thegriffon

Well it would be, but mainly because there won't be anything left of it in a few year's time. It's more like a disposable camera than an appliance.

FYI, IIRC 1 Lakh is 10,000 (just 10,000, it is Rs 10,000)

They build cars like this in Europe, but you don't need a full license to drive one (a scooter license will do).

It'll do 65 but the wheel-bearings are only rated to 45 etc.

Umm, the NYT had a good article about this car—it's cheap because it is the disposable car. Don't bother trying to trade it in, just throw it away or sell it for scrap. There are other rwd small cars. The rear-engined Mitsubishi i (similarly egg-shaped), and the Lada Classic (several iterations built in Russia and the Ukraine—of course it was designed before the Toronado or original Mini).

This one is based even more closely on the Passat.

Look Harder.

It's been on the To Do list for several years. Skoda is VW's fastest growing brand, but they have been targeting growth markets such as Russia, China and India first. They have just appeared down under (easier than the US). While a few models are still cheap they are now priced similar to most mainstream models, if a little cheaper than a comparable VW. Originally (pre-communism) they were a luxury brand, and they have some ambitions to regain a premium image. Unfortunately the Superb has probably been too big for the European market, and was in danger of being dropped.

And an American-style midsize sedan rather than the smaller European standard.

Not a coincidence, although this would be the next-gen platform.

i-VTEC does not vary valve timing continuously. Like standard VTEC systems it switches between different cam lobes. The difference between VTEC and i-VTEC is purely nominal. i-VTEC may include cylinder de-activation, or a higher-performance cam profile, whatever Honda decides is more advanced and worthy of being called i-VTEC. It is not always two-stage, but can also be three-stage, whether the third stage is an engine idle mode or cylinder deactivation etc.. Most Ford/Mazda 4-cylinder engines use an essentially similar system, which Mazda calls S-VT (Sequential valve timing). Audi uses a similar cam-switching system to add variable valve lift to the standard cam-phasing on some of its newer engines. Honda is running one diesel in Europe, and before that bought engines from … ahem … GM. That current Honda diesel is oversized and underpowered. Even Tata (there's a name to provoke schoolboy laughter "let's see your Tatas") can build a 2.2 L 140 hp engine. Is Honda ahead of the game in emissions? Well, they have an engine in development, but other companies already have Euro5 engines and even a few Euro6 and US-spec engines. VW's US-spec diesels will have a NOx-scrubbing catalyst (like that announced but not yet offered by Honda) for 4-cylinder engines, and urea additive system for larger engines. What does GM have coming? a 4.5 L V8, a 4-cylinder truck engine for the H3, a 2.9 L V6 and apparently a 1.0 L 3-cylinder for the Beat/Matiz.

Anyone too much of a snob for a Vue or CRV, but who wants something smaller than an RX350 or X5.

Ahh, you left out the Toyota what's it called? the yet another crossover (Mark X Zio twin?)

Too long and too obscure. Also Barekenarija doesn't work so well in syllabic languages like Japanese.

The reasoning is by breaking an embargo publications are seeking an advantage over the competition that will give them an economic gain (in readership and associated magazine/newspaper purchases and advertising revenue), and that gain will be forfeited if it is the result of a copyright breach. If a complaint is made search engines will also remove a site from their listings if it is posting illegal material (including copyright breaches, although in practice this almost never happens).

The Australian response to embargo breakers has been to attach the publication date to the copyright license (i.e. you will not have a license to publish photos or press releases until the embargo date)—publish before the embargo date and you're in breach of copyright and will be sued. While that won't stop anyone writing an original article revealing all the details, there can't be any photos, and who's going to read an article on the 9-4X etc. without photos to show what it actually looks like?

This is a concept, it is not really on any platform—while the size and proportions are a direct preview of the TE crossover, the platform is unique to the concept—for one thing although the Provoq is almost exactly the same size as the Vue, the wheelbase is 7.6" longer—over 4" longer than that of the slightly shorter X3.

Sorry, unless they are adding the sedan to the lineup for North American production, the next Astra will come from GM Manufacturing Poland (cheaper than Belgium though).

Nope. The plan is to have all commercial vehicles meet some kind of fuel economy targets regardless of size (not the CAFE target though). Work trucks below a certain GVWR will still be included in CAFE. For light trucks an extension of the current size-based formula is probable, although it may be adjusted for consistency with the requirements to be developed for medium and heavy trucks (i.e. some kind of payload and towing capacity measure factored in).

Errr, it's a just a Ford-engine version of the 2.0 L DI turbo Ecotec (which gets good fuel economy as well—similar to the naturally aspirated 2.4 L). BMW's 3.0 biturbo, new 4.4 biturbo V8 (which add the refinement of sequential turbos), and the turbo engine in the mini, 207 and 308 (an updated aluminum version of the Tritec block) are the same as well. This is not a new idea. Its efficiency comes from the combination of turbocharger (recovering waste energy from the exhaust) and direct injection (which allows leaner combustion). The increased power only serves to highlight the engine's efficiency. VW's Twincharger attempts to replicate the effect of the sequential turbo setup of the BMW biturbos (also used by Fiat-GM and BMW in diesel engines), with the supercharger taking over the low-load duties of the smaller turbo in the sequential system. I would expect a similar biturbo DI version of the 2.8 V6 to follow from GM soon after (after all a 400 hp version has already been shown in the Aero-X).

Ehhh, this is more a Grand Cherokee-style SUV than a Ford Traverse. Actually, if it is a rwd/awd setup it is probably the same platform as the Land Rover LR3 and Range Rover Sport (Ford's T5 platform). After all it was developed under an Explorer bodyshell. Other "traditional" unibody SUVs—Mitsubishi Montero/Shogun/Pajero, GC, Commander, Liberty and Nitro, previous-gen Pathfinder/QX4, Suzuki Grand Vitara. Note that most of these are more off-road capable than almost any BOF truck. BOF has no advantages except it's flexibility (short bed, long bed, crew cab, regular cab, cab chassis, wagon etc.). For an SUV, a unibody is a more capable option—stronger, quieter, stiffer, lighter. Midsize SUVs from now on will split into two camps—dedicated rwd/awd unibody trucks like the GC, Pajero, Explorer and LR3, and pickup-based models such as the Blazer, H3, Pathfinder and Fortuner (the real Hilux Surf successor). Distinct BOF SUVs like the 4Runner, GMT360s and the current Explorer are an endangered species.

The NHTSA will have discretion to set targets based on a vehicle's size and function (i.e. an 8-seat minivan will likely have a lower target to meet than a 4-seat subcompact), but the average will still have to be 35 mpg. A study is being conducted on setting segment-based targets for medium and heavy trucks as well, probably to be determined by GVWR Class (i.e. no more exemptions for Topkick "pickups").

The SL55 is SOHC and 3V per cylinder, real old tech compared to the DOHC 32V, Dual-VVT 6.2 L.

Ummm, they came from Daewoo. Daewoo will design and build at least one (the Beat) and sell it around the world, probably, but not definitely, in the US as well. GM has given only a rough guideline as to size. They are, roughly, just under 3.5 m long (as per Korean regulations) and probably under 1.7 m wide (but then these are concepts so they may be wider than a production model). Height will vary by the concept, probably around 1.4-1.5 m tall for the Beat, around 1.6 m for the Groove and over 1.6 m for the Trax. The smallest 4-seat car on sale in the US is the mini at a bit under 3.7 m long and 1.68 m wide. B/C-segment hatches in the US market are between 3.9 and just over 4 m long (the A/B-segment Yaris hatch is a smaller vehicle under or over 3.8 m long, give or take the extra exterior padding needed for US compliance).

Just Pontiac fading away (i.e. the new G6 a badge-engineered EPII Malibu). Of course, if PCS was in charge at Pontiac, this would not happen (but neither would the G8).