The three door version of the new Volkswagen Up! was unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, and now Volkswagen has released the first details on the five-door model. In Germany, the new version will go on sale March 6th with first deliveries arriving in May. Prices will start from 10,800 euro, or about $14,000 at the current exchange rates.
The five-door Volkswagen Up! features the same dimensions as the three-door version, but the difference is the rear doors which open wide and allow easy boarding. The interior also offers more space, with 94.7cm (37.2 inches) of headroom and 79cm (31.1 inches) of legroom. The rear passengers will be even more comfortable thanks to raised seating positions.
As for power, the new Up! will be offered with a 1.0-liter petrol engine with BlueMotion technology offered in either 60 or 75 HP versions. Both of these options are combined with start-stop function and an impressive fuel economy of 4.2 liters/100 km.
Just like with three-door Up!, the new five-door model will be offered with City Emergency Braking - a new safety technology system that automatically actives at speeds of under 18.6 mph and uses a laser sensor to detect the risk of any imminent collisions. Next to this feature, the new five-door Up! will also get touchscreen navigation, Bluetooth, and other entertainment systems.
Scion has announced the new special edition 2012 xB Release Series 9.0 that will arrive in dealer showrooms in October 2011. The model will be offered exclusively in Hot Lava and will be priced from $18,110 when equipped with a manual gearbox and $19,060 when equipped with an automatic transmission. It will be limited to only 1,500 units.
The xB’s new Hot Lava exterior color will be combined with a unique honeycomb patterned lower grille that cleverly incorporates the brand name "Scion" into the mix. For the interior, the Release Series 9.0 will get exclusive perforated synthetic suede front and rear seat covers that feature an embossed Scion logo and Hot Lava color-tuned highlights. The xB wears an illuminated badge that is individually numbered.
The list of standard equipment include an all-new AM/FM/CD/HD/USB 160-watt maximum output Pioneer audio system, HD Radio technology, and Bluetooth connectivity that allows both hands-free phone connection as well as streaming audio capability.
The current generation Toyota Tacoma has been in production since 2005 and it’s about time the truck got some changes. For the 2012 model year, the Tacoma has been updated with a restyled exterior look and a redesigned and modernized interior, with some technological goodies to boot. What hasn’t changed is the power source: the Toyota Tacoma will still be running on either a 2.7 liter four-cylinder engine producing 159 HP and 180 lb-ft of torque or the 4.0 liter V6 delivering 236 hp and 266 lb-ft.
Some of the highlights for the 2012 Tacoma include a redesigned hood, new grille, new headlamps, and a new front bumper. The inside is where Toyota got real schnazzy, sprucing up the truck with a new six-speaker system with an AM/FM/ Satellite Radio-capable head unit and a single-disc CD player for the Access Cabin model and the new Entune infotainment system with seven speakers for the Double Cab model.
Hit the jump to read more about the 2012 Toyota Tacoma.
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Not too many things remain static throughout our lives. Yet throughout mine one thing has remained a part of the landscape of my life: my dad’s 1968 BMW 2002. He has had this car since it rolled out of Munich in 1968. I have many childhood memories sitting in those Recaro bucket seats. The learning did not cease; if anything it picked up because as I became more interested in cars, this car become the embodiment of everything I look for in a great car: style, performance, fuel economy. Then my dad and I upgraded virtually every component of it and made it better.
This was my study hall where some of my fondest memories were with my dad installing the engine and soaking up the knowledge like a new sponge. Now as I sit in its seats, the recollections flood back. Yet when I turn the key, the engine rumble prompts me to go out into the world and make new memories.
Details on the 1968 BMW 2002 after the jump.
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It didn’t take long for Kia to release a facelift version of the Soul, did it?
After only three model years, the Korean automaker has decided that their K-pop crossover needed a facelift, and so they gave it one, providing the 2012 Soul with all the styling, power, and fuel economy improvements needed to satisfy the vehicle’s growing number of fans.
While the car already looked the part of something eclectic, Kia went the subtle route with their changes, opting to give it improvements that are less about style than they were about substance. This substance is provided with a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 160 horsepower and 143 lb/ft of torque with an improved fuel economy rating of 27 mpg on the city and 33 mpg on the highway.
"The Soul crossover vehicle has always stood out from the crowd and was responsible for bringing new customers to the Kia brand and positioning the company for a series of record-breaking successes," said Michael Sprague, vice president of Marketing & Communications at Kia Motors America.
"With gas prices on the rise, this refresh adds even more style and fun-to-drive performance, while also improving fuel economy by 10 percent."
Details on the Kia Soul after the jump.
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