2012 Fiat Panda: New Mega Gallery with 171 Photos

We have already seen the 2012 Fiat Panda at its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show this past September, but the Italian brand has just dropped a massive gallery comprising of more than 170 high-resolution photos, some of which are quite picturesque.

To refresh your memory, this is just the third iteration of the Panda in the model's 31-year history. It's predecessor were extremely successful and popular throughout Europe having sold some 6.5 million units over the past three decades.

Fiat hopes to build on the success of the Panda's predecessors with the new model, which is available exclusively with five doors and comes with a slightly larger body that measures 3,650 mm long, 1,640 mm wide and 1,550 mm tall for improved passenger space.

European city dwellers can choose from six engines including two TwinAir 0.9-liter 2-cylinder gasoline units in naturally aspirated and turbocharged formats with 65HP and 85HP respectively, a 4-cylinder, 1.2-liter 69HP gasoline engine, plus a 75HP 1.3-liter Multijet diesel with auto stop-start technology, a petrol/methane version of the 0.9 liter turbocharged unit and a petrol/LPG version of the 1.2.

At launch, the new Panda is available with front-wheel drive with a Panda 4x4 set to make its debut next year.

PHOTO GALLERY

Audi Introduces New Entry-Level Q7 with 204PS 3.0 TDI in Britain

The Audi Q7 has just become more attainable for buyers in the United Kingdom with the presentation of a new entry-level model powered by a 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel engine that produces 204PS (201bhp) and 450Nm (31.6 lb-ft) of peak torque.

The 204PS 3.0 TDI model comes standard with Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system and an 8-speed tiptronic transmission and it complements the existing 3.0 TDI quattro 245PS version.

The new diesel engine powers the seven-seater Q7 to 62mph (96km/h) from rest in 9.1 seconds, and enables it to reach a 127mph (204km/h) top speed, while returning a combined fuel economy of 39.2mpg UK (32.6mpg US or 7.2lt/100km) with CO2 emissions of 189g/km.

The Q7 3.0 TDI quattro 204PS is available with four specification levels– Standard, SE, S line and the new S Line Plus.On-the-road prices range from £39,995 for the Standard model to £49,120 for the S Line Plus.

The new S-Line Plus specification carries a premium of £4,500 over the existing S line option, and is offered in conjunction with five of the six available engines on the Q7. It adds several amenities including 21-inch alloy wheels, running boards, standard metallic paint, powered tailgate operation, special Verano leather upholstery, a hard disk-based satellite navigation, Bluetooth phone preparation with online services, and the Audi Parking System Advanced with reversing camera.

Ford Begins Production of 2012 Focus Electric, Promises to be Better than Nissan’s Leaf

Having already launched its first all-electric vehicle, the Transit Connect Electric in December 2010, Ford announced today that it is beginning production of its first plug-in passenger car, the Focus Electric.

The all-electric, zero-emissions version of the Focus will be manufactured at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant from this month – and the Blue Oval is making some really bold statements about its EV.

It claims that it is the first five-passenger electric vehicle in the world with a consumption equivalent of 100 miles per gallon (MPGe) – that’s 2.3 lt/100 km.

According to Ford, the Focus Electric needs just three hours to fully recharge its battery using a 240V charging station, or almost half the time of the Nissan Leaf and offers double the single-charge range of its Japanese rival, with up to 30 miles (50 km) of driving range per charging hour.

“The Focus Electric is a shining example of the leading fuel economy Ford is offering for each new vehicle”, said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s vice president, Global Product Development. “Whether people want a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or full battery-electric vehicle, we have a family of vehicles for them to consider, providing a range of options to best meet their needs and support their driving habits and lifestyles.”

A limited number of Focus Electrics will first be available in California and the New York/New Jersey areas, while availability will expand in 2012 to the remaining 15 launch markets as production increases.

The 19 launch markets include: Atlanta; Austin and Houston, Texas; Boston; Chicago; Denver; Detroit; Los Angeles; San Francisco; San Diego; New York; Orlando, Fla.; Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz.; Portland, Ore.; Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Richmond, Va.; Seattle; and Washington, D.C.

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