Photo Gallery: 2011 Fiat 500 (U.S)

EPA has released official fuel economy rating for the new Fiat 500, which hits dealerships in March.

The 5 speed manual gearbox achieves 30mpg city, 38mpg highway, and 33mpg combined, on par with a manual Mini Cooper, that combines 32mpg.

Set to be the most popular transmission is Fiat’s 6 speed Dualogic semi-automatic, however, fuel economy won’t be so popular with consumers. With 27mpg city, 34mpg highway, and 30mpg combine, the 500 falls behind the Mini Cooper by 1mpg.

The U.S spec 500 is powered by Fiat's 1.4 litre MultiAir petrol engine that pumps out 135bhp.

Photo Gallery: 2012 Pagani Huayra

Pagani has replaced the firms €1m Zonda hypercar will the all-new Huayra. Huayra has taken seven years to produce and develop and sports a Mercedes-sourced bi-turbo 6.0 litre V12.

The hypercar nameplate is pronounced as ‘wirer’, which stands for ‘god of wind’. CEO Horacio Pagani, claims the vehicle offers a different flavour of supercar to the Zonda.

Pagani will sell two variants of the Huayra: the standard engine with 700bhp (710PS/522kW) and 1,000Nm (664lb-ft) of torque, and a Sport version with 730bhp (740PS/544kW) and 1,098Nm (811lb-ft) of torque.

Performance wise, Huayra is claimed to have a top speed of 230mph (370km/h), while reaching 62mph (100km/h) in 3.3 seconds via a 96kg 7-speed automated manual transmission. To shrink the length of the drivetrain, the gearbox is mounted transversely after the engine.

Huayra is larger and has more safety equipment than the Zonda, but kerbweight remains a mere 1,350kg. The extra safety features guarantees the Hauyra meets and exceeds U.S safety regulations.

While the interior is typically Pagani, it has been designed to be more comfortable on longer journeys, plus Bluetooth, bi-xenon headlights w/LED day-time running lights, and a touch-screen satellite navigation system come as standard.

If the hypercar sells well enough, Pagani will double annual production and sell the Hauyra in the U.S and Chinese markets.

Volvo S60 T5 pricing announced (U.S)

Volvo has introduced an entry-level S60 T5. Starting at $30,795, excluding the $875 destination fee is $450 less than the preceding entry price.

The T5 powering the S60 is a turbocharged 2.5 litre 5-cylinder units that kicks out 250bhp (253PS/186kW) and 361Nm (266lb-ft) of torque, all going to the front wheels via a new 6 speed automatic Geartronic gearbox.

2011 Volvo S60 T6 AWD

With an electronically limited top speed of 130mph (209km/h), the S60 T5 posts a time of 6.8 seconds to 60mph (97km/h).

Standard equipment in the T5 will include 17” alloy wheels, T-Tec fabric interior, electrically adjustable driver’s seat w/memory, climate control, front and rear sports seats, electrically folding rear headrests, leather steering wheel w/metal brushed accents, electrically folding door mirrors w/puddle lamps, 8 speaker audio system w/Bluetooth, x6 airbags, and dynamic stability traction control (DSTC).

Alfa Romeo launches TCT transmission in MiTo supermini

The Alfa Romeo MiTo is the first model in the Italian firm’s line-up to feature the automatic transmission with dry twin clutch transmission, called TCT. Starting at £16,745, the MiTo TCT is available in Lusso and Veloce trim-levels.

When combined with the 1.4 TB MultiAir 135bhp (137PS/101kW) petrol engine and stop/start, the vehicle emits 128g/km and returns 51.4mpg (5.5l/100km), which outshines the manual gearbox. With a top speed of 129mph (207km/h), the MiTo can reach 62mph (100km/h) in 8.2 seconds.

If we compare dry clutches with oil bath (wet) clutches, we can safely say that the former dissipate energy only during the actual slipping phase of the gear change and on pick-up, whereas wet clutches, which always operate in an oil bath, introduce losses due to viscous friction such as those of conventional automatic transmissions, even when they are not in operation. They also require forced cooling with oil, and therefore continuous energy expenditure to drive the dedicated oil pump (absent in the case of dry clutches).

A ‘wet’ automatic transmission also requires approximately 4.8 litres more gearbox oil than the dry version, again for reasons of clutch cooling (in this way, weight is added and losses due to splashing increase). When all these effects are added together, a dry transmission is found to be approximately 6% more efficient than the corresponding wet one in terms of consumption.

car

n automobile, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels, and to be constructed principally for the transport of people rather than goods.

MG plans to expand dealership network (UK)

By the end of the year, MG Motors is looking to open 45 new showrooms to assist the firm in selling its range of cars, including the all-new MG6 compact car and MG3 supermini.

Currently, 38 dealerships sell the TF Roadster and MG Motors is discussing with 25 potential dealers on opening dealerships in “45 key open points in various regions of Britain”.

David Martin, franchise and dealer manager said the first 10 to 15 new showrooms would be selected soon. The first supply of the MG6 is likely in Spring, while the smaller MG3 may launch in Summer.

SAIC, owner of MG Motors has published record sales for 2010, selling 3.58m units, a spike of 31.5% over 2009.

New Car: 2012 Honda Accord facelift (EU)

Honda has revised its popular Accord mid-sized family car for the 2012 model year. The facelift includes minor exterior and interior changes, reworked engines, and chassis alterations.

The 2.2 i-DTEC engine now emits 138g/km for the manual sedan, down by 9g/km from 147g/km, 11g/km drop from 170g/km to 159g/km for the automatic sedan, and 10g/km tumble from 153g/km to 143g/km for manual transmission wagons, thanks to internal friction losses. Torque and engine power output remains untouched at 350Nm (258lb-ft) and 148bhp (146PS/110kW).

The 2.0 i-VTEC models sport aerodynamic revisions. With a manual transmission and in sedan body-form, a CO2 figure of 159g/km, down 9g/km from 168g/km, is achieved.

In order to improve NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) levels, Honda has had its Japanese based engineers working with those in the UK and Germany. This has resulted in higher density foam under the bonnet and dashboard to enhance refinement.

Externally, new headlights, grille, air-intakes, bumpers, and fog lights will feature. On sedan models, chrome trim will sit above the number plate on the bootlid. Internally, dark silver and bright silver trim accents will be used on the handbrake and door handles. EX models obtain illuminated footwells.

On ES, and ES-GT trim-levels, redesigned 17” alloy wheels and three new colours will be offered; Alabaster Silver, Graphite Lustre metallic and Celestrial Blue Pearl. New technology like Active Cornering Lights and High Beam Support system will be standard on Accord’s equipped with bi-xenon headlights.

The facelifted Accord will premier at the Geneva motor show before going on sale in July 2011.