When engineers set out to make the all-new 2013 Cadillac ATS as light as possible they used advanced materials to minimize weight throughout the compact luxury sports sedan but never compromised performance capability. Lightweight parts such as an aluminum hood and magnesium engine mounts help ATS achieve a curb weight less than 3,400 pounds, and highway fuel economy well over 30 mpg. Keeping weight down also enabled balanced distribution of vehicle weight that helps delivers a world-class driving experience.

“We designed and engineered ATS’s vehicle architecture to deliver quick, nimble and fun-to-drive dynamics,” said David Masch, ATS chief engineer. “We distributed mass to key areas, much like an athlete builds muscle where he needs it most. This enabled ATS to achieve the performance characteristics that luxury sport sedan buyers demand.”

One seemingly heavy way the ATS engineering team achieved its performance goals was using cast iron in the rear differential instead of aluminum, a learning taken from the performance-tuned CTS-V. The differential provides torque and rotation to the wheels, and ATS’s cast iron design helped distribute weight equally between the front and rear wheels to provide agile handling while reducing noise and vibration. Cadillac benchmarked it against world-class competition to deliver a driving experience that is as well-tuned for sound as for ride and handling.

Unlike a differential made from aluminum, which expands and contracts twice as much in response to temperature change, a cast iron differential is stronger and retains its shape better under temperature extremes, which allows the ring and pinion gears to operate more quietly. As a result, a cast iron differential also requires less energy to operate, contributing to higher fuel efficiency. To the consumer, this means more miles between fill-ups.

The ATS team also achieved significant weight reduction in the rear suspension by using specially engineered straight steel links with lightening holes instead of using aluminum. “The team focused on grams, not pounds, every day of the ATS’s development,” Masch said. “Even the smallest of changes could contribute to the overall mass goal.”

ATS’s wheels also benefited from 50-50 mass distribution between the front and rear. While heavier cars need larger wheels, tires and brakes to account for heavier mass, ATS’s relative light weight enabled the use of optimized high-strength aluminum wheel forgings and Brembo brakes that deliver stopping distance of approximately 129 feet decelerating from 60-0 mph, which is expected to be best in the segment.

Source: http://media.gmchina.com/media/us/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2012/May/0510_ats

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announces the launch in Japan of the redesigned “Corolla Axio” sedan and ‘”Corolla Fielder” 1 station wagon. The vehicles will be sold across Japan through “Toyota Corolla” dealers.

Since its debut in 1966, the Corolla has been designed to prioritize peace of mind, practicality, and ease of use with the aim of creating value that adapts to the times. The Corolla has become a favorite of consumers around the world, with cumulative global sales exceeding 39 million vehicles*2, making it the world’s best-selling vehicle.

The redesign of the Corolla Axio and Corolla Fielder sought a return to the Corolla’s origins. Both vehicles were completely revamped to minimize body size while maintaining the ability to safely and comfortably transport four adults over long distances, thereby achieving a perfect fit for compact cars in the Japanese market.

The Corolla Axio and Corolla Fielder are manufactured for the Japanese market at Central Motor Co., Ltd.’s cutting-edge Miyagi Plant in the Tohoku region, which began operations last year. TMC has positioned this region as its third domestic production base alongside Chubu and Kyushu and will establish a new production subsidiary, Toyota Motor East Japan, Inc. 3, on July 1 to serve as a comprehensive vehicle manufacturer specializing in compact cars, with the ability to perform all functions from vehicle planning and development to production.

Source: http://www2.toyota.co.jp/en/news/12/05/0511.html

Mazda Australia has continued on from its record first quarter sales performance with a best ever April total of 7,681 sales according to VFACTS figures released.

This represents a market share of 9.7 per cent and an increase of 21 per cent or 1,335 sales compared with the same month last year, a result which maintains Mazda’s position as Australia’s third biggest selling brand so far this year.

Strong customer demand across the Mazda range was the driver for the company’s April sales success with the dynamic Mazda3 and All-New CX-5 leading the way.

Mazda3 consolidated its position as Australia’s favourite car with 3,005 April sales with the small car now more than 2,500 units ahead of its nearest rival and recording a year-to-date sales increase of 2.8 per cent over the same period last year.

In just its second month on sale, All-New CX-5 convincingly topped the medium SUV segment with 1,413 retails. Add to this a further 229 CX-7 sales in April and Mazda has now become the leading medium SUV brand year-to-date with a total of 5,820 sales for a 19.5 per cent segment share.

The strength of Mazda’s current model line-up is further illustrated by significant contributions in April from Mazda2, Mazda6 and BT-50.
Mazda2 found favour with 1,305 buyers last month and continues to lead the light segment with a 7.7 percent year-to-date sales increase.
Mazda6 was Australia’s favourite imported family car in April and has now secured 2,248 sales year-to-date, up 19.8 per cent over the same period last year.

All-New BT-50 also continued to impress during April with 922 sales putting it 12.6 per cent ahead of the same period in 2011.

Mazda Australia managing director, Doug Dickson said “I believe that the appeal of Mazda vehicles can be attributed to four key characteristics: function, innovation, style and value. April’s result shows that these characteristics are present across the whole Mazda range. While it’s very pleasing to see our products holding such appeal, we won’t be resting on our laurels as we strive to provide the best customer service possible and develop even better products.”

Source: http://www.mazda.com.au/community/news/2012/5/mazda-momentum-boosted-by-record-april-sales

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) launched in Japan the “Pixis Epoch”, the second passenger minivehicle to be sold under the Toyota brand. The vehicle will be sold through more than 200 Toyota dealerships nationwide.

The Pixis Epoch returns to the fundamental appeal of minivehicles: day-to-day transportation with high fuel efficiency at an affordable price. For a starting price of just 795,000 yen, the Pixis Epoch boasts top-level fuel efficiency for a gasoline-fueled vehicle 1 with a fuel economy of 30.0 km/L*2 and outstanding everyday utility.

The Pixis Epoch represents the fourth vehicle supplied by Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. to TMC under a minivehicle OEM agreement reached in September 2010.

Source: http://www2.toyota.co.jp/en/news/12/05/0510.html

Toyota revealed the all-new Toyota RAV4 electric vehicle at the 26th annual Electric Vehicle Symposium in Los Angeles.The RAV4 EV has an expected driving range rating of approximately 160km and charging time of approximately six hours on a 240V/40A charger.The RAV4 EV’s driving performance, dynamics and cargo capacity are equal to or exceed the petrol-powered RAV4 V6.

Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of Toyota in the United States, said the RAV4 EV did not compromise on performance, comfort or versatility. “The all-new RAV4 EV marries the efficiency of an EV with the versatility of a small SUV – in fact, it is the only all-electric SUV on the market.”

The RAV4 EV is the product of a unique collaboration with Tesla Motors spurred by Akio Toyoda, president and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation. Twenty-two months after the project announcement, Toyota and Tesla engineers have succeeded in bringing the vehicle to market. The RAV4 EV combines a Tesla designed and produced battery and electric powertrain with Toyota’s popular SUV.

The front-wheel-drive RAV4 EV allows drivers to select from two distinctly different drive modes, Sport and Normal. In Sport mode, the vehicle reaches 60 mph (96.6 km/h) in just 7.0 seconds and has a maximum speed of 160 km/h. Normal mode achieves 0-60 mph in 8.6 seconds with a maximum speed of about 137 km/h (85mph). Maximum output from the electric powertrain is 115kW @ 2,800 rpm.

RAV4 EV offers an exceptionally smooth, quiet ride and comfortable handling due in part to its low coefficient of drag and low centre of gravity. At 0.30 Cd, RAV4 EV achieves the lowest coefficient of drag of any SUV in the world. Compared with the petrol-powered RAV4, Toyota re-styled the front bumper, upper and lower grille, side mirrors, rear spoiler and under body design to provide optimum air flow around the vehicle.

The RAV4 EV’s battery pack is mounted low and to the centre of the vehicle, contributing to a more sedan-like ride. The vehicle will go on sale in the United States late in the northern hemisphere summer. There are no plans to sell it in Australia. “It’s designed for consumers who prioritize the environment and appreciate performance.” In July 2010, Toyota Motor Corporation and Tesla Motors jointly announced an agreement to develop an all-electric version of the RAV4, with the intent to bring the vehicle to market in 2012.

Tesla contributed its EV technology expertise, daring spirit, quick decision making and flexibility. Toyota contributed design, engineering, manufacturing and production expertise. In an industry where development cycles are typically five years, Toyota and Tesla brought a dynamic product to market in less than half that time.

Source: http://news.toyota.com.au/all-new-toyota-rav4-ev-unveiled

The all-new, rear-wheel-drive Cadillac ATS compact luxury sport sedan with a fuel-efficient 2.5L engine and next-generation six-speed transmission will be priced starting at $33,990, including destination charges. Highway fuel economy will be well over 30 mpg.

“The ATS enters a vehicle segment this year that’s one of the most competitive in the market, from both a price and performance standpoint,” said Don Butler, vice president of Cadillac Marketing. “ATS will bring a distinctive presence and compelling value while offering quick, nimble, fun-to-drive dynamics that will appeal to the lifestyles of modern luxury buyers and challenge the segment’s status quo.”

A mid-level model with a lightweight and powerful 2.0L turbocharged engine costs $35,795 including destination and will offer automatic and manual transmissions, and rear- or all-wheel drive.

Topping the engine range is a 3.6L V-6 with a preliminary rating of 320 horsepower, costing $42,090 including destination with an automatic transmission and standard content that includes CUE, leather 8-way power seats with memory, remote start and more. All-wheel drive will be available.

A full breakdown of availability and pricing of packages and options will be available later.

ATS goes on sale this summer, but already the new sport sedan is positively impacting Lansing, Mich., where more than 410 new employees have been hired at Cadillac’s Lansing Grand River plant where the ATS will be assembled. A total of 600 new employees are expected to be part of Cadillac’s $190 million investment in the facility.

A dedicated engineering team has traveled the globe refining and advancing the ATS to meet customer demands. The addition of advanced materials has reduced curb weight to less than 3,400 pounds, more than 100 pounds less than an Audi A4 or Mercedes-Benz C250.

Time spent at premier race tracks around the globe, including Road America, Road Atlanta, Phoenix International Raceway and the Nürburgring in Germany has enhanced the ATS’ sporty ride and handling and engine tuning. The 3.6L model is expected to have a 0-60 mph acceleration time of well below six seconds.

Cadillac’s new CUE user interface, standard on most ATS models, offers the first automotive use of capacitive touch to create an intuitive, modern way for drivers to interact with the car. This technology, used for most smartphones and tablet computers, uses electrodes to sense the conductive properties of objects, such as a finger.

Source: http://publish.media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2012/May/0507_ats

Toyota has just unveiled its new electric crossover SUV, the RAV4 EV, at a show in Los Angeles, California.

The RAV4 EV is a plug-in electric vehicle with a range of 100 miles. Charging of the battery would take 6 hours with a 240V charger.

The “sport” version will go to 60mphs in 7 seconds and can reach a top speed of 100mphs.

The car is targeting customers who give high consideration to the respect of environment and appreciate high performance vehicles at the same time.

The RAV4 EV is part of the effort of Toyota to meet the requirements of the State of California, that states that automakers have to sell some “zero emission” vehicles to be allowed to continue their activity in California.

Hybrid electric vehicles are more and more popular among RamaDBK customers in Asia, and stirs interest in some African countries also. For the time being, the RAV4 EV is offered only in the American market but the sales team of RamaDBK hopes to get the opportunity to offer this model also in the coming few years to our customers all over the world.

Source: http://www.ramadbk.com/news/?p=1610

The new Golf GTI Cabriolet is now available to order at Volkswagen Retailers across the UK, with prices starting at £29,310 RRP OTR for the manual version and rising to £30,610 for the DSG. It sits at the top of the Golf Cabriolet range, combining all the pleasures of practical and safe open-air motoring for which this model is renowned, with all the performance and on-road dynamics for which the GTI name has stood since 1975.

Living up to this name, the Golf GTI Cabriolet has all the classic design cues. The radiator grille has a honeycomb structure with red edging and GTI badge, while the front bumper incorporates a deep honeycomb air dam and distinctive fog lights. Side sill extensions help give the GTI a wide, well-planted stance, while a bespoke rear diffuser is framed by a chrome tailpipe on either side. Smoked LED tail lights complete the look, along with standard 18-inch ‘Monza Shadow’ alloy wheels.

Inside, and under the insulated fully automatic electrically powered roof are four seats covered in the classic tartan ‘Jacara’ cloth upholstery; ‘Vienna’ leather upholstery is optional. The bespoke GTI multifunction steering wheel is wrapped in leather, as are the handbrake and gear lever gaiter, all finished with contrasting red stitching. The pedals have brushed stainless steel caps, while there are black ‘Edge’ decorative inlays on the doors and facia. The hood, which can be folded away in just 9.5 seconds, even while travelling at speeds of up to 18 mph, has a black lining, while the roof pillar trims are also finished in black.

It’s no surprise that at the heart of the range-topping cabriolet is the same 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine found in the GTI hatchback, mated to either a standard six-speed manual gearbox or optional six-speed dual-clutch DSG gearbox and producing 210 PS. The benchmark zero to 62 mph sprint is covered in 7.3 seconds with either transmission, while top speed is 147 mph (146 DSG). Combined fuel consumption is 37.2 mpg (36.7 DSG), with CO2 emissions of 177 g/km (180 DSG).

Maximum torque of 206 lbs ft (280 Nm) is available from just 1,700 rpm to 5,300 rpm and this broad torque band helps to make the GTI an excellent cruiser. A standard EDS electronic differential lock and XDS transverse differential lock help to ensure that the power is easily transferred to the road. Safety is ensured thanks to a comprehensive list of standard specification: as with all Golf Cabriolet models, the GTI comes with automatically deploying rollover protection, front and side head/thorax airbags and a driver’s knee airbag as standard, and a five-star (96 per cent) rating for adult occupancy in Euro NCAP crash tests. The ABI insurance rating for the new Golf Cabriolet GTI is 35E.

The Golf GTI Cabriolet is available to order now, with the first deliveries due in July. If you simply can’t wait that long, Volkswagen is offering some competitive finance deals on the current range of Golf Cabriolet models. For example, from now until the end of June 2012, the Golf Cabriolet S 1.2-litre TSI is available with a Solutions PCP package from Volkswagen Finance for £189 per month, with zero per cent APR up to 3 years or 30,000 miles servicing for only £99.

Source: http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/volkswagen-world/news/403/volkswagen-tops-off-golf-cabrio-range-with-new-gti-model

In the recently published ADAC (German Automobile Club) breakdown statistics for 2011, all five Opel models listed achieved above-average results, with the Opel Meriva leading the way. The flexibility champion for the registration years 2006 to 2011 takes top marks in every year and is recognized as having “substantially fewer breakdowns than the average”.

The Opel Corsa also achieved a top result: it received the best ADAC rating in the registration years 2007 to 2009 and 2011 (2006 and 2010: second best grade). It was already distinguished in the DEKRA Defects Report 2010, where it was the overall winner with the lowest rate of defects of all vehicles tested. The best evaluation grade in the ADAC breakdown statistics was also achieved by the Opel Astra, which also scored best in the individual ranking as the vehicle with the fewest faults according to the results of the “DEKRA Used Car Report 2012”. The compact van Opel Zafira for the registration years 2009 and 2011 and the Opel Insignia for registration year 2011 received top scores in the ADAC rating as well.

The ADAC has been publishing its breakdown statistics since 1978. This year 230,000 of the more than four million breakdowns to which ADAC was called in 2011 were evaluated to compile the rankings. The statistics cover the vehicle models of the last six registration years which achieved 10,000 new registrations in at least one of these years in Germany. More than 92 model ranges have been considered.

Source: http://media.opel.com/media/intl/en/opel/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/intl/en/2012/opel/05_04_meriva_best_minivan

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announces that Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A, Inc. (TMS), TMC’s sales subsidiary in the United States, unveiled the Toyota “RAV4 EV”—an all electric compact SUV jointly developed with California, United States-based Tesla Motors, Inc. (Tesla)—at the 26th International Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS26) in Los Angeles, California.

The RAV4 EV—based on the Toyota “RAV4” compact SUV and fitted with a Tesla electric powertrain—achieves a real-world cruising range of approximately 100 miles (approx. 160 km). The vehicle is scheduled for launch in late summer 2012 in California with a planned manufacturer’s suggested retail price of 49,800 U.S. dollars.

TMS plans to sell approximately 2,600 units over the next three years. In May 2010, Tesla and TMC reached a basic agreement to work together on the development of electric vehicles and their related components, production systems and production engineering. In response, engineers from Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TEMA), Tesla and TMC soon started joint vehicle development, leading to the unveiling of a concept vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2010.

Now, approximately two years since the Tesla-TMC collaboration began, the RAV4 RAV4 EV 2/2 EV will make its market debut. Production will be carried out at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Inc. (TMMC) in Woodstock, Ontario.

TMC is working to limit fossil fuel consumption and reduce CO2 emissions through the promotion of gasoline-alternative energy sources, such as electricity. TMC began sales of a Prius-based plug-in hybrid vehicle in Japan and the U.S. in early 2012, with a European launch scheduled this summer. An all-electric vehicle based on the “iQ” ultra-compact is also planned for launch in Japan, North America and Europe within this year.

Source: http://www2.toyota.co.jp/en/news/12/05/0508.pdf