Car Gallery : "2009 Hyundai i20 3-door"

The three-door i20 is available to order now, with the first examples arriving in UK showrooms in April.

Hyundai has revealed the first picture of the new i20 three-door, ahead of its official unveiling at the Geneva motor show on March 3rd.

Building on the success of the recently launched Hyundai i20 five-door, the new body style will broaden the i20’s appeal to the fastest-growing sector of the car market in Europe.

In addition to a stylish new look, the three-door model offers a lower price entry point for the i20 line-up with prices starting at just £8,195 for the 1.2 Classic model - that’s £450 less than the five-door.

Positioned between the successful i10 and i30 models, the i20 three-door shares many of its styling features with the five-door. In fact the front and rear remains unchanged, but the distinctive crease lines that run along each side are enhanced by the longer front doors and the sporty, upswept shape of the rear-side window.

Built on the same 2.525mm wheelbase and weighing 10-kilograms less than the i20 five-door, the new model offers an equally well proportioned exterior and spacious interior that will comfortably accommodate adult passengers in the front and rear seats.

The larger front doors create a wide entry aperture, and Hyundai’s quick-release memory seats with walk-in functionality provide easy access to and from the rear. The system enables the front-seat backrests to be tipped and the whole seat to slide forwards. This simple-to-use system returns the front seat to the originally selected position without the need for readjustment.

Safety is always at the forefront for Hyundai and the i20 has an extensive list of active and passive equipment. This includes six airbags on all models - front, side and curtain - as standard, plus active head-restraints.

Hyundai expects i20 buyers will make the 1.2-litre petrol engine - dubbed ‘Kappa’ - the best-selling power plant in the range. The new, all-alloy unit combines miserly fuel consumption with low CO2 emissions to produce a compelling package with exceptionally low running costs.

Kappa is the latest example of the company’s expertise in developing lightweight, low-NVH, super-efficient engines. With a displacement of just 1,248cc, Kappa unit develops an impressive 78PS and a class-leading torque figure of 119Nm endowing the i20 with responsive acceleration and excellent driveability.

The three-door i20 is available to order now, with the first examples arriving in UK showrooms in April.

Car Gallery: "2010 Ford Taurus SHO"

The 2010 SHO is available in a wide range of new Taurus colors including Atlantis Green Metallic, a unique SHO color inspired by the iconic Deep Emerald Green hue appearing in 1991.


One of America’s favorite “sleeper” performance cars returns to the Ford lineup, powered by a Super High Output (SHO) EcoBoost twin turbocharged engine. The Taurus SHO joins Ford’s growing lineup of performance vehicles for the 2010 model year, building on the legacy of the original, which earned a spot on the Car and Driver 10 Best list four years running.

“The new Taurus SHO delivers on the authentic sleeper sedan formula but adds all-new luxury-appointments, convenience features and technologies to an unsurpassed balance of power and fuel economy,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas. “This new sport derivative answers enthusiasts’ calls for a premium Ford flagship sedan with even more attitude.”

Introduced in 1989, Taurus SHO was conceived as a discreet performance-oriented sports sedan, ideally suited to the automotive enthusiast needing the room and capability of a four-door full-size car. Produced through 1999, more than 100,000 were sold.

The original Taurus SHO generated a loyal following of owners and enthusiasts, with an active club more than 1,000 members strong, an online forum with more than 10,000 registered users and a Web site (bringbackthesho.com) specifically devoted to convincing Ford to resurrect the SHO. The 2010 Taurus product development team spent significant time listening to SHO enthusiasts.

The 2010 SHO is available in a wide range of new Taurus colors including Atlantis Green Metallic, a unique SHO color inspired by the iconic Deep Emerald Green hue appearing in 1991.

The new Taurus SHO interior encourages performance driving. Leather-trimmed seats with Miko Suede inserts, made from recycled post-consumer yarns from plastic soft drink bottles, are comfortable and luxurious. A perforated leather-wrapped steering wheel puts the driver in smooth touch with the road. Front seats are 10-way power adjustable. SHO accelerator and brake pedals are trimmed in aluminum. The console, instrument and door panels feature SHO-specific authentic aluminum appliqués. SHO branding appears on the unique floor mats, and on the passenger side of the instrument panel.

The 2010 Taurus SHO will be built at Ford’s Chicago (Ill.) assembly plant and will be available in dealerships this summer, starting at a base price of $37,995, including destination.

SEAT León and Altea 2009

SEAT León and Altea 2009




The broad engine range on the new León, Altea and Altea XL models includes a total of 10 different choices - five petrol and five Diesel. They have all undergone a significant evolution in every aspect, with special mention to performance and a reduction in fuel consumption figures and emissions levels.

The same as on the fourth generation Ibiza and the new Exeo, the Arrow Design concept defines the exterior looks of the 2009 León and Altea. They both clearly reflect the silhouettes of the previous models, but contain interesting new design details.

Now with smoother, more elegant lines, prominent elements are a new grille with a smaller SEAT logo and more stylised chrome surround, larger headlights, newly designed door mirrors and modern wheel rims; while at the rear, the window is larger for greater visibility, and the hatch and light clusters have also been modified, among others. In the interior, modifications have been made to the instrument panel, central console and door panel trim and materials, resulting in a modern, ergonomic passenger compartment.

Taking place from 5 to 15 March, 2009, the Geneva Motor Show is the backdrop chosen by SEAT to showcase the new 2009 León and Altea models for the first time. With these models, the Spanish brand`s intermediate range has undergone a considerable evolution, with their identity traits visible on the front and rear of all the body styles, and a completely updated engine range including common rail Diesel variants. All these novelties combine with an outstanding level of equipment, with special emphasis on comfort and safety elements.

The broad engine range on the new León, Altea and Altea XL models includes a total of 10 different choices - five petrol and five Diesel. They have all undergone a significant evolution in every aspect, with special mention to performance and a reduction in fuel consumption figures and emissions levels.

The powerful 211 hp 2.0 TSI engine steals the spotlight in the petrol engine range, while the great novelty among the Diesel choices is the arrival of common rail technology to the 170 hp 2.0 TDI engine. Furthermore, all the versions equipped with the DSG automatic sequential gearbox, now also available on the seven-speed 160 hp 1.8 TSI, feature shift paddles on the steering wheel.

With the arrival of the 2009 versions, the equipment list has been unified on the SEAT León, Altea and Altea XL models. All three are now equipped with the same standard elements on the Reference, Style and Sport versions. In addition, the León has added the sportier FR version to its range.

Besides, all the versions feature new upholstery, with the possibility of choosing black leather, and a new cognac colour leather for the León units. A further choice on the FR versions is a combination of black fabric (for the seat sides) with red or silver Alcantara down the middle.

And finally, in terms of active safety measures, the new 2009 León and Altea include all the electronic assistance devices. ABS + TCS and ESP with EBA emergency braking will be available as standard across the entire range.

Chrysler GEM Peapod 2009

Chrysler GEM Peapod 2009

More information here; originally upload by Taglane

This picture is a unique futuristic car in 2009. This car is named Cyristal GEM Peapod. The Peapod is scheduled for production in 2009. The Peapod represents the first in a series of product launches that will redefine the future of electric vehicles.

Clean and green transportation gets a new look and feel as Peapod introduces the next generation of clean, gas-free and emission-free, battery electric vehicles.

The vehicle’s innovative, groundbreaking design, with its striking podlike shape and sleek lines, reflects its environmentally friendly nature.

The user-friendly mood of the vehicle, named Peapod, is enhanced with the newly designed center console that will offer iPod integration, as well as handsfree operation of the customer’s iPhone. Other innovations include ergonomic, supportive, mesh seating, which enables air circulation for comfort and uses ecofriendly recycled and recyclable materials.

The Peapod is scheduled for production in 2009. The Peapod represents the first in a series of product launches that will redefine the future of electric vehicles.

Peapod zero-emission electric vehicles can be used in settings such as city centers, planned communities, military bases, college campuses, corporate and commercial centers, and city, state and national parks.

Peapod neighborhood electric vehicles have a top speed of 25 miles per hour, a range of up to 30 miles per charge (battery charge is extended through use of regenerative braking) and are street legal in more than 40 states. The vehicles can be recharged anytime, anywhere with a standard 110-volt outlet. Recharge time is approximately six to eight hours.

By replacing conventional vehicles, Peapod vehicles can reduce overall emissions of pollutants, particularly during short trips when conventional vehicles create the most tailpipe emissions.