These images show the best indication yet of the new Toyota FT-86’s final production styling. The images – which were leaked on a Toyota FT-86 fan site – show brochure pictures of the new rear-drive sports coupe after a makeover from Toyota’s in-house tuning arm Modellista.

Toyota refused to officially confirm the validity of the images, but Autocar sources have indicated them to be real. Externally, the production car will differ only slightly from the modified car you see here, with the main changes centring around subtly toned down designs for the alloy wheels and bumpers. The car’s exterior design also stays true to the most recent

The images also offer the first glimpse at the FT-86’s cabin, which fits in with the Toyota’s billing of the coupe as offering a real ‘back-to-basics’ approach.

The black and red cabin features sculpted sports seats trimmed in cloth and a short-throw gear lever for the six-speed manual. There’s also an ‘ESP’ off button, and what appears to be a push-to-start button.

The car’s instrument cluster places great importance on the white-coloured rev counter, which reveals a red-line of around 7500rpm. Speed is recorded in the left-hand speedometer as well as a centrally-mounted digital display. No technical details were, however, included in the brochure.

The final production version of the Toyota FT-86 will be officially revealed at the Tokyo motor show next month ahead of its UK launch in summer 2012.

Aimed at the enthusiast driver and inspired by the rear-drive 1980s Corolla AE86, the FT-86 will feature a low-set Subaru flat-four boxer engine producing around 200bhp, a six-speed manual gearbox and a limited slip-differential.

Toyota is promising a low target weight of around 1100kg, some 200kg lighter than a Volkswagen Scirocco. Prices are yet to be confirmed, but £20,000 should be close to the mark.

Thanks to: Autocar

The Mazda CX-5 will enter the highly competitive compact crossover segment in the U.S when it debuts in early 2012. The CX-5 prototype was equipped with 165-hp 2.0-liter engine producing 150 lb-ft of torque and is mated to a six-speed manual transmission and the American version will likely use the same setup.



A diesel variant available in the U.S, equipped with a 2.2-liter, twin-turbo direct injection engine. The diesel will produce over 160-hp and about 310 lb-ft of torque.



The CX-5 will compete against the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Volkswagen Tiguan and Kia Sportage. The CX-5 will be 178.7 inches long, making it more than five inches shorter than the CX-7. The 106.3 inch wheelbase also makes it two inches shorter than the CX-7. The diesel will be added to the crossover in 2014 and will make its North American debut at the Los Angeles auto show in November. Mazda has yet to confirm pricing for the U.S market but Mazda reps say that the base model will sell for around $20,000.

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By Jim Mateja
WardsAuto.com, Oct 20, 2011 8:53 AM

CHICAGO – The formula for diesel vehicle growth in the U.S. comes down to a simple equation.

As the number of auto makers selling diesels increases, the number of motorists buying them will increase, too, insists Jeff Breneman, executive director of the U.S. Coalition for Advanced Diesel Cars, which represents suppliers to diesel producers.

Breneman tells a meeting of the Midwest Automotive Media Assn. here this week that pending government legislation requiring auto makers to obtain 54.5 mpg (4.3 L/100 km) from their vehicle fleets by 2025 has helped stoke interest in oil-burners.

But, he adds, the fact European auto makers selling diesels in the U.S. have seen unexpected demand fueled by consumer concerns for great mileage and travel range between fill-ups has prompted other car manufacturers to offer diesels in the U.S. as well.

The list includes a Mazda6 diesel planned for 2012 and, more importantly, a diesel Chevrolet Cruze slated for 2013.

An offering from General Motors’ volume division gives the diesel credibility and endorses the engine as a viable alternative to hybrids or electrics, Breneman says.

“The fact that Chevy will offer a diesel Cruze in 2013 is huge,” he says. “The gas-powered Cruze will get 40 mpg (5.9 L/100 km), so the diesel is expected to get 50 mpg-plus (4.7 L/100 km), and that will make it a game-changer.

“Ford, Toyota or Honda haven’t got a diesel for the U.S. yet, but get ready for 2013-2014. That’s when we’re going to see a lot more diesels.”

Breneman says the key to growth is availability, and that will be favorably affected by more auto makers offering more diesel models here soon.

“When given a choice between a diesel- or gas-powered Jetta, 33% of motorists opt for the higher-mileage diesel. But when the supply of diesels is gone, it takes at least six to eight more weeks for the boat to arrive with a fresh supply,” he says, adding he hopes shortage issues will be solved with more players in the game.

The 54.5-mpg mileage standard is just one reason for future growth.

“Emission regulations are now about the same in Europe and the U.S., even California, so it makes it economically feasible for auto makers to develop one product for all those markets,” he says.

“And with the 54.5-mpg regulation coming in 2015, the auto makers have a 14-year window to invest the capital in diesels without U.S. regulations pulling the carpet out from under them.”

Another positive influence is infrastructure, with 80,000 U.S. service stations, or 52%, having a diesel pump.

By comparison, electrics require costly charging stations short distances from one another, and only about 1,000 are in place, Breneman says.

Fortunately, many consumers are too young to recall GM’s failed attempt at offering diesels in the 1980s, he adds.

“They don’t remember the GM experiment, but are old enough to recognize the Volkswagen Jetta and Passat (in diesel version) as great cars.”

Breneman insists diesels deserve a chance that the government has been reluctant to give them.

“We’ve had the flavor of the month from our government for decades,” he says. “Once it was going to be hydrogen fuel cells and a hydrogen highway, but that was proposed 11 years ago and where’s the first hydrogen-fuel-cell car? (ahem.... http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/ )

“There also was going to be ethanol cars and hybrid cars and electric cars. The government has always told us what technology it wanted, but what we are saying is. ‘Tell us you want 50 mpg fuel economy and let us decide the technology.’”

Source;
http://wardsauto.com/ar/diesel_have_day_111020/

Submitted by Adam Yamada-Hanff on Tue, 10/25/2011
Joe LoCicero a 53 year old man from Norway, Maine has done the unthinkable. He has driven his 1990 Honda Accord over 1 Million Miles! To celebrate this extremely amazing accomplishment, Honda threw a surprise parade in Saco, Maine for “Million Mile Joe” as he as come to be known.

The parade, along the Main Street of Saco, was complete with a giant odometer float powered by six people spinning life-sized hamster wheels. An airplane flew over with a banner that read “Way To Go Joe.” Local schools got involved as well, as students from Biddeford High School made floats to honor Joe. One of the creative floats was a replica of Joe and his 1990 Honda Accord nicknamed, “True Blue” due to its light blue color and a road adorned with banners marking special life occasions like Graduation, Just Married, Another Road Trip, and Million Mile Joe! The Westbrook High School marching band and color guard performed, and the Saco Middle School Marching Band performed as well. Shoestring Theater stilt walkers were part of the parade. Over-the-top costumed characters walked the streets, which included one person dressed in a number "1" costume with six other people dressed in "0" costumes, maps of Maine, and a pine-tree car air freshener. Joe and his wife, Sharon, happily waved to the crowd.

The parade interrupted a brief press conference where Joe received an oversized key to a new 2012 Honda Accord EX from Ashley Marble, Ms. Maine. The new car is a well earned gift from Honda to Million Mile Joe, but what is in store for “True Blue?” Joe is uncertain about what to do with his 1990 Honda Accord since he has new Honda Accord, complete with a lot of safety features and creature comforts his old Accord lacks. He was going to try to sell it for $1 million to a Honda dealership so they could showcase Honda's reliability, durability, and longevity but so far nobody has taken him up on his offer. (ummm.... really?!?)

“We at Honda are extremely proud of Joe. His accomplishment is really a testament to the reliability of the Honda Accord,” said Jessica Fini, a Honda PR spokeswoman. Tom Peyton, Honda's brand manager adds, "Joe's journey is a testament to his Honda's reliability and how people have come to count on Honda for more than 50 years to get them to where they need to go.”

A normal driver clocks around 10,000-15,000 miles on their odometer every year. It took Joe 15 years to get 1 million miles driving 62,500 miles a year. It would take an average driver 66-80 years to get to 1 million miles. That is farther than the average lifetime of 7 cars. Additionally 1 million miles would take you around the globe 40 times, it would be 4 trips to the moon... and back, and it would cost you $2 million in a taxi fare.

According to Honda, Joe is the the first person officially documented to have put 1 million miles on a Honda vehicle. Joe should feel quite proud of his accomplishment. Congratulate him on the Honda Facebook page

Way To Go Joe!

Source;
http://www.torquenews.com/1070/million-mile-joe-honored-2012-honda-accord-and-parade

Crewe for the design and engineering team, the new Bentley Continental GT coupe is the ability to set a bold and exciting direction of one of the prestigious names Bentley - Continental. Pioneering and highly successful Bentley Continental GT in 2003 was the first step in Bentley's renaissance, and defined a new market segment. It 'was a luxury GT offers excellent ease of use and remained faithful to the spirit of the Bentley GT.



Now, the new Continental GT Coupe 4 places based on the success of its iconic predecessor, capturing the spirit of the GT, but with even higher standards for design, construction, luxury, craftsmanship, dynamic performance , functionality and sophistication in everyday life.



Beautifully designed a new body giving a Bentley Continental GT coupe even more, look more defined. The decor offers new levels of cabin design, craftsmanship and luxury amenities. The seats, for example, to provide even more support, and rear legroom, even bigger and dashboard-style modernity. New touch-screen infotainment system that features a state-of-the-art navigation, Google Maps and the latest entertainment technology Balanced Mode Radiator ™ loudspeaker and Dirac size digital sound processing to produce better sound quality.



Bentley's acclaimed 6-liter 12-cylinder bi-turbo powertrain has now increased power of 575p (567bhp/423kW) and 700 nm (£ 516 ft) of torque and this is coupled to a Quick Shift transmission which allows new double downshifts. Thank you to tip flex-fuel technology, it can also run on both unleaded gasoline, the standard (petrol) and sustainable bioethanol (up to E85) or a mixture of both.