Nissan Australia has announced the official pricing and specifications for its second generation Murano SUV.
It boasts an evolutionary design over the original Murano launched five years ago, which Nissan claim spawned the cross over genre.
Local models will receive a more powerful 3.5-litre V6 engine which develops 191kW of power and 336Nm at 4400rpm.
On the combined cycle, the new Murano uses 10.9 litres of petrol per 100kms while producing 259 grams per 100kms of CO2.
“The basic engine architecture hasn’t changed, but attention to fine detail has helped develop an engine that not only delivers more power, but does so using less fuel and producing fewer emissions.” says Nissan Motor Co. (Australia) Managing Director and CEO, Dan Thompson.
The engine is mated to a revised six-speed Xtronic CVT gearbox which has been optimised for quicker and more intuitive shifts.
Power is transferred to the ground through an intelligent all mode four-wheel-drive system with electronic 4WD selection and lock mode, including Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), Active Brake limited Slip and Traction Control System (TCS).
Standard features include push button start, double stitched leather seat trim, leather steering wheel and gear knob, dual zone climate control, cruise control, six-stacker stereo system with MP3 auxiliary input and six speakers plus steering wheel audio controls.
The flagship Ti variant adds front heated seats, a BOSE audio system with 11 speakers including two subwoofers, satellite navigation, reverse parking camera and hands free Bluetooth phone system.
The new Nissan Murano arrives in Australia priced at $45,990 for the ST model and $55,890 for the Ti model.
Honda has carried the responsibility of being the biggest automobile manufacture for long time. They succeeded in reserving a civilization of sturdy manufacturing and constant improvement.
But there do occur situations when the traditions blind judgment creators from observing precisely in facade of the watch.
Honda has a story to tell about the Acura ASC. It was absolutely a footstep away from the thinking of variability and effectiveness that the NSX had.
After completing the manufacturing of the hybrid form, Honda demonstrated the not stimulating small hybrid conception in Geneva. Honda’s fashioning division is going all the way through a number of down days at the present. But we do expect the Japanese auto giant to make a big and speedy come back. The merchandise planners are the full-size problems.
Honda lost the spot in the fusion commerce by slender margins of impending because of common sense. Honda advertised Acura ASC as a winter sports automobile, but it was seen as not an improved usual undersized car.
Honda then brought out an improved hybrid V6 engine of Honda Accord, a V6 locomotive with 244 hp power. The car with four cylinders provides 166 hp of supremacy. These developments were gained by the widespread modifications that the car passed through in its ingestion and exhaust arrangements.
The Honda Accord fusion came out with a 253 hp engine, 3.0 Liters, V6 locomotive and a superior battery. It is effortlessly distinguished from the normal Honda Accord with its features including back radiance clusters, the antenna, the wheel plan, and the mirror twist indications.
Honda is considered as the globe’s major automobile producer of locomotives with its supreme quality, performance and reliability. Honda motor vehicles are seen coming out reproduced in the components from which they are constructed. Honda, with this procedure promises that it will perform the task at its favorable presentation level while serving the toughness and dependability expected from Honda.
Earlier this year it was revealed that Mercedes-Benz was halting production of the current A-Class and B-Class after the current cycle and replacing the two aging models with a new family of small vehicles ranging from cabrios to sports coupes. We reported that this replacement would entail a whole new family of models consisting of four distinct variations, including a cabriolet, a coupe, a people mover and a soft-roader. Now Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that at least three of these variations will be made for the replacement B-Class, including a hatchback, a mini-MPV and a soft roader.
The soft roader will be known as the BLK, and CAR is reporting that it will be available in two trim levels - 'Street', for the majority of purchasers who don't actually require any SUV-capabilities, and 'Nature', which will be for those who intend to take the BLK into a more rough and tumble sort of environment. There has also been speculation that despite its off roader marketing, only the top of the range BLK models will actually have a 4WD system, while the base spec models would stick to front wheel drive. This will keep weight and costs down, and improve mileage figures for the end consumer. Weight for the range topping model will be approaching 3,500lb (1600kg), while the entry level model should be closer to 2,970lb (1350kg).
Currently, Mercedes has outlined a number of powerplants for the BLK, with many of them lifted straight out of the C-Class. There are expected to be three petrol versions and three diesel versions, and while the petrol and diesel models will share similar horsepower outputs, it is the diesel models that will return superior torque and mileage.
For example, the petrol BLK 180, with its 1.8L engine, will have 136hp (101kW) and 140lb-ft (190Nm) of torque, while the diesel BLK 180 CDI will also have 136hp but almost 30% more torque at 200lb-ft (271Nm). Similar results are found when comparing the other petrol engines in the range to the diesels:
- the 2.0L petrol BLK 200 has 177hp (132kW) and 214lb-ft (290Nm) of torque, while the 2.0L diesel BLK 200 CDI has 170hp (127kW) and 295 lb-ft (400Nm).
- the 2.2L petrol BLK 220 has 224hp (167kW) and 258lb ft of torque (349Nm), and the diesel BLK 220 CDI has 204hp (152) and 355lb-ft (480Nm).
Nowadays SUV's are very popular all over the world, all major car makes started production of their own all-road luxury cars. The concept behind the SUV is to get comfort of the luxury car but have four wheel drive on big rims so that you can go off the road with the same feeling.
But it seems that in Soviet Russia they had already this ideal car - you can see here a luxury Soviet "Pobeda" ("Victory") car on the high wheels, and people say it is not a self-made thing but was in production in limited edition at the car factory, so it can be probably not only the first Russian SUV but first SUV ever.
Fashion icon, Christian Audigier, recently announced plans to create a line of customized vehicles inspired by first-class fashion and the jet-set lifestyle under his banner of CA Motoring. Audigier will manufacture two lines of bespoke vehicles based on his original hand-sketched designs. The Audigier signature series, which will bear the gold CA logo along with your choice of custom blended hues, embodies the high-class lifestyle and design. And, the other vision, Ed Hardy Custom Iron, follows an edgier theme of matte exterior paint and tattoo art, aimed at followers of Ed Hardy’s street and rock ‘n’ roll culture. The bespoke vehicles will feature maple wood cabinetry, and accents, ice storage console, center console which houses six-disc Alpine DVD changer, Sony PlayStation 3, Apple iPod, and an Apple Mac mini 80GB computer in a powerized drawer, motorized cigar humidor in center console, 26” high definition flat panel TV in motorized partition and 29” flat panel TVs in door posts. All the features are controlled with a digital touch panel. The flagship vehicle for CA Motoring, entitled VIF1, will actually be Audigier’s personally commissioned super luxury SUV.
Casting their devious nets even farther afield than usual, our spy shooters have just checked in with a new SUV mule from China’s Roewe that could find its way onto the European market branded as an MG. Think that’s not quite confusing enough? Well the Chinese ute with British marque pretensions is actually based on a vehicle from none other than South Korea’s SsangYong, the much-loved Kyron. Welcome to the global market kids.
So, the truth is we don’t really know much about the SsangYong on which this mule originates but our sources tell us that it has been tweaked to be a bit more attractive than the root vehicle, thanks to changes in the front end, side windows, and the rear treatment. The new Roewe will carry on with the same engine range offered in its forbearer, meaning a 2.0-liter diesel unit with 141 horsepower and a 2.7-liter diesel with 165 horsepower, both hooked to an automatic transmission. Two-wheeled and four-wheeled versions of the SUV will be available.
And the MG tie-in? Well, Roewe’s parent company SAIC is still trying to make a go of reviving the storied British automaker, largely through the reanimation of its former plant in Longbridge, UK. Former MG and Rover products have been freshened and sold in China already under the Roewe nameplate, so it wouldn’t be unreasonable to think that the company may bring this vehicle to Europe under the better known MG brand. Only time will tell.
Scroll down to read the shooter’s own words and be sure to check out our gallery of images up above.
Here are the best spy shots so far of the new SUV from Chinese carmaker Roewe taken in a smaller town in China. Based on the SsangYong Kyron, we can notice some changes. Compared to the Kyron there is a completely new front, which actually looks better. They also made a change to the rear side window and of course they changed the ugly rear of the Kyron. The roof spoiler must be loved by both SsangYong and Roewe designers because they kept that one on the car.
The Roewe actually looks pretty decent, but it will never win a prize for its design. There are even rumors that the Roewe SUV will be branded as a MG for the European market.
Engines are likely to be the same as in the SsangYong Kyron, meaning a 2.0 liter diesel engine with 141 horsepower and a 2.7 liter diesel with 165 horsepower. Both will be available with an automatic gearbox, and you will also be able to choose from 2WD and 4WD versions.
The Mini Crossman SUV is quickly approaching the final stages of its development, with our photographers snapping a rather interestingly camouflaged production version for the first time.
The paradox of a Mini SUV is aimed at launching the brand into new territory, with BMW hoping it will become a more “masculine” alternative in the hotly contested crossover market.
Since our last look at the Crossman, Mini has revealed the new model as a concept at the Paris Auto Show, which is likely to reveal subtle details which will appear in final production model.
With Mini rapidly running out of space at their current facilities, this new vehicle will also mark the first time a Mini has been assembled outside the UK, with Austrian manufacturer Magna Steyr set to take on that role.
The Mini Crossman SUV is set to be released in 2010, with reportedly no plans for a fifth model in the Mini line-up.
Looking for the best SUV for your family? While the economic climate has changed dramatically, America has not stopped buying SUVs. For big families, it’s either an SUV or a minivan, and for those in colder climates, it’s the SUV that gets the nod. While determining which SUV best suits your family’s requirements needn’t be a drawn out process; it does take a bit of time and an open mind. The best SUV for your needs might not be the one you have your heart set upon. The good news is that the recent drop in gasoline prices and the glut of SUVs on dealer lots has created a buyers market. I chatted with an old friend of mine earlier this evening. His marital situation is changing and he’s ready to buy a new SUV, but he’s not sure exactly which model to choose.
Joe Cool: Hi Dan. I have a bit of a dilemma in the car department and am hoping you can help me out.
Dan Gray: Hey there, old friend, tell me about that dilemma.
Joe Cool: I’m coming out of a divorce and will end up with two cars, neither of which I want. The first is a Toyota Prius. It’s from the first year of the second generation of the car, and it’s good, but it’s too small and definitely doesn’t handle poor weather well.The second is a Volvo XC90 SUV and while it’s a good size and handles poor weather (snow, ice, etc) well, it gets terrible mpg. They’re both in good condition with relatively low mileage for their age. I want to trade them both in - for whatever I can get - and buy a new car to replace them both. I have three kids and really like the hybrid concept and supporting newer auto technology. So my question to you: if I want good mpg, a hybrid and a car that can handle crummy weather, what do you recommend, Dr. Auto?
Dan Gray: The good news is that you should have a good chunk of change in your residual values. The second generation Toyota Prius has held its resale value remarkably well. Since you have three kids, you’re fair game for a SUV, or better yet, a crossover … which is codeword for “kinda like an SUV, but more like a station wagon.”
Joe Cool: did I mention those magic words “price is not a constraint”? I want a car that’ll work for all of us for years to come — including if I have a new woman come into my life too (e.g. needs to be space for 5, not just 4).
Dan Gray: It’s always fun spending someone else’s money, old friend … lets see if we can come up with some ideas. Hmmmm … Dad + three kids + the mystery woman …
Joe Cool: Already sounds like a good movie!
Dan Gray: Either that, or a sequel to the Brady Bunch! It sounds like you may need more than two rows of seating, if your kids have friends to bring along, or if your new friend has a kid of her own (or a dog).
Joe Cool: well, I don’t want a SCHOOL BUS!
Dan Gray: Fear not … you will not be driving the short bus,
Joe Cool: Nice film reference.
Dan Gray: Looking at the current crop of three row hybrid SUVs … there’s the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, the Chevy Tahoe/Cadillac Escalade Hybrids, and the Dodge Durango/Chrysler SUV Hybrids. The GM and Chrysler SUV hybrids are large trucks. The Toyota is more car-like. If you were going to tow a trailer, you’d want to look at either the GMs or Chryslers. If not, the Toyota might be the best fit … again, if you need three rows of seating.
Joe Cool: well, my youngest is only 5, so theoretically I could have three squished into a single row. But it’s most definitely NOT optimal. Tell me a bit about the Toyota Highlander Hybrid.
Dan Gray: The Highlander Hybrid is roomy and comfortable, with most of the high-tech stuff I know you love. Since you’ve been driving your Prius for a while, you’re already familiar with what it takes to get the most miles out of every gallon with the Hybrid Synergy Drive system.
Joe Cool: Toyota site says they’re coming out with an all new 4-cylinder engine for the Highlander? What’s the scoop with that?
Dan Gray: If I’m not mistaken, the new 4-cylinder engine will be available in the standard Highlander, not in the Hybrid. Are you dead set on a hybrid? Would you consider other technologies?
Joe Cool: Are you sure it has a third row? Or is that only in the non-hybrid?
Dan Gray: The 2008 Highlander Hybrid that I test drove over the summer had three rows of seating. The third row is an option.
Joe Cool: Okay what’s the difference between the “Hybrid” and the “Hybrid Limited”?
Dan Gray: The Highlander Hybrid Limited adds niceties like a power lift gate and leather interior. Once you fully option it out, you can land in the high 40s.
Joe Cool: I price my configuration out at $41k if I get the non-”limited” edition. But I can’t see on their configurator how to specify a third row. On the Volvo, the third row is only rated for max 45 pounds/person (e.g. younger kids). Do you know if the Highlander third row is for bigger kids?
Dan Gray: The third row seating is part of the “popular package.” We’d have to dig for the seating capacity, although I don’t recall that the third row was as tight your Volvo. While the Highlander Hybrid is a very nice SUV, there are other vehicles which may offer a bit more appeal for the single dad. If I were in your comfortable shoes, I might also look at the Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz 320, and … if you want to go domestic, the Ford Flex.
Joe Cool: I was looking at the Lexus 400h, actually. Not good for me + another adult + all three kids, but for the four of us, a very nice vehicle.
Dan Gray: The Lexus 400h hybrid is a lovely vehicle … like a living room on wheels … and it’s fast.
Joe Cool: Tell me about the Ford Flex?
Dan Gray: Haven’t see one yet? The Ford Flex is unlike anything else, although it might remind you of the station wagons we rode in as kids. There’s a certain nostalgic appeal in the big boxy lines. The interior is what puts this one over the top … It completely rethinks the concept of people mover. Ford touts it as “Limo Style Comfort”
Joe Cool: All these cars get crappy mpg, though. The Q7 gets 14, the Flex gets 17. Surely I can do better than that?
Dan Gray: Ford’s higher MPG solution for the Flex is still a year or two away … they have a new direct injection engine that’s rumored to deliver 20% better mileage.
Joe Cool: From 17mpg to 19mpg? Hardly worth the effort.
Dan Gray: Be patient, grasshopper. It should offer a bit more then that. The 2009 Audi Q7, on the other hand, is available with a new clean diesel engine that delivers significantly better mileage.
Joe Cool: I get 40-48 MPG on my Prius.
Dan Gray: Apples to oranges, old friend. Compare the weight of the Prius to that of a SUV. And consider the effects of AWD.
Joe Cool: Right, that’s why I want to find something in the middle, though. Going from 45mpg to 15mpg when at least 50% of the time I’ll be likely driving it solo is going to be painful.
Dan Gray: And that’s the rub.
Joe Cool: Which is why a smaller SUV like the 400h is nice. Maybe I just need to let go of the “4 + 1″ sort of configuration. Really, my prime consideration is a hybrid that can handle rough winter driving conditions. That’s how we ended up keeping the Volvo when we got the Prius in the first place. So if I could replace both with a high-mpg AWD vehicle that doesn’t have ANY additional space for passengers, but is just safer and newer, well, that’d work for me.
Dan Gray: The Ford Escape Hybrid and it’s cousin the Mercury Mariner Hybrid get excellent mileage in town, but are more truck-like then the 400h or Highlander Hybrid.
Joe Cool: Hate to sound anti-American, but I haven’t bought an American car in years. All my prior experience has been poor, and my experience with Toyota, in particular, has been consistently splendid.
Dan Gray: Quite all right … I’ve been reviewing cars with an open mind … after buying nothing but Hondas for years on end. No doubt there are models that you’ve overlooked. You might want to look at the Saturn VUE Green Line Hybrid … it’s designed in Europe and is currently claims he highest highway MPGs of all the 5-seat SUVs sold here in America. The VUE Green Line has clean lines and rides well … there’s a two-mode hybrid system on the way that will boost mileage, or so they say.
Joe Cool: What’s Saturn’s reputation in the last year or two?
Dan Gray: For that, I’d say check with Consumer Reports. The great thing right now is that car dealers are hungry for sales, no matter which marquee … they’re almost all feeling the pinch. It’s a good time to shop.
Joe Cool: 32mpg highway: the Saturn VUE hybrid is definitely more like it! Did Saturn license the Toyota hybrid technology, or is it their own?
Dan Gray: It’s GM’s tech, from what I understand. Strictly a mild hybrid currently … you can’t creep around on the electric motor. The bigger downside for you is that it’s FWD only at this point.
Joe Cool: Oh, that’s not going to work. I need 4wd. I go up into the mountains during bad weather. mountains = the Rockies. So what 4wd hybrids are on the market?
Dan Gray: We’ve hit them all … Lexus 400h, Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid, Mercury Mariner Hybrid, Chevy Tahoe Hybrid, Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, Dodge Durango Hybrid, and the Chrysler.
Joe Cool: Audi Q7, Lexus 400h, Ford Flex … so if I omit American cars…
Dan Gray: The Audi Q7 is available with a clean diesel engine. As are the Mercedes 320 models.
Joe Cool: Lexus 400h, Toyota Highlander,…. that’s it? Two SUV hybrids, even in the 2009 line?
Dan Gray: Yep, that’s it. And Honda does not have a hybrid SUV, as of yet.
Joe Cool: 2010? What’ll show up mid-next year?
Dan Gray: There will be a Lincoln version of the Ford Flex. Honda might *finally* have a clean diesel engine in, most likely, an Acura SUV. I’ve driven the Euro diesel Honda CR-V and it’s a lovely little beast.
Joe Cool: Acura versus Lexus: which is a better brand?
Dan Gray: They are both formidable marquees. I’ve always been a Honda guy, but I drove seven Toyotas in a row this past summer.
Joe Cool: and what did you think of the 7 Toyos?
Dan Gray: Good solid values. It’s interesting experiencing vehicles this way. Once you take the skin out of the game, you can be more objective. We all come into these purchase decision processes with preconceptions. Often, our minds are already made up as to what we want to buy. The seven Toyotas were great cars, each and every one in its own way. You can’t really compare a Yaris to a RX400x. But they were both wonderful for what they are and who they serve.
Joe Cool: Right. and I feel blessed that I’m not pricing Yaris, personally.
Dan Gray: The Yaris is an absolutely wonderful little car … I believe the name comes from the Greek, Charis, or “gift”.
So, I say … go shopping and have fun with this purchase … keep an open mind … Look at brands you might not have considered before. And if you come home to Toyota, that’s fine, too.
Joe Cool: Cool. Thanks for the great info and list of additional cars to check out. I’ll try to pop by the Audi dealer in the next few days to check out a Q7, to start.
It’s not the first hybrid stretch limousine, because a Canadian firm converted a Prius into a 10-seater last year. But it does appear to be the first stretch limo built from the body of a hybrid SUV, which would make it the world’s largest hybrid gas-electric vehicle—if it weren't for hybrid buses and locomotives.
LimeLite CoachWorks of Santa Clara, Calif.—which builds a variety of stretch limos from Hummers and Escalades to Mini Coopers and Jaguar XFs—recently added more than 13 feet to a Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid. LimeLite Business Development Representative Mike Williams told HybridCars.com that it’s the first hybrid limo off the line for the company, and was sold before it was finished being built. The vehicle will soon be put into service by Zbest Limos of Baltimore, Maryland.
Williams noted that limo services historically have not paid much attention to fuel economy, but rising gas prices have given them new interest in the savings offered by hybrids. The company believes that using the Tahoe hybrid can yield up to 80 percent fuel savings compared to a comparable non-hybrid model.
When parked, all of the electronics in the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid limo run off the battery while traditional limos need to run the gas engine to power toys such as flat-screen TVs, Karaoke machines, full-service wet bars, and multi-color neon lighting. In the company’s first conversion, the usual purple neon lights were switched to green.
LimeLite has more hybrids on the way. Shop foreman Miguel De la Vega said the stretch of 160 inches in the first Tahoe was conservative—they now feel they can go to a more extreme 220-inch stretch. The company had no problems dealing with the high-voltage hybrid system, though De la Vega said he was “very careful.” All of the Tahoe’s hybrid system remains intact. In a standard limo, they would have added an additional battery and a beefed up alternator.
Phil Restivo, president and CEO of LimeLite, told HybridCars.com that the hybrid limo business is just beginning. “The hybrid Escalade is coming in October,” he said. Since the standard Escalade is one of LImeLite’s big sellers, he thinks the hybrid version will be popular.
It seems a couple of bad things happened to the Fiat 500. Firstly the door deformed, which means in an accident it’s going to be difficult to get the driver & passengers out for medical treatment.
The second thing was that the airbag seemed to burst just after the driver was about 1/2 way through his foward thrust. That is, it receives the blow from the driver, and then the entire car is thrust backwards & the steering wheel into the drivers face by the momentum of the Audi Q7.
Other than that, that Fiat 500 is a remarkably tough little beast.
So you've got an SUV or a truck that's impossible to sell due to the insanely high gas prices. What're you to do? I say you should just accept that you won't be getting rid of that vehicle for a while and adapt. Why not turn it into a portable party machine? The Party-A-CarGo is a kegorator and sound system that attaches to the tow hitch of your truck, giving you the ability to stop in traffic and pour yourself a frosty beer. You'll be the king of tailgate parties before sports games or concerts, and you can even just back the truck up to your backyard to make it party central. Sure, the $3,000 it costs could be put towards gas or, even better, a new hybrid, neither of those things will help you meet girls.
Mitsubishi has released a special edition Mitsubishi Outlander for the Japanese market where it comes with few additional features compared to the standard SUV.
The Mitsubishi Outlander “Roadest” Special Edition features new bodykit which consists of new front grille and chromed mirror caps at the exterior. The SUV stands on new seven-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels and it comes in 3 different colors, white, black and gray.
On the interior, the Outlander “Roadest” features dark colored sport cloth seats with aluminum trim.
The price for the Mitsubishi Outlander “Roadest” Special Edition starts from 2,877,000 yen.
