Today, the Kia Soul Flex, the first Korean vehicle that can run on ethanol, was released. It was specially designed for the Brazilian market where these flex-fuel models make up 85% of new car sales.
The vehicle uses a 1.6-liter four-cylinder motor that cranks out 128 horsepower and 119 pound-feet of torque. The car can manage a 44% fuel economy increase in fuel mileage over the gas version.
The Soul Flex will use a reinforced fuel pump, pillar cap, and fuel line. There will also be a gasoline assistance system that will aid engine ignition at low temperatures. In addition to all of this, the motor will use an adapted fuel injection and catalyst system. There will also be a new engine compression ratio.
The Kia Soul Flex will debut this month, with sales beginning early next year in Brazil. The company is also working on a Sportage Flex that should be unveiled at the end of next year.
Subaru has just released the official details on the new 2011 Forester. The Japanese automaker has placed a 2.5-liter boxer four-cylinder motor in the vehicle’s engine compartment. There will also be a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder in the performance oriented XT.
While we’re on the XT topic, Subaru has announced that the XT will be available in two trim levels, the Premium and the Touring. The Touring trim, which will replace the Limited at the top of the line, will offer buyers self-adjusting HID headlights, dual-zone climate controls, and a backup camera.
If you can’t afford the top of the line Touring model don’t fret, as Subaru has equipped the basic models with more goodies than every before. The Forester will come standard with Bluetooth and a one-touch up/down driver’s window. Bump it up to the 2.5X Premium and the 2.5XT Premium and you will get a new audio system with six speakers, a USB and AUX jacks, iPod integration, and Satellite radio capability.
Hit the jump for the full list of specifications.
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Although you’ve probably never heard of the Tata Safari, it’s a pretty big seller in other parts of the world. For 2011, there is a new model, although it still appears to be stuck in 1999. It will go on sale in India in the early part of 2011, followed by Europe later in the year.
The new model will pick up where the old one left off, but with more technical updates, a new design, and more attention to fit and finish. This means that the price will rise, but Tata is debating on continuing the production of the previous model, as a low cost variant. Hard to imagine BMW doing that with one of their models isn’t it?
The 2011 Tata Safari SUV will be based on its sibling Aria’s platform which will make the car more rigid and a better handler. The new model will also have lots of space and will be loaded with features such as a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a silver finish on the center console, Climate Control, and much more.
Tata will also use some of the technical know how from Jaguar Land Rover on the new Safari to help sales in Europe. The motor should be 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel with 140 horsepower.
Hit the jump for the full review.
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Mexico may be known for building most of our vehicles, including supposedly American products, but they haven’t built a true sports car of their own. The good people over at Mastretta are looking to change all of that.
The new MXT will be powered by a 2.0-liter Duratec inline-four with a turbocharger that will crank out 250 horsepower and 257 pound-feet of torque. That power should be plenty as the MXT is lightweight and very basic.
The exterior of the car is nothing to write home about, but we hear it looks much better in person. The car uses an aluminum semi-monocoque construction with a carbon fiber belly pan and a steel subframe. Covering all those goodies is a body of fiberglass-reinforced plastic.
The MXT is on its way to Europe with a price of £31,000 and £38,000. While that might seem cheap for a high-performance sports car, take a look at the specs and you’ll change your mind in a heartbeat. The MXT is without ABS, stability control, and airbags, making this machine a deathtrap to the inexperienced driver. Convert that price from pounds to dollars and you’re looking at a vehicle that costs as much as a Ford Mustang GT500.
We can’t be certain that the MXT will be coming to America any time soon, as the company will look to build some sales momentum in Europe first. Not to mention passing emission tests in this country is harder than astrophysics. Still, it might be years behind the Mustang GT500, but it sure will turn more heads than one.
UPDATE 09/12/2011: Daniel Mastretta, the man behind the MXT sports car, has finally announced that the car has been greenlighted for production with the first production make expected to be delivered to its buyer within the month. Good for you, Mastretta! We’re looking forward to seeing this baby out on American roads soon - if it makes it there, that is.
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Last night, we published an nice overview of the production models at the Paris Motor Show for the first day. Hard to believe the unveilings are about over, but it was one heck of a day to say the least.
It was hard not to love most of the vehicles that were shown at the motor show, as most where stunningly gorgeous, powered by decent motors and some will be extremely rare. Take for instance the Ferrari SA APERTA. Only 80 of these machines will be made and the lucky people who purchase them will get a fantastic front-mounted V12.
We also had the new Peugeot 508, a French made sedan that will take the place of the average in nearly every way, 407. The exterior design is stunning and the interior is wonderfully laid out. We’re not sure how well it will be built, but Peugeot’s been getting better as of late, as we’ll just have to wait and see.
Concepts on the hand, don’t have any of these flaws. It doesn’t matter how well there built or how many will be made, because, none will be. That’s why we love them. Automakers get to design unique machines that might be on our roads in the future. Show cars are vehicles that will be made, but not exactly the way the appear at the moment.
Hit the jump to see them,
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