First Look: Ford Vertrek Concept

Alan Mulally insisted Ford resurrect the Taurus namplate, then turned the Explorer into a midsize crossover sport/utility. Can he, will he, name the sleek new Vertrek -- an obvious hint for the 2013 Escape replacement -- the Escape?

 

The Vertrek concept, unveiled at the North American International Auto Show, goes on sale in early 2012 and is Escape in size and European Kuga in its use of Martin Smith's sleek "kinetic design" language. Like the Focus and C-Max with which it will share its front-drive platform, the Vertrek's profile features a "Zorro Flip" with converging Z-shaped accents between the front quarter-panel, the doors, and the rear quarter-panel.

The hood's center bulge, with its unusual cutout pattern just ahead of the windshield, is said to be production-ready, though the skylight-style glass roof panel behind it isn't. The deeply drawn lower-profile accents also are a good indication of production. Don't count on the sequential LED taillamps and certainly not the sleek, low sideview mirrors, which help create a "wing" look by connecting with the dashboard.

The deep-bucket 2+2 seats are pure concept, but the interior materials give good hints at the level of attention Ford's interior designers paid to the inside. From the outside, add a thick B-pillar, remove the power-operated foldout running boards, and you've got a good look at the next Escape.

"We've pulled the A-pillar forward" and made a sleeker roofline, with a sport coupe-like rear roof resembling the current Kuga's, says J Mays, Ford's group vice president for design and chief creative officer. "People actually think we've lowered the car, but we haven't."

Nano inspires Srinivasan’s low-cost mantra at TVS Motor

Venu Srinivasan, the chairman & managing director of India’s third-largest two-wheeler manufacturer TVS Motor Company, is taking a leaf out of Ratan Tata’s book. In a quest to garner a larger share of the burgeoning two-wheeler market, Srinivasan is hoping to emulate Tata’s low-cost manufacturing processes for the Rs 1-lakh Nano small car at TVS Motor to build cheaper bikes aimed at small towns ...

The celebrations will never stop with the Ford Figo

The celebrations will never stop with the Ford Figo. This is a proud moment for us at Ford and the 60,000 proud owners as the Ford Figo has been recognized as the Indian Car of the Year 2011.

To have been chosen is a great honour, as India’s premier automobile magazines evaluated the Ford Figo against every car launched in India during the year on price, fuel efficiency, design, comfort, safety, maneuverability, performance, functionality, environmental responsibility and driver satisfaction.

Best New Cars for 2011

If you’re looking to make a splash with your next car, consider an all-new 2011 model. Many of the most exciting 2011s are already on dealer lots or readily available for pre-order. Since these are brand new or redesigned from the ground up, chances are most people have never seen them before. Plus, manufacturers are already offering incentives on most of these models to get the buzz going and get people into showrooms.

Buy one of these cool 2011 cars and you’re sure to get a great car at a great deal -- not to mention a few jealous stares next time you’re cruising down the highway.

2011 Ford Fiesta

2011 Ford Fiesta

Starting Price: $13,320 Available for pre-order (on sale in summer 2010)

One of the most anticipated cars for 2011 is the Ford Fiesta, which has been on sale in Europe since 2008. Now North America is finally getting a version of this popular small car – and early test drives show it doesn't disappoint. In fact, at press time, the Fiesta is already ranked at the top of our Affordable Small Car class and gets our highest Overall score ever (9.6 out of 10).

So why is it so well-liked? Because it offers things many other small cars don’t, such as a fun driving experience and a comfortable, upscale cabin. The Fiesta has features rarely seen in its class -- from available heated seats to Ford's SYNC system to a driver’s knee airbag. On top of that, it manages to get hybrid-like fuel economy (but doesn’t cost nearly as much as most hybrids). Ford estimates the Fiesta will get 30 miles per gallon in the city and 40 miles per gallon on the highway.

2011 Hyundai Sonata

2011 Hyundai Sonata

Starting Price: $19,195

Completely redesigned for 2011, the new Hyundai Sonata is one of the most unusual-looking midsizesedans we’ve seen in years. But that’s not the only reason it stands out. The Sonata is now one of the cheapest cars in its class and continues to carry one of the longest powertrain warranties. It also comes with impressive standard features like XM satellite radio and Bluetooth. Reviewers like it so much that at press time, the Sonata was ranked at the top of its class.

Hyundai offers the Sonata with only a four-cylinder engine, though almost every other car in its class is available with a V6. Still, since the Sonata is a light car, it offers plenty of power. Even better is its impressive fuel economy. The 2011 Sonata is the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid car in its class.

2011 Kia Sorento

2011 Kia Sorento

Starting Price: $22,395

Previously an also-ran within its competitive class, the 2011 Kia Sorento has lost its truck-based platform and is now one of the most comfortable-riding and powerful compact SUVs. It’s even giving class leaders, like the Toyota RAV4, a run for their money. The Sorento has an optional third-row seat (rare in this class), class-leading warranties, and impressive standard features like Bluetooth.

Kia estimates its fuel economy at 21/29 mpg city/highway. This is about average for the class, but it’s quite good considering that the Sorento can accommodate up to seven passengers. In fact, few seven-passenger SUVs cost less or net more miles per gallon than the Sorento. And even fewer can touch its 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

2011 Nissan Leaf

2011 Nissan Leaf

Starting Price: $32,780 (before up to $7,500 in federal tax savings) Available for reservation (starting May 15, with delivery in December 2010)

When the Nissan Leaf hits the streets, it will be the first mass-produced all-electric vehicle -- and it even comes with a relatively affordable price (and is eligible for tax credits on top of that). The Leaf runs on an electric motor powered by a massive battery pack which can be charged by a standard 220-volt home outlet or a quick-charging station. The Leaf can travel up to 100 miles on a full charge -- more than most people drive in a single day.

It’s a four-door hatchback and seats up to five passengers, so you can use the Leaf as a family car. Since it doesn’t require gasoline, it is inexpensive to operate and should be ideal for commuters, too. According to Nissan, based on national average electricity rates, the Leaf should only cost three dollars to charge. Plus, initial test drives show that this electric vehicle drives just as well as any car, with smooth acceleration and braking.

2011 Infiniti M

2011 Infiniti M

Starting Price: $46,250 Incentives: 2.9% APR for up to 60 months on M37 trims; Expires 6/30/10

Long overshadowed by rivals like the BMW 5-Series, the Infiniti M has never received much attention. But it’s a different story for 2011 -- Infiniti has redesigned the M, and it’s now one of the best-performing full-size luxury sedans. The new model adds more power, sharper handling, and more luxurious interior materials. It also boasts a new look that’s difficult to ignore. Some reviewers love the look, while others think it’s hideous. Either way, the 2011 M is sure to get you noticed.

The M is also big on technology. Its suite of high-tech safety features include a blind spot warning system that will actually take over steering in order to avoid a collision. There’s also a class-exclusive, optional “Forest Air” system that varies the vent fan speed in order to replicate the effects of a breeze. Engineers say it can even detect and neutralize cabin odors.

2012 Audi A3 Review and Prices

Audi’s entry-level U.S.-market car gains a first-ever sedan body style to complement a slightly larger, new-look hatchback. The redesigned A3 also promises a little extra power and more premium features. But will all this be enough to lift ho-hum sales?

What We Know About the 2012 Audi A3

Volkswagen Group’s upscale Audi division is finalizing the first redesign of its A3 premium-compact car, which has been the German brand’s entry-level North American offering since model-year 2006. The A3 actually debuted in 2003 as a 2-door hatchback, but has been sold here only as a 4-door hatch on a longer wheelbase. It’s basically a VW Golf/Rabbit with different styling and more luxury features; it also shares many design elements with Audi’s slightly larger A4 premium compacts. The new A3s will maintain these family ties. U.S. sales should begin late next year for the 2012 campaign after an early-2011 rollout for Europe and the UK.

Available intel indicates that the 2012 Audi A3 represents an evolutionary makeover despite fresh styling, somewhat larger dimensions, new features and a bit more power. One notable exception involves the addition of a first-time 4-door sedan body style developed mainly for North America, where the hatchback has been a consistent slow-seller. Local Audi fans will likely be disappointed at again missing out on the 2-door hatch and cloth-top convertible body styles available overseas, not to mention a raft of intriguing powertrains and, probably, the next-gen edition of the high-performance S3.

New-Car Reviews

2011 Audi A3

2011 Audi A4

2011 Audi TT

All New Audi Reviews

Today’s A3 is based on the PQ35 platform that underpins the 2010-11 “Mark VI” Volkswagen Golf, as well as Audi’s TT premium-sporty/performance car and numerous VW Group products not seen in North America. The 2012 Audi A3 will employ a newer corporate architecture called MQB, short for Modularer Querbaukasten or “modular transverse matrix.” That’s VW/Audi-speak for “component sets” that can be mixed and matched to serve different vehicles with transverse-mounted engines and front-wheel or all-wheel drive. This platform—sorry, Audi—has been engineered to trim manufacturing costs and simplify production across a broader range of vehicle types and sizes. In fact, Car and Driver reports that MQB will be the basis for more than 60 VW Group models by mid-decade. Its next commercially significant application will be the “Mark VII” version of the global-breadwinner VW Golf, which sources say has been pulled ahead some two years to launch in calendar 2013.

According to Britain’s Autocar magazine, the 2012 Audi A3 sedan will measure 179 inches stem to stern, some 3.4 inches longer than the original 1998-2001 A4 sedan. We’d guess the A3 hatch will grow to 175 inches long, a sizeable 6-inch gain, and that both body styles will span a 103-inch wheelbase, up 1.5 inches. Width and height should be little changed.

As for 2012 Audi A3 styling, Autocar reports that division design chief Wolfgang Egger has “chosen a slightly edgier appearance with tauter surfacing...‘Expect a more distinctive look, but one that has clear links to the existing A3,’ was how one Audi source described [it].” The new A3 should also have clear links to the latest A4, if published renderings are accurate, including similar body side sculpting and “eagle-beak” tail lamps. Car and Driver says the redesign will include LED running lights, as on other newer Audis, and a grille shape like that of the recently introduced Euro-market A1 subcompact.

Mahindra ED wins highest French national award

Arun Nanda, Executive Director, Mahindra & Mahindra was conferred the French government honour, the Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour (Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur) by the visiting French Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Anne-Marie Idrac.

In an apt recognition of the Mahindra Group’s contribution to India’s business and cultural ties with France, the French Ambassador to India, Jérôme BONNAFONT said in a letter to Nanda informing him of the award, “I warmly congratulate you for this distinction, which is a recognition of your remarkable career in the business community in Mumbai and of the part you took in the establishment of the partnership between Mahindra and Renault.

But above all, it is your performance as President of the Indo French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the efficiency which you have restored in this association, that the French President wishes to pay tribute by conferring this distinction to you.” The "Legion d'Honneur" (Legion of Honour) is the highest distinction that can be conferred by the French Republic on a French citizen as well as on a foreigner. The Order of the Legion of Honour was instituted in 1802 by Napoléon Bonaparte.

No plans for Honda to develop ultra-cheap cars

Honda Motor is staying out of the race to develop ultra-cheap cars, hoping motorists in fast-growing markets like India will pay more for safer, greener vehicles.

This is in the light of Tata, which unveiled the $2,500 Nano, the world's cheapest car, which is set to hit the roads there by October. French-Japanese partners Renault and Nissan aim to launch a similarly priced vehicle by 2010.

"Honda will not make cars at such a low price," said Mr.Takeo Fukui, President & Chief Executive of Japan's second-largest automaker. "I don't think our Indian customers buy cars that are cheaper but at the same time poor in quality," he told in a press conference yestarday.

"Whether it is the Indian market or the Chinese market, I believe that state-of-the-art safety and environmentally friendly technologies are necessary for our products," he added.

Tata says the Nano is safe, affordable and meet emission requirements in India and abroad. But environmentalists fear they will jam up India's already clogged roads even further and add to choking pollution.

Analysts said the era of ultra-cheap cars will spur the creation of a vast new market segment in India, a nation of 1.1 billion people, where the auto sector is already booming amid rapid economic growth.

"In India, there will be competition between motorcycles and four-wheel vehicles, because India is a hot country and motorcycles don't need to use air-conditioners," said Mr.Fukui. "As for four-wheel vehicles, the battle will be tough," he added.

Fiesta''s new line-up introduced

Ford Motor Co. introduced a new Fiesta line-up – its mid-size sedan – on 13th February. The base variant is priced at 5.93 lakhs which is 5000- odd rupees more than the earlier base variant. The 1.4 ZXI Duratec has been replaced with 1.6L ZXI Duratec model. Now the three variants, vis. 1.4 EXI, 1.6 ZXI and 1.6 SXI will be available for Rs. 5.93 lakhs, Rs. 6.2 lakhs and Rs. 6.9 lakhs. 

Fiesta Duratorq – the diesel variants of the car – 1.4 EXI, 1.4 ZXI and 1.4 SXI will be sold for Rs. 7.03 lakhs, Rs. 7.49 lakhs and Rs. 8.09 lakhs. The SXI line-up will also flaunt air bags on driver’s side, outside rearview mirror and turn-indicators-on. 

The top-end variants will also be complete with features like ABS, keyless entry, leather upholstery, 6CD changer and 6 speakers, driver’s side height adjustment and electric boot release. ZXI will be laced with Rear defrogger, metallic painted centre console and Distance to Empty (DTE) computer.