http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1170
Mazda announced today that sales of the facelifted version of the 2010 Mazda Atenza would begin immediately in Japan. The car will be introduced internationally at the Geneva Motor Show as the 2010 Mazda6.
The mid-size car comes as either a four-door sedan, five-door, or five-door wagon. Its "grinning" front end, including a new front bumper, now brings the Mazda6 inline with the Mazda3 and recently revealed Mazda5. More dramatic changes at the back, where the car now sports a completely remodeled bumper, light clusters, and tailpipes. Changes were not just made to the outside, as the car now has a single color interior instead of the contrasting tones in the 2009 model. It gives the interior of the car a cleaner look.
Engine offerings on the car include a new, more efficient petrol 2.0-liter DISI1 unit replacing the current 2.0 engine. The MZR 1.8- and 2.5-liter petrol engines have also been updated a bit. The MZR-CD 2.2-liter turbo diesel, on offer ranging from 93 to 131 kW, has modifications to make it more efficient and clean. All six of the engines choices will be available in Europe, but the MZR 1.8-liter will not be sold in Japan.
Adaptive lighting, hill assist, and an adjusted chassis round out the changes. The Mazda6 will get its international premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in March, and will go on sale in Europe soon after.
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Brabus GL 63 Biturbo Pumps Out 478kW
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1171
German tuners Brabus released their version of the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class last month at the Dubai Motor Show. The Brabus GL 63 Biturbo has been fitted with the Mercedes eight cylinder engine from the ML 63 AMG, tuned to deliver 478 kW and up to 850 Nm of torque.
If that number sounds familiar for Brabus, it is because the company used the same engine and tuning package on their ML 63 Biturbo. That SUV debuted in Geneva a year ago with a top speed of 310 km/h.
The GL 63 is a bit slower, with a top speed of 300 km/h, and a 0-100 km/h sprint of 4.7 seconds. The engine is mated to a modified version of the Speedshift 7G-Tronic automatic transmission and permanent four-wheel drive. It includes a customized, and more responsive twin turbo system, large water-to-air intercooler, with other upgrades to the intake and exhaust, brakes, suspension, and tires. The vehicle now rides on forged 23-inch wheels. 21- and 22-inch wheels are also offered.
Brabus is also making the SUV available with a Widestar package, including 3-centimeter wide fender flares, rocker panels, a new front apron, and larger air inlets. LED daytime running lights, underfloor lighting, and four extra headlamps have also been installed. Roof spoiler, rear apron, and rear diffuser have all been installed, as well as a quad-pipe exhaust.
Interior upgrades include Mastik leather, Alcantara, and a choice of wood or carbon-fiber trim. A full pallette of color options is offered for each. LCD screens are integrated into the seats for the rear passengers, who have access to a DVD player.
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Whitacre Accepts Permanent Position as GM CEO
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1172
Ed Whitacre has been named permanent CEO of General Motors, according to the company. His goals for the company include repaying $5.7 billion in loans from the U.S. and Canadian governments by June, an initial public offering, and the continued divestment of non-core brands.
In a press conference Monday, Whitacre said his decision to accept an offer from the board to turn his interim-CEO role into a continuing career was to help GM become more durable. "This place needs some stability; I guess that's me," Whitacre said at the event.
When Whitacre took over for former CEO Fritz Henderson in December, he became the company's third CEO in less than a year. He remains Chairman of the Board, a job he took on when GM exited bankruptcy in July.
"The last thing GM needs right now is its fourth CEO in less than a year. More than anything, GM needs stability -- stability in leadership, stability in direction -- so that it can sell cars, boost market share, make money, get its financial house in order and go public again," Edmunds.com senior analyst Michelle Krebs told the Detroit Free Press.
Whitacre wants to lead the company through an IPO in short order to boost the company's level of cash. "The next milestone will be our initial public offering where we can be traded as a public company again, allowing the government to divest its equity in an orderly and timely manner," he said. Whitacre noted that paying back government-backed loans is a crucial step to becoming profitable again.
The 68-year-old Texan retired as CEO for AT&T in 2007. He is joined by CFO Chris Liddell, who had held the same role at Microsoft.
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Spyker Trading Suspended for Pending Announcement
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1173
Trading in shares of Spyker Cars on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange were suspended today in advance of an announcement regarding the company's attempted purchase of Saab. The price was frozen at €3.91, nearly an 82% increase since trading ended last Friday. |
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Ecclestone, Genii, pull out of Saab bidding race
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1174
Bernie Ecclestone and Genii Capital have pulled out of the running to buy the beleaguered Swedish carmaker Saab.
"Genii Capital believes that the timing of the next stage of the shutdown process at Saab is not compatible with its requirements for putting in place a solid business platform for the future and closing the transaction," the Luxembourg based company said in a statement.
It emerged earlier this month that the familiar F1 names were facing off with Spyker, the Dutch specialist sports car maker that competed in F1 in 2007, to buy the currently General Motors-owned Saab.
Genii, headed by Gerard Lopez, recently bought a controlling stake in Renault's formula one team. Ecclestone, the F1 chief executive, was a part of Genii's Saab-bidding consortium.
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GM first U.S. automaker to build electric motors
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1175
In an effort to reduce costs, GM has announced plans to become the first major U.S. automaker to design and build electric motors.
Currently, the company buys electric motors from suppliers at a premium price. By producing them in-house, GM should be able to pass the savings onto consumers.
The first GM-made electric motors are scheduled to debut in 2013 on the next-generation two-mode hybrid. While details are limited, the new system "will use two unique motor designs and an internal combustion engine to provide improved fuel efficiency." The motors will be roughly 25 percent smaller than the ones used on the current two-mode hybrid and produce about 20 percent more power.
It remains unclear what vehicle will launch will this technology, but GM stated it would be rear-wheel drive. This seems to indicate that it could be the Cadillac XTS hybrid, the Cadillac Converj, the redesigned Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra or the next-generation Chevy Tahoe/GMC Yukon/Cadillac Escalade.
According to Tom Stephens, GM's vice chairman of Global Product Operations, "We think the electrification of today's automobiles will be just as revolutionary and just as beneficial to our customers. Electric motors will play a huge role in that." He added, "In the future, electric motors might become as important to GM as engines are now. By designing and manufacturing electric motors in-house, we can more efficiently use energy from batteries as they evolve, potentially reducing cost and weight - two significant challenges facing batteries today."
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G-Power Typhoon Black Pearl with 460kW
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1176
Based on the previously seen X5 Typhoon, the Black Pearl features a monotone black paint job and an aggressive body kit with revised fascias, a new hood (with improved ventilation), and wider fender flares. Other styling tweaks for the BMW X5 include a rear diffuser, a roof-mounted spoiler, aerodynamic side skirts, and 23-inch Silverstone aluminum wheels wrapped in high performance Michelin tires.
Under the hood, G-Power outfitted the 4.8-liter V8 engine with a SK III RS supercharger, a carbon fiber air intake, a large-volume aluminum charge air cooling system, a SpeedFlow high-performance exhaust system (with racing headers, racing catalysts and racing end mufflers), forged MAHLE pistons, new fuel injectors (with a larger fuel mass capacity), and revised engine electronics.
Thanks to these modifications, the engine produces 460 kW and 700 Nm of torque. This enables the Black Pearl to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds, 0 to 200 km/h in 16 seconds, and top out at more than 300 km/h.
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VW Golf-6 R in Detail
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1177
The new Volkswagen Golf R will be released with a 2.0-liter direct-injection TSI petrol engine producing more horsepower than its predecessor. Not only is it more powerful, but the new engine is also more efficient.
As a replacement to the Golf R32 and its 3.2-liter six-cylinder engine, the new Golf R exceeds performance expectations. Its 196 kW engine is 8% stronger than the previous model, and has a 4.5% torque increase to 475 Nm. 0-100 km/h time improves to 5.7 seconds with a manual transmission, down from 6.5 seconds on the R32. With the DSG gearbox the time drops to 5.5 seconds. Top speed is set at an electronically-limited 250 km/h.
Also nice is the fuel rating. With the DSG the car uses 8.5 liters per 100 km, or nearly 28 mpg. That is a nice improvement on the 10.7l/100km from the predecessor. CO2 emissions drop by 22% to 199 g/km. Like the R32, the Golf R is also an all-wheel drive model. However, the new all-wheel differential does not require "a difference between the front and rear axle speeds" anymore.
The VW Golf R also includes a bunch of equipment, like LED daytime running lights, LED rear lighting clusters, and Bi-Xenon headlights. Twin chrome tailpipes can be found under the diffuser. The adaptive chassis now has three settings, including "Normal," "Comfort," and "Sport," with ride-height dropped by 25 millimeters. Ventilated disc brakes and glossy black tuned callipers are covered by the new 18-inch Talladega style alloy wheels. 19-inch wheels in silver and black are also available.
Inside, designers included leather touches along the micro-fiber fabric interior. Sport seats are added, as well as a whole host of R-badging.
For the full list of standard equipment, check out the press release below. Pricing has not yet been announced on the 2011 Volkswagen Golf R. Despite reports of the Golf R approved for the North American market, no official confirmation has been made, yet.
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Over 1 500 die in festive crashes
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1178
There were 1 582 road accident deaths over the festive season, a decrease from 1 655 in 2008, Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele said on Tuesday.
KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest death toll with 298 and the Northern Cape the lowest with 66, Ndebele said at the release of the statistics in Pretoria.
There had been 1 247 vehicle crashes.
"It's no particular age group who drives badly on the roads, it's individuals."
Ndebele said over last year's Confederations Cup no "major" road accidents had been reported.
"However it is important to contrast that behaviour [of driving] during soccer events to [that of the festive season]. Our behaviour on the road is not expressive of a free democratic society."
Democracy on roads
Drivers tended to believe they were the only ones on the road and ignored fellow motorists and pedestrians.
"We must place more value on human life and exercise respect and democracy on our roads as well."
Over the last three years there had been a "slight decrease" in the number of deaths, but it was so minimal so it could not be attributed to behavioural change.
Ndebele said during the festive season more than 1 500 roadblocks were conducted and more than 1.2 million vehicles and drivers checked.
As a result more than 6 000 vehicles, including 1 536 buses and 1 669 minibus taxis were pulled off the roads.
5 900+ arrested
More than 5 900 arrests were made - including drunk drivers (3 917), reckless or negligent drivers (314), speedsters (415), drivers with overloaded vehicles (250), public transport offenders (246), drivers without driving licences and false documents (251) and other offences (589).
Ndebele said 218 pedestrians were arrested for jaywalking.
More than 447 000 speed camera offences were recorded, with the highest speed clocked was 232km/h in KwaZulu-Natal. The motorcyclist responsible was arrested and fined R18 000.
More than 330 000 fines were issued directly to motorists for various other offences.
"We want to move with speed and put in place measures that have proven to be effective in reducing the impact of road traffic crashes 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year."
Change to traffic laws
He said in terms of the newly-promulgated National Land Transportation Act, all national bus services such as Greyhound and Roadlink would be licensed by the national transport regulator.
"We have legislation in place which provides for cases where provincial or municipal law enforcement is ineffective, national intervention is possible.
"In this regard, I have taken a decision to implement that relevant provision of the law in cases which deem necessary," said Ndebele.
The current traffic law enforcement system was also not effective, the minister said.
"If we want to stop counting bodies every year we have to change it."
He said the system of issuing traffic fines with an option of going to court overstretched already burdened courts.
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GM Reaches Agreement to Sell Saab to Spyker
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1179
General Motors and Spyker Cars NV today confirmed that they have reached a binding agreement on the purchase of Saab Automobile AB.
"Today's announcement is great news for Saab employees, dealers and suppliers, great news for millions of Saab customers and fans worldwide, and great news for GM," said John Smith, GM vice president for corporate planning and alliances.
"General Motors, Spyker Cars, and the Swedish government worked very hard and creatively for a deal that would secure a sustainable future for this unique and iconic brand, and we're all happy for the positive outcome," Smith said.
As part of the agreement, Spyker intends to form a new company, Saab Spyker Automobiles, which will carry the Saab brand forward. The sale will be subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of applicable regulatory, governmental and court approvals. Other terms and conditions specific to the sale will be disclosed in due time.
The Swedish government is at present reviewing the transaction and the related request for guarantees of a Saab Automobile loan that has been requested from the European Investment Bank. Assuming quick action, the transaction is expected to close in mid-February, and previously announced wind down activities at Saab will be immediately suspended, pending the close of the transaction.
"Throughout the negotiations, GM has always had the hope to find a solution for Saab that would avoid a wind down of the brand," added Nick Reilly, president, GM Europe. "We've worked with many parties over the past year, including governments and investors, and I'm very pleased that we could come to such a good conclusion, one that preserves jobs in Sweden and elsewhere. GM will continue to support Saab and Spyker on their way forward."
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