Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X attracts premium buyers

New Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X is drawing some unlikely new customers to Mitsubishi from premium German manufacturers as well as other Japanese marques.

A study of Evo X buyers since its launch in the UK this March has revealed some startling statistics - including one owner trading in their supercar for the new rally king.

The research has revealed that 38 percent of Twin Clutch SST buyers have switched over from premium German brands such as BMW, Audi and Mercedes - with a further 31 percent defecting from competing Japanese brands such as Subaru.

Sales of the manual transmission however have been dominated by existing Evo owners, accounting for 40 percent of the total with a further 19 percent from German and 20 percent from Japanese manufacturers respectively.

In an extraordinary case, a Ferrari F430 was traded in at a dealer for a brand new Lancer Evolution X FQ-300 SST along with a cheque for £90,000.

© Source: caradvice
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Rolls-Royce Phantom for £1million

Convertibles don’t come much more exclusive than Rolls-Royce’s Phantom Drophead Coupé. And with a price tag of £305,000, it’s a rare sight on UK roads – but that’s not enough for one super-rich collector, who has commissioned this unique machine from legendary Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina.

The one-off car will get a completely new body, as you can see from this striking teaser image. Said to be inspired by pre-war Rolls-Royce models such as the original Phantom, it promises to be even more imposing than the official machine thanks to an aerodynamic shape featuring a swept-back windscreen and sculpted flanks.

Rumour has it that the car will carry a fitting badge, too – Hyperion, which comes from ancient Greek mythology and means ‘the god of the sun’. As well as a unique body, the Hyperion is likely to get a bespoke cabin – although it will be interesting to see how Pininfarina ‘improves’ on the already incredibly luxurious four-seater interior of the existing Drophead Coupé.

One area of the car that the coachbuilder is unlikely to touch is the mechanicals. The Hyperion will be powered by the standard 453bhp 6.75-litre V12 engine, resulting in a 0-60mph time of around six seconds and a top speed approaching 150mph.

Given the price of the ‘basic’ Phantom Drophead Coupé, it’s difficult to imagine just how costly the bespoke Rolls-Royce will be – but we suspect that the unnamed owner will be lucky to see any change from £1million. However, the Hyperion is not the first enormously expensive coachbuilt car. It follows in the footsteps of the Ferrari P4/5, a Ferrari Enzo rebodied by Pininfarina in the style of the Prancing Horse’s Sixties’ racers at the request of a US stock magnate, James Glickenhaus.

Not including the ‘donor’ Enzo, the project is rumoured to have cost around £2m. Meanwhile, the wraps are expected to come off the hand-built Hyperion at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in the US in August.

© Source: autoexpress
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Audi A1 Cabrio debut at Frankfurt in 2009

This is the smallest and most easy going offering from Audi, developed for and aimed at a young clientele. It’s carefree and versatile, and according to Auto Express, author of this rendering, Audi will present the A1 concept car at the next Frankfurt show in September 2009. About 12 months after this open-top, we should see commercial production of the Metroproject Quattro.

The declared adversary of the A1 will be the Mini convertible, also to debut next year, which should have a more complex roof system that folds into the boot area.

The Audi A1, a different kettle of fish to the English car, will see an aluminum roof similar to the system adopted by the unlucky A2. The engine range will be completely different though, with a turbo compressor, and a 1.6 aspirated engine as the basis of the range. There will also be the TSI 1.4, the 1.8 and the future jewel in the crown, distinguished by the letter S.

© Source: eurocarblog
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Renault Dacia introduces New Logan

New Dacia Logan will be introduced across the majority of Western European markets from July 2008. In most cases, its entry level price remains unchanged, making it a more appealing proposition than ever.

New Dacia Logan stands out as a modern saloon with more contemporary exterior lines which reflect its robust, quality build. The grille, which first appeared on Dacia Sandero, is bigger and features the brand's new logo, plus a chrome upper trim as standard (except entry level version). The new front bumper is flush with the bodywork for a more integrated, harmonious feel, while the headlights are bigger and the fog lamps come with elegant carbon colour surrounds (depending on version).

The rear design of New Dacia Logan has been updated, too. The design of the new boot lid, which can be trimmed with a lower chrome strip, is more streamlined and its lines have been carried over to the revised rear lights. The rear bumper, too, is now flush with the bodywork and incorporates reflectors and a towing hook complete with concealing cap.

Drivers will appreciate the practical controls, and special care has gone into ensuring that all dashboard information is easy to read. The driving environment itself has been made even more comfortable and driverfriendly thanks to a new driver's seat adjustment control (depending on version) and a height-adjustable steering column (depending on version). Rear visibility has been improved through the fitment of a comma-type central rear headrest and large format door mirrors. These have been carried over from Dacia Logan MCV and are standard equipment on New Dacia Logan.

The 1.4 MPI 75hp, 1.6 MPI 90hp and 1.6 16V 105hp all comply with the criteria of cost, robustness and ease of maintenance that are a feature of the Dacia brand. They combine generous torque from low revs with thrifty fuel consumption: 7.0, 7.2 and 7.1 litres/100km respectively.

The 1.5 dCi stands out as a benchmark in the diesel engine field thanks to the use of such advanced technologies as second-generation common-rail direct injection which delivers both high performance and extremely low fuel consumption. The 1.5 dCi is available in 70hp form and a punchier 85hp version, while CO2 emissions of 120g/km point to the 1.5 dCi 70hp and 1.5 dCi 85hp engines' ecological credentials.

New Dacia Logan will be produced in Pitesti, Romania. Total investment amounted to €27 million and the development teams remained true to the Logan spirit by investing solely in what was strictly necessary to continue delivering the best possible equipment and performance at an attractive price. Indeed, the entry level price for New Dacia Logan remains unchanged in the majority of the countries where it is sold.

© Source: automotoportal
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Toyota all-time record sales in Australia

Toyota has broken an all-time industry record this month, becoming the first car company in Australia to sell in excess of 25,000 vehicles in a single month.

Sales figures released today reveal that Toyota sold more than 25,600 cars for the month of June, breaking its own record of 24,539 which it set 12 months ago.

It’s strongest performer was the Corolla with more than 5000 sales, closely followed by the HiLux which contributed just over 4500 to the overall total.

With the financial year ending just yesterday, Toyota also announced that it has sold more than 247,500 vehicles for the fiscal year - also an all-time industry record.

No other brand has ever sold more than 200,000 vehicles in any 12-month period in Australia.

© Source: caradvice
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Audi R8 DTM safety car

Audi has announced that its superlative R8 sportscar will serve as the safety car for the ever-popular DTM touring car championship, having also served in the same capacity for the recently-concluded 24 Hours of Le Mans. Audi's performance division quattro GmbH prepared a pair of R8s for the German racing series – with the second serving as a "racing taxi" – but noted that, "because the R8 possesses the genes of a perfect sports car", little in the way of modification for duty was required.

The pair of R8 support vehicles made its debut at the Norisring Speed Weekend yesterday, where Mercedes-Benz beat out the new Audi A4 DTM with a 1-2 finish.

© Source: autoblog
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2009 Mercury Milan Review

Predictably, the Milan and Fusion share similar strengths and weaknesses. Like its blue-oval brother, the Milan is based on a stretched version of the outgoing Mazda 6 platform, which enables the midsize Mercury to combine the 6's athleticism with appreciably more passenger room. Unlike many of its competitors, the Milan also offers all-wheel drive on V6-powered models, a significant selling point for shoppers residing in colder climes. And we can no longer criticize Mercury for skimping on stability control -- it's available on every 2009 Milan. The optional Sync multimedia interface, a Ford family exclusive, is another feather in the Milan's cap.

There's only one area where the Milan could really use some improvement, and that's under the hood. Neither the base four-cylinder engine nor the optional V6 make the refined noises we expect to hear in modern family sedans, and they're down on power, too. This would be easier to swallow if there were a payoff in efficiency, but there's not -- the Milan's fuel-economy numbers are middling at best. Otherwise, though, the Milan is quite enjoyable from behind the wheel, featuring above-average handling along with a commendably cushioned ride.

There's no doubt that the 2009 Mercury Milan is a solid all-around midsize sedan. Trouble is, perennial favorites like the Honda Accord and Nissan Altima offer superior four- and six-cylinder engines while matching the Milan in all other respects, save for the Milan's available AWD. However, the Milan is more affordable than those models, and it is fully competitive with similarly priced competitors like the Chevy Malibu, Hyundai Sonata and Saturn Aura. If you don't want to pay top dollar for your next family sedan, the Milan is certainly worth a look.

The 2009 Mercury Milan's base 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine is rated at 160 horsepower and receives Partial-Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV) certification in California and other California-emissions states. It's paired with a standard five-speed manual transmission in the base four-cylinder Milan, while a five-speed automatic is optional on the base model and standard on the Premier.

A 3.0-liter 221-hp V6 is optional on both the base and Premier trims. All V6-equipped Milans receive a six-speed automatic transmission, which is notable for limiting drivers to just two forward-gear gates ("D" and "L"), though many drivers probably won't miss the additional manual control. Four-cylinder Milans are front-wheel drive, while AWD is optional on V6 models.

© Source: edmunds
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