With Volvo’s legacy of producing safe, solid cars for the market, it’s really no surpise that the Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme) gave the Volvo XC60 top marks.

Volvo XC60

Euro NCAP recently started using a new test that determines how much whiplash protection passenger vehicles provide during rear-end collisions. The initial testing in Europe included 25 cars. The evaluation process involved various tests, with different degrees of impact severity. A testing rig is used to simulate a rear-end collision on the car, from a standstill. After the test, the car is given a score of poor, marginal, or good.

The Volvo XC60, along with 5 other cars, received the highest ratings. The XC60’s Whiplash Protection System probably helped the car make its way to the top.

Source: 4Wheels News

Feast your eyes on the Theta II GDI.

Launched on Tuesday, the Theta II will be gracing the hood of the 2010 Hyundai Sonata. The Sonata, in turn, is expected to hit the US market as a 2011 model. If the Sonata does make it to the US, it will be the first of its kind: a mid-sized sedan with a direct-injection engine.

The 4-cylinder Theta II can work up as much as 200 hp and 185 lb-ft of torque. Hyundai claims that the engine is more fuel-efficient than its non-direct injection 4-cylinder counterparts.

And here’s a bit of good news. Hyundai says that its direct-injection technology will eventually reach its other models.

Glad to see more carmakers jump on the green bandwagon.

Source: Left Lane News

Audi’s celebrations for its centennial are expected to peak on Monday, when the carmaker reveals the 2010 A8 at the Design Miami art fair in Florida.

The car make has built a pavilion, which doubles as a museum, on Miami beach. “The Art of Progress” exhibit at Design Miami, inspired by the A8 and the car maker’s corporate philosophy, will be unveiled simultaneously with the A8.

Rupert Stadler, chairman of Audi’s board of management, says, “Since our inception, Audi has embraced progress in the quest to create groundbreaking technologies and deliver new ideas to the road.

Source: AutomobileMag

Looks like those Olympians have it made.

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) has taken BMW on board as the official automotive partner for the 2012 London Olympics. The German auto make is expected to provide over $50 million in the form of services. 4,000 BMWs will transport athletes, officials, and media during the Games and the Paralympics.

LOCOG chairman Sebastian Coe has shown his pleasure at having BMW as a partner. Coe says that BMW shares LOCOG’s vision to stage sustainable games in 2012, and that having a Tier One partner is an achievement that illustrates the inspiration brought by the Olympic and Paralympic games.

Source: 4WheelsNews

Did you know that Mazda vehicles become 80 lbs. heavier with each model update? Well, Mazda’s planning to get rid of all that excess weight.

The Japanese carmaker plans to shed its models of at least 220 pounds each. Mazda North America’s senior VP for product planning Robert Davis says that the excess weight is mostly due to added safety equipment and larger wheels.

The weight drop can improve Mazda vehicles’ fuel economy. This could help Mazda in terms of keeping with the 2016 CAFE standards.

Davis also says that new Mazda models may be shorter in order to reduce weight.

Source: AutomobileMag

BMW’s feeling good about sales in 2010.

Because of increased demand, special sales programs, and a newly-revised model, BMW’s looking to make a 10% increase in sales by next year.

The German auto make’s hoping that anticipation for the redesigned 2011 5-series sedan will help boost sales. The sedan’s exterior and interior panels will be reworked, and a new engine might be put under the sedan’s hood.

BMW’s executive vice president of sales, Peter Miles, said, “BMW hopes to end 2009 with sales of 198,000 down from 249,113 in 2008.”

Source: Left Lane News

With 4.4 million cars rolling out of its factories since January this year, Volkswagen-Porsche managed to edge Toyota out of the top spot in terms of production.

Volkswagen-Porsche’s success can be contributed to several factors. In July, nearly a quarter of the group’s global sales came from a range of VW models made specifically for the Chinese market. China lowered sales taxes on cars, effectively boosting demand for this vehicles. The group also benefited from cash-for-clunkers programs in Germany and Britain.

According to IHS Global Insight, though, Toyota may have indirectly had a hand in VW-Porsche’s vicory. Producing just 4 million cars this year, the Japanese auto make decided to halve its output during the first quarter of 2009.

“That extremely hard brake has been keeping Toyota behind Volkswagen by quite a margin. Due to government incentiveas, Volkswagen was not forced to decelerate so hard,” said Christoph Stürmer, director at IHS Global Insight.

Source: Guardian

Who’s worried about the 2016 Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards? Definitely not Honda, Toyota, Nissan, or Subaru.

The new standards, part of a nationwide fuel economy program proposed by President Barack Obama, cover model years 2012 to 2016. The program requires auto makes to offer a fleet-wide fuel economy of 35.5 mpg.

While 35.5 mpg seems to be quite a leap from the current industry standard of 25 mpg, Japanese automakers aren’t even breaking a sweat. By 2016, Toyota plans for hybrids to take 30% of sales. The make’s also researching battery technology that’s better than lithium-ion products.

Honda claims that modifying its current hybrid technology will help it get past the new CAFE standards. Aside from that, the make’s developing ways to make its cars lighter and more aerodynamic.

Subaru’s feeling confident, too. “I think we can meet the rules by improving our current drivetrain technology,” said Subaru President Ikuo Mori. “But if the rules become more stringent, it will be very difficult to do so with the internal combustion engine.”

Source: Automobile Mag, Wikipedia

At least, that’s what some sources say.

The reasons behind the rumors are that the technology used to build the e-Tron was too expensive, and that the market isn’t ready for an electric sports car.

I just want to ask, who in the world wouldn’t want to be behind the wheel of an electric sports car?

Audi e-Tron concept

The e-Tron definitely won’t have any problems satisfying the speed demon in any driver. The car can jump from 0 to 60 in 4.8 seconds, with a top speed of 124 mph.

And all that power is produced by 4 electric motors (a pair at front, and a pair at the rear axle), so you don’t have to worry about excessive, toxic exhaust emissions.

The Audi e-Tron could very well be the link between high performance and environmental awareness, in my opinion.

Audi of America president Johan de Nysschen has confirmed that the e-Tron would be debuting in 2012. Yours truly’s crossing her fingers that the e-Tron would be headed for mass production.

Source: 4Wheels News

Not all at once, unfortunately.

The global economic recession had and still have most large companies on their knees. Porsche is no exception. The German automaker’s sales have suffered over the past few months. To make up for the downturn in sales, though, Porsche is planning to introduce seven new models in the coming years.

Included in Porsche’s future offerings is an all-new Cayenne SUV for 2010. The SUV’s promising high-powered performance, thanks to a direct-injection V8 engine under its hood.

The Panamera model range will also be expanded by 2010, with gas and diesel V6 models hitting the market next year. According to British magazine Autocar, the coming V6 Panamera models will take a price cut of at least $15,000.

We can also expect to see a couple of Porsche hybrids in 2011: the Panamera Hybrid and the Cayenne Hybrid. The two will share hybrid systems, but the Cayenne will have an all-wheel drive system. The Panamera will be offered with rear-wheel drive features.

Following the hybrids is an all-new 911 for 2012. The new 911’s body will be completely restyled and will be longer and wider. To support the upsized body, an improved suspension system will come with the all-new 911.

2013 sees three possible offerings from Porsche: a “Roxster” SUV based on the Audi Q5, the Panamera coupe, and the Panamera convertible. The Panamera coupe and convertible will likely be offered under the “928″ line, though.

Source: Left Lane News