MOTORCYCLE AND CARS

Acura revealed the prototype of the upcoming 2015 TLX sedan at the North American International Auto Show. It appears to be almost production-ready, although the interior was not shown at the auto show. We suspect that Acura is making last minute changes to address common complaints about the RLX and MDX dashboards and infotainment systems. Based on spy shots, we know that the dash will have a similar shape, so its safe to assume a modified version of the dual screen infotainment system will be present in the new TLX.

This sedan replaces both the TSX and TL, and it will slot between the smaller ILX and larger RLX. Exterior dimensions are similar to the smaller TSX, while interior dimensions are similar to the larger TL. This is good, because the current TL is bloated on the outside.

As expected, Jewel Eye LED headlights are on the TLX, and they look even better than the MDXs. The prototype shown at the auto show features 20-inch wheels and very sophisticated mirrors, both of which will not make it to the production version. However, the 18-inch wheels will appear to be 20-inch wheels according to what one spokesperson said in an interview. The wheels will also fill most gaps in the wheel wells, which contributes to a complete and sporty appearance.

The most exciting part about the new TLX is the engine and transmission options. The base engine will be a 2.4 liter 4-cylinder mated to an 8-speed dual clutch automatic and P-AWS. The upgrade engine will be the 3.5 liter 6-cylinder paired with a 9-speed automatic and optional SH-AWD. It looks like Acura is finally catching up in terms of transmissions.

All of Hondas safety technologies will be present in the TLX, which was designed in the US. It will also be built in the US at the Marysville, Ohio plant and will release mid-2014.

From the looks of it, there sadly will not be a wagon variant, 6-speed manual, or visible exhaust tips in the near future. Nevertheless, Im extremely excited to see the TLX in person later this year.

The F 800 ST is a popular parallel twin sports-touring motorcycle which combines an economic engine with a sporty chassis and looks. The ‘Touring’ special edition is designed to make long-distance riding even easier with a range of options and accessories.
Features:

• ABS
• Key-matched, expandable Sport Panniers (15L-25L capacity each side)
• On-board Computer
• Heated Grips
• Main Centre Stand
• New 2011 colours
• £1658 worth of official BMW options and accessories
• OTR price is £8510 - a saving of £458 over standard model

K 1300 R Dynamic

The K 1300 R is BMW’s largest capacity naked street bike which combines sleek, minimalist looks with a stunning engine and performance.

by Danny King of www.autoblog.com

Many gearheads will remember that the 1970s-era Dodge Darts claim to fame was that its motor was so durable (though not necessarily powerful) that one could shoot bullets into the engine block. Decades later, Toyota has taken a page out of that testing process.

"Personally, I dont care what Elon [Musk] says about fuel cells" - Toyotas Bob Carter

With some industry members and analysts questioning both the viability and durability of hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles, Toyota executive Bob Carter, speaking at the Automotive News World Congress this week, says the Japanese automaker went all Clint Eastwood on the fuel tanks of a fuel-cell prototype. Carter says that bullets from a small-caliber gun bounced off the carbon-fiber tanks, and that .50-caliber bullets barely made dents. The shoot-out motif kept going when Carter name-checked executives from Tesla, Nissan and Volkswagen in saying that he didnt care if other automakers question the future of fuel-cell vehicles. As you can see in the prepared text of Carters speech below, he said, "Personally, I dont care what Elon [Musk], Carlos [Ghosn] or Jonathan [Browning] say about fuel cells. If they want to plug in and tune out other technologies, thats fine."

After debuting it in Tokyo late last year, Toyota showed off its FCV fuel-cell concept vehicle at the Detroit Auto Show this week as it get ready to start sales "around 2015." The car has a 300-mile range and should be priced somewhere between $50,000 and $100,000. Autoblog drove Toyotas fuel-cell prototypes last year, and you can read our impressions here.


2014 Automotive News World Congress- Bob Carter

January 14, 2014

As prepared for:
Automotive News World Congress
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Bob Carter, Senior Vice President, Automotive Operations, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
_________________

Thanks, Keith and good afternoon everyone.

You know, Ive been in the car business for more than 30 years, but Im more excited about it now than EVER before

Why?

Because for the first time in Toyotas history, we did something here weve NEVER done before.

We shocked people by unveiling two great looking, fun-to-drive cars that blow a hole

in the theory that Toyota only builds "appliances".

Just yesterday, we unveiled Toyotas newest concept, the FT-1 sports car. Im already getting people asking me when they can get their hands on one.

The FT-1 represents the latest in our heritage of sports cars like the 2000GT, Celica, Supra and most recently, the FR-S.

Then, this morning, the all-new RC-F coupe from Lexus made its world debut.

It offers true racecar performance with a high revving 450+ horsepower, 5-Liter V8. In fact, its the fastest V8 from Lexus EVER.

I know we have a hit on our hands because my 22 year-old son keeps asking me when he can lease one, and I keep telling him, "not in my lifetime!"

The Lexus RC-F and Toyota FT-1 are tangible evidence of our commitment to create products that are not only safe, dependable and reliable--our stock in trade--but are also BEAUTIFULLY styled and FUN to drive.

Its an unwavering commitment our Global President Akio Toyoda made five years ago thats paying off today in the products were now bringing to market.

And believe me, the "boss", Akio, drives EVERY product to make sure theyre right for our customers.

Along with great looking cars, Toyota and pretty much every automaker agrees, 2014 will be even better than last year.

Our industry is on a roll folks.

Now, those of you who know me probably arent surprised that Im bullish on our business.

But my sense of optimism isnt purely emotional, its also fueled by facts. Three facts, in particular:

We already talked about one: Consumers are demanding great looking cars that are

fun-to-drive and reliable.

Heres fact two: Customer demographics are undergoing a fundamental sea change, and Toyota is ready to navigate the new waters.

And, fact three: The demand for environmental sustainability is achieving critical mass, and Toyota is ready on that front, too.

Lets start with demographics.

Were in the midst of a fundamental shift. The evidence is everywhere.

Consider these two pie charts, compliments of the U.S. Census Bureau.

In 2012, 64 percent of the U.S. population was white, with the balance-36 percent-split among Hispanic, African Americans and Asian Americans.

Fast-forward 30 years to 2050 and the pie will look like this.

Todays minorities will comprise tomorrows majority.

And the biggest jump will be among Hispanics, from 16.5 percent in 2012 to 30.2 percent in 2050.

Now, if youre thinking, "These are just forecasts. Theres no guarantee thats how its going to play out," think again.

More than half of the babies born in America today are non-white. And 40 percent of the 18-to-24-year-olds today are multicultural.

The wheels are already in motion.

Trends in pop culture reflect these shifts. Think about TV sitcoms.

Weve come a long way since the days of "Leave it to Beaver," when all of the characters were white.

Todays model?

Its the wildly popular "Modern Family," that mixes characters of different ethnicities, sexual orientation, and age.

It checks all of the boxes.

The shift is also reflected in the foods we eat.

This chart shows the growth of avocado sales since 1989. Holy guacamole!

Maybe weve been in the wrong business all this time.

Even our vocabulary is changing.

More than 30 percent of the new words added to the Oxford English Dictionary between 2000 and 2010 had multicultural roots.

Clearly, the ethnicity of the customer base is changing.

These customers will have different needs for vehicles. Theyll have different expectations about the purchase experience.

Such change might strike fear into the heart of some companies. But those of us at Toyota say, "Bring it on!"

Im proud to say that were already the most popular automotive brand among Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans and African Americans.

And on the retail front, ownership of our dealerships by ethnically diverse individuals

has increased 54 percent since 2002.

Were committed to adding 4 to 6 diverse dealers each year, and we met that goal in 2013.

So, increasingly, the face of our dealers will reflect that of our customers.

Even our Marketing department is undergoing a fundamental restructuring, in large part to ensure our resources are properly aligned with these emerging customer realities.

Another key component of this demographic shift is generational, specifically the transition from the Baby Boomers to the Millennials.

That being said, as a card-carrying member of the Older Folks generation, I can assure you were not quite ready to hand off the baton. Not just yet.

Consider this: In 1960, the average lifespan was 70. Today it stands at 79. Or, to put it another way, 80 is the new 70!

The median age of the U.S. population is also on the rise. Thats good news for Toyota, too.

It means that older customers, who have been our bread and butter, will remain extremely important to us for some time.

After all, right now, the Boomers are much more likely than the Millennials to have the discretionary income to buy cars.

Still, younger buyers are our future. So fine-tuning our interaction with multicultural audiences will help us better meet their needs, too.

But the expectations of todays 20somethings dont turn solely on ethnicity. Thats where Scion has been so helpful to us.

As you can see here, Scions customers are the youngest in the industry. And 64 percent of Scions customers are new to Toyota.

That suggests they wouldnt have found their way to our dealerships showrooms if not for Scion.

In short, the market is becoming more diverse, complex and, if you ask me, more fun.

And a new more vibrant and innovative Toyota is rising up to meet it.

Our brands advertising tagline-"Lets Go Places"-encapsulates this mindset. It sends a clear message to our customers that when it comes moving down the path of life, were all in this together.

---

Now, lets shift gears and talk about that third fact I mentioned at the outset: environmental sustainability. All automakers must respond to long-term needs of our customers, our society, and our environment.

Did you happen to see the headline the other day that said:

"China Vehicle Sales Beat 20 Million as Smog Chokes Cities"?

It really brings home the harsh reality that if we want to continue to grow as an industry, we must find ways so cars will work in harmony with our environment.

At Toyota, were building on our hybrid leadership and developing pioneer technology

to continue being an environmental leader.

In fact, a week ago, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, I unveiled our new hydrogen fuel cell sedan in North America.

We plan to bring a production version of this vehicle to market NEXT year.

Now, I realize there is no shortage of naysayers regarding the viability of this technology and the infrastructure to support it.

Personally, I dont care what Elon, Carlos or Jonathan say about fuel cells. If they want to "plug in and tune out" other technologies, thats fine.

It reminds me of all the head scratching when Toyota made a commitment to hybrid technology back when gasoline was a buck a gallon.

The Prius was dismissed as a PR gimmick and a science experiment.

Well, weve since sold over 2.2 million hybrids in the U.S., and nearly 6 million sales worldwide.

Although hybrids and other alternative powertrain vehicles are still a small part of the overall market, they are growing rapidly and totaled nearly 600,000 units last year

In fact, if you counted gas/electric hybrids...pure electrics...and the trickle of fuel cell vehicles as a segment in 2013, it would be the 7th largest segment out of 21.

Even better, it would have been the second-fastest growing segment in 2013...jumping more than 17% ... better than the hot-selling full-size pickup segment.

That aint smoke and mirrors, folks.

Ten years from now, I have a hunch our fuel cell vehicle will be viewed in similar terms. We truly believe it has the same potential as the first Prius.

Weve been working on this technology since 1992.

Trust me, Toyota would not have continued on this path for this long if it didnt make good business sense.

Fuel cell vehicles offer several advantages.

They drive like electric cars but can be refueled like gasoline cars.

Theyre safe. In testing, we fired small-caliber bullets at the hydrogen tank and they just bounced off it. It took a 50-caliber armor-piercing bullet to penetrate the shell.

And, even then, it just left a hole and the hydrogen simply leaked out.

This is no Hindenburg.

Theyre also viable in real-life conditions.

Weve battle-tested our fuel cell vehicle in the deep freeze of Yellowknife, Canada,

the stifling heat of Death Valley, the high altitude of the Rocky Mountains, even the steep hills of San Francisco.

And fuel cell vehicles will be cost-effective.

With economies of scale, were confident a fuel cell vehicles MSRP will eventually be on par with todays plug-in hybrids.

Meanwhile, the main feedstock for producing hydrogen will be natural gas, which is in abundant supply in this country.

Were even exploring alternative hydrogen sources, including methane emitted from

trash dumps, landfills, waste-treatment plants, farms, and ranches.

Some experts even believe the cost of hydrogen could eventually fall below that of gasoline.

And since a fuel cell is more efficient to operate than a gasoline engine, it requires less fuel to travel the same distance with zero emissions.

The hydrogen refueling station infrastructure will grow, through public-private initiatives such as the California Fuel Cell Partnership.

The issue of infrastructure is not so much about how many, but rather, location, location, location.

Toyota and the University of California Irvines Advanced Power and Energy Program collaborated on a model that maps-out a specific distribution of hydrogen fueling stations.

And guess what we found?

In California where well initially market our sedan, it will only take about 68 station sites to regularly re-fuel about 10,000 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Another way to look at it... if every vehicle in California ran on hydrogen, we could meet refueling logistics with only 15 percent of the nearly 10,000 gasoline stations currently operating in the state.

So, unlike gas stations, you wont need fuel cell stations on every corner.

Yes there are many challenges ahead. And it will take a lot of collaboration between government regulators, universities, automakers and energy providers. But stay tuned because this infrastructure thing is going to happen.

By the way, were finding theres tremendous interest in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

We set up a fuel cell mini site on our toyota.com website, and in just one week, weve already had more than 56,000 site visits.

And they spent an average of about 4 minutes there, an eternity for web reading.

The real beauty of hydrogen fuel cells is that they have a range of 300 miles and can be re-fueled in 3-5 minutes, similar to todays gas cars.

So you dont have to stop every hundred miles or so, and spend 3 to 5 hours recharging like an electric vehicle.

And they only emit water vapor.

Now, thats not to say EVs wont have an important role in the future of transportation. They will. Hey, we have EVs, too.

The fact is, we believe consumers will be able to find BOTH electric outlets AND hydrogen stations without too much trouble in the future.

The bottom line... fuel cells will be in our future sooner than many people believe, and in much greater numbers than anyone expected.

So competitors who dismiss fuel cells out of hand do so at their own peril.

My point is this: No matter how the move to new fuels and technologies plays out,

Toyota will be there with vehicle options and Im confident well continue to thrive.

---

Well by now, I hope you will agree, our industry is in a great place today.

I have no doubt that were going to be in an even better place tomorrow no matter what the future has in store for us.

So this is more than just a great time to be in the auto business.

Its an INCREDIBLY EXCITING time to be in this industry and were all lucky to be a part of it.

So together, lets go forth and do some great things in 2014!

Thank you.

Source;
http://green.autoblog.com/2014/01/16/toyota-fires-bullets-hydrogen-fuel-tanks-shoots-ev-supporter/

• 103-kW TDI replaces previously offered 90-kW TDI
• Better driving performance with same low fuel consumption
• Reversing camera, RNS 510 navigation system and auxiliary heating can now be ordered

The power of the two-litre TDI engine with common rail injection, which has been boosted by 13 kW (18 PS) to 103 kW / 140 PS, is available at an engine speed of 3,500 rpm. Engine torque, unchanged at 340 Newton metres, is available over a range from 1,600 to 2,250 rpm.

The power-boosted engine impresses with its better driving performance with the same low fuel consumption. For example, the more powerful Amarok now accelerates to 100 km/h in 12.6 seconds (previously 13.2 s), and its top speed is now 168 km/h (162 km/h before). The truck’s flexibility value – the time it takes to accelerate from 80 to 120 km/h in 5th gear – was improved by 0.5 seconds.

Despite its noticeably improved driving performance, the pickup’s low fuel consumption has not changed. With optional BlueMotion Technology, the Amarok with a 103 kW TDI engine only consumes 6.8 litres of diesel per 100 km.


The new base engine is available for both the two-door Amarok SingleCab – with rear-wheel drive or selectable 4-wheel drive – and the four-door DoubleCab with rear-wheel drive or one of two 4-wheel drive versions – always combined with a six-speed manual gearbox – and in all three equipment versions.

To fulfil special customer wishes many new features were added to the options programme as well. They include features familiar from the Multivan such as the high-end RNS 510 radio-navigation system, ParkPilot combined with a reversing camera, programmable auxiliary heating with remote control, fog lights with cornering lights (from Trendline) and the “Light and Sight” pack (incl. assistance running lights, windscreen wipers with rain sensor, “Coming and Leaving home” feature and automatically dimming rearview mirror).

Prices for the Amarok SingleCab with the 103 kW TDI start at 20,435 euros (net) or 24,317.65 euros (gross). The Amarok DoubleCab with the new base engine starts at 23,235 euros (net) or 27,649.65 euros (gross). Prices for 4-wheel drive versions start at 22,085 euros for the SingleCab and 24,880 euros (net) for the DoubleCab. Orders are now being taken by all Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle partners.

[Source : VOLKSWAGEN]

The Honda XS-1 is very likely to be a SUV top-hat on the Mobilio platform.

by Karthik H of www.indianautosblog.com 

Honda has announced that it will conduct yet another global unveil in India. A creative study model called the “Honda Vision XS-1″ will be revealed at the 2014 Auto Expo in February.

The Vision XS-1 is a new crossover based on the packaging technology of Honda with both surprising space and sporty styling, the company says.

There will also be the Mobilio MPV, the third-generation Jazz hatchback, the four-generation City sedan and the Amaze compact sedan on display making it the biggest ever Auto Expo for Honda, who had nothing new to show at the previous edition.

The new Honda Jazz receives its Indian premiere at the Auto Expo.

As for the Vision XS-1 crossover concept, going by its description, it seems to be a made-for-Asia concept as it talks about packaging technology and surprising space, and not about performance or looks.

The previous made-for-Asia cars that Honda launched (and shared this introduction) were the Brio hatchback and Amaze sedan, which have had good success streaks in India and other Asian markets like Thailand and Indonesia. Moreover Honda have the Vezel earmarked for global countries, and a second crossover is not warranted.

Honda would also put the new Accord Hybrid on display, as a study.

Honda even recently inaugurated a facility in Indonesia this week that became the first to manufacture the Mobilio MPV. Honda India has already confirmed to IAB that the Mobilio will be launched in the coming fiscal.

There will also be a new scooter from Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India at the Auto Expo, the release mentioned.

Source;
http://indianautosblog.com/2014/01/honda-vision-xs-1-crossover-concept-auto-expo-2014-113344

BMW 1 series is the entry level model for BMW world wide.Now BMW has decided to bring the 1 series to India.BMW maintained their no 1 position in Luxury after they taken it from Mercedes.Now BMW is facing strong competition from Audi.Audi was so aggressive this year.Bringing models to India.While BMW was very slow.Now BMW India has got a new President Philipp von Sahr.After that he launched the New 6 series Gran coupe.On the launch he confirmed that BMW is working on brining the 1 series to India.The Launch will be in 2013.

BMW 1 series takes Mercedes A Class and Audi A1.Mercedes has already started testing A Class in India.But Audi hasn’t given any plans for bringing A1 in India.We can expect in Future.BMW will assemble the 1 series in India.BMW 1 series shares components with X1.So we can expect aggressive pricing from BMW.BMW 1 series will be powered by the same engines from X1.We can expect the 2.0 Diesel engine variant to be more popular.1 series weights less compared to X1.So 1 series has more performance.BMW 1 series can certainly do wonders for BMW in India.

Bajaj Auto was the second largest Bike Manufacture in India on Volumes. But last month Honda snatched the second place from Bajaj. Now Bajaj is fighting back. For that Bajaj is planning lots of new products for 2013. Couple of weeks back we reported that Bajaj Auto will launch 2 new pulsar variants. One will be a brand new Pulsar which will be positioned below the 200 NS. We expected the new model to replace the aging pulsar 150 and 180. Bajaj will share the technologies introduced in the 200 NS with the elder sibling. The second product from Pulsar series is the Pulsar 375. New Flagship model for Bajaj will share the technologies from the KTM Duke 390. Bajaj Pulsar 375 will be the fastest and most technologically advanced bike in Pulsar history.

Like the Pulsar series Discover series is also very important for Bajaj. Discover brings the volume for Bajaj while Pulsar take care of performance segment. Bajaj launched Discover 100 T couple of months back with loads of new technologies. Market has accepted the 100 T well. Now Bajaj is planning 4-6 Discover variants. Bajaj hasn’t given any details about the engine size for the new Discover. Bajaj may launch 6 Discover depending on the Competition. Now Discover got average 1,00,000 – 1,10,000 units per month. With the launch of new Models Bajaj Expect the number to go around 1,50,000 units per month. Discover will play a key role in Bajaj fight for the second position against Honda. 

source : Moneycontrol.com