2013 Chevrolet Malibu Review

2013 Chevrolet Malibu Review to you here at the New York Auto Show, and we were pleasantly surprised by the announcement of the 38 mile-per-gallon Malibu Eco model. Today, we bring you live shots of both cars now that the flashbulbs have dimmed enough to allow us a better look at both models.

The Malibu ECO is a smart choice for customers who want excellent fuel economy without the price premium of popular hybrid sedans," said Rick Scheidt, vice president of Chevrolet marketing. "The Malibu ECO’s 38-mpg highway estimate is comparable with those hybrids. Malibu ECO exemplifies Chevrolet’s drive to use technology that delivers high-value, gas-friendly performance. In fact, the Malibu ECO delivers the fuel economy of a compact car in a midsize sedan.

Power comes from a basic 2.4L Ecotech direct-injection four-pot paired with an electric motor-generator that prides itself as being only 65 pounds, which is an impressive feat. All of that power is transferred through a new six-speed automatic. The result is a total of 180 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque from the four-banger with an extra 15 hp available from electric power assistance during heavy acceleration.

The Malibu ECO also features underbody aero enhancements and electronically controlled shutters in the lower grille that close at higher speeds to push more air over and around the car. The shutters are open or closed based on engine coolant temperature and speed. For instance, they open when the car is traveling up a hill, pulling a trailer, or in hot city driving, and they close at highway speeds when engine cooling is less required. The Malibu ECO rides on 17-inch wheels shod in low-rolling-resistance tires also engineered to improve economy.

Other aerodynamic features on the Malibu ECO include:
- Outside rearview mirrors designed to maximize aerodynamic efficiency
- Taillamps are shaped for aero performance without design penalty
- Four underbody panels - more commonly found on premium-priced cars - cover approximately 50 percent of the lower portion of the vehicle and provide an aerodynamically clean flow path under the vehicle
- Standard 17-inch wheels and low-rolling-resistance tires engineered to improve fuel economy.

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2011 Maserati Feature

Maserati has revealed a pretty impressive video that shows their entire line-up in action. The GranTurismo MC Stradale, the GranCabrio, the GranTurismo and the Quattroporte they are all presented in there you just have to take a look at the video and decide whom of them is the best one. We couldn’t made that decision, but let us know which one would you choose for a perfect summer drive.

Maserati promises the MC Stradale will be the first GT to break the 300 km/h (186 mph) barrier thanks to improved aerodynamics and the power boost. It’s also more agile due to some knowledge sharing between Maserati’s racing program and the designers of the Stradale. It is powered by a 4.2 liter V8 engine that delivers 450 HP – an improvement over the standard 405 HP – while still offering the same fuel consumption as a standard Gran Turismo.

With this car Maserati has relaunched the tradition of the Italian luxury executive saloon, where style and elegance are seamlessly married with performance and driving pleasure, features which have always been part of the Trident heritage. The Quattroporte has also become the car of choice for the Italian President and Government representatives in keeping with the tradition of the previous models.
These new batches of Maseratis in Malaysia are actually better as they are equipped with the new option of a 6-speed ZF automatic transmission. Previous buyers of Maseratis had to settle for an automated manual clutch rear-mounted transaxle transmission derived from a Ferrari transmission which is by nature sportier and harsher because it is a manual gearbox with a computer-controlled clutch and not as comfortable as a real automatic. The new automatic is now mounted directly behind the engine at the front.

The sexy Gran Turismo will start at RM 1,080,000 while the 4-door Quattroporte powered by a 4.2 liter V8 with 400 horsepower will be an alternative to the Mercedes-Benz S 500 starting from RM 1.3 million, depending on how much a customer wants to customise his car. Maserati has allocated 20 units and already 6 have been sold. For the “S” models of both cars, naturally the price will go up from there.

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Audi A5 Cabriolet Review

Audi A5 Cabriolet Review | is a stunningly beautiful coupe with excellent power and performance. Unfortunately, the 2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet is not that car. In an effort to please drop-top lovers, Audi cut the roof off of the A5 Coupe, an element that accounted for the majority of this model's looks. The cloth top taking its place has a humdrum style, merely filling the purpose of covering the occupants' heads.

The vehicle we shot was powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which was borrowed from the Golf GTI. The powerplant produces 211 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, dealing with the 0 to 62 mph sprint in 7.5 seconds and returning a combined cycle fuel efficiency of 25 mpg.

The power is delivered to all four wheels using the company’s famous quattro system. This won’t be to happy to help you drift the vehicle if you're in a racy mood, but it will allow you to negotiate corners with a high level of safety, making sure that the vehicle follows your lead.

Audi is pleased with the interior roof lining, which it claims provides further noise insulation. Lots of little holes are cut into the fabric, though, which looks cheap and has the disorientating effect of making the surface appear farther away than it is. More pleasing is the fact that you can open or close the roof at speeds of up to 30mph, which is worth doing, if only to see the look of horror on the driver’s face behind you, as he watches half the car apparently lifting off in front of him.

TECH SPEC
Price/availability: A5 from £29,795, S5 from £42,000. A5 in May, S5 in September.
Engine/transmission: we tested 2.0 TFSI with S-tronic (seven-speed automatic) gearbox. Max power: 209bhp. Max torque: 258lb ft.
Performance: top speed 148mph, 0-62mph in 7.3 sec, EU Urban fuel consumption 29.7mpg, CO2 emissions 177g/km. VED band E.
We like: Great engines and transmissions, neat interior touches.
We don't like: Disappointing styling, plastic door pulls on a car costing £30,000.
Alternatives: Audi A4 Cabriolet, from £26,545. BMW 3-series Convertible, from £30,660. Mercedes CLK Cabriolet, from £33,405. Volvo C70, from £25,448.

READ MORE - Audi A5 Cabriolet Review

New Cars Chevrolet Malibu

New Cars Chevrolet Malibu This is the first look at the 2013 Chevy Malibu, due for a full unveiling at the 2011 New York and Shanghai Auto Shows on April 19th. So far, we get nothing but a teaser of the rear of the car and some general suggestions as to its specs, though the video below gives a better idea of what to expect.

Those specs are very general indeed, however: expect GM's global four-cylinders, plus six-speed transmissions. The one thing notable in the announcement is the lack of any mention of a V-6 option. The current Malibu is available with a 252-horsepower 3.6-liter V-6 in 2LT and LTZ trims.

The new version will have a range of four-cylinder engines, likely the 2.4-liter and turbocharged 2.0-liter units used in an array of General Motors products, including the Buick Regal. The Malibu is also expected to share a version of the Regal's underpinnings, which come from European division Opel. The powertrain will be completed with a line of six-speed transmissions. A light hybrid--like the eAssist setup launching in the LaCrosse and Regal this year, is also likely.
Chevrolet says the Malibu will be sold around the world and is the brand's first midsize car to be sold globally. It will also be assembled at a range of locations, including two plants in the United States and a site in China.

GM knows that safety is paramount in any vehicle, particularly one that will likely be used to haul families around town and across country, and as such, the Malibu comes packed with an array of technology aimed at keeping its occupants safe. Both the driver and front passenger, in the event of an accident, will find themselves cocooned in dual-stage air bags, pelvic/thorax side-impact airbags and even knee airbags.

There are also roof air bags that offer rollover protection, and Chevy will offer available second-row pelvic/thorax side-impact airbags, a lane departure warning system with forward collision alert and an available rearview camera system. Of course, OnStar with Automatic Crash Response is also included, and now boasts improved voice recognition technology, as well as a myriad of improvements aimed at ease of use rather than safety concerns.

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Chevrolet Mi-ray Feature

Chevrolet Mi-ray Feature debuts at this week's Seoul Motor Show, pays tribute to the sports car heritage at Chevrolet. Specifically, GM points out that the Mi-ray is "small and open" like the 1963 Monza SS, and "light and purposeful" like the 1962 Corvair Super Spyder. Whatever the case, the Mi-ray (Korean for 'future') is one sharp little roadster.

The new Miray concept combines design elements from the 1963 ’Monza (Monza) SS’ and 1962 Corvair Super Spyder and molds them into a futuristic design language. It features an aerodynamic body shape with Le Mans (Le Mans) racer-style vertical doors, a dual-port grille, LED headlamps, a carbon fiber spoiler, and a new set of wheels, 20" at the front and 21" at the rear.

The car, making its world debut at this week's Seoul Motor Show, was developed at GM's Advanced Design Studio in Seoul, the company said in a statement. South Korea is the automaker's global center for small car expertise and has developed models such as the Chevrolet Cruze and Aveo.

As for the aesthetics, the design takes some cues from Chevy's heritage and was inspired by such models as the 1963 Monza SS and the 1962 Corvair Super Spyder. There's a split grille for the front fascia and sharp lines over the smooth and slightly rounded surfaces of the car's design. The body also makes use of carbon panels such as for the spoilers. The Miray is also fitted with 20 inch wheels at the front and 21-inchers at the rear.

The 'future' design is also present in the interior with its center console-mounted start button, ambient lighting and dual-cockpit design for both the driver and passenger area.

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Jaguar launch XF 2.2-litre diesel Review

Jaguar launch XF 2.2-litre diesel Review There used to be a time when Jaguar was synonymous with big V8 and V12 engines. But times have changed and a good diesel engine will make or brake a carmaker in the luxury saloon segment.

The famous British carmaker has has unveiled its new, most fuel efficient engine to date in the form of a 2.2-liter diesel that develops in the region of 190 horsepower and is capable of returning 52.3 mpg (UK standard) on the combined cycle while emitting 149 g/km of CO2.

Well, this new 4-cylinder, 16-valve 2.2-litre common rail diesel unit aims to redress the balance and arm the XF with the final tax-dodging weaponry it needs to complete its already rather impressive executive car arsenal of looks, handling and generous stylish spec. With this new engine the XF line-up will be complete, and just in time for a refreshing April 2011 facelift.

The 188bhp motor makes a decent dollop of torque at 332lb ft and returns a respectable 52.3mpg; all for the tailpipe-price of 149g/km of the dreaded carbon dioxide. At 149g/km, the new dark-oil-Jag will slip into the 22 per cent company car tax bracket, which is roughly on a par with its rivals.

The transmission gets the thumbs-up, too. Despite giving a choice of eight gears, it shuffles the ratios so softly you barely notice it at work. You can take control with the steering wheel-mounted paddles yourself, but the box kicks down extremely swiftly and changes right on the red line, so there’s little point. On the motorway, that long eighth gear results in hushed progress as well. Come to a halt and the stop-start shuts the engine down almost immediately. There can be a slight shudder as you release the brake and the diesel restarts, but it fires up very quickly indeed.

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Think City Electric Car Price

The Think City Electric Car is the latest in a long line of small, compact and very environmentally friendly electric cars set to hit the market in the weeks, months and years ahead. Despite the fact that many of the larger electric vehicles have hit the headlines so far in the electric car market there is also major demand for relatively small electric cars which are both environmentally friendly and highly efficient.

In November, the price of the car before incentives was reported to be $34,000. But that price tag has faded and new price will make you spent loads more of dollars. The increase in the price of the car coincidentally is identical to the federal tax credit of $7,500 for EVs. Indianapolis customers can have the EV for $30,050.65, including sales tax and state rebates, but the federal tax credit is excluded.

For the most part, driving the City is a lot like driving any other EV. Easy, quiet and fun. Like other non-NEVs electric vehicles, you get a lot of oomph from a dead stop thanks to the electric motor's instant torque. Keeping up with traffic wasn't a problem at all. In fact, other cars had a hard time keeping up with us.

On the inside, the car feels quite roomy and visibility is good for the most part. The side mirrors look a bit funky from the driver's seat, but are quite functional. At times, the rear window didn't seem high enough and I couldn't get the rearview mirror to angle correctly to see well out the back.

PlaNYC, the City’s comprehensive sustainability plan, established an aggressive strategy to reduce the City’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 by 30 percent from 2005 levels. As part of that overall goal, transportation emissions, which currently account for 22 percent of New York City’s total greenhouse gas emissions, would be reduced by 44 percent by 2030. Electric vehicles are an excellent strategy for both the City fleets and the private vehicles operating within the City’s borders.

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