Honda to Reveal Concept version of its Prius-Fighter on Thursday, September 4th

Looks like we won’t have to wait until next month’s Paris Show to get a first glimpse of Honda’s new Prius-fighter as according to a report from Just-Auto, the Japanese automaker will unveil the concept version of its standalone hybrid model on Thursday, September 4th. According to CarScoop sources, the production version of Honda’s dedicated hybrid model (see rendering here) will be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in January, 2009.

Speaking with journalists at the European launch of the new Jazz (Fit) in Frankfurt, Germany, Honda UK’s environmental manager John Kingston said that the new standalone hybrid model will play a very important role in the company’s future. “"It is a very important car for Honda and our future direction. This is a car that will change customer perception of hybrids." -Continued

"This is key for us and to achieve this hybrids have to be made more affordable - the key barrier to hybrid sales is price and we want to break that barrier," added Kingston.

In terms of pricing, although Kingston did not reveal specific details, he did note that Honda’s aim is to price its new global hybrid at the same levels as conventional cars from rival manufacturers.

Built on a new platform, Honda’s compact-sized five-door hatchback will use a revised version of the Civic IMA’s mild-hybrid powertrain. Among other developments, the powertain’s key components is said to be more compact and placed under the cargo space instead of behind the rear seats, as in the current Civic IMA.

Via: Just-Auto (sub. Req)

Proton Launches Dual-Fuel GEN-2 ecologic LPG Range

Malaysian automaker Proton has expanded its GEN-2 range in the U.K. with the introduction of two ‘ecoLogic’ dual fuel models that are able to run on either petrol or LPG (liquefied petroleum gas). Equipped with a 1.6-liter engine, the GEN-2 ecoLogic is available in both sedan and hatchback forms priced at £10,995 and £10,795 respectively. That means Proton is offering its dual-fuel models at the same price as their petrol equivalents, saving motorists about £1,500-£2,000 in conversion costs. According to Proton, based on an average annual mileage of 10,000 miles and the prices of petrol and LPG at £1.12 and 58p respectively, owners of the LPG models can save over £500 a year. -Continued

Proton says that the GEN-2 ecoLogic starts on petrol and then switches to LPG when it’s most efficient to do so, which is usually after about 20 seconds. The only visible addition to the interior is a switch on the centre console that shows the fuel level while on the outside, there is a second filler cap next to the petrol cap, which is matched to the exact colour of the car. As for the LPG tank, it is located in the spare wheel well.

2009 Honda Legend: Euro market Acura RL says no to front-shield

Ever wonder how the North American market 2009 RL (see here) would look like without that gaudy ‘armor shield’ that Acura likes to call a front grille? Then check out the European market Honda Legend facelift that was unveiled at the Moscow International Auto Show. The new grille fits nicely to the revised front-end giving the luxury sedan a more classy appearance. Other than that, the Legend is nothing more than a rebadged 2009 Acura RL. On the outside, the most noticeable changes of the facelifted version are the new lights, bonnet, front wings, boot lid, bumpers and the adoption of standard 18" wheels. -Continued

Mechanical changes include the new 3.7-liter V6 VTEC engine that replaces the previous 3.5-liter V6 unit and is coupled to an all-new 5-speed gearbox with revised steering wheel mounted paddle-shifters and new gearbox software. According to Honda, the new Legend can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.1 seconds, 0.2 seconds quicker than before. Fuel economy and CO2 figures have also been improved over the previous model. In terms of chassis upgrades, while the Legend’s SH-AWD system remains unchanged, the settings for the suspension have been altered to improve the ride and handling.

Honda also refined the Legend’s cabin by equipping it with a suite of NVH reducing technologies, the most advanced of which is the Active Noise Cancellation system (ANC), which cancels out low frequency noise by playing the opposite wave form through the Bose sound system. The 2009 Legend also gets new Active Head Restraints and heated rear seats while the Bose Audio system now has a USB socket enabling the connection of an iPod.

Opening picture edited by Carscoop

1,100 Subaru Owners honor the late Colin McRae

An estimated 1,100 Subaru car owners and thousands more fans honoured the late Colin McRae this weekend with a convoy that stretched more than 30 miles. The Subaru owners left the Rally Champion’s home town of Lanark on Saturday morning. The convoy which was led by Colin’s father Jimmy McRae, drove for nine hours covering a distance of 300 miles to arrive at Prodrive’s headquarters in Banbury on Sunday morning. -Continued

Led by Colin McRae’s original 1996 Impreza rally car, the 1,086 Subaru owners formed a sign almost half a mile long that spelt out ‘COLIN MCRAE’ and the Scottish Saltire in a new official Guinness World Record smashing the previous record by more than 800 cars. The cars then broke a second Guinness World Record by creating the largest parade of cars as they left the Prodrive test track. It is estimated that the event raised nearly £40,000 for the McRae charities.

Kia Soul Fully Revealed – Equipped with 126 and 142PS engines

Kia has issued a new set of photos that include for the first time the interior along with more technical details of the Soul that’s scheduled to make its worldwide debut at the Paris Motor Show in a few weeks time. Set to go on sale in global markets early next year, the Korean subcompact car will be offered with a choice of two gasoline engines and one diesel engine with manual or automatic transmission (depending on individual markets).

The most powerful engine of the range will be a 2.0L gasoline unit producing 142 PS at 6,000 rpm and 186 Nm (137-lbs/ft) of torque at 4,600 rpm. This engine can be combined with a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic. A smaller 1.6L gasoline engine generating 126 PS at 6,300 rpm and 156 Nm (115-lbs/ft) of torque at 4,200 rpm will be offered in most countries, while consumers in Europe and some other markets will also be able to order a 1.6L turbo diesel engine delivering 126 PS at 4,000 rpm and 255 Nm (188-lbs/ft) of torque at 2,000 rpm. Kia notes that some markets will get a 115 PS version of the diesel engine. -Continued

The Korean automaker describes its new model as an ‘urban crossover’ but leaving the marketing hype aside, the Soul is essentially a tall 5-door subcompact mini (or a supermini if you prefer) that manages to stand out thanks to its contemporary design that takes styling cues from crossover models.

The Soul’s overall length is 4,105 mm with a 2,550 mm wheelbase while the overall height is 1,610 mm. Kia says that the base of the windshield is 135 mm higher than a typical compact car while the ground clearance is raised by 45 mm. Despite its compact dimensions, the Korean automaker says that the Soul will ‘accommodate five large adults in genuine comfort’ thanks to its generous headroom (1020/1005 mm front/rear), legroom (1070/990 mm front/rear) and shoulder room (1403/1400 mm front/rear).

Gregory Guillaume, Chief Designer, Kia Motors Europe, commented, “Drivers and passengers will be treated to a very unique experience when sitting inside the Soul for the first time. The tall doors and high-mounted seats make for easy access, while the ‘laid-back’ dashboard design, triple dial instrument cluster and thick-rimmed steering wheel create a combination of spaciousness for passengers and tailored fit for the driver, generating a very special ambience.”

The Kia Soul cars destined for the U.S., European and other markets will be manufactured at the Kia Gwangju facility in Korea starting in November 2008.

2009 Renault Megane 5-door Images Leaked on the net!

The first official photos of Renault’s all-new Megane that will compete head on with the 2009 VW Golf VI were leaked into the net by a Spanish website ahead of the compact hatchback’s planned debut at the Paris International Auto Show on October 2. The new Megane’s styling of is more adventurous than that of the recently introduced Laguna but also less divisive that that of the outgoing Megane which let’s face it, wasn’t well received in most European markets. -Continued

As well as the 5-door Megane seen here, Renault will also unveil at the Paris show a sportier 3-door version inspired from the Megane Coupe Concept that we saw at this year’s Geneva Auto Show. In 2009 the Megane’s line-up will be enhanced with the addition of a 4-door sedan, a station-wagon and a convertible version with an electric-folding hardtop.

Via: Motorpasion , Source: KM77

Aston Martin Revives ‘Lagonda’ Brand, first Concept Car due in 2009

About a year after Aston Martin was sold by Ford to a consortium comprised of David Richards from Prodrive, John Sinders, Investment Dar and Adeem Investment Co., and the British sports carmaker announced its plans to relaunch the Lagonda marque. The famous nameplate will be used on a series of exclusive luxury cars, the first of which we’ll see in the form of a concept model in 2009, the year that Lagonda celebrates its 100th birthday. The concept car will lead to a production version that is slated to enter global markets in 2012. -Continued

Here’s what Aston Martin’s Chief Executive Officer Dr Ulrich Bez had to say about the revival of the Lagonda marquee:

“After my eight years with Aston Martin, four with profitability, and 16 months of independence, it’s time to think about a longer term future. Aston Martin is an honest, authentic brand which builds the most beautiful sportscars combining modern technology with craftsmanship.”

“Next year we will launch the four door Rapide sportscar, and this will be followed by the project ‘one 77’, the most spectacular Aston Martin ever. Aston Martins are currently available in 32 countries but we will remain limited in our market penetration by the pure character of our cars - sportscars.”

“We have now investigated and concluded that the revival of the Lagonda brand would allow us to develop cars which can have a different character than a sportscar, and therefore offer a perfect synergy. Lagonda will use a unique design language as Aston Martin does. We will take elements of DNA from the past but will be very future orientated as we are with Aston Martin. With Lagonda offering exclusive, luxurious and truly versatile products with high quality and usability and suitable for both existing and emerging markets, I believe we can be present in more than 100 countries in the world. “

“In 2009 Lagonda is about to celebrate its 100th birthday and in its centenary year we are confident that we will show the first concept of a car which could be in the market in 2012,” he confirmed.