Nissan Pathfinder scored well in EuroNCAP tests

In its recently unveiled study, European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP) has proven Nissan Pathfinder full-size SUV to be one of the safest sports utility vehicles in the market.



EuroNCAP tests new cars in three categories: front impact, side impact and pedestrian impact. The Pathfinder scored well in all three categories getting 32 points while the average score for the category is 28 points.



The new Nissan Pathfinder got 12 points in front impact test, 18 points in side crash test and got additional 2 points thanks to its front seat belts reminder system, achieving overall four-stars rating for adult occupant protection. Only the new Audi Q7 SUV seems to better than the Pathfinder getting four, four and two stars respectively.



In child occupant and pedestrian protection tests Nissan Pathfinder was not that good, taking three and two stars respectively, because in the frontal test, the chests of both the 1½ and the 3 year old dummies were subjected to high decelerations and there is no pedestrian protection offered by the vehicle's leading edge of the bonnet.

Photos: Nissan

See also: Nissan Pathfinder by Marc Ecko: Urban Warfare style

Technorati tags: Nissan, Pathfinder, SUV, EuroNCAP, cars

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New Jeep Patriot to invade Europe

Jeep plans to present its new Patriot SUV to European customers during the upcoming motor show in Geneva. Available with a nice pack of features offered at a "competitive" price, the new Jeep Patriot is supposed to become an entry-level vehicle of choice for the American brand.



The European version of the new Jeep Patriot will be offered with a standard 2.4-liter petrol engine and an optional 2.0-liter turbocharged oil-burner in both left- and right-hand drive.



The standard package will include such features as side-curtain airbags, ABS, ESP, electronic roll mitigation system and the Freedom Drive I, a full-time, active four-wheel-drive system with Lock mode.



The company promises that the new Jeep Patriot will be available in Europe in the second quarter.



See also: Vauxhall Antara will start at £19,850

Technorati tags: Jeep, Patriot, SUV, engine, cars

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Vauxhall Antara will start at £19,850

Trying to make as bigger splash as possible, Vauxhall is bringing its new Vauxhall Antara SUV to the masses in three trims stuffed with standard equipment at a really compelling price.

Consider this: the cheapest Vauxhall Antara E comes to you with a 2.4-liter engine, ESP, Descent Control System, 17-inch alloy wheels, remote control ultrasonic alarm, front fog lights and an intelligent four-wheel drive.



The rest of the pack doesn't disappoint either.

Mid-range Vauxhall Antara S features such standard equipment as 18-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, climate and cruise control, rain-sensitive windscreen wipers, self-leveling suspension and heat-reflective windscreen.



The top of the line Vauxhall Antara SE adds to the list a DVD-based satellite navigation system, a built-in Bluetooth, six-disc CD changer with MP3, xenon, leather seat facings, front and rear parking distance sensors and an on-board tire pressure monitoring system.



Alas the famous Flex-Fix bike carrier system first featured on the new Opel/Vauxhall Corsa is available only as an option and carries a hefty price tag of £475.

The price list of trims goes like this:

Trim	Gearbox	Price
Antara E 2.4i 16v	manual	£19,850
Antara E 2.0 CDTi 16v	manual	£20,995
Antara E 2.0 CDTi 16v	automatic	£22,395
Antara S 2.0 CDTi 16v	manual	£22,595
Antara S 2.0 CDTi 16v	automatic	£23,995
Antara SE 2.0 CDTi 16v	manual	£26,295
Antara SE 2.0 CDTi 16v	automatic	£27,695

Permalink: Vauxhall Antara will start at £19,850

Paint me Ferrari Red: Mercedes-Benz ML350 by ART

Because the new appearance package for the new Mercedes Benz ML350 SUV doesn't differ to much from the company's earlier takes on the Mercedes Benz ML-Class, it could have gone unnoticed if not for the Ferrari Red "Rosso Corsa No.322" color scheme used by Art tuning GmbH. It's just like painting an extremely expensive sports car in a camouflage.



One more thing. This Ferrari-inspired Mercedes Benz ML350 comes not only with new aerodynamics set but also with new Xenon headlamp and halogen fog-lamp lighting set as a secondary headlamp unit in the front spoiler available with the Cornerlight function.



The vehicle's rear skirt comes with an integrated diffuser and a four-pipe exhaust system in stainless still coupled with chrome-plated 80mm tailpipe with one end muffler each. Together with thermostat-controlled additional oil heating, special V-belt, engine electronics and V_max disable, the engine's max power is increased from 272 hp up to 380 hp.

To make cornering safer, the Mercedes Benz ML350's AIRMATIC electronic chassis system is lowered by 35mm.

The vehicle comes with three-part six-spoke light-alloy ARTstar2 wheels with a titanium look to use with Pirelli tires in the size of 275/45R19.

Photos: Art tuning GmbH

See also: Nissan Pathfinder by Marc Ecko: Urban Warfare style

Technorati tags: Mercedes Benz, ML350, Art, SUV, tuning, Ferrari, Rosso Corsa, Airmatic, ARTstar2, cars

Permalink: Paint me Ferrari Red: Mercedes-Benz ML350 by ART

Land Rover Commercial Discovery 3 to arrive soon

UK customers will soon be able to put their hand on a commercial version of Land Rover Discovery 3 SUV. The commercial Disco3 will go on sale on the 19 March 2007. Prospective owners will be able to take advantage of the Benefit in Kind tax and full VAT reclaim associated with Light Commercial Vehicles.



The SUV will be available in two trims: the Land Rover Discovery 3 Commercial and Discovery 3 XS Commercial. Both vehicles feature standard 2130 liters of cargo volume, privacy glass, two-piece bulkhead, four corner air suspension and Terrain Response system.



No info on price yet.

See also: Range Rover SportAR6 Stronger by Arden

Technorati tags: Land Rover, Discovery 3, Commercial, SUV, cargo volume, privacy glass, bulkhead, air suspension, Terrain Response, cars

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Peugeot Holland & Holland 4007 Concept SUV

Aching to unveil its first SUV with the biggest splash possible, Peugeot teamed with famous luxury maker Holland & Holland on creating a concept fashion vehicle based on the upcoming Peugeot 4007 crossover SUV set to debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

The concept is basically a full-scale demonstrator model of how luxurious a French car could have been if local taxes were not so high. Its door mirror casings and roof bars feature water-resistant leather accents and its huge 20-inch alloys are machined from a single block of metal, and its rear quarter panel bears the hood of a royal falcon, which is the Holland & Holland logo.



Inside, Peugeot Holland & Holland 4007 Concept features hand-crafted leather interior blending H&H's "Ebony" and "Chartreuse Green" corporate colors.



Being a clone of the new Mitsubishi Outlander, the vehicle is motivated by the 2.2-litre HDi diesel engine with DPFS particulate filter system developing a maximum power output of 156 bhp and a peak torque of 280 lb-ft (380 Nm).







See also: Mitsubishi Outlander gives birth to the Citroen C-Crosser and Peugeot 4007

Technorati tags: Peugeot, 4007, Holland & Holland, SUV, engine, Mitsubishi Outlander, Concept, Geneva, DPFS, HDi , cars

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2008 Alfa Romeo CXover Crossover preview

It seems that Alfa's Kamal Concept first unveiled almost four years ago at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show will finally see the light. Alfa Romeo has presented the latest 3D rendering of its upcoming Alfa Romeo CXover crossover vehicle.



As you can see below, the preproduction vehicle doesn't differ too much from the older concept rendering except for some minor variations aimed to make the future crossover more in line with Alfa's current styling.



The vehicle, it is reported, will be produced in both three- and five-doors models and is supposed to be based on the same Premium platform, which is now being used by models 159 and Brera vehicles and will with some modifications be shared by Alfa 149 hatchback.



The crossover is expected to be motivated by Alfa's 3.2-liter 24V V6 engine souped up to develop up to 250 hp and 221 lb-ft (300 Nm) of torque.

Expect a pricing between €28,000 and €45,000.

See also: ZAP-X Crossover Electric Car to be shown at NADA

Technorati tags: 2008, Alfa Romeo, CXover, hatchback, engine, crossover, Brera, 149, 159, Geneva, cars

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2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid debuts

Toyota has presented its recent take on the hybrid vehicle idea. Its new 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid car-based SUV, unveiled today at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show, features Toyota's a longer than life list of comfort and safety equipment, as well as VDIM stability system and impressive for its weight and size mileage at 31 mpg city and 27 mpg highway.



Available from September, the new Toyota Highlander Hybrid will be equipped with full-time four-wheel drive with intelligence, electronic brake and throttle control, as well as true electronically-controlled active steering. To make the SUV even safer, Toyota plans to ship the vehicle with its STAR safety system, including anti-lock brakes, traction control, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, and enhanced vehicle stability control with electronic power steering.



Of course, what's the most interesting about new Toyota Highlander is its new and upgraded Hybrid Synergy Drive system, which has its maximum power output increased to 270 net horsepower. Toyota says that's enough to motivate the bigger SUV, which is now 500 pounds heavier than the previous model.



The only trouble with the new Toyota Highlander is that it's car-based. Yes, I understand that this breed of mid-size SUVs is much safer on the road and provide more comfortable driving experience, but I'm afraid the new Highlander's off-road capabilities will suck a big deal, hybrid or no hybrid.



Technorati tags: 2008, Toyota, Highlander, SUV, cars, Hybrid, mpg, Hybrid Synergy Drive

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VW Touareg gets some plastic surgery

The new VW Touareg comes refreshed with a "completely" new front-end and a better direct injection V8 FSI engine. The 32-valve engine produces up to 350 horsepower and 324 lb-ft (440 Nm) of torque reached at 3500 rpm.



The engine is powerful enough to help the heavy SUV reach a top speed of 244 km/h (with air suspension), accelerating from zero to 60 mph in just 7.5 seconds. Being that capable, the engine still features decent fuel economy, consuming some 13.8 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers (that's about 21 mpg).



On the exterior, the new Volkswagen Touareg features a redesigned corporate grille, reshaped bi-xenon headlights and new alloy wheels. Tail and brake lights were also slightly modified and now feature LED visual effect.



The VW Touareg comes with new ABSplus anti-lock braking system shortening SUV's braking distance by up to 20 per cent.







See also: 2008 Porsche Cayenne features new engines, more aggressive styling

Technorati tags: VW, Touareg, FSI, SUV, cars, 2007, mpg, LED, ABSplus

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Hummer H2 Victory Red Limited Edition arrives in February

Available in SUV and SUT versions, the latest Hummer H2 Victory Red limited edition features new rear-vision system that comes with a 3.5-inch full-color monitor hidden in the rearview mirror, receiving its signal from a rear-mounted video camera.



Except for the aforementioned hi-tech gadget, the Hummer H2 Victory Red does not differ from the original SUV from the technical standpoint, so the rest of the exclusivity comes courtesy of the "uplevel premium appearance package".

The kit consists of a set of body-color fender moldings and rocker moldings with an integrated assist step, and a lower-profile, roof-mounted light bar with integral lamps. The picture is completed with chrome hood handles, hood latches, hood louver, exterior side vents, rear D-rings and fuel filler door, and 17-inch flangeless chrome wheels. And, oh, there are also some carbon fiber "appearance accents" all over the H2's exterior.



Inside the Hummer H2 Victory Red you'll also find a rear-seat VD system with dual headrest-mounted viewing screens and wireless headphones.

The vehicles are available in SUV and SUT versions for MSRP of $66,030 and $65,575 respectively.



Technorati tags: Hummer, H2, Victory Red, SUV, SUT

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ZAP-X Crossover Electric Car to be shown at NADA

American ZAP company plans to show-off its conceptual ZAP-X crossover electric vehicle during the upcoming NADA annual meeting and exhibition, February 3 to 6, 2007.



Although still in pre-production phase, the ZAP-X crossover said to feature all-wheel-drive, 350 mile driving range (an auxiliary power unit is planned to support longer distance journeys) and stunning 10 minutes recharge time. The vehicle is based on the award-winning Lotus APX prototype CUV.

Featuring light-weight aluminum chassis, "evolutionary" in-hub electric motors and advanced battery management systems, the vehicle is capable of producing up to 644 hp in all-wheel-drive mode and a potential top speed of 155mph.



There is still no info on when the vehicle will be available to order and how much it will actually cost but I'm pretty sure it will be much less expensive than the upcoming hybrid version of the Porsche Cayenne SUV.



Photos: Lotus Cars

Technorati tags: ZAP, ZAP-X, Lotus, CUV, cars, APX, electric, Tesla, roadster

Permalink: ZAP-X Crossover Electric Car to be shown at NADA