DOTautomotive

2010-01-14T23:24:00.000-08:00

Compact hybrid electric concept car

In dealerships: probably within two years

With styling inspired by early-1980s video games, the FT-CH hybrid concept car is the first step in Toyota's plan to turn its popular Prius into the flagship for a family of hybrid models.

The tiny FT-CH concept was styled by a Toyota design center in Nice, France.

Toyota is mum about the hybrid's fuel economy or technical specifications, but promises it is lighter and more fuel-efficient than the Prius. Toyota plans to build a small hybrid like the FT-CH.

About 153 inches long, the FT-CH is around 22 inches shorter than a Prius, 2 feet shorter than a Honda Civic compact and 16 inches shorter than a Toyota Yaris subcompact.

Toyota plans to launch eight hybrid vehicles in the next few years en route to its goal of selling a million hybrids annually.

from : Freep.com

ವ್ವ gti

2009-02-25T06:01:00.000-08:00

ಫ್ರೊಂ : ವ್ವ್ವ. ವ್ವ.com

new vw bettle

2009-02-25T05:44:00.000-08:00

from : www.vw.com

hyundai Veracruz

2008-10-29T09:13:00.000-07:00

View Standard Features

2008 Hyundai Veracruz GLS 4dr SUV (3.8L 6cyl 6A)
		MSRP	Invoice
Base Price A note about advertising fees		$27,045	$25,672
Select Options
	02 Option Group 02 Premium Package info	$1,950	$1,775
	TH Tow Hitch info	$350	$316
	TO Bluetooth info	$325	$292
	CF Carpeted Floor Mats info	$125	$100
	CT Composite Cargo Tray info	$100	$80
	AJ Auxiliary Audio Jack info	$95	$76
	WD Sunroof Wind Deflector info	$85	$68
	WL Wheel Locks info	$50	$41
	FK First Aid Kit info	$20	$16
	01 Option Group 01 info

from : www.edmun.com

suzuki girl

2008-10-29T09:07:00.000-07:00

DIY car silk and matt paint finishes

2008-09-18T09:41:00.001-07:00

"Dull is the new shiny."

TorqueCars member James Scudder has taken his Megane, hired an industrial unit and spray painted his car.

When we asked him why, he told us that he was bored and wanted something to do.

Those who maintain that you cannot get a professional finish from a can will find it hard to fault James effort, who it must be noted has never spray painted a car before in his life.

The finish is actually a silk finish; he doesn't like it being called matt.

A silk finish is fairly flat but will reflect a little light.

A matt finish is similar but pretty much non reflective.

The overall method for a matt finish is the same as shown here for silk paint only you will buy a specific matt paint. Read more

source from : www.torquecars.com

BMW 320i

2008-09-15T07:50:00.000-07:00

Driving enjoyment in beats perminute.
The BMW 3 Series Sedan.
A car's speed is generally expressed in terms of how many miles or kilometres it can cover per hour. And yet these measurements say little about how a car feels on the road. They cannot convey the joy brought by an engine responding instantly to the throttle, or the pleasure of looking out over a long, sweeping bonnet. Nor can they express the satisfaction of seeing the countryside flash rapidly by, or the feeling of abandoning yourself to the open road. Because when it comes to measuring driving pleasure, the only true guide is the beat of your heart.

BMW 320i
Standards Feature

Technical data

Engine : 150 hp
Cylinder / Valves : 4/4
Capacity : 1995 cc
Doors/Seats : 4/5

Interior-Climate

Automatic air conditioning with automatic air recirculation control and active carbon filter, separate temperature control for driver’s side and passenger’s side
Heat insulation glass green

Interior equipment

Starter button
BMW Professional Radio with single slot CD
Onboard computer
Speedometer with kilometer reading
Electric window lifts front & rear
Leatherette
Armrest rear (centre) and front
Interior trim finisher Titanium Matt
Cupholder front & rear at armrest
ISOFIX Child’s seat anchorage
Floor mats in velour

Exterior Equipment

BMW Alloy wheels styling 158, 8JX17, 225/45/R17 with RunFlatTyres/RFT
Metallic Paint
White direction indicators lights

Safety Features

8 Airbags (driver and front passenger airbags, head airbags front & rear passengers and side airbags for driver and front passenger)
Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), Dynamic Brake Control(DBC)
Electronic Vehicle Immobililser (EWS III)
Warning triangle and first aid kit
Brake force display

Engine

6-speed automatic transmission with steptronic
Valvetronic
Valvetronic (variable valves and electronics) is a valve drive system with fully-variable lift control of the intake valves (with lift varying from 0 - 9.7 mm). Unlike all other petrol engines, it does not require a throttle butterfly, and engine output is controlled entirely by fully variable intake valves which regulate the amount of air (volume control) and reduce power loss considerably. For BMW drivers, Valvetronic technology means lower fuel consumption and exhaust emissions, while at the same time improving performance and engine smoothness. DIVA, the fully variable intake system, is another engine component which helps BMW automobiles achieve their impressive torque values and perform at the highest level.See Fully-variable intake system (DIVA).
Bi-vanos
This technology adjusts the relative position of the inlet and outlet camshaft to the crankshaft and thus changes the opening timing of the inlet and outlet valves. This change is continuously variable and fully automatic depending on the position of the accelerator pedal and the current engine speed.

BMW Z4 Coupe

2008-09-09T06:11:00.000-07:00

BMW Z4 Coupe

Ready for action when stationary, in its true element when moving: just one look at the BMW Z4 Coupé and you know what it’s capable of. Its powerful contours and streamlined silhouette are the features of a champion. Every aspect of its design announces its athletic nature: the long bonnet, the sleek roofline, the upswept profile of the integrated spoiler with a third brake light. It’s a unique creation, one which combines power and elegance in equal measure and with unmatched flair.

from : www.bmw.com

2008-08-31T22:22:00.000-07:00

The new, third-generation Grand Vitara is a pure SUV(sport utility vehicle) born and bred to free the spirit and open paths where none existed before. Under a product concept of "off-road athlete", it then exactingly engineered the new model in the same way athletes rigorously train to excel in a wide range of demanding situations. The goal was straightforward: Improve on the real all-road mastery, efficient performance, practical urbanity, and the ease of use people have come to associate with the Grand Vitara. Suzk's heritage of producing sporty 4X4 vehicles with real off-road capabilities provided the DNA; advanced automotive engineering, the breeding.

Design and equipment levels anticipate new expectations, while technological advances raise convenience and versatility for all. Furthermore, two model configurations allow consumers to choose the model right for them. The 5-door is directed at families, outdoor enthusiasts, and others looking to maximize utility and versatility while 3-door is aimed at customers wanting nimble agility and efficiency. Whichever the configuration, the all-new Grand Vitara is not for people afraid to live beyond conventions: It's for people who know the real journey begins where the road ends.

from: www.suzuki.com

2008-08-29T05:55:00.000-07:00

suzuki swift

The new Suzuki Swift is a compact car that's based on a fresh approach to design and development, delivers a driver and passenger experience that's aimed at placing it in a class of its win, and has true worldwide appeal. It is the beginning of Suzuki's new world-strategy.
The new Swift embodies a new, globally oriented approach to Suzuki car-making.From the very beginning of the new Swift's development programme, a dedicated team of Suzuki designers and engineers collaborated extensively with European automotive professionals and ordinary motoring enthusiasts in pursuit of Suzuki's best compact car ever.
But the new Suzuki Swift is not merely a European-inspired compact car built to Suzuki standards; it's a whole new departure in Suzuki design; one that embodies the unique DNA of a company whose success as a compact-car developer is paralleled by a position as the world's top motorcycle brand.
The new Swift is more eye-catching, more spacious, more refined, more user-friendly, and a whole lot more enjoyable to drive than anything else in the compact-car category. And it gives an exciting glimpse of the new ideas and design approaches that will shape Suzuki models in years to come.

from : www.suzuki.com

2008-08-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

TOYOTA MATRIX

2008-08-25T08:48:00.001-07:00

2008-08-25T08:41:00.000-07:00

MECHANICAL
Engine:
1.8-liter DOHC 16-valve Dual VVT-i 4-cylinder; 132 hp @ 6000 rpm; 128 lb.-ft. @ 4200 rpm
2.4-liter DOHC 16-valve VVT-i 4-cylinder; 158 hp @ 6000 rpm; 162 lb.-ft. @ 4000 rpm
Emissions rating:
Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle II (ULEV-II)
Transmission:
5-speed manual
4-speed automatic
5-speed automatic
Body construction:
Unitized body
Drivetrain:
Front engine, front-wheel drive
Front engine, All-Wheel Drive (AWD) with active torque control
Suspension:
Independent MacPherson strut front, torsion beam rear suspension with front and rear stabilizer bars
Independent MacPherson strut front, independent double- wishbone rear suspension with front and rear stabilizer bars, and sport strut tower brace [1]
Steering:
Electric Power Steering (EPS) rack-and-pinion with power-assist
Turning circle diameter, curb to curb (ft.)		36.0
Brakes:
Power-assisted ventilated front disc/solid rear disc
Brake rotor diameter front/rear (in.)		11.7/11.0
4-wheel Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist [2]
Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) [3] with Traction Control (TRAC) and off switch from : www.toyota.com

2008-08-25T08:38:00.000-07:00

Matrix S
2.4L 4-Cyl. 5-Speed Auto


fromEXTERIOR
Aerodynamic multi-reflector halogen headlamps with Daytime Running Lights (DRL)
Integrated front fog lamps
Color-keyed door handles, side rocker panels and power outside mirrors
Washer-linked intermittent wipers
Washer-linked variable intermittent windshield wipers with mist cycle
Intermittent washer-linked rear window wiper
All-wheel-drive system with active torque control
Color-keyed front and rear underbody spoilers
Hatch-mounted roof end spoiler
16-in. steel wheels with full wheel covers and P205/55R16 tires
16-in. alloy wheels with P205/55R16 tires
17-in. alloy wheels with P215/50R17 tires
18-in. alloy wheels with P215/45R18 tires
Power tilt/slide moonroof with sunshade


INTERIOR
4-way adjustable front seats with fold-flat passenger seat [2]
Fabric seats and front door trim with integrated armrests and dual front map pockets
Sport fabric seats and front door trim with integrated armrests and dual front map pockets
Center console with storage box
Center console with split-level storage box
60/40 split fold-down rear bench seat
Driver's seat vertical height adjuster
12V auxiliary power outlet
115V auxiliary power outlet
Cup holders (two front, two rear)
Cruise control
Power door locks with shift-activated locking feature [3]
Power windows with driver's auto-down and retained-power features
Heavy-duty rear window defogger
Remote keyless entry system with lock, unlock and panic features
Manual tilt/telescopic steering wheel
3-spoke urethane steering wheel
3-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls [4]
Optitron meters with speedometer, tachometer with LCD odometer, twin tripmeters and outside temperature gauge, coolant temperature and fuel level gauges
Airbag, seatbelt, low fuel level, door-ajar, battery, check engine, oil pressure, brake and taillamp bulb failure, ABS warning light and Direct Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) [5] warning lights
Oil (or scheduled maintenance) indicator light
Defroster-linked CFC-free air conditioning with air filter
AM/FM CD player with MP3/WMA playback capability, satellite radio capability [6], auxiliary audio jack, CD-text display function, automatic sound leveling, and four speakers
AM/FM CD player with MP3/WMA playback capability, satellite radio capability [6], auxiliary audio jack, CD-text display function, automatic sound leveling and six speakers
AM/FM 6-disc in-dash CD changer with MP3/WMA playback capability, satellite radio capability [6], auxiliary audio jack, CD-text display function, automatic sound leveling, six speakers and steering wheel-mounted audio controls
JBL® AM/FM 6-disc in-dash CD changer with MP3/WMA playback capability, XM® Satellite Radio enabled [6], auxiliary audio jack, hands-free phone capability via Bluetooth® wireless technology [7] and nine speakers in seven locations (440 watts maximum output) with steering wheel-mounted audio and hands-free controls
Touch-screen DVD navigation system [8] [9]
Auxiliary audio jack
Delour floor carpeting with driver-side footrest
Illuminated entry
Day/night rearview mirror
Anti-slip rear cargo trim
Tonneau cover


SAFETY
Driver front airbag and front passenger airbag with Advanced Airbag System [10]
Driver and front passenger front seat-mounted side airbags and front and rear side curtain airbags [10]
Active headrests [11]
4-wheel Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), and Brake Assist [12]
3-point rear seatbelts for all positions
Front seatbelt pretensioners with force limiters
Direct Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) [5]
Front and rear energy-absorbing crumple zones
Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) [13] with Traction Control (TRAC) and off switch
Engine immobilizer
Driver and front passenger 3-point seatbelts with adjustable shoulder anchors
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractors (ALR/ELR) for all front and rear passenger seatbelts, Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) for driver's seatbelt
Child Restraint System (CRS) lower anchors and top tether anchors (LATCH)
Side-impact door beams
Energy-absorbing steering column
Head-impact protection structure
High-tensile-strength steel body panels
Child-protector rear door locks


PRICE
MSRP [14]		$19,450

Toyota strives to build vehicles to match customer interest and thus they typically are built with popular options and option packages. Not all options/packages are available separately and some may not be available in all regions of the country. If you would prefer a vehicle with no or different options, contact your dealer to check for current availability or the possibility of placing a special order.

Some vehicles are shown with available equipment. Seatbelts should be worn at all times. For details on vehicle specifications, standard features and available equipment in your area, contact your Toyota dealer. A vehicle with particular equipment may not be available at the dealership. Ask your Toyota dealer to help locate a specifically equipped vehicle.

All information presented herein is based on data available at the time of posting, is subject to change without notice and pertains specifically to mainland U.S.A. vehicles only.

from : www.toyota.com

2008-08-22T04:36:00.000-07:00

Toyota Camry

Toyota Camry

Manufacturer	Toyota Motor Corporation
Production	1980–present
Predecessor	Toyota Corona
Class	Compact (1980–1996) Mid-size (1996–present)

The Toyota Camry is a mid-size car, formerly a compact car manufactured by Toyota since 1980. The name "Camry" comes from a phonetic transcription of the Japanese word kanmuri (冠, かんむり), which means "crown", a tradition started with the Toyota Crown in the 1950's, and continued with the Corolla and Corona, which are also latin words for "crown".

There is also a coupé and convertible derivative sold first as Camry coupé from 1994-1997 and later spun off into its own line as the Camry Solara when reintroduced in 1999. The Solara development lags behind the sedan by a couple years and it was not updated to the 2007 current sedan platform, with production scheduled to end in 2008.^[1]. An up-branded luxury version of the Camry was sold in Japan as the Toyota Windom until 2006; the related Lexus ES shares major chassis and drivetrain components with the Camry.

In the United States, the Camry's largest consumer market, it has been the best selling car for nine of the last ten years starting in 1997, with the only exception being 2001. The Camry also sells very well in Australia, Canada, and a number of Asian markets—in particular Cambodia where the vast majority of cars are Camrys.^[2] Despite its success, it has not sold as well in Europe and its homemarket Japan; many criticize its design as ill-suited for European and Japanese tastes.^[3]

from: www.wikipedia.com

2008-08-18T21:29:00.000-07:00

History of Porsche

1953 Porsche 356 American Roadster

1992 Porsche 911 Turbo Type 964

2005 Porsche 911 (997) Carrera S

Professor Ferdinand Porsche initially started the company called "Dr. ing. h. c. F. Porsche GmbH" in 1931, with main offices at Königstrasse in the center of Stuttgart. The company offered motor vehicle development work and consulting, and did not initially build any cars under its own name. One of the first assignments the new company received was from the German government to design a car for the people, a "Volkswagen" in German. This resulted in the Volkswagen Beetle, one of the most successful car designs of all time. The first Porsche, the Porsche 64, was developed in 1939 using many components from the Beetle.

During World War II Volkswagen production turned to the military version of the Volkswagen Beetle, the Kübelwagen, 52,000 produced, and Schwimmwagen, 14,000 produced. During a contract bid for a new tank Porsche lost to Henschel & Son who subsequently produced the Tiger I. Porsche assisted in the designing of the Tiger tank series and the Elefant tank.

In 1945 the Volkswagen factory fell to the British. Ferdinand lost his position as Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen and a British major, Ivan Hirst was put in charge of the factory. On December 15 of that year, Ferdinand was arrested for war crimes, but not tried. During his 20 month imprisonment, Ferdinand Porsche's son, Ferry Porsche, decided to build his own car because he could not find an existing one that he wanted to buy. The first models of what was to become the 356 were built in a small sawmill in Gmünd, Austria. The prototype car was shown to German auto dealers, and when pre-orders reached a set threshold, production was begun. Many regard the 356 as the first Porsche simply because it was the first model sold by the fledgling company. Porsche commissioned Zuffenhausen-based company Reutter Carosseri, which had previously collaborated with Porsche on Volkswagen Beetle prototypes, to produce the 356's steel body. Porsche constructed an assembly plant across the street from Reutter Carosseri; that assembly plant is now known as Porschestrasse. The 356 was road certified in 1948.

source : www.wikipedia.com

2008-08-18T21:19:00.000-07:00

History of Toyota

Toyota automatic loom (Type G)

Replica of the Toyota Model AA, the first production model of Toyota in 1936

In 1933, Toyoda Automatic Loom Works created a new division devoted to the production of automobiles under the direction of the founder's son, Kiichiro Toyoda. Kiichiro Toyoda had traveled to Europe and the United States in 1929 to investigate automobile production and had begun researching gasoline-powered engines in 1930.^[15] Toyoda Automatic Loom Works was encouraged to develop automobile production by the Japanese government, which needed domestic vehicle production partly due to the worldwide money shortage and partly due to the war with China.^[16] In 1934, the division produced its first Type A Engine, which was used in the first Model A1 passenger car in May 1935 and the G1 truck in August 1935. Production of the Model AA passenger car started in 1936. Early vehicles bear a striking resemblance to the Dodge Power Wagon and Chevrolet, with some parts actually interchanging with their American originals.^[16]

Although the Toyota Group is best known today for its cars, it is still in the textile business and still makes automatic looms, which are now computerized, and electric sewing machines which are available worldwide.

Toyota Motor Co. was established as an independent and separate company in 1937. Although the founding family's name is Toyoda (豊田), the company name was changed in order to signify the separation of the founders' work life from home life, to simplify the pronunciation, and to give the company a happy beginning. Toyota (トヨタ) is considered luckier than Toyoda (豊田) in Japan, where eight is regarded as a lucky number, and eight is the number of strokes it takes to write Toyota in katakana.^[17] In Chinese, the company and its vehicles are still referred to by the equivalent characters (traditional Chinese: 豐田; simplified Chinese: 丰田; pinyin: fēng tián), with Chinese reading.

source : www.wikipedia.com

2008-08-18T21:04:00.000-07:00

Automotive industry

Industrial robots welding a car body in the white section of a production line.

The automotive industry is the industry involved in the design, development, manufacture, marketing, and sale of Motor vihacel. In 2007, more than 73 million motor vehicles, including cars and commercial vehicles were produced worldwide.^[1]

In 2007, a total of 71.9 million new automobiles were sold worldwide: 22.9 million in Europe, 21.4 million in Asia-Pacific, 19.4 million in USA and Canada, 4.4 million in Latin America, 2.4 million in the Middle East and 1.4 million in Africa. ^[2] The markets in North America and Japan were stagnant, while those in South America and Asia grew strongly. Of the major markets, Russia, Brazil and China saw the most rapid growth.

In 2008, with rapidly rising oil prices, industries such as the automotive industry, are experiencing a combination of pricing pressures from raw material costs and changes in consumer buying habits. The industry is also facing increasing external competition from the public transport sector, as consumers re-evaluate their private vehicle usage.^[3]

^{source : www.wikipedia.com}