Hot Cars

Jeep Launch New Compact ‘Compass’ SUV

The Jeep brand is expanding into new territory with the all-new Jeep Compass – a modern-styled compact Jeep that delivers a competitive package of size, performance and fuel economy.

The Compass extends the Jeep brand to compete for the first time in the compact sport-utility vehicle (SUV) segment and is the first Jeep vehicle to offer fuel economy in excess of 43 mpg, on the combined cycle with its diesel engine, which is best in class. Compass will also be the Jeep brand’s first front-wheel-drive-based product and also the first with a fully independent suspension for comfortable on-road ride and handling.

Peter Lambert, Managing Director of Chrysler Group UK, said “The Jeep Compass is designed to reach younger and female customers who may not have previously considered the brand but value the distinctive Jeep look and see four-wheel drive as a must-have on their daily drive. Customers are increasingly interested in family hatchbacks with four-wheel drive systems as they offer better handling and enhanced safety on the road.

“The new Jeep Compass offers a roomy interior, a choice of fuel efficient diesel and petrol engines and an all-new Freedom Drive 4WD system in a package the size of a Ford Focus.”

Freedom Drive I is a full-time, active four-wheel drive system that offers the driver tangible benefits in every day driving conditions such as wet and icy tarmac. The car operates in front-wheel drive for 90 per cent of the time and automatically switches to 4×4 when more traction is required.

“This family hatchback-sized car represents a new chapter in the history of the Jeep brand – the compact 4×4 segment in Western Europe is expected to increase to nearly 400,000 units by 2010, and this new car-based four-wheel drive vehicle means the Jeep brand is ideally placed to meet this growing demand.”

“The whole compact-4×4 segment is shifting – our competitors are pricing themselves out of the sub-£20,000 segment and we aim to fill this space this year.”

In the UK the Jeep Compass Limited model will launch in May 2007 with a VW-sourced 2.0-litre six-speed manual diesel engine and 2.4-litre petrol engine with a five-speed manual or a CVT automatic gearbox. The Jeep Patriot shares the Compass platform and engines, but has a more traditional Jeep look and design. The Jeep Patriot Sport and Jeep Patriot Limited models launch in July 2007 and will be the new entry-level price point for the Jeep brand (pricing to be confirmed). The Jeep Compass will be priced from £17,990.

Land Rover Offers The Disco Pursuit

A new well-equipped limited edition Discovery 3, called the Pursuit, will be on sale in March 2007, for under £30,000 OTR.

Only 300 Discovery 3 ‘Pursuits’ will be available from Land Rover dealerships across the country. Based on the TDV6 GS model, the Pursuit also features Java Black paint work with Ebony interior, 19″ alloy wheels, body coloured wheel arch surrounds, manual leather seats and chrome finish mirror caps.

Land Rover’s multi-award winning Discovery 3 is a technology-packed, premium 4×4 designed to deliver outstanding performance both on the road and off-road. The bold, versatile design is distinctively Land Rover and offers exceptional space, comfort and flexibility, for up to seven adults.

All Pursuit limited editions are powered by the Discovery’s acclaimed TDV6 diesel engine and feature standard technologies including Hill Descent Control, air suspension and Terrain ResponseTM, all industry-firsts for Land Rover.

“Since launch, the Discovery 3 has brought new levels of ability, comfort and refinement to the large 4×4 market. Winning 95 awards worldwide is a testament to its class-leading diesel engine, its versatility and its all-round package,” commented John Edwards, Land Rover UK managing director.

“The limited-edition Discovery 3 Pursuit gives customers the opportunity to buy an exclusive specification for the exceptional price of £29,995 OTR for the TDV6 manual and £30,995 OTR with automatic transmission. We think this represents incredible value for money”.

All Land Rover vehicles include a CO2 offset for the first 45,000 miles within the on-the-road price. Administered by Climate Care, an independent CO2 offset provider, the programme ensures that the average amount of CO2 produced by a Land Rover is offset by investments in a mixed portfolio of projects, including renewable energy, technology change and energy efficiency initiatives.

The Discovery 3 has sold nearly 30,000 units in the UK and 115,000 units globally since launch in 2004, and continues to collect critical accolades the world over.

GM: Succumbs to Green Community Pressure’s

GM Corp. will build 100 hydrogen-fuel cell SUVs next year, for drivers on the east and west coast. This move from GM is seen as a step to counter the severe criticism they have been facing pertaining to GM vehicles using too much off gasoline, causing environmental problems such as global warming and heightening.

The 100 SUVs to be produced will emit only water (vapor) and they will be a part of the 1000 hydrogen powered cars on US roads by 2010 (committed earlier by GM).

Not only are the environmentalists demanding the green vehicle production, even the buyer’s want vehicles that are fuel-efficient. This change in demand pattern, with fuel efficiency as the priority is a consequence of high Gasoline prices since the last two years and the government’s new rules require less pollution and better mileage.

These SUVs are slated to hit the markets by July next year. With Toyota and Honda reaching new hybrid heights, it’ll be correct to term GM a loner at this point in time , but , seeing the monetary strength they posses , they will hardly take any time to catch up the others, as it is , they have already spent $1 billion and they have plans to invest another billion.

Last BMW X5 Rolls Of The Line, Makes Way For Next Generation

The last of the first-generation X5 Sports Activity Vehicle was produced at BMW Manufacturing Co. in Upstate South Carolina, making way for the production of the next generation X5.

The Toledo Blue 3.0is X5 sports a Truffle Brown leather interior with a Dark Grain Poplar wood trim. Due to its significance to BMW, the factory will keep the vehicle and display it in the Zentrum museum as part of the BMW Mobile Tradition Collection.

With the introduction of the X5, BMW opened a new market segment known as the Sports Activity Vehicle and the X5 as the first sports activity vehicle combined the powerful acceleration and exceptional handling of a car with the advanced traction technologies and all-wheel drive of an SUV.

The first X5 sports activity vehicle rolled off the production line on September 1, 1999. The X5 is built exclusively at BMW Manufacturing for distribution to more than 120 markets worldwide. Less than two years after its introduction, the 100,000th X5 milestone was reached on August 23, 2001 and on June 9, 2005, and the 500,000th X5 was produced, just five and a half years after its market introduction. The Spartanburg plant has produced 616,867 of the current generation of X5 Sports Activity Vehicle.

In 2000, the X5 was rated “Best Pick” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, outperforming all other SUVs tested. The X5 not only rated higher than other SUVs, it earned a higher rating than all other vehicles previously tested by the Institute.

BMW Manufacturing Co., a subsidiary of the BMW Group based in Munich, Germany, is the exclusive manufacturer on the Z4 and M Roadster, Z4 and M Coupe and the X5 Sports Activity Vehicle. Its website address is www.bmwusfactory.com. In addition to the South Carolina manufacturing facility, BMW’s North American subsidiaries include sales, marketing and financial services operations in the United States, Canada and throughout Latin America, and a design firm in California.

Saab Intros 9-7X Altitude Edition

Saab’s first-ever SUV is flying to new heights with the 2007 9-7X Altitude Edition. Only 500 of these specially-outfitted SUVs will be available for the 2007 model year, making it a limited edition with very exclusive appeal.

Beyond the extremely rich standard equipment of the 9-7X, the Altitude Edition includes 18″ alloy polished wheels, and side assist steps, a rear DVD player, and an exclusive carbon fiber gray metallic paint. The package will be offered at a savings of nearly $1,000 than if the items were ordered individually. The package is available on the six-cylinder 9-7X 4.2i and the 9-7X 5.3I V8 - which will bring the total vehicle price (MSRP, destination charge and Altitude package) to $42,130 and $44,130, respectively.

For 2007, OnStar-equipped 9-7X models will feature a new service called OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation, the first factory-installed, fully-integrated GPS navigation system from OnStar. Turn-by-Turn allows consumers to talk to a live advisor, who in turn sends complete step-by-step directions to customers’ vehicles through their OnStar system. Also in 2007, a Tire Pressure Monitoring System becomes standard equipment on the 9-7X, and one new color, Crystal Blue metallic, has been added.

The Saab 9-7X, which debuted in the summer of 2005, brings unique Saab characteristics to the SUV segment, including sophisticated styling inside and out, premium quality and design features, and sporty and fun-to-drive performance. Additionally, this SUV has a high-level of standard equipment, which is offered to consumers at a surprisingly reasonable price.

Saab is a division of General Motors Corp. Saab USA is the importer and/or distributor of Saab 9-3, 9-5 and 9-7X automobiles for Saab Automobile AB, Sweden. For the 2007 model year, Saab markets seven engines/transmissions that perform at an EPA-rated 30 mpg on the highway. Also, beginning in 2007, Saab offers vehicle warranty coverage for five-years or up to 100,000 miles.

Nissan And Marc Ecko Drive Into the Future Together

The Nissan division of Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) and lifestyle fashion visionary Marc Ecko, announced a unique strategic partnership blending the world of fashion and automotive design. The announcement was made at the MAGIC men’s apparel and accessories trade show in Las Vegas and the partnership will allow each brand to retain their individuality while expanding their audience and reach.

“Both the Nissan Pathfinder and Nissan Armada are known for their power, style and energy, which is also characteristic of Marc Ecko’s creative artistry and compelling vision,” said Jan Thompson, vice president of marketing, NNA. “His design will bring together two great brands that already have an established relationship with street culture, making it a natural and ideal fit.”

To celebrate the partnership, Mr. Ecko will modify two of Nissan’s most popular SUVs – the Nissan Pathfinder and Nissan Armada – giving each a hip, new design inspired by his *ecko unltd. and Cut & Sew clothing lines. The two one-of-a-kind vehicles will be displayed at events across the country following a special unveiling in October in New York.

“Side by side, these two vehicles share a design heritage, yet each has its own distinct character,” said Mr. Ecko. “My goal is to take that character to the next level and to express the vehicles’ individuality through bold, original design and superior execution.”

The ecko unltd. Nissan Pathfinder

Bearing in mind ecko unltd.’s street-smart swagger, the Nissan Pathfinder customized by Marc Ecko takes a vehicle that loves to get a little dirty and gives it an “old school” twist.

The exterior - Smoothed wheel wells, a modified grill highlighted by the Nissan badge, and a custom black and grey camouflage paint job offset by safety orange detailing.

The interior - Driver and passenger seats are given a 1960s redesign, with Eames-inspired molded wood backs and seamless black leather; safety orange is once again introduced through a glossy center console and accent molding, while extra touches include a matching wood steering wheel and a hand molded fiberglass subwoofer enclosure.