Kizashi Sport

Kizashi Sport

Suzuki will be launching a bold new ad campaign in the United States on Christmas Day pitting the brand's 2011 Kizashi Sport sedan against the Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class C300.

The performance tests will also feature in 15 and 30 second ad spots the Japanese brand will air on TV in the United States market. The campaign will run through to March 2011 and the ads will be aired during sporting events such as NFL and NCAA games as well as during the Academy Awards and hit shows such as American Idol.

The marketing blitz will be Suzuki's largest in years as it hopes to reclaim some market luster in the U.S. where its sales have fallen dramatically. The Kizashi has sold just 5,269 units in the first 11-months of the year in that market and yearly brand sales have fallen to less than 39,000 units in 2009 from a high of 101,884 vehicles in 2007. Suzuki sales will be down an additional 42 percent in 2010.

"The Kizashi we developed here was designed to appeal to buyers who appreciate and desire to own entry level sport sedans ... and to do so at a price that's within reach of most buyers...[but] to get that story out has been the real challenge.

Aston Martin DB9

Aston Martin

Aston Martin has announced plans to offer three new DB9 special editions.

The Morning Frost Volante will feature a bespoke pearlescent white exterior with silver accents and 19-inch diamond-turned wheels. Inside, the cabin boasts metallic bronze leather, unique sill plates, and Piano Black trim.

On the other hand, the Carbon Black and Quantum Silver DB9s have black accents, a sport exhaust system (with graphite-finished tail pipes), and exclusive 19-inch gloss black wheels. Interior upgrades include perforated seats, a leather roof liner, and polished glass switchgear.

CariAuto: Chevrolet Crowned as Double World Champions 2010

Chevrolet Crowned as Double World Champions 2010 Chevrolet won today in Macau the Manufacturers’ WTCC title, while Yvan Muller was officiall..."

Toyota FT HS Hybrid

Toyota FT HS Hybrid

Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) 2010

Pairing a potent hybrid powertrain with essential sports-car fundamentals, the FT-HS is a mid-priced sports car that integrates ecology and emotion in a concept that addresses the question, “What is a suitable sports car for the 21st century?”

Boasting a powerful V6 3.5L engine, the FT-HS is coupled with Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive^® to produce a target power output of approximately 400 horsepower and a projected zero-to-60 acceleration in the four-second range. At a mid-priced market position, the FT-HS would be a true “attainable exotic” with 21st-century performance.

A sculpted front and rear remove mass around key functional components, while the roof has a distinctive scooped-out section designed to reduce aerodynamic drag and provide head room at the key areas.

The FT-HS’s interior features create a dedicated driver’s cockpit that includes a cross-car instrument panel structure and delta-wing driver pod. An integrated instrument panel surrounds the driver, creating an enclosed pod effect. Armrests flow seamlessly into the door and surrounding interior. Seating is optimized for a lightweight appearance and function: The seating accommodates four and then converts to a two-seater when the roof retracts.

Perodua Bezza concept

Perodua Bezza concept

Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) 2010

Perodua has unveiled a next-generation prototype model called the Bezza at KLIMS. The sleek concept is tagged as the sort of vehicle that’s ideal for the future Gen-Y crowd looking for something bigger to efficiently traverse the concrete jungle as well as for longer journeys.Penned 100% by Malaysian designers (totalling 53 in all, including those from private learning institutions) led by P2′s chief designer Muhammad Zamren Musa, and fabricated in Thailand, the four metre-long B-pillarless vehicle is the company’s vision of what a compact car is – a vehicle that maximises the interior with a minimised exterior.Branded as a ‘mobile living space,’ with all the mod cons expected in the digital age (communications, infotainment), the study is set to become a blueprint for the company’s future models, P2 says, even though the Bezza doesn’t feature any powertrain/drivetrain – the focus of the concept is on styling studies, that of design cues and character. Perodua says that if interest in the design is high, plans to develop the particular design further into a working unit may be pursued.The five-seater concept, which uncannily contains traces of the Prius in its exterior lines, features sliding rear doors and swivel front seats for easy ingress and egress, along with a distinctly agressive headlamp design.The clean-looking interior features a cockpit layout dashboard, with the instrument panel designed for the driver’s visual ease, and the floating centre console is shaped to provide additional legroom for both driver and front passenger, with a large luggage storage area part of the design brief as well.