Korea: Ford releases S-MAX 7-seater

Ford
Korea began sales of the sport multi-purpose vehicle S-MAX on the 22nd
of June. The automaker recently released another European-catered model
- Mondeo - in the Korean market. Featuring the famed Kinetic Design,
the S-MAX packs items that were previously unheard of in MPVs such as
Adaptive Cruise Control and Human Machine Interface.

The S-MAX
is powered by a 130 horsepower 2.0L Duratorq TDCi diesel engine. It
comes with Ford's Durashift 6-speed automatic transmission. The S-MAX
packs a plethora of premium goodies including bi-xenon front lighting
system, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Hill-Launch Assist, seven
airbags, and panorama glass roof. It also comes with Ford's Fold Flat
System, which enables both the second and third-row seats to fold flat
for optimum load capabilities. Also a Ford first is the Human Machine
Interface (HMI), which allows the driver to manoeuvre audio controls at
the flick of a thumb on the steering wheel.

The S-MAX has no direct rivals in the market yet. It is priced at 42.5 million Won ($41 279USD).

Spied: 2010 Kia Forte caught testing in US

Leftlane
has posted several spyshots of the Kia Forte/Spectra undergoing testing
in the U.S. for the first time. This indicates that it is entering the
final stages of its testing. Designed by Peter Schreyer - the genius
who also penned the Audi TT MKI and the Volkswagen New Beetle - the
Forte will replace the Spectra later this year.

Speculations
point to the Forte being nearly identical to the Hyundai Elantra in
features. The Forte is also expected to be propelled by the same 138
horsepower 2.0L Beta 4-cylinder engine. However, we might see a higher
horsepower rating in the Forte as Kia pursues to differentiate itself
from Hyundai. Unlike the current generation Spectra, the Forte will
only be available in a four-door guise initially. The KOUP Concept acts
as the precursor to a possible two-door variant in the near future.

The
Korean-market Forte will be officially unveiled on August 21st,
according to Kia. The USDM Forte is slated to debut later in the year,
with sales following early 2009. Head to Leftlane by clicking the
source to view the images in full glory.

I know, they're motor cycle

It's tire change over time again and our appointment book is beginning to fill up.


Those of you with the foresight and the mullah to have a spare set of
wheels with tires already mounted, will be in and out
in no time, at minimum cost and with a minimum amount of agro.


Those of you without spare wheels will have to pay for removing the
winter tire, cleaning and grinding rust off the rims,

putting in a new valve, mounting the summer tire, moving from the
mounting machine to the balancing machine,

applying balance weights as the computer dictates (lead is no longer a
cheap commodity!) often on both the outside
and the inside and reinstall on the vehicle.


And then Uncle Phil (yours truly) has to take the car out for a test
drive, to make sure all is well.
And we do this with EVERY car, no exceptions.


If you are blessed with mag wheels or, more importantly, tire pressure
sensors, extra charges will apply because more
caution and therefore more time, is needed to complete this operation.


Prices will vary from place to place for this type of work and on
paper, we're at the top end of the scale. However, we won't go

looking for extra work, unlike many tire stores and particularly the
"big red triangle" . If we DO find something that concerns us,
we will stop work until you've had a chance to see it for yourself.


Many times, low prices for tire mounting are set on the assumption that
more work, either imaginary or legitimate, can be found.


In the words of the famous nursery rhyme, "Come in to the parlour said
the spider to the fly".


One thing you should note is that the law does not require oil and tire
changers to have any automotive qualifications of any kind.

They do not have to have a union, or parity committee, card. So the big
discount stores that offer rudimentary auto service are

usually staffed by teenagers right off the street being paid minimum
wage. Slinging hamburgers at Macidee is considered to
more challenging.


When the pressure comes on, as it will in a couple of weeks, don't
expect to get your rims ground and cleaned before the tires

are installed, you MAY get a new valve, your wheel nuts MAY be
tightened to manufacturers spec, or maybe not. Not when an

impact wrench adjusted to full speed is used and by the same token,
you'll be lucky if you don't get any broken studs,
or distorted rotors.


If you're also lucky, the air won't be introduced into the tire until
it has settled on the rim properly and therefore isn't egg shaped.


The worst case of "express" tire mounting that I ever knew of
personally, involved a lady who backed out of a well known discount

emporium, only to have all four wheels fall off. Not a wheel nut in
sight, anywhere. $2000 later the store settled out of court.


One thing you can say for the huge discount stores is that, since
they're not in the car repair business, they won't lie to you about
what your car needs in the way of repairs.


I have to boast that my technicians, well paid as they are, take the
time to get it right the first time and no-one is going to persuade

them to cut corners, Their attitude is as different to the average tire
changer as chalk is to cheese.

Accent CNG launched

Hyundai
Motor India Limited (HMIL) has launched a dual-fuel version of the
Accent which will run on CNG as well as petrol. It will be Rs 56,500
dearer than the existing model and will be available first in the NCR
region.

The 1.5-litre petrol engine
is capable of running on CNG without any modification. The CNG kit is
supplied by CEV, a Korean company. The CNG kit meets Euro 3 emission
norms, the onboard cylinder has a capacity of approximately 12kg and
the running costs are estimated to be about Rs 1.15/km. HMIL is
planning to launch LPG variants of all its models, beginning with the
Santro in August.

USA: Kia plans to add more small cars

Bloomberg
has reported that Kia Motors is planning to add more compact cars into
its U.S. lineup, as gas prices have been steadily escalating in the
recent months.

"We'll have more small cars. We have an advantage
in small cars," Chung Eui-Sun, president of Kia Motors, stated at the
grand opening ceremony of the automaker's new U.S. headquarters in
Irvine, California. This move came as demand for sport-utility vehicles
and trucks has seen plunges as of late.

The 15 Millionth Volvo

The
15 millionth Volvo unit has rolled off the plant just this February and
it now belongs to Paul and Aimee Kay. The couple is proud of their
acquisition and the company behind the vehicle is proud that they have
been able to manufacture that much vehicles already. According to the
company, the very first unit came out in April of 1927 and it was
called the OV4. This OV4 is actually a convertible.

Now
80 years and 10 months later, Volvo sends out its 15 millionth vehicle,
the C70, and yes, it is another convertible. Despite the years between
the production of the two vehicles, the car maker has been able to
create vehicles which would not only give you your needs and wants in a
vehicle – it would also give you safety. And safety is something that
Volvo has been very consistent with in their vehicles.

So this is Kudos to Volvo and to more vehicles from you!

Spied: 2010 Kia Forte caught testing in US

Leftlane
has posted several spyshots of the Kia Forte/Spectra undergoing testing
in the U.S. for the first time. This indicates that it is entering the
final stages of its testing. Designed by Peter Schreyer - the genius
who also penned the Audi TT MKI and the Volkswagen New Beetle - the
Forte will replace the Spectra later this year.

Speculations
point to the Forte being nearly identical to the Hyundai Elantra in
features. The Forte is also expected to be propelled by the same 138
horsepower 2.0L Beta 4-cylinder engine. However, we might see a higher
horsepower rating in the Forte as Kia pursues to differentiate itself
from Hyundai. Unlike the current generation Spectra, the Forte will
only be available in a four-door guise initially. The KOUP Concept acts
as the precursor to a possible two-door variant in the near future.

The
Korean-market Forte will be officially unveiled on August 21st,
according to Kia. The USDM Forte is slated to debut later in the year,
with sales following early 2009. Head to Leftlane by clicking the
source to view the images in full glory.

Audi Q5 S-Line

Buyers who want more out of the new Audi Q5 that was released a month
ago can opt for the S-Line package from quattro GmbH for the midsize
SUV that improves handling thanks to the addition of a stiffened
suspension kit as well as optional 20-inch alloy wheels wrapped in
performance tires. Other modifications to the car’s exterior include
black exterior window trim roof rails, a polished grille and matching
mesh pattern air vents surrounding the fog lights. Inside, the car gets
new sports seats with electrically adjustable lumbar support and
layered with Nappa leather or Alcantara trim with an embossed S-Line
logo embroidered into the seat back.

“2020″ - a concept car for the year 2020

2000-2001: “2020″ - a concept car for the year 2020

The winner of the 2000-2001 competition was “Moonster” by
23-year-old student at the university of applied art in Belgrade -
Marko Lukovic. His proposal was that the Peugeot of 2020 should be an
original vehicle, inspired by aeronautics, incorporating a two-seater
passenger compartment in the center.

Here is a couple of screenshots of a digital 3D Model:

And here is the actual photo of a real concept from auto show:

(with thanks to CarDesignNews.com)

* * *

2002-2003: “Retrofuturism”

This contest, themed “Retrofuturism”, had a winner named Stefan
Schulze with “4002”. Schulze’s well-done, not to say fabulous, mixture
of historic elements and futuristic body design makes the 4002 differ
from the bland retro concepts we have seen on international motor shows
so many times before. The vehicle’s silhouette is intended to symbolize
the Peugeot’s heraldic animal - the lion. But the original one stands
upright whereas the vehicle’s side profile shows the one that lies and
waits in the Savannah.

Digital 3D Model:

The actual concept car photo exhibited at one of the auto shows:

(with thanks to UltimateCarpage.com)

* * *

2004-2005 “Design the Peugeot you dream of seeing in the near future”:

That years’ contest’ best work was of a Portuguese designer André
Costa with a work called “Moovie”. I guess that the main reasons for
the award were the original style expressing a clear allegiance to the
brand with lots of innovations at the same time which made it a genuine
future prospect.

The digital 3D Model:

And this is what “Moovie” looks like in actual life:

(with thanks to: Official Peugeot ‘2020′ Design Contest Results and Moovie by Andre Costa)

* * *

2006-2007 “P.L.E.A.S.E.” - stands for Pleasurable, Lively, Efficient, Accessible, Simple, Ecological:

The great winner is Mr. Mihai Panaitescu, 20 year
old, a design student of I.E.D. Turin. With unbelievable work called
“Peugeot Flux Concept.” It’s a relatively small car (3,500cm long by
1,650cm wide), it runs on a slim hydrogen power generator hidden in the
back, with the tank mounted under the hood, according to what it says
in car’s features.

3D Model:

The name Flux was inspired by the continuous change and flow of our
daily lives during work and fun. The shape also represents this flow
with transitions between hard and smooth lines, straight and curved all
of which are typical Peugeot’s styling cues.

According to the author, his intention was to design a vehicle that would please its passengers whatever the situation is.

The actual concept car:

(with thanks to: Official Peugeot ‘P.L.E.A.S.E.‘ Design Contest Results and Flux by Mihai Panaitescu)

* * *

Wesley Saikawa, 27-year guy from Brazil took the second place with
a very uncommon work called “N Jooy” that can be read in two ways:
“enjoy” and “Nature + Joy”. Designer offers to take form as “organic”,
a vehicle management system as “intellectual” and appearance as
“aggressive”. Wesley said that he was inspired with old Formula-1 race
cars to give the driver a strong sense of a car movement.” Instead of
wheels this car has some sort of spheres which makes it omnidirectional.

* * *

The third prize belongs to Venezuelan artist
Gustavo Ferrero with his project of hybrid sport car called “Allscape”.
As you can remember this work called “Peugeot Allscape - Feel the Wind”
was mentioned in our “Awesome 3D Cars and Vehicles”
blog post. This sports car is a part of a new generation of extreme,
powerful and really fast cars and at the same time it remains clean and
safe for the environment. Besides the contest jury called this work the
most detailed work ever presented in Peugeot design contests.

The most detailed work means that not only did the author make the
exterior outlook of concept car, but also designed the interior as much
as possible so that we could see the parts and how they look inside the
car. And honestly I like this concept the most.

* * *

It’s all for the winners and let’s look to some less fortunate
finalists that nevertheless deserve some portion of your attention.

A concept model “CUB” by Chineese designer Ka Dan excels from others with simple forms and futuristic ergonomics:

* * *

Nice work called “Peugeot Plaire” by James Ma. A nonstandard sports car with a calm and suspended design:

* * *

“LiiON Concept” by Christian Sano from Romania.
3-cycled-cars are very uncommon for design contests but this concept is
truly unbelievable! Single-seated, aggressive, slim - all these things
are half the battle for being a successful vehicle.

* * *

And Peugeot 910 by Turkish designer Ertug Yenidemir
with clean and streamline design. Author made accent to the lines and
form and was right about it - model looks very attractive.

* * *

As for this year - the contest’s topic is the following: “Imagine the Peugeot in the worldwide megalopolis of tomorrow.” It’s open to budding designers from all over the world. The participants can use the application form
and send one or more images (exterior perspective, side view, interior,
sketches or 3D model renderings, etc) as well as text explanations of
their concept. So designers, modelers and artists who love beautiful
cars - you still have a little time until July 20th to design the car
from your dreams and send it to Peugeot. We in turn can’t wait to see
the results of the contest of 200 - we promise we’ll publish the review
of this year’s contest participants.

Saleen Gurney Edition Mustang arrives at dealers

It's been just a few months since Saleen announced its Dan Gurney Signature Series Mustang at the New York Auto Show in April, but the limited edition Mustang has already hit showroom floors. Apparently the car at the show was fairly production ready, although we heard that Gurney spent the last few months helping fine tune the suspension just the way he wanted it. According to Saleen, he still would be if they had let him. In addition to the specially tailored suspension settings, the Gurney Edition also features unique bodywork, graphics and interior as well as lightweight 19-inch wheels and Saleen's supercharged V8 pushing out 465 horsepower. We attended a kick-off party at Galpin Ford in Van Nuys, CA where Dan Gurney was on hand to show off the car and sign autographs. We were also able to take a closer look at the car so we could choose which of the three color schemes we like best, but we're still undecided. A high resolution gallery is below that should help you decide for yourself.

Peugeot launches limited edition 207 Le Mans

In honor of its almost all-conquering 908 HDi diesel race car, Peugeot has decided to create a limited edition 207 Le Mans. Like the big gun 908, the 207 will only be powered by 1.6L diesel engines with a choice of two power levels. The lesser engine will be rated at 110hp while the more sporting edition rates 175hp. The 2,000 European customers who get their hands on a 207 Le Mans also get to select from Banquise White and Obsidien Black. Like the race cars, the 207 gets a longitudinal red stripe on its nose. The little 207 gets big 17" wheels and assorted badging including a number plate on the steering wheel.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins in Michigan, ends 76-race losing streak

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the darling of NASCAR, but the motorsport's most popular driver was completely winless for the last 76 races until this past weekend when the Intimidator's son won the LifeLock 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Junior won the race in an odd way, literally coasting across the finish line on an empty tank of gas under a caution flag after Patrick Carpenter spun out on lap 203. The race had been extended to overtime after Sam Hornish Jr. spun on Lap 200, and had it not been for the caution Carpenter created three laps later, Junior would likely would've ran out of gas before the finish. Rather than do burnouts afterwards on the track, Earnhardt's #88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy had to be pushed to Victory Ciricle. The win not only ended Junior's drought, but also gave his new employer, Rick Hendrick, his second win of the season. Many thought this might be Junior's year after he handily won the Bud Shootout ahead of the Daytona 500. That was his first race as a member of Hendrick Motorsports and didn't count for points, but the rest of the season has not gone his way until this past weekend.

Blue 1989 Geo Metro has been "green" since 1993

Like a number of other folks who didn't get much attention at the time, Doug Heffron was worried about gas mileage and pump costs way back in 1993. That was back when this particular blogger had a VW Jetta that could be filled to the tippy top for $11, and having to spend $13 was considered criminal banditry. But Doug wasn't happy with merely cheap fill-ups and 56 mpg in his Geo Metro Xfi. So he turned it into the car you see above.

That meant installing tandem seating on the left side, fairing the wheels, changing the gearing, and chopping off the right side and replacing it with, well, nothing but a wing. Once finished, the car got 75 pg. All that work might sound like a lot for an extra 19 mph, but one should expect a bit of aero tweaking and math to squeeze a 34-percent gain in fuel economy from an already frugal econobox.

The car was driven for two years in all four New England seasons, and then gas prices went down and it was put away in a barn. In 2006, however, the barn doors opened again, but Doug hasn't said what he plans to do with the car. We're not saying that everyone should drive this type of... thing, but if a guy in his garage can crank out something like this, then... come on Chevy Volt! Thanks for the tip, Ted!

Ford Racing Invitational '08: The aftermath

I
went into the Ford Racing Racing Invitational drag race this weekend
with only a cursory knowledge of drag racing. Sure I was aware of all
the usual suspects like Garlits, Prudhomme, Force and other famous
names over the years. I knew about the kind of speeds they reached and
I had a vague awareness of bracket racing and the need for consistency.
But I figured "How hard can it be to go from a starting line and
traverse 1320 feet in the shortest possible time?" Well, it turns out
that it's a lot harder than you might think. If nothing else, I came
away from this experience with with a vastly increased respect for
successful drag racers.

Let's start with a brief run down of
the procedure. First up, before getting to the starting line you do a
couple of burnouts to warm the tires in hope of getting some extra
grip. On racing slicks this undoubtedly helps. Whether it actually
helps with street tires is something about which we need to consult
with some tire engineers. Once your tires are warm, you pull up to the
line. This is where things start to get very complicated. Read on to
learn more and check out the gallery below for shots from the day
showing Autoblog and its peers doing their best on the quarter-mile.

Is Genepax for real? A car that runs on water? Highly unlikely!

It
never fails, whenever fuel prices go up someone comes up with some new
miracle that will reduce or eliminate your gas consumption. Back in the
1970s, it was 200mpg carburetors, magnets you put on the fuel lines and
all manner of other things that never worked. One staple of these
schemes has always been the car that runs on water. The latest example
comes from Japan created by a company called Genepax. They have devised
a system that consists of a fuel cell and a so called energy generator.
The energy generator is claimed to consume water and breaks it down to
hydrogen and oxygen which is fed to the fuel cell. While fuel cells are
well understood and are known to work, the hydrogen generator is the
issue.

Hydrogen can actually be separated from water quite
easily with no energy input. Just put a piece of aluminum in into some
water and hydrogen will be release as the surface of the aluminum
oxidizes. The problem is that such processes are not sustainable. Once
the surface of the aluminum is fully oxidized, the reaction stops.
After this, the material needs to be reprocessed so it can be used
again. This part requires significant energy input. Genepax has not
revealed details of their process, however it is believed to be
something along these lines. While the converted Reva electric car may
indeed be able to run on water for a short time with no external inputs
other than water, it's not clear how long that can actually happen. It
may turn out that Genepax has come out with something revolutionary.
More likely they are only showing part of the big picture right now and
we aren't seeing the other part of the process that regenerates the
energy generator.

Greener golf with a solar golf cart

FYI: We'd have used "going green on the green" if Uncrate hadn't already beaten us to it. Clever tagline aside, what we have here is a solar-powered golf cart which uses 48 volts worth of batteries to power its 5.5 horsepower electric motor. According to the specifications, the roof-mounted solar panels increase its range by about sixty percent over regular electric golf carts. That solar installation offers three amps per hour and can completely charge the batteries in fifteen hours. Otherwise, a regular outlet can charge the vehicle overnight.

Top speed is said to be twenty-four miles per hour. That seems plenty fast enough for the golf course, if you ask us. We also think that its 755 pound capacity should be more than enough for a couple of golfers and their assorted gear. Two cup holders are available for when the ever-important beer cart makes it over to your area, so all the bases appear to be covered.

Spy Shots: 2010 Ford Mustang glass-top coupe and base convertible

It seems to be getting easier to take spy shots of the 2010 Ford Mustang, as reader Chris F. chatted up the drivers of these two prototype 'Stangs in Lake Zurich, IL who told him they were both base models with the 4.0L V6. The coupe also features a glass top, which suggests this relatively new feature will carryover to the redesigned '10 Mustang and be available on all models. Unfortunately, the fact that both base models were still powered by the same old 4.0L V6 suggests that, at least when it debuts, the '10 Mustang will not feature the 3.5L V6 that can currently be found in nearly every other Ford product.

We can see all the tell-tale signs of the redesigned Mustangs in these pics, including its new headlights, new grille, new front fascia, new wheels and new taillights. Out back there's only one tailpipe, confirming their base modelness. Unfortunately, the cool drivers Chris met up with asked him not to photograph the interior and weren't willing to give up any other juicy tidbits, but we'll take what we can get.

Spoiler Alert: Diesels take top six positions at Le Mans

If you have the 24 hours of Le Mans on your DVR and don't want to know which diesel crew landed at the top of the podium then don't follow the jump. If you want to know who covered the most distance today go right ahead.

Honda presents first customers at FCX Clarity Job 1

Today is Job 1 for the world's first series production fuel cell car as Honda executives and the first customers for its FCX Clarity looked on. Honda CEO Takeo Fukui and American Honda EVP John Mendel were also there to watch as the first production FCX Clarity was completed and driven off the line. Joining the Honda bosses were Ron Yerxa, Jon Spallino and Lauren Harris. Those three along with Jamie Lee Curtis, her husband Spinal Tap lead guitarist Christopher Guest and business owner Jim Salomon will be the first customers to take possession of their Claritys when they arrive in Southern California next month.

Honda put in a dedicated assembly line at its Tochigi New Model Center to produce the 200 Clarity units that are planned for delivery over the next couple of years. Currently Honda is only leasing the cars (for three years at $600/month) in areas where there is a already a dedicated supply of hydrogen and enough places to buy it. That means the Los Angeles area first, along with Japan. Three Los Angeles area Honda dealers have been named to provide service and support for the hydrogen fueled four passenger Accord sized sedan in case a cup holder or the car's very high-tech hydrogen fuel cell needs fixing. All we know is that these new FCX Clarity owners better have some big pockets for those oversized keys.

Plug-In Prius prototype in Nashville today

The Congressional Tennessee Valley Authority Caucus is a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators and Representatives from the Tennessee Valley Authority area (Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia). Today, the Caucus will hold a field hearing on electric drive vehicles in Nashville, and Toyota will be showing off the plug-in Prius prototype there. We're familiar with the Toyota PHEV Prius PR routine (we took one for a drive late last year at EVS23), but we'd be much happier about these events if certain Toyota execs didn't spend so much time downplaying the plug-in hybrid.

In any case, Toyota will also have Camry and Highlander hybrid models on display at the Caucus hearing, as well as a regular Prius. More details after the break.