Spy Pictures: 2009 Honda City scooped!

Click on image to enlarge

You probably would have seen these 2009 Honda City pictures somewhere in blogosphere or in your email 'Inbox' by now. If not, here they are in all its captured glory at a Honda PDI inspection bay somewhere, somehow. Rumoured to be launched by mid-December 2008, the all-new Honda City is an attractive little sedan despite its 'budget' B-segment costings target.


Frontal visage depicts Honda's new design language. As seen in the 3-D grille design (ala FCX Clarity), slim-slanty headlamps, loss of body coloured claddings between grille & headlights and a more sculpted front bumper. Foglamps section reminds one of the new Accord.


1.5 i-VTEC lump seen lurking in the engine bay. No more i-DSI option for the 2009 City. Likely 5-speed auto tranny similar to the new Jazz.

Dash design simple and low rent. Centre console portion a wee bit gawky, with A/C controls/switches section aping old Vios to a certain extent!


Seats looked adequately sized (for its class). No short seat bottom like your 'Desirable' arch rival please Honda!


Steering nicked from 8th gen Civic, Stream et al. High-spec version of new City likely to have paddle shifters...and on-steering audio switches too from Honda Malaysia?

Solid disc adorn the rear axle. Take note of the sticky anti-rust coating in wheel arch. Great for improving NVH as well. Are we to get it too for our Melaka-born Citys?


Errr...doesn't this butt remind you of the 8th generation Mitsubishi Galant (1999-2003)?


*Thanks to reader BMW.Toyota for these pictures!


Related posts:
All-New Honda City due December 2008?
Is this the all-new 2009 Honda City?

Novo Focus chega em outubro

O novo Focus come�a a ser importado da Argentina a partir de outubro mas sua vers�o fex s� chega em 2009. Ele vem nas vers�es GLX e Ghia, com motor 2.0 16V Duratec � gasolina de 145 cv. Duplo airbag, freios ABS, rodas de liga aro 16�, computador de bordo e CD player s�o de s�rie desde a GLX. A Guia, topo-de-linha, tem a mais teto solar, bancos de couro, ar digital e sistema de som com comandos por voz.

A dire��o eletro-hidr�ulica pode ser ajustada em tr�s n�veis de �peso�, enquanto a suspens�o manteve a estrutura multilink na traseira. O c�mbio pode ser manual de cinco marchas ou autom�tico de quatro velocidades, com op��o de trocas manuais. A inten��o da Ford como o Focus Sedan � abalar a lideran�a de Honda Civic e Toyota Corolla.

Veja o pre�o e as vers�es do novo Focus:
Sedan
GLX Manual - R$ 59.690
GLX Autom�tico - R$ 64.190
GHIA Manual - R$ 70.390
GHIA Autom�tico - R$ 74.890

Hatch
GLX Manual - R$ 58.190
GLX Autom�tico - R$ 62.690
GHIA Manual - R$ 68.890
GHIA Autom�tico - R$ 73.390






Fonte

Exclusivo Renault Sandero F1 Team

A Renault lan�a o exclusivo Renault Sandero F1 Team, mas pode tirar esse soriso do rosto! Esta vers�o tem apenas 5 unidades produzidas e est�o destinadas � campanha "Financeira Renault Portas Abertas", que acontece de 10 a 15 de setembro. Este exclusivo tem como base a vers�o Privil�ge 1.6 16V Hi-Flex (112 cv de pot�ncia com �lcool).

Mas o que ele tem de diferente? Bom para come�ar ele tem a cor amarelo Sirius, tem adesivos estilizados com o logo da equipe de F�rmula 1 da Renault no capo, teto, laterais e tampa do porta malas.

P�ra-choques, retrovisores externos, ma�anetas e tampa do bocal de abastecimento s�o pintados na mesma cor da carroceria. O tom amarelo contrasta com a grade frontal e entrada de ar, as duas em preto. As colunas centrais e os largos frisos laterais, instalados na parte inferior das portas, tamb�m s�o pretos.

Para deixar ele com uma cara mais esportiva foi instalado um kit composto por duas saias, um spoiler dianteiro, duas m�scaras de prote��o para os far�is de neblina, um aerof�lio traseiro instalado na parte superior da tampa do porta-malas e um extrator de ar traseiro integrado ao p�ra-choque e � placa. H� ainda rodas de liga leve de cinco raios e ponteira de escapamento cromada.

Quem j� tem um Sandero e quer deixar ele igual, as concession�rias Renault, tem um kit com pre�o de R$ 2.000,00 mas n�o incluem as rodas de liga de 15 polegadas que saem R$ 342,00 cada e a ponteira em a�o inox que custa R$ 45,00.

Honda Insight � apresentado

O concorrente do Toyota Prius vai se chamar Insight, nome este que a Honda j� havia colocado no seu primeiro h�brido que era vendido entre 1999 e 2006. A montadora japonesa ira apresent�-lo no Sal�o de Paris , no in�cio de outubro, e ir� ser comercializado nos Estados Unidos a partir de mar�o de 2009.


Ele tem um motor a gasolina, que � a fonte principal de energia e � auxiliado pelo motor el�trico que fornece energia extra em arrancadas, retomadas e acelera��o.
A Honda espera vender 200 mil unidades por ano do ve�culo de cinco lugares, metade delas para o mercado norte-americano. Consumidores do Jap�o e Europa s�o p�blico-alvo do Insight.ainda n�o tem pre�o definido mas o modelo deve custar menos que o Prius, que � vendido a partir de 21 500 d�lares nos Estados Unidos.

Super SUV Test: Audi Q7 4.2 V8 quattro

The buzzword among many premium motoring enthusiasts now seems to be 'Sport', 'Dynamic Drive' or some term to describe the sporty suspension option for adjustable damping rates by way of mechanical, hydraulic, electro-hydraulic, electro-magnetic, hydro-pneumatic or some other combo systems. In the Audi Q7, this is done with an air suspension set-up, unlike the newly launched Audi A4 (B8) 1.8 TFSI.



The Q7 is one big imposing vehicle, measuring more than 5 metres from end to end. Think Mercedes-Benz R350 L (not the M-Class) but taller with larger wheels. This is truly luxury SUV motoring in one chunky tech-laden package. The Porsche Cayenne and VW Touareg could not come close to this sheer gargantuan presence. One thing is certain though, most of these cars will likely have paved tarmac as their staple diet, and possibly a very valuable weapon against frequent flash floods in urban Kuala Lumpur/Petaling Jaya.


As you can see below, the 2.3 tonne behemoth still manages a sub 8.5secs century sprint, thanks to 440Nm worth of torque at 3500rpm driving through the quattro 4WD system. Without going into specific figures, let's just say the writer managed to clocked well past the 2nd rung of triple digits velocity with ease, where the V8 stayed flexible and relaxed at cruising. I know this will sound cliche but there really is no replacement for displacement here. (An Audi TT Coupe 2.0TFSI tested back to back soon proved that). I reckoned the 345bhp at 6800rpm delightfully aided in catapulting such sheer bulk to lofty speed.










Huge wing mirrors splendidly practical (above).





Torque split on the Q7's quattro driveline is 60% bias towards the rear axle and it has clearly improved handling balance and on-road feel (RWD-esque). Much like its VAG 'sibling' the VW Touareg, this tall wonder take bends flatter than you would expect it to be. However, I found the Adaptive Air Suspension best left to its own devices in 'automatic' mode where a good balance (slight sporty biased though) with ride quality found somewhere in between 'dynamic' and 'comfort'. Dynamic mode lowers the SUV by 15mm truly improved cornering prowess but your family would not approved of the Q7 going on pock-scarred or badly patched roads in this setting.









As usual, Audi's artwork at play here in the intrument panel cluster (above). Beautiful.




Sadly, the Q7 in this petrol 4.2L V8 form is rather a misfit in today's fuel prices. Needless to say it guzzles benzene like there's no tomorrow despite Audi's application of direct fuel injection, FSI. Law of physics dictates that you need that much of force to move such a bulk of steel along with passengers and baggages, while there are 8 combustion chambers to fill and burn fuel with, in full combo and in real time.

All is not lost though, the luxurious interior of leather, aluminium and soft trims along with Audi's ever impeccable fit and finish makes the Q7 a classy automobile indeed. The icing on the cake must be its unbelievably medium-sized hatchback like handling despite its bulk. That to me is enough to put the Q7 in a class of its own. Here's looking forward to the Audi Q5!



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Veja o v�deo do Subaru Impreza WRX STI Full 2008

V�deo: Ferrari Calif�rnia mais f�cil de dirigir

Este � um dos poucos v�deos feitos da nova Ferrari Calif�rnia que mostra os detalhes do carro, inclusive o funcionamento da capota e ainda tem uma breve entrevista com o diretor Roberto Corradi, que desenvolveu o carro, ele afirma que o carro ficou mais f�cil de dirigir e mais confort�vel que os outros modelos da Ferrari e reconheceu que o convers�vel da Ferrari foi feito realmente visando as mulheres.

O v�deo � produzido pela Autocar do Reino Unido.
Um carro para mulher nenhuma botar defeito!

Veja o v�deo da Ferrari Calif�rnia: