Honda European CR-V Prototype

In my last post on Honda's lineup for the Geneva Motor Show,I mentioned that they will also début the European CR-V Prototype. Here are some exclusive images of this preview model.

The all-new fourth generation European Honda CR-V has a more aggressive stance with deeper sculpting of the body lines and a bolder front fascia as compared to the previous generation. The lower front bumper wraps smartly upward to convey SUV capability, while the lower front bumper design now integrates more smoothly into the fascia for improved aerodynamics. The new model is set to go on sale in Autumn 2012.

The Fisker Karma test drive

Fisker calls the Karma the "first true electric luxury vehicle" - actually it is a hybrid and costs more than $100,000.

Watch Dan Neil Test Drive the 2012 Karma.

BMWi concepts

The BMW i3 Concept and BMW i8 Concept cars. Visit the BMWi site for more info.

Honda lineup for the Geneva Motor Show

Honda has revealed two Sports Car Concepts: a prototype of the European CR-V as well as the debut of the all-new 1.6 Diesel engine all appearing on the Honda stand.

Honda's next generation supercar, the NSX Concept features a V6 mid-mounted engine featuring the innovative new technologies including the innovative Sport Hybrid SH-AWD® (Super Handling All Wheel DriveTM) hybrid system.

The Honda EV-STER is an electric rear wheel drive two-seater open sports car.

Honda will also present the preview model of the European CR-V Prototype, the fourth generation which is set to go on sale in Autumn 2012.

Jaguar Land Rover pushes up Tata's profits

Tata Motors has announced a 41% rise in profits booted by rise in sales by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) despite fall in profits within the Indian market (falling more than half to 1.74bn Rupees).

The rise is attributed to sales (32,000) of the new Range Rover Evoque model.

In the three months to December 31, China has also overtaken UK as JLR's biggest market. China now accounts for 17.2% of total sales compared with 16.5% for the UK. Sales have also increased in Russia. In the same quarter, JLR had a profit of £440m, up 57% from a year earlier.

Source: BBC News.

New Audi RS4 Avant

Audi has just released official pictures of the third generation RS4 Avant which is an estate version.

The car will be powered by a 4.2-litre V8 (same as in the RS5) mated to a seven-speed S tronic transmission. With a top speed of 174 mph capability and Quattro handling, the  car can go from 0-62mph in only 4.7 seconds.

The car will be revealed at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

Aftermarket car and truck Accessories

One of my favourite TV shows used to be the American version of MTV's Pimp My Ride. I loved the way they would take a run down rusted death trap into an amazing dream ride. One of my friends back in Malaysia is a huge fan of the series as well and you should see the way he modified his old Proton 1.8 Wira. Nothing as drastic as in the TV series but he's done a great job - with whole body kit, spoilers, new rims, new wheels and a shiny metallic paint job - the car looks fantastic. I will try to persuade him to send me some pictures.

And it does not stop there. The interiors have also gone through a complete makeover with racing seats, new gear knobs and all kids of gauges on the dashboard. However, he drew the line of coloured LEDs underneath the car ("too fancy")and any modifications to the engine. All he did was change the exhaust and new air intake systems.

Through him, I discovered the world of the car tuning and modified cars. Some guys spend thousands of dollars on aftermarket accessories doing up their cars - sometimes immediately after they get it out of the showrooms. Some see this as an art form while others feel that they are expressing their personality using their cars.

If you are one of those guys - check out the amazing range of new after market car accessories available.

New BMW M6 Coupé and BMW M6 Convertible

The M6 Coupé is available with a petrol engine and goes from 0-62mph in 4.2 secs. It costs £93,795 (OTR). On the other hand, the M6 Convertible takes 4.3 secs to go from 0-62mph and costs £98,995 (OTR).

Rome to Edinburgh in a Ford

Matthias Lorenz-Meyer travels from Rome to Edinburgh in a Ford Mondeo, on two tanks of fuel.

Mercedes Benz - the luxury brand

Brands sends different messages to consumers and when I think of luxury car brands, among the first images to come to mind is the three-pointed star Mercedes-Benz logo. It is one of the most recognizable and timeless logos. The German car brands have built up a reputation for good engineering, quality, design and service quality. However, unlike BMW, VW or Audi, most consumers automatically associate Mercedes Benz with prestige and luxury.

However, when people think of safety, Volvo is the brand listed on top. While the Japanese brands are listed high for Quality and BMW comes on top for performance (according to The Consumer Reports National Research Center). The only This is really interesting because Mercedes Benz does make high performance and sporty models (for example, the SLK range) and are also among the safest cars around (according to Euro NCAP results). Despite this, Mercedes-Benz remains as one of the top most desired brands among customers around the globe.

Mercedes-Benz SLK 200 BlueEFFICIENCY Sport-Paket AMG (R 172)

Despite the perception the Mercedes-Benz cars are expensive, you will be surprised to learn that you can actually get used models at really affordable prices. However, maintenance can be an issue as spare parts can be expensive. As always I only recommend that you use the genuine parts recommended by the manufacturer. It can also prove to be quite hard to find parts for older models. You may need to find a reputable spare parts dealer.

If you live in the US and are looking for Mercedes Benz Parts, I recommend that you check out German Star's Mercedes Parts Catalog. With 25 years experience in the Mercedes Benz parts business, they have and extensive inventory with parts parts listed by chassis or engine type.

Even if the parts you seek are not listed, you can contact them via email or on their site using their Online Quote Form. You can also drop a line in their Discussion Forum where one of their staff will respond promptly.

If you are not really sure about your chassis type. the site has a Mercedes Model Info form for quick reference.

I was quite impressed when I read that orders are shipped via UPS or FedEx and received within 2 to 3 days. There is not much information on the site but they also serve international customers.

Best cars of 2011 - Euro NCAP

Euro NCAP has published the results for 53 new car models available in the European market, including the commercially available Electric Vehicles. The vehicles achieved a five star rating and showed good scores in each of Euro NCAP’s four areas of assessment.

The best cars in each category are listed below:

Small off-road 4×4 category: Audi Q3

Supermini category: Chevrolet Aveo

Small Family category: Ford Focus

Small MPV category: Mercedes B Class

Large Family category: Volvo V60

The Ford Ranger was the only pickup tested by Euro NCAP in 2011. It is the safest pickup yet tested by the organisation and scored highly in all areas of assessment, most notably in pedestrian protection.

As for electric cars, the Nissan LEAF was the first of its kind to achieve Euro NCAP 5 star overall rating.

Read the full report on the Euro NCAP site.

Bentley unveils 2 new cars

Early this month, Bentley unveiled two new cars, the new Continental GT and GTC V8 models, at the North American International Auto Show, Detroit. The cars are powered by the new 4.0 litre, twin turbocharged V8 and said to offer exceptional standards for power-to-emissions in the high luxury sports car sector.

The new Bentley V8 engine delivers maximum power of 500 bhp (507 PS / 373 Kw) at 6000 rev/min and an extraordinary peak torque of 660 Nm (487 lb ft) which is available across virtually the entire rev range from 1700 to 5000 rev/min, providing exhilarating performance and effortless power delivery in the Bentley tradition. Combined with a new close-ratio 8-speed automatic transmission, this translates into a 0-60 mph sprint time of 4.6 seconds for the GT coupe (0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds) and a top speed of 188 mph (303 km/h).

The GTC V8 top up

The V8 Continental models achieve outstanding levels of fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions for the luxury performance sector and are capable of travelling over 500 miles (800 km) on a single tank of fuel. This represents a 40 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions.

The new car models are distinguished by a black gloss matrix grille with chrome frame and centre bar, a red enamel Bentley badge, and a black matrix three-segment lower front bumper divided by distinctive body-coloured strakes.

20-inch alloy wheels comes as standard on both models with an optional 21 inch six-spoke design which is available in dramatic Diamond Black (exclusive to the Continental V8) or Diamond Silver finishes.

The interior car design continues the fresh, sporting design theme with an Eliade cloth headlining, new contemporary Dark Fiddleback Eucalyptus veneers, optional two-tone leather colour split and short centre console.