modena, Italy. The design, especially the large side scallops and the headlights, pays homage to the custom 1954 Ferrari 375 MM that director Roberto Rossellini had commissioned for his wife, Ingrid Bergman.


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Posted by 네로의 주절주절 블로그
Car life2008. 3. 6. 22:52
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Subaru (スバル?) is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (FHI).

They are known for their use of boxer engines in their vehicles and standard AWD, as well as their turbocharged performance vehicles, such as the Subaru Impreza WRX.

Fuji Heavy Industries, and in turn, Subaru are currently affiliates of Toyota Motor Corporation, which owns 8.7% of FHI.

Subaru has built a reputation for producing high quality, reliable vehicles that did not sacrifice performance for everyday practicality.

The company is named after the star cluster Pleiades, whose Japanese name is "Subaru", that roughly translated into English means, "to govern", "unite," or "gather together". The company logo reflects the star design.

Modified versions of the Impreza WRX and WRX STi have been competing successfully in car rallies; drivers Colin McRae Richard Burns and Petter Solberg have won World Rally Championship titles with the Subaru World Rally Team. The Subaru World Rally Championship cars are prepared and run by Prodrive, the highly successful British Motorsport team. Several endurance records were set in the early and mid-nineties by the Legacy.

FHI started out as "The Aircraft Research Laboratory" in 1917 headed by Chikuhei Nakajima. In 1931, the company was reorganized as "Nakajima Aircraft Company, Ltd", the main airplane manufacturer for Japan in WWII.

At the end of the Second World War, Nakajima Aircraft was again reorganized, this time as Fuji Sangyo Co, Ltd. In 1946, Fuji Sangyo created its first Rabbit motor scooter with spare aircraft parts from the war. In 1950, Fuji Sangyo was divided into 12 smaller corporations according to the 1950 Corporate Credit Rearrangement Act, but between 1953-1955, four of these corporations and a newly formed corporation formed by an alliance of the four aforementioned companies were again merged together to form the Fuji Heavy Industries we know today.

Kenji Kita, the CEO of Fuji Heavy Industries at the time, wanted the new company to be involved in car manufacturing, and chose the name Subaru to grace its first car, the Subaru P1 in 1954. From 1954 to 1989 the company designed and manufactured dozens of vehicles including the P1 (1954), the tiny air-cooled 360 (1958), the Sambar (1961), the 1000(1965), the 1100 and the R2(1969), the leone (1971, 1975 and 1977), the Domingo (1983), the Alcyone (1985) and the Legacy (1989)

 

It is currently an affiliate of Toyota Motor Corporation, with their owning 8.7% of FHI. They acquired that stake from General Motors, who bought 20% of FHI in 1999 to have an extended presence in international markets, and collaborate technologically with FHI. Before that, the stake owned by GM was owned by Nissan, who acquired the stake in 1968 during a period of government-ordered merging of Japanese auto industry to merge in order for improved competitiveness under the administration of Prime Minister Eisaku Sato. Later on, they would utilize FHI's bus manufacturing capability and expertise for their Nissan Diesel line of buses. In turn, many Subaru vehicles, even today, use parts from the Nissan manufacturing keiretsu. In fact, it was Subaru that introduced Renault to Nissan when they asked for assistance in all-wheel drive (AWD) technology, when FHI told Renault to discuss their plans with Nissan, the discussions eventually led to the successful Renault-Nissan alliance.

In the United States, the Subaru attracted a following among the young and educated, and as a lightweight SUV alternative to the likes of the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wagoneer or even the expensive Volvo. It has historically been popular in US regions such as the Pacific Northwest , the North American Rocky Mountains region, and especially in New England, with relatively high resale values and owner loyalty rates. However, facing pressure from competition from the large Japanese brands, Subaru would switch to marketing only AWD cars and wagons. The Subaru Outback wagon, based on the Legacy and modified with SUV-like stance, bumpers, and roof, became the best selling wagon in the US during the 2000s.

 

In the 1990s the company moved away from small commercial vehicles and concentrated on the development of mainstream passenger car models, starting with the Legacy and including the controversially styled six-cylinder SVX (1992), and the Impreza (1992).

When Subaru introduced the Legacy in 1989, it was a new direction for Subaru, as the Legacy was considered mainstream in its appearance and a departure from their previous vehicles, which had a reputation of being "quirky". It was perceived by some as Subaru's attempt to compete with new luxury brands Lexus, Infiniti and Acura, as Japanese vehicles were increasing in popularity, particularly in the USA.

For the 1990 Formula 1 season, Subaru fielded the Subaru Coloni C3B. It featured a 12 cylinder boxer engine, but was not competitive because of horsepower and weight disadvantages. With the rise of rally racing, and the Import scene in the US, the introduction of the highly anticipated Subaru Impreza WRX in 2001 was successful in bringing high performance, AWD compact cars into the sports car mainstream just like VW/Audi did years before.In 1995 the company created the Sambar EV electric van. In 1997 the Forester was introduced to the world market, followed by the third generation design of the Legacy platform (1998).

During the General Motors period, a modified Impreza was sold in the United States as the Saab 9-2X. A SUV (Subaru Tribeca / SAAB 9-6X) was also planned but the SAAB version did not proceed.

From 1995 to 2000, Subaru ran a series of advertisements for the Subaru Outback which starred Paul Hogan. The advertisements were intended to highlight Subaru's all wheel drive, and depicted the Outback in a number of rugged Australian locations. The tagline "the world's first sport utility wagon" was successfully used by Subaru, though the AMC Eagle had tried much the same idea, with less success in the 1980s.

On October 5, 2005 Toyota stated that it will purchase 8.7% of the shares of FHI from General Motors. GM announced that it will divest its 20% stake in and eventually sever all ties with FHI. FHI has stated that there have been 27 million shares (3.4%) acquired before the start of trading by an unknown party on October 6, 2005. It has been speculated that a bank or perhaps another automaker was involved. Toyota announced a contract with Subaru on March 13, 2006. The under-utilized Subaru of Indiana Automotive plant in Lafayette, Indiana will hire up to 1,000 workers and set aside an assembly line for the Camry model, beginning in spring 2007.

Subaru displayed a variable vane, common rail turbodiesel boxer engine at the 2007 Frankfurt International Motor Show. It is the world's first horizontally-opposed diesel engine. The engine is rated at 110kW(147hp) and 350Nm(258Ft/lb) with a displacement of only 2.0 liters. In March 2008, Subaru offered the Legacy wagon with the 2.0 liter turbodiesel in the UK with a 5 speed manual transmission only.



Tribeca



The Subaru Tribeca (previously called the B9 Tribeca) is a five- or seven-seat mid-size, luxury crossover SUV which was launched for the 2006 model year and went on sale in June 2005 in the United States. It is based on the Subaru Legacy platform and the B9X concept car. The production version of this SUV is named for New York City's famed TriBeCa neighborhood. It is the first Subaru vehicle, excluding the Japan-only Subaru R1/R2 featuring the new Subaru design language of a triangular grille and a rounded bodyshape, which many in the Subaru community have found controversial. Subaru also used the grille styling on the Impreza with similar controversial results. Subaru has since abandoned this concept for its models introduced in 2006 and beyond.

It is believed that the controversial grille design was conceived by a designer who was formerly employed by European carmaker, Alfa Romeo, who took the trademark Alfa grille, which is an inverted triangle, then they up-ended the triangle, widened the top and rounded the bottom of the grille. An alternate explanation is that the grille design is "meant to convey parent-company Fuji Heavy Industries' glorious history in aviation."

The B9 Tribeca was initially powered by a 3.0 L boxer engine and was priced from US$ 30,695 to 38,320. Saab was planned to have also received a version of the vehicle, called the 9-6X, but such plans have been stopped with Toyota's acquisition of the FHI stake held by General Motors (Saab's parent company). It would have been built alongside the Tribeca at Subaru's Lafayette, Indiana factory. Saab revised their plans to base their SUV on the Tribeca and in mid-2007 introduced the 9-7x based on the Chevrolet TrailBlazer and GMC Envoy platform instead.

In the United States, Subaru's television ad campaign for the Tribeca has prominently featured the Kansas song "Dust in the Wind".

The Tribeca was slightly reworked for 2007 to address many of the complaints of reviewers. The updated model, debuting at the Chicago Auto Show, includes some work on the nose with a blacked-out grille, and revised struts, stabilizer bars, and spring rates for better handling. Inside, XM Satellite Radio and iPod connectors are pre-wired, while a backup camera and parking assist system can be added to the navigation system. A US$1300 Special Edition package includes a mesh grille, XM radio, and special wheels.

The 2008 model was introduced at the New York International Auto Show in April 2007. It will receive a facelift with more conventional styling, as well as a larger 3.6 L engine. "B9" will be dropped from the model name, leaving it just Subaru Tribeca.

This car was introduced in Australia and New Zealand in late 2006.



Forester



The Subaru Forester, is a compact crossover SUV produced since 1997 by the Japanese automaker Subaru. Released in the United States in 1998, it is based on the chassis of the Subaru Impreza.

As with all Subaru models marketed in the United States and other international markets since the early 1990s, the Forester is equipped with an all-wheel drive drivetrain. Subaru advertising employed the slogan "SUV tough, Car Easy" to appeal to the SUV-oriented market; and to this end, the Forester has features associated with SUVs such as a large, boxy cargo area and more ground clearance than other Subaru models (although it employs a unibody architecture, rather than a body-on-frame construction associated with some large trucks and large SUVs). The Forester, up until recently, was also sold in India as a Chevrolet alongside other Chevrolet models sold there. However since General Motors no longer holds an ownership stake in Subaru's parent company, Fuji Heavy Industries, sales in India of the Chevrolet-badged Forester have ended. The Forester is produced at the Gunma Yajima Factory in Japan.

Subaru chose to continue their longstanding traditional use of the boxer engine in the Forester, as well as their other products, to simplify the powertrain implementation of all wheel drive and because of the natural smoothness of the engine design. According to Subaru, because the engine sits inline with the transmission, instead of being offset, as can be commonly found by other FWD and AWD vehicles, body roll is minimized. The weight of the engine and transmission are balanced instead of being offset, which causes the weight of the engine and transmission to be unbalanced in the engine bay in other vehicles. The boxer engine also affords a low center of gravity because the engine sits low in the engine bay and close to the ground, as opposed to other vehicles, allowing the vehicle to stay more stable in moderate to high speed maneuvers. Other manufacturers attempt to counteract the offset weight by making their powertrains weight evenly distributed, which overall causes the powertrain to be heavier than the Subaru layout, which is lightweight from the beginning, having being manufactured from aluminum. The boxer design also provides perfect vibration mitigation because the movement of each piston is exactly countered by the corresponding piston in the opposing cylinder bank, eliminating the need for a harmonic balancer attached to the front of the engine at the crankshaft. Torque steer is also reduced with this type of powertrain layout. This is achieved by having the front driveshafts being of equal weight and length, and extend from the transmission to the front wheels at almost perpendicular from the transmission.


The Forester was Car and Driver magazine's Best Small SUV for 2004, 2005 and 2006.


The Forester is redesigned for the 2009 model year, and was unveiled in Japan Christmas Day 2007. The North American version debuted at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The clean sheet, new styling, a first for the Forester line, gives it a similar appearance to the larger Tribeca after its recent restyle. The Tribeca is built on the Subaru Legacy/Outback platform, while the Forester will continue to be built on the smaller Impreza platform.


Impreza/WRX STI




The Subaru Impreza is a compact car that was first introduced by Subaru in 1993.

"Impreza" is a coined word, deriving from an originally Italian word, impresa, meaning a feat or achievement. In Polish, "Impreza" means "party", "event" or "show".

The Impreza was introduced after the popular Leone/Loyale was cancelled with the aging EA series engine. The Impreza was introduced with the popular EJ series engine found in the larger Subaru Legacy.

Compared to vehicles in a similar size class such as Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra, Mitsubishi Lancer and Mazda 323, only the Impreza has always offered AWD, and as of 1996 Subaru made this feature standard equipment in some markets.

Subaru chose to continue their longstanding use of the boxer engine in the Impreza. According to Subaru, their configuration of the engine inline with the transmission minimizes body roll due to the lower center of gravity compared with the offset engines in most other vehicles. The Subaru layout is also light-weight and lends itself easily to support all-wheel-drive. The boxer design provides perfect vibration mitigation due to the fact that the movement of each piston is exactly countered by the corresponding piston in the opposing cylinder bank, eliminating the need for a counter-rotating weighted crankshaft (harmonic balancer). Torque steer is also reduced with this type of powertrain layout since the front drive shafts are of equal length, but as Subarus are all wheel drive, this is a non-issue.

On 2007-04-03, Subaru officially unveiled the next generation Impreza WRX at the 2007 New York Auto Show.

 

The new base model Impreza is 50 mm shorter than its previous version but is wider and has a longer wheel base. The dashboard in the Impreza is much more open and is easier to configure. Also for the first time the windows now have frames on them to improve NVH levels and rigidity of the car.

In its home market the range comprises the 1.5 litre 15S, the 2.0 litre 20S and the 2.0 litre turbocharged S-GT. Variations are found in other markets around the world: In Australia the range at launch included three 2.0 litre models (the R, RX and RS) and a 2.5 litre turbocharged WRX.

In the North American market (the only one which receives the sedan variants), the model range consists of the 2.5 litre 2.5i and Outback Sport and the 2.5 litre turbocharged WRX. The new Impreza is offered as both a 4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback. The EJ253 engine carries over from the previous generation to power the 2.5i and the EJ255 engine carries over from the previous generation (although it now uses many external engine components from the Legacy GT) to power the turbocharged WRX trim levels.

From September 2007 the Impreza range in Australia has been changed with models designated R, RX, RS and WRX. Initially only hatch models will be offered, and a sedan version will be available in 2008. The R, RX and RS all share the same engine - a new 2.0 L, with 110 kW @ 6400 rpm and 196 Nm @ 3200 rpm. Subaru recommend that the new engines be run on 95 RON premium unleaded fuel. Another noticeable difference from the Japanese Impreza is the removal of the "Engine Start" button from the Australian model. The iconic WRX has largely unchanged engine power output of 169 kW and 320 Nm from its 2.5 L engine. As with previous versions, there will only be a manual version of the WRX. The weight of the car also has been lightened to just 1400 kg, and gives the WRX a 0-100 km/h time of 5.8 seconds.

The latest-generation of the STi (which will be in hatchback guise only) debuted in the Tokyo Auto Show in October 2007. The release date for a US launch is expected to be in March 2008.




The Subaru Impreza WRX STI (formerly STi, officially changed in 2006) is the highest standard-edition trim in the Subaru Impreza compact car line, produced by Japanese automaker Subaru.

While the 2008 Impreza WRX was officially unveiled at the 2007 New York Autoshow, currently very little information is publicly known about the new STI. The STI will receive a higher degree of parts to differentiate it from its Impreza WRX brethren. Unlike the Impreza WRX, the STI will use aluminum body panels, will be available only as a 5-door hatchback, and will have different fenders than that of the WRX (breaking with previous tradition). Apparently, a Subaru rep stated to an IWSTI.COM member that the new STI would be 8.5" wider than the new WRX, and that power output would be at least 320 HP coming from a Legacy GT-derived 2.5L motor. According to leaked documents posted on NASIOC.com, the Impreza WRX STI will be sold to public starting January 2008 as a 2009 model. (An update: It will be sold in December 2007 as a 2008 model.) At the New York Autoshow, a Subaru spokesman confirmed that the Impreza WRC will be based off the hatch platform, due to its lower polar moment of inertia.

The car will appear on its definitive version at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. Subaru has released official photos on 2007/10/11. A final announcement is scheduled for 2007/10/24. The J-spec version will have a 2.0L 304 hp (227 kW) EJ207 engine with a twin-scroll turbocharger, while other versions of the car will have a 2.5L 305 hp (227 kW) EJ257 engine with a single-scroll turbocharger. The 2008 car is expected to benefit from a lower polar moment of inertia due to smaller overhangs, and also features a double wishbone rear suspension.

The Subaru Website confirms that this latest US model of the STI will have 305 horsepower (227 kW) and 290 ft·lbf (390 N·m). of torque. Edmunds Inside Line reveals a range in price from $35,640 to $39,440, depending on the options included.

Subaru (UK) Limited plans to introduce a higher-spec Impreza 2.5 WRX STI Type UK later in 2008 with a power boost courtesy of Prodrive of Banbury, rumoured to boost power by around 100 bhp (75 kW).


Outback



Created in response to the popularity of the truck-based sport-utility vehicle, Subaru made largely visual changes to the existing Legacy extended roof Touring Wagon platform to suggest a more adventurous, rugged and capable persona. The Outback was introduced internationally where sales of their existing Legacy was being sold as a companion to the Legacy. The Outback name was used internationally except for Japan, where it was known as the Legacy Grand Wagon, then renamed Lancaster in model year 1997, then renamed again in 2005 as the Outback. Speculation has suggested the popularity of the first generation Legacy wagon air suspension height control inspired Subaru to replace the air bags that would begin to leak with age with a permanent increased ride height and larger wheels and tires. Over the years since its introduction, Subaru has incorporated the Outback nameplate variously to the Outback wagon itself, an Outback Sports Utility Sedan or SUS (in 1998, Subaru test-marketed the SUS in New England to gauge public opinion) and an Impreza-based Outback Sport model. As of the 2008 US lineup, the Outback nameplate will once again apply only to wagon models. The Outback wagon has steadily outsold the Legacy wagon in the US. All American Outbacks are built at the Lafayette, Indiana location.

Subaru chose to use the boxer engine in the Outback as well as their other products, to simplify the powertrain implementation of all wheel drive and because of the natural smoothness of the engine design. According to Subaru, because the engine sits inline, or longitudinal, with the transmission, instead of being offset,or transverse, as can be commonly found by other FWD and AWD vehicles, body roll is minimized. The weight of the engine and transmission are balanced instead of being offset, which causes the weight of the engine and transmission to be unbalanced in the engine bay in other vehicles. The boxer engine also affords a low center of gravity because the engine sits low in the engine bay and close to the ground, as opposed to other vehicles, allowing the vehicle to stay more stable in moderate to high speed manovers. Other manufacturers attempt to counteract the offset weight by making their powertrains weight evenly distributed, which overall causes the powertrain to be heavier than the Subaru layout, which is manufactured from lightweight alluminum. The boxer design also provides perfect vibration mitigation due to the fact that the movement of each piston is exactly countered by the corresponding piston in the opposing cylinder bank, eliminating the need for a harmonic balancer attached to the front of the engine at the crankshaft. Torque steer is also reduced with this type of powertrain layout. This is achieved by having the front driveshafts being of equal weight and length, and extend from the transmission to the front wheels at almost perpendicular from the transmission.

Initial US advertising included Subaru's trademarked phrase: "The World's First Sport Utility Wagon," despite AMC's having earlier launched in 1979 its Concord-based AMC Eagle, a 4-wheel drive wagon discontinued in 1988. Subaru itself has manufactured four-wheel drive station wagons since 1975. (4WD was only available in the wagon version until 1977 with the introduction of the BRAT).

Other US Outback advertisements featured Australian "Crocodile Dundee" star Paul Hogan, placing the Outback in adventurous situations besting its competitors, notably the Ford Explorer.

Trim levels on all past and current USA Subarus can be easily identified by the color of the outside door handles. Base trim levels can be identified by black plastic door handles, whereas uplevel have painted door handles that match the exterior color.


In 2003, with the debut of the fourth-generation Legacy at the 60th Frankfurt Auto Show, the Outback name is now being used worldwide (Australia, Europe, Japan and USA) with the launch of the third-generation Outback wagon. Models equipped with a 3.0 L H6 were introduced at the 2004 Chicago Auto Show.


The Outback carries the same model codes as the Legacy Wagon, BP9 for the 2.5 liter, and BPE for the 3.0 liter model.

Subaru beefed up their AWD 4EAT transmission's design and released the 5EAT w/ SportShift in 2005

 

The Outback received styling revisions for the 2008 model year, notably an enlarged, chrome-ringed grille.

As of the 2008 model year, the Legacy wagon and Outback sedan were discontinued in the United States, leaving the Legacy sedan and Outback wagon.

The JDM model has been shown with a "Start/Stop" button which suggests that the vehicle has been equipped with keyless ignition, found in Lexus, Infiniti, Audi and other high end makers.


Legacy



The Subaru Legacy is a mid-size car introduced by the Japanese manufacturer Subaru in February 1989 as a larger, upscale companion to the company's Leone/Loyale. Worldwide distribution started in 1990. In Australia, the Legacy bears the name Liberty out of respect for Legacy Australia, an organisation which aids veterans and their families during and after wars.

The standard equipped symmetrical all-wheel drive system is currently unique to the Legacy in this class size of vehicle. German automaker Volkswagen, the parent owner of Audi, produces the closest competitor Audi A4 and Volkswagen Passat with their AWD offering Quattro or 4motion and a 4-cylinder engine on the Audi and only on the 6-cylinder on the VW, however the AWD is an extra cost option on both vehicles in the USA.

Subaru chose to use the boxer engine in the Legacy, as well as their other products, to simplify the power train implementation of all-wheel drive and because of the natural smoothness of the engine design. According to Subaru, because the engine sits in-line, or longitudinal, with the transmission, instead of being offset, or transverse, as can be commonly found by other FWD and AWD vehicles, body roll is minimized. The weight of the engine and transmission are balanced instead of being offset, which causes the weight of the engine and transmission to be unbalanced in the engine bay in other vehicles. The boxer engine also affords a low center of gravity because the engine sits low in the engine bay and close to the ground, as opposed to other vehicles, allowing the vehicle to stay more stable in moderate to high speed manoeuvres. Other manufacturers attempt to counteract the offset weight by making their power trains' weight evenly distributed, which overall causes the power train to be heavier than the Subaru layout, which is manufactured from lightweight aluminium. The boxer design also provides perfect vibration mitigation due to the fact that the movement of each piston is exactly countered by the corresponding piston in the opposing cylinder bank, eliminating the need for a harmonic balancer attached to the front of the engine at the crankshaft. Torque steer is also reduced with this type of power train layout. This is achieved by having the front driveshafts being of equal weight and length, and extend from the transmission to the front wheels at almost perpendicular from the transmission.

The EZ series of flat-6 cylinder engines, used in current Legacy products, replaced the EG series found in the Subaru SVX.

On May 23, 2003 Fuji Heavy Industries debuted the redesigned Legacy, known as the BL for sedan models and BP for wagons. It was released worldwide in 2004, with Subaru of America commencing production in January 2004 for the United States and Canadian markets.

The chassis was redesigned and made stiffer, and it marked the return of a turbocharged engine to North American Legacies, featuring a 2.5 liter unit derived from that of the North American Impreza WRX STI. Due to advancements in turbocharger technology and tightening emission standards, the twin-turbo setup was dropped from the lineup. Turbocharged models and the H6 offered Subaru's first 5-speed automatic transmission, featuring SportShift technology licensed from Prodrive, Ltd.

European models have not featured a turbocharged gasoline engine due to emission standards, while RHD export markets initially received 2.0 liter engines derived from Japanese Domestic Market models, later updated to the 2.5 liter engine found on USDM Legacies.

The BL/BP Legacy was refreshed in 2006, with a refreshed grille, bumper and taillights. Normally aspirated models received the gauge cluster from the earlier turbocharged BL Legacy, and turbocharged models were updated with the SI-Drive adaptive throttle system, and updated gauges, showing realtime fuel consumption.

During MY 2005, Subaru introduced Active Valve Control System, or AVCS on both the 2.5 Flat-4 and 3.0 Flat-6 engines as standard equipment.

As of the 2008 model year, the Legacy wagon and Outback sedan were discontinued in the United States, leaving the Legacy sedan and Outback wagon. The Legacy wagon was not discontinued in Canada. 2008 also brought the 3.0 L Flat-6 engine to the North American Legacy sedan. The Flat-6 has been available in the Outback sedan wagon since 2000.

USA Trim level designations have been updated and are listed in order of least expensive:

2.5i, 2.5i Limited, 2.5 GT Limited., 3.0R, 2.5GT Spec.b

In 2006, the trim level 2.5 SE was slotted between the 2.5i and the 2.5i Limited and the GT spec B was added.

In 2007, the 3.0R was added with the 6 cylinder engine.

European Legacy have two trim levels: the 2.0R and the 3.0R spec B.

In Japan, the Legacy comes in three variations: Legacy Touring Wagon, Legacy B4 sedan and Legacy Outback. Japanese versions are being offered radar-guided cruise control, referred to as SI-Cruise on all upper level products. The JDM Outback engine choices are either the 3.0 or 2.5 DOHC.


Pleo



The Subaru Pleo is a compact keicar made by Subaru, and only sold in Japan. It was launched in October 1998 when Japanese regulations dictated a size change in the keicar tax bracket, and every keicar model from every make was redesigned as a result.

The Pleo is taller than conventional keicar hatchbacks, but still shorter than the definitive keicar minivan, the Suzuki Wagon R.

It was available with a variety of 658 cc I4 engines: SOHC, DOHC, and supercharged in two different trim levels.

The more advanced Subaru R2 was introduced on December 8, 2003. However, the Pleo is still available as an affordable model with low-end engines.


Sambar



The Subaru Sambar is an automobile built by automaker Subaru for the Japanese market. It is available in microvan and pickup truck body styles and adheres to kei car guidelines. Still flourishing in the Japanese automotive industry, the Sambar continues to be produced in Japan, China, Korea, as well as in Finland with a joint venture with Elcat Automotive.



R1



The Subaru R1 was introduced by the Japanese carmaker Subaru on January 4, 2005. It was designed to fit within the Japanese keicar tax bracket.

The R1 is a two-door version of the Subaru R2, but with a shorter body and wheelbase. The R1 is unusual in that it does not use up the maximum length allowed for by the keicar regulations—the only other keicars to have done this since the 1989 Autozam Carol were the Suzuki Twin and the European Smart Fortwo.

The R1 was only available in one spec level up to end of 2005 with one engine. A DOHC 658 cc 16-valve AVCS engine is the middle child in the trio of engines for the R2. It is available with the three engines which are available for the R2: the I with a SOHC 34 kW (roughly 46 horsepower) engine, the R with the above mentioned DOHC engine rated at 40 kW (54 horsepower) and the S with a supercharged and intercooled engine rated at 47 kW (63 horsepower). The R1 is being marketed as a personal car and as a middle-aged couple's second car; a combination of leather and alcantara seating is available. All R1s are equipped with a CVT, and all trim levels are available with front-wheel drive as well as four-wheel drive.


R2



The Subaru R2 was announced in Japan on December 8, 2003. It is Subaru's re-entry in the Japanese keicar market. Photo: http://www.subaru.co.jp/r2/

The R2 name was inspired by the Subaru R-2, the keicar model that was produced between 1969 to 1972. The R2's exterior reflects influence from Andreas Zapatinas, who worked at Alfa Romeo before moving to Subaru. The R2 is the first production Subaru to sport a new family look, including the aviation-inspired "spread wings grille". The R2's exterior dimensions are largely similar to its predecessor, the Subaru Pleo, but unlike the squarish Pleo, the R2 is deliberately rounded and does not use every inch of its dimensions for interior space.

Three variations of the 4-cylinder, 658 cc engine are available:

  • SOHC
  • DOHC AVCS (variable valve timing)
  • DOHC with supercharger and intercooler

The two lower engines are available with either a manual transmission or a CVT. The supercharged engine is coupled to a sportshift version of the CVT. Both front wheel drive and all wheel drive are available.

Initially, the R2 was available in 11 colors and 3 trim levels (one for each engine variation).

On January 4, 2005, the Subaru R1 was introduced. This is a 2-door version of the R2, but with a shorter body and wheelbase.


Stella



The Subaru Stella is a Japanese automobile produced by Subaru. The Stella is based on the same architecture as the Subaru R2.


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Posted by 네로의 주절주절 블로그
Car life2008. 3. 6. 00:56
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재규어 XF, Stype를 대신하여 제규어 라인업의 한자리를 차지할 중형세단 개인적으로 포드가 1989년 제규어를 인수한뒤 발표뒤는 모델중 가장 모던한 모델 하지만 제규어의 아이텐티티를 잃어가기 시작한 모델이라 생각한다.
나는 제규의 고풍스러움이 계속유지 되었으면 했으나 다년간의 적자와 판매부진 등등 자기것을 지키기에는 아직 무언가가 부족했기에 조금더 대중에 다가가지 않았나 싶다.

제규어 특유의 U형태의 오토메틱 기어 박스를 다이얼 식을 바꾸었으며(특히 이 다이얼식 기어박스는 키가 키박스 맞춰지면 튀어 올라오는 그런 잠시의 신기함을 주었다) 엔진역시 강해졌다. 그리고 제규거의 주인역시 바뀌기 직전이다.(인도의 타타자동차가 인수진행중이다)->타타 자동차가 인수를 해버렸습니다.(최근)

이차의 목표는 글쎄 E클래스, 5시리즈 그리고 A6 에 맞춰져 있지 않나 싶다.2.7 디젤도 있고. 4.2 휘발류도 있다. 뭐..아우디보다는 조금 엔진이 큰편이고 나머지 둘보다는 조금 작은 편인가? 뭐 어쨌거나.. 재규어는 비머와 메르세데스를 향한 도전의식에 불타오르지만 이게 도전에서 끝날지 아님 도전이 성공할지는 시간이 말해주겠지.(개인적으로는 2%부족하다고 생각한다) 아참 가격은 비슷하다.

그럼 언제 판매되는가?
2007년 후반부터 슬슬 나오기 시작하더니 조금만 있으면 판매가 된단다 ㅎㅎ 내가 영국에 사는 관계로 아마 조금 있으면 보지 않을까 싶다. 물론..미국에서의 판매량이 더 많지만 미국은 넓은 관계로 영국, 런던에서 가장 빨리 마주칠것 같다...

<추가입력>
현재 영국에서는 이 XF가 판매되고 있고 중고차 역시 거래되고 있습니다. 많이 보이지는 않지만 시내를 나가보면 하루에 1대정도는 마주칠수 있는것 같습니다. 즉 판매시점이 얼마 되지 않았음에도 불구하고 벌써부터 보이기 시작한다는 것은 글세요,,, 인기가 좀 있다는게 아니겠습니까??


신차가격

LUXURY
                                                        LIST £   VAT £    RETAIL £   OTR £
3.0 litre V6 Luxury 28,021.28 4,903.72 32,925.00 33,900.00
2.7 litre V6 Diesel Luxury 28,182.98 4,932.02 33,115.00 33,900.00

PREMIUM LUXURY
                                                        LIST £   VAT £    RETAIL £   OTR £
3.0 litre V6 Premium Luxury 31,085.11 5,439.89 36,525.00 37,500.00
2.7 litre V6 Diesel Premium Luxury 31,246.81 5,468.19 36,715.00 37,500.00
4.2 litre V8 Premium Luxury 37,893.62 6,631.38 44,525.00 45,500.00
SUPERCHARGED SV8
                                                        LIST £   VAT £    RETAIL £   OTR £
4.2 litre Supercharged SV8 45,893.62 8,031.38 53,925.00 54,900.00

즉 가장 싼 모델은 한화 6천만원부터 비싼건 대략 1억1천만원 가량합니다.
이게 한국으로 들어가면 얼마나 할까요?으흐흐..물론 더 비싸겠지요^^




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Posted by 네로의 주절주절 블로그
Car life2008. 3. 1. 21:35
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Renault S.A. is a French vehicle manufacturer producing cars, vans, buses, tractors, and trucks. The company is well known for numerous revolutionary designs, security technologies, and motor racing.

Signed on March 27, 1999, the Renault–Nissan Alliance is the first of its kind involving a Japanese and a French company, each with its own distinct corporate culture and brand identity, linked through cross-shareholding. Renault has a stake of 44.4% in Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. while Nissan in turn has a 15% stake (non-voting) in Renault.

For 2004 Renault reported a 43% rise in net income to €3.5 billion and 5.9% operating margin, of which Nissan contributed €1,767 million. The Group (Renault, Dacia, Renault Samsung Motors) posted a 4.2% increase in worldwide sales to a record 2,489,401 vehicles, representing a global market share of 4.1%. Renault retained its position as the leading brand in Europe with 1.8 million passenger cars and light commercial vehicles sold and market share of 10.8%.

The Renault–Nissan Alliance represents more than 9.8% of the worldwide market (5.74% for Nissan and 4.04% for the Renault group) with sales of 3,597,748 (Nissan) and 2,531,500 (Renault Group), placing the alliance fourth after GM, Toyota, and Ford in 2005.

The marketing success was also matched by success of their return to the Formula 1 circuit as a manufacturer again after buying the Benetton team. The team went on to win both World Drivers and Constructors championships in 2005 and 2006 ahead of the vastly more experienced Ferrari and McLaren teams.

Renault is exhibiting a Hi-Flex Clio 1.6 16v at the 2006 Paris International Agricultural Show. This vehicle, which addresses the Brazilian market, features Renault-developed flexible-fuel engine technology, with a highly versatile engine that can run on fuel containing petrol and ethanol in any proportion (0% to 100% of either).

On June 30, 2006, the media reported that General Motors convened an emergency board meeting to discuss a proposal by shareholder Kirk Kerkorian to form an alliance between GM and Renault-Nissan. The hastily arranged meeting suggests that GM's board was treating Kerkorian's proposal with urgency. Coincidentally, unsubstantiated rumours have been circulating about Renault's possible return to the U.S. market. There has been speculation that a GM–Renault–Nissan alliance could pave the way for Renault's return to the U.S. market, since GM could eliminate some of its less profitable brands, and offer the owners of dealerships that would otherwise close Renault dealerships.

However, GM CEO Richard Wagner felt that an alliance would benefit Renault's shareholders more than those of GM, and that GM should receive some compensation for it. This did not sit well with Renault; subsequently, talks between GM and Renault ended on October 4, 2006.


Mégane



The Renault Mégane is a small family car produced by the French automaker Renault since 1995. It is offered in 3- and 5-door hatchback, sedan, coupé, convertible and station wagon bodystyles. The Renault Scénic is the first modern compact MPV, and is based on the Mégane.

The Mégane II was launched in 2002, and marked a completely fresh start. The two cars bear very little resemblance, the new vehicle having been inspired by the manufacturer's new style first seen in the Avantime. The enormous success of the Mégane across Europe proved that Renault's new bold styling was a winning formula and the subsequent failure of the Avantime to sell in great numbers can be attributed to its unusual market placement rather than its styling. The new Mégane was voted European Car of the Year in 2003, and achieved a 5-star safety rating in the EuroNCAP crash tests, the first small family car to do so.

Mégane II and the Laguna were both showcases for a great deal of innovative technologies Renault launched around 2001-2002; the Renault Card keyless ignition system, standard on the Mégane II, was a first in this class and has since been widely adopted. Similarly, the option of a panoramic glass sunroof is another area in which Renault led where others followed.

In Brazil, Renault launched a flex-fuel version, called "Hi-Flex", which is able to run either with unleaded gasoline (petrol) or ethanol. Like the Brazilian Scénic and Clio versions, the Mégane's engine can work with any mix of gasoline and ethanol, due to the use of an electronic control module. The flex version has a 16V 110 hp (115 hp with ethanol) 1.6-liter engine developed and produced in Brazil, but the 2.0-liter version does not allow ethanol use, because its engine is made in France.



Scénic/Grand Scénic



The Renault Scénic is a compact MPV produced by French automaker Renault, the first to be labelled as such in Europe. It is based on the chassis of the Mégane small family car. It became European Car of the Year on its launch in late 1996.

Shortly after the launch of the Mégane II, an all-new Scénic was launched. There is also a seven-seater Compact MPV

Grand Scénic
, with a longer wheelbase and rear overhang, which has two small child-sized seats in the enlarged luggage area.

As with the Mégane, the new car employs Renault's new corporate styling cues and much of the technology from other models such as the "Renault Card" keyless immobiliser and an automatic parking brake on certain trim levels. It integrates LEDs on all trims since 2006. As with Scénic I Phase 2, a raised "Mégane" logo appears on the C-pillar in tribute of the car's origin.

Scénics includes folding front passenger seat with integrated table, automatic headlights and windscreen wipers, 'Child minder' mirror and front and rear electric windows.


Laguna III



The Renault Laguna is a large family car produced by the French manufacturer Renault. The first Laguna was launched in 1993, the second generation was launched in 2000, and the third generation will be for sale in October 2007.

The Renault Laguna III was officially announced in a press release on June 4, 2007. The car was unveiled to the public at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, and it went on sale in October 2007. The car comes both as a 5-door liftback and as a 5-door estate. This third generation is based on the platform D, shared with the Nissan Altima and the Nissan Murano. Laguna III is the first car to have gone through Aubevoye Technical Centre's Electro-Magnetic Compatibility unit in the course of its development.


Espace/Grand Espace




The Renault Espace is a large MPV from French car-maker Renault. Generations 1-3 were sold under the Renault brand but manufactured by Matra. The current fourth generation model, which seats seven passengers, was designed and is built by Renault; the Renault Grand Espace is a long-wheelbase version with increased rear leg room and boot size.

The fourth-generation Espace arrived in 2003 and was the first Espace designed and built entirely by Renault. The new vehicle was also the first all-steel Espace.

Its styling was reflective of a new design direction at Renault, symbolised by the radical Vel Satis and Avantime models, marking a major departure from the previous model, which also saw the range moved upmarket.


Vel Satis



The Renault Vel Satis is an executive car produced by the French manufacturer Renault. It was launched at the 2001 Geneva Motorshow to replace the already-discontinued Safrane and has nothing in common with the 1990s concept car of the same name.

The Vel Satis is distinguished by its unusual height, which benefits interior space but results in rather ungainly proportions. It has a five-star EuroNCAP safety rating and is available with a variety of engines:

  • 4-cylinder, 16-valve, turbocharged 2.0-liter
  • Nissan-sourced 24-valve, 3.5-liter V6 (also used in a variety of Nissan models including the Altima, Murano, 350Z/Fairlady, and Infiniti G, M and FX series))
  • 4-cylinder, 16-valve, 2.2-liter direct-injection turbodiesel
  • Isuzu-sourced 24-valve 3.0-liter direct-injection turbodiesel

The Vel Satis shares its "platform" (chassis, powertrain, assembly process) with the Laguna and Espace IV and is produced on the same assembly line in Sandouville, France.

In October 2004, while overtaking a lorry at 130 km/h (81 mph) under cruise control, an automatic 3.0 Diesel Vel Satis allegedly accelerated on its own to over 190 km/h (120 mph) on a section of the Autoroute A71 freeway (motorway) in central France, and remained at that speed for over an hour in spite of the drivers' alleged efforts to stop it. The police, alerted by a cell phone call from the driver, cleared the freeway ahead of the car and tracked it until it finally stopped near a toll booth. According to the driver, the incident happened due to a faulty cruise control system, in conjunction with the electronic card that replaces the conventional ignition key and makes it impossible to start or stop the engine without electronic intermediates.

Renault immediately investigated the car and found no faults with it, even though a random cause such as electronic interference from an outside source (in this case, the overtaken lorry), while highly improbable, cannot fully be ruled out. Repeated tests under judicial supervision with this car and others of the same model have proven that the driver can always override the cruise control and bring the car to a stop by at least two independent means even if the conventional method of applying the brakes to disengage the cruise control fails:

  • move the automatic transmission selector from Drive to Neutral
  • press the cruise control's on/off button five times in rapid sequence, as instructed by the car's user manual

In view of these results, Renault has taken legal action against the driver for libel.

In March 2005, Renault UK decided not to develop a right-hand drive version of the facelifted Vel Satis, as sales of the model had been poor in the United Kingdom since launch. Although 3,500 sales predicted, only a third of these were achieved.

This came only two years after the Avantime coupé/MPV was discontinued by Renault, which was equally as ambitious in its design.


Twingo



The Renault Twingo is a city car built by French automaker Renault, first presented at the Paris Motor Show in September 1992 and sold in continental European markets from 1993. The second generation Twingo was launched in Summer 2007.

The "Twingo" name is a portmanteau derived from the words "Twist", "Swing" and "Tango" and it is said to denote the "fun and active" "personality" of the car.

A concept was presented at the 2006 Mondial de l'Automobile. The production version was presented at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show after a last minute redesign was ordered, partly due to the successful launch of the TPCA Peugeot 107/Citroën C1/Toyota Aygo, which became the new benchmark for city cars.

Production was transferred from France to the Novo Mesto plant in Slovenia (Revoz).

It went on sale in France, Italy and Slovenia on 15 June 2007, and in the rest of Europe, including the UK, in September 2007. The motoring press in the UK have criticised the new Twingo for being rather unadventurous in style and appearance compared to the original.

The petrol engine is a 1.2-litre unit in three versions, an 8-valve 60 hp (45 kW) naturally-aspirated, a 16-valve 75 hp (56 kW) naturally-aspirated and a 16-valve 100 hp (70 kW) turbocharged version. The diesel engine is a 1.5-litre 65 hp (48 kW) dCi unit.

Trim levels have been announced and will start with the unnamed base model followed by Authentique, Expression, Initiale, Dynamique and GT. An RS version is also under consideration.

It will be also be available in right hand drive for the first time. Engines available in the UK are the 75 hp (56 kW) and 100 hp (70 kW) petrol units, in Dynamique and GT trim levels. A 60 hp (45 kW) engine was released in January 2008, in a cheaper Extreme trim level.


Modus



The Renault Modus is a mini MPV designed and built by the French automaker Renault in Valladolid, Spain since September 2004. The production version is very similar to the concept car of the same name. It is essentially a taller and higher version of the Clio and, as such, shares its platform and much of its engine range with the Clios latest incarnation. Originally marketed as "a higher-range alternative to the Twingo and Clio", it is targeted at people who want the practicality and versatility of the larger Renault Scénic but without the added size. The Clio platform that spawned the Modus also gave rise to the current Nissan Micra and its monospace relative the Nissan Note.



Clio/Lutecia/Thalia




The Renault Clio is a supermini/subcompact produced by the French automaker Renault. Originally launched in 1990, it is currently in its third generation. The Clio has seen substantial critical and commercial success, being consistently one of Europe's top-selling cars since its launch, and it is largely credited with restoring Renault's reputation and stature after a difficult second half of the 1980s.

The Clio has been sold as the Renault Lutecia in Japan, as Honda owns the right to the name Clio in Japan (being one of Honda's sales networks in Japan). A four-door sedan was developed for certain markets where sedans are traditionally preferred over hatchbacks and was sold under names Renault Clio Symbol, Renault Clio Sedan, Renault Clio Tricorps, and Renault Thalia. It is also sold under the Nissan nameplate in some Latin American markets as the Nissan Platina with slight changes in the front of the car to make it resemble the Nissan Altima. Both the Renault Clio (4 door hatchback) and the Nissan Platina (4 door sedan) are marketed in Mexico, each by their respective manufacturer.


Kangoo /Express



The Renault Kangoo and Kangoo Express are panel van and leisure activity vehicle produced by French automaker Renault since 1997. The Kangoo is manufactured in the MCA plant in Maubeuge, France, and in Santa Isabel, Argentina. It is also sold by Nissan in Latin America and Europe as the Kubistar.

The rear windows and seats can be removed, producing the panel van Kangoo Express. The Kangoo is popular with the mobility-impaired and wheelchair users due to its height and accessibility. It can be adapted to include mounting points for wheelchairs. Both the Kangoo and Kangoo Express are available in four-wheel drive versions, with raised ride height and altered styling. A lengthened version is also available, with an increased cargo area, as well as a pickup truck version in the Swedish market. The Kangoo was facelifted in 2003, resulting in the Phase II model. These vehicles are distinguished by their pronounced contemporary Renault nose design, with two gaping grille openings placed either side of a suspended diamond badge. The headlamps were also restyled.



Trafic



Renault Trafic is the name used by Renault for recent generations of its light vans.

The current Trafic is the Renault-branded version of a panel van developed in a joint venture with General Motors (GM), and also sold as the Vauxhall and Opel Vivaro; it is also sold by Renault's ally Nissan as the Primastar. The Trafic is built at GMM Luton, Luton in the UK, along with the Vivaro and Primastar.

In the separate agreement between Renault and Nissan, versions of the van are also manufactured at Nissan's plant in Barcelona, Spain.

The van exists in several versions, from a 3-seater with all the rear space available for loads, to a 9-seater. Its name is based on the French word for "trade" or "traffic" (depending on the context).

The van was designed by Renault in Paris, and both Renault and GM versions are manufactured by GM at their plant in Luton.


Logan



The Logan is a no-frills car produced jointly by the French manufacturer Renault and its subsidiary Dacia of Romania. It is manufactured at Dacia's automobile plant in Mioveni, Romania, in Colombia, Brazil and many other sites. Whether the car is marketed as Dacia, Nissan or Renault in a country depends on the existing presence of the Renault brand in it.


Koleos



The Renault Koleos is a compact SUV which was first presented as a concept car at the 2006 Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris. Production is expected to start in 2008, and will also be performed by Renault subsidiary Samsung Motors in South Korea, as the Renault Samsung QMX.

Renault has some experience in the SUV market, after selling the Scénic RX4 and the Kangoo, but it has never produced a true SUV. A Koleos concept car was shown in the media as long ago as February 2000.

The Koleos's body design is based on the Renault Koleos and Renault Egeus concept cars. The engines selected for the Koleos haven’t been used in any car, but will be used in the Clio and Laguna. Some of the Koleos's future competitors like the Citroën C-Crosser and the Peugeot 4007 will also be presented by this time.


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Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury performance cars, whose headquarters are at Gaydon, Warwickshire, England. The company name is derived from the Aston Clinton hill climb and one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin.

From 1994 until 2007 Aston Martin was part of the Premier Automotive Group, a division of the Ford Motor Company. On 12 March 2007, it was purchased for £479 million (US$848 million) by two Kuwaiti investment companies in a deal led by David Richards of Prodrive. Ford retained a US$77 million stake in Aston Martin, setting the total value of the company at US$925 million.

 Aston Martin was founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford. The two had joined forces as Bamford & Martin the previous year to sell cars made by Singer from premises in Callow Street, London where they also serviced GWK and Calthorpe vehicles. Martin raced specials at Aston Hill near Aston Clinton, and the pair decided to make their own vehicles. The first car to be named Aston Martin was created by Martin by fitting a four-cylinder Coventry-Simplex engine to the chassis of a 1908 Isotta-Fraschini. They acquired premises at Henniker Place in Kensington and produced their first car in March 1915. Production could not start because of the outbreak of World War I, and Martin joined the Admiralty and Bamford the Royal Army Service Corps. All machinery was sold to the Sopwith Aviation Company.

In light of mounting financial pressure, and after internal review of costs and realisable value on investment, Ford decided to look at selling parts of its Premium Automotive Group. After suggestions of selling Jaguar Cars, Land Rover or Volvo Cars, Ford appointed UBS AG to sell Aston Martin by auction. At the end of August 2006, Ford announced that it would be willing to sell all or part of Aston Martin. Bill Ford said: "As part of our on going strategic review, we have determined that Aston Martin may be an attractive opportunity to raise capital and generate value".

The first round of the auction closed on 30 November 2006.  One of the four survivors was Syrian-born billionaire Simon Halabi, while the Australian bid included James Packer, Australia's second richest man. The German auto newspaper Autobild reported on 2 February 2007 that the luxury goods conglomerate LVMH had bought the company for an undisclosed sum. The paper cited "anonymous, but well-placed sources" with the information. It was later reported by Autocar magazine that LVMH had denied the news as "rubbish".

On 12 March 2007 a consortium led by Prodrive chairman David Richards purchased Aston Martin for £475m/USD$848m. Prodrive has no financial involvement in the deal.[ Ford will keep a stake in the company (valued at GBP 40 million / USD 70 million). The consortium also consisted of John Sinders, an Aston Martin collector; and two Kuwaiti investment companies, Investment Dar and Adeem Investment Co.

On 19 July 2007 the last car, a Vanquish S, was produced at the Newport Pagnell plant. Nearly 13,000 cars had been made there since 1955. All production was concentrated at Gaydon, with the old premises in Tickford Road remaining in Aston Martin ownership as the restoration and service department.

Aston Martin has also boosted its worldwide appeal by opening more dealers in Europe, as well as branches in China for the first time in its 93 year history in Beijing and Shanghai. This has brought their dealership programme to 120 dealers in 28 countries.


V8 Vantage/V8 Vantage Roadster


The Aston Martin V8 Vantage is a hand built sports car from British manufacturer Aston Martin. Aston Martin has previously used the "Vantage" name on high performance variants of their existing GT models, notably on the Virage-based supercar of the 1990s. The modern car, in contrast, is the leanest and most agile car in Aston's three-model lineup. As such, it is intended as a more accessible model to compete with cars such as the Porsche 911.

 

At the 2006 Greater Los Angeles Auto Show, Aston Martin officially unveiled the V8 Vantage Roadster. The car gains 200 pounds over the coupe, but Aston Martin claims the car will have the same performance as the coupe. To compensate for the loss of the roof a new, super-stiff cross-member has been added to the frame. The soft top can be raised or lowered electronically in 18 seconds and can be operated in speeds up to 30 mph (50 km/h). It has the same 4.3 litre V8 from the hard top version producing 380 bhp (283 kW) at 7000 rpm, 302 lb-ft (410 Nm) at 5000 rpm & a top speed of 175 mph (280 km/h). It will accelerate from 0-60 mph (0-100 km/h) in 4.9 seconds.




DB9/DB9 Volante



The Aston Martin DB9 is a grand tourer launched by Aston Martin in 2004.

The DB9 is the first new car to be built at Aston's Gaydon facility. The name "DB" stems from David Brown, the owner of Aston Martin for a sizeable part of its history. The DB9, which was designed by Ian Callum and finished by his successor, Henrik Fisker, superseded the now-discontinued Aston Martin DB7 (also by Callum) which started production in 1994.

 

The Aston Martin DB9 Volante is the convertible version of the DB9 coupe. It is built by hand in limited numbers and has enhanced styling. It is powered by the same 5.9 liter, DOHC 48 valve V12 as the DB9 and is completed with 450 bhp (331 kW) and a top speed of 186 mph (300 km/h). Because it is a convertible it will do 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds, two-tenths of a second slower than the hard top. The Volante is taller than the hardtop, standing at 51.2 inches (1,300 mm) compared to 50.1 inches (1,270 mm). The transmission options are either the 6 speed manual or the 6 speed TipTronic II automatic.



DBS



The modern Aston Martin DBS is a high performance sports car from the UK manufacturer Aston Martin. Aston has used the DBS name once before on their 1967-72 grand tourer coupe. The modern car replaces the Vanquish S as the flagship of the marque.

The DBS was first seen in the 2006 film Casino Royale. It was officially unveiled at the 2007 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance sporting a brand new exterior color, a graphite gray with a blue tint which has been dubbed 'Casino Ice'. The two seater coupé (as opposed to the 2+2 DB9 which the car is based on) has a bonded aluminium chassis made of lightweight magnesium alloy, carbon fibre composite and aluminium. It is the first production Aston Martin to make extensive use of carbon-fibre body panels.

Power comes from the heavily revised handmade 6.0 litre V12 engine from the DBR9 racing car, tuned to deliver 510 bhp (380 kW) at 6500 rpm and 420 lb·ft (569 N·m) of torque at 5750 rpm. The V12 power plant features a new by-pass air intake port that opens above 5500 rpm to boost engine breathing as well as re-profiled air inlet ports that further improve airflow into the combustion chamber. A curb weight of 3750 pounds (1695 kg), combined with the 510 bhp (380 kW) V12 help the DBS accelerate 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 191 mph (307 km/h).

The DBS is fitted with new vented carbon ceramic brakes discs – a first for a road-going Aston Martin, it which reduces unsprung weight by 12.5 kg. The front wheels are fitted with 398 mm (15.7 in) diameter carbon ceramic brakes with six-piston calipers, with 360 mm (14.2 in) diameter brakes with four-piston calipers at the rear. The double wishbone alloy suspension features an adaptive damper controlled suspension which uses two separate valves to set the dampers to five different positions, allowing instant adjustment of the car’s ride and handling characteristics.

Also included is a new hand finished interior with black lacquer, brushed alloy, semi-aniline leather and Alcantara as some of the materials. The car comes with a six speed manual transmission standard and is expected to retail for approximately $265,000 USD. Sales are expected to start in spring of 2008.

On the 22nd of January 2008 spy photos of the Aston Martin DBS Volante appeared on the internet .


Future - Rapide



The Aston Martin Rapide is a four-door, four-seat coupe, which British luxury marque Aston Martin plans to introduce in late 2009 to compete with the Porsche Panamera, Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class and Maserati Quattroporte. It was first presented as a concept car at the North American International Auto Show in 2006. The Rapide name is a reference to the Lagonda Rapide, a sedan produced by Lagonda, now part of Aston Martin. The car is based on a Aston Martin DB9.

Since the purchase of Aston Martin by a British consortium led by David Richards of Prodrive, production of the Rapide has been confirmed and progress is being made to quicken the release date.

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Citroën is a French automobile manufacturer, founded in 1919 by André Citroën. It is today part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, and its headquarters is on rue Fructidor, Paris.


Originally a mass-market car maker with relatively straightforward designs, Citroën shocked the world in 1934 with the innovative Traction Avant, the world's first mass-production front wheel drive car (1934-56). Significant models include the H Van (1947-81, "HY"), the 2CV (1948-90, "The Duck"), the DS (1955-1975, "Goddess") and the CX (1974-91).

André Citroën built armaments for France during World War I and after the war he had a factory and no product. In 1919, the business started to produce automobiles, beginning with the conventional type A. The Type A was designed by Jules Salomon, Chief Design Officer from Le Zèbre.

Citroën was a keen marketer - he used the Eiffel Tower as the world's largest advertising sign, as recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. He also sponsored expeditions in Asia (Croisière Jaune) and Africa (Croisière Noire), intended to demonstrate the potential for motor vehicles equipped with the Kégresse track system to cross inhospitable regions. The expeditions conveyed scientists and journalists.

In 1924, Citroën began a business relationship with American engineer Edward G. Budd. From 1899, Budd had worked to develop stainless steel bodies for railroad cars, for the Pullman in particular. Budd went on to manufacture steel bodies for many automakers, Dodge being his first big auto client. In 1928, Citroën introduced the first all-steel body in Europe.

The cars were initially successful in the marketplace, but soon competitors (who were still using a wooden structure for their bodies), introduced new body designs. Citroën did not redesign the bodies of his cars. Citroëns still sold in large quantities in spite of not changing the body design, but the car's low price was the main selling point and Citroën experienced heavy losses.

In an attempt to remedy the situation, Citroën developed the Traction Avant. The Traction Avant had three revolutionary features: a unitary body with no separate frame, front wheel independent suspension, and front wheel drive. Citroën commissioned Budd to create a prototype, which evolved into the 7 horsepower (CV), 32 HP Traction Avant of 1934.

In 1933, Citroën also introduced the Rosalie, a passenger car with the world’s first commercially available diesel engine developed with Harry Ricardo.

Citroën was weak and unable to withstand the softening of the automobile market that accompanied the 1973 oil crisis. That year FIAT withdrew from PARDEVI and returned its 49% stake to Michelin. This was an ominous sign of things to come and, less than a year later, Citroën went bankrupt. The French government feared large job losses and arranged talks between Michelin and Peugeot, in which it was decided to merge Automobiles Citroën and Automobiles Peugeot into a single company. In 1974, Peugeot purchased 38.2% of Citroën and became responsible for managing the combined activities, in particular their research, purchasing, and investments departments.

Peugeot sold off Maserati to DeTomaso in May 1975, and the Italian firm was quickly able to exploit the aspirational image of the Maserati brand to sell tens of thousands of newly-designed Bi-Turbo models.

The takeover was completed in May 1976, as Peugeot SA purchased a 90% stake of Citroën SA and the companies were combined into a holding company, known as PSA Peugeot Citroën.

The PSA venture was a financial success from 1976 to 1979. Citroën had two successful new designs in the market at this time (the GS and CX), a resurgent Citroën 2CV, and the Citroën Dyane in the wake of the oil crisis, and Peugeot was typically prudent in its own finances, launching the Peugeot 104 based Citroën Visa and Citroën LNA. PSA then purchased the aging assets of Chrysler Europe, which it rebranded as Talbot, leading to losses from 1980 to 1985.

PSA gradually eliminated Citroën's ambitious attitude to engineering and styling in an effort to rebrand the marque as an economy brand. In the 1980s, Citroën models were increasingly Peugeot-based, which was part of a worldwide motor industry trend called "platform sharing." The 1982 BX used the hydropneumatic suspension system and still had a Citroënesque appearance, while being powered by Peugeot-derived engines and using the floorpan later seen on the Peugeot 405. By the late 1980s, many of the distinctive features of the marque had been removed or diluted - the AX GT, for example was noted by contemporary journalists for its poor ride quality, an unusual attribute for the brand.

Citroën has expanded into many new geographic markets. In the late 1970s, the firm developed a small car for production in Romania known as the Oltcit, which it sold in Western Europe as the Citroën Axel. That joint venture has ended, but a new one between PSA and Toyota is now producing cars like the Citroën C1 in the Czech Republic. In China, the C3 and Xsara are sold alongside the Fukang and Elysée local models. Citroën is still a global brand except in North America, where the company has not returned since the SM was effectively banned in 1974 for not meeting NHTSA bumper regulations.

The ubiquitous and versatile 2CV workhorse was finally killed off in 1990, without replacement. Companies like Chrysler with the CCV concept car, Toyota with the Scion xB and Honda with the Element have recognized the 2CV concept and translated it to the modern era. More recently, Citroën has introduced the C3 Pluriel, an unusual convertible with strong allusions to the 2CV, both in body style (such as the bonnet) and in its all-round practicality. A "retro style" C3-based, post-modern 2cv like the new VW Beetle and BMW MINI is under active consideration by Citroën.

The Pluriel is but one example of Citroën's return to innovation, after launching somewhat dull (although efficient) models throughout the 1990s. Other examples are the C2, C4, and C6. The introduction of newer models, such as the long-awaited CX replacement, the C6, indicates Citroën's continued commitment to innovation in the 21st century. But the days of clean-sheet thinking and truly radical innovation are long gone. Being too avant-garde and too far ahead of public taste is too risky.

In 2003, Citroën sold 1,372,500 cars, according to the PSA Peugeot Citroën group's 2003 annual report.


Berlingo



The Citroën Berlingo is a panel van and leisure activity vehicle produced by the French manufacturer Citroën since 1996.

Two different models replaced the first generation of the Berlingo in 2008.

One, known as Nemo, has been developed in cooperation with Fiat and Tofaş Based on the Fiat Grande Punto platform, it will be build in Turkey and is also marketed as Peugeot Bipper and Fiat Fiorino. The Peugeot and Citroën will be almost identical; the Fiorino will also have a different, Fiat made, diesel engine. It will be cheaper and smaller than the present Berlingo.

The Berlingo II  is based on PSA's Platform 2 (like the Citroën C4) and therefore is slightly larger and more expensive than its predecessor. The engine range is expected to be similar to other current models of the PSA group. It has been officially unveiled in January 2008.


C1



The Citroën C1 is a city car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën since 2005.

The C1 was developed as part of the B-Zero project by the PSA Group (Peugeot and Citroën) in a joint-venture with Toyota. The Peugeot 107 is identical to the C1 other than the front bumper and front and rear lights, while the Toyota Aygo is slightly more differentiated but still obviously similar. All of them are built at the new facilities of the TPCA joint-venture (Toyota Peugeot Citroën Automobile) in the city of Kolin, Czech Republic. The project was presented for the first time at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. The cars are 4-seater, 3 or 5-door hatchbacks measuring 3.40 metres (133.9 in) in length. The body was designed by Donato Coco.

A notable feature of the 5-door C1 and 107, though not the Aygo, is the large tail light cluster, which extends from the edge of the rear doors to the rear window, meaning there is no external metal "C-pillar".

The C1 is powered by a 1.0 L 3-cylinder engine, which has a fuel economy of 61.4 mpg (3.8 L/100 km). A 1.4 L 4-cylinder engine is also available.


C2


China Ver.


The Citroën C2 is a supermini produced by the French manufacturer Citroën since 2004. A completely different car, based on the Peugeot 206, is sold in China as the C2.

Along with the Citroën C3, the C2 was intended to replace the popular Citroën Saxo. The two cars have relatively different designs allowing Citroën to grab different sub-markets of the supermini class. The C2 was designed by Donato Coco. The C3 was originally designed as a larger "family friendly" vehicle" being 5 doors, whereas the C2 is seen as a "young driver" image with 2 doors and flatter styling, though still with low power.


C3




The Citroën C3 is a supermini car with a range of inline-4 engines that has been produced by the French automaker Citroën since 2002. It was launched to replace the Citroën Saxo with the Citroën C2. It was designed by Donato Coco and Jean-Pierre Ploué, previously known for designing the Renault Twingo; the former has been the head of the Citroën design team since 1999. A mini MPV version of the C3, reportedly to be marketed as the C3 StreetLounge, was scheduled to be released in 2007.


C4



The Citroën C4 is a small family car produced by French automaker Citroën since autumn 2004. The C4 was designed to be the successor to the Citroën Xsara.

Three-door coupé and five-door hatchback are the available body styles, with petrol or diesel engines.

A sedan version is also marketed in certain markets. In China, a sedan version is locally built and sold as the Citroën C-Triomphe and is four-door sedan with a separate trunk. The sedan version is also manufactured in Argentina, where it is sold alongside the three-door version. The sedan is sold in Brazil as the C4 Pallas, and will be exported to Spain, where it will be sold as the C4 Berlina.

A seven-seater compact MPV version, the Grand C4 Picasso, was introduced in 2006, while a five-seater called the C4 Picasso was introduced in 2007.


Xsara Picasso

China Ver.

The Xsara Picasso was Citroën's answer to the enormously popular compact MPV Renault Scénic when it went on sale late in 1999 with two trim levels - LX and SX, and three engines. The rear seats could be removed to create extensive storage space. It soon became the bestselling multi-purpose vehicle in France, Great Britain, and most of the rest of Europe. The Xsara Picasso is also built in Brazil for the Latin American market since 2001, where it is the top selling car in its class.


C4 Picasso/Grand C4 Picasso



The Citroën C4 Picasso is a range of two compact MPVs, a five-seater and a seven-seater (Grand C4 Picasso), unveiled by French automaker Citroën in August 2006 and presented at the 2006 Paris Motor Show in September 2006 for the seven-seater, and in January 2007 for the five-seater. It shares platform and engines with the Citroën C4 and Peugeot 307 and coexists with the Xsara Picasso, the previous compact MPV produced by Citroën.

In early 2003 the Xsara Picasso in the UK was given a 2.0i 16v engine with a four-speed Automatic gear box (the Picasso was only available with manual transmission for the first three years of production). In August 2006, Citroën unveiled its successor Citroën C4 Picasso, based on the Citroën C4. There are two versions, the Grand C4 Picasso seven-seat and the slightly smaller five-seat C4 Picasso. The Xsara Picasso will remain on sale as the smallest MPV in Citroën's range.


C5



The Citroën C5 is a large family car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën since early 2001. The C5 replaced the Citroën Xantia in the large family car class. The second generation C5 was officially unveiled in October 2007, which will retain the liftback body style. The range is predicted to include powerful versions of the 2.7-litre V6 HDI Diesel engine.

The style is unveiled through a concept car called C-Airscape, shown at the 2007 Frankfurt car show.


C6



The Citroën C6 is an executive car produced by the French marque Citroën since 2006. It is inspired by the C6 Lignage prototype which was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in the spring of 1999, but differs from the concept car's styling in minor details. At the time it was hoped that the C6 would go into production by the end of 2001 as the replacement for the aging XM, which was first produced in 1989. The XM did cease production in early 2001 but the first C6 rolled off the production line almost four years later.

It is powered by either a 3.0 L ES9 V6 producing 211 hp (155 kW) or a 2.7 L V6 HDi diesel producing 204 hp (150 kW). In October 2006 was introduced yet another engine, a 2.2 L HDi producing 173 hp (125 kW) with FAP, four cylinders and a dual turbo.

The C6 is aimed as a stylish alternative to executive cars like the BMW 5 Series and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Despite its hatchback shape, the car is a fastback. It has a classic trunk and a unique to the C6 concave rear window such as the one its ancestor the Citroën CX used to have. Citroën hopes one of its main selling points will be its innovative technology, which includes a head-up display, a lane departure warning system, xenon directional headlamps (also available on the Citroën C5), Hydractive 3+ suspension with electronically controlled springing and damping, and a rear spoiler which automatically adjusts to speed and braking. The C6 is the first car to obtain four stars in the pedestrian test rating of EuroNCAP due to the inventive design, where the bonnet pops up a little if a person/animal is hit and skids over the car.

On an episode of Top Gear, co-presenter Jeremy Clarkson tested the C6's Hydractive suspension by mounting a camera on it and driving it on the infield of a track while filming a horse race. Despite the bumps and potholes on the infield, the C6 managed to provide a comfortable ride and stable video coverage of the race while moving at 60 km/h (approx. 40 mph). At the same time, a BMW 5-series performed the same test, but its suspension could not keep the camera upright.


C-Crosser



The Citroën C-Crosser is a compact crossover SUV, to go on sale in the summer of 2007 designed for the French manufacturer Citroën, and produced by Mitsubishi Motors on the basis of the new Outlander. The equivalent Peugeot badge-engineered version will be the 4007. It was expected that the car would be named the C7, but it has been announced that it will now be called the C-Crosser. The C-Crosser has taken its name from the four-wheel drive concept car that Citroën first displayed in the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Both the 4007 and C-Crosser will be the first Japan-produced cars sold under any French brand. They will be assembled in Mitsubishi's Mizushima plant (水島製作所), Kurashiki, Okayama.



Eurovans/Synergie/Evasion



"Eurovans" is a common name applied to nearly identical large MPVs resulting from Sevel, a joint-venture of PSA and Fiat, and manufactured at Sevel Nord factory in France, near Valenciennes. The first eurovans were sold as Citroën Evasion (Synergie), Fiat Ulysse, Lancia Zeta and Peugeot 806. The present, second generation, saw the renaming of all but the Ulysse to Citroën C8, Lancia Phedra and Peugeot 807 respectively.

The eurovans differ little technically and visually, being a prime example of badge engineering. The eurovans share mechanicals and body structure with Sevel light commercial vans, Citroën Jumpy (Dispatch), Fiat Scudo and Peugeot Expert. They are more technically related to PSA than Fiat vehicles, as PSA governs the Sevel Nord part of the joint-venture.


C-Triomphe



The Citroën C-Triomphe is a compact sedan automobile produced for the Chinese market by Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën Automobile, a joint venture between the French PSA Group (Peugeot-Citroën) and the Chinese manufacturer Dongfeng.

This new model range was designed to supplement other Chinese models in the range such as the Fukang and the Elysée, rather than being any direct replacement.

In April 2007, Citroën announced that the four-door C4 would be built in Argentina. The Argentinian version will be sold as the C4 Pallas in some South American and European markets.

The car is essentially a notchback sedan version of the European C4 model, since the Chinese market prefers traditional three-box sedans over hatchbacks. It did not keep the designation, however, because in Chinese the number "4" is unlucky. The sedan is much larger than the hatchback: its length is 4770 mm (187.8 in) over the hatchback's 4260 mm (167.7 in) and its wheelbase measures 2710 mm (106.7 in) against 2610 mm (102.8 in) of the hatchback. The C-Triomphe has a number of unique features, such as an integrated air freshener which allows the driver to choose the smell of the interior.


Fukang



The Fukang was the first in a range of cars produced for the Chinese market by the Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën Automobile group, a joint venture between the French PSA Peugeot Citroën) and the Chinese manufacturer Dongfeng.

The first Fukang appeared in 1997 and was little more than a rebadged Citroën ZX hatchback. The car was renamed the Fukang DC7140 in China, as this title was translated as ‘Prosperity and Health’ in Chinese.

The next year, the first of a number of special Chinese Citroën models was launched when the Citroën Fukang 998 arrived. This was a saloon version of the Fukang DC7140 and featured either 1.4 or 1.6 fuel injected engines.

The saloon Fukang was developed by specialist engineering firm Heuliez, who also developed a long wheelbase limousine version called the Fukang 988 VIP.

The saloon versions continued until 2003, when they were replaced by an updated version of the theme, the Citroën Elysée, however the hatchback Fukang continued to be part of the Chinese Citroën range and these models were joined in 2006 by Citroën Xsara, Picasso and C-Triomphe.




Elysée



The Citroën Elysée is a compact sedan automobile produced for the Chinese market by the Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën Automobile, a joint venture between the French PSA Group (Peugeot-Citroën) and the Chinese manufacturer Dongfeng.

The Elysée was designed in China and is derived from the Citroën ZX, with many parts (including the dashboard) taken from the Citroën Xsara.


Jumpy/Dispatch



The Citroën Jumpy is a small van produced at Sevel Nord since 1995. It has undergone a major facelift in 2004. It shares its body design with the Fiat Scudo & Peugeot Expert. A new model was launched in 2007. In the UK and Ireland, the van is badged as a Citroën Dispatch.


Jumper/Relay



The Citroën Jumper is a van produced by Sevel Sur from 1994. It is similar to the Peugeot Boxer or to the Fiat Ducato. In UK it is sold under the name Citroën Relay.


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