Volvo Car

Volvo was the fastest growing luxury car brand and the start of 2012 shows no signs of slowing down. Volvo Car UK is currently enjoying a great start to 2012 with increasing sales and new cars with world firsts ready to enter the marketplace, bringing unique Scandinavian Luxury design to the premium car market. Latest figures show that year-on-year, Volvo has increased its sales performance by 13.4%. The Volvo XC60 is continuing where it left off in 2011 by being one of Volvo's top selling models, followed by its siblings, the S60 and V60.

The 6th March saw Volvo unveil its all-new V40 at the Geneva Motor Show, a five-door, five-seat hatchback that is set to enter the competitive premium five-door segment in July. The V40 aims to take on the BMW 1-Series and Audi A3 with a mix of Scandinavian design, enhanced safety features and the driving dynamics never seen before in a Volvo.

The all-new V40 also sees the introduction of the world's first pedestrian air-bag amongst the many new safety and technology features This is the first car to be designed with Volvo's our new human-centric approach, "Designed Around You" ensuring that the customer and driver are at the forefront of every designer and engineer's mind when producing the car.

2012 also sees the launch of the world's first diesel plug-in hybrid - the Volvo V60 D6, due to start production in October. With emissions of just 49 g/km of CO2 (NEDC combined, Hybrid mode) and fuel consumption of over 100 miles per gallon (combined cycle), it is sure to cause huge interest amongst those who have environmental standards high in their purchasing lists.

Not only will the V60 D6 give the driver the option of how he or she wants to be powered (electric or combustion engine), it will also give the ability to engage both power option at the same time to offer a maximum output of 215+70 hp with all-wheel drive capability. With only 125 cars available to UK buyers in the first model year, high demand is expected of those cars.

Volkswagen Car

Volkswagen is a Germany based car manufacturing company which was started in 1937 under the German Labour Front and it has many subsidiaries including Audi, Bentley and Skoda Auto.

It has gone into integrated production with Porsche. The name of the car itself in the German language suggests people car. Recently it over took Toyota to become the worlds largest car manufacturing group in terms of production.

Some of the early models of the company included the VW model and type 82E was amongst the successful cars of those times. The pick up trucks of the company had gained popularity among the masses too especially the 1958 model.

The company also started building sedans in the forties. The 1300 deluxe of 1960 still holds the imagination of people about the company of the automobile.

The Volkswagen Beetle had already sold more than a million pieces by 1956. The company had many versions of its most successful car model called Beetle and till date its various versions are under production.

The sixties also saw the Notchback selling in the market. The Volkswagen Polo has also been re modified and is a good selling car in the smaller segment. Another classical model is the Volkswagen Derby.

The companies SUV the Cross Polo with its Blue Motion range is a fuel efficient and lower emissions future generation vehicle. No doubt this brand still holds good place in terms of performance in the auto industry.

Toyota Car

The Toyota FT-HS hybrid sports concept will make its debut at the 2007 North American International Auto Show.

Pairing a potent hybrid powertrain with essential sports car fundamentals, the FT-HS concept was a joint undertaking of Calty, Toyota's North American-based, research and design center located in Newport Beach, Calif., and Toyota's California-based Advanced Product Strategy Group. The design team was assigned the task of creating a mid-priced sports car that integrates ecology and emotion in a concept that addresses the question "What is a suitable sports car for the 21st Century?"

"Drivers today are not satisfied with cars that are simply fast," said Kevin Hunter, vice president, Calty Design Research. "In addition to driving enjoyment, today's drivers are concerned about safety, ecology and social responsibility."

The FT-HS incorporates hybrid capability while maintaining sports car essentials, such as a sleek profile, lightweight aero-dynamic materials, and an advanced high-output powertrain for revolutionary acceleration and optimal performance. This 21st century sports car is fun-to-drive with eco-friendly benefits such as ultra-low emissions and fuel efficiency. The FT-HS appeals to an emerging buyer who grew up eco-conscious and perceives technology as a necessity, not a luxury.

This two-plus-two concept is a front-engine, rear-drive sports car with a projected zero-to-60 acceleration in the four-second range. A powerful V6, 3.5L-engine is coupled with a 21st century sports hybrid system with a target power output of approximately 400-horsepower. At a mid-priced market position, FT-HS would be a true "attainable exotic" with 21st Century performance.

FT-HS expresses the core values of a Toyota Brand design strategy that combines two key elements: J-Factor and Vibrant Clarity. J-Factor refers to the local and global acceptance of Japanese-inspired design and cultural sensibilities. Vibrant Clarity is the design language used to express the J-factor much in the same way that L-Finesse is the language of the Lexus Division. It is the combination of perfect imbalance, freeform geometrics and integrated component architecture. The result of these three elements is subtractive mass, a minimalist style that is not only lightweight, but also looks lightweight.

The exterior design was led by Calty designer, Alex Shen. From a design perspective, the theme of the FT-HS achieves sleek, taut surfaces in its exterior features - especially in the doors and body style. The front and rear have been sculpted to remove mass around key functional components. Freeform geometrics define the integration of fluid surfaces contrasting hard-edge "Aero-Corners" which promote smooth airflow and reduce turbulence.

The roof has a distinctive scooped-out section designed to reduce aerodynamic drag and provide head room at the key areas. Made from carbon fiber Kevlar, the roof retracts so that the roof panel and back window pivot fluidly in a downward motion to stow in the rear seat space.

The vehicle's triangular profile has a floating "C" pillar, aero corners, a full upper-body pan, and innovative open top. A hood features a scalloped channel, exposing the hybrid engine. Integrated component architecture can be seen in the aerospace-inspired lighting. The tail lamp unit spans the entire rear, and has an integrated retractable spoiler. Light-emitting diode (LED) clusters are located in the headlamps and the wing for energy-efficiency and decreased heat loss. Other exterior features include a speed-activated wing that elevates at high speed for additional stability and traction. The rear showcases a carbon fiber lower diffuser with integrated wide exhaust and carbon fiber wheels.

The driver-oriented interior was created by Calty designer, William Chergosky and exudes sleekness, technology, and performance. The lean skeletal look is achieved with exposed cross-car architecture and high-tech materials such as carbon fiber, and titanium. FT-HS' interior features create a dedicated driver's cockpit which include subtractive mass expressions such as cross-car instrument panel structure and delta wing driver pod. The delta-wing driver's pod integrates many useful functions into a lightweight structural unit. All of the important functions and details are presented almost exclusively to the driver. For example, touch-trace sensors which surround the driver and act as tactile guides for finger controls when traveling at high speeds.

Tesla Car

Last time we saw the Tesla Model S on a dyno, it turned in 388 horsepower, but the folks over AutoCar wanted to see for themselves just how much power the electric Tesla Model S can deliver.

They took the electric sedan to the folks at Surrey Rolling Road Ltd., and put the Model S to the horsepower test. The resulting 428.2 horsepower is rather impressive, considering Tesla only rates it at 416 horsepower. This also makes us wonder what the other testers did wrong to lead to the Model S pumping out drastically less power.

This amount of power is enough to make the new Tesla S Performance into a super-fast electric sedan that can sprint from to 60 mph in just 4.2 seconds and up to a top speed of 130 mph. All of this while putting off zero emissions — not bad at all.

At the end of the first quarter of the year, Tesla Motors was on a roll. The company announced it was ahead of schedule, selling 4750 vehicles between January and March (in the U.S.) – noting that it outsold the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf. It also said that it was showing a profit for the quarter – the first quarterly profit, ever.

The second quarter, which ends with June sales, was not as successful. In June, Tesla sold 1,425 vehicles and ended the first half of the year with 8931 units sold, according to Autodata Corp. That’s 4181 units for the second quarter, which is 569 units off the first quarter mark and 319 units off Tesla’s 4500 units a quarter mark.

So what’s happening? Lots of things might be happening. Other electric vehicles have followed similar paths seeing a spike in sales begin the plateau.

Sales for the Model S may have slowed after a strong push in the first quarter may have taken away from some of the later sales. Additionally, the sales number reflects U.S. sales and not other countries.

Still, Tesla remains on a path to average 4500 sales each quarter, putting the annual projection at around 18,000 units, a very respectable – and hopefully, profitable — number. (Though after that first quarter, Tesla upped its projections to 21,000 units by the end of the year, but that’s a worldwide projection, not strictly U.S. sales.)

Also, it’s worth noting that after the poor first quarter, the Volt and the Leaf have regained their volume lead on Tesla. The Volt, though June, has 9855 units sold and the Leaf 9839 units.

Looking forward: I think Tesla sales will level out and sell 17,824 units for the year, while the Volt and the Leaf will easily top 20,000 units each. The pipe for the Model S looks to be wide enough to handle about 1500 people a month and that pipe is not likely going to get much wider.

Suzuki Car

Maruti Suzuki brought out its first car in December 1983 and has been serving the needs of Indian car buyers till date. This article briefly describes the Maruti Suzuki cars available in our country as of now.

The new emission norms just pushed the Maruti Suzuki 800 from 13 cities. But that doesn't change the fact this car is India's iconic car that actually put India on wheels. I first came in 1980 and today, the 800 stands as status symbol for the Maruti brand. It is available as 4 variants: Standard MPI BS III, AC MPI BS III, DUO Standard BS III and DUO AC BS III.

The A-Star is Maruti's first car to come with the latest engine technology, the KB Series engine. The car comes as LXi, VXi, and ZXi variants in India. The Penta Drive, great engine ventilation and the amazing fuel efficiency in the A-Star add more value to this made-in-India car.

The Alto comes with BS III and BS IV compliant engines. The 796cc engine stirs up 46 bhp and 62 Nm of torque and the stiff suspension takes care that the bumpy roads don't send a harsh message to the occupants in the Alto. With great fuel economy and chic interiors, this car deserves to be at the top in the small car segment.

The Eeco is one car that perfectly suits the Indian families and Indian roads. The five door car has a superior suspension, encouraging smooth drives on the humpy bumpy roads. It comes with a BS IV compliant engine that churns out 73 bhp of power at 6000 rpm. Available in three variants, 5STR STD, 5STR A/C and 7STR STD, this petrol engine sure gives full value for money.

Pushing the Zen name into history, Maruti Suzuki has come up with the futuristic and stylish Estilo. The acceleration, gorgeous styling, spacious interiors and powerful engine put together in this cost-effective car, put it on top of the charts.

The Grand Vitara, an SUV loaded with power and style. The vehicle gets its power from a 163-bhp 2.4-liter VVT petrol engine. The Grand Vitara comes with an all-time four-mode 4WD system and is packed with a whole lot of safety features. The roomy vehicle with McPherson strut front suspension and multi-link rear suspension sure offers a smooth ride.

India's first off-road vehicle, the Maruti Suzuki Gypsy has a simple yet very powerful structure. The interiors of this light-weight SUV have just the right amount of features to make off-road drives truly enjoyable. The MPFI petrol engine is mated to a 5-speed all synchromesh manual transmission that offers almost seamless shifts.

Subaru Car

Subaru is a very popular business, which produces many of the more famous and handles well on the screen throughout the world. How is it that this is the reason?

People have often thought to be due to the brilliant creativity which demonstrates Subaru vehicles attractive to brilliant management dynamics.

The potential available in a Subaru is amazing how when you take a Subaru feels as if you can overcome any driving situation. That’s because Subaru engine has plenty of power to overcome not only the weight of the vehicle to provide additional energy for intense driving. This type of motor can be driving through the hills, making his children and friends, going to football games or just taking in large chunks. In fact, Subaru models are perfect for changing situations multifariousness usually due to the strength and speed that Subaru engines can offer drivers.

When you drive a Subaru, inevitably, feel the force of world-class engine, which makes driving in an event full of fun. Feeling insecure in a Subaru is definitely not a problem, since it includes a selection of devices to prevent you from getting hurt in a traffic accident. However, the ride is still good and feel in control at all times. Perhaps it is because off the drive, the grip and the rear suspension which Subaru cars can provide. Together, the power and handling for drivers of Subaru driving experience.

Subaru is generally regarded as a relatively efficient due to its size, but its developers recently took steps to make significant changes in its environmental efficiency. So if you think you might want to have a Subaru, then you should consider the pros and cons of energy compared with the efficiency and how you would balance these two. You will be pleased to know that Subaru did not engage in any of these areas. As we all know, Subaru is known for packing a punch with its engines, but now we have the technology to reduce carbon emissions, Subaru is increasingly the choice of green consumers. As a result, it would be great if you want efficiency in the conduct, but would like a power failure.

Subaru engines are stronger now than it was before, making it the ideal choice for driving multiple applications. This is due to the fact that the engine has enough power to drive far, and off road driving or highway at high speed. This means you can expect a good performance level of a Subaru, as the engines were manufactured specifically for intense driving. Torque in a Subaru also allows the weight of heavy loads and pull heavy loads such as towing. As a result, the engine of your vehicle Subaru makes the ideal choice for a variety of different driving styles and purposes, which makes Subaru leasing carleasingspecialoffers a very flexible option.

Subaru are primarily designed to be powerful, but the functionality of the newer models has also been considered by the designers of Subaru. As a result, the new Subaru models are designed only for power but has a number of aesthetic characteristics which means that the ride is much nicer in the Subaru. In addition, a series of amendments to soften the body, elegant interiors and the best programs have really raised the game of Subaru. It is this kind of characteristics that helped bring the Subaru to zero with competing models, also made their new cars popular with all types of consumers and a bestseller.