GLOBAL CAR MARKET STUDY BY POLK LIGHT VEHICLE SALES TO DECLINE 15 IN 2009

Global Light Vehicle Sales to Decline 15% in 2009, says Polk Study.

Study shows worldwide volumes wont return to pre-crisis levels until 2012.

R. L. Polk & Co.s latest market study released today predicts that the automotive market wont emerge from the worldwide recession until 2012, later than previously forecast, due to worsening economic conditions. The study further predicts that Global light vehicle sales will decline 14.7 percent from 2008 levels to 55.2 million units in 2009.

Key Findings:

• Emerging Markets Have Greatest Growth Potential

• Asian Automakers Gain Market Share in U.S.

• Scrappage and Tax Incentives Provide Short-Term Help for Saturated Markets

• Toyota Maintains Position as the Top Manufacturer

Long-term growth for the global automotive market will come from the "emerging" markets of Latin America; Central and Eastern Europe; Africa and the fast-growing Asia-Pacific/Middle Eastern region (excluding the developed market of Japan). Beginning in 2015, Polk expects more light vehicles will be sold in the aggregated emerging markets than in the combined "saturated" markets of the United States, Canada, Western Europe and Japan.

"We see China and India as key drivers of growth, as vehicles become attainable for an increasing percentage of these countries huge consumer populations," said Uwe Biastoch, director of global forecasting at Polk. "Like Tata Motors with the recent launch of the low-cost Nano in India,manufacturers that innovate and produce market-specific products will be successful in emerging markets," said Biastoch.

These emerging markets will come out of the current crisis three years earlier than the saturated regions. Light vehicle sales in the emerging markets will top 2007 levels in 2011; this wont happen until 2014 in the saturated regions.

The U.S. has been hard-hit by the economic crisis, and new vehicle sales have dropped from a high of almost 17.5 million in 2000 to 13.2 million in 2008, with a further decline to 10 million projected for 2009. Polk predicts that 2009 will mark the end of U.S. market share dominance for the domestic automakers: Asian manufacturers will capture 47 percent of U.S. market share, compared to 44 percent for American automakers and 9 percent for European brands.

Western Europe will fare better than the United States and Canada in the short term, in large part because of scrappage incentives introduced in countries including Germany and Italy. Light vehicle sales in Western Europe will fall 9 percent from 2008 to 2009, compared to 24 percent in the United States and Canada during the same timeframe.

"The U.S. market is currently in a state of flux, with the impact of Chryslers Chapter 11 filing yet to be realized and GMs fate uncertain. It also remains to be seen whether the Obama administration will follow the lead of some European countries and reward consumers who turn in old vehicles and purchase cleaner cars, and what the impact of such a fleet modernization initiative might be," said Ulrich Winzen, chief analyst at Polk.

Worldwide, Toyota will maintain its position as the top manufacturer, with a fairly stable market share of 12 percent through 2020. Ford and General Motors have both seen their global market share drop by nearly five percentage points from 2000 to 2008, and Polk expects both to lose more market share through 2012. Volkswagen, on the other hand, will gain almost a point of market share in the next three years. "Volkswagen is making great inroads in China, which will certainly boost its success worldwide. At some point in 2009, we expect Volkswagen to surpass GM as the number two manufacturer in the world, although the race will be close," said Biastoch. "The trend could change temporarily to GMs benefit if the proposed U.S. scrappage incentive passes."

R. L. Polk & Co. is a provider of automotive information concerned with marketing.

Source: R. L. Polk & Co.

Lexus GS Prototype In Secret Mission

Yet he is black and unimpressive. But soon puts the new Lexus GS from his camouflage and continues to fight for recognition, Mercedes E-Class, BMW and Audi A6 fives. He returns for the first time out and the athletes.

The highways between Brussels and Cologne could Yashihiko Kanamori probably go in my sleep. And the country roads he knows how his hand. Even if the Lexus engineers office is in Japan, it curves regularly for thousands of miles through Europe. After all, he is the head of development for the new GS, which celebrates its world debut later in the summer and next spring goes on sale. "And this car we develop primarily on the streets of the country from our main competitors come: Germany."

He was here earlier, especially on the German autobahn on the way because we finally can drive anywhere else in the world so quickly was to his attention this time rather the highways. For high speeds, much long-distance comfort and the lowest possible noise level is one thing. But fun is something completely different. "And when we had the new GS important than ever," says Kanamori.

Lexus has it used to be compared to the Mercedes and pushed it into the corner of the conservative or even sedate business saloons, Kanamoris team is now looking a lot more compared to the BMW. "The five of us in terms of driving dynamics was the bar."

Steering with variable ratio

To the get closer to the chief engineer has dug deep into his bag of tricks. For the first time there is a variable-ratio steering, and just as on Munich from a steerable rear axle. It proposes the wheels made only $ to a maximum of 1.5 degrees, but even this small angle has a large effect. The slalom at the test site, the more thoroughly camouflaged sedan almost automatically goes outside on the winding country road has the luxury liner suddenly half a meter shorter and a couple of hundredweight lighter.

In four stages between sporty and economical

How stiff and sporty, the GS is on the way, the driver can adjust himself. Where others have the knob for navigation & Co, there is a great wheel for the "Drive Mode". It not only controls the steering feel, but also the adaptive suspension, the logic of the six speed automatic and the characteristics of the motor. Programmed are four stages between distinctly sporty and economical stresses, whereby gutmacht in Eco mode even six percent fuel, promises chief engineer.

Nice, comfortable, economical

That you are in the new GS, despite the thick padded neoprene sleeve on the sheet and the unadorned Tarnaufklebern interior feels much more comfortable than in the predecessor, however, lies not only in the dynamic qualities and the set-up work of Kanamori san.

The designers have done a good job and brought the car to a new age. Instead of home-baked graphics on puny displays, there are now large data Cinema on huge monitors that operated like magic with a kind of mouse on the center tunnel, the cockpit has a more modern and a few splashes of color, it has in the nobility of the gray leather landscape well enough yet .

In addition, you sit better. The chairs are comfortable and can be adjusted individually. The driver gets closer to the center of gravity of the car, and get the more direct feedback from the road. And it also gives more space. Although the GS is 4.85 meters long unchanged, especially the rear one has noticeably more legroom. In addition, we benefited in two rows of three centimeters raised roof. Where once the peak times quickly dragged, enough is enough even for bulky Big Hair.

Ten percent less fuel

Major driver for the GS course is again a hybrid. About the Kanamori will still not talk so much. But it remains the V6 is electrically assisted, it makes no secret. As fast as the Luxuslinier accelerated, is expected to double again probably come to about 350 hp. "With the performance we had no great need for action," says Kanamori. "Instead, we turned to another screw: the consumption."

Because the car has slimmed down about 60 pounds, drawn something more streamlined and the drive has been optimized, the chief engineer promises a fuel consumption advantage of over ten percent. If that is true, is the future according to the standard cycle of a six before the comma. "Thats the reason why we do not even think about a diesel."

"We see the future with the hybrid"

Only with the hybrid, it is not done more. While Lexus had announced they were a year or two, there will be no other than the LFA more conventionally powered cars. "But quite so far were not," admitted the chief engineer and obtained his second GS prototypes from the parking lot. He is driven by a V6 engine, which will probably have 2.5 liter displacement and 250 hp and during the test drive not as dynamic acts. The Kanamori has heard in the last few days several times and sees this as confirmation of his long-term vision: "Even though we have a little more time for the transition: We see the future clearly in hybrid."

The Sleek Sporty 300cc Scooter From Aprilia In The Test

Aprilia Sportcity 300 Road Test

Precise and elegant I fädle me with my Honda Lead 100 by jamming hot plate sausage on Viennas Gürtel. At the end we are all together on the green start: 1.07 people per car and me. After my past sneaking may not open questions remain, and it is here opens up a gap between desire and reality. My old lead - in terms of performance at the level tuned 2-stroke mopeds - is a convenient city unit with no extras. In the time that accelerates a motorcycle at 200 I approach with the 50km / h mark. Decision: A new scooter must be found.
 

As compact, Lightweight And Strong
I want a small, powerful scooter - one that looks just like a scooter, with no footboard 1100s, no greasy 200 kilos rocking chair - and there is the 300-class something like the sound barrier. Just as the Vespa GTS 300, an eternal classic, beautiful, no question, maybe a little wide around the hips, not sure cheap to have. Or the Honda SH300i, slim, with 27PS somewhat stronger than the Vespa motor-top safe, something honest look, the same holds true for the Kymco People GTI 300th The Piaggio Beverly 350 plays, however as far as the horse in a different league, but he is a relatively thick Bröckerl. Then the next step is the same in Beverly 500, then Duke and Super Duke, or even an Pangiale, then a 6-cylinder Bosshoss or a trike with a turbocharged engine, where will it end?

Hence my choice falls on the 300th Aprilia Sportcity Identical to the Derbi Rambla 300, it has the familiar parent company Piaggio engine 278ccm me 22hp and 23Nm of torque. She seems slimmer and more compact than the Honda SH300 comes optically much younger and more dynamic around the corner and has a flat footboard (for backpack, shopping, etc.). If not for the 130 15-inch rear tires, they would pass as optically smooth 50s moped.

"... with the sinking sun rises through the shaded Triestingtal my pace ... "
"When Ginzinger in St. Pölten, you can pick up the tester, everything is prepared." So I go on a mission in the capital to head back to Wiener Neustadt to use for running. St. Pölten pushes me Walter Prohaska the key in your hand. I start the engine, the engine is pleasantly quiet, on the way to the first gas station all still feels a little rough - so I know it well from our mountain bikes. But already in the first meters is clear: the Aprilia is a wolf in sheeps clothing.

The autumn evenings are cold and my pace with the sinking sun rises through the shaded Triestingtal - and with increasing number of miles the shocks gradually begin to work on the way they should. Torture without the engine too much, the speedometer needle climbs quickly and easily over the 110km / h mark. The handling is no comparison to the old Honda Lead. Despite auffrisierter Moped look the Aprilia is significantly more mature than the small-wheeled counterparts.

Optics
The Street Sport City 300 is a special version of the 300 Cube. The biggest difference is the markedly sporty sticker, two-tone seats and a minimalist tischeres cockpit with analog speedometer and a large multi-function display. The front headlight is split in two with separate lights for high and low beam. Double tail lights and turn signals do their work behind white glass. The compartment under the seat extends, open face and small purchases - the front of the driver compartment for wallet, sunglasses and a few paper clips.





Specifications

• Engine : Liquid-cooled, 1-cylinder 4-stroke engine with electronic fuel injection
• Displacement : 278.3 cc
• Power : 16.5 kW (22.5 hp)
• Seat height : 775 mm
• Continuously variable automatic transmission
• Front brake : 2 discs, 260 mm
• Rear disc brake : Ø 220 mm
• Tires Front : 120/70-15 ", Rear: 130/80-15"

Conclusion
In the city, the Sports City is a weapon. A twist of the throttle and the machine spurts relaxed and in a matter of seconds from 0 to 50 - everything you any more questions. Even at the end of the local Sports City draws with decent forward thrust. The curvaceous lines around the 1000hp headquarters I can not help but the odd grin. The Sports City thanks to dual disc front brakes really bite, directs a beautiful, precise moves around through tight turns at the apex with a twist of the throttle nice to come out of the turn. Would not sit upright, Id almost forgotten to sit on a scooter. Only in fast, long corners and on bad asphalt gives the relatively hard suspension, especially the forks do not always produce the desired feedback.

Apart from the Sports City to me is a great all-round motorcycle. Perfect and comfortable in the city and strong enough to once every few months to have fun on winding country roads.

BMW Make A Little Update For Auto Show in Detroit

On the next North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), the 19th between the and 27 January has opened, the Bavarians will be unveiling the Concept 4 Coupe and the M6 ​​Gran Coupe, which we have already presented. There are also a slightly revised Z4 and a new trim line for the Coupé and the Convertible of the 1 Series.

Z4: hardly changed

After four years revised its BMW Z4 Roadster. To speak of a facelift but it would be too much. Because even if you look closely hardly changes are visible. Redesigned the surrounds of the side indicators have been behind the front wheel arches. According to BMW also the inner workings of the standard bi-xenon headlamps has been modified - whats changed and always there, its not visible from the outside so readily. Three new paint and newly styled alloy wheels extend the offer. The retractable roof can be ordered on request in the contrasting colors black and silver.

Among the changes in the Z4s interior includes a black bezels for the air vents and the folding screen. New to the program, the equipment package "Design Pure Traction" is. It can be combined with the Valencia Orange Metallic color and brings a partially orange-colored interior with themselves - about the lower part of the instrument panel and in the leather seats. Who likes it less colorful place, of course, still many possibilities to design the interior color. As usual, the buyer of leather and wood finishes to spend several thousand euros extra.

BMW Z4 Image Gallery

(Click To Enlarge)

 
New Base Engine

BMW seems to maximum confusion of the name of the new base model to be. The Z4 sDrive18i is not operating as a 1.6-liter as in the 118i, where this machine provides 170 hp. In the Roadster a weaker version of the two-liter engine, which makes 156 hp at 5000 rpm there. The maximum torque is 240 Nm of torque, between 1250 and 4400 rpm. The sprint from zero to 100 km / h, the new model is completed as manual switch in 7.9 seconds, top speed is 221 km / h Consumption in the NEDC is BMW with 6.8 liters.

At this point, a brief slide: BMW has introduced the current 1 Series, a new generation of engines. The turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engines, 1.6 or 2 liters. In 1er afford the smaller engines 102 (114i), 136 (116i) and 170 hp (118i). The two-liter engine is offered only in the form of the 125i, where he then makes 218 hp. In turn, there is a triple 320i with 184 hp from two liters capacity, and instead of a one 318i 320i "EfficientDynamics Edition," which has the engine from the 118i and how this also makes 170 hp. Therefore, it is surprising that in the BMW Z4 offers a seemingly new two-liter engine with 156 hp.

With the small revision of the BMW Z4 has converted all engines to the emission standard Euro 6. For gasoline thus more stringent values ​​are connected. What is new is that the first number of particles detected. For newly homologated vehicles, this measurement is from 1 September 2014 mandatory for all new cars until a year later. Slightly modified Z4 rolls in March at the dealership. At what price, is not yet clear. Currently the Roadster costs at least 36,600 euros. By the new base engine, the starting price is very likely to fall slightly.

Edition models

Coupe and Cabriolet 1 Series are still based on the first generation 1 Series. The successor of the convertible is probably only the beginning of 2014 in the trade that could be Coupé already be seen on the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Until then, some actions and special models of the two previous versions, which were last revised in spring 2011 easily, provide new incentives to buy. This includes the new "Limited Edition Lifestyle", which can be ordered only in Mineral White, Sapphire Black or Space Grey. In all cases, the double-kidney is equipped with a white front grille and with white, chrome on the front grille slats. The surrounds on the side windows are made of chrome. The edition models get 18-inch factory alloy wheels in double-spoke design.

The convertible comes with a brown soft top along with silver-colored pigmentation. The interior gets a brown leather with white contrast stitching. Add decorative strips come in wood, and a dark headliner. BMW, meanwhile, left open what the package will cost and what engines can be combined.

Sightings Face All New Toyota Vios in Bangkok

The signal of the presence of All-New Toyota Vios in 2013 was not a figment. New face New Vios began to appear in the streets of Bangkok Thailand.

Evidently there are 3 pictures showing the new design sedan of the popular in the ASEAN region. The images are obtained when the New Vios was passing on one of the streets of Bangkok.

The third generation Vios looks more modern and aggressive. At first glance his face is a combination of New Altis and Auris. Stern larger with rear lights as one with the body. Dimensions are reportedly greater than version the second-generation. There is no information about the machine that will be held Vios this latest. But it is predicted will still rely on 1.5-liter engine. According to news circulating All-New Toyota Vios will be presented at the Bangkok International Motor Show 2013 next March. We wait for the presence of All-New Toyota Vios at BIMS 2013.

Mercedes Benz A Class Arrives in May

Mercedes Benz A Class is the most important Launch for Mercedes this year in India. Mercedes Benz A Class will be the Cheapest Three pointed Star in India. Now Car and Bike show reports that Mercedes Benz has fast forwarded the plans for A Class. Mercedes will launch the A Class in India on May. A class will be available in Both petrol and diesel engines. Both these engines will be mated to automatic transmission. Car and Bike show also reports that A Class will be pricier than expected. So we expect the starting price of RS 21 Lakhs.

Mercedes Benz A Class has seen testing in India with full AMG kit. Like other Mercedes Models we expect first Mercedes to launch a limited number of A Class with AMG kit and after some time the regular model will come. Mercedes Benz is facing strong competition from BMW and Audi. BMW X1 and Audi Q3 are doing very well in the market. Mercedes Benz couldn’t able to get the same volumes for the B Class. One of the reasons for the Low volumes is that B Class is available only in Petrol. Mercedes Benz A Class is based on the Modular front architecture. Mercedes Benz A Class is 4.2 M long, 1.7 M in wide and 1.4 M tall.

source : Car and Bike Show

First Look At The New Subaru Forester Fourth Generation Of SUVs Coming In Spring 2013

At least 3,300 pieces in 2011, Subaru has sold the Forester to German customers. Now, the new generation is waiting in the wings. On 13 November 2012 world premiere in Japan, the car comes with us in March 2013 on the market.

Completely different headlights, grill and other more: The look of the new Subaru Forester 2.0XT

Three inches longer
Safety, reliability and driving pleasure Subaru promises of the new version. Compared to the current, the car shall Forester moderately in dimensions. The length increases by three centimeters to 4.60 meters, the width increases by one centimeter and the height by two. The seating position of the driver and passenger creates a slight elevation more tourism, and the interior will benefit from the increased dimensions. Thus wants Subaru reinforced appeal to young families.

Future also with turbo petrol
The new Forester has known the permanent all-wheel drive. Now three different 2.0-liter boxer engines are offered. Besides the familiar units, a 150-horsepower gasoline engine with multipoint fuel injection and a 147-hp diesel, now comes a twin turbo direct-injection unit. The new two-liter petrol engine in the 2.0XT comes with 240 hp and 350 Nm. Subaru version of this engine has developed its own exterior styling. Among the new features include windshield wipers and automatic headlight, a knee airbag, a start-stop system and a new continuously variable automatic transmission called Lineartronic.

The current Forester still has primarily an entirely different front

The length was 4.56 meters so far and is now growing to 4.60 meters