Author: autoevolution

The newest entry in the Astra family, the 2010 model year, has received the red dot award in the product design category from an international expert jury of non-automotive designers. The new award takes its place in the line of international recognitions for the model, including Goldenes Lenkrad in Germany and viewer’s choice prize in Romania.

It is a very special honor to receive this endorsement from an international jury of non-automotive designers. It confirms once again that Opel is on … (read more)

The Aston Martin dealership in Kronberg, Germany has been redesigned recently due to lack of space for housing the group’s entire collection. The new showroom now has a showcase built especially for the Aston Martin sports car range, consisting of the V8 and V12 Vantage, DB9, DBS and soon, the new four-door Rapide.

The new Aston Martin Kronberg dealership now spreads over a 450 square meters area and two floors, comprising a point of sale, a place for car hand-over and the customer service r… (read more)

Although they haven’t been too successful in beating their rivals from the get go this season, Mercedes GP seems in pole position to attract the Deutsche Post into a major sponsorship deal for the upcoming few years. According to the German media, such a move has already been discussed during the Bahrain weekend and a contract should be inked in a matter of weeks.

The Munich newspaper TZ reported that Daimler chief executive Dieter Zetsche actually met with some officials from the Deutsche Po… (read more)

Back in 2006, Kia Motors Polska had decided to organize and support Kia LOTOS Cup. The event is meant to attract young drivers who want to test their skills. Fortunately, the recession did not affect this event, so Kia has announced this year’s calendar.

The Kia LOTOS Cup competition series has become a permanent entry on Poland’s calendar of racing events. Four seasons of Picanto championships provided a starting point for young motorsport enthusiasts in Poland. This year, they are offered a… (read more)

Smart marketing pays out most of the time, especially when you really have something to work on. One of the industries that really needs marketing tricks to survive is the automotive one, as the public opinion’s interest for environmental protection is growing faster than the segment’s capacity to provide green technologies.

One example that illustrates this is provided by Yokohama Tire Corporation, which has created a living wall of natural plants showcased at various events in an effort to … (read more)

After earlier this week SAE International announced a partnership with Ford for a series of online training courses to automotive engineers worldwide, the organization revealed it has also improved automotive software development capabilities and created the J2746 Software Assessment Repository.

According to a statement from SAE, the repository is a secure online database system that facilitates accurate and secure sharing of corporations’ software development capabilities.

This is an impo… (read more)

Although the engine used by Sebastian Vettel during the Bahrain Grand Prix deprived him of a well-deserved win, it has now emerged that the German will continue to use the powerplant two weekends from now, in Australia.

Some 20 laps to go in the Bahrain race, his RB6 experienced a sudden loss of competitiveness due to a failed spark plug that led to a loss of power for the Renault engine. However, it seems the powerplant was not affected beyond repair, as the mechanics have already worked the… (read more)

Electric motorcycle manufacturer Zero Motorcycles announced yesterday it is planning a "Discover the Experience Tour" across California, where the company’s bikes are eligible for the state incentive program. The Zero S and DS motorcycles will be available for $7,495 after the $1,500 California Clean Vehicle Program rebate and ten percent federal tax credit.

The "Discover the Experience Tour" will kick off in Santa Cruz and will continue through San Francisco, San Jose, Sa… (read more)

Nissan has just announced that its first all electric vehicle, the Leaf, will be manufactured at the automaker’s plant in Sunderland, UK. The car manufacturer’s lithium-ion battery plant will also be located in Sunderland and will be able to produce 60,000 units each year.

The production of the Leaf model is scheduled to start in early 2013. The initial production capacity in Sunderland will be of 50,000 units per year. The battery production will start in 2012. The plant will build batteries… (read more)

Mercedes-Benz Accessories GmbH in collaboration with artist Timo Wuerz worked together to develop colorful art stickers for the smart collection. The art stickers on the passion product line feature skyscrapers and illuminated windows, skyline prints and yellow color accents.

The pulse product line is also reflected in the stickers with brown and orange coloring and a line pattern. There are also art stickers with flowers, birds’ wings and stars, light orange and brightly colored Hibiscus pet… (read more)

Kia Motors’s U.S. website, kia.com, has taken the top position among automotive manufacturer websites in the first wave of the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Manufacturer Web Site Evaluation Study. This marks the brand’s fifth award (a record for a carmaker), following those received in 2003, 2005 wave 2, 2007 wave 1 and 2008 wave 2.

Kia’s online world gained the first position thanks to offering a user-friendly interface that covers new vehicle sales and offers a good level of speed, a prop… (read more)

Suzuki is launching a new special edition for the Swift Sport compact, the Swift Sport Rock am Ring.

The model celebrates the 25th anniversary of the music festival, which is sponsored by the Japanese manufacturer and takes place at the Nurburgring race track in June.

The Swift Sport Rock am Ring can be distinguished by the bespoke logos that are present both on the car’s body and in its interior. In order to bring bring the festival’s spirit inside the car, Suzuki offers a new entertainm… (read more)

In a difficult overall market environment, unit sales at Daimler Buses in 2009 fell by 20 percent from the record figure for 2008, the manufacturer announced today. Daimler Buses, however, managed to increase sales in the US, Canada and Asia and also gained market share there. All in all, Daimler Buses achieved a global market share of 13 percent in the difficult year of 2009.

The feat achieved by Daimler Buses is reportedly due to a long-term strategy that encompasses the four core objective… (read more)

Praised by the manufacturer as delivering best-in-class diesel, the 2011 F-Series Super Duty is now getting all the attention again, as Ford announced that its 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine is B20 biodiesel compatible.

According to Ford, this means that customers get an additional fueling option that uses blends of up to 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel.

During the Super Duty’s development, engineers put more than 10.3 million equivalent test mi… (read more)

Lingenfelter Performance Engineering is offering a supercharger pulley upgrade package for the CTS-V. The car’s 6.2 liter supercharged V8 powerplant, which produced 556 HP and 551 lb-ft of torque when it left the factory, now offers 630 Hp and 630 lb-ft of torque.

The power upgrade includes a E-coated supercahrger drive pulley, an 8-rib serpentine belt, solid supercharger isolator coupling, a special air duct kit and others. The only visual modification is the presence of the tuner’s logo on… (read more)

If you’re the type of guy or gal that loves the nature but doesn’t have the will power to leave the car at home and go kicking, than off-roading might be your game. This hobby may look expensive, as the first thing you need is an all-wheel-drive car.

The good news is that off-roading does not require an expensive car. Your beloved vehicle will have to face mud, water, tree-branch scratches, bumps and dents, so it is recommended that you start with a small, cheap but capable car, like a Suzuki… (read more)

Michael Schumacher’s return to the Formula One championship does not mean he will consequently join the Grand Prix Drivers Association (GPDA) in the series. Prior to his quit from the championship 4 years ago, the German has been a highly rated member of the association which acted towards defending the drivers’ rights in the series.

However, according to Germany’s Bild Zeitung, it seems the 41-year old driver is now the only racer in the F1 paddock without a GPDA membership.

Michael stil… (read more)

Now that there are only 12 contestants left in the American Idol show Ford decided to further extend its sponsorship for the show and will give each of them the chance to work with Ford designers and create their own personalized 2011 Ford Fiesta. The top two American Idol finalists will be awarded their own signature Fiesta during the finale.

The 12 contestants were given a palette of nine Fiesta colors to choose from, including Lime Squeeze, Blue Flame and Bright Magenta. Then, they chose c… (read more)

Prior Design has developed an exterior package for the Ford Mustang, but this one creation that doesn’t follow the tuner’s normal pathway.

First of all, because it is a tuning program dedicated to an American car – Prior Design usually enhances German vehicles. In addition to that, the styling kit is destined for the previous generation of the Mustang (its fifth, to be more precise), produced between 2004 and 2008. So we could say that this whole story is (only a little bit) nostalgic.

But… (read more)

Mark Webber did not hold back from criticizing the new format of Formula One racing following the boring Bahrain Grand Prix last weekend. While putting the emphasis on refueling ban and, consequently, a single pit stop during the race, the racing lacked overtaking completely inside the Top 10, argued Webber.

Additionally, the high temperatures in Bahrain made it difficult for the engines to work at full speed, with the Ferrari and Renault powerplants being the most affected by the hot weather… (read more)