Chevy Volt and Fiat 500 Amongst Worst Product Flops of 2011

A report on the seven worst product flops in the U.S. from 24/7 Wall Street that was re-posted on Yahoo Finance includes two vehicle introductions, the Chevrolet Volt and the Fiat 500.

According to the author of the report, Chevrolet's extended range electric vehicle made it on the list because it underperformed in sales while the fact that it is under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for fires related to the car's lithium-ion batteries is also mentioned.

As for the 500, the article says that while the Italians expected to sell some 50,000 cars during its first year in the States, Fiat sold fewer than 12,000 from January through July, and that the company ousted its chief Laura Soave this past November. For the record, Fiat sold 15,826 examples of the coupe and the 500C through October.

The other products mentioned in the list include Abercrombie & Fitch's “Ashley” Push-Up Triangle, a bikini top with padding for kids; Netflix's DVD-by-mail only Qwikster service; the HTC Status smartphone; Blackberry's PlayBook Tablet, and the Mars Needs Moms 3D film from Disney.

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Ford to Preview New Global Model with a Concept at 2012 New Delhi Auto Show

The Auto Expo 2012 that takes place in New Delhi, India, from January 7 to 11, will serve as the backdrop for the presentation of a new, but as of yet unnamed, concept model from Ford.

The Detroit-based carmaker won't reveal any specific details about the study but said that it will preview an all-new vehicle planned for introduction in India as well as other global markets in the very near future.

For the time being, we only get a single cropped image of the concept's front end, but it is believed that it shows a small five-door crossover model based on the Fiesta platform.

Ford said that the new vehicle will be the latest One Ford global product and it has been deigned to help expand the company's footprint in the world's fastest-growing auto markets, including India. The new model will be the second of eight products that the Blue Oval plans to bring to India by 2015.

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BMW and General Motors to Cooperate on Fuel Cell Technology

With creating expenditures on new technological innovation growing and areas varying in unforeseeable ways, family interaction with other producers is the way to go.

BMW has been one of the first to associate with its vehicle alternatives. Since 2002, it has been family interaction with Europe’s second greatest team, PSA Peugeot Citroen.

Only a few days ago, it declared a new handle Toyota, in which the Spanish people will offer the Western with their diesel-powered applications in change for Toyota’s large experience on multiple engineering.

On Friday, In german paper Wirtschafts Woche revealed that the Munich-based luxurious car machine is in shares to type yet another alliance. This time it will be with the globe's number one, Common Engines, and the concern is petrol cellular engineering, a area in which GM has done a lot of investigation and progression.

"We are discussing to GM about various upcoming technological innovation but we are not saying anything more beyond that," a BMW spokesperson said on Wednesday, while GM dropped to make any feedback.

The In german distribution offered a document on Business Weeks time, which said that BMW wants to use of GM petrol cellular engineering, and in come back will engage in the large expenditures of further creating what is regarded by most to be the long run of the vehicle market.

So, is the manufacturer of the Greatest Generating Models managing out of thoughts or cash to create these technological innovation on its own?

The reply is no: BMW is simply family interaction with organizations that are not immediate competition on a around the world time frame in order to revenue from their experience in certain job areas and considerably decrease progression expenditures for its own versions.

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Taiwan's Luxgen Launches its First Sedan Model, the Luxgen5

Mazda isn't the only car machine to use its name as a status for its design sequence. Taiwan's driven new vehicle company Luxgen has implemented the same nomenclature for its variety of versions that has now been enhanced with its first ever four-door automobile, the Luxgen5 that connects the Luxgen7 MPV and Luxgen7 SUV.

The recently unveiled Luxgen5 is the edition of the Neora EV idea research that was demonstrated at the Vehicle Shanghai 2011 in The far east captured.

The Taiwanese car machine says it is directed at the medium-large automobile market place with the new Luxgen5 that will make its world initial at the 2012 Taipei Vehicle Display next May.

According to Luxgen, the four-door design has been developed for international areas in mind since its creation. The case has been developed with the assistance of US anatomist experts Altair, while the car was examined by UK protection company Mira in order to connect with the case arrangement specifications of regional and offshore areas.

Power comes from a decision of two four-cylinder gas applications, a 1.8-liter VVT Turbocompresseur developing 150HP and 23.5kgm (230Nm) that's coordinated to a 5-speed automated indication, and a 2.0-liter VVT Turbocompresseur providing 170HP and 26.1kgm (256Nm), packaged to a 6-speed automated from Aisin.

The more substantial displacement powerplant allows for 0-100km/h (62mph) dash time of 8.5 mere a few moments and a top swiftness of 210km/h (131mph).

Other characteristics contain a entire selection of protection measures such as ABS, EBD automated brake-force submission, a BAS braking system aid program, an ESC automated steadiness management program and a TCS footing management program, along with a 'jet fighter-style' HUD present and the LUXGEN THINK+ Touching infotainment program developed together with mobile phone machine hTC that comes with a big touchscreen present developed in the middle system.

Kudos to Austin Hsu for the tip!

 

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Volvo Offers Factory-Backed Polestar Operation Products in the USA

You know that the world is shifting when a carmaker like Volvo, once the selection of physicians and little league parents, which beloved the brand's safe and block (in both descriptions of the word) place truck designs, begins getting in “factory-authorized” adjusting for some of its designs.

Volvo South North america declared that its Sweden-based, long-time adjusting companion Polestar, producer of the one-off 405HP AWD C30 and 330HP S60 operation aspects, has developed software improvements for the 2008MY and later C30, C70 and S40 designs outfitted with the five-cylinder turbocharged energy T5 engine.

The operation improvements will be available through recognized Volvo vendors from We have seen 14 at a advised MSRP of $1,295. The kit increases energy and twisting by 23HP and 29 lb-ft respectively by growing circulation in the burning step and developing kindle time.

"Our performance-oriented customers have told us they desired a adjusting option for their autos," said Bob Dauerer, Volvo Motors South Many v. p. of buyer support. "With Polestar, we are able to open the energy potential of our applications which results in outstanding speed and a more unique driving a car a vehicle experience - as well as it gives value to the vehicle."

Being factory-backed, the adjusting program keeps the unique company guarantee.

 

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Hollywood Aroma for 2011 LA Auto Show Design Challenge Concepts

For the last eight years, the LA Vehicle Display has been enjoying variety to a style fight directed at car maker style companies. Each season, a new Design Task style is preferred with the companies presenting their conceptual thoughts during the push times of the show.

For 2011, the motorshow managers are asking six vehicle style companies from around the world, such as Ford, Cars, Subaru, Mercedes-Benz, Sensible and Maybach to come up with Hollywood’s next coolest film car.

The idol judges will select a success centered on various conditions including:

-How the automobile shows its company features general to the plot
-How the automobile concerns the company or precise audience
-The stage of imagination
-The figure progression of the vehicle
-The styles of the blend of car, tale and figure.

The success will be declared on We have seen 17 during the Design Los Angeles discussion at the L.A. Vehicle Display.

Scroll down to get a look at this seasons participants.

[From the LA Design Challenge Press Release]




Honda Research and Development Americas, Inc. A futuristic action-adventure, Honda takes you hundreds of years into the future after a catastrophic event wiped out society as we know it in High Noon, featuring the Honda IH (Intelligent Horse).

A vehicle that serves as a companion and protector in the inhospitable and lonely environment, the Honda IH was inspired by the legend and material remains of an ancient creature called the horse and brought to life with advanced technology. At High Noon the dangerous environment is apparent when there is a showdown between IH’s competing for fuel and other resources, leaving the audience to question, who will prevail?

 

Hyundai Design North America – Following the immortal daughter of vampire parents through the most dangerous places in the world to stop the negative effects of communism, Hyundai’s Countess of Siberia features the Hyundai Stratus Sprinter multi-purpose vehicle and the DB Atlant Airship.

Serving as the Countess Elena’s homebase, both vehicles have a magical stealth force that renders them invisible during daylight, only to reappear after dark. The vehicles contain the most modern features and have light combat capabilities that help on her quest of justice.

 

Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, Inc.: Advanced Design Center California – In a futuristic society of increased artificial intelligence, two enlightened crash test mannequins, Hans05 and Franz02, show that they are no dummies when it comes to recognizing a potential catastrophe and decide to take matters into their own hands.

Using the Mercedes Silver Arrow, reminiscent of the W125 series, a Silberpfeil racecar of the late 1930s and the Uhlenhaut SLR from the 50s, Hans05 and Franz02 lead the relentless and evil ‘Dr. Barrier’ on an action-packed thrill ride through the past and future of transportation.

 

Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Germany – In a city famous for its friendly people and beautiful weather, but notoriously known for a lack of parking spaces, reporter Annie Angle is on a mission to write her first, potentially career-making, front page news article. On an early Sunday morning, an article in a newspaper catches Annie’s eye…“Smart Granny Robots Missing!”

Using her Smart 341 Parkour and its three different modes – a typical drive mode, a fly mode that allows the vehicle to hover far above the streets and a climb mode that allows the vehicle to run up the walls of skyscrapers – Annie sets off on an investigation to discover the missing link for her journalistic masterpiece.

 

Subaru Design Tokyo Studio – 200 years after the Earth stopped rotating, the Earth was split into two, distinctly different hemispheres – the Daysphere and the Nightsphere. Humans have been living in a highly-developed civilization in the Nightsphere, away from the sun’s harmful electromagnetic waves.

However, the fuel for the power generation system, a rare crystallized mineral, was running out. Known to be found only in the pole of the Daysphere, a place from which no human has ever come back alive, a team of four ventures to the other end of the world in the Ultra Subaru HORIZON.

The HORIZON is specially developed to withstand the strong electromagnetic field, chemical imbalances, scorching heat and raging storms of the Daysphere. Follow Subaru in this action thriller, Divided.

 

Mercedes-Benz Interior Design Studio, Germany – The newest Cinderella story, follow Cindy, a neglected stepdaughter in a dysfunctional family, through this romantic drama as she celebrates her birthday on the town. A surprise from her father, Cindy sets out in a new Maybach prototype, the Maybach Berline, and meets a mysterious and handsome stranger.

Based on the dimensions of a Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, the Maybach Berline Carriage is an E-Cell or F-Cell vehicle and features autonomous driving, a virtual chauffeur, vis-à-vis seating layout with a “Royal Lounge,” and large divided gullwing doors with oversized privacy glass and retractable stairs for convenient entrance.

Moviegoers will awe in the romance and new technology as Cindy races home just in time for curfew, but not before one more moment with her new love.

 

 

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