The Auris has been enhanced with a new front end that comprises a restyled grille, swept-back headlamps, new bumper and revised bonnet profile, while at the back, the tail lamp clusters are revised and there’s a new rear bumper with extended corner sections.

The new Auris has a new centre console and examined Optitron dials with white illumination, while Toyota also added soft-touch materials on the top of the instrument panel and around the glovebox. Toyota’s engineers fine tuned the Auris’ suspension and speed-sensitive Electric Power Steering (EPS).

The standard Auris holds its present range of petrol and diesel engines and six-speed manual and MultiMode transmissions.The facelifted Auris will have its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March alongside the production version of the Auris HSD Hybrid.

 

The German car producer has released the first images and official details of the new 2011 Volkswagen Polo GTI prior to its world premiere at Geneva auto show next month. The Polo GTI is the fifth generation hatch of the VW and is expected to be available as a three- as well as five-door.

The new 2011 model year VW Polo GTI is equipped with the same 1.4-liter TSI gasoline engine with turbo- and supercharging, as well as the seven-speed DSG transmission of the Seat Ibiza Cupra. The output of the car is 180 horsepower, while it has 250Nm or 184 lb-ft of torque, available from 2,000 to 4,500 rpm.

According to Volkswagen the vehicle reaches from 0 to 62 mph in 6.9 seconds. The top speed is 142mph or 229 km/h.  The Polo GTI is said to be able to deliver a low fuel consumption of 6.0lt/100km (equal to 39mpg US or 47 mpg UK), while the emission is just 139 g/km of CO2.

2011 VW Polo GTI has been dropped by 15mm and comes with 17-inch alloy wheels.  Stiffer springs make the suspension tighter and the car will feature the same XDS differential as the Cupra, which electronically replicates a limited slip diff.

Some of the most significant features of the Polo GTI include honeycomb grille ringed in red, dual tailpipes, red brake callipers, flat-bottom steering wheel, blacked out headlamps with LED daytime running lights and plaid cloth.

2011 Lotus Elise is restyled and now has got many of updates that comprise styling and mechanical tweaks as well as the introduction of a new entry-level model with a Toyota-sourced 1.6-liter gasoline engine.

The redesigned model has a new fascia up front that boasts a redesigned hood, new bumper with a wider grille, and reshaped headlights featuring LED daytime running lights for the first time.

More significant changes are found under the hood with the 2011 Elise gaining a new entry-level ‘S’ model powered by a Toyota-sourced 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine.

 

This new engine is 200cc smaller than the outgoing Elise S 1.8L model and makes the same output (134HP at 6,800 rpm) and slightly less torque (160 Nm or 118 lb-ft at 4400 rpm versus 172Nm or 127 lb-ft), but offers a significant improvement to fuel economy of more than 23 per cent, to 6.1 lt / 100km (46.3 mpg UK or 38.6 mpg US) and by13 per cent more reduction in CO2 emission.

Lotus announces a 0-60mph sprint time of 6.0 seconds (0-100km/h 6.7 seconds) and a top speed of 124mph or 200km/h for the new 1.6-liter version.

All 2011 Elise models gain advantage from a new six-speed manual gearbox while both the 189bhp 1.8-liter ‘R’ and the 217bhp 1.8-liter SuperCharged SC boast lower CO2 emissions and better fuel economy than their 2010MY siblings.

Audi has announced the limited edition RS 6 Sport and the RS 6 Exclusive. The car manufacturer has added two new special packages to the list of options that come with the 580HP V10-powered Audi RS6.  The RS 6 Sport and the RS 6 Exclusive will be limited to 500 units and will feature exclusive equipment packages, including a carbon-fiber trim kit for the engine compartment, 20-inch wheels with a five-spoke design, the sports suspension plus system and a numbered plaque in the interior.

The RS 6 Sport features leather trim for the instrument-panel hood and center console, and unique RS6-badged front floor mats. The buyer can also add to the car the exclusive package, Audi RS 6 Exclusive, which includes seat upholstery, controls, door trim inserts, (a) front center armrest, and door armrests in unique leather. A custom paint job from the extensive quattro GmbH color palette is also available for order.

Audi RS 6 Sport and RS 6 Exclusive special edition vehicle come with carbon fiber engine dressing, a special sports suspension, an individually numbered badge, and 20-inch wheels.

Both models will be equipped with a 5.0-liter twin-turbo V10 engine with the output of 426 kW (580 PS / 571 hp) and 650 Nm (479 lb-ft) of torque. The limited edition vehicles accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds, while the top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h (155 mph).

The sport package is priced from €3,250 and the exclusive package from €8,310.

The Nissan Patrol was first presented in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. The Patrol’s all-new exterior design is less rugged and more upscale. It is a much more luxurious place to be with the company saying that since most customers spend less than 15% of the time off-road, it wanted to create “a better, higher quality interior for the whole family.

The Nissan Patrol has a more premium design with generous amounts of leather, polished aluminum and wood grain paneling as well as a bevy of luxury features such as a new multi-screen DVD entertainment system with two rear-facing 7-inch screens embedded into each front seat headrest. It has improved passenger space suggesting over 100mm more legroom for second row passengers, and a roomier third row of seats as well.

The new Patrol is built on a new platform and is suggested with a new and more powerful 5.6-litre V8 engine that replaces the previous model’s 4.8-liter V8. The new V8 produces 400hp and 550Nm of torque. Nissan did not bring out any details on any other future powerplant offerings for the Patrol.

The 5.6-liter V8 engine is connected to a new 7-speed automatic transmission and an upgraded 4WD system that incorporates a variable 4×4 mode package allowing the driver to quickly switch between four drive modes: sand, on-road, snow and rock.

The 2011 Patrol has a new suspension setup that now uses 4-wheel independent suspension, upgraded from the previous rigid axle setup, while Nissan also equipped the SUV with a Hydraulic Body Motion Control System (HBMC), which is said to reduce body roll during lane-changing and cornering.

 

Back in 2009 Matech Concepts has announced that the company has started to develop a new Ford GT1 based on the prototype fielded in the previous season. Ans now Matech Competition has announced that the development of the updated Matech Ford GT1 car is now complete and the company has proceeded to production.

There are not a lot of details known about the 2010 Matech GT1. It is known that the vehicle is based on a prototype that the Swiss racing team ran in 2009.

According to Martin Bartek, Team Principal and Owner of Matech Competition, “I am delighted with the improved car. Each and every area of the car has seen improvements from both a performance and reliability perspective. We have successfully tested each individual area of the car, and now we look forward to testing the whole package over the next few weeks. I am incredibly proud of my team, who has worked tirelessly over the past few months to get everything in place to ensure we are competitive right from the start.”

Test driver Thomas Mutsch said, “The car is completely new. Not a single element, be it the engine, the transmission system, the suspension or aerodynamics are the same as those of the Ford GT1 from 2009. The roll-out was very promising, and we are confident with regard the forthcoming season.”

2010 Matech Ford GT1 is expected to be introduced to the media on March 1, when the full details and specifications will be announced.

Kia has taken the wraps off its futuristic plug-in hybrid, the four-seat Kia Ray concept at the Chicago Auto Show. According to the car manufacturer the vehicle is designed to ensure that being green doesn’t necessarily translate to dull and that the company’s future plans include a dedicated hybrid model. The Kia Ray Concept was designed by the American studio of Kia. The main idea of the developers was to create a car which would combine compact saloon, design and maximum efficiency and would be based on Kia Forte platform.

The Ray Concept has a driving range of 746 miles (1,200 km). The car can travel 50 miles (80.5 km) on electric power alone plus a fuel economy rating of more than 202 miles per gallon (1.2 l/100km).

The Ray features an all-aluminum Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) 1.4-litre engine with a CVT and a 78kw electric motor powered by a lithium ion battery pack. The total output of the vehicle is 153-horsepower

The exterior of the vehicle is stylish and has its own unique character.  The futuristic style is also noticeable in the interior of Kia Ray. Only eco-friendly and lightweight recycled materials in cool white tones are used inside the vehicle. This helps to reflect the heat of the sun and keeps the temperature down, thus reducing the use of air conditioner energy.

The most significant features of Kia Ray include touch-screen controls, drive-by-wire steering, “cool-glazing” solar glass and a lithium-polymer battery, 20-inch alloy wheels, 195/50R20 tyres, drive-by-wire steering and the roof mounted solar panels that can power the climate control or the lighting system.

Today it was announced by Nissan that the all-new Juke small crossover will be presented to North American guise at the 2010 New York Auto Show in late March, leading the world premiere of the European-spec model at the Geneva Salon in the beginning of March.

This new Juke will join the Nissan lineup in the United States later this autumn. We should wait for the NY Show for more details on the NA model, but in Europe, three engines will be available, including a naturally aspirated 1.6-liter petrol with 117HP, a 1.6-liter turbocharged petrol rated at an impressive for its size output of 190HP.

There also a 110HP 1.5-liter turbo diesel, but don’t expect to see this engine on this side of the Atlantic any time soon.

 

Audi formally introduced its new A1 premium supermini on Tuesday before its public debut at Geneva Motor Show, which is scheduled to take place next month. 2011 Audi A1 is designed as a competitor for such models as MINI Cooper and Alfa Romeo MiTo.  Together with the first photos and full details, Audi has also released three videos that include a walk around the car with design boss, Stefan Siellaf.

It should be noted that Audi A1 supermini was first introduced as the three-door Metro Project Concept at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, followed in 2008 by the five-door A1 Sportback study in Paris.

At launch the A1 will be available with two gasoline and two diesel engines. All the engines will be direct-injection four-cylinder turbos with stop-start technology. The sales in European are scheduled to start later this year, while it is not confirmed if the car will arrive to the U.S. or not.

Though the public debut of 2011 Volvo S60 is scheduled to take place at next month’s Geneva Motor Show, Volvo has released full details and a number of images of the vehicle. It should be noted that the car was first introduced as a concept at the 2009 Detroit Show, and though there are changes to the design of the production vehicle, it remains pretty close to the original concept.

According to the car manufacturer the new Volvo S60 is the most dynamic car ever produced by Volvo and this is true not only in terms of styling but also in terms of driving characteristics.

“Its profile radiates so much coupe feeling that the rear doors come as something of a pleasant surprise when you examine the car close-up,” says Volvo Cars’ Design Director Peter Horbury.

The first you will notice is that Volvo paid extra attention to details and the choice of materials. The 2011 Volvo S60 will be available in two chassis options:, the S60 is available with a dynamic chassis in the European market, a comfort chassis as standard with the sport variant available as an option in North America and Asia.

“This project has been about pure passion for the task of driving Volvo’s chassis development expertise to its very pinnacle. We’ve crossed into territory where we’ve never been before,” says Stefan Sällqvist, who is in charge of developing the chassis of the all-new S60.

2011 Volvo S60 comes with a wide range of engines, which is as follows:

The new S60 will be equipped with a number of special features include the new Advanced Stability Control with a new roll angle sensor, the Corner Traction Control that uses torque vectoring to improve cornering and the available Pedestrian Detection system that can detect pedestrians who walk into the road in front of the car, warn the driver and automatically apply full braking power if the driver does not respond in time.

“The interior has a more extrovert attitude than before, but without losing any of its practical Scandinavian roots. The all-new S60 brings us up to a whole new level when it comes to the integral experience of color, form, material and technology,” says Peter Horbury.

The new Volvo S60 will be produced at the company’s Ghent, Belgium. The first cars are expected to be delivered to customers in early summer 2010.