A3s- All About Automobiles

2012 Toyota Camry with Pictures and Video

2012-01-17T09:30:00.000-08:00


Engine:: 3.5L V6
Power:: 268 HP / 248 LB-FT
Transmission:: 6-Speed Auto
Drivetrain:: Front-Wheel Drive
Curb Weight:: 3,420 LBS
Seating:: 2+3
Cargo:: 15.4 CU-FT
MPG:: 21 City / 30 HWY
MSRP:: $29,845 base (SE V6)

Toyota has manufactured and sold 15 million Camry models across 100 countries since it debuted way back in 1983. It's a number that's nearly unfathomable. If all of those polite four-doors were still roaming the earth, there'd be one for every man, woman and child in Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C. combined, and you'd still have a almost a million vehicles left over. Even more eye-widening is Toyota's claim that of the Camry models built and sold over the last 15 years, 90 percent are still happily enduring a daily commute on nearly every corner of the planet. By sheer volume and longevity, the Camry is nothing short of an engineering and manufacturing wonder.

Almost by default, the Camry has grown to become the vehicle by which all other mid-sized creations must measure themselves, and over the past two years, Ford, Hyundai, Kia and Volkswagen have unveiled products designed specifically to lure buyers from the Toyota model's swollen ranks. In response, Toyota City has turned out the seventh-generation Camry – a model that's been altered with blink-and-you'll-miss-it delicacy. But as millions of current Camry owners will tell you, that may not be a bad thing.

A new front bumper cover with a jutting chin and expansive lower air intake is framed by chrome foglight recesses on L, LE and XLE models, though our SE tester came equipped with a decidedly more stylish front fascia. With three front air inlets, subtle chrome accenting, a honeycomb grille insert and a set of faux canards, the Camry SE manages to be more engaging than forgettable – certainly a step in the right direction for the model. Above all else, Toyota has worked to make the Camry as slippery as possible, and the company has brought all of its considerable aerodynamic knowledge to bear on the sedan. As such, all trims are now built with squared-off aero corners at the front and rear in a fashion that's similar to what we've seen on the Prius line.

The 2012 Camry's sides are contoured with an angled character line, and door handles are tucked just below the detail. Toyota desperately wants us to believe that the new crease helps give the vehicle a wedge-like shape, but the truth is that from a profile view, the 2012 Camry remains very similar to its sixth-generation counterpart. As part of the overall aerodynamic package, the side-view mirrors feature a small fin designed to create air vortices as the vehicle travels at speed. According to Toyota, those vortices provide a protective buffer around the car to help the vehicle slip through the air. The company says the tech was gleaned from its Formula One efforts.

Wheel options start with a 16-inch steel roller with a plastic cover on the fleet-oriented L trim, though 17-inch alloys can be had on LE, XLE and SE vehicles. Our V6 tester came packing the largest option of the bunch – an 18-inch aluminum alloy wheel with a twisted-spoke design.

2013 Ford Escape revealed in 2011 LA Auto show with Pictures and Video

2012-01-17T08:47:00.000-08:00

Ford has ditched the Escape’s more traditional SUV styling, overhauling the compact crossover for the 2013 model year. The North American market will now finally be treated to styling more in line with Europe’s Kuga crossover, proving that Ford is focusing on its One Ford plan of ensuring products offered in North America are nearly identical to their European counterparts.

The 2013 Ford Escape clearly takes a page out of the successful Focus design book and while some may or may not love it, we’re greeting the departure from typical SUV styling with open arms. Ford also announced what will be powering the 2013 Escape, offering a 2.5L four-cylinder with 168-hp and 167 lb-ft of torque as standard. An all-new 1.6L EcoBoost four-cylinder can also be had with 173-hp and 177 lb-ft of torque while the top-of-the-line model will be powered by a 2.0L EcoBoost with 237-hp and 250 lb-ft of torque.
All three engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, while Ford boasted that the 2.0L is capable of towing up to 3,500-lbs. Official EPA numbers or estimates haven’t been released yet, but Ford claims that the new Escape is up to five gallons more efficient than the previous model, dependent on the engine of course. An AWD option is also available for those who just don’t dig a FWD SUV.
New technology on the inside include the newly revamped MyFord Touch system along with active park assist and hands-free liftgate system.

Tata Nano : Test Drive & Review

2011-12-30T01:22:00.000-08:00

The 2012 Tata Nano has been launched in India at a price of 1.40 - 1.96 Lakhs (ex-Delhi).

What you’ll like:

• Uniquely cute & cool styling. A car that will make you smile
• Innovative packaging results in spacious interiors for 4 adults. Generous legroom & headroom
• Peppy performance at speeds <80 kph. Engine offers good urban driveability too
• Small footprint & tiny turning radius make it immensely chuck able within the city
• Powerful air-conditioner will chill you to the bone
• 2012 Nano sees a lot of customer feedback being incorporated
• A proper car starting at a price of 1.40 lakhs only

What you won’t:

• Struggles on steep ghats (inclines) with passengers onboard. Will give up in some stop-go hilly conditions
• Missing essentials (no glove box, openable rear hatch, front disc brakes). Boot has a limited 80 liter capacity
• Low cost nature & quality are glaringly obvious
• Very heavy steering at parking speeds. Even top-variant doesn't get power steering
• Image of the "cheapest car in India / the world"
• Niggling problems as reported by existing Tata Nano owners
• Tata's sub-par after sales service experience

Tata engineers have tweaked the Nano's engine & transmission for the 2012 model. The familiar 2 cylinder petrol motor now makes 3 more horsepower & Nm of torque (each). This engine is rated at 37 BHP (@ 5,500 rpm) and 51 Nm of max torque (@ 4,000 rpm). While Tata hasn’t confirmed the same, I am dead sure that the rpm limit has gone up a notch as well. The gearing has been made taller in the interests of fuel efficiency. That probably explains why the ARAI rating has increased to 25.4 kpl (earlier 23.6 kpl).

Rouge Red

Serene White

Aqua Blue

New Hyundai Sonata / i45 caught testing on Tamilnadu

2011-12-28T08:29:00.000-08:00

Here are some scoop shots of the i45. Thought it would be more appropriate to continue this thread rather than commencing a new one.

Spotted on the BLR-Chennai road after Krishnagiri, were a couple of cars covered with tarpaulin. Their size seemed to reveal a higher category in sedans but could not figure out anything more until I saw a white beauty that cruised past. (Lack of picture quality regretted since the 'i' was accelerating hard.)

New Hyundai i20! Pics 2012

2011-12-27T23:02:00.000-08:00

Internationally 2012 Toyota Innova facelift unveiled

2011-12-27T22:26:00.000-08:00

2012 Audi A4 Facelift - Now unveiled!

2011-12-27T22:16:00.000-08:00

Audi recently unveiled the A5 facelift and now it's time for the A4 to go under the knife.
Sporting heavy camouflage, the prototypes feature a new grille, modified bumpers and restyled lighting units. The overall styling tweaks are minor, but give the model a closer resemblance to the A5 and A6.
Engine options will likely carryover, but the 3.2-liter FSI will likely be replaced by the new supercharged 3.0-liter TFSI V6 with 272 PS (200 kW / 268 hp).

Maserati Kubang SUV - Revealed

2011-12-27T22:01:00.000-08:00

The highly-anticipated Maserati Kubang concept has been unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Designed in-house, the Jeep Grand Cherokee-based model has a prominent grille, front fender vents and LED headlights. Further back, a sloping roofline leads to a uniquely styled tailgate which will undoubtedly cause visceral reactions.
The company declined to release specifications, but said the production model will be "100% Maserati" with a next-generation engine produced by Ferrari. It will be paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission which promises to deliver an engaging driving experience. Additionally, the suspension, brakes and steering system will be unique to the luxurious sport crossover.

Skoda Yeti 4x2 launched @ 13.20 lakhs

2011-12-27T07:59:00.000-08:00

SKODA launches the Yeti 4x2 in India

 Priced at Rs 13.20 Lakhs
 Available in 2 trim levels : Active & Ambition
 Most fuel efficient SUV in the country – 17.72 kmpl
 It is an urban SUV along with the abilities to tackle off-road terrain
 Top propositions such as ESP, Hill Hold control and Vario Flex offered with the new 4x2 model

SKODA Yeti 4X2 Prices

SKODA Yeti 4X2 Product Specifications:
 Available in two variants – Active and Ambition
 2.0 litre diesel engine with maximum power of 81kW(110PS)@4200rpm and maximum torque of 250Nm@1500–2500rpm
 4223 mm in length, 1793 mm in width and 1691 mm in height, wheel base of 2578 mm and ground clearance of 180mm.
 Available in five colours –Aqua mist, brilliant silver, candy white, cappuccino beige, magic black, mato brown.

Technical specifications	2.0 TDI CR/81 kW	2.0 TDI CR/103 kW
Engine
Engine type	Turbocharged diesel engine, turbocharger with self-aligning blades, in-line, liquid cooling system, high-pressure direct injection system, 16V DOHC, transverse in front	Turbocharged diesel engine, turbocharger with self-aligning blades, in-line, liquid cooling system, high-pressure direct injection system, 16V DOHC, transverse in front
Cylinders	4	4
Displacement [cm3]	1968	1968
Max. power/revs [kW(bhp) at rpm]	81(110)/4200	103 (140) /4200
Max. torque/revs [Nm at rpm]	250/1500-2500	320/1750–2500
Fuel consumption - rule 115 of CMVR [kmpl]	17.72	17.67
Transmission
Wheel drive	Front wheel drive	Permanent four-wheel drive with automatic torque distribution, Haldex clutch
Transmission	Manual 5-speed fully synchronized	Manual 6-speed fully synchronized
Chassis
Front axle	McPherson suspension with lower triangular links and torsion stabiliser
Rear axle	Multi-element axle, with one longitudinal and three transverse links, with torsion stabiliser
Braking system	Hydraulic dual-diagonal circuit braking system vacuum assisted with Dual Rate system
Brake – front	Disc brakes with inner cooling, with single/piston floating caliper
Brake – rear	Disc brakes
Steering system	Direct rack and pinion steering with electro mechanic power steering
Wheels	7.0J×16
Tyres	215/60 R16
Outside dimensions
Length [mm]	4223
Width [mm]	1793
Height [mm]	1691
Wheel base [mm]	2578
Ground clearance [mm]	180
Inside Dimensions
Storage capacity [l]	416
Storage capacity with rear seatback folded down [l]	1485
Storage capacity with rear seats removed [l]	1665
Weights
Kerb weight [kg]	1445	1543
Gross weight [kg]	1960	2075
Liquids
Tank capacity [l]	55	60
Performance
Turning circle diameter [m]	10.0

Nissan Sunny DIESEL launched

2011-12-27T06:44:00.000-08:00

Sunny Diesel is competitively priced and will be available for Rs 7,98,000 (XL) and Rs 8,78,000 (XV), ex-showroom, New Delhi. Customers can now book the car at Nissan dealerships across the country.

Departing from the industry norm, Nissan has adopted a uniform pan-India pricing strategy, whereby the ex-showroom price of the Sunny Diesel will remain the same across all states. The only variations will be in terms of VAT, Entry Tax, Octroi and other local taxes levied by states/cities.

The Sunny Diesel, a result of significant inputs from the Indian market and powered by the Renault Nissan Alliance’s highly regarded K9K diesel engine, has a fuel efficiency of 21.64 kmpl (ARAI certified) and is ideal for both city driving as well as exploring the countryside.

Built at the Nissan plant in Chennai, the diesel variant is powered by a modern 1.5-liter, 4-cylinder K9K engine delivering 86PS of power @ 3750 rpm and a maximum torque of 200 Nm @ 2000 rpm. The smooth five speed manual transmission helps to provide both fuel efficiency and a powerful, engaging drive.

Grade

	Petrol			Diesel
Grade	XE	XL	XV	XL	XV
Engine Code	HR15			K9KE424
Type	DOHC 16 Valves, 4 Cylinder			SOHC 8 Valves, 4 Cylinder
Displacement (cc)	1498			1461
Bore & Stroke	78.0 x 78.4			76.0 x 80.5
Max Power	99 @ 6000			86 @ 3750
Max Torque	134 @ 4000			200 @ 2000
Compression Ratio	10.1:1			17.9:1
Fuel System	Electronic fuel injection Control			Common Rail
Fuel Efficiency*	16.95			21.64

Transmission

	Petrol			Diesel
Grade	XE	XL	XV	XL	XV
Type	5-Speed Manual			5-Speed Manual

Steering/Suspension/Brakes

	Petrol			Diesel
Grade	XE	XL	XV	XL	XV
Steering Type	Electronic Power Steering			Electric Power Steering
Min turning radius (m)	5.3			5.3
Suspension	Front: Mcpherson Strut Rear: Torsion Bar			Front: Mcpherson Strut Rear: Torsion Bar
Brakes	Front: Ventilated Disc Rear: Drum			Front: Disc Rear: Drum

Wheels/Tyres

Petrol

Diesel

Grade

Wheels

14*5.5J Steel

15*5.5J Alloy

14*5.5J Steel

15*5.5J Alloy

Tyres

185/70 R14

185/65 R15

185/70 R14

185/65 R15

Dimensions

	Petrol			Diesel
Grade	XE	XL	XV	XL	XV
Overall Length (mm)	4425			4425
Overall Width (mm)	1695			1695
Overall Height (mm)	1505			1505
Wheelbase (mm)	2600			2600
Tread (mm)	Front : 1480 Rear : 1485			Front : 1480 Rear : 1485

Capacities

	Petrol			Diesel
Grade	XE	XL	XV	XL	XV
Seating Capacity (persons)	5			5
Fuel Tank Capacity (litres)	41			41
Trunk Capacity (litres)	490			490
Kerb weight (kg)	998	1022	1027	1092	1097