2011 Peugeot 408

Lion Marque to present the new 2011 Peugeot 408 in China due to increased sales volume of more than 30% in 2010. This half-height architecture notch-back saloon has been designed and developed jointly by Peugeot’s Styling teams in Europe and China and meets three objectives: embody the Marque’s modernity, guarantee maximum safety and offer unrivalled interior space.

408 names from the history we know that the number 4 refers to the size of the car (4.68 m). 0 figures revealed that it belonged to the Peugeot Marque and the number 8 signifies generation vehicles. With this name, the Peugeot 408 naturally falls into place within the current Peugeot range and becomes the forerunner of the 8 series, the latest generation vehicles to be launched on the Chinese market.

This model should not be equated with the Peugeot 508 for European markets. The car will replace the Peugeot 407 & 607 early in 2011, and significantly longer than 408 Chinese market. Peugeot 408 equipped with sunroof and trunk to maintain independent light and spacious cabin. Because the interior of the room, and a rather popular in China Peugeot styling, cars and Chinese joint-venture partners expect annual sales of 408 to 100,000 units.

2011 Nissan GT-R

The 2011 Nissan GT-R was launched in the market soon. The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) has set a price for the Premium model is U.S. $ 84,060 not including taxes. This car had a slight change for the GT-R’s second update since its launch in late 2007 include a retuned suspension and strengthened rear bushes for enhanced ride comfort. However, there’s nothing new under the hood with the 2011 GT-R featuring the same 485-horsepower 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 engine hooked up to 6-speed, dual-clutch transmission, as the 2010MY.

Then, other improvement includes slightly darker wheel center caps, double clear coat on the front and rear fascias and the addition of rear cooling ducts to improve cooling performance around the rear floor area.

In addition, auto on/off headlights and speed-sensitive windshield wipers, along with a USB iPod interface, Streaming Audio via Bluetooth and DVD playback, now come as standard while the navigation system now includes XM NavTraffic and NavWeather capability.

2011 Nissan X-Trail SUV

Nissan X-Trail SUV has released details on the European market version that will arrive in showrooms in September (October for the UK). The revised X-Trail benefits from some modest updates to the exterior styling, improved interior quality and functionality, as well as from mechanical and aerodynamic changes.

Under the sheetmetal, updates to the diesel version have resulted in Euro 5 compliance, while engineers also made changes to the manual gearbox and automatic transmission. Further details and pricing will be released closer to the launch date.

The overall length of the X-Trail has increased by 10mm as a result of the redesigned front end, while the height and width also increase by 10mm due to the increase in tire width and diameter. Also it optimized underbody aerodynamics, reducing the Cd from 0.36 to 0.35.

The 2011 X-Trail has undergone very minor cosmetic surgery. Highlight include the redesigned grille, headlights and bumper assembly at the front, along with revised tail lamps that now incorporate LED light technology for the running lights and braking, restyled rear bumper and new 17- and 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in beefier tires.

Interior, there are new colors and higher-quality materials for the switch surrounds on the steering wheel, around the gear selector and on the door-mounted armrest, while thicker, soft-touch materials have been used for the cloth seats. Rear occupant comfort has been improved thanks to redesigned front seats, creating an additional 10mm of knee-room.

2011 Nissan Leaf – COTY

You’ve read the Nissan Leaf in Carshowp on the previous post? Good news, the jury of the 2011 European Car of the Year Award (COTY) announced that the Nissan Leaf is the winner, earning a total of 257 points. This is the first time in the 47-year history of the competition that the award goes to an electric vehicle.

2011 Nissan Leaf is a plug-in EV, it powered by 80 kW (107 hp) AC electric motor that’s fed by a Nissan-developed laminated lithium-ion battery. The EV accelerates from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 11.9 seconds and it has a driving range of 175 km (109 mph.

This award recognizes the pioneering zero-emission Nissan LEAF as competitive to conventional cars in terms of safety, performance, spaciousness and handling. It also reflects Nissan’s standing as an innovative and exciting brand with a clear vision of the future of transportation, which we call sustainable mobility. With three other electric vehicles in the pipeline from Nissan – and with the imminent market introduction of four additional electric vehicles from our Alliance partner Renault – Nissan LEAF represents a significant first step toward a zero-emission future.

According to Hakan Matson, President of the Jury that Nissan LEAF is the first EV that can match conventional cars in many respects. While the second position is Alfa Romeo Giulietta with 248 points, the Opel/Vauxhall Meriva took the bronze, with 244 points, the Ford C-MAX/Grand C-MAX 224 points, the Citroën C3/DS3 175 points, theVolvo S60/V60 145 points and the Dacia Duster 132 points.

2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet

Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet unwrapped at the LA Show. It just about as neat as neat can be: 2 doors (thankfully), a convertible top, AWD, and funkadelic love-me/hate-me styling. It even blends into the Nissan family lineup nicely.

2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet powered by 3.5 liter V6 which makes 265 horsepower and 248 lb-ft of torque (up 5 hp and 4 lb-ft from the Murano), while the standard transmission is a second-generation Xtronic CVT driving all four wheels.

Styling car with the doors were extended a whopping 7.9 inches to eliminate the need for four of them; the crossover also has pop-up roll bars and a cloth top with an integrated glass rear window. The CrossCabrilet has 7.6 cubic feet of storage space, and that expands to 12.3 cubic feet with the top up.

GMC Yukon XL 2011

GMC Yukon XL 2011



GMC Yukon XL 2011



GMC Yukon XL 2011

Kia Forte 2011

Kia Forte 2011



Kia Forte 2011



Kia Forte 2011

GMC Yukon 2011

GMC Yukon 2011



GMC Yukon 2011



GMC Yukon 2011

2010 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car

Stronger, wider, faster – the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car is the latest-edition of the world’s best-selling and most successful production-based race car of more than 1,400 units. It will be introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show September 17-27, 2009, along side the previously-announced 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo and 911 GT3 RS.

For the first time, the race car is based on the street-legal 2010 GT3 RS version. However, in keeping with tradition, it continues to be assembled on the same production line as all road-going Porsche 911 vehicles in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen.

Like the flat-six “Boxer” engine in the new GT3 RS, displacement is increased by 0.2 liters over the former model to 3.8 liters and produces 30 more horsepower – 450 hp with a maximum RPM of 8,500. Additionally, it comes with a standard, sequential six-speed manual gearbox and weighs 2,646 lbs (1,200 kg).

Also like the 911 GT3 RS, the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car features the 1.73-inch wider body of the current 911 Carrera 4S, providing sufficient space for larger wheels. Wider front wheel arches allow for three-piece light-alloy rims measuring 9.5 J x 18 (previously 9 J x 18) utilizing 24/64-18 Michelin racing tires. The three-piece light-alloy wheels on the rear axle are up by one inch in width, now measuring 12 J x 18 with 27/68-18 tires.

The Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is clearly recognizable at first sight through the special design of the front end. The striking daytime driving lights come straight from the current generation 911. Another carryover from the road-going 911 GT3 RS are the front body panels – as they prove aerodynamically-efficient for racing duty. The front spoiler lip is more than 0.5-inches lower to provide significantly more downforce on the front axle.

Downforce on the rear axle is also increased by the by virtue of a rear wing that is over 9-inches wider than the street version, 66.9 inches vs. 57.5 inches respectively. The rear air dam, with its air vent openings as well as the rear LED lights, also come straight from the road model.

Additional Unibal joints are featured on the track control arms and the front and rear anti-roll bars are now adjustable to seven different positions, allowing for an even more precise set-up of the car to best match each prospective race track.

The cockpit of the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup caters even more to the specific needs of the driver. An additional vent in the upper part of the front lid, for example, provides the driver with a better supply of fresh air. The controls for the Info Display are now positioned directly on the steering wheel housing. And in addition to fore-and-aft adjustment, the steering wheel may now also be adjusted for height as on the regular production car.

Since the current era of sports car racing in the U.S started in 1999, Porsche 911 race cars have over 130 class victories, more than any other manufacturer. In addition, Porsche has won seven of ten GT2 manufacturers’ championships and eight of ten drivers’ championships in the American Le Mans Series. In addition, 911 race cars have won seven of nine GT championships in the Grand-Am Road Racing series, including an overall victory at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.