2010 Mazda3 pictures leaked ahead of Los Angeles Auto Show debut

The launch of the new Mazda3 has become the worst kept secret in the industry. As NMM reported earlier, the new Mazda3 will make its official debut at the Los Angeles Motor Show on November 19.

In a surprise move coinciding with the Sydney Motor Show, Mazda released three pictures and a few tantalizing details on the all-new sporty compact sedan.

The new four-door sedan be the first to come to the US market, sometime in the first quarter of 2009. The five-door hatchback will follow some time later in the spring; Mazda will announce on-sale dates at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

The pictures confirm much of what the rumor mill predicted earlier this year. The new trapezoidal grille that debuted on the refreshed RX-8 and MX-5 Miata dominates the front end, flanked by fender flares that recall the design of the newly redesigned Mazda6.

At the rear, new taillights fill out the flared fenders while the trunklid features Mazda's own take on the oft-critized "Bangle Butt."

While the changes sound radical on paper, the overall impression is an evolutionary design with a lot of Mazda design DNA. The changes build on the athletic character that has made the current model a sales success.

Since its launch in 2003, the Mazda3 has sold nearly 1.8 million vehicles worldwide; accounting for almost one third of Mazda's annual sales each year.

As far as engines go, we now know the 2010 Mazda3 will be sold in the US with a 2.0-liter and a 2.5-liter engine.

Horsepower and torque numbers weren't released. The safest bet is that the current MZR 2.0-liter 153 horsepower inline-four will be the standard engine, possibly with a minor bump in horsepower.

What the 2.5-liter engine will be is anyone's guess. It could mean a small bump in displacement for the 2.3-liter turbo direct-injection inline-four used in the current MazdaSpeed3. It could also mean that the next MazdaSpeed3 will inherit a version of the 2.5-liter turbo inline-five used in the Volvo S40 T5 and C30. Volvo is a corporate cousin of Mazda through their mutual ownership by Ford.

We'll know more as the Los Angeles Auto Show draws near. Stay tuned.

[Mazda]

2010 Mini Cooper Convertible pics, JCW tuning details leaked

Thanks to a tipster at Mini enthusiast site MotoringFile.com, we've got an early preview of the 2010 Mini Cooper Convertible. The new ragtop convertible is set to debut at the Detroit Motor Show in January and go on sale in Spring 2009.

The styling changes are subtle and evolutionary, taking their lead from the tin-top Mini Cooper and Cooper S which went on sale in 2007. Among the changes are a new gloss black trim option for the Mini's headlights and window line trim, both of which have historically been chromed.

The old convertible's prominent (and view blocking) fixed roll bar has been replaced by an integrated pop-up roll bar system similar to those found on the BMW 1 and 3 series convertibles. The new convertible top also has a larger glass rear window with integrated rear defroster.

All of these changes should improve visibility behind the car, but the broad swaths of fabric at each corner will still make lane changes a tense proposition when the top is up.

New "Always Open" Gauge
Another new development is the addition of a new "Always Open" gauge. Unique to the new Mini Cooper Convertible, the new gauge indicates the number of miles driven with the top open. Positioned to the left of the Cooper's tachometer, the new gauge is intended to encourage drivers to drop the top whenever possible.

New colors; JCW kit on sale at launch
New color choices will also debut when the new convertible hits the streets next spring. Interchange Yellow (top left) and Horizon Blue (bottom left) will be available, along with the Hot Chocolate canvas top color. A denim blue top will also be offered, but we don't have pictures of it just yet.

According to MotoringFile, the new Mini Cooper S convertible will be offered from launch day with the factory optional John Cooper Works tuning kit.

The JCW kit includes an upgraded intake and exhaust along with a reprogrammed ECU with a more aggressive boost curve and higher peak boost. The kit is expected to cost about $2000; a JCW-tuned Cooper S will churn out 192 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, with 200 pound-feet of torque available on a limited basis when the factory overboost setting is engaged.

The JCW kit can also be installed after at the dealer for those who either buy off the lot or wish to add power to their Cooper ragtop after purchase.

Early rumors coming from MotoringFile say that March 2009 is the projected on-sale date. As the Detroit show draws near, we'll have more details on pricing and trim updates as well. Stay tuned.

[Source: MotoringFile.com]

602 horsepower Amuse GTR sets Tsukuba afire

After more than a month spent previewing the Paris Motor Show, it's time for a change of pace.

There will be no pie-in-the-sky concepts tonight. No highfalutin discussion of design aesthetics on a car that will do little more than sit on a turntable.

Nor will there be a pity party tonight about the looming fiscal Armageddon while the stock market convulses like a heroin addict.

Tonight it's all about red raw horsepower — six hundred and two of them to be precise. They all come wrapped in the sinister form of the Amuse R1 Titan Nissan GT-R, which has been thoroughly tuned to demolish lap times with savage ferocity.



Amuse holds a narrow lead over rival tuning firm HKS in the volume of parts available for the R35 GTR. The company currently offers a ECU reflash, which eliminates the stock speed limiter, fully adjustable coilover dampers, a full titanium exhaust with high flow catalytic converter and dry carbon fiber spoilers front and rear.

The combined weight savings coupled with the massive increase in horsepower were sufficient to lap Tsukuba in 1:01.32. Godzilla indeed.

[GTRBlog]

VIDEO: HKS launches GT570 tuning program for Nissan GT-R

After spending the week extolling virtuous fuel misers and squashing the rumor of a high-po Veyron GT, we're wrapping things up with a demonstration of real, verifiable red-raw horsepower courtesy of HKS, HyperZSpeed video magazine and Japanese tuning garage Top Racing.

The R35 GT-R — Nissan's newest generation of their venerable Skyline sports coupe — has only been on the market in the US for a few months. Aftermarket tuning powerhouses have only just begun to dig into the untapped potential of the GT-R's 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6.

HKS is the first to sell a full tuning program for the new GT-R, albeit only in Japan for the balance of the year.

The HKS GT570 kit includes new wastegate actuators for the stock turbos and an electronic boost controller, along with aluminum intercooler piping and silicon hose couplers to withstand the increased boost pressure. On the exhaust side, a set of straight pipes which replace the stock catalytic converters provide both maximum efficiency and a sinfully decadent exhaust note.


In the end, 562 wheel horsepower and 540 pound-feet of torque are extracted, albeit at expense of the stock GT-R's emissions legality. Crank up the speakers and enjoy.





[Sean Morris c/o 2009GTR / HKS]

2011 Chevy Cruze: 45 mpg, but with a three year wait?

In the mass-market MPG race, Chevy's Cruze is the one to watch and wait for.

While the Chevrolet Volt has been stealing headlines (mine included) with its environmentalist cache and its electron-wily ways, the replacement for the Cobalt is shaping up to be the fuel miser for the masses.

Yesterday evening, the House of Representatives passed legislation that would qualify the Volt for a $7500 tax rebate. Toyota is not at all pleased with being left out in the cold; they've redoubled their lobbying efforts to get the bill amended before a vote in the Senate.

While the exact size of the rebate remains unknown, the current speculation pins the Volt's sales price at $35,000 or so, a large chunk of change for the average family. Hence why the 2011 Cruze — Chevrolet's successor to the maligned Cobalt — will go on to be GM's mass-market fuel sipper and the company's likely savior.

But not before a whirlwind tour in Europe.

When sales begin next March, the Cruze will be offered with three engine choices: a naturally aspirated 1.6 liter inline four good for 112-horsepower, a 140-horsepower, 1.8-liter turbocharged four or a 2.0-liter turbodiesel four producing 150 horsepower and 320 Nm of torque. Five speed manuals will come standard on all Cruze models. The Cruze will also be the first compact car to offer GM's new six-speed automatic transmission as an option.

While official EPA figures aren't available yet, the 1.6 liter four is projected to return about 45 miles per US gallon of gasoline. Judging by the contemporary Opel diesel lineup, the 2.0 liter diesel Cruze will likely get up to 50 mpg per US gallon.

These are impressive figures, considering that the current Cobalt eeks out 34 miles per gallon and only when tarted up in XFE trim with a miserly ECU tune and low-rolling resistance tires.

But despite the new car's technological bona-fides, the Cruze faces stiff competition simply overcoming the precedent set by the mediocre Cobalt sedan.

"Our goal in designing Cruze was to be bold, not evolutionary," said Taewan Kim, chief designer on the Cruze. "We wanted to take a big step forward, making a strong design statement for Chevrolet products around the world."

Kim clearly broke with the Cobalt and Cavalier mold, giving the Cruze an arching roof-line and steeply raked windshield that together seem more Teutonic than its bulbous predecessors. At the front, the Cruze employs one of the better uses of Chevrolet's global dual-panel grille layout — a trend your author still despises. Large headlamp housings frame the signature grille, wrapping around the front corners giving the Cruze an aggressive countenance that again seems more Germanic than Yankee.

Then why the long wait?
After decades of floundering in the compact car market, it seems like General Motors is finally beginning to understand how to use it's engineering muscle effectively. But the next step is to get the product planners on board. The Saturn Astra is the first US compact car to build on GM's strong European offerings; as gas prices rose, the Astra became a viable competitor. The Cruze seem set to solidify those gains.

Which begs the question why American buyers must wait until 2011. When viewed with the same cynicism as the Cruze's predecessors, the pre-sale braggadocio is merely a shot across the bow of Chevrolet's Japanese and Korean competitors, giving them nearly three years advance notice to counter the Cruze's strengths.

Mr. Wagoner, if you're reading this... stop talking and start selling.
After all, the purpose of building a competitive car is to sell it, rather than gaze at it longingly from afar.

[GM]

VIDEO: First Hyundai Genesis Coupe advert, specs revealed

As anyone watching television lately can tell you, Hyundai has stepped up their advertising game for the launch of the Genesis luxury sedan this fall.

In Hyundai's home market, the first ads for the Genesis Coupe hit the airwaves this week.
Naturally, we've got a sneak peek of the coupe's first TV ad spot for our Friday video fix.



Trim levels, pricing details emerge

Along with the video, we now have detailed specs and probable prices for the US lineup.

The base model 2.0GL will be powered by a 210-horsepower 2 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission sending power to the rear wheels. 18-inch alloys, antilock brakes, traction control, heated seats and bluetooth cellphone integration will all come standard, along with dual front airbags.

Options will include side and head curtain airbags, a five-speed automatic transmission, a sunroof and an ultrasonic reverse assist to aid parking.

The 2.0 SP will include all the standard 2.0GL features, with upgrades to 19-inch alloys, a limited-slip differential, full leather interior, xenon headlights and fully automatic climate control.

Further up the line lies the 2.0 GLS, which adds Brembo brakes, upgraded audio, parking assist and Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires (of a size yet unknown).
At the top of the range lies the flagship 3.8 GLS model.

Powered by a 303-horsepower, 3.8 liter DOHC V-6 and a six-speed manual transmission, Hyundai will be gunning straight for Nissan's 350Z Touring. Brembo brakes, 19-inch alloys, a limited-slip differential, upgraded audio, automatic climate control, parking assist and leather seats will all come standard.

Options for the range-topper will include side and head curtain airbags, a six-speed automatic with manual shift control and a sunroof.

Judging by Korean market prices and adding a bit to cover shipping, US customers should expect to pay about $24,500 for a 2.0GL up to about $30,500 for the 3.8GLS.

Ten years ago, the idea of a $30,000 Hyundai would have been dismissed as ludicrous. But then again, the same criticisms were levied against Toyota when they dared to challenge the Germans with the Lexus LS400.

Judging by sheer technical prowess and the recent leaps and bounds in product quality, it would be foolish to underestimate Hyundai's ambitious plans for the future.

[Video: Hyundai via Daum.net]
[Images: Hyundai via SCS]

Däs boost: All Mercedes cars to be turbocharged by 2010

For those of you who still mourn the passing of the C32 AMG and its silken supercharged six, take solace.

Within the next 30 months, Mercedes-Benz will roll out a series of smaller displacement turbocharged engines to improve gas mileage without sacrificing performance.

Emissions compliance is also a factor in the decision to choose forced induction over big displacement. The EU will begin to fine automakers whose fleet CO2 output exceeds 178 grams per km starting in 2012. Without resorting to smaller, force-fed engines, the fleet will not comply with the new law.

A similar emissions law is under consideration in the US Congress.
Incidentally, the S-class übersedan will be offered with a full hybrid drivetrain by 2009.

In the announcement, Daimler board member and R&D chief Thomas Weber also said that a zero-emission production vehicle is among the auto maker's long-term goals. In addition to electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells are also being considered for future Benzes.

A full-electric version of the ForTwo from Mercedes sister brand Smart will go into production in 2010.