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The Infiniti EX: Seductive and Irresistible Concept
Oh my! Have you seen the cars at the 2007 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS)? I think I’ve been served with the best cars today!
The appearance of the all cars still lingers in my brain which any moment could explode of too much dosage of automobiles. Whew! All cars have different characteristics – some are tough-looking, cute, futuristic, is the “bad boy” type, sophisticated, sporty, etc. But what interests me is the car that magnetizes my eyes and my body – a car that will surely knock you off your feet.
And I found it! I am definitely in-love with the Infiniti EX Concept! At the NY Auto Show, it was like I am being seduced by a lovely woman and I can’t take my eyes off the Infiniti X concept. It obviously flaunts elegance in interior and advanced top-of-the-line technology systems! Oh yes, the awesome feature combination is also equipped with an awesome Around View Monitor or AVM and LDP which are the Lane Departure Prevention systems. My knees are starting to shake, see that?
Mark Igo, the Vice President and the General Manager of the Nissan North America, Infiniti Division Inc. have given his insights and gave a broad description of the Infiniti EX: “The Infiniti FX, M and most recently the new 2008 G Coupe, can all trace their evolution from show stoppers to Infiniti showrooms in a short period of time. With this stunning EX Concept, we’re pleased to announce that along with the basic exterior and interior designs, the production Infiniti EX will include much of the EX Concept’s innovative technology, including the Around View Monitor and Lane Departure Prevention. The EX Concept is the perfect fusion of a luxury coupe and a high-utility SUV, Its ‘right-sized’ packaging gives it excellent around town maneuverability, while the wide rear hatch and low load floor make it a versatile performer for everyday and weekend use.”
Do you want to imagine how beautiful the Infiniti EX is? Stay focused and listen to me as we check on the Infiniti parts. I’m getting so energized about this one so you better bear with me and forgive me as well. Nevertheless, as a coupe type model, the Infiniti EX Concept is an inspired model is patterned with beauty and sophistication. The concept shows the luxury and comfort of a coupe in an SUV model that you can achieve – with splendid seating heights and a roomy luggage space.
This time, I will introduce you to the sexy and seductive Infiniti EX Concept, try to check it out. But I’m warning you, it’ll seduce you to death! Don’t tell me that I didn’t warn you, okay?
Body
Engine, Driveline and Platform
Interior Features
Safety
Traffic Tips for Overseas Travelers
Can you believe that road accidents are the number one cause of death of Americans traveling outside the United States? Believe it or not, it is true.
According to the Make Roads Safe, a group of individuals who encourages people about the awareness of road safety said that traffic accidents causes more fatalities that other factors such as homicide or other accidents. This data is revealed on Make Roads Safe’s report entitled “Road Crash Deaths of American Travelers: The Make Roads Safe Report; An Analysis of U.S. State Department Data on Unnatural Causes of Death to U.S. Citizens Abroad (2004-2006)”.
According to Dr. Bella Dinh-Zarr, North American Director of Make Roads Safe and author of the new report: “When we travel, we protect ourselves with vaccines and we’re careful about what we eat and drink, but the real hidden danger is being killed on the road.”
Dinh-Zarr added: “The death of Americans on roads overseas is just one symptom of the road crash epidemic around the world,” added Dinh-Zarr. “This is a public health, transportation, and human rights issue. And we’re not just talking about numbers – each death and injury has a devastating effect on a family so we need to act now or millions will suffer.”
Make Roads Safe has also provided some significant tips to help protect Americans travelers (all travelers actually) on the road.
1. Plan Ahead – Know your route and method of transportation ahead of time.
2. Don’t Travel at Night – Low visibility and differing driving customs (like lack of headlight use) greatly increase your risk of a crash.
3. Use Mass Transportation – Mass Transportation, especially trains and subways is generally safer than driving yourself in an unfamiliar environment;
4. Pay Attention to Traffic Patterns and Local Customs – Watch the local residents, especially as a pedestrian and at intersections and know the laws and customs before your trip, and
5. Follow the same safety rules you follow at home – Always wear your safety belt, never drink and drink and do not speed.
So for your next trip, follow these important tips from Make Roads Safe to protect your auto body parts, and yourself.
VW says we can’t have the Scirocco, unveils VW-LG digital media player instead
The Leftlane News, quoting Adrian Hallmark, executive vice president of Volkswagen of America says that VW “isn’t willing to risk cannibalizing sales of the GTI”.
Apparently Hallmark told Automotive News that “It is economically suicidal for us to risk the sales volume and the potential for GTI. We don’t want it.”
The Scirocco will have the same Volkswagen parts like the engine, chassis, and suspension as the GTI. It will be based closely on the Iroc Concept and its exterior car parts, which debuted in August 2006.
So while Scirocco fans howl in protest, Volkswagen proceeds to another interesting project: a digital media player of its own.
Autoblog is reporting that Volkswagen has teamed up with LG to produce a special MP3 player designed and branded as the Beetle of personal music devices.
Instead of just putting a “Vee-Dub” logo on any old contraption, LG designed a fresh product for Volkswagen.
The player sports an aluminum body and comes in three of the same colors as the VW Beetle: salsa red, shadow blue and sunflower yellow, according to Judy Pae, a spokeswoman for LG in South Korea.
The design of the player’s user interface was obviously inspired by the car, and the device also sports a small VW badge on the front panel and a new Beetle logo on the back. The inspiration however doesn’t extend to the shape of the player, which looks like other MP3 players on the market.
The media player a 2.4-inch color LCD screen and can play MPEG-4, Windows Media Video 9, MP3, Windows Media Audio and Ogg-format files.
There are two embedded flash games, and they will be available in 2GB and 4GB versions. LG said the battery will provide about 20 hours of music playback and enough time to watch about three hours of video.
Though the player was unveiled at this week’s Seoul Motor Show, plans for its commercial launch are yet to be announced.
The JE Design Altea XL
Special European tuning houses such as the JE Design wedded the Seat Altea XL which mines the Volkswagen family for another hot compact car. The Seat Altea XL will not be available in North America and is sourced from VW’s Spanish subsidiary. JE Design provides a sportier version for its midsize family car through its Spanish alterations.
The Altea XL undergoes ample treatments and significant transformation by JE Design which modifies the engine and suspension charges and adds an aero body kit (completes the aesthetically pleasing form of the compact car). JE Design tweaked 2.0-liter four-cylinder TDI engine, gussing up to 176 horses and 299 pound-feet of maximum torque. The tuning firm scrapes off a full second off the zero to 60 mph acceleration time dropping to just a mere 8.9 seconds. Its running velocity reaches at 130 miles per hour.
The Seat Altea’s exterior car parts are altered with a new grille which is available in matte black or r by request in matching vehicle finish and is just the first step offered with new headlamp eyebrows, a front spoiler, side skirts, lower suspension setting and a rear apron. Car buyers can also order chrome door handles to suit their own design preferences. Matching to this the Leingarten, Germany, based tuner offers the B-pillar in “3D Chrome”. JE Design commits its focus as well to the single parts for the Seat Altea XL which optimizes aerodynamics and riding efficiency.
JE Design installs performance brakes for more promised agility and an adjustable coil-over suspension that lowers the ride height by 1.4 inches. For those who prefer sustained deceleration, JE DESIGN installs a 330x28mm 4-piston sports brake system on the front axle providing more safety. A four anti-corrosion stainless-steel exhaust system is provided on the left and two on the right offering the vehicle a sportier impression.
An absolute choice of 18- and 19-inch rims enhances the overall vehicle bodywork. Tuning of sound is modified by JE Design for the Seat Altea in way of powerful sound fitted through a rear silencer.
JE Design certainly individualizes the Seat Altea XL aiming to be one of the favorite European compact cars around.
GM to Build More Compact Cars in Europe
Well, just check out what Carl Peter Forster, President of General Motors Europe has to say about GM’s plan. “Product allocations are extraordinarily difficult decisions to take. All of our Western European plants have significantly improved over the past few years and are now very close in terms of the various measures of performance, such as cost, productivity and quality. In the end, it is a strategic decision based on a number of factors such as capacity planning, brand and market considerations, as well as ongoing restructuring activities.”
“I know that today’s announcements will be very difficult for our workforce in Antwerp. I want to recognize the contribution and performance of the entire team. We are committed to identifying a socially responsible approach to the intent to reduce the headcount later this summer by the reduction of production volume and to discuss alternatives for a fair transition beyond the end of the decade.” Forster added.
“The automotive business remains very challenging and GM Europe must continue to focus on increasing productivity and efficiency in order to compete effectively. We plan for an annual production of 750,000 units of compact cars in Europe, which is an increase over the 535,000 produced in 2006. Even with an increase, adjusting capacity to meet demand remains a challenge for GM as it is for other automakers worldwide. We would like to start soon the preparation work with our teams in Gliwice, Bochum, Ellesmere Port and Trollhättan for the production of the next generation, which will require reduced assembly time and an increase in productivity of 30 percent.”
With this initiative, GM Europe also plans to reduce the production of Opel Astra equipped with quality headlights and taillights at the company’s manufacturing plant in Anterp, Belgium. GM Europe said in a company press release, “There are no plans to allocate compact car production to the Antwerp, Belgium, facility beyond 2010. We are not talking about a plant closure, however, we have to achieve the necessary improvements. No decision has yet been taken on future production but we will work on options for assembly operations at fair volumes together with the European Employee Forum (EEF). GM Europe will continue the process of information and consultation accordingly. GM’s Antwerp plant currently employs 4,500 people to produce the 3- and 5-door version, the station wagon and the convertible of the current-generation Opel Astra.”
The Zagato Reveals Maserati GS
We have not heard about the Zagato for a very long time and it made me think why did they have to be silent for those times? Maybe they are developing a new model or maybe they just don’t want that publicity that some car makers are having. Anyway, so much about that.
But I have heard recently that Zagato is doing a Maserati car. Well, the long awaited car beauty contest will soon be opening its doors for all interested public viewers. On the 20th day of April, the Concours d’Elegance Villa d’Este will start to show off the different styles and designs of Italian cars including Zagato’s Maserati GS.
Milanese customizer has revealed that the new GS hatchback is a two-seater vehicle that is 7.1 inches smaller than its identical brother Spyder. However, it provides a better handling not to mention its stability on its curves talking about its more than the usual rigidity. Its exterior car parts are composed of aluminum body works plus all that gorgeous logos all over it. The hood is added with a trident logo and the letter Z for Zagato on its wing.
Paolo Boffi is an Italian entrepreneur and he was the one designed the new Maserati GS as according to Zagato. The company also added that “that evoked the historical Maserati A6 G Zagato of 1954” upon looking at the vehicle.
2008 Buick Park Avenue Rolls out In China
Ding Lei, President of Shanghai General Motors commented: “The Park Avenue is the perfect blend of tranquility and power. It shows Buick’s ability to move with the times while continuing to leverage GM’s global resources and our local knowledge. Designed especially for business leaders and other elites, it is a component of our effort to maintain our leadership position in China by addressing the needs of all of our customers.”
The Buick Park Avenue is based on Holden WM Statesman built in Australian, and features GM’s newly developed rear-wheel-drive (RWD) global platform. This full size luxury sedan will be produced in China, and will be available only for the Chinese market. For us American car fans, let us see what we would be missing.
Highlights of the Buick Park Avenue include elegant, comfortable, and safe interior with a host of standard interior features and safety components. The Buick Park Avenue comes with genuine leather 8-way power adjustable front seats with massage function, high-quality entertainment system with LCD panels, advanced heating system, advanced ventilation and air conditioning system, and six standard intelligent air bags for the driver and passengers. The car is also equipped with an optional Buick parts like Bluetooth mobile phone system, GPS navigation system, and GM Local Area Network (GM-LAN) high-speed communication system. All of these features wrap up the Buick Park Avenue’s interior package.
Two engine displacements are available for the AlloyTec V6 under the hood of the Buick Park Avenue. For fuel efficient Chinese peeps, the 2.8-liter variant offers 201 hp (150 kW) at 6,000 rpm and delivers 195 lb.-ft. (265 Nm) amount of peak torque at 3,000 rpm. Customers who wanted to have more power and torque output can get the 3.6-liter with 250 hp (187kW) at 6,500 rpm and 251 lb-ft (340 Nm) of peak torque at 3,200 rpm.
Complete manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) list are as follows:
Park Avenue 3.6-liter Flagship – RMB 498,800 ($64,588 USD)
Park Avenue 3.6-liter Elite – RMB 388,800 ($50,345 USD)
Park Avenue 2.8-liter Luxury – RMB 458,800 ($59,409 USD)
Park Avenue 2.8-liter Elite – RMB 368,800 ($47,755 USD)
Park Avenue 2.8-liter Comfort – RMB 328,800 ($42,575 USD)
