Sports Utility / 4x4 : 
The 2008 SAE World Congress will reveal for it’s visitors the new diesel- electric hybrid version of the Scorpio SUV. The announcement was made today by Mahindra&Mahindra, one of the leading automakers in the Indian market, which developed the diesel hybrid version with support from FEV, a leading producer of advanced powertrain and vehicles technologies. "The Scorpio vehicle is a clear indicator of the enormous implications of globalization on the changing paradigm in vehicle development. A rapid advancement of technology is occurring on a global scale, and our OEM customers are increasingly leveraging FEV’s global presence to ensure around- the-clock development of new powertrain and vehicle concepts”, said Mr. Gary Rogers, president and CEO of FEV. >> read
While the US is still waiting for a V6 diesel engine, Volkswagen UK announced today the introduction of a revised version of the 3.0 liter V6 diesel engine on the Touareg, which will deliver a useful boost in power but also a higher fuel economy and less CO2 emissions. According to the manufacturer, the Volkswagen Touareg powered by the 3.0 liter diesel engine represents almost 68% of all the sales of the vehicle in the UK. The upgraded engine, linked to a six speed tiptronic gearbox and four-wheel drive, will now deliver 240hp instead of 225hp, the sprint from 0-100 km/h will be possible in 8.3 seconds while the CO2 emissions will drop from .278 g/km to 262 g/km >> read
Delta4x4, the Bavarian specialist for SUVs, unveiled its new kit for the latest generation of the Toyota Land Cruiser. The kit for the car contains: a front bar that meets EU pedestrian safety standars, stanless steel double pipe exhaust system, stainless steelside bars, steel rear bumper and a delta4x4 break system . Delta4x4 offers the customization program for the Toyota Land Cruiser for a price of €22,260. If you’re curious about the performaces of the car find out that it accelerates from 0-100 km/h in just 7.8s while the top speed is of 218 km/h. These performances are possible due to the upgrade of the engine from 286hp to 318 hp and with the help of the new set of 23inch alloy wheels. Specifications and prices after the jump! >> read
GM announced that by the end of 2010 all the Hummer vehicles will feature biofuel capability. Recently a dealership called Classic Chevrolet / Hummer opened public biofuel pumps and GM revealed a 2009 H2 SUT, which was E85 capable, described by the public who first saw it, as a derivate of the HX concept. The biofuel station called Classic Clean Fuels, located in Dallas, Texas, offers biofuel at nine dedicated pumps which cost over $500,000. The dealership announced that it will deliver E85 capable vehicles with an extra tank of E85 . “We sell a lot of trucks capable of running on alternative fuels like E85, and even though there has been some increased availability, we saw a need for more E85 pumps where drivers could fill up” said Charles Martin, general manager at Classic Chevrolet / Hummer. 
This ultimate toy has been created by engineer Dr James Brighton from Cranfield University. All the work has been made in about a month, and of course the engineer said he had a lot of fun during the process. Why is not that a surprise?
The results are clear – all controllers will be amazed by the handling ability – the best any radio controlled vehicle has had to date. The vehicle is capable of climbing a 407mm vertical wall, traverse a 40% side slope and operate in up to 610mm of water – imagine the fun” Well bad news is that the toy won’t be available for sale! Damn! Might have been an interested toy for your kids! >> read
Automotive politics in full swing. As Porsche increases its stake in VW from 31 percent to more than 50 percent, its earlier plans of making a smaller SUV based on the Audi Q5 has aroused. And news is out from Ingolstadt that Audi’s board members are against this proposition as they fear it might impact Q5’s sales. Porsche’s Chairman Wendelin Wiedeking, for many years, has been trying to strike a deal with Audi to bring out a five-seater SUV. The Q5 was what he exactly had in mind. The Porsche Cayenne and the Audi Q7 were developed and are built on a common platform. Wiedeking’s idea of making it happen again with the Q5 has apparently not pleased the board members at Audi. The Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q7 are in their own leagues even though they share the same platform. Porsche should stop buying such lame stories and go ahead with developing their own stuff and now with the increase in their stake, it is bound to happen anytime soon. I mean, who wouldn’t want to buy a mini-Cayenne? And once they bring out one, it would definitely destroy the BMW X3. Mercedes launch the new generation ML-Class, a stylish SUV that now has even more distinctive characteristics, and looks even sportier and more powerful. The front end of this off-roader is now defined by a redesigned bumper, recontoured headlamps and a larger, even more dominant radiator. The rear view also sports a new-look bumper with integrated reflector strips, emphasising the vehicle’s width, as well as tails lights with a smoked-glass look. Stylistic fine-tuning and new high-grade materials which are pleasing to the eye and touch combine with a new two-tone colour scheme to add fresh highlights to the interior.
The Ml-Class is being offered in five different versions with output between 190 to 388 hp. The engines, either V6 or V8, both petrol and diesel, are now even more fuel-efficient. And the standard-fit 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission with optimised shift characteristics translates the power from the engines into refined dynamism.
The most powerful model, the ML 63 AMG 4MATIC is powered by a 6.3-litre V8 AMG engine that delivers 510 hp at 6800 rpm and a peak torque of 630 Nm at 5200 rpm. It makes the 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint in 5.0 seconds and can hit a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). Press release after the jump. >> read 2009 Mercedes ML-Class Picture Gallery /BOUCLE_root>.

Bmw, the Bavarian car manufacturer is aiming to invest $750 million in an expansion of its Spartanburg plant, a move that could raise the production from 160,000 units to 240,000 units by 2012. Bmw is planning to expand the plant in size by 60%, from 140,000 m² to 370,000 m², and to create 500 new jobs. >> read 
HUMMER has partnered with Mountain Rescue (England & Wales), to provide a specially modified vehicle for the UK charity.
UK Mountain Rescue celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2008 and to commemorate this landmark, the newly launched right-hand drive HUMMER H3 will support the charity’s busiest teams in England and Wales across the year. The hardy on/off road vehicle will carry both equipment and personnel as Mountain Rescue goes about saving hundreds of lives annually.
Hailed as the off-road vehicle – ‘like nothing else,’ the H3 is one of the most capable off-road vehicles on the market today. Recently introduced into the UK, the H3 is a smaller, more affordable and agile version of the larger H1 and H2 models. In addition to it’s iconic design, the vehicle boasts a number of advanced off-road features allowing the driver to enjoy full versatility in some of the most gruelling driving conditions nature has to offer.
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Hummer will add a V8 version for the 2008 model year H3. The V8 H3 will debut at the Geneva Motor Show and will go on sale immediately afterwards. next to it Hummer will launch a a limited edition of the H3 V8 in the showroom: the Granite Edition. The new 5.3 litre V8 engine produces 224 kW (305 HP) at 5200 rpm and has a maximum torque of 432 Nm at 4000 rpm. Equipped in this way, the HUMMER H3 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.2 seconds. The average consumption falls to 14.5 litres per 100 km (compared with 14.6 l/100 km for the H3 3.7 automatic). Press release after the jump. >> read Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 next > >>
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