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Saturday, November 28, 2009
RPMGO.com (former Auto Unleashed) |
- No, you won’t be seing a Ferrari Dodge Viper in the future, brand chief says
- Toyota not happy with EuroNCAP giving its Urban Cruiser a three-star safety rating
- Renault reveals the Twingo Gordinin R.S., performance and heritage in one hot hatch
| No, you won’t be seing a Ferrari Dodge Viper in the future, brand chief says Posted: 27 Nov 2009 07:44 AM PST  Dodge Viper fans are quite happy these days as the upcoming 2010 Viper ACR set a new lap record on the famous Laguna Seca racing circuit and it seems that the iconic model will go out with a bang next year, when production is planned to reach an end. As for the future performance Dodge model, things were quite silent, but the more optimistic fans were eager to see just how Chrysler’s Dodge will collaborate with Fiat’s Ferrari, seeing as how the Italians know “a thing or two” about supercars. But Dodge brand chief Ralph Giles has quickly burst that bubble, saying that the Ferrari will only be limited to consulting and offering its advice on the future performance car from Dodge, and no components, platforms or engines will be swapped between the two brands, now joint together by the Chrysler-Fiat partnership. There you have it Viper fans, your beloved model won’t see an Italian revamp in the future. Source: Autoweek Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Toyota not happy with EuroNCAP giving its Urban Cruiser a three-star safety rating Posted: 27 Nov 2009 07:21 AM PST  I’m sure most of you had the time to digest the newest results from the EuroNCAP crash tests, and see which new cars are the safest to be in in the unfortunate case of an accident. But one of the biggest surprises was the Toyota’s Urban Cruiser, which achieved just a three-star safety rating, out of the five maximum. The area in which the car didn’t do well was the side impact with a pole. Right after the independent organization posted the results, the Japanese carmaker was quick to dispute them.
The man continued and revealed Toyota will ask to see the concrete data from the crash tests and see just how its safety systems weren’t up to par, according to the organization. While this may seem like corporate bickering, for the people who bought Urban Cruisers and are keen on safety, the problem is serious. For what it’s worth, the spokesman concluded with: “Once again, we remain fully convinced that Urban Cruiser is a safe car.” Source: Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Renault reveals the Twingo Gordinin R.S., performance and heritage in one hot hatch Posted: 27 Nov 2009 07:04 AM PST  As we revealed a few weeks ago, Renault will revive the iconic Gordini performance brand for its sport models, including cars like the Twingo, Clio or Megane. The first car to bear the iconic name, after the famous performance engineer, is the Twingo Gordini R.S. Decked out in the famous Renault racing blue paint scheme, it is also decorated with two white stripes. Alternatively, you can opt for a pearlescent black scheme, but what’s the fun in that? In terms of power, you’ll be getting the 1.6-liter engine which develops 133 HP and transfers them to the 17-inch wheels, which are connected to an upgraded suspension and braking systems. The new Renault Twingo Gordini R.S. is on exhibition at the company’s Christmas in Blue event, and is set to go on sale in spring 2010, with prices to be announced at the end of winter. Source: Renault Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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Friday, November 27, 2009
RPMGO.com (former Auto Unleashed) |
- Video: Chevrolet Volt tests out its “chirping” pedestrian friendly alert with blind people
- Nissan says its Olympic Games fleet could’ve averaged 60 g/km of CO2, still complains
- Video: See the Lexus LF-Ch’s design come to life
- Two new buyers appear for Saab, things might not be so bad
- Toyota to bring back MR2 as a hybrid sports coupe?
- French parents angry at Renault for naming its electric car Zoe
- Loma Performance reveals Corvette C6.BlackforceOne which will debut in Essen
| Video: Chevrolet Volt tests out its “chirping” pedestrian friendly alert with blind people Posted: 27 Nov 2009 01:24 AM PST  With hybrid and electric cars becoming more and more popular, things are going to become a bit more dangerous for pedestrians and bicycle riders, at least according to some studies, as they won’t be able to notice these very silent vehicles until it is too late. But that’s in terms of normal pedestrians, what about the visually-impaired which can rely only on the sound cars make? Well in order to test out its new pedestrian proximity alert system, which distorts the horn of the car in order to make a chirping noise and let everyone around the car know it’s there, the engineers of the Chevrolet Volt asked the National Federation of the Blind to help. They all went to the Milford Proving Grounds, where the visually-impaired had a chance to hear and have their word on the new alert system. You can check out the whole experiment in a special video available after the jump.
Source: Chevrolet Voltage via Autoblog Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Nissan says its Olympic Games fleet could’ve averaged 60 g/km of CO2, still complains Posted: 27 Nov 2009 01:09 AM PST  The coverage of the Olympic Games is huge to say the least, as the the various sporting competitions are popular all around the world. This means that getting your brand up there and in the faces of people during the events can certainly provide a boost in popularity. That is why the decision of the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG), which takes care of the upcoming 2012 London Olympics, as to what cars will be used by officials, athletes and press can really make a carmaker’s day. As we reported, BMW has earned the coveted privilege of supplying the sporting competitions with over 4,000 vehicles. One of its rivals, Nissan, wasn’t so pleased with the decision, saying that it could’ve supplied much more efficient electric vehicles.
Even though Nissan may have some interesting facts in its favor, perhaps it would’ve been better to do the gentlemanly thing and not say anything, avoiding to appear as a sore loser. Source: Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Video: See the Lexus LF-Ch’s design come to life Posted: 27 Nov 2009 12:46 AM PST  One of the most interesting things to arrive from Lexus these days is the LF-Ch hybrid compact hatchback model, which paves the way for the a Lexus hatchback which will rival other premium models like the BMW 1 Series or Audi A3. In order to promote the model, the company has just released a new video in which the work done at the Calty Design Research center in Newport Beach, California, where the design of the LF-Ch came to life. Hit the jump to see the video and what it takes to make a new car.
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| Two new buyers appear for Saab, things might not be so bad Posted: 27 Nov 2009 12:30 AM PST  In case you’re following the recent turmoil through which Swedish carmaker Saab has been going through, you know that GM was set to sell it to fellow Swedish supercar manufacturer Koenigsegg. The deal fell through though, and now GM revealed that it will announce next week what it will do with the struggling Scandinavia brand. Although some analysts hurried and said that Saab is doomed, it seems things aren’t so bad, and two new potential buyers have already appeared. One of them, as we’ve speculated, comes from China, in the form of Beijing Auto (BAIC) which was set to help Koenigsegg with the purchase in exchange for marketing the new Saab 9-5 in its native country. But while BAIC may be in a good position, rumors indicate that GM isn’t very happy with selling a lot of its own intellectual rights and the technology behind its latest Epsilon platform, on which the Saab 9-5 is based, to the Chinese carmaker. The second potential buyer, and one which qualified in the remaining three bids last summer for Saab, is Wyoming-based merchant bank Merbanco. This bidder may have a few more chances, as its owner, Christopher Johnson, is a Saab enthusiast, and the fact that it is based in the US might make GM trust it more. But whoever will buy Saab will also get a “bonus” as the European Investment Bank declared that the loan it is negotiating with Saab will be transferred to the new owner when the deal is done, adding an incentive to the Swedish brand. Source: Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Toyota to bring back MR2 as a hybrid sports coupe? Posted: 27 Nov 2009 12:12 AM PST  I’m sure most of you are looking at hybrids as the harbingers of change for the automotive industry, as they will slowly erase the need for big, powerful sportscar from the mainstream market. But there are still sides of the hybrid market which tell a different story, as nobody said you can’t get performance out of such a car, with the best example being the upcoming Honda CR-Z sports coupe. But Toyota isn’t going to sit idly as its fellow Japanese rival gets the hybrid performance market all for itself, and even though it is rumored to be preparing a performance coupe of its own based on the Prius, the company is also considering the revival of the popular MR2 model. Now do bear in mind that this is just in the rumors stage, but according to sources in Japan, Toyota is seriously considering the launch of a coupe with its engine mounted in the middle, behind the cabin, and coupled through an optimized version of the Hybrid Synergy Drive to an electric motor. This new model might receive the MR2’s Japanese nameplate, MR-S and with any luck, will hit a global market soon enough. What do you believe? Would a hybrid MR2 make your day or should Toyota not attempt such a thing? Leave a comment with your view on the matter. Source: Best Car via Autoblog Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| French parents angry at Renault for naming its electric car Zoe Posted: 26 Nov 2009 11:54 PM PST  As you might remember from a few weeks ago, Renault has revealed that it will be starting production of all-electric vehicles as soon as 2011, with models like the Twizy and Zoe to appear on the market. But while we can all praise electric cars and their names, it seems that Zoe hasn’t really gone down well with French parents, which are angry at Renault for deciding to use such a common name for girls (according to statistics, Zoe is the 17th most common name for girls in France), for its future car. The parents have started petitions and are demanding for the French company to change the name as soon as possible and don’t even care that it will be used for an innovative electric car.
As you can imagine, Renault isn’t really impressed by the parents, and declared that: “It is a name that evokes values of femininity, of youth, a playful spirit and vivacity. It is also a reference to the concept of zero emissions.” Frankly, I don’t really see what’s the big fuss. At least they didn’t name a big, heavy and wasteful SUV Zoe, and many years ago when Alfa Romeo launched the Giulia, nobody got upset. What do you believe? Are parents right about this argument or should Renault keep the name and risk a few people not wanting to buy the future Zoe? Source: Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Loma Performance reveals Corvette C6.BlackforceOne which will debut in Essen Posted: 26 Nov 2009 11:41 PM PST  For its exhibition at the upcoming Essen Motor Show, the German tuning company Loma Performance decided to customize and upgrade the Corvette C6 model. Taking a heavy dose from a symbol of the Corvette’s native USA, the Air Force One plane, the company entitled it the C6.BlackforceOne, as it is available in shades like the Stealth matte black, Eurofighter matte gray and White Storm matte white. The company got to work by upgrading the engine to a bi-turbo layout, which can produce around 794 PS at the crank shaft, and around 675 PS at the wheel, translating, thanks to other performance components like a carbon fiber sports clutch and drive shafts, to a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) time of 3.4 seconds, and with the Loma Cup Sport Superlight exhaust system, the car can go to a top speed of 330 km/h (205 mph). While the styling of the C6.BlackforceOne wasn’t changed all that much, connoisseurs will notice the wider stance, which was increased by 10 cm in each side with the help of the carbon fiber wheel arch extensions and the side skirts made from the same material. The lightweight fiber was also used in the front lip spoiler and rear diffuser, which can boast integrate LED reverse lights. As an option, you can also add a carbon fiber-finished spoiler to the rear. Other enhancements made to the standard C6 include a set of coilover suspensions, adjustable stabilizer bars and a set of 20-inch OZ Racing Ultraleggera HLT wheels wrapped in Michelin Sport Cup tires. Braking will be done with the help of a set of Mov’it carbon fiber/ceramic brakes. Only 25 vehicles will be made, each with a starting price of €190,000. You’ll also be able to catch a glimpse of this model at the upcoming Essen Motor Show, starting on November 28. Source: WorldCarFans Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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Early postcards have always fascinated me. Especially when the subject matter is railroading. I like them best when the trains are in action and traveling through great American landscapes.
Here are a few from my personal collection. The first postcard is postmarked 1922 and shows the SP railroad ferry (info below). The others date between 1900 and 1920.
Southern Pacific Railroad - Ferryboat "Solano" Port CostaBenicia, California - Largest Ferry Boat in the world.
San Francisco Bay - The San Francisco Belt Railroad had slip at Pier 43 which allowed interchange with the Northwestern Pacific, the Western Pacific, and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroads.
Suisun Bay - The Central Pacific Railroad built a ferry that operated between Benicia and Port Costa, California from 1879 to 1930. (Southern Pacific)
Cape Horn and American River, CaliforniaOgden Route - Southern Pacific Railroad.
Mt. Washington and Mt. Adams from FrankensteinWhite Mountains, New Hampshire.
Sacramento River at Shasta Springs, California.Early postcards have always fascinated me. Especially when the subject matter is railroading. I like them best when the trains are in action and traveling through great American landscapes.
Here are a few from my personal collection. The first postcard is postmarked 1922 and shows the SP railroad ferry (info below). The others date between 1900 and 1920.
Southern Pacific Railroad - Ferryboat "Solano" Port CostaBenicia, California - Largest Ferry Boat in the world.
San Francisco Bay - The San Francisco Belt Railroad had slip at Pier 43 which allowed interchange with the Northwestern Pacific, the Western Pacific, and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroads.
Suisun Bay - The Central Pacific Railroad built a ferry that operated between Benicia and Port Costa, California from 1879 to 1930. (Southern Pacific)
Cape Horn and American River, CaliforniaOgden Route - Southern Pacific Railroad.
Mt. Washington and Mt. Adams from FrankensteinWhite Mountains, New Hampshire.
Sacramento River at Shasta Springs, California.Thursday, November 26, 2009
RPMGO.com (former Auto Unleashed) |
- VIDEO: 2010 Dodge Viper ACR breaks lap record at Laguna Seca, special version to commemorate that will appear
- EuroNCAP safety scores revealed: Opel Astra, Chevy Cruze, BMW X1 and more pass, Toyota Urban Cruiser disappoints
- Land Rover Discovery celebrates 20 years of existence through new ad collage
- Volkswagen reveals 2010 Dakar rally-prepped Touareg competition model
- GM hasn’t given up on Saab, Swedish government official says
- Underground Racing reveals ridiculous 1,500 HP twin-turbo Lamborghini Gallardo
- No, plug-in hybrids won’t cause a blackout in your neighbourhood, yet
- Ouch! GM preparing to cut almost 9,000 jobs from Opel
- Volkswagen considering CC version of the Golf 7
- Mazda thinking about new compact crossover CX-3
| Posted: 26 Nov 2009 04:22 AM PST  Most people don’t usually care about racing circuits, instead focusing on the cars that are on them. But true enthusiasts know that if a track is designed properly, it can amplify the feats of both the cars and the drivers which handle them. One such track is Laguna Seca in the USA, which has offered some unique thrills to anyone thanks to its sharp corners and demanding sections. That is why Dodge chose this track to prove the skills of the 2010 Viper ACR performance model, which is faster, accelerates better and even sticks more firmly to the road thanks to some aerodynamic adjustments, than the 2009 model. The result? The 2010 Dodge Viper ACR has broken the lap record of Laguna Seca, which was set by a Devon GTX, also powered by a Viper engine. The new ACR, and sadly one of the last ones to appear for the brand, traveled the Laguna Seca circuit in just 1:33.944. In honor of this feat, Dodge was quick to announce that a commemorative Laguna Seca edition of the Viper ACR will appear soon. You can check out the record-breaking lap, complete with commentary from Chris Winkler, the Dodge test driver which wrangled the Viper on the track, after the jump. Enjoy!
Source: Autoblog Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Posted: 26 Nov 2009 01:37 AM PST  After seeing the results from the IIHS in terms of the safety ratings for the newest cars launched on the North American market, the independent organization EuroNCAP has also revealed its results from the crash tests it conducted with the new models from the old continent. Out of the 12 new cars tested, 10 of them managed to score a perfect 5 stars of out 5 for their safety precautions. Props go to the new Chevrolet Cruze, which managed to score a 96% safety rating for its inhabitants, with high marks also going to the Opel Astra, BMW X1, Citroen DS3, Infiniti FX, Mazda3, Mercedes E-Klasse, Mercedes GLK, Peugeot 5008 si VW Scirocco. The two cars which didn’t manage to get the highest safety rating were the new Chevrolet Spark, which could’ve gotten it if ESP was standard on all of its versions, and the Toyota Urban Cruiser, which managed a 56% safety rating for its inhabitants, scoring only three stars Overall, in case safety is your primary concern, these new results from the EuroNCAP will definitely help you in the hunt for a new car. Source: Automarket Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Land Rover Discovery celebrates 20 years of existence through new ad collage Posted: 26 Nov 2009 01:18 AM PST  It seems that a lot of things are celebrating 20 years of existence these days, as not only did the TDI engine reach the big number but also the famous Land Rover Discovery model, which celebrates it through an ad collage. I commemorates some of the most interesting ads made for the Discovery, ever since it began its life and from the new one, which is the perfect solution for those of you who want to have something for the city, but also rest assured that it will handle itself off road. Hit the jump to see the video and wish the Land Rover Discovery a happy birthday.
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| Volkswagen reveals 2010 Dakar rally-prepped Touareg competition model Posted: 26 Nov 2009 12:49 AM PST  During the 2010 Dakar Rally, eyes will be primarily on the Volkswagen Amarok vehicle, which even though won’t race, will provide technical support and transport officials on the harsh terrain in Argentina, where the competition will take place. But don’t forget that Volkswagen is also entering the competition with a special Touareg model. Don’t go thinking that this will be a normal Touareg with bigger tires or something like that, as the competition model has very little in common with the road-legal VW SUV. Everything from the special 2.5-liter straight-five-cylinder TDI engine to the custom three-plate hydraulic clutch has been optimized for the harsh desert environment which makes the Dakar rally such a challenge. The body of the model is made completely out of carbon fiber, weighing just 50 kg (110 pounds), and allows the engine, which develops 280 HP and 596 Nm of torque, to push the model from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 6.1 seconds and up to 189 km/h. Overall, seeing as how Volkswagen needs to defend the title it earned at the beginning of the year with the old Touareg model in the cars category, this is definitely the car which can achieve such a thing. The rally is set to begin right on January 1st, 2010. Source: Wired Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| GM hasn’t given up on Saab, Swedish government official says Posted: 26 Nov 2009 12:30 AM PST GM was set to bounce back from the economic turmoil, as it announced that it will start paying off its debts to the US and Canadian governments, it will keep and restructure Opel, but things are taking a turn for the worse once more, as the deal it had with Swedish supercarmaker Koenigsegg to get fellow company Saab off its GM’s hands has fallen. But don’t go thinking that GM will simply close down Saab, as according to Joran Hagglund, a state secretary for Sweden’s industry ministry revealed that: “I talked to GM last night and my impression is that they have not given up hope.” But the enterprise minister, Maud Olofsson, did admit that: “”For every day that passes the challenge gets bigger and bigger.” Don’t forget that the Swedish government has already passed on bailing out Saab, and is willing to sit the whole ordeal through until the bitter end. Hopefully GM will be able to find a new buyer for its Scandinavia brand, perhaps from Asia. Source: Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Underground Racing reveals ridiculous 1,500 HP twin-turbo Lamborghini Gallardo Posted: 26 Nov 2009 12:13 AM PST  There are some tuning projects which aim to increase the power of an engine by around 100 HP, and there are some which aim to take it as high as mechanically possibly. The latest work from the team at Underground Racing falls right into the second category and pushes it to its limit, as the team unveiled an outrageous Lamborghini Gallardo, which saw its normal V10 engine fitted with twin turbos, and its output increased to a massive 1,500 HP (at 30 psi and running on VP C16 racing fuel). The company made this Gallardo for a client known only as Jonah, which then took it to drag track and, with minimum experience and on his first drive of the car, managed to get a sub-10 second time on the quarter mile strip. This is quite an impressive feat of tuning and you can check out the video of the car after the jump.
Source: WorldCarFans Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| No, plug-in hybrids won’t cause a blackout in your neighbourhood, yet Posted: 25 Nov 2009 11:56 PM PST  With hybrid cars becoming more and more popular these days, many eco-friendly motorists are considering such models, with plug-in ones being the most attractive as they offer a zero-emission way of doing short drives around the city. But skeptical people quickly raised the question of what this new wave of plug-in hybrids and electric cars will do to the electric power grid, supposedly taking it way past it safety margins. Don’t worry about that though, as a new study conducted by the Electric Power Research Institute and the Natural Resources Defense Council has revealed that such vehicles aren’t that numerous in the US and won’t pose a threat to the grid anytime soon. The study also says that some areas might require some reinforcement, but until people will heavily demand and charge up plug-in hybrids from their average home sockets, things are still alright … for now. Source: Green Car Reports via Jalopnik Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Ouch! GM preparing to cut almost 9,000 jobs from Opel Posted: 25 Nov 2009 11:38 PM PST  Even though Opel was pleased with General Motors’ decision to keep it and refrain from selling it to the Canadian partsmaker Magna, it seems that the celebrations will come to an end soon, as the restructuring process will mean that almost 9,000 jobs at Opel will be cut, with the majority affecting Germany. The plan, which will require around $5 billion in funding that GM hopes to get from various European governments, with the German one expect to be the primary contributor, will require fat trimming from all of the departments of the carmaker. Hopefully the good sales that it has been experiencing with the Insignia and the big ones expected for the new Astra will make things better. Seeing as how things are very troublesome at Opel, Saab isn’t in the best of positions. Source: The Detroit News via Autoblog Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Volkswagen considering CC version of the Golf 7 Posted: 25 Nov 2009 11:24 PM PST  Seeing as how it struck gold with the Passat CC model, Volkswagen is attempting to see if it can adapt the recipe for the smaller brother underneath the Passat, the Golf, and is considering releasing a CC premium sedan version of the upcoming Golf 7 model. The new car will of course be launched a couple of year after the regular Golf 7 hatchback, around 2014, and will offer a more premium feel, but situated, in terms of price, under the Passat CC. It will retain a five-seater configuration but see the new MQB platform stretched to allow more leg room and the addition of the boot. While this may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I’m sure that a Golf 7 CC will definitely attract many people who can’t afford a Passat, but still want a more luxurious sedan model. What do you believe? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment. Source: Autoblog.it via Automarket Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Mazda thinking about new compact crossover CX-3 Posted: 25 Nov 2009 11:10 PM PST  While Mazda’s SUVs, the CX-7 and CX-9, haven’t really blown everyone away, it seems that the Japanese carmaker is confident that the market is ripe and is preparing, reportedly, to unveil a brand new compact crossover, dubbed the CX-3. The new model, which might be basing itself on the Mazda 3, will take full advantage of the new technologies developed by the carmaker, and use the SKY-G and SKY-D engines, coupled to the SKY-Drive automated gearbox. Expect front-wheel and all-wheel drive to appear in this new crossover, which according to rumors, will see the light of day around 2011 and will be sold on a global market, including Japan, Europe or North America. While Mazda does make some great cars, I can’t help thinking that the SUV market might be a lost cause for the company. What do you believe? Leave a comment with your view. Source: Autoblog.it via Automarket Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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