We can think of worse things to do than spend a day at a BMW dealership configuring the vehicle of our choice. To make the experience of selecting the Ultimate Driving Machine even more engaging, BMW and Microsoft have teamed up on futuristic touchscreen tech. BMW's Product Navigator is like the iPhone, only supersized and on steroids, and it proves that the inventive types at Microsoft are alive and well. Hit the jump to view BMW's new Product Navigator in action. The tabletop touchscreen interface enables users to pick a BMW, modify colors and content, and even save the finished project to a thumb drive to take home with them. As customers configure their vehicle on the Product Navigator, a plasma TV on the wall displays video and specs of that exact vehicle.
Audi TT-RS headed to Geneva Motor Show
Audi-philes have even more reason to rejoice now that news comes in of an imminent TT-RS launch next March at the Geneva Motor Show. The standard-fare TT offers plenty of punch, and the TT-S spices things up a bit with a high-pressure version of Audi/VW's 2.0L forced-induction four banger. Sometimes, way too much is, ya know... just enough, and for speed freaks, Audi has apparently green-lighted an ultra-hot version as well. The RS will bring the vaunted inline-five engine configuration back under the hood of an Audi, and it's a turbocharged unit derived from the mill that normally sees duty in Jettas and Golfs. If that doesn't sound like a good enough bloodline, think of it as half of Lamborghini's V10. With as much as 340 ponies corraled through a six-speed gearbox and quattro all-wheel drive, expect the TT-RS to be hottest four-ringer this side of an R8.
[Source: Car and Driver]
ABT Scirocco heads to Essen
So, the Essen Motor Show is coming up. For those of you unaware, it's basically a Euro SEMA. All the tuners will be there, showing off stuff that's both decent and dreadful, proving that yes, Europeans can do bad taste as well as anyone this side of the Atlantic. ABT is entirely capable of serving up either dish, but in the case of their Scirocco, they manage to stay on the better side of decent. You know the drill: body kit, wheels, suspension, brakes. They have power upgrades, too -- bumping the wee 1.4 TSI to 200 horses, and the 2.0 TSI to 240. Unfortunately, a look 'round back indicates that this whole stacked-tailpipes thing recently adopted by Lexus and Ferrari is on its way to becoming a fad. We love this shade of green, which looks to be the same as that used on the original VW IROC concept, but ABT's car wins because it doesn't have a face that looks like it was inspired by something on a Pokemon card.
[Source: ABT Sportsline]
Citroen confirms RHD Nemo Multispace and 7 seat Berlingo (UK)
Citroen is to bring a right-hand drive version of its Nemo Multispace mini-MPV to the UK next year. This tiny utilitarian vehicle is a passenger-carrying version of the Nemo van, and a sister model to the Fiat Fiorino Qubo , which also goes on sale here in Spring 2009. The Nemo and Fiorino (plus Peugeot's Bipper) are all built in the same factory in Tofas, Turkey, in a joint venture between Fiat and Peugeot-Citroen.
Both the van and the passenger models, with sliding rear doors on both sides and full-length windows, have been developed on the Fiat Panda's underpinnings, so they should be car-like to drive and reasonably refined. And for outdoorsy types, there'll even be a camper van version: Romahome of the Isle of Wight is to offer a single-bed conversion, similar in spirit to the popular C15 van-based model it built in the 1990s.
Engines for the Nemo Multispace will be taken from Fiat - 73bhp, 1.4 litre petrol and a 75bhp, 1.3 litre MultiJet diesel, with the diesel model able to achieve 63mpg combined and the petrol for over 40mpg combined.
Citroen promises that the Nemo Multispace will be competitively-priced - expect a starting price of under £10,000 - to draw distance between it and the larger C3 Picasso, which will also go on sale in February.
Citroen's third new people-carrier, also on sale in February, is a seven-seat version of the popular Berlingo Multispace. To accommodate the extra pair of rear seats - which slot into the boot - the 2nd row seats have been raised a little and moved further forwards. All five rear seats fold down on their bases, though not completely flat, and tumble forwards. They can also be removed altogether, to create a large load-bay.
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MINI axes jobs at Oxford plant (UK)
290 workers are to lose their jobs at the MINI plant in Oxford.
A statement from the company said that almost 300 agency workers would lose their jobs as a result of a decision to cut its Friday late shift from January.
MINI says the move is a temporary measure to balance production with the current downturn in demand for new cars. MINI announced earlier this month that it was to reduce production at its Oxford and Swindon plants and extend the Christmas break by 2 weeks.
New Car: 2009 Mini Cabriolet (UK & U.S pricing)
After months of spy photos, MINI has revealed the Cooper Cabriolet. The latest version of the best-selling soft-top will go on sale in March 2009.
The new Cabriolet shares the hatchback’s front end, but gets a raised shoulder line to accommodate the folding fabric roof.
At launch there will be two models, the Mini Cooper and the turbocharged Mini Cooper S. It’s likely that an ultra-efficient diesel version will be launched later next year. The 1.6 litre engine from the standard Mini is retained for both petrol Coopers, offering more power but lower emissions than the old Convertible. Both the Cooper and Cooper S will be equipped with a 6 speed manual gearbox as standard with optional six-speed automatic transmission.
BMW’s Efficient Dynamics technology has also been introduced to the Cabriolet. Systems like stop-start and brake energy regeneration help both MINI Cabriolet models to reduce CO2 emissions, putting them two road-tax bands below the outgoing models. Structural strength and body stiffness have been improved, which should aid handling, reduce scuttle shake and boost safety. Despite the improved rigidity, the Mini’s weight has also been reduced by 10kg/22lb.
Other safety enhancements include a new single-piece roll bar behind the rear seats that can extend milliseconds before a crash to protect occupants should the car roll onto its roof. It takes 15 seconds for the fully automatic fabric roof to open or close, and it can do so at speeds of up to 20mph. The roof can also partially retract by 40cm to create the effect of a sunroof.
Luggage capacity is 170 litres with the roof down (up from the old model’s 165 litres). With the rear seats folded down and the roof up, the Mini Cabriolet offers 660 litres of space (55 litres more than the old car).
A new accessory is Mini’s ‘Openometer’, a fun add-on that records how much the car has been driven with its roof down. Expect more generous equipment levels than before - air conditioning will come as standard.
The new Convertible will also be offered in two new colours (Interchange Yellow and Horizon Blue) and it gets all-new contrasting roof colours and accessory options to set it apart from the outgoing model.
Prices for the MINI Cabriolet will start at £15,995 for the standard Cooper and £18,995 for the Cooper S. Orders for the MINI Cabriolet in the U.S are being taken now with the price for the MINI Cooper Cabriolet starting at $24,550 and for the MINI Cooper S Cabriolet at $27,450, including the $650 destination and handling charge. Delivery of the first MINI Cabrio's in the U.S will begin on the 28th March 2009.
Press Release:
Consistently Open: The New MINI Cabrio
With its design improved in an evolutionary process and with an even wider range of practical functions, the new MINI Cabrio is unmistakably MINI. Equipped with the most advanced and sophisticated suspension technology, even more powerful and efficient engines, and with optimised safety technology, the new version of the open-air four-seater MINI consistently raises its strengths and qualities to an even higher level. And all of this whilst maintaining superior agility and go-kart handling, typical of MINI.
There are 12 highly attractive colour variants as well as new equipment features that add an additional touch of style and class. Automatic air conditioning with Cabrio mode is available for the first time that serves to provide a consistent set temperature under the influence of wind when the roof is opened. Also available is the seamless integration of external music players, a USB port and Bluetooth hands-free telephone system, suitably compatible with the Apple iPhone. And last but certainly not least the MINI Cabrio combines a supreme blend of quality materials and finishes to enhance the unique position of the MINI Cabrio.
The occupants are safely protected from wind and weather in the new MINI Cabrio by the high-quality soft top with its integrated sliding roof function. Even while driving at a speed of up to 30 km/h, the soft top folds back fully automatically in a complete process within just 15 seconds, giving the new MINI Cabrio its true purpose and quality: This is a car simply begging for driving in the open air at any time of the year, symbolising this challenge to the driver through the optionally available, absolutely unique Always-Open Timer next to the rev counter.
This unprecedented instrument shows the driver and passengers the time they have spent driving with the roof down - motivating the driver to really enjoy the thrill of open-air motoring as frequently as possible.
The new MINI Cabrio offers outstanding everyday driving qualities through the Easy-Load Function, the rear-seat backrest folding down individually on either side, as well as the unusually large through-loading between the luggage and passenger compartment. Luggage compartment capacity has increased to 125 litres (+5 litres) with the roof open, 170 litres (+5 litres) with the roof closed, and 660 litres (+55 litres) with the rear-seat backrest folded down.
This variability, quite unique in the Cabrio segment, is made possible by the innovative design and construction of the rollbar: The new MINI Cabrio comes with a single-piece rollbar behind the rear seats extending across the entire interior width of the car, not obstructing the driver's line of visibility in any way when looking to the rear, and moving up automatically in just 150 milliseconds, in the event this safety feature is required.
The new MINI Cabrio will enter the market during the second quarter of 2009 with two engine variants. The MINI Cooper Cabrio offers sporting qualities right from the start with its 1.6-litre four-cylinder power unit featuring fully variable valve management for maximum output of 88 kW at 6,000 rpm.
The MINI Cooper S Cabrio is even more dynamic and performance-oriented, its 1.6-litre four-cylinder with a Twin-Scroll turbocharger and direct fuel injection delivering 128 kW at an engine speed of 5,500 rpm and thus providing a particularly refreshing feeling of power and dynamic performance.
Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions on the new MINI Cabrio are reduced by up to 19 per cent compared with the cars' respective predecessors.
From the start the MINI Cooper S Cabrio and the MINI Cooper Cabrio are available with a six-speed manual gearbox featured as standard or optional six-speed automatic transmission. At the same time the new MINI Cabrio owes its fascinating handling to suspension technology significantly enhanced and upgraded over the former model. Indeed, thanks to sophisticated wheel suspension, extremely precise electromechanical power steering, the powerful brake system and DSC Dynamic Stability Control featured as standard, the open-air MINI combines supreme agility with equally exemplary safety all round.
MINI Cooper S Cabrio:
Four-cylinder petrol engine with Twin-Scroll turbocharger and direct fuel injection.
Capacity: 1,598 cc, max output: 128 kW/175bhp at 5,500 rpm.
Max torque: 240 Nm from 1,600-5,000 rpm (260 Nm with Overboost).
Acceleration 0-100 km/h: 7.4 sec, Top speed: 222 km/h.
Average fuel consumption: 7.2 litres/100 km, CO2 rating: 171 g/km.
MINI Cooper Cabrio:
Four-cylinder petrol engine with fully variable valve management based on the BMW Group's VALVETRONIC technology.
Capacity: 1,598 cc, max output: 88 kW/120bhp at 6,000 rpm.
Max torque: 160 Nm at 4,250 rpm.
Acceleration (0-100 km/h): 9.8 sec, Top speed: 198 km/h.
Average fuel consumption: 6.1 litres/100 km, CO2 rating: 145 g/km.
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Volvo XC90 Pictures | Volvo XC90 Photos | Volvo XC 90 Pics, Images
Volvo XC90 Pictures | Volvo XC90 Photos | Volvo XC 90 Pics, Images
Swedish auto giant Volvo launched its powerful SUV model "XC90" in India. XC90 is Volvo's 2nd model in the Indian market with shear luxury and performance after S80.
Price: 47.20 Lakhs to 54.53 Lakhs
Volvo XC90 Exteriors:
Volvo XC90 Interiors:
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