LA Auto Show: More Debuts Announced, Including Mazda Shinari, New Chrysler 200 Convertible and Hyundai Elantra

Automakers are planning to unload a raft of new vehicles at the rapidly approaching Los Angeles Auto Show. According to the event planners, the LA convention center will host 20 world premieres and more than 30 North American debuts.
We already know about several world debuts such and Nissan's completely redesigned Quest minivan, Murano Cross Cabriolet concept and Ellure sedan study, but today the organizers [officially] confirmed a few more premieres.
These include -in no particular order- the well-received Mazda Shinari sports sedan [read the full story here]; the five-door version of the Land Rover Evoque; Saab 9-4X; Kia Optima Hybrid; VW Eos facelift, and the U.S.-spec Hyundai Elantra compact sedan and Fiat 500
In addition, show planners said Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep will display a handful of new products such as the Chrysler 200 Sedan and it's yet-to-be-revealed, Convertible brethren.
Other models to go on show in LA include the all-new Audi A7 Sportback, BMW's redesigned X3 crossover, Porsche's new 911 Carrera GTS and Speedster, the Jaguar C-X75 study, and five concept sport models from Lotus that we first saw at the Paris Show last month.

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

LA Auto Show: More Debuts Announced, Including Mazda Shinari, New Chrysler 200 Convertible and Hyundai Elantra

Automakers are planning to unload a raft of new vehicles at the rapidly approaching Los Angeles Auto Show. According to the event planners, the LA convention center will host 20 world premieres and more than 30 North American debuts.
We already know about several world debuts such and Nissan's completely redesigned Quest minivan, Murano Cross Cabriolet concept and Ellure sedan study, but today the organizers [officially] confirmed a few more premieres.
These include -in no particular order- the well-received Mazda Shinari sports sedan [read the full story here]; the five-door version of the Land Rover Evoque; Saab 9-4X; Kia Optima Hybrid; VW Eos facelift, and the U.S.-spec Hyundai Elantra compact sedan and Fiat 500
In addition, show planners said Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep will display a handful of new products such as the Chrysler 200 Sedan and it's yet-to-be-revealed, Convertible brethren.
Other models to go on show in LA include the all-new Audi A7 Sportback, BMW's redesigned X3 crossover, Porsche's new 911 Carrera GTS and Speedster, the Jaguar C-X75 study, and five concept sport models from Lotus that we first saw at the Paris Show last month.

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

Fiat Debuts Uno Cabrio and Mio Concepts along with New Uno Sporting at Sao Paulo [Live Photos]

In addition to being one of Fiat's most important markets, the Italian automaker is also getting ready to celebrate its 35 years in Brazil next year, so it comes to no surprise that the company is exhibiting a total of 30 vehicles at this week's Sao Paulo Auto Show. The Uno Cabrio and Mio [or FCC 111] concept models and the new Uno Sporting and Bravo production models, are among the highlights of Fiat's display.
Beginning with the Uno Cabrio, this concept study is a two-seater drop top variant of the South American market Uno supermini. In addition to losing the Uno's top and rear seats, the quirky looking roadster model also sports an aggressive bodykit with newly designed front and rear bumpers and a set of 17-inch alloy wheels.
The engine of choice is the same one as of Punto T-Jet, a 152HP 1.4-liter turbo which is capable of carrying the Cabrio to a top speed close to 200 km/h [124mph].
Fiat's second concept car is the Mio or FCC 111, which is an ongoing project created through an interactive process via the portal www.fiatmio.cc. According to the company, from August 2009 to October 2010, more than two million people, from 160 countries, visited the portal, where 17 thousand registered users posted more than 10 thousand ideas.
The dimensions of the Fiat Mio are: 1,560 mm wide, 1,530 mm high and 2,500 mm long, meaning it's roughly the same size as the Smart Fortwo. Fiat says the city car concept has not yet reached its final form.
In the production model division, Fiat introduced a "Sporting" variant of the new Uno supermini. Powered by a 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 85HP when running on gasoline and 88HP on ethanol, the Uno Sporting gets a subtle bodykit with front and rear aprons, side sills and a roof spoiler, plus chrome exhaust tips, special decals and 15-inch alloy wheels wrapped around in 185/60 R15 tires. The car also sits 20mm lower thanks to a new sports suspension.
Interior appointments include a leather sports steering wheel, modified instrument panel and sports seats in unique to this model cloth.
Finally, Fiat also showed the local market version of the Bravo hatchback.

Live photos credit: Sao Paulo Auto Show

Fiat Debuts Uno Cabrio and Mio Concepts along with New Uno Sporting at Sao Paulo [Live Photos]

In addition to being one of Fiat's most important markets, the Italian automaker is also getting ready to celebrate its 35 years in Brazil next year, so it comes to no surprise that the company is exhibiting a total of 30 vehicles at this week's Sao Paulo Auto Show. The Uno Cabrio and Mio [or FCC 111] concept models and the new Uno Sporting and Bravo production models, are among the highlights of Fiat's display.
Beginning with the Uno Cabrio, this concept study is a two-seater drop top variant of the South American market Uno supermini. In addition to losing the Uno's top and rear seats, the quirky looking roadster model also sports an aggressive bodykit with newly designed front and rear bumpers and a set of 17-inch alloy wheels.
The engine of choice is the same one as of Punto T-Jet, a 152HP 1.4-liter turbo which is capable of carrying the Cabrio to a top speed close to 200 km/h [124mph].
Fiat's second concept car is the Mio or FCC 111, which is an ongoing project created through an interactive process via the portal www.fiatmio.cc. According to the company, from August 2009 to October 2010, more than two million people, from 160 countries, visited the portal, where 17 thousand registered users posted more than 10 thousand ideas.
The dimensions of the Fiat Mio are: 1,560 mm wide, 1,530 mm high and 2,500 mm long, meaning it's roughly the same size as the Smart Fortwo. Fiat says the city car concept has not yet reached its final form.
In the production model division, Fiat introduced a "Sporting" variant of the new Uno supermini. Powered by a 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 85HP when running on gasoline and 88HP on ethanol, the Uno Sporting gets a subtle bodykit with front and rear aprons, side sills and a roof spoiler, plus chrome exhaust tips, special decals and 15-inch alloy wheels wrapped around in 185/60 R15 tires. The car also sits 20mm lower thanks to a new sports suspension.
Interior appointments include a leather sports steering wheel, modified instrument panel and sports seats in unique to this model cloth.
Finally, Fiat also showed the local market version of the Bravo hatchback.

Live photos credit: Sao Paulo Auto Show

EuroNCAP: Bravo, Corolla & Legend achieve 5star occupant protection; CR-V & Outlander get 4stars

Fiat’s new Bravo along with Honda’s Legend and Toyota’s new 4door Corolla received a top 5 star crash rating in occupant safety according to the latest results from Euro NCAP. The other two models tested, the new Mitsubishi Outlander and the Honda CR-V managed a 4star rating in the same test. However, EuroNCAP noted in the fine print (see the pics) that the CR-V scored enough points for a 5star rating, it didn’t achieve the minimum number of points needed in fontal impact. -Continued: Click “Read More…” below

Technorati: EURONCAP, crash+tests, auto+news, car+news, automobile, cars, automotive, vehicles, C

EuroNCAP: Bravo, Corolla & Legend achieve 5star occupant protection; CR-V & Outlander get 4stars

Fiat’s new Bravo along with Honda’s Legend and Toyota’s new 4door Corolla received a top 5 star crash rating in occupant safety according to the latest results from Euro NCAP. The other two models tested, the new Mitsubishi Outlander and the Honda CR-V managed a 4star rating in the same test. However, EuroNCAP noted in the fine print (see the pics) that the CR-V scored enough points for a 5star rating, it didn’t achieve the minimum number of points needed in fontal impact. -Continued: Click “Read More…” below

Technorati: EURONCAP, crash+tests, auto+news, car+news, automobile, cars, automotive, vehicles, C

Euro NCAP: 5-star rating for 2008 Peugeot 207 CC & MINI Cooper

As anticipated, the 2008 Peugeot 207 CC and MINI Cooper models managed to obtain a five-star rating in adult occupant safety in Euro NCAP’s latest safety results which were released earlier today. That’s a 1-star upgrade for the MINI Cooper over its predecessor which was tested in 2002 (the previous generation 206 CC hadn’t been tested by Euro NCAP). -Continued: Click “Read More…” below Both cars achieved a poor two-star score in pedestrian protection. Oddly enough, the 207 hatchback has achieved a 3-star rating in the same safety test. Finally, the MINI Cooper obtained a mediocre 3-out-5 rating for child protection while the 207 CC didn’t get tested for child safety due to the fact that car was not large enough to fit the recommended child restraints on the rear seats, with the front seats in the normal position for average sized occupants.

Summary of Results

Superminis - Occupant Protection - Child Protection - Pedestrian

MINI Cooper - 5 stars - 3 stars - 2 stars

Peugeot 207CC - 5 stars -N/A - 2 stars

Technorati: Peugeot+207CC, MINI+Cooper, Euro+NCAP, Safety, auto+news, car+news, automobile, cars, automotive, vehicles, Carscoop, blogs, 2007

Euro NCAP: 5-star rating for 2008 Peugeot 207 CC & MINI Cooper

As anticipated, the 2008 Peugeot 207 CC and MINI Cooper models managed to obtain a five-star rating in adult occupant safety in Euro NCAP’s latest safety results which were released earlier today. That’s a 1-star upgrade for the MINI Cooper over its predecessor which was tested in 2002 (the previous generation 206 CC hadn’t been tested by Euro NCAP). -Continued: Click “Read More…” below Both cars achieved a poor two-star score in pedestrian protection. Oddly enough, the 207 hatchback has achieved a 3-star rating in the same safety test. Finally, the MINI Cooper obtained a mediocre 3-out-5 rating for child protection while the 207 CC didn’t get tested for child safety due to the fact that car was not large enough to fit the recommended child restraints on the rear seats, with the front seats in the normal position for average sized occupants.

Summary of Results

Superminis - Occupant Protection - Child Protection - Pedestrian

MINI Cooper - 5 stars - 3 stars - 2 stars

Peugeot 207CC - 5 stars -N/A - 2 stars

Technorati: Peugeot+207CC, MINI+Cooper, Euro+NCAP, Safety, auto+news, car+news, automobile, cars, automotive, vehicles, Carscoop, blogs, 2007

Euro NCAP: Nissan Qasqhai Receives Record Points For Adult Occupant Protection

Not only did Nissan’s new compact crossover get a maximum 5-star rating for adult occupant protection, but thanks to a near to perfect 36.83 points out of a maximum 37 points, the Qashqai achieved the highest ever recorded score in this test for any vehicle in Euro NCAP’s 10-year long history. In the other tests, the Qashqai received 4-stars (out of 5) for child protection and a mediocre 2 out of 4-star for pedestrian protection. Commenting on the Qashqai’s results Euro NCAP’s Secretary General Adrian Hobbs said "Congratulations Nissan! This is a particularly impressive result for this manufacturer since the Qashqai is a new vehicle in this category. Nissan’s last entry into the small family class was in 2001." -Continued below Euro NCAP Comments:
Front impact: Apart from the driver's chest, maximum points were scored for the protection offered to both the driver and passenger dummies. Double seatbelt pretensioners ensured that the driver's forward movement was very limited, keeping the knees and femurs well away from the dashboard.
Side impact: The Qashqai scored maximum points in the side impact and pole tests
Child-protection: The car scored maximum points based on the measurements recorded by the two child dummies in the front and side tests. The passenger airbag can be disabled to allow a rearward-facing child restraint to be used in that seating position. However, information provided to the driver regarding the status of the airbag is not sufficiently clear. The presence of ISOFIX anchorages is not clearly marked.
Pedestrian protection: The bumper scored maximum points for the protection it offered to pedestrians' legs. In contrast, the front edge of the bonnet scored no points. The bonnet was rated predominantly fair for the protection offered to the head of a struck child.

Euro NCAP: Poor Results From Electronic Stability Control Fitment Survey In The EU

We know it as ESP, ESC, DSC, DCS etc. We also know that Electronic Stability Control can turn potentially serious accidents into near misses and could reduce accident occurrence. Unfortunately though, according to a pan-European survey from Euro NCAP, there are huge differences in the extent to which ESC is offered as standard equipment to car-buyers across Europe. The EU wide survey places the UK, Netherlands, Greece, Malta and Ireland bottom of a country ranking with Denmark, Sweden and Germany topping the list in ESC fitment. -Continued after the Jump The results were released today. Tuesday, May 8, in association with the launch of the new ‘Choose ESC’ Campaign, led by eSafetyAware! and under the patronage of the European Commission, with the goal of raising awareness of ESC.
In presenting the results, Euro NCAP’s Secretary General Adrian Hobbs said ‘We must all do what we can to raise awareness of ESC’s importance. Car manufacturers respond to the demands of customers but customers will only demand ESC when they become aware of the benefits. The media and organisations such as fleet buyers can play a pivotal role in increasing this awareness and in helping to bring pressure to bear on manufacturers and distributors to fit ESC as standard on all new cars, in all countries.’
Basically, the problem is focused mainly in the A (mini) and B (supermini) categories, and less in the C (lower-medium) and D (medium) segments. We totally agree with Euro NCAP that ESC should be fitted as standard in all cars, even if that means a surcharge of around €500 to 800 to the base price. If you ask us, we believe that like ABS, ESC will be standard in nearly every car sold in the EU in a few years. However, Euro NCAP should also concentrate on finding a way to assess vehicle driving dynamics, because ESC by itself is not a panacea in every case. Try out a Chevrolet/Daewoo Lanos with ESC and a Ford Focus without ESC and you’ll see what we mean.

Euro NCAP: Poor Results From Electronic Stability Control Fitment Survey In The EU

We know it as ESP, ESC, DSC, DCS etc. We also know that Electronic Stability Control can turn potentially serious accidents into near misses and could reduce accident occurrence. Unfortunately though, according to a pan-European survey from Euro NCAP, there are huge differences in the extent to which ESC is offered as standard equipment to car-buyers across Europe. The EU wide survey places the UK, Netherlands, Greece, Malta and Ireland bottom of a country ranking with Denmark, Sweden and Germany topping the list in ESC fitment. -Continued after the Jump The results were released today. Tuesday, May 8, in association with the launch of the new ‘Choose ESC’ Campaign, led by eSafetyAware! and under the patronage of the European Commission, with the goal of raising awareness of ESC.
In presenting the results, Euro NCAP’s Secretary General Adrian Hobbs said ‘We must all do what we can to raise awareness of ESC’s importance. Car manufacturers respond to the demands of customers but customers will only demand ESC when they become aware of the benefits. The media and organisations such as fleet buyers can play a pivotal role in increasing this awareness and in helping to bring pressure to bear on manufacturers and distributors to fit ESC as standard on all new cars, in all countries.’
Basically, the problem is focused mainly in the A (mini) and B (supermini) categories, and less in the C (lower-medium) and D (medium) segments. We totally agree with Euro NCAP that ESC should be fitted as standard in all cars, even if that means a surcharge of around €500 to 800 to the base price. If you ask us, we believe that like ABS, ESC will be standard in nearly every car sold in the EU in a few years. However, Euro NCAP should also concentrate on finding a way to assess vehicle driving dynamics, because ESC by itself is not a panacea in every case. Try out a Chevrolet/Daewoo Lanos with ESC and a Ford Focus without ESC and you’ll see what we mean.

EuroNCAP: 4-Star Ratings For Honda Civic Hybrid & Skoda Fabia

In the latest batch of Euro NCAP crash tests, the new Honda Civic Sedan Hybrid and the Skoda Fabia didn’t manage to receive the maximum five-star rating expected in adult occupant protection by most consumers in Europe. Instead both models scored four out of five for adult occupant protection meaning that the Honda received the same ratings as the Civic 5d and the Skoda as the previous generation Fabia. -Continued after the jump In child occupant safety, the Honda Civic Sedan Hybrid achieved four out five stars while the Skoda managed a mere three stars. Similarly in pedestrian protection, the Civic was rated with a satisfactory three out of four stars while the Fabia was contempt again with a mediocre two out of four.

SKODA FABIA II

HONDA CIVIC HYBRID