Dodge Dart (2012)

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Dodge Dart (2012) - first pictures of the American Alfa

By Tim Pollard

First Official Pictures

06 December 2011 16:29

Dodge is reviving a badge from the 1960s for its new Dart compact car - and it's based on Alfa Romeo underpinnings.

The new 2012 Dodge Dart borrows the Alfa Romeo Giulietta architecture, available within the group now that Chrysler is part of the Fiat group.

Dodge dubs its the new Compact US Wide (CUSW) platform, and we'll see this rolled out across the group. It's a very stiff structure, Dodge claiming a class-leading 68% of the body being composed of high-strength steel.

Dodge Dart: doesn't look like an Alfa though...

The style is more Detroit than Turin, judging by these first teaser photos, although some commentators have noted the influence of the VW Scirocco on this new compact Dodge.

The powertrains are also snaffled from the Alfa Romeo stable, including the 1.4-litre Multiair turbo, 2.0-litre petrol and a 2.4-litre Multiair.

So will the Dodge Dart be built in Italy?

Nope. It'll be made at the Chrysler group's Belvidere plant in Illinois, US.

This is a sign that Fiat has streamlined the group's production processes admiarbly quickly. It's not long since the Italians took control at Auburn Hills, yet the Dodge Dart is based on the latest Fiat group technology. Other groups have struggled to leverage economies of scale so quickly.

3 DTM racer

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Andy Priaulx’s guide to 2012's BMW M3 DTM racer

By Ben Pulman

First Official Pictures

05 December 2011 13:29

The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters is the world’s greatest tin-top race series, and after a twenty-year absence BMW is returning to the DTM in 2012 – it’s been tempted back by new rules and regulations that cut costs, improve safety, and make the racing closer and more exciting than ever. And Guernseyman Andy Priaulx is one of just six drivers who has a seat in the half dozen M3s that’ll battle Mercedes’ C Class Coupe DTM and Audi’s A5 DTM next year. We caught up with the three-time World Touring Car Champion to find out about his new 480bhp company car.

CAR: How competitive will BMW be?

Andy Priaulx: 'We won’t know until the first qualifying session of the first race exactly where we’re at. We’re not going to embarrass ourselves but we’ve got to respect Audi and Mercedes – they know the championship, they know the tyre, they know the formula and what makes a DTM car work. We’re not going to learn that information overnight. We’re going to have to do our testing in public but I’m very optimistic with the people we have onboard that we can perform really well.
'Our goal is to be competitive, and until we’re competitive we can’t think of winning races. That alone is a massive task, and the magnitude of this championship, with the approach of the other manufacturers, it’s going to be a real tough fight.'

How has the M3 DTM developed since it was unveiled in July 2011?

'BMW has always been professional in motor racing, but they have gone to an F1 operation overnight. I came back to my first test at the Lausitzring and was quite shocked by the approach, the structure and the magnitude of the test and what we’re doing in the DTM.
'The car has shown a lot of performance immediately and feels good, but we need that testing time to learn the tyres, learn the aero package and to really make the car good enough to win, It’s constantly evolving: what we rolled out two months ago is totally different now. We’re saving weight, the car is getting lighter and lighter and that makes it react differently. We’re trying different geometry and kinematic settings, exploring new things in every test. Our engineers our pushing the limit to find the best aero package and balance in the car before homologation. And March 2012 is not a long time. We’ve got to develop a whole car in that time.'

Does the M3 DTM differ much from the M3 GT you’ve been racing for the past few years?

'It’s very different. The DTM car has carbon brakes, so the temperatures need to be much higher and you have to hit the pedal a lot harder to slow the car down. But you can brake harder and later because of the downforce; there’s twice as much downforce as the GT car so high-speed corners are really quick.
'Then there’s the carbonfibre monocoque, the transaxle gearbox, and proper Formula-type suspension, and it’s lighter so it reacts quicker – it’s a lot more of a pure racing car than the GT.
'The DTM uses a much smaller restrictor than what we have in GT racing, but engine performance feels similar because the DTM car is lighter. But for me the biggest standout difference is the aero and mechanical grip.'

Do the M3 DTM and M3 GT require a different approach to race?

'You’ve got to drive the DTM car with a lot of energy. You’ve really got to drive the car hard to do a lap time so it’s physically more demanding than a GT car. You sit a lot lower, so visibility is not as good – you feel locked into a serious racing machine.
'The GT car is still great though: you’ve got 500bhp, probably more power than the DTM car because of the bigger restrictors, traction control, and the racing is really good. It’s not like the DTM car is much better to drive, it’s just a lot faster and it does everything better.'

BMW M3 DTM spec

Length: 4775mm (without rear wing)
Width: 1950mm
Height: approx. 1,200mm (depending on set-up)
Chassis/Bodywork: CFRP monocoque with steel roll cage structure
Transmission: Sequential 6-speed gearbox
Engine type: V8
Capacity: 4000cc
Max power output: approx. 480bhp (with air restrictor as per regulations)

Andy Priaulx’s bio

Born: 8 August 1973
Career highlights
1990: 1st place Motocross 250cc Championship (Channel Islands)
1995: 1st place RAC MSA British Hillclimb Championship
1999: 1st place Renault Spider Cup, 13 wins from pole
2004: European Touring Car Champion
2005: Winner of Nürburgring 24hrs
2005-2007: World Touring Car Champion
2008: Awarded an MBE
2011 1st place GT class 12h race Sebring (BMW M3 GT)

BMW M3 race highlights

1987-1992: 40 wins and over 150 podiums in the German Touring Car Championship
2005 and 2010: Winner of the Nürburgring 24hrs
2011: Winner of the GT drivers’, team and manufacturer’s championships in the American Le Mans Series

BMW M3 DTM teams

BMW Team RMG: New to the DTM
BMW Team RBM: 2004 European Touring Car Champion, and 2005-2007 World Touring Car Champions
BMW Team Schnitzer:  Won BMW’s first ever DTM title with Roberto Ravaglia in 1989, and has taken four overall victories at the Nürburgring 24hrs, the latest in 2005 and 2010 with GTR and GT-spec M3s

Chinese car maker Geely to launch in UK in 2012

By Tim Pollard

First Official Pictures

06 December 2011 10:32

Chinese car maker Geely – better known for its ownership of Volvo – will launch in the UK in late 2012.
Parent company Geely International Corporation has struck a deal with Manganese Bronze Holdings to be its distributor in the UK market.
MBH is the parent company of The London Taxi Company, which manufactures the iconic black cab in Coventry. The name of the new UK distributor will be Geely Auto UK.

What cars will Geely sell in the UK?

First up is the Geely Emgrand EC7, a car roughly the same size as the Skoda Octavia. It'll be powered by 1.5- and 1.8-litre petrol engines and be available with a four- or five-door bodystyle.
Prices will kick off at around £10,000 – making this car significantly cheaper than an Octavia which starts at around £13k.
The EC7 has a pretty modern design, although the proof will be in the pudding. Not so long ago, domestic cars seen at Chinese motor shows had all the build quality of a 99p children's toy – but the leaps and bounds made in manufacturing mean that China's car makers are rapidly closing the gap with Europe's establishment.

How will the Geely cars be sold?

Not from Volvo dealerships, that's for sure. Although it owns Volvo, Geely will have a quite distinct chain of showrooms. The company plans a network of 30-40 dealerships in place in time for launch at the end of 2012.
Matthew Cheyne, market development director of Geely Auto UK, said:  'Geely has a comprehensive range of models well suited to European requirements.  We will be aiming to widen our range just as quickly as possible, probably at least a new model range every year for the next four to five years.
'Geely cars are already suitable for Europe and meet EU homologation and whole vehicle type approval and of course Euro 5 emissions.  They are all well equipped products but at affordable prices and will carry a five-year, 100,000-mile warranty.'

Live Photos of the New Toyota Aqua or Prius C from the Tokyo Motor Show

Apparently, the Prius nameplate isn't as strong in Toyota's home market of Japan as it is in the rest of the world as what we will come to know as the new Prius C will be marketed locally as the Aqua.

Besides the name, there's nothing else different about the Aqua that made its world premiere this week at the 42nd edition of the bi-annual Tokyo Motor Show in Japan.

Toyota's smallest dedicated hybrid model measures 3,995mm long, 1,695 mm wide and 1,445 mm tall and has 2,550 mm between its wheels, which means it is slightly bigger than the latest Yaris five-door hatchback.

The five-seat model is powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine delivering 74HP at 4,800 rpm and 111Nm (81.9 lb-ft) of torque at 4,800 rpm, and an electric motor producing up to 61-horses and 169Nm (125 lb-ft). The hybrid system's combined output (in JDM tune) is rated at 100HP with a CVT transferring power to the front wheels.

In Japan, the Aqua returns a fuel efficiency of (equal to 83.3 mpg US or 2.8lt/100km) under the JC08 test cycle and 40 km/L (94 mpg US or 2.5lt/100 km) under the 10-15 driving cycle.

Following the launch of the Aqua in Japan that is scheduled for the end of December, the Prius C will gradually reach showrooms across the world.

NEW TOYOTA AQUA JAPAN

NEW TOYOTA PRIUS C NORTH AMERICA

Renault Facelifts Scenic MPV Range, On Sale in January 2012

 

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Europe’s best-selling compact minivan, the Renault Scenic and its bigger, seven-seat Grand Scenic sibling, have received a minor facelift for the 2012 model year.

Both models sport a new front end with LED daytime running lights and gloss black features, chrome details up front, on the profile and the tailgate strip, redesigned rear lights on the five-seat Scenic and a different lower air intake design and longitudinal roof bars for the Grand Scenic.

Under the hood, two new diesel “Energy” units have been added to the engine line-up. The first is the dCi 110 which is 12 percent more fuel efficient than the previous unit returning a combined figure of 4.1 lt/100 km (57.3 mpg US)with CO2 emissions of 105 g/km.

The new dCi 130’s 4.4 lt/100 km (53.4 mpg US) consumption marks an even more impressive 20% reduction compared to the outgoing 1.9 dCi 130. Its CO2 emissions are 114 g/km.

Next spring, a brand-new turbocharged petrol engine, the TCe 115, will be added to the Scenic/Grand Scenic range. According to Renault, this engine consumes 20% less fuel than the current 110HP 1.6-liter unit it will replace.

The interior has also received minor modifications, including a different beige trim for the Expression and Privilege/Initiale versions and a dark charcoal trim for the Privilege Initiale.

There is also new upholstery and an optional leather/Alcantara package, while the higher-end Bose Edition that was launched in limited numbers in the 2011 model year now becomes a regular equipment level on the 2012 MY Scenic.

The updated versions of Renault’s compact MPV are the first models of the French carmaker to feature the Visio System. It uses a camera to control a lane departure warning system and an automatic headlight function that detects lights of nearby functions and adjusts the lights’ beam accordingly.

Ordering books for the 2012MY Scenic and Grand Scenic opened today, with prices starting from €21,350 for the Scenic and €24,850 Grand Scenic. Renault's updated minivans will initially be available in Europe from January 2012 followed by other markets shortly after.

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